Wasatch archery elk hunting

Dakota_Cut_Em · May 6, 2009

I know there have been several other threads on this lately but I don't want to hijack someones thread. I was lucky enough to draw a Wasatch archery elk tag with only 1 point. Obviously it was unexpected and so now I'm trying to gain a little insight as to the area and what to expect. I would really like to make the most out of this hunt and would love to get some input from a few people who have hunted the area in the past or have some knowlege of the area. I know some of you have PM'd others pertaining to the same hunt but I sure would love to hear what you have to say.

I am getting more and more pumped for this hunt as I start researching the area. Thanks in advance to anybody that can help!

Jason

dryflyelk · May 6, 2009

Hey Jason. I also have the wasatch archery tag. Congrats!

Are you a resident? And will you have time to scout?

The wasatch is a big area with a ton of elk. Almost anyplace you can find some cool deep pines you'll find the elk. The question is, how big an elk do you want? There are a ton of elk that hover around 300, give or take 20 points.

If I had no clue on where to go or what to do on the wasatch, I'd hunt around strawberry reservoir. It is surrounded by some beautiful country and a lot of it is in the wasatch unit. Pic a dirt road, head up it, get out and hike into the trees. You'll find elk, guaranteed.

As has been stated here before, including on the thread i started, I think a lot of the early season hunters are finding water to be a good bet. Find a semi isolated watering hole with good sign and sit and wait. If you're here for a week or more I'd suggest you spend the first few days just hiking around an "elky" area looking for some good sign and places to sit. Then once you find a spot like that, sit tight and be patient. I'll be doing the same thing.

Good luck and hopefully we'll both have some good photos to share five months from now.

VELVETRUSH · May 6, 2009

The Wasatch is a good tag but a lot tougher hunt than people think it is. There are a lot of elk but it is a bad time of year and people make you think there is a 320 bull around every corner and there is not! The last two weeks of your hunt will be a lot better than the first two. You will not need to spend a lot of time scouting because unless you have a bull hitting water very consistant most all bulls are bachelored up until right before your hunt starts and they move to areas where the cows are. You can try to sit water it can produce but it is by chance. It always sounds great to sit water but when it is all said and done you may regret sitting on water as much as you did. It is a very fun and hard hunt odds are stacked against you but it can be done I had the tag last year and killed a bull I passed up three different times. It was not the bull I wanted but with two days left It was what I was willing to kill. I hunted for 18 full days, and scouted 43 days and all the bulls I had been watching were in different locations before the hunt rolled around.Good Luck
PS I sent you an Email

browtine · May 6, 2009

Thats a good tag but the time of year sucks. Its to early and the bulls wont be rutting. However, If you find water, and remote locations, you will have a great hunt. I had the same tag last year and had opportunities on some decent bulls. I ate the tag hunting for one bull. If I were you, the first thing I would buy is a montana decoy. I didn't have one, but everyday I was out there I wish I had one. Good luck!
Also buy some good calls. I'm partial to the widowmaker.

Later, Brandon

hikenhunt · May 7, 2009

As has already been said this is a very tough hunt. There really are a lot of 300 ish bulls but they aren't easy to get a shot at. My son had this tag last year. We hunted for 14 days - in that time I called in 8 different 5 points - one pretty big - but no 6 points.

Water can be good early but it takes a ton of patience and the right location. You will see a lot of elk and hopefully get a chance at a nice bull - my advice is once you get into the last week smoke a 5 point if you get the chance.

Dakota_Cut_Em · May 8, 2009

dryflyelk, No, I am a North Dakota resident. I am hoping to get a chance this summer to run down for a weekend and check some areas out. If nothing else at least get a feel for the country. I'd love to take some more time to scout out some areas but I think I'll be better off spending all the vacation time I can on the hunt itself. From looking at Google Earth it looks like there are quite a few roads? Are most of these roads open? It is sometimes hard to guage the "size of the country" on google earth, so I'm just trying to get a perspective on how remote areas are when it looks like there are a fair amount of roads cutting through.

Thanks to everyone for the pointers! Good luck on your hunt this fall as well dryflyelk!

1highpeak · May 9, 2009

Dakota_Cut_Em, don't let the roads get you too, discouraged, alot of great elk country is driven by at 40-75mph and never looked at. I have hunted areas where the bulls will be going nuts just few hundred yards or so from the road, they hear a truck or a 4-wheeler, they stop bugling for a little while, then tune back in again. I learned acouple of these spots by accident, once I had 2 flat tires and was in a real pickle, ended up having to stay in 1 spot for a number of hours, well long story short, found a close to the road honey hole, on accident, to this day I have never seen another hunter in there!
Im not saying dont go far and deep in Elk country, but sometimes guys overlook areas that look too good that are close to roads.
One rule of thumb to this for me, take it or leave it, you dont want any camping spots, or pull offs, look outs ect. In fact, without going into too much detail, you shouldnt hardly be able to park near it, unless you had a flat or something, if you know what I mean, steep thick at first, just might after a few hundred yards of oak riping your clothes off just be steep and open enough for elk to rut!!!
Just a thought

Dakota_Cut_Em · May 11, 2009

1HP, I see what you mean. Thats a good way of looking at it. For as much as I look for areas where elk are and how to get to them, I could probably spend a little more time starting with where people won't be and go from there. Thanks for the help! I love picking up new tips and ways to look at stuff. I consider myself an experienced hunter(for my age I guess) but an inexperienced elk hunter. Since a ND elk tag is once in a lifetime the only experience I have had is in Montana the last 2 years, which has been fun but finding elk has by far been the biggest challenge for me. It's funny how much it seems like i've learned in two years of unsuccessful hunting! Haha. My Montana tag has been sent back and I'm hoping Utah is the place to break the ice!!

scopenstalk · May 11, 2009

I love the Wasatch but just to re-emphasize what has already been said you better be ready to hunt hard because its no easy hunt. i hunt an area that i rarely see other hunters and i drew this tag and hunted 14 days and ate tag soup. granted i passed on a dozen five points but the rut wasn't going good when i had the tag. Word of advice if the rut isn't going real good. or if they just arent really responding to calls. just stalk in on them that worked the best during my hunt.

bowhunt · May 12, 2009

It is not a gimme, but it is WAY better than most hunts you will ever go on. I think that applies to any LE archery hunt in Utah.

dwilding2000 · May 13, 2009

I drew this tag last year and shot a 300 inch six point over water. Leave your calls in the truck until September. Tree stand hunt or spot and stalk until the rut starts. If it starts!