What to do, what to do?

[Pulverizer]

Fellow hunters, I currently have 7 points for deer in Utah and was wondering what you guys would do. According to the draw odds both the Book Cliffs and Vernon Archery Limited Entry hunts were 100% draw the last four years with this many points. But, with the way things are going presently that could potentially change, who knows.

Now with that said, lately the General Archery tags have sold out and some people who have put them as a second choice are not getting them. My concern is: Do I dare put in for one of the Limiteds and not draw it then also not draw the General as a second choice either? I really do not want to stay home if possible.

Should I just put in for the General one more year and just get points for the Limited till I have a few more to guarantee the draw? Also, out of the two above mentioned hunts which would you rather draw and why? Thanks in advance fellers your opinions mean alot to me.

Pulv

 

[goofyelk]

It would be a simple choice for me..
Bookcliffs archery....

The general deer draws are separate...1st choice archery.
With a nine day rifle hunt in 2011,,,there might be archery
deer tags left over...And at worst, You can archery elk hunt.

 

[mathewsman]

I'm in your exact dilemma and I'm considering the exact same scenario so I'm anxious to hear what everyone has to say. I need to cash in my 7 points this year so I can start putting in for elk again in 2012. Vernon was a sleeper unit in 2010 (imo). There were a lot of really nice bucks that came out of there. Go back through the posts over the past couple of months and you will find some dandy bucks and good stories from the vernon. It definitely has me thinking hard about pulling that tag in 2011. Statistically it's an easier tag to draw, but the book cliffs seems to be one of those hunts you will never forget. Tons of animals, tons of bucks, lots of decent bucks,...but shoot the first 160-170 class buck you see seems to be the consensus around here I think. Vernon can be a tough hunt especially with a bow, but there sure are some desert pigs out there. If you feel you HAVE to kill something, then go for the book cliff tag. If you are ok with eating your tag, but want a chance to run into a giant, then go for vernon. As far as your general archery tag as your second choice, I wouldn't be too worried about that because the limited entry draw is separate from the general draw. I really hope you get some good feed-back on your question.


"...I got a shotgun, rifle, and a 4 wheel
drive, and a country boy can survive..."

Hank Williams Jr.

 

[Pulverizer]

I could of swore last year when I put in for deer that I put the Limited Entry number in the first box and General number in the second box on the same line. I thought that they drew the Limited first and if you do not draw then they give you a shot at your second choice if there are still some left (General could be someone else's first choice, so they might be gone). I'm pretty sure that's how Wyoming does it if I remember right. I don't even put a second choice down on theirs because there's usually no way in hell you even have a chance.

So are you guys telling me that I put in for them together but they draw them separately? I had friends tell me that they put the General as their second choice and didn't get a tag. They assumed that those who put it as a first choice got most of them and the rest turned into a odds affair with the rest of the second choice guys. True, I could always go elk hunting instead. My five years is up on elk this year so I can start getting points built up again as well.

My dilemma with the two hunts is that the Book Cliffs are far enough away that I would feel like I should be there for most of the season instead of making multiple trips which could get expensive. Plus I have limited vacation days. Vernon is close by and would be easier to make multiple scouting/ hunting excursions. I also thought about just going for the General this year so I can have one last shot at the Wasatch Front late hunt before it is gone. I have heard they are going to mess with it in 2012 as well. Any other thoughts out there/

Pulv

 

[Timberbuck]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-19-10 AT 01:38AM (MST)[p]The general deer draw and limited draws are two seperate draws.

Your friends did not get a general archery because they did not apply on the general draw-listing general archery as a second choice on the limited deer draw would do absoluteley nothing for you.

You should be buying a point or listing 2 or three choices for the limited deer hunt on the one application and listing your first choice along with a second, third choice general deer hunt on the general application. Yes the draw the limited entrys first and if you don't draw they move on to your general deer application.

Don't know what to tell you about your seven points-if you are not willing to put the hunting and scouting time into the book cliffs you are not likely to score on anything bigger that a 150 class buck down there. You might want to earn an extra point or two and try for a rifle permit.

 

[tstewy]

After spending a ton of time during the archrey season and muzzloader season down there and rut and post rut. I would stay away from the books imo it is a better than a gs tag yes but it is it worth 7 years+ plus to draw no.

 

[goofyelk]

pulverizer,,,,I've spent a TON of time in the books over
the last 20 years...Seen the up and downs.
True, the quality is down right now ,,,BUT,
I was out there this year the last 9 days of archery
season chasing elk around..
My point is though, I could have stuck a buck like this
one EVERY day,,,,and saw several better..
So, if you would be happy with this type of buck,,,,,,
you'll have no problem...If not, go some were else..