LE archery vs LE rifle

[wapiti15]

Hey everybody: I am sure a bunch of the members or MM have been following CAelknuts post. I did not want to bring this up on his thread so I started a new one. Guys out there that have chased elk with a bow can feel his pain. I had a LE archery tag 4 years ago on the San Juan Unit, I did not hire a guide and did it myself. (well help from my brother and father). What a hunt but just like CAelknuts, I ran into many challanges. One of the biggest challanges was that the bulls were not responding to any calls until the last day. We seen bulls everyday and heard bugling everyday, but there were many times that we could get wihtin 80 yards of these bulls but they would always hold up and not come in any closer. Just not comfortable flinging a stick at 80 yards. Like I said, they truned on the last day of my hunt. The LE rifle hunt started the next day, and I talk to a bunch of the rifle guys and they said that the bulls were responding and coming in hot and heavy. 2 guys that I talked to said they shot there bulls at 40 yards wiht a rifle. These were the same bulls and the same area that I was hunting. It is amazing what a couple of days means to a archery hunter.

So here is my question to you all: Who would like to see the Elk LE archery hunt moved back and the Elk LE rifle moved up. Would be nice to give the stick flingers a better chance.

Thanks for your to all

 

[CouesSniper]

The archery season is definitely too early. Putting the rifle before the archery is a bad idea in my opinion. Keep rifle behind archery and move both seasons back 2 weeks.

 

[sharpstick]

I wouldn't want the LE Rifle before the archery but the archery hunt is too early and ends just as things are getting good. I'd rather have a shorter archery hunt later in September than go through all of August competing with the cow / spike hunters. I drew the Wasatch LE archery last year and was quite disappointed...but that's another story.

 

[bragabit]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-12-08 AT 10:45AM (MST)[p]The archery hunt is too early to call bulls in. That being said, calling a bull to archery range is not the only way to kill a bull. I put in and drew an archery tag expecting the first week to be the best time to kill a bull. I personally would rather hunt a bull while he is with two or three other bulls rather than twenty cows. When a group of bulls are bunched up they are reletively easy sneak on compared to deer. I think far too many archery hunters waste a great opportunity to kill while the bulls are raking their horns and tanking up preparing for the rut. I hunted two weeks and was within 60 yards of 6 350 plus bulls. I know some units that are thicker would be tougher to do this on, but on open units you can glass it works.

 

[ktc]

I am going to say this as unbiased as possible.

brag has it right. The bulls are screaming as good today as they ever will. Instead of looking at the glass half empty, try the half full approach. brag killed an awesome bull.

In three years the bulls never acted like I thought they would or the peak of the rut activity I always hear about. On Dutton they never wanted the calls. What I am saying, on Dutton, the bulls never did act like we all talk about.

So, if you apply archery, do the best you can with what you got? Success rates are lower and we all know it. The any weapon dates have tougher odds, but the dates you want, so apply and wait in line. Lots of options. What you won't get is better odds and hand picked dates. I do like Wyomings way of setting dates. It is a day not a certain Saturday. Utah has the bow ending on the 12th when many years it goes to the 16, 17, or 18th. That would help a ton. Rally for Utah to set the archery until the 20th? Even if that opens the rifle on Sunday?

The season dates are not why people fail to connect in my eyes. Sure, MORE days LATER would help, if a guy is out hunting and not at home wanting something he cannot have.

I would hate to come home empty though. With the long waits for tags that would not feel good. I guess that is one reason I do not bow hunt? Hopefully today the bow guys can put the hurt on some bulls. Like the other thread stated, it is the ninth inning. Good luck guys.

 

[whipknot]

I agree with what everyone has said... calling them in is not the only way to kill a bull. However, having them vocal sure makes it easier to put a stalk on once you identify the bull you are after. The LE archery hunt is too early and the LE rifle hunt is too early. They should both be moved back a couple of weeks in my opinion. I would love to see the archery hunt at the peak of the rut without any competition from cow, spike and buck hunters. This year was an absolute ZOO!

 

[elk_horn]

When the archery hunt ends this early (12th) than its a tough hunt ... in 2004 I had the archery tag for Monroe and the hunt ended on the 17th..... The game and fish officer came into our camp on Labor day .. he said the Rut would be in full swing on the 20th or 21st he saii it is like that every year on monroe mountain ... and I can tell you the last 5 days of my hunt you could tell the rut was begining to heat up...and the last two days there was alot of activity.

 

[Silentstalker]

Congrats Brag,

You killed a dang nice bull! I second your sentiment. Bugling bulls in is maybe the funnest way to kill one, but as a Bowhunter in Utah, it is the LEAST effective for 90% of the season. I have killed 2 LE Bowhunt bulls and 1 was killed over water, the 2nd was killed spot and stalk. I was ecstatic to kill both. Hunting is about adapting and overcoming both physical and mental obsticals regardless of weapon type.

Would I love the Bowhunt 2 weeks later? Heck ya! But, if you apply for a Bow tag, please know it is not easy, and you may have to change your hunting style to get er done. The odds are easier to draw because you have more than a 60% chance you will NOT kill one! But the "opportunity" for a giant is there for sure!

For now, with the season dates as they are, take the odds, draw the Bow tag and try sitting water tanks or spot and stalk! It actually is funner than you may think! If you truly want to call bulls in, maybe wait till the any weapon tag comes your way?? Good luck to all of you and especially those hunting today for the last day of their hunt!

Chad

 

[jims]

There are pros and cons to all weapon of choice season dates! Remember, UT also has muzzleloader and late rifle seasons! I really believe UT needs to be more concerned about tag numbers rather than season dates if they want the quality of bulls to continue.

Looking at it from the outside I think UT is somewhat crazy having the early rifle season smack dab in the middle of the rut. Obviously UT is doing something right if they are re-writing the P&Y/B&C record books! Clearly one of the main reasons UT has gotten away with hunting bulls in rut with rifle and keeping the quality of bulls so high is by controlling tag numbers (for all seasons). It is pretty obvious to me that as UT increases the number of tags and hunters continue to hunt bulls with rifle with prime rut hunt dates that the age class, quality of bulls, and quality of experience will likely drop (I know Pro doesn't seem to agree with this senerio but it is pretty clear to me). I come from Colo where quality experience and bulls is almost nonexistent. I can hunt elk every year in Colo but have had my fill of spike/raghorn hunts among the army of orange!

I have a feeling if UT continues to increase tags they will need to change dates or change tag numbers around or the quality of bulls will drop. I have always been an advocate of offering more hunt opportunity as long as it has little impact on trophy quality/quality experience. Archery definitely has that advantage over rifle rut hunts! Although archery offers a great experience, the harvest rate is generally substantially lower than rifle so often allows more hunters for the same number of elk harvested!

Obviously with all the interest in the Monroe archery post it brings to attention the great hunt that can be experienced during bow season and how difficult it can be to seal the deal with bow and arrow! Some years may be tougher than others but that is true with any of the seasons!

I drew a UT tag last year and even though I likely may never hunt UT again it was amazing having the opportunity to chase giant bulls! I had the opportunity to see and harvesting a bull of a lifetime and hopefully the quality of bulls in UT will still be alive for years to come!

 

[Stubaby]

There are still plenty of big bulls out there. That's why all us thousands of hunters keep putting in for these tags no matter what the weapon or season dates. Every time I am headed through central Utah this time of year and see a truck with tines pokin over top the bed I just get jealous. Its a matter of waiting.....for my turn. I think the dates are fine, I just wish they would stop giving out so many late season cow tags. The Manti unit can still handle another 2-5 thousand head. Lets stop killing so many (pregnant) cows and let them give birth to more baby bulls so we can have shorter lines in which to wait for a chance at a trophy. Cow hunting is fun, but I don't get all gitty and loose sleep over shooting one. With gas a 4 bucks a gallon it's no longer a meat hunt to save money. Hey that's the way I see it.

 

[excaliber]

Move the archery hunt back so it's in the rut and move the rifle hunt out of the rut and to the end of Oct. where it should be.

Hunting Bulls in the rut with a rifle is a joke. The only real hard thing about it is getting the tag.

Flame retardent suit on and ready.