I noticed the state gave away almost 1000 tags, but only 300ish people hunted and slightly over 200 killed bulls.

Why did 700 people buy tags and not hunt?

I know it is all wilderness area, is this just a chump mistake that they applied for a tag thinking they could hunt and couldn't afford to be guided? Or what?

Hoping to start doing a one week elk pack trip every year until I can no longer do them once we move back. Comparing the cost of guides versus owning horses, guides are cheap.

I am thinking about doing one in Kygiz or Kazahk in 2019.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
I noticed the state gave away almost 1000 tags, but only 300ish people hunted and slightly over 200 killed bulls.

Why did 700 people buy tags and not hunt?

I know it is all wilderness area, is this just a chump mistake that they applied for a tag thinking they could hunt and couldn't afford to be guided? Or what?

.

I do not think they gave away any tags they were all brought and paid for.

Hunting wilderness areas is very tough.

Non residents are required a guide in them.

Some people some applied made a mistake for the unit they applied for.

Some could not afford the guide.

Some didn't realize how tough wilderness hunting is.

Some got sick some had other obligations come up.

It does seem like a high percentage of non used lic.

The state comes out smelling like a rose free money.

Area 60 is very rough and a hell ride to get there from any direction. Throw in lots of grizzlies and wolves. Not for the inexperienced. Better use a good outfitter. There used to be very good hunting there. It was my favorite area to hunt, especially early season. But I haven't been there for years.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
I saw a report recently that the Wyoming Game and Fish had a $400,000,000 budget. Biggest budget of any state game and fish department by $150,000,000.

Where was this? The WG&F 2016 Commissioners report lists a budget of under $100,000,000. Found that on the WG&F website.

Just curious is all.

It was on an email my professor sent out comparing the spread of game and fish agencies. Maybe it was just bullshit propaganda.

I'll see if I can figure it out.

No rush, like I said I was curious more than anything.

Reason being, here in Missouri, the Conservation Dept. gets 60% of its funding from an 1/8 cent sales tax passed way back in the late 70's. It brings in about $100,000,000/yr. Our MDC budget is about $125,000,000/yr.

Hunted area 60 two years in a row, killed two bulls. Great outfitter. Grueling 10 hr horseback ride in.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
I saw a report recently that the Wyoming Game and Fish had a $400,000,000 budget. Biggest budget of any state game and fish department by $150,000,000.

I can't believe they have a 400 million dollar budget???

2016 budget was about $76 mil. See Wyoming Fish and Game 2016 budget (go to page B-2)

I found it, he's talking about a federal lands budget not a Game and Fish Budget.

I didn't see that in the first read. Wyoming has a huge Federal Land Agency (BLM, Forest Service and so on) budget.

Riding into the wilderness here in Oregon a few years ago for elk, we passed up to 3 back packers about 30 minutes in (up). One appeared to be completely exhausted, red faced, sweating and breathing heavy, the other two were a little better off. They wanted to know if they were almost to the top. I informed them it was still 2 hours ride not sure how long for them. From the top they were planing to drop a thousand feet on the other side. I have no idea how they were planing to get their elk out, but we gave them an outfitters number and told them where they could get cell service. that night it snowed 6 inches of wet snow and the wind was all my 4 season tent could handle. I doubt they had a good time or did that again.

quote:

Originally posted by eny:
Riding into the wilderness here in Oregon a few years ago for elk, we passed up to 3 back packers about 30 minutes in (up). One appeared to be completely exhausted, red faced, sweating and breathing heavy, the other two were a little better off. They wanted to know if they were almost to the top. I informed them it was still 2 hours ride not sure how long for them. From the top they were planing to drop a thousand feet on the other side. I have no idea how they were planing to get their elk out, but we gave them an outfitters number and told them where they could get cell service. that night it snowed 6 inches of wet snow and the wind was all my 4 season tent could handle. I doubt they had a good time or did that again.

Yes this is why an outfitter is worth his salt. Somewhere between $5000-8500 beats feeding horses, paying vet bills and feeding 4 tons of a hay a year per horse if you live in the desert or mountain.

I grew up hunting on the other side of highway 26 near Union Pass. We had horses and hunted both the wilderness and outside of it. The Thorofare is hard to get to, but offers one of the best elk hunts in the state if you can get there.

Average Quality
300" – 330"

Trophy Potential
340"+

Bull:Cow
31:100


Any Legal Weapon - General
Sep 20 – Oct 22, 2017




I will be in the Thorofare in September 2019 or 2021 when we step on the aircraft from Germany and move back.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:

quote:

Originally posted by eny:
Riding into the wilderness here in Oregon a few years ago for elk, we passed up to 3 back packers about 30 minutes in (up). One appeared to be completely exhausted, red faced, sweating and breathing heavy, the other two were a little better off. They wanted to know if they were almost to the top. I informed them it was still 2 hours ride not sure how long for them. From the top they were planing to drop a thousand feet on the other side. I have no idea how they were planing to get their elk out, but we gave them an outfitters number and told them where they could get cell service. that night it snowed 6 inches of wet snow and the wind was all my 4 season tent could handle. I doubt they had a good time or did that again.

Yes this is why an outfitter is worth his salt. Somewhere between $5000-8500 beats feeding horses, paying vet bills and feeding 4 tons of a hay a year per horse if you live in the desert or mountain.

I grew up hunting on the other side of highway 26 near Union Pass. We had horses and hunted both the wilderness and outside of it. The Thorofare is hard to get to, but offers one of the best elk hunts in the state if you can get there.

Find someone who will rent pack animals to you. I've done this several times to hunt elk in wilderness areas. It is much cheaper than hiring an outfitter or having your own horses.

quote:

Originally posted by eny:
Riding into the wilderness here in Oregon a few years ago for elk, we passed up to 3 back packers about 30 minutes in (up). One appeared to be completely exhausted, red faced, sweating and breathing heavy, the other two were a little better off. They wanted to know if they were almost to the top. I informed them it was still 2 hours ride not sure how long for them. From the top they were planing to drop a thousand feet on the other side. I have no idea how they were planing to get their elk out, but we gave them an outfitters number and told them where they could get cell service. that night it snowed 6 inches of wet snow and the wind was all my 4 season tent could handle. I doubt they had a good time or did that again.

I had the same experience in the Selway some years ago. I backpack in the GC a lot, but packing out an elk for miles is another story.

I was given a hot tip for a place in Colorado to hunt elk.

Did a summer trip to check it out nice area but no way in hell I was going to hump an elk out of it.

quote:

Originally posted by Lapidary:

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:

quote:

Originally posted by eny:
Riding into the wilderness here in Oregon a few years ago for elk, we passed up to 3 back packers about 30 minutes in (up). One appeared to be completely exhausted, red faced, sweating and breathing heavy, the other two were a little better off. They wanted to know if they were almost to the top. I informed them it was still 2 hours ride not sure how long for them. From the top they were planing to drop a thousand feet on the other side. I have no idea how they were planing to get their elk out, but we gave them an outfitters number and told them where they could get cell service. that night it snowed 6 inches of wet snow and the wind was all my 4 season tent could handle. I doubt they had a good time or did that again.

Yes this is why an outfitter is worth his salt. Somewhere between $5000-8500 beats feeding horses, paying vet bills and feeding 4 tons of a hay a year per horse if you live in the desert or mountain.

I grew up hunting on the other side of highway 26 near Union Pass. We had horses and hunted both the wilderness and outside of it. The Thorofare is hard to get to, but offers one of the best elk hunts in the state if you can get there.

Find someone who will rent pack animals to you. I've done this several times to hunt elk in wilderness areas. It is much cheaper than hiring an outfitter or having your own horses.

Maybe if:

1. I lived closer and could scout it.

2. Knew the area.

3. Had all the camp equipment.

4. Had all the tack.

I am guessing you can rent all this stuff, but I still don't have the knowledge and I will be alone.

I haven't been up there in 20 years. Have no real business going up there.

My dream is to apply every year Frank Church, Bob Marshall and Thorofare and hunt one or two a year for elk or moose.

In the old days of elk hunting in Wyoming and Montana even when we had a pack string we generally rented more.

Today time cost a lot more than money. Besides I can't legally hunt in Wyoming in a wilderness area without a guide. I have tons of relatives that live in Wyoming, but they all hunt areas that would take me 14 points to get into.

I love hunting goats, I am supposed to be hunting chamois here in Slovenia in mid November. Mt Goat hunts are cheap enough in BC that I'd like to make that part of the rotation. Sheep are an extravagance I doubt I will see much of.

The Thorofare is guts and feathers or pure chicken, mostly dependent on weather..Spent many days in there on a Grizzly project some 5 or 6 years ago, You definatly need an outfitter or horses and know how to get around..

A friend down here hunted that area two years ago and they had problems with Grizzlies during the whole hunt.

Area 60 in Wyoming is not a good place for amateurs with rented horses to be hunting on their own. Big,Tough country and lots of bears.I guided for 15 yrs in Area 70, 71, and 60 for a big outfit and saw a few people camping in there that wished they hadn't. Especially if the weather gets nasty and their horses leave.

We always hunted the Washakie Wilderness on the south side of 26. Go in behind Union Peak and hunt that area in the first 5-10 miles right there. Never camped in there as we always camped in a big fifth wheel and had a second truck pulling a horse trailer full of horses.

In the 1970-1992 period we always camped at sheepherders cabin near Lake of the Woods. We built our own corrals so we didn't have a problem with whoever was cowboying that camp. Usually brought him up some supplies in the old days.

That area is over ran with people. My uncle worked in the oil field and he always took his contacts hunting. The bastards starting bringing all their friends, who brought all their friends. Today as a family we generally camp about 5 miles from there on the other side near the Union Pass access road.

Looks like 68, 95, 69 and 83 are the areas we hunted when I was growing up.

Why would you make such a derogatory statement against other people who wanted to hunt in the same area as you happened to want to hunt.

Lindy2,

What are you talking about?