Utah LE bulls ?

[Anaconda]

Some LE units have "spike only" hunts going on at the same time as the "any bull hunts"
Do you think this makes much difference to the LE/any bull hunters ? In other words, do you think the hunting is much better in a unit that is LE/any bull only, as compared to the units where the any bull hunters share the woods with the spike hunters ?

 

[BlackTimber]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-13-04 AT 05:10PM (MST)[p]There aren't any LE/anybull units in Utah. They are LE, LE/Spike or anybull units. The hunting is significantly better in a LE/Spike unit then an anybull unit. The number of elk in these units are at or over capacity, the elk bugle and scream all day. Pretty accessable areas, fairly easy to find elk but can only kill a spike, unless you hold that "once in a lifetime LE elk tag."

Now take a look at the Anybull units. It is big country (Uintahs) most is designated wilderness. There is a ton of pressure from other hunters trying to get a branched bull because in the other units all they can kill is a spike. The bulls very rarely live past 5 years. The elk are "educated." It's a tough hunt.

And yet I still choose to hunt the "tough" hunt. It's nice to see thoes big bulls when out hunting but it gets a little agrivating when you see big bull after big bull walk by within shooting distance but can't do a thing about it. I may not see a big bull in the "anybull" unit I'm hunting but if by chance I do I can at least chase and try to kill him and feel the thrill of it all.

 

[peakfreak]

I thought the spike hunt was after the mature bull hunts were over. That would suck to contend with all the spike hunters if you had a big bull tag.

 

[c3]

Rifle and Muzzleloader LE permits come before the rifle spike hunters are afield, but for archery, there are LE bull elk, either sex deer, spike bull elk and cow elk hunters all afield at the same time on the spike units.

To answer the original question, yes the units without spike hunting are much better for the most part, but are nearly impossible to draw.

Odds of drawing on the premium units without spike hunting are at least double that of the spike units. 1 in 8 vs. 1 in 16 roughly average. Those are just the archery numbers. For rifle it's way worse. If you have max points (13 years with out drawing on the current system) it's 1 in 40 on the premium units that don't allow spike hunting. Average on these units is 1 in 76 or abouts.

Like they say, there's no free lunch anywhere anymore.

Cheers,
Pete

 

[Anaconda]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-14-04 AT 00:17AM (MST)[p]I ment LE vs LE/spike, archery.

Do you think the pressure from the spike and/or cow hunters reduces the chance of seeing/tagging a big bull for a LE tag holder ?
Thanks