units 7-8-9-19-191

silverstem · Mar 29, 2011

Was wondering if anyone had any information info for archery elk hunting in any of these units??I have archery hunted in 8 and not seen many elk in that unit,was just curious if any of those units are better than the other?

Whiterock · Mar 29, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Mar-29-11 AT 11:20AM (MST)[p]Poorest units in the state for public land hunting.Twenty years ago I really enjoyed hunting in these units.
but the last time I was there I did not see any animals ,deer or elk.Maybe private land might be better,but I will never go back to the public land I used to hunt.

mshred · Mar 29, 2011

i've spent some time in 19. tough hunting. there are, of course, animals in there, but they are few and far between in my limited experience. rest assured, however, every year there are elk and deer killed in the rawah and comanche peaks wilderness areas.

i wouldnt know, but from what i hear the private land in those units can be some decent hunting.

HiMtnHntr · Mar 29, 2011

These units are good examples of units that need to be scouted in order to consistently do well. They take dedication. Pound ground there during the summer finding hangouts (where elk will go when pressured) and you could do well. Elk that are very visible in these units during the summer, however, tend to shut up and hole up come the first few days of the season. Plenty of elk there, they are just very difficult to hunt, especially if you just show up on opening day. Some hunters get lucky. Hell, even a blind squirrel picks up a nut every now and then, but not consistently.

If you live close by and have the time to devote to these areas, begin now making yourself into a machine. Get out some maps and narrow down areas to those areas that are roadless and take some doing to get into, and which also scream elk country. Eat, sleep, and breath shooting your bow and scouting. Take your bow with you scouting during the summer and shoot stumps with blunts to practice form in a natural setting and range estimation (how many guys get to use their range finder in a bowhunting situation?). Find wallows and rubs and other signs of rutting behavior. These areas may be in heavily timbered areas near springs/seeps that area benchy, cool, and moist. Learn what the wind does in these areas. Go to these areas as often as you can. Don't let a day go by that you don't think about shooting an elk in one of holes you found scouting. Practice calling in the woods, in the house, in the car, etc, etc, etc . . .

If this sounds like your cup of tea, your success there will be much higher than the DOW stats suggest.

Aaronjhanson · Mar 30, 2011

I have hunted unit 7. depending on where you hunt it can be a hard hunt. I seen way more road hunters then anything else. hunted for a few days. Seen a rag horn (not a legal bull) the day I was fixing to leave, just got out of the woods, was sitting on the back of the truck talking to my hunting buddy, a few cows were walking down the road and stopped about 40 yards from us...no chance of shooting them of course. I was hunting archery, so it was hot as well.

HiMtnHntr · Mar 30, 2011

Road hunters in unit 7? You must have been hunting Laramie River Road or a road off of that road to the north of the Rawah Wilderness. Much of unit 7 in the southern portion of the unit is the Rawah Wilderness. The mountains are rugged and somewhat remote, but do contain a lot of popular backpacking trails. If you were to study a map and do some investigating of the larger chunks of land without trails and which feature good elk habitat, I think a determined guy could do well there as there are plenty of elk. The trailheads there start at 8k and go up above 12k ft in about 5-6 miles. It's a fair amount of "up".

Aaronjhanson · Mar 30, 2011

HiMtnHntr...yes I was up north in that unit...would not want to go back there... unit 7 is a big unit...
how far south should i have been looking for elk?
shoot me a pm if you would.
I was interested in the wyoming colorado boarder. i guess that was a bad assumption

mntman · Mar 31, 2011

Hunted deer and elk in that area in 2005. It is tough and you will probably see more moose than deer or elk. I got a raghorn bull but we did not fill our deer tags. We did not even see a buck. If I was to hunt there again, I would not hunt the area north of the rawah wilderness towards WY. It is too chopped up and atv's can get everywhere. I would head into the wilderness and scout that first, granted it is not a great unit for elk but they are there.

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

HiMtnHntr · Apr 1, 2011

The Rawah Wilderness to the south would be your best bet as far as getting away from roads/people. As I said above, the area is popular with backpackers as well, but you won't see as many of them in September as you will scouting in July/August. A look at the map reveals that there is no spot more than 6-8 miles from the road. That's too far for most DIY backpack hunters, anyway. The key is to find those "in between" locations between the "way back" and the road, perhaps 1-3 miles in where elk will hang out. Outfitters do operate in the area, especially the northern part around Shipman Park. In between there and camp lakes you could find some of those more secluded areas. This is area is steep, high, and rugged. To do well there you need to be in the type of shape that will allow you to persist at high elevation for a week. Most people will go looking for a hot meal, shower, and/or their mama by the second or third day, leaving the elk to wallow and frolic in the timber below some unnamed peak . . . Deer are few and far between in this area . . . If you find a 20" 4 pt during the season, count yourself lucky just to have laid eyes on him . . .