BookCliffs or Vernon?

Wiszard

Long Time Member
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10,861
I have 10 NR points for Utah. I'm 40 years old right now and I know I'll never hold this many points again by choice. I want to hunt...10 years has been long enough. I had my mind set on hunting Utah in 2011 and got some great info from a fellow MM'er regarding Vernon. Although, after talking to another MM'er this evening, I'm thinking it may be worth my while to wait until I draw the Books rifle tag. With this many years in the making for a premium tag in Utah, should I wait the possible couple more years to hunt the Books or just burn my points and get the Vernon tag this year? What would you do? I'm really having a hard time with this decision. Thanks for the input...

Steve
Don't leave your keys in your car or it WILL get stolen. :(
 
JUDAS Wisz,
You're like a kid with a 20.00 Bill in his pocket!:D
Points are gonna creep & it might be a few more years before you'd have a guaranteed Book Cliffs Tag,they are wanting to start a management Buck hunt but take them permits out of what they are currently issuing,I'd Pass on the management Tag myself,but as You've seen,there are some Weird Bucks that might suit you out there on a Management Tag,it's personal Preference I guess.

You might "GET LUCKY" Wisz,unlike what you do with Ms Wisz:D
and could possibly Draw the Tag with Points you already have,remember,TARDvilles Points system SUCKS!
They took a fair number of Decent Bucks in the Book Cliffs this year on the Rifle Hunt,I don't know Vernon so I'd be guessing how the 2 Units compare overall?

Good Luck & let us know what your Battle Plans are?

Hot Dog,Hot Damn,I love this Ameri-can
 
I don't think the Books is considered a step up from the Vernon. I haven't looked at the non res. odds, but if the Books takes more points then I would hunt the Vernon next year.

Elkoholic.gif
 
These units are very comparable and I would not say one is 100% better than the other. I hunted Vernon on the rifle hunt this year and was pretty impressed with the number of good solid bucks I saw. If you are itchin to hunt and have offers of help on the Vernon I think I may just take that opurtunity. Just my 2 cents.
 
I have never hunted the Vernon. from what I see and hear the quality of bucks is comparable to that of the Book Cliffs. This year out at the Book CLiffs, we sifted through numerous good bucks and my dad ended up with a 160", heavy horned buck. You can see my post labeled "Dad's 2011 Books Buck" or something like that.

One thing about the Book Cliffs, there are tons of roads everywhere for access to the majority of the unit. I don't know how Vernon is.

If you have people willing to point you in the right direction on Vernon, as a NR, I think I might take that opportunity. Especially if any of that help is from someone who lives over there... Nobody but Sasquatch lives near the Books... :D


"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24
 
Wow.....not what I thought I'd hear. I figured most would be saying to hold out for the Books. Those that have hunted Vernon....is an ATV a necessity? I dont have one and really don't want to hassle with one if I don't need to. Thanks for the input so far.

Steve
Don't leave your keys in your car or it WILL get stolen. :(
 
PM sent Wiz



"And just what were these guys doing riding horses in an aspen thicket"
WhiskyMan
 
PM sent wiz




Ive got your four basic food groups! Beans, Bacon, Whiskey, and Lard!
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-23-11 AT 12:05PM (MST)[p]Geeze, all I did was make an offer... you didn't have to call me a prick... I hope you lose sleep over this decision! Lmao!


4b1db2ac644136c4.jpg
 
Damn you, Kenny!! I appreciate the offer but I always come back to what if it turns out I don't draw the Books for 4-5 years? That would suck...although I could just go to Nebraska with you, huh? Must be nice....

Steve
Don't leave your keys in your car or it WILL get stolen. :(
 
So Wisz?
What kinda Buck you gonna be happy with?


Hot Dog,Hot Damn,I love this Ameri-can
 
A wheeler is almost a necessity in my opinion if you are going to hunt the vernon. You will see more deer out on the books but knowing what I know and seeing what I see, I would hunt vernon hands down. There are roads every where on the vernon that get you to good area to hike but the roads are rough, most too rough for a truck. There are alot of good roads that dont need the wheeler too but I would stay away from those roads. If you need wheelers, Im sure that someone here in utah will be willing to share, hell if nobody ponies up to help you, I will. Lots of hiking and glassing. you will wear some boot leather for sure. The choice is yours but I recomend vernon.
 
I have spent alot of time out on the vernon the last 2 years and i would go with the book cliffs unit. My brother hunted out there 8 days this year and covered tons of ground on foot and hunted places other hunters didn't. While walking he never saw another hunter in the field. He never turned up a 4pt. He saw lots of big 2pt and 3pts ended up killing a 24in heavy horned tall 3pt. It was the biggest bodied deer i have ever seen. A 180 4pt is pretty tough to find and not many do out there. In fact i was out there all day yesterday on my wheeler and saw 100 head of deer and the best buck i could find was a solid 24in 4pt. Spent another saturday out there last week and could not turn up a good buck. I also have 10pts and i will not be applying for the vernon unit. I have a good friend who drew the muzz tag this year and spent countless time in the field over the summer scouting and turned the tag back and saved his pts. I have another friend who bought a land owner tag and hunted every day of the hunt and ended up shooting a 28in 4pt with wimpy crab claws on the front, it was the best buck he had seen. Oh you will see alot of deer and have a fun hunt but if you are looking for a good 28 inch 170 type buck good luck because you will need it. The unit is over ran with big 2pts and 3pts not many typical bucks found there and in my opinion way to many roads. You will be better off with a book cliffs tag and have a better chance of at least finding a 4pt.
 
I really haven't spent a ton of time on either. But know a ton of guys that hunt both.

I think your about sixes on quality, with the book cliffs having a slight edge. This past season I'd say that hands down there were better bucks killed on the book cliffs. Realistically you're hunting 140-170 bucks on either, with a small chance at something better.

I'd lean towards the book cliffs just because of the cool country and the chance to see some good bulls, and a bear or two.
 
Thanks for the info guys. I am not expecting a 180ish type buck. I have never hunted in areas where I've seen 140-160ish bucks. So, I will be stoked just to see many bucks that are "shooters" in MY book. If I see 2 or 3 bucks a day that I have a hard time passing on (and remember, I have low standards :)) the hunt is successful. I will be more patient on this hunt but I'm sure that if I come across a 160ish buck that I like, I won't hesitate to shoot him in hopes of finding a 180ish buck. It's different coming from Ca. I don't see deer on my way to work like you guys do. I don't have big areas withinn 15 minutes of my home that I can go glass lots of deer. I don't have areas where the deer come to winter. When I hunt WY, if we see 5-10 bucks a day, that's a good day. Bottom line is that I will shoot the deer I like regardless of score. I love BIG 3x3's. If I come across a big 3x3 with 12-14 inch G-2's thats 25-26 wide, I'd probably shoot him because I like that. So....that's what I want out of the hunt. I appreciate all of the help guys.

Steve
Don't leave your keys in your car or it WILL get stolen. :(
 
I know on the bookcliffs we will see atleast 50-60 head a day, with alot of bucks. 140's are the norm, see 4-5 of them a day. 160+ is where it gets a little harder to come by but doable..

I'll keep your bullets for the first 3 days atleast!!

4b1db2ac644136c4.jpg
 
Think about archery or muzz hunts in the Books. These earlier seasons let you scout and I think scouting is the key to finding a good one out there. By good I am talking 170+, in the Books if you pass a 26" 170 type buck you are crazy, or have really scouted it hard. The rifle hunt is something of a gamble as often they are in transition during the rifle hunt. If you like big 3 points the Book Cliffs hunt is for you.

Dax

There is no such thing as a sure thing in trophy mule deer hunting.
 
+1 Daxster

I hunted the book cliffs rifle hunt this year and it was hard. But I scouted during the muzzleloader in september and there were deer everywhere up high.

In October they were spread out, moving down, hard to find. I ended up with a good 180 buck but it took 14 solid days of hard scouting/hunting.

I would recommend Book Cliffs Muzzy.

Also I heard the Vernon was NOT good this year.
 
I had the archery tag this year.......so much more fun than I ever expected......I'd give a left nut to do it again. Being from CA, it won't happen again though....shoot me a PM and I will fill ya in...
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-27-11 AT 08:11AM (MST)[p]I had a Book Cliffs tagin 2010. Seen alot of deer. Ended up with a 32 inch 188 buck. It is a great place to see alot of deer. Rode out last Friday and saw three or four that were shooters.Its a fun place to have a tag.
 
My pops is in the same boat 10 points and he wants to hunt before he croaks hes 68,as it is he cant hike more than two miles in a day he has nerve damage in his back and has a dead foot from it.We are thinking paunsy managmet or books muzzy for him.
 
Book Cliffs muzz and archery hunts give you the best chance to scout and find bigger bucks. That being said, I think they are more physical than the rifle hunt out there. You might get lucky and pop one on the side of the road, but some of the better bucks will be way out on ridges or way down in canyons. With an older fella that isn't going to do a lot of hiking I would go for the rifle hunt. You can still find a nice one if you are patient. Pretty hard to scout for the rifle hunt, but not typically a real physical hunt. Good luck to you.

Dax

There is no such thing as a sure thing in trophy mule deer hunting.
 

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