elk 54 type 1

[dslaughter]

I haven't seen this come up lately so I'm posting the question. This year, a buddy of mine and I cashed in points for 54 type 1. Any help/information/opinions or just really good hunting stories about it would be appreciated. I'm hoping we can give it 10 days or so in November. I've torn maps apart and plan on bothering the local game warden, biologist and forestry guys but please feel free to help me out if you'd like.
thanks in advance.
ds

 

[Wapitiwilly]

Solid unit, definitely some stomper bulls in that unit, along with a few grizzlies

 

[dslaughter]

Solid unit, definitely some stomper bulls in that unit, along with a few grizzlies

I'm hoping they'll be fast asleep by the time I get there but that's tbd I guess...

 

[sagefrog]

I drew the same tag. Should be a good hunt if we can avoid any grizz issues. Good luck!

 

[dslaughter]

I drew the same tag. Should be a good hunt if we can avoid any grizz issues. Good luck!

congrats man! good luck!

 

[mntnguide]

I'm hoping they'll be fast asleep by the time I get there but that's tbd I guess...

Don't plan on that. They will be at their most active in November getting ready to hibernate, but definitely will not be asleep in that country in November

 

[dslaughter]

Don't plan on that. They will be at their most active in November getting ready to hibernate, but definitely will not be asleep in that country in November

good to know. I've never hunted around grizzly bears so we will be extra cautious. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[SDBugler]

Pray for snow to push em out of the higher elevations. There WILL be bears in there. I had that tag about 8 years ago. Lots of bear sign and tracks even in thigh deep snow.

 

[go4steelhd]

As said above expect bears, my boss had this tag a few years ago. His statement was he on average seen 1-3 bears a day. He said it really took away from the hunt, make sure you hunt with a buddy or two.

Good luck, and please share your success

 

[nontypical]

I don't know if anyone mentioned this, but...

Watch out for bears.

 

[Teepee]

Are you taking horses, or going on foot? If on horses, take a couple of pack horses with you when you leave camp in morning and get the elk out ASAP. Most of the people that I'm aware of that have had trouble with grizzlies is when they go back the next day to retrieve the elk. Been on a dozen or so hunts in grizzly country and have not had any big problem with them. Obviously keep a clean camp. I've gotten in the habit of taking freeze dried food even though I've got the horse power to pack in "real" food. More convenient, way less weight, and just burn the pouches to keep down the scent. Knock on wood, has all worked so far.

 

[dslaughter]

As said above expect bears, my boss had this tag a few years ago. His statement was he on average seen 1-3 bears a day. He said it really took away from the hunt, make sure you hunt with a buddy or two.

Good luck, and please share your success

I have a friend with the tag as well and a few folks to help pack. Hopefully we can get a bull out the day we harvest - fingers crossed. And I'll be sure to come back and update.

 

[dslaughter]

Are you taking horses, or going on foot? If on horses, take a couple of pack horses with you when you leave camp in morning and get the elk out ASAP. Most of the people that I'm aware of that have had trouble with grizzlies is when they go back the next day to retrieve the elk. Been on a dozen or so hunts in grizzly country and have not had any big problem with them. Obviously keep a clean camp. I've gotten in the habit of taking freeze dried food even though I've got the horse power to pack in "real" food. More convenient, way less weight, and just burn the pouches to keep down the scent. Knock on wood, has all worked so far.

We don't have horses or access to them yet. At the moment we're thinking about staying in Cody due to the weather and logistics. Hopefully there will be enough of us (2 hunters and 2 pack-mule friends) to get a bull out the day we harvest. I'm going to try to just be bear aware but not let it spoil the fun.

 

[go4steelhd]

I have a friend with the tag as well and a few folks to help pack. Hopefully we can get a bull out the day we harvest - fingers crossed. And I'll be

PM sent

 

[crcountry]

Yeah, I had that tag in 2016. Cashed in 10 points and cashed out on a nice DIY bull. It's a bastard of a unit. Once/if the necessary snow comes, it socks in the monument hill road rendering it almost impossible to access. If I could go back and do it again: I would have taken the $$ I saved on not going guided, sold my Polaris ATV, and bought a nice/used 6 wheel Argo with tracks....then sold it when I got back home. I don't know if an argo can go through blown in snow banks, uphill, but a snowmobile can be fairly useless unless its a 12-20" snow blizzard event that completely covers the road system. The wind creates many bare spots which will kill a sled. Another idea: if a big snow is coming, get the argo up the monument hill road and camp up near the forest service cabin....and stay up there until you kill a 340"+. Then use the downhill inertia to (hopefully) motor the argo out of there. Meat and all. In one trip. If Monument hill is socked in: you have bald ridge, skull creek, and heart mountain...that's about it. If you go early in the hunt, you might get eaten by a grizzly. The real magic is popping up there regularly after 11/1 and peaking down the drainage from a few/key look-out points. If you see a 330-340", go try and get'em. There are 340"+ bulls in there, but not as many as you'd think. Taking a 350" bull will have an element of timing, luck, and just being in the right place at the right time. I wouldn't pass up a 330" bull in there. If it snows big, I've helped 2 tag holders, and each killed their bulls inside 1/4 mile where I killed mine (maybe even less!). And its still a bastard to get meat out of there! Gotta hire a horse guy to get meat out.

 

[brdhuntr]

Does anyone have any knowledge of 54-2, i'm looking at that for 2023, and i can use my points, but don't have enough for 54-1. Do you need horses, private land an issue? Thankyou..

 

[crcountry]

54-2 is a much harder scenario that 54-1 from what I hear. And with a much lower elk density. Very tough and rugged country. Same with 53-2, especially with snowy access. Either way, 54-1, 53-2, and 54-2 are all tough hunts. a tad bit easier in the earlier days of the hunts, as your not contending with snow, but you'll be contending with mean grizzlies. I've been eyeing up 53-2 as a possibility to try and relive my 54-1 experience, but a DIY/backpack hunt in 53-2 (non-wilderness) is almost insane....unless you have horses....and even then its still a huge endeavor. MoonCrest ranch does well in 53-2...I'd seriously consider going on a guided horse hunt with them. At 49, and in pretty good elk shape, I do see these type of hunts in my rear view mirror. One more elk hunt in AZ, then another in NV.....then I'll completely abandon elk for mule deer!

 

[brdhuntr]

54-2 is a much harder scenario that 54-1 from what I hear. And with a much lower elk density. Very tough and rugged country. Same with 53-2, especially with snowy access. Either way, 54-1, 53-2, and 54-2 are all tough hunts. a tad bit easier in the earlier days of the hunts, as your not contending with snow, but you'll be contending with mean grizzlies. I've been eyeing up 53-2 as a possibility to try and relive my 54-1 experience, but a DIY/backpack hunt in 53-2 (non-wilderness) is almost insane....unless you have horses....and even then its still a huge endeavor. MoonCrest ranch does well in 53-2...I'd seriously consider going on a guided horse hunt with them. At 49, and in pretty good elk shape, I do see these type of hunts in my rear view mirror. One more elk hunt in AZ, then another in NV.....then I'll completely abandon elk for mule deer!

Thankyou for the information.