Crowded Gen Muzz Hunt - Utah

Rackster · Nov 9, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Nov-09-18 AT 03:50PM (MST)[p]We found the General muzzle loader elk hunt in Utah this year to be crowded with hunters. A lot more people! Screwed us up on a couple good bulls. Just as we got on a good bull, they would get bumped by other hunters or the bulls we spotted the night before were bumped out by other hunters 30 minutes before light the next morning.

In my opinion the 3 season elk tags screwed up the general muz elk hunt. The nice part of the muzz hunt was that you wouldn't see that many other hunters. You could spot a bull, and then go after him. Not this year. The increased hunter pressure made it tough to get a good bull.

Any Muzz hunters have the same experience? Not talking about those that never hunted the muzz before - who hunted it this year because they have the 3 season elk tag - but you can comment if you would like. Who I would like to hear from are those that have been hunting the general muzz elk hunt in years past.

Foreman4x4 · Nov 9, 2018

Maybe you should stay home next year, that'd mean less people on the mountain and all.

mtnrunner260 · Nov 9, 2018

I wanted to get out a bit just to see how crowded it was but didn't manage to.
Does anyone know the breakdown of the 15K tags in terms of rifle vs muzzy?

walleye1121 · Nov 10, 2018

I was afraid it would impact our hunt on the
Wasatch this year and was pleasantly surprised. We only saw two other outfits in our area and they were mainly driving the roads. We usually don't see anyone in our area on this hunt though.

Maybe it pulled more people to the any bull units.

DBG3285 · Nov 10, 2018

It was literally the exact same amount of licenses as every year before..... EXACTLY THE SAME AMMOUNT OF LICENSES.

Probably less, because I know many who bought the multi season and tagged out on the archery or the rifle. So none of those tags were even out hunting.

But to answer your question. No difference really, a couple out riding the roads. 2 other hunter our hiking (dad and brother).

This was open bull.

DBLung · Nov 12, 2018

Previous years we'd see a half dozen other hunters on the muzzy elk hunt. This year there were around a half dozen on every ridge and canyon. Saw two spikes, and they were chased to the point that they probably died from exhaustion. Central Manti.

Deerlove · Nov 12, 2018

Sure the same amount of licences BUT there now hunting ALL 3 seasons!! 5k of 15 bought the 3 season tags.

Rackster · Nov 13, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Nov-13-18 AT 07:45PM (MST)[p]DBG3285 -

Sounds like you don't understand how the 3 season elk tags work or where those permits come from. In short there were about 5,000 more tags sold for people to hunt the muz than in years past. About half of the 15,000 elk tags allowed were sold as multi season. Granted not all those people with a mulit-season tag (who hunted only the rifle in the past) hunted the muz- but a many of them did. Then add in those people that bought a muz only tag out of the 15,000.

Anyway, we found a big difference in hunting pressure on the muz in the areas we hunt, than in years past. But maybe others didn't. I was just curious to see if others had a similar experience or if others didn't see much of a difference.

Foreman4X4- that was an awesome comment.

BIGJOHNT · Nov 13, 2018

I hunted a spike unit with my multi season tag. I only saw two other hunters on the muzzleloader hunt. I know a couple other guys that had the same tag . They tagged out on the Archery hunt.

wapitiman · Nov 14, 2018

I have hunted the muzzy in previous years. This year I saw by far... more people hunting than previous years. There were several big camps where I've never seen them before. There were more vehicles on roads and parked in spots. I saw more hunters where I hadn't seen them previous years. I basically saw 2-3 rigs the previous years and this year I saw 25-30.
The statement that they sold the same amount of tags and that there wouldn't be more muzzy hunters is false. There were for sure more hunters at least in the areas where I hunted than previous years.
Most people I knew that didn't tag out in the archery or rifle hunted the muzzy. They had never hunted the muzzy before. Several asked if they could borrow my gun.

Ticks N Tines · Nov 15, 2018

It makes sense to me. I have also heard that all the hunts were more crowded than previous years.

Think about it. How many general elk hunters kill a bull every year? Not many at all. The success rates are super low. The multi season tag allows hunters to hunt all three seasons. So those guys that were limited to hunt only the archery, rifle, and muzzy hunts are now hunting ALL of them. Success for archery sucks, so those guys picked up a rifle and hunted, that hunt sucked too, so they picked up a muzzy and went out.

I like the idea of the multi season hunt, and I'll probably pick up a tag next year. Just sucks that the pressure increased, but I think we all figured that would happen. General season hunts (especially for elk) in Utah are super tough. Guys want any chance they can get at taking an elk. Now they have it (and most likely still won't get a bull).

BLooDTRaCKeR · Nov 17, 2018

I'd never buy a 3 season elk tag because I have a 100% success rate with a general season elk tag in my pocket every year for the past 15 years. Maybe when my success rate begins to drop, I'll consider the 3 season tag. (I'll have to consider other means of employment too as I would not have the vacation to hunt that long haha!)

elkassassin · Nov 17, 2018

That's what Our Game Herds Need!

Is More Pressure!

SWEET GEEZUS!

Just Open it up Year around & Shoot one when you see it!

Anybody Remember Opening Day on Strawberry Reservoir?

I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!

PleaseDear · Nov 20, 2018

In 5 days on the N-Slope above Manila, I saw a guy and his wife, she had no tag just him.

I never saw another hunter on the mountain.

Robb

Rackster · Nov 21, 2018

PleaseDear -

See any elk (bulls) where you hunted on the northslope?

PleaseDear · Nov 21, 2018

About the same amount as most every year.

Robb

elkassassin · Nov 23, 2018

>PleaseDear -
>
>See any elk (bulls) where you
>hunted on the northslope?

You wouldn't be Hunting in the Uintah Basin would you Rackster?

I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!

Rackster · Nov 26, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Nov-26-18 AT 01:33PM (MST)[p]Good question.

elkassassin · Nov 29, 2018

Well Rackster!

Seen you were at the WB Meeting!

Crowded Hunt on the South Slope would be an Understatement!

But By GAWD everybody's got their Opportunity to Screw other Hunters over!

The Opportunity the DWR never Mentions!

I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!