Cody or Bighorns

muleymaddness · Jan 13, 2017

I'm still working through options on an elk hunt. I'm looking at a guided hunt in one of these two areas, rifle. I have 9 points. I've got the outfitter selected in each area. For your first elk hunt, which would you go to and why? Seems like the Cody hunts are $2k higher than the Bighorn hunts, so that does factor in for me some. I'm not afraid of horses and grizzly's. Haven't heard much about Bighorns and the country there.

dz · Jan 13, 2017

Just 2 cents from me before you get all the big dogs to chime in. You will never be back up at the top in the point pool again. So I would use them to go for the biggest Bull possible. As not ever hunting either one I would guess Cody produces more 350 bulls then the Bighorns do. Not saying they aren't there too. Good luck on what you decide.

DZ

TOPGUN · Jan 13, 2017

Even though I'm in the Big Horns every year and am partial to them, especially because there are no big bears there, I guess I would agree with DZ and probably do the Cody hunt with an outfitter. I certainly wouldn't do a DIY there though compared to the Big Horns just because of the bear situation.

huntfishall1 · Jan 13, 2017

I have the same points, 9 for elk. But I'm going DIY, and my options are limited due to the stupid wilderness law in WY. With that said if f I went guided I'd go to the Cody area hands down. Its not real even a question in my mind. The average bull they take is impressive in some units, and every year they take a couple monsters.

Teepee · Jan 13, 2017

Muleymaddness: I live near Sheridan & apply for units near Cody, if that helps.

I think Area 61 would fit the bill for your # of pref points. Good area. As you know, you don't have enough PPs for the real late hunts.

muleymaddness · Jan 13, 2017

Real good thoughts mentioned. I didn't think about the points and making the most of them.

Teepee - yes I'm aware. I wished I could get a late tag, but I won't ever catch it. That's why I was looking at going the last week of October.

mulecreek · Jan 13, 2017

Cody hunts all the way. If for no other reason than the adventure they would bring. There is something really cool about being in wild country. Few places in the lower 48 as wild as the country around Cody Wyo.

Triple_BB · Jan 13, 2017

61 is an impressive wilderness hunt. Trails West has a new owner who I thought was one of their former guides. Don't know what the draw odds for non rezi's in any areas, but I'd look at 16 with Q Creek Outfitters before I'd burn points in the Big Horns...

BHBO · Jan 13, 2017

The areas around Cody are hard to beat for sure. The new owner of Trails West Outfitters is Josh Martoglio. He was a former guide of Bob Sundeen's until he started Shoshone Lodge Outfitters. He knows the country very well and a few of Bob's guides are returning. It will still be a great outfit and just because ownership changes does not mean the elk will not be there or the country will change. By the way Shoshone Lodge Outfitters has been one of the more successful outfits around the Cody area the last few years.

muleymaddness · Jan 13, 2017

Yes, Trails West and Josh is who I'm going with assuming I do the Cody hunt. Looks like it's a general consensus to pick the Cody hunt. I talked with Josh about a month ago. He just got back in from being out of the country hunting I believe. I'm excited to see what he does with Trails West. I hear he's the best sheep guide around, hands down. I bet his success continues on in to his new deal with Trails West.

Togwotee · Jan 14, 2017

Lots of good posts here.

After hunting both I'd say Cody for sure if you're going guided, 45 if it's a DIY hunt.

Stay Thirsty My Friends

nfh · Jan 14, 2017

Cody hunts cost more cause we use more horses and gear and the area does produce bigger bulls. I don't know much about bighorn outfitters. Not sure it they travel in far with horses or if the hunt with razors. Hopefully someone can chime in that has used A outfitter on the bighorns

mightyhunter · Jan 14, 2017

nfh,

The outfitters in the Cody area are also the most greedy in the state. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

The original poster on this thread also made the assertion that Josh Martoglio is the best sheep guide hands down. While Josh is a decent fellow and a good sheep guide, I think that Meade Dominick (7D) and Griz Turner (Lost Creek) are just as good if not better choices for a guided sheep hunt. If I ever draw a sheep tag and wanted to go with a guide, I would choose Meade or Griz.

just sayin...mh

nfh · Jan 14, 2017

Mh

I hear that griz bought a huntinf camp and land in Alaska and will be doing hunts there

muleymaddness · Jan 14, 2017

Yes, I probably shouldn't have been so assertive regarding being the best sheep guide. I didn't think about it. But let me re-phrase - I hear he's "one of the best" sheep guides. There isn't a "best #1". It's all opinions anyway.

Togwotee · Jan 14, 2017

Sometimes it's more the hunters a guide get's than the guide himself. there are several great sheep guides it would be hard to say who's the best.

Meade is a top notch guide and a great guy I like him a lot. I hunted sheep with JJ and I'll say the same for him.

Stay Thirsty My Friends

crcountry · Jan 22, 2017

The raw #'s concerning sheep success?...
I spoke with Meade recently: He's 154 for 154 on sheep hunts (or something close to that)....or maybe it was 145 for 145...my audio dyslexia may have been acting up when we spoke live last month. I don't exactly know how those #'s are possible, but they are staggering nonetheless. It really is unbelievable to say that his sheep success is 100%, but he said it with so much conviction, I really believed him. If it's accurate, he's an animal.
crcountry