I never said I didn't enjoy my hunt, because I did. It was my own fault for not killing a bull, but I decided before the hunt that it was going to be a big bull or nothing at all. I could have sat in a tree like a parrot and waited for an elk to come in, but that just isn't the way I roll, nothing against it, just not patent enough, nor do I enjoy it.
I like to spot and stalk, only thing is, you have to be able to SPOT them in order to stalk them. When its 95 degree's on opening day, in mid august, its not like their out and about looking for some lovin, like they are in mid september. Funny thing is to, you any weapon guys tell me to quit complaining, yet, the L.E. archery guys are sharin the mountain with all the other archery guys. The L.E. rifle guys get the mountain to themselves, without other hunters or livestock. They do have to deal with grouse guys, but thats it. Not only that, but lets take a look at the other states archery hunts, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado all open their hunts the first weekend in september, wonder why that is? I'm not sure about Arizona, Montana and Nevada, but I would guess their still not as early as Utah. Not to compare my hunt to the tube, but why do you think it is that on all the outdoor shows and movies (other than mossbacks) none of them are in utah with bows? All the archery elk hunts you can buy are in every state, other then Utah, Primo's, Eastmans, you name it, there all in other states.
I didn't mean to bash on the youth hunt, I am glad they do it, but they could still have good results a week or two later, and it would help the archery success rate climb a bit from the 15% (?) that it is right now. I would put in for the same hutn again, but I would wait until the first of august was going to fall on a sunday, therefore, putting the magical third saturday in august on the 20th, which would give me four more days in august. Bash away.