Utah Bull Age Classes

jims · Dec 31, 2004

It appears Utah will start managing some of their premium limited elk units for younger age class bulls to give more hunters opportunity to hunt elk. Each unit has a specific age class objective and I beieve they use tooth samples from harvested bulls to get each years data. In the past the premium units had objectives of 6 to 7 and it looks like the current objectives for these same units is 4 to 5.

Looking through previous year's average age of bulls harvested reports it currently appears most premium units produce bulls in the 6 to 7 year old range. Some of the units produce bulls in the 4 to 5 range that are managed for younger aged bulls. I have a feeling many of the units that are currently managed for 4 or 5 year old bulls have a majority of bulls peaking out at ~300-320 B&C? It appears this is the age class Utah will be managing for in the future?

It appears Utah will have a few new late season rifle tags as well as a few premium tags issued this coming season. Does anyone know whether these are in addition to the current tags that have been handed out in the past or will these tags be subtracted from them?

I was curious what you guys opinions are of this and if you think 380+ bulls are going to be just a memory from the past? Utah produces several state records this past year and seems to be at a peak for producing whopper bulls. I would also be curious if most of you would prefer to draw units more often and hunt 300 class bulls or wait 5 to 10 years and hunt units with 340 to 380 bulls?

Antler1 · Dec 31, 2004

I doubt the 380+ bulls will be a memory. Mt. Dutton has been managed at a 4 to 5 year age class and has produced two bulls over 400 in the last 2 years and several 380+ bulls. I do alot of shed hunting and pick up several 350 to 370 sets that have made it through the hunts.

cabinfever · Dec 31, 2004

Antler1

I don't live to far fro thr MT. Dutton unit, but I can't say I know it really well. I have seven points and I'm well aware of the type of bulls they are pulling off there. You wouldn't by chance be willing to help me or point me in the right direction if I were able to pull a tag. Email me @ [email protected]

cabinfever

Packout · Dec 31, 2004

Jims,

"In the past the premium units had objectives of 6 to 7 and it looks like the current objectives for these same units is 4 to 5." The units which were 3-4 stay at 3-4. The units that were 5-6 go to 4-5. The units which were 7-8 go to 6-7. The Premium units will go down 1 year in age objective. The Pahvant and San Juan have too many bulls with 1 to 1-1.5 bull cow ratios. I know of many 375+ bulls that aged less than 7 years old.

As for the the permit number breakdown. The DWR will set the permits in March. Then 15% of the permits will go to ML, 25% of the permits will go to Archery, and 60% will be any weapon. Now out of that 60%, 5% go to the Premium $500 tags and 30% goes to the late hunts. So if a unit has 100 tags- 15 to ML, 25 to Archery, 3 to Premium, 18 to Late, and 39 to Early.

"I would also be curious if most of you would prefer to draw units more often and hunt 300 class bulls or wait 5 to 10 years and hunt units with 340 to 380 bulls? " Here you are wrong. The wait before the changes was 40+ year to wait for a chance to hunt the LTD areas. Now maybe the wait might be 10-20 years, but probably will be a lot more than that.

Even the best units only produce a handful of Giants. Why?? Because the genetics on every unit varies widely. Just because a bull gets old does not mean that he gets big. There will still be large giants under this plan. You just might have to hunt a little harder to find them.

ktg · Dec 31, 2004

"...or wait 5 to 10 years and hunt units with 340 to 380 bulls?"

It would probably be more accurate to say "...or draw a tag once or twice in your life to hunt 340 to 380 bulls?"

jims · Jan 1, 2005

It doesn't sound like you guys are very concerned at all. Hopefully Utah will remain fairly conservative w/tag numbers and has learned from what happened to Fish Lake a few years back. I think it is great Utah is planning on handing out a few more elk tags to give more hunters the chance to get out in the field.....and more often!

The statement I made about waiting 5 or 10 years for 340 to 380 bulls rather than waiting fewer years for 300" class bulls I was just using as a general reference. Obviously if more tags are handed out there is potential for fewer top end bulls.

As it currently stands it could take a lifetime to draw some of the top end Utah units. If there are a bunch of giant bulls that don't get shot that are left over after the season, obviously there is potential for more tags in a unit that won't dramatically influence what is available the following year and will offer more hunters opportunity to draw a tag.

Obviously hunting season dates will affect how many bulls are harvested even if there are more tags available. Hunting the rut with rifle will likely have higher hunter success rates than bowhunting rutting bulls or hunting bulls later in the season out of the rut.

If you use Colo as an example, there are 4 rifles elk seasons that allow the DOW to spread out more hunters over several seasons. If all of these hunters were in the field at the same season it would be insane. It sounds like Utah is headed in this direction with the addition of the later elk rifle season.

bobcatbess · Jan 1, 2005

jims

YOU DAMN RIGHTS I'M CONCERNED!!!

THEIR GOAL IS TO EVENTIALLY HAVE A 3-4 YEAR OLD AGE CLASS!!!

WHEN THIS HAPPENS MY BONUS POINTS WILL BE LISTED ON E-BAY TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER!!

I GUESS NOBODY CAN STAND TOO SEE A BULL DIE OF OLD AGE???

TO THE DWR IT'S LIKE THROWING 280.00 OR 508.00 ON THE GROUND AND LEAVING IT,FAT CHANCE!!!

THE AVERAGE "JOES" THAT WANT TO TAKE AN ANY BULL,GO HUNT AN ANY BULL UNIT PLEASE!!!

THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN WAITING A LIFETIME TO DRAW AN LE TAG WOULD BE TO WAIT A LIFETIME TO FINALLY DRAW THE LE TAG AND NOT HAVE A CHANCE AT A TROPHY BULL!!!

THE ONLY bobcat WAITING TO DRAW THAT ONCE IN A LIFETIME LE TAG!!!