Moose Hunting

[1/2 slam]

No threads on moose hunting and I need help or advise. I have 8 preference points in Wyoming with a chance of drawing this year. After buying the tag, If I draw, I can't really afford a 5 or 6 thousand outfitter. Any advise on non-wilderness areas? Fee hunting ranches? Monstermulies.com shows me drawing odds (Great Site!) but I could use some "on hands expert advise

 

[Dskiper]

Hello,What if you waited till you could pay for a outfitter?Having just word or mouth info on aDIY trip might be a wasted after a oppertunity of getting a license. I would buy another prference point&get my facts together for next year. Even at that,I went to Alberta this year,spent thousands and didn't see a moose in the woods with a outfitter. Moose hunting requires scouting.Hunt the rut!moose don't move as much after that.Gather your facts&plan it out.Don't waste thatchance of a lifetime.Dskiper

 

[1/2 slam]

Dskiper, I may have to cowboy up and pay an outfitter but I'm trying to do my homework first and maybe save some money that I could put towards another rifle or another hunt up north. I live close enough to Wyoming to be able to invest some serious scouting time, not to mention my wife would love the camping opprotunity. I don't plan on wasting my 8 PP. If I can't get enough info before i have to apply I'll just buy another PP. Thanks for your input. I was also unsuccessful with an Alberta moose hunt, never fired a shot, so I know where you are coming from. Thanks for your input, 1/2slam

 

[D.Camilleri]

I deer hunt in an area of western Wyoming that used to be over run with moose. Last year we saw two bulls and that was it in a week of deer hunting. Sorry to say, wolves have decimated the moose of western Wyoming. Drawing a tag in the Big Horn Mountains would be my first choice, but moose can disappear. Good luck and plan on spending some serious time scouting.

 

[1/2 slam]

D.Camilleri, thanks for the info. I probably need another point or two before I can draw the Big Horn Units. Probably by then the wolves will have moved into that area. I whitetail hunted in Idaho in 09 and saw fresh wolf tracks everyday. Unfortunatly Idaho is overrun with them and they are moving into Oregon. It's shoot, shovel and shutup around heregun)

 

[Dirty Steve]

1/2 Slam,

I am in the same boat you are. I too have accumulated 8 points. I can second what others have said about NW Wyoming. I have hunted the areas NE of Jackson for about the last 12 years. When I started hunting that area, it was not uncommon to see 4-6 moose everyday, while elk hunting. The last two times I hunted that area, I saw a grand total of 2 moose in 20 days of hunting. My hunting partner has hunted that area for about 25 years and has manged to take 3 moose there (he is the luckiest person at drawing tags I have ever seen). He now has accumulated 6 points and neither of us would even consider hunting those areas.

Pick your area wisely. I can't afford the $ for a guided hunt this year and consider this to be a once in a lifetime tag for me. I will continue to buy preference points until I can afford the $ for a guided hunt in a quality trophy area that is free of wolves.

Dirty Steve

 

[1/2 slam]

Dirty Steve, I think the only units that have no wolves right now are the Big Horns and the units in the southern part of Wyoming. It looks like you need a minimum of 10 points to draw in the better units. I did talk with an outfitter (Greys River) and he thought we will see a steady decline of people putting in for hunts and buying PP because of the economy and Wyoming raising tag fees and PP fees. He said it's been noticeable in the last two years. Thanks for your input.

 

[Oliveralan]

Guys I'm sorry if this is a little off topic but, what are youth drawing odds? Or where can I find them? I'm 16 and want to take advantage of the better odds to draw the real tough stuff while I'm still under 18.