AWHOLELOTTABULL
Long Time Member
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LAST EDITED ON Feb-02-11 AT 00:20AM (MST)[p]I just thought I would throw out a little assessment on this unit now that the draws are going on. This may sway a few fence riders. I know there are a lot of good units out there for an elk hunter to chase those big ol stinky buggers around on but as far as I'm concerned The Wasatch is one of the best overall hunting units in the state. That being said, here is one hunters assessment.
The nice thing about The Wasatch is that the unit is so big. This can work to your advantage because it generally spreads the pressure out. Also, due to its size, it has come of the most varied terrain there is. Whether you prefer hunting dark timber, aspen groves, thick cedars, or my personal favorite, oak brush (NOT!), this unit has it all. The down side to being so big is this; I think hunters have a tendency to spread themselves too thin. Instead of finding bulls and then hunting them in a specific area, they try and hunt the entire unit in one hunt to see "what's out there". IMPOSSIBLE. If you can scout, spend your time seeing the unit. Don't waste your hunting time. You should already have plans A, B, and C before opening day. There is litterally elk in every area on this unit. If you are not seeing elk, hop over the next ridge. Also, big bulls can be found anywhere on the unit. While it is true that the "HUGE" bulls have been reduced in numbers, there are still some of those big old bulls wandering around on the unit. There have been several 320" 7 and 8 year old bulls shot on this unit in the past couple of years so on the Wasatch, age class doesn't really matter when it comes to the size of the rack.
This unit is one of the more accessible units in the state. There are literally roads everywhere. Getting away from these is essential if you want to see a lot of elk. However, there are few places on this unit where there is not a road within a couple of miles in any direction. That being said, don't overlook some of those unlikely places that are close to the road. We have killed several bulls off of wallows near roads. One bull scored 353 and he was shot off a wallow not 150 yards from a main road. There are quite a few of these little pearls on the unit. It's no secret that the Waters (1st through 5th) get hunted pretty heavy. That's because there is a road that goes across the bottom and the top of these draws. There is a big bull taken out of this area every year. American Fork canyon used to get overlooked a lot because of all the private you have to drive through to get to areas. But there is always a good bull that comes out of there every year. On the Northeast part, Current Creek and the surrounging areas have a good elk population and every time I have been over there I have always seen good bull numbers. I have never seen a huge one over there myself but I have heard rumors in previous years of some big bulls. On the Southeast end there is the White River area. This has generally been a more hiker friendly area. Not quite as steep as other areas but it can get nasty in places. Always great numbers of elk around here. If you take a ride down Reservation Ridge and look North you can glass a lot of that country. Everything South is a CWMU but those bulls cross back and forth all year long. The Southwest area is a little more steep but still holds plenty of elk. Great places to get high and glass a lot of country. Diamond Fork canyon is a great place to start but has a lot more private ground than other places. I have traditionally avoided this area. Not because of the elk hunting but just because of the private property and there area so many other areas to hunt.
This unit is for the guy that sets his goal at a reasonable 350" bull but if a 320" bull steps out he won't hesitate to let an arrow fly or trip the trigger. This is a unit that you will see a lot of elk on. It is also a unit that you will see plenty of people on. Whether these people are hunting or just enjoying a weekend out, The Wasatch unit has some great camping that is within an hour from Salt Lake and borders Utah County.
Here are the hunter numbers for 2010:
Archery - 152 permits with a 34.8% success rate
Rifle - 248 permits with a 80.4% success rate
Muzzy - 100 permits with a 56.3% success rate
Premium - 17 permits with a 94.1% success rate
Regardless of the weapon you choose, it's a great hunt and with the right attitude may be one of the best hunts you will ever experience. Also, don't forget, after you get done with a great day of hunting, you can head on up Diamond Fork to the hot springs and enjoy a warm soak with all of your homosexual and lesbian tree hugger friends that seem to find comfort in being nude right in the middle of hunting season.
It's always an adventure!!!
The nice thing about The Wasatch is that the unit is so big. This can work to your advantage because it generally spreads the pressure out. Also, due to its size, it has come of the most varied terrain there is. Whether you prefer hunting dark timber, aspen groves, thick cedars, or my personal favorite, oak brush (NOT!), this unit has it all. The down side to being so big is this; I think hunters have a tendency to spread themselves too thin. Instead of finding bulls and then hunting them in a specific area, they try and hunt the entire unit in one hunt to see "what's out there". IMPOSSIBLE. If you can scout, spend your time seeing the unit. Don't waste your hunting time. You should already have plans A, B, and C before opening day. There is litterally elk in every area on this unit. If you are not seeing elk, hop over the next ridge. Also, big bulls can be found anywhere on the unit. While it is true that the "HUGE" bulls have been reduced in numbers, there are still some of those big old bulls wandering around on the unit. There have been several 320" 7 and 8 year old bulls shot on this unit in the past couple of years so on the Wasatch, age class doesn't really matter when it comes to the size of the rack.
This unit is one of the more accessible units in the state. There are literally roads everywhere. Getting away from these is essential if you want to see a lot of elk. However, there are few places on this unit where there is not a road within a couple of miles in any direction. That being said, don't overlook some of those unlikely places that are close to the road. We have killed several bulls off of wallows near roads. One bull scored 353 and he was shot off a wallow not 150 yards from a main road. There are quite a few of these little pearls on the unit. It's no secret that the Waters (1st through 5th) get hunted pretty heavy. That's because there is a road that goes across the bottom and the top of these draws. There is a big bull taken out of this area every year. American Fork canyon used to get overlooked a lot because of all the private you have to drive through to get to areas. But there is always a good bull that comes out of there every year. On the Northeast part, Current Creek and the surrounging areas have a good elk population and every time I have been over there I have always seen good bull numbers. I have never seen a huge one over there myself but I have heard rumors in previous years of some big bulls. On the Southeast end there is the White River area. This has generally been a more hiker friendly area. Not quite as steep as other areas but it can get nasty in places. Always great numbers of elk around here. If you take a ride down Reservation Ridge and look North you can glass a lot of that country. Everything South is a CWMU but those bulls cross back and forth all year long. The Southwest area is a little more steep but still holds plenty of elk. Great places to get high and glass a lot of country. Diamond Fork canyon is a great place to start but has a lot more private ground than other places. I have traditionally avoided this area. Not because of the elk hunting but just because of the private property and there area so many other areas to hunt.
This unit is for the guy that sets his goal at a reasonable 350" bull but if a 320" bull steps out he won't hesitate to let an arrow fly or trip the trigger. This is a unit that you will see a lot of elk on. It is also a unit that you will see plenty of people on. Whether these people are hunting or just enjoying a weekend out, The Wasatch unit has some great camping that is within an hour from Salt Lake and borders Utah County.
Here are the hunter numbers for 2010:
Archery - 152 permits with a 34.8% success rate
Rifle - 248 permits with a 80.4% success rate
Muzzy - 100 permits with a 56.3% success rate
Premium - 17 permits with a 94.1% success rate
Regardless of the weapon you choose, it's a great hunt and with the right attitude may be one of the best hunts you will ever experience. Also, don't forget, after you get done with a great day of hunting, you can head on up Diamond Fork to the hot springs and enjoy a warm soak with all of your homosexual and lesbian tree hugger friends that seem to find comfort in being nude right in the middle of hunting season.
It's always an adventure!!!
