Whose next in line for a Wasatch tag?

aspencer · Jun 20, 2011

Well I hope one of you are next in line for the Wasatch Archery bull tag. I have decided to turn mine back in. I ended up drawing a similar tag in Oregon with only one point. I drew it two years ago with 11 points and pulled it again. Instead of trying to do both in one season and possibly selling one of them short, I am going to take advantage of Utah's great return policy and just enjoy the Oregon tag. I should be able to draw again next year for Utah. I hope I am not making a mistake. Hopefully one of you benefits from my choice...

Good luck..

utahbigbull · Jun 20, 2011

Lucky s.o.b., pulling two Oregon tags in three years. Have fun and be happy knowing you made a guys day with the Wasatch. Good luck this year and next.

hornkiller · Jun 21, 2011

I would try a diffrent unit next year in UT, the wasatch just got turned into to a raghorn unit!

Sniper1 · Jun 21, 2011

Yes thats awesome two oregon tags. THis is the year to draw wasatch though cuz after the slaughter of cows its gonna be interesting

Zeke · Jun 21, 2011

I'm not defending or condoning what's being done to the Wasatch but I suspect it won't slip downhill too much in just one year. In the next 3-5 years we'll probably see fewer elk, smaller bulls and more hunters. Yuck!
With that said, there will always be a place for the hardcore hunter to get away from the crowds and find a great bull.
The unit is just huge and it seems that there are the "unual" and popular spots. These will be the first to get hammered.
The nice thing about the archery hunt is there are spots that I've been where I see elk but NO HUNTERS. Even though the spike hunt is concurrent there are those little secluded spots.

Good luck in Oregon. There will be a big bull waiting for you in UT when you want to hunt him.

Zeke

Dr_Hunter · Jun 21, 2011

I hope my phone starts ringing!

aspencer · Jun 21, 2011

I agree with you Zeke. I think even if you kill off a bunch of cows it will take several years for their lack of offspring to show in a lower bull count. I hunted with a buddy in 2009 and we saw very few hunters the whole week we were there. We were also there very early in the hunt and had bulls screaming their heads off at us every day we were there. On the fifth day we called in a 340 bull to 15 yards and my buddy made a great shot. It was not what I expected that early in the season with temps in the mid 90's. Maybe we were just lucky.

It was also in 2009 when I drew the same Oregon tag. I was able to take a busted up old bull with lot of character. He only scores 308, but was missing about 20 inches of antler. I was pumped to get him as he is my biggest bull. I hope to have another great hunt this year. It will be my fourth year in a row helping others or hunting it myself.

Everyone loves pics so here is my Oregon bull.

And here is my buddies Wasatch bull.

chet · Jun 22, 2011

Both are PIGS!!!
and thanks for turning the tag in early enough for the next guy to get some scouting done, I hate it when they call the day before opener

gznokes · Jun 22, 2011

Aspencer great bulls! Cool palmation!

AWHOLELOTTABULL · Jun 23, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Jun-23-11 AT 08:32AM (MST)[p]I am always in line for a Wasatch tag. I'm just really far back in that line right now. Unless one of you guys at the front will kindly let me butt in line, I'm about 10 years out by my estimation.

aspencer - did you ever get an age back on your bull? He looks to be an older bull. Usually the bulls with that much palmation are 6-7 years old or better. Nice bull. Love the character.

It's always an adventure!!!

Cam@strawberry · Jun 23, 2011

I'm in line but not for that kinda tag.....

aspencer · Jun 24, 2011

Unfortunately I never did get an age. I would have loved to find out. He did act look and act like an old bull. We spotted him one morning and put him to bed. We watched him for several hours first and even though there were 5-6 bulls screaming all around him, he would never bugle. A couple times he would let out a really low growl that was barely audible from our perch about 500 yards away. I ended up getting 50 yards from him that evening and spent 45 minutes at that range while he ripped a tree up. I was between him and his cows so I just held tight thinking he would eventually come to his cows. Dark came and he never moved. The next day we spotted him again and we put another sneak on him. We snuck up to him while he was in his bed and watched him for about an hour. All I could see was the top of his rack. I ranged that palmated side at 25 yards. Eventually he stood up and I shot him. Just as this happened, my buddy was in the process of taking the camera off the tripod thinking he could get a better angle. It all happened before he could hit record!!

Great memory. I hope to make more this year.

Good luck to all of you...

Zeke · Jun 29, 2011

aspencer,
Cool bulls!
As you know, not every older-class bull will score really high. I also think your bull "looks" older and has character.... but what do I know?
Good luck in all you do and keep us posted on you Oregon hunt.
Zeke