Hello, I am new here. I have read a lot of posts and think there's a lot of valuable knowledge here. Two years ago I traveled to Baggs Wyoming for my first mule deer hunt with my father. We had a great time and both got bucks. This year I plan on drawing an antelope tag there. I have 9 points. I'd like to archery hunt for elk while I'm there on a general tag. I am hoping to give myself two weeks to hunt. Just wondering if anyone who knows the area would suggest early, mid, or late September for a better chance at rutting action. Not worried about size of elk. It would just be nice to see and hear some. Any info will be greatly appreciated.
Wyoming Elk
- Thread starter bryan m
- Start date
Wyo67
New member
- Aug 8, 2013
- 182
Like all of the General areas around Cheyenne/Laramie, the Baggs area gets significant hunting pressure. Rifle more so than archery, but I've run into plenty of other archery hunters in those areas. Be aware that there is a section in the National Forest in area 21 that is designated a Wilderness area and as a non-resident, you must have a resident guide. So far as the rut, I think you'd have better success later in the month. There are a couple exceptions, but the majority of bulls our group has taken have come after 9/15.
Also, be aware that there were a couple of fires there last year. A couple thousand acres burned south of Fletcher Peak and a big one that mostly affected Colorado, but still burned around Blackhall Mountain.
Good luck.
Also, be aware that there were a couple of fires there last year. A couple thousand acres burned south of Fletcher Peak and a big one that mostly affected Colorado, but still burned around Blackhall Mountain.
Good luck.
Wyo67
New member
- Aug 8, 2013
- 182
Not sure if you have to post a minimum number of times to send a private message, but I can help you out a little bit in area 21 for elk. Feel free to send me a PM if you want.
Spent all of my time up in the forest there elk hunting, so I can't really help you with antelope.
Spent all of my time up in the forest there elk hunting, so I can't really help you with antelope.
Elkineer21
New member
- Mar 20, 2017
- 2
Wyo67,
I find myself in the same boat as bryan m in planning my first archery elk hunt for this season in the Baggs area (unit 21). I am curious about where you have run into people in the forest around there. Meaning do you see many guys more than a mile from the road? Is there more pressure north or south of the highway? I am of course new to posting on the forums, and am flying reasonably blind. Thanks.
I find myself in the same boat as bryan m in planning my first archery elk hunt for this season in the Baggs area (unit 21). I am curious about where you have run into people in the forest around there. Meaning do you see many guys more than a mile from the road? Is there more pressure north or south of the highway? I am of course new to posting on the forums, and am flying reasonably blind. Thanks.
Wyo67
New member
- Aug 8, 2013
- 182
Elkineer21,
With regards to hunting pressure, I don't know if there's an appreciable difference north or south of WY-70. From both sides of the highway, it is difficult to get more than a mile from one road without running into another.
On the east side, forest road FS-550 is good sized road that very well maintained and as such gets a lot of traffic. South of the highway you can get away from the roads by heading west from the Hog Park Reservoir and running along the Huston Park Wilderness border to the north or the state line to the south. Any non-resident must have a resident or commercial guide to hunt in the wilderness area. There's also a national scenic trail that runs from Red Mountain through the wilderness area that gets a ton of horse riders and campers even during hunting season. I've only hunted north of the highway a couple of times due to the vast number of roads. Always a good number of hunters around the Jack Creek, Hog Park and Lost Creek campgrounds.
I did not hunt it last year, but heard that there were a ton of hunters south of WY-70. Believe they were trying to catch the elk pushed out of their normal areas by a couple of wildfires around Blackhall Mountain and southeast of Fletcher Peak.
Don't want to sound to discouraging, there are elk in there and success can be had. Getting away from people will be difficult though. Lots of thick, steep terrain with beetle kill.
With regards to hunting pressure, I don't know if there's an appreciable difference north or south of WY-70. From both sides of the highway, it is difficult to get more than a mile from one road without running into another.
On the east side, forest road FS-550 is good sized road that very well maintained and as such gets a lot of traffic. South of the highway you can get away from the roads by heading west from the Hog Park Reservoir and running along the Huston Park Wilderness border to the north or the state line to the south. Any non-resident must have a resident or commercial guide to hunt in the wilderness area. There's also a national scenic trail that runs from Red Mountain through the wilderness area that gets a ton of horse riders and campers even during hunting season. I've only hunted north of the highway a couple of times due to the vast number of roads. Always a good number of hunters around the Jack Creek, Hog Park and Lost Creek campgrounds.
I did not hunt it last year, but heard that there were a ton of hunters south of WY-70. Believe they were trying to catch the elk pushed out of their normal areas by a couple of wildfires around Blackhall Mountain and southeast of Fletcher Peak.
Don't want to sound to discouraging, there are elk in there and success can be had. Getting away from people will be difficult though. Lots of thick, steep terrain with beetle kill.
Elkineer21
New member
- Mar 20, 2017
- 2
Thanks Wyo. Hunting on general tags so have a lot of options just. Looking for numbers of elk and realize that usually brings crowds so have to weigh the options out. Thanks again for your insights into this area.
