Your Hunt West Dashboard
Everything you need for your hunting plans.
HUNTER SNAPSHOT
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HUNTER NAME
ELMER FUDD
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WEAPON OF CHOICE
ARCHERY
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VEHICLES
FULL-SIZED PICKUP
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LODGING
TRUCK CAMP
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TERRAIN
DIFFICULT
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HUNTING METHOD
GLASSING & CALLING
EAST YELLOWSTONE ELK HUNT PLAN
Hunt Area: East Yellowstone
OVERVIEW:
BE BEAR AWARE
Classic Mountain Elk Hunt
Big Country, Multiple Hunt Styles
Aspen Pockets, Alpine Basins
Population: 3,000 (At-Objective)
Bull Ratio: 29:100 (High)
Bull Tag Holders: 200 (Elk Hunters = Low)
Archery Regs*:
Any Elk | Sept. 1-30, 2026
Rifle Regs:
Any Elk | Oct. 1-30, 2026
Antlerless (Cow) Elk | Nov. 1-30, 2026
Additional Licenses:
Elk Special MGMT Permit ($15.50
Conservation Stamp ($21.50)
Archery Permit ($75)
YOUR HUNT PLAN
Operating rules
Don’t spend more than 2–3 days in one pin cluster before moving.
A full rotation of zones is about 7–9 days.
Snowstorms reset elk movement, so take that into consideration after weather changes.
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This lower elevation spot is tucked behind private lands and has great country for an archery hunter to cover ground using their calls in.
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This is a good upper elevation area with the opportunity to both glass and call into the thick timber pockets. It's highly suggested to be on a good glassing spot to start the day.
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The Buffalo Fire is coming on 10 years old, so the regrowth will be thick in places, while still glassable in others. This gives a hunter good flexibility to glass and call to find elk.
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Tucked behind the private land in the Lamar Valley are these great hills of habitat. Elk will come down to feed in the meadows at night and go back up to bed in the timber in the day. Make sure you know there are elk using this area before hiking in.
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The terrain west of Stonetop is excellent country for calling elk. This is primarily a run-and-gun elk calling loop that you will use to try to catch a fired-up bull.
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A fire that hasn't fully regrown yet, the Bear Creek drainage allows for someone to get high on a main glassing knob and look for quiet elk or glass up an elk that's so far you can't hear it. This is a great spot if elk in the area are silent.
EXAMPLE HUNT DAY ITINERARY
SEPTEMBER 28, 2026 | LAMAR VALLEY, WY
MORNING GAME PLAN
Wake Up: 4:30 AM
Start Hiking: 5:30 AM
Aim for 1.5-2 miles per hour to identified feature; glassing knob, wallow, meadow, etc.
Listen & Call For Bugles and/or Glass: 6:30 AM
SUNRISE IS 7:08 AM
Run & Gun Calling: 6:30-9:45 AM
Check likely pockets for elk. Cover 3-4 Miles.
Hunt Back to Truck: 9:45–11:00 am
Take Nap: 11:00 AM–12:00 PM
EVENING GAME PLAN
Move Areas & Eat Lunch: 1:00 PM
Start Hiking: 1:30 PM
Locate Wallow to Sit & Call: 2:30 PM
Take another nap on the wallow if slow.
Run & Gun Calling: 5:00-8:00 PM
Check likely pockets for elk. Cover 3-4 Miles.
SUNSET IS 7:24 PM
Hike Back to Truck: 8:00 PM
Finishing the hike out to the truck in the dark should be a couple of miles of easy-to-navigate terrain.
Dinner: 9:00 PM
Sleep: 10:30 PM to 4:30 AM
YOUR HUNT STRATEGY & TACTICS INTRO CALL
Strategy & Tactics Intro Call — What We Cover
Calling Strategy: "Bugle and Move" — locate with aggressive bugles, then close distance fast before they commit or shut down
Wind & Thermals: "Morning Drop, Evening Rise" — timing setups around thermal shifts so your scent doesn't get there first
Access & Mobility: "Get a Ridge Between You" — using terrain to close in undetected, plus how far back you'll need to camp or hike daily
Rut Timing: "Peak Chaos Window" — adjusting tactics as bulls shift from bugling and searching to locked-down with cows
Gear & Fitness Check: "Pack Light, Move Right" — matching your setup and conditioning to the terrain you'll actually cover
YOUR PRE-SEASON PREPARATION CALL
GEAR CHECKLIST
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OPTICS
BINOCULARS
BINOCULAR HARNESS
TRIPOD
TRIPOD ADAPTER
SPOTTING SCOPE
DIGISCOPING ADAPTER
LENS CLOTH
RANGEFINDER
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WEAPON
BOW
ARROWS
BROADHEADS
FIELD POINTS (FOR PRACTICE)
RELEASE
ALLEN WRENCH / BOW TOOL KIT
QUIVER
BOW CASE
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DAY HUNT GEAR
BACKPACK
HEADLAMP / SPARE BATTERIES
GPS / ONX DEVICE
WATER BOTTLES / BLADDER
LUNCH & SNACKS
FIRST-AID KIT / TOILET PAPER
TREKKING POLES
BUGLE TUBE & DIAPHRAM CALLS
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CLOTHING
INSULATED BOOTS
GAITERS
WOOL SOCKS
BASE LAYERS
MID LAYERS
INSULATED / PUFFY JACKET
WATERPROOF OUTER LAYERS
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CLOTHING (CONT.)
BEANIE
BALL CAP
LIGHT GLOVES
INSULATED GLOVES/MITTENS
NECK GAITER
HAND WARMERS/HAND GAITER
SUNGLASSES
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MEAT CARE
GAME BAGS
KNIFE
REPLACEABLE BLADES / SHARPENER
NITRILE GLOVES
PARACORD
CONTRACTOR BAGS
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VEHICLE
TOW STRAP
TIRE CHAINS
SHOVEL / TRACTION BOARDS
FLAT-REPAIR KIT
JUMPER CABLES / JUMP PACK
EXTRA GAS
TOOL KIT
EXTRA FOOD, WATER & CLOTHING
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AIRBNB GEAR
BOOT DRYER
DEVICE CHARGERS
MEAL-PREP CONTAINERS
FOOD SUPPLIES
PAPER TOWELS
LAUNDRY DETERGENT
SCENT-FREE SOAP
TOWELS FOR WET OR MUDDY GEAR
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PERSONAL ITEMS
HUNTING LICENSES / TAGS
HUNTER-ED CARD
ORANGE VEST OR HAT (RIFLE ONLY)
PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS
SUNSCREEN / LIP BALM
EAR PROTECTION (RIFLE ONLY)
SATELLITE COMMUNICATOR
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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*Each title is linked to a video*
*Workout starts at 2:45
5. The Alsobrook *Warning–Complex*
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