Elk guide recommendations with 10 NR points

[Eric3956]

I have 10 NR elk points and need help with an Elk guide. Im looking to secure a hunt for the 2025 season and need some suggestions on a reputable guide/outfitter. Thank you for the help.

 

[nfh]

Ishawooa outfitters
Trails west outfitters

 

[Mackey]

Trails West, IF you can draw 61 or 62. You’ll have an AWESOME time.

Mackey

 

[Soccerdude]

Lots of options. Do you want a horse back hunt, lodge hunt on private land, wall tent in the back country. Good for you starting to research now.

 

[Eric3956]

Thwe

Lots of options. Do you want a horse back hunt, lodge hunt on private land, wall tent in the back country. Good for you starting to research now.

The type of hunt doesnt matter to me. Im looking for an honest oufit that will provide me with reasonable expectations. I have done a hunt before in Colorado and the outfitter was a crook. I dont have the time or the money to waste on something like that again. After this many years a reasonable opputunity at a 6X6 would be great.

 

[WildernessRambler]

if you’ve spent this much time gaining points I think wagonhound outfitters is who I would key in on and if you need more points I’d still settle with them. I antler hunt that area and I think it has more consistent nice bulls than anywhere else in the state

 

[wweaver79]

If you have 10 this year, 11 next going into the draw you can look at how this higher fee impacted unit 7 later this year. It has been around 11/12pts the last couple of years I believe. Just looked it was 70 percent at 12 pts in reg and 20 percent in the special draw. You will be chasing that area. Lots of details not given rifle/bow etc. 11 will be enough to have a quality hunt, dig in and do some research.

 

[grosventrehunter]

Piss on the Wagonhound! We need a decent central Wyoming general season unit and 7 is my choice.

 

[Bookhead]

Piss on the Wagonhound! We need a decent central Wyoming general season unit and 7 is my choice.

It wouldn't be decent if it was general

 

[grosventrehunter]

It wouldn't be decent if it was general

Sounds like a non issue to me. It's a general deer unit so let's make it general elk as well. It may even help the deer population by killing a bunch of the elk. Don't you usually hunt "wouldn't be decent" general deer seasons every year with success?

 

[Bookhead]

Sounds like a non issue to me. It's a general deer unit so let's make it general elk as well. It may even help the deer population by killing a bunch of the elk. Don't you usually hunt "wouldn't be decent" general deer seasons every year with success?

No I usually don't shoot a deer in general the last one I shot was limited quota. Making 7 general wouldn't lower the elk numbers either there is too much private land that is the problem. It would just help the landowners out with hoarding the elk even more

 

[mulecreek]

No I usually don't shoot a deer in general the last one I shot was limited quota. Making 7 general wouldn't lower the elk numbers either there is too much private land that is the problem. It would just help the landowners out with hoarding the elk even more

It would take some of the pressure off the other Gen elk units in Wyo.

Heard an interesting thought a couple of years ago, that given how well elk are doing, Wyo should just make every unit General. I'm not advocating for that, yet, but it's an interesting thought for sure. Suspect it would have a very real and immediate impact on the Gen units I hunt each year.

 

[Bookhead]

It would take some of the pressure off the other Gen elk units in Wyo.

Heard an interesting thought a couple of years ago, that given how well elk are doing, Wyo should just make every unit General. I'm not advocating for that, yet, but it's an interesting thought for sure. Suspect it would have a very real and immediate impact on the Gen units I hunt each year.

I was asked once by a biologist what I would do if I was king for a day and I said that same thing. Make the whole state general for elk residents only. Leave non resident the way it is

 

[grosventrehunter]

No I usually don't shoot a deer in general the last one I shot was limited quota. Making 7 general wouldn't lower the elk numbers either there is too much private land that is the problem. It would just help the landowners out with hoarding the elk even more

That is exactly the issue now in 7. I remember when area 7 had about 600 bull tags. I believe there are around 1,800 bull tags now with a 1,000+ cow tags. All these tags and a season that runs 5 plus months, yet the elk numbers are increasing every year. If the GnF want more elk killed make it a general unit for a few years. It will never happen because the landowners, Wagonhound in particular, would cry and whine that too many of "their" elk are being killed.

 

[mulecreek]

I was asked once by a biologist what I would do if I was king for a day and I said that same thing. Make the whole state general for elk residents only. Leave non resident the way it is

First few years would be interesting to see how people dispersed. I suspect the desert country would look like the baja1000 while the Wyo Range would be lonelier than a strip mall radio shack

 

[Bookhead]

First few years would be interesting to see how people dispersed. I suspect the desert country would look like the baja1000 while the Wyo Range would be lonelier than a strip mall radio shack

Then I bet It would pretty much even out

 

[BuzzH]

Some of the LQ areas that have nice bulls would become raghorn central.

 

[grosventrehunter]

Some of the LQ areas that have nice bulls would become raghorn central.

Is there science behind this or just opinion? I've hunted a lot of general season elk areas, and not one of them were overrun with raghorns. I have hunted 7 (LQ) a few times and saw a ton of raghorns along with great bulls. Some general season units produce good bulls year in and year out.

 

[Triple_BB]

You’re leaving out the part about hunter satisfaction. Who wants to hunt some of these small LQ areas with 500 other guys.

 

[grosventrehunter]

Life's about choices. Don't apply for LQ units that have 500 tags. When I Iook at places to apply for, I take hunt quality into account.

 

[Triple_BB]

I’m talking about if they made some of these LQ areas general season tags.

 

[Bookhead]

I’m talking about if they made some of these LQ areas general season tags.

Then hunt a different area if it's all general go wherever you want

 

[BuzzH]

Is there science behind this or just opinion? I've hunted a lot of general season elk areas, and not one of them were overrun with raghorns. I have hunted 7 (LQ) a few times and saw a ton of raghorns along with great bulls. Some general season units produce good bulls year in and year out.

You think unit 100 would have anything bigger than a rag in a couple years if it were general? 124?

Isn't going to happen anyway, but yeah, there wouldn't be many, if any, bulls over 2-3 years old. Nowhere to go but in the back of a truck.

If you want to see it first hand, hunt the Bighole in Montana, Lima Peaks, etc. anywhere with open country and general seasons there.

You can hunt all 12 weeks of their general bull season and won't see a bull of any kind of quality. BTDT.

 

[grosventrehunter]

You think unit 100 would have anything bigger than a rag in a couple years if it were general? 124?

Isn't going to happen anyway, but yeah, there wouldn't be many, if any, bulls over 2-3 years old. Nowhere to go but in the back of a truck.

If you want to see it first hand, hunt the Bighole in Montana, Lima Peaks, etc. anywhere with open country and general seasons there.

You can hunt all 12 weeks of their general bull season and won't see a bull of any kind of quality. BTDT.

I don't disagree with most of what you said, however, area 7 is not area 100. It's a huge unit with lots of private mixed in and thousands of elk. In my opinion the bulls would have places to wait out the season. If the GnF truly believe the numbers are way over objective a general season would help. After a few year the GnF could re-evaluate and see if the elk number are at or below objective. I believe mule deer might benefit the most with less elk on the landscape. JMO!!