Dutton elk.......Utah elk????

stinkystomper · Aug 17, 2009

Just got back from my scouting trip to the Dutton. Got to know the layout of the mountain a little, and got to do a little trout fishing. Let me just start by saying the Utah guys have no clue how lucky they are to have so much public access to some of the best trout fishing waters I have ever seen. I was catching 20 inch rainbows in the sevier river as fast as I could reel them in! I was definitely amazed at the beauty of that mountain but was a little let down by the lack of ruggedness and pressure. I went at the opener of archery deer, elk, and spike hunting. We even met the game warden who said the mountain was the most crowded he had ever seen. I was laughing at everyone calling that place crowded. I thought it was void of hunters when compared to what I am used to seeing. We scouted hard for 3 solid days and only managed to come up with 25 elk total. 5 of which were bulls. we then decided to go to the boulder to some known elk areas to see if that unit was any better and couldn't find elk there either which made us feel better since we knew the elk were now officially nocturnal. On the other hand I thought the maps showed a much smaller unit. I figured I'd cover the entire range on my hunt. Well I now know I might cover 2 whole canyons on my hunt now. That is a fairly large unit. What I was impressed with was the quanity and quality of the mule deer bucks. I have several photos of deer, horny toads and fish to post but have a lot of work today and a long way to drive so I will post pics later tonight or tomorrow of our little adventure. I'm even more excited now than ever before about my upcoming elk hunt. Something about that mountain tells me I'm gonna be killing a friggin monster bull. Hey antlerrick, we still on for Pizza???? I also expect KTC to show up on the mountain. Your presence is now mandatory and no longer optional. Show up or stinky's huntin your arse down! lol

SLM · Aug 17, 2009

Sounds like an awesome place Take lots of pics. Maybe you can do a play by play like cookie did on his Ibex hunt, that was awesome. Best of luck.

ktc · Aug 17, 2009

stinky,

You know I will come by and hopefully for a few days. Sounds like my presence has already been felt to a degree? I have a fuzzy white goat problem to take care of first. After that, I am free to stop by! If you and Doug are in a tent together I better be a chaperone! ;-)

Topform · Aug 17, 2009

Sounds like fun. Otter Creek is great float tubing for some big hawgs too. I am headed down there in a couple of days to scout and do some archery deer hunting. Good luck and I am sure you will kill a monster bull with Doug helping you!

ducksbucksandbulls · Aug 17, 2009

After reading about you scouting for your Rifle elk hunt on the archery opening weekend. It brought back memories of a hunt gone bad. I would like to hear what others think of this practice?
A few years back while hunting on opening day of a muzzleloader hunt in nevada, we ran into a few hunters scouting there rifle hunt on our opening day. they happened to bump a few bucks we were after.
It was public land and you have the right, but opening day is a special time to be in the wilds with as few hunters as possible.
Good luck on your hunt stinky,
Look out for the Muzzleloader hunters scouting on your opening weekend...
Howdy

bullmania · Aug 17, 2009

Stinky
ARE YOU GETTING EXCITED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I CANT SLEEP < I HEAR BULLS BUGLING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BULLMANIA

stinkystomper · Aug 17, 2009

Yeah we did screw up a few guys hunts. We were driving along and happened upon this deer in the road. If only another archer bow road hunter would have happened upon this guy before we did. I feel really bad now. lol

Then we decided to pull out the spotting scope and found this guy across the canyon

I did however loose bart. He kept calling me and telling me about all these 400 bulls he was seeing. I couldn't find a friggin thing and was starting to get pretty disgusted. qtpie was a little hungry so we decided to go get something to eat at the merc. Guess what we saw when we walked into the merc?????

You guessed it. Pro eating a burger and trying to find a bull from the dinner table. That guys just plain worthless. However I couldn't dispute the fact that he was seeing lots of 400 bulls. Check out the photos on the wall behind him.

qtpie also managed to find pets of her own. Every time we turned around that derned woman was chasing down a chipmunk or something. I finally turned around on one of our 3 mile hikes to a vantage point to see what she was cooooing at. And to noone's surprise she had another friggin pet. And of course I had to tell her she had to let him go.

Then we had slammy join up with us on our last day. I couldn't help myself in making fun of him once again.

What do you guys call a herd of rabbits running backwards?????

A receeding hare line!

finally here's a few more pics......

me and pro

Here's one of me pro and slammy discussing how the locals really dislike the out of staters. I pulled over a guy and his wife from panquitch on his quad who preceeded to tell me he killed a raghorn on his late hunt last year. His boy killed a rag on his late hunt, and his other boy got a small bull on his late hunt as well. He then told me that 320 was a very large bull for that mountain and that I should take one if I was lucky enough to find one. He then preceeded to tell me the canyon we were in was garbage even though he killed all his elk out of it. He politely told me to hunt the other side of the mountain which so happens to be the most hunted and unproductive part of the mountain. I just laughed to myself as I walked off remembering how many times I had done the same thing to NR's in my home mountain range. I'm pretty sure one of that guys family members had a rifle tag. Guess he didn't notice me sitting behind them at 20 yards while they discused a game plan for the upcoming rifle hunt? Me, pro, and slammy got a pretty good laugh out of that.

and me and qtpies fish

I must admit. That mountain is beautiful. I with we had hills like those in NM. The lack of roads combined with the quality of animals makes that rock pile a pretty awesome place to visit. I just hope I get to come back and enjoy another elk hunt on that mountain in the future.

stinkystomper · Aug 17, 2009

BTW bullmania. I am getting pretty excited. We noticed two fires start on the beaver on saturday but didn't notice them sunday. Guess I will have to go back up there and restart those darned things. lol. We also noticed that the larger bulls have taken their velvet off. The mature bulls are now starting to bugle at night. The only bad thing is that a friend shot me a picture text on my phone today. Some jerk killed one of my precious giants on opening day on the dutton. He looks to be pushing 400 and has double browtines on the right side. I would post the picture but I don't want to offend anyone. If anyone has the guys address please send it to me. I need to go pound that punk for shooting one of my bulls. Someone forgot to tell him those are all stinkies bulls. ROFL!

bullroarer · Aug 17, 2009

What a toad!!

bullroarer · Aug 17, 2009

Ha-ha!! I couldn't resist Stinky!! Don't sick Cutie-Pie on me!! Looks like you had an awesome scouting trip. Its nice to see some pictures of the most hyped hunting area of 2009.. Count me as a supporter..I hope all but one of the archers leave a big bull for you ..

LowCountryElk · Aug 17, 2009

Stinkbug,
You can forget about sleeping between now and then....I have. Thanks. Oh, did I tell you about that vision I had the other day about that crisp 20 you end up giving me? But you were all smiles doing it.....Rick too!!

ktc · Aug 17, 2009

Tell QTPIE those things will give her warts!;-)

You dont need a spotting scope stinky! I guess it was a good idea to bring yours?;-)

Good to hear Doug is still down there finding your elk. Tell that meat-head to come see me damn it!

completesportsman · Aug 17, 2009

Thanks for the pics

Good luck to you guys!
____________________________________________________________________
"Now we come to the most important pre-season question. Do you just want to go elk hunting, or do you want to bring one back? If you desire the latter, there is no substitute for hard work. The bigger your goal, the harder the work required to get there. Good luck!" - Cameron R. Hanes

completesportsman · Aug 18, 2009

I would
>post the picture but I
>don't want to offend anyone.

That don't sound like you at all stinky ;-) LOL!
____________________________________________________________________
"Now we come to the most important pre-season question. Do you just want to go elk hunting, or do you want to bring one back? If you desire the latter, there is no substitute for hard work. The bigger your goal, the harder the work required to get there. Good luck!" - Cameron R. Hanes

yak4fish · Aug 18, 2009

Stinky, great pictures thanks for sharing.

OwnMoreBone · Aug 18, 2009

Stinky,
My Dutton Muzzy hunt last year was the greatest hunt I have been on in my 40 years of hunting. I can't wait to see the pic's and hear your story. Good luck and kill a big one.

OMB

There's room for all of God's creatures, right next to the mashed taters and gravy.

bowhunt · Aug 18, 2009

If you want to see Elk this time of year on the Dutton, you are probably going to need to be watching at night, in the thick timber and on water holes.
Scouting high and glassing can be tough.
They are there and I am sure you will find a good one.
Good luck! I am anxious for the reports when hunting starts.

ktc · Aug 18, 2009

stinky needs to get in shape now! He is about to feel the wrath of that snarly mountain. It is going to be fun watching this unfold. I spent some time with slammy tonight and we are on the same page. Hopefully things work out in your favor. This should be fun once those Dutton monsters get horny and start playing the game. I think you will be pleasantly surprised!

I need to get my wife on her fluffy goat early then come over and watch the fun first hand!

stinkystomper · Aug 19, 2009

what gives ktc???? i help u out down here in nm and now ur callin me fat? just when you think u know a guy lol. dont listen to doug im only a few months pregnant. not full term like doug says lol

slamdunk · Aug 19, 2009

LOL!!!!
Stinky is anything but fat!
At his 6'6" i'll STILL have a hard time keeping up!!
I'll have a rope tied around stinky's waist so i can "tag tail" that horse!!
Rofl

LowCountryElk · Aug 19, 2009

Dougo,
I think he's got a rumble seat for you in that backpack he's gonna be carrying the .50 in and I'm sure he won't notice any extra weight from what he's telling me. Plus, you get to sit next to QTPie. ROFL!!!

ktc · Aug 19, 2009

No, you are not fat stinky! You just have too many muscles to carry up that mountain! I get the rumble seat or I will follow him by horse back. I think a horse will be easier to feed than stinky?

REDDOG · Aug 19, 2009

can we get more pic's of the horned toad's habitat?

ktc · Aug 19, 2009

REDDOG,

It used to be a horned toad, now it is a horney toad.;-)

OwnMoreBone · Aug 19, 2009

LMAO

OMB

There's room for all of God's creatures, right next to the mashed taters and gravy.

stinkystomper · Aug 20, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Aug-20-09 AT 12:14PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Aug-20-09 AT 12:12?PM (MST)

lol reddod..... sure

Oh crap, those look a little more.........uh......... revealing when they are that small...... sorry. I will try to find other pics

here we go..... all fixed

DR_DEATH · Aug 20, 2009

The Rut is starting. hehehehehe

OwnMoreBone · Aug 20, 2009

God bless them HORNY toads......hehehe

OMB

There's room for all of God's creatures, right next to the mashed taters and gravy.

predator · Aug 20, 2009

OMG, the Dutton is never going to be the same with three uglies like that roaming around the mountain....LOL!! You 'prolly should notify the local constabulatory so when the reports of strange and wierd apparitions start coming in, they know who to look for.......

I like totally shocked you managed to find a horny toad, too. *smirk*

Pred