WY Area 38 vs 45

[talisota]

I have 8 pts to burn on a Type 9 elk hunt in WY. I'm leaning towards Area 38 vs 45. Seems to me, most the older class bulls would be up high in the wilderness Area in 45. Is this thinking correct? I'm a solo non-resident hunter. Also, any one know a packer who would help in Area 38 if I was lucky enough to get a bull down in a remote location?

Any thought on either Unit in general would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Okbow87]

Is there a reason you are targeting a type 9 tag? Do you only bow hunt or looking to be able to have the entire archery season from Sept 1st-30th to hunt? Looks to me like you should have no problem drawing a type 1 in 45. That would allow you to archery hunt from Sept 15-30th with the purchase of an archery license and then go back with the rifle Oct 15th-Nov 5th. That is if they don't change any of the season structure this year.

 

[Flatrock]

As Ok mentioned, I'd look at the type 1 tag for 45. Or look at a bunch of other units that allow you to bowhunt AND rifle hunt. Which is most units in Wyoming.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Having helped guys in 45 on their Type 9 tag 2 of the last 3 years I'm partial to that unit for the September archery hunt. Both missed nice bulls that were better than 300". However, you are nowhere near a lock on getting a tag in the Regular Draw with your 8PPs. Last year the Type 9 tag was 100% with <8PPs, but was only 15.38% with 7PPs and it will probably go up the way creep is. The Type 1 tag was only a 12.12% draw in the Regular Draw with 8PPs, so that is even worse odds if things stay the same. I was scouting in 38 last year in early September and it's also a good unit that you probably have a better chance at drawing this year than 45. The good thing about 38 is that if you draw the Type 9 tag you're not going to have any Type 1 tag holders buying archery permits because that's one of the 3 units that don't allow it on that tag in September.

 

[Okbow87]

I transposed the 9 from type 9 over to him having 9 points for some reason. Not good chance in the regular, but should be 100% in the special if he is willing to spend the extra.

 

[Steelhead]

Is it gonna be a good year to spend the extra??
re: winter stormums...

 

[WapitiBob]

It'll be a good year to get in before all the internet chatter turns them to max point units.

 

[talisota]

Thanks for the input. I'm primarily a bow hunter but have and will use a gun, especially if you have to wait 8-10 years to get a good tag. I'm a non-resident and Area 45 has a pile of wilderness area, is this wilderness area the best hunting portion of the unit or can you find big bulls at the lower elevations during the bow hunt?

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Thanks for the input. I'm primarily a bow hunter but have and will use a gun, especially if you have to wait 8-10 years to get a good tag. I'm a non-resident and Area 45 has a pile of wilderness area, is this wilderness area the best hunting portion of the unit or can you find big bulls at the lower elevations during the bow hunt?

There are plenty of elk well below the wilderness and, in fact, when I helped guys in 2014 and 2015 we were never more than about 3 miles from the main highway! Several times we had decent sized herds go right across behind our camp in sight of the highway and one bull with his harem was a monster and close to 400"!