Wasatch Muzzleloader LE Elk

T

TWALL

Guest
Alright everyone, I have a question for you.

I want to know your opinion on the Wasatch unit as an Elk unit. I know that many say it has dropped off in the past, but then we continue to see large bulls each year. My question is if you had the chance to get a tag on the Wasatch with a muzzy would you use your points on it, or not bother at all?
 
IMO Wasatch is the best it's been since they done away with the late hunt. Get the tag now and let's hope they don't put to many tags on the late hunt this year. My brother had the muzzle tag last year and it was a great hunt the first couple days, then the full moon hit and we couldn't find an elk. So I would check into that. Good luck.
 
What are your expectations? As Berry said, it can be a fun hunt for average to good bulls. If you are expecting 350+ bulls, it may not be a fun hunt.
 
Had the tag last year, used 11 points to get it. IMO it is a great opportunity at a bull. I filled my tag on a 7x7 bull that ended up scoring 351 & 3/8 the first night of the hunt. After I got the bull taken care of I hunted for a cow and filled that tag a day later. While looking for a cow I saw several other bulls within muzzy range. most were smaller (260-320) range, although I did see 1 bull that was as big if not a little bigger than the one I shot. I tell ya what I would jump all over it if I could have another crack at the wasatch muzzy. Do your homework and scout the unit if your not familiar with it. Hunt hard and you should not have any trouble filling your tag on a great bull. If your looking for a bull in excess of 350 you could get lucky but the odds are not in your favor. Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
Great insight so far guys, keep it coming. Ok, I am not expecting 370 class bulls, I know they exist but I am realistic. If I killed a 350 I would be ecstatic, but lets be honest I would pull the trigger on anything that got me excited. Sounds like the consensus is that its a great hunt and the bulls are there.

I have heard that horses are needed for the Wasatch, is that true? Or can you get away with wheelers/hoofing it? I have no problem hiking miles and miles, I'm young (25) and figure I can get it done.

Shootem, if you were to do it again, what would be the main areas that you would scout? It is such a huge unit and I have hunted deer in it before but there is so much country. What are your thoughts?

Thanks again everyone!
 
Horses are nice but not a must. Having horses would be better for the pack out than to actually get you far enough in. It seems difficult to get to far away as it seems there are roads all over the place. My bull was shot right off a major trail that might have taken me ten minutes to get to. I was able to load my bull up on a game cart and have him off the mountain in just a couple of hours. The very next morning there was another 7x7 standing right on the trail with a dozen cows or so and only 300 yards away from the trailhead/road, we had just turned off the wheeler and looked up and there he was just staring at us, as if he knew I couldn't shoot him since I had filled my tag already....I spent every other weekend scouting different areas from may up until the beginning of the hunt. I arrived 3 days before the hunt and knew where I wanted to be for opening day. opening morning there were at least ten different bulls in one little pocket bugling and going crazy. I hunted on the currant creek side of the unit but found bulls/elk every where in the unit from hobble creek to strawberry to currant creek and everywhere in between. They are just there. I talked with several hunters and the only ones that seemed to have trouble finding elk were the ones too lazy to get off the wheeler. If you draw the tag let me know and I can point you in the direction of the areas I hunted. How many points do you have?
 
I've got 8. I know you said you had 11, I ran some point simulators and the approximate needed was 8.4. So I hope that was accurate. Just reading about your bull gets me pumped. I will be scouting a bunch if I draw, luckily that is easy to do with my job and my wife is super cool with it. Let's hope 8 is enough!
 
You have a good chance of drawing with 8. It took 10 last year to be in the bonus pool for a 100% chance according to the odds on the DWR site. If they pull some tags this year to give to the late hunt I suspect that the muzzy will be a little harder to draw but not impossible as your odds are still decent probably in the neighborhood of 45% chance I would guess. Keep your fingers crossed and good luck.
 
I would do it if I were you, your young enough to get another tag in your lifetime. I drew the Muzzy tag last year with 9 points. My goal was to beat my 320 bull. I knew I would have to work hard at it. We drove the ranger close and then hoofed it in. I passed several 300-320 bulls on the second day and ended up taking a 357" 6x6 on the fourth morning. Very fun hunt!
 
LAST EDITED ON Feb-22-13 AT 06:49AM (MST)[p]i have said it before, and i will say it again. i think the wasatch is the best unit there is. as stated before by many others, you may not see the biggest bulls, but there are lots of elk. i also like the diversity of the unit, from sage to quakies to pines. you can pretty much hunt any type of country you want to. i have drawn 2 early rifle wasatch tags and am hoping for another. the first was with 4 points in 2002, the 2nd was the first year i could put back in after the waiting period in 2008. lucky i guess. missed a 370" bull on day 4 near strawberry, ended with a nice 5x5 on the 2nd to the last day. i hadnt shot an elk before and didnt want to go home empty handed. in 2008 i shot a nice 342" 8x8. saw 2 that would have scored better, but mine is a 1 of a kind for sure. way happy with it. saw about 10 decent bulls opening day before i shot mine about 1:30 in the afternoon. i could also provide some help with a few good spots to help if you draw, and i would be happy to. good luck in the draw. maybe i will get lucky again next year.
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