I know you asked for a quick yes and no, and I already answered, but this is one question that deserves some discussion.
Let's break it down to simple math. Say you want to please the most number of hunters every year, and maintain the size and quality of the herd. How do you do that? Easy. You move the tougher hunts (lower success ratios)to the time of the year when the elk are the most vulnerable, and the easier hunts (rifle) to the times when the elk are tougher to hunt. Simplifying of course, but you get the idea. Twice as many people get to hunt, the same number of elk get killed, more people are happy, more revenue for the state, more people get tags. Seems like a win for everyone, except those who are about to draw elk rifle tags. I don't understand why Utah doesn't grasp this concept.
Putting the rifle hunt during the rut is a slaughter. Anyone who has a tag can kill a bull, period. It's just a matter of how big a bull you want. If you didn't kill one it's your own fault in most cases. Obviously there are exceptions but this has been the case in every hunt I've witnessed. It's just a matter of finding one that would look the best on the wall.
