Cow Elk/ Fish Lake

OpeningDay · Jun 19, 2018

Guys,
I think I know the anwser, but am looking for verification. I currently have a Fish Lake/ Plateau Muzzy deer tag. If I were to draw a cow elk tag for that area, even know the hunt dates are different, I can still shoot a cow during the deer hunt?? Am I correct??

Shadow · Jun 19, 2018

As much as I hate this policy, yes that is correct.

OpeningDay · Jun 19, 2018

Thanks Shadow. I am curious though.. Why do you dislike this policy??

BIGJOHNT · Jun 19, 2018

It puts constant pressure on the cow elk herd all year. Never giving them a break. Although they have finally dropped the cow elk tags on the Fish lake. On the east and west late hunts only 22 cow tags each. So the times of everyone on the mountain having a cow elk tag in there pocket is gone. Now it wild be far and between if you come a cross someone with a tag. Odds won't be good to draw one this year. But maybe it will bring the cow numbers back up and help the herd !

Shadow · Jun 19, 2018

>Thanks Shadow. I am
>curious though.. Why
>do you dislike this policy??
>

Everything big John said is spot on about fish lake. The reason I despise the policy so much is that I hunt elk with a muzzleloader, which opens 3 days after the rifle deer hunt ends and every time a cow elk dares stick her head out, some rifle deer hunter with a late season cow tag sends lead her way. Without a big weather change to settle things down after all of that constant pressure, muzzle elk hunting is tough. I've seen it first hand on more than just a couple units that I hunt. I now choose my areas to muzzle hunt elk where there's few or no cow tags that year.

elktaker · Jun 19, 2018

Also if you kill you buck the first day, you can continue to hunt your cow the rest of the muzzleloader season dates if you carry the half of your tag not attached to the meat.

WapitiBob · Jun 19, 2018

Sounds like an efficient way to eliminate an elk herd.

3blade · Jun 19, 2018

>Also if you kill you buck
>the first day, you can
>continue to hunt your cow
>the rest of the muzzleloader
>season dates if you carry
>the half of your tag
>not attached to the meat.
>

Seriously?? I would assume that would apply to archery as well, if you had an archery deer tag of course??

OpeningDay · Jun 21, 2018

Thanks for the responses guys. I can see your point as well. I would imagine if there are elk around, they should be vocal which doesn't bode well for the cows and guys that have tags during that time of year.

I have another ?? I was hoping I could get some help with.
I spent Fathers day weekend at Fish Lake. Fishing was great by the way. I was able to take a quick ride up to Twin Ponds area, where we plan to camp and hunt. What I seen was a little disturbing to someone with a 62" CAN AM. My question is.... Are there a lot of 50" only trails in that area?? Would I be better off taking the 4 wheeler instead of the UTV?? Its hard to tell from Google Earth which roads are limited and which are not. Is there a good trail map showing these trails?? Thanks in advance for any replies.

BIGJOHNT · Jun 21, 2018

The division has a paper map they give out for free. It shows the 50 inch trails and the closed roads on it. They have the poles up or rocks in some cases on all of the 50 inch trails. So it is easy to know when you are on one. Around Gates lake and around twin ponds there are a few 50 inch trails. Even with my Atv with bighorns on it. It is tough to get threw a few because they are not straight. Across the road Niotche is a 50 inch trail.

OpeningDay · Jun 22, 2018

Thanks BIGJOHNT. I know you will be on the other side, but I will be looking for that Orange Razr!! Talk to you soon.

BIGJOHNT · Jun 22, 2018

If I see a division person I will grab a map for you. So If I see you I can hand it off. But you will have to come up the mountain a little higher where it is cooler.

I ll be up a little later today.