Utah Uintas Elk Hunting??

[Daydreamer]

Does anyone have any experience hunting elk in the Uintas? I'm looking for an opportunity to shoot a branched antlered bull with my bow. I have done a little hunting around close to the Flaming Gorge Dam area but seem to never find the elk. I always see lots of old sign, rubs, droppings, track etc... but no elk. I've also hunted in the Red Cloud area a couple of times with no success, too many hunters. Anyone have any recommendations for some general areas to look. I don't have horses, but I am willing to pack in if nessesary to get away from hunting pressure.
The Uintas covers some vast areas. From past elk hunting experience I know elk seem to be located in specific areas year after year. If anyone has any recommendations for general areas to look I'd appreciate it. It would help narrow my search considerably.
If you prefer so send me a private message please do so. Just click on the private message icon at the head of my posting.
Thanks & Good Luck to all,
Daydreamer

 

[RAMBO]

daydreamer check your private messages.

 

[Jake_Sorensen]

I hunt up in the Uintas every year this is the elk I shot this year(6x6), but I didn't get it by Flaming Gorge, but My brother in law muzzleloads up by Flaming Gorge every yearand he Shot a really nice 5 point last year and has shot a couple of decent bulls through out the year I'll see if I can get him to tell me a general area and then I'll let ya know.

Jake

 

[LeosRedFox]

Daydreamer,

I hunt the Uintas. It's big rough country. With deep stands of pines. It's a "Open Bull" tag area. So your chances of harvesting a trophy bull are really slim. But we usually bring out 20%-25% success rate each year. Small 5 or 6 point bulls. I've seen a few 330-350 class bulls. But they are really rare.

You save you are willing to get back in. are you really ready for that kind of work?

We do hunt with horses. It drives me crazy that every year some hike in hunter shoots an animal five or six miles back in and comes begging for us to pack it out for them. They pack out the rack and decide it's just too much work to go back and get the rest. (it's a lot of work to haul out that much meat over a 10+ mile round trip at those elevations)

I've helped a few, mostly if I'm heading the same way they are. But if you came and ask me and I refuse, understand why. I'm probably thinking about my horses. We ride them in every day for 4-6 days straight. Some times multiple trips a day, packing animals out, going back in for evening hunts etc. By the 3rd or 4th days, I need to give them time off to rest. It's not fair for me to wear out my horses or give up my hunting time to pack out somebody else's elk who is ill prepared.

Do your research before hand. Know how you will get your animal out, There are a few ranchers/outfitters who will hire out to come pack out your kill. It's not cheap, but consider that you are paying a man for a days time, fuel to drive to your trail head, and a sting of horses that cost a lot of money every year to keep.

 

[huntm2]

LM - NRA, NAHC, RMEF

LRF - you hit it right on the money! Give up my hunting time to pack out your elk -- think about what you are asking. Would be like asking someone without horses to help pack out an elk for someone with horses -- think about it guys.

 

[bucksNducks]

I bow hunted it last year near. The first thing I noticed is that most of the elk were further back in then I cared to pack out. We found our first elk at about 3 miles in and it was just 2 cows and a calf. Lots of sign but none of it being fresh. I think the elk move too much in the Uintas. There is sutable habitat every were. Sure they prefer certain areas but it is very hard to pick a stand when they use diffirent paths every day. A small herd in a weeks time using diffirent paths can make an area look very used. I could not get any replys to calls either. The guys on horse back seem to see more. I never scouted it so that could have changed every thing. If you want some good starting points send me a private message.

 

[cabinfever]

are most of you guys hunting the south slope or north slope. i know there are more elk on the south slope, but i see them every year in the spring on the north slope while fishing. any info would be appreciated. [email protected]

cabinfever

 

[c3]

I've hunted on both sides. The last time I was up by hoop lake there were 18 camp sites with horses and another 5 horse trailers at the trailhead just on the middle beaver alone.

I've seen similar numbers up the Blacks and Chistmas Meadows, but never more than a few folks at any trail head on the south slope. There was only one camp up Dry Fork by Heller Lake and quite a few smaller bulls.

I think all the ATV trails scares away the people more than the elk on the south slope.

All these observations are during the archery season. I have no idea what kind of a zoo it is up there during rifle season.

Cheers,
Pete

 

[Smokepole]

C3

Just for clarification and I'm sure you ment to say that Heller is up Dry Gulch, not Dry Fork.

Smokepole

 

[c3]

No wonder I got so lost up there last fall

What ever you do, don't use the National Geographic Topo software to print maps of a place you've never been to. They use some of the 1960's topos. I'll have to go look and see what it says on the older version. I know there are a ton of new roads and trails in that area that aren't on my map at all.

Cheers,
Pete

 

[elk_horn]

Hunting Elk in the Uintas can be tough ...try the hoop lake area ... if you have horses hunt high where the timbeline is at!

 

[rutnbuck]

Well i can't imagine any one getting lost up there. I have never been lost up there maybe detained for a couple days.
just think of it this way u always have one chance out of 360 chances of making it out. Cause we know for sure 1 degree on the cumpuss is right.
rut

 

[c3]

rutnbuck, obviously you haven't been in any of the dead fall matchstick piles up crow canyon

I actually did spend 5 days bivy camping up that way by myself last fall. It was a pretty spectacular area, just no big bulls.

Cheers,
Pete

 

[BUL_KRZY]

C3,

I have to agree.... I think more people leave areas due to ATV trails than the elk do. I don't hunt on ATV, but I do reap the benefits of some of those ATV trails and the way they push elk.

The bull I took this last year was in a place I always sit and watch as the ATV trail that comes up through the most beautiful elk country I know of in UT push elk to me nearly everyday during the regular season. The area we hunt is thought of as a zoo by many, but I rarely see a soul throughout my week up there. You just have to know the area you hunt. If you know it well, you likely will be alone, if you don't know the area, you'll be in the same spot that everyone else that doesn't know the area is. Just like sheep, they all follow each other in.. thinking... this must be the honey hole! Think again and use your knowledge to your advantage.

 

[Jake_Sorensen]

I agree with BUL_KRZY alot of people tend to make their own ATV Trails, and they all follow each other into what is supposedly the "honey hole" there can also be alot of A-hole hunters this year we had 4 wheelers going past our camp at 3a.m. which is fine but I think those are the same A-holes that started shooting at 45 minutes before legal shooting time I couldn't believe the shots that I was hearing when it was still nearly pitch black outside, but overall do like bul_krzy said and use the atv trails to you advantage and I also think it helps if you have some dumb idiot charging through the trees blowing a cow call the whole time he is sprinting through them, oops sorry just a little reminising.

Jake

 

[PleaseDear]

The Flaming Gorge Ranger District of the North Slope is pretty much shut down to ATV's. The only area that allows them is with in the Recreation Area and that is mainly the Greendale Benches areas. Made a tremendous difference on crowd control and for very few hunters during the bow and the mzzldr dates. Real nice to not have to listen to them racing up the trails every morning like in the past.