What Elk Unit ??

[shootem]

Hi everyone I am new to the forum and wanted some opinions on what to apply for. I have 8 points and would really like to elk hunt this year. Not interested in bow hunting. The areas I am looking into are Diamond Mountain Rifle or paunsaugunt Muzzleloader. If anyone has any knowledge of these areas and the caliber of bull to expect let me know. I am hoping for a bull in the 300-330 class range. any help would be appreciated.

 

[JakeH]

Good luck on Dimond, there are alot of 300-330 class bulls but there is alot of private up there. There are bulls on the public that you can hunt but it will be a tough hunt. Unless you have the money to hire a guide then you could have a good hunt up there with access to alot of the private.




Jake H. MM Member since 1999.

 

[littlebighorn]

Yes, there are good reasons why you can draw with 8 points. DM does have lots of 300 bulls, but also lots of private land and locked gates. The Pauns. is a small herd in comparison to the rest of the LE hunts in Utah. A friend had an archery tag 2 years ago and only saw one rag horn on the Pauns. Good luck if you draw.

 

[shootem]

Thanks for the replies. I helped a buddy on the Diamond Mountain unit for deer last year and we saw about 15 shooter bulls between scouting and hunting that were on public land but the access was an issue. I noticed the success rate for the two rifle hunts was in the 80 percentile so if anyone has hunted that unit in the last few years what size bull did you get and how would you rate your hunt dealing with the private issues. thanks for the input.

 

[mntman]

You will spend more time scouting and learning where the private land is and how to get around it than you will hunting.
I went over there like 6 or more times to learn the unit when I drew my tag. I spent a lot of time with 2 or 3 maps in my face trying to figure out how to get where I wanted to without paying for it.

After your vision drops 30% from staring at the maps and you walk 3 miles up and down to get to a good spot that's a 1/4 mile from the road you will earn your bull. That's what I did, I enjoy the hard work but my dad didn't so much ;-)

You will see lots of the 230-280 class 5's and 6's but again you will work hard for anything above that.
The one I got was a 6x6x1.
He actually had a 3rd beam that grew out from below his right base. It was only 10" long but will never shoot another 3 beamed bull probably so it's a trophy to me but more importantly the hunt as a whole was a trophy being out there with dad.

If I hunted the unit again, I wouldn't have really high expectations for the quality of animals I would see compared to other LE units.


Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"