Book Cliffs Tag Soup???

BrowningRage · Nov 3, 2011

I know it can be hard to admit, and it seems like there weren't too many guys on here this year with Books Tags, but I thought I'd see if anyone with a Books Tag, ate it...???

Just curious...

"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24

Trix4me · Nov 3, 2011

My nephew ate the "soup". He was only able to hunt 3 days when an "issue" at work kept him home the rest of the time.

Deerlove · Nov 3, 2011

Had a buddy eat his after six days of not seeing a shooter.

coolspringoutfitters · Nov 3, 2011

I had my standards set high going in to the hunt and I had decided that if it came to the last day I would take a management buck instead of eating soup, so I took a management buck. We saw some 160 bucks but nothing I wanted to end my hunt on. I figure it is better to take a management buck than shoot a buck that has potential for someone else next year...

CSO

It's all about the good times...

OpeningDay · Nov 3, 2011

If archery tags count, I know of 2 tags that went unfilled.

gb22 · Nov 3, 2011

>I had my standards set high
>going in to the hunt
>and I had decided that
>if it came to the
>last day I would take
>a management buck instead of
>eating soup, so I took
>a management buck. We
>saw some 160 bucks but
>nothing I wanted to end
>my hunt on. I
>figure it is better to
>take a management buck than
>shoot a buck that has
>potential for someone else next
>year...
>
>CSO
>

Not to say you shouldn't have shot a deer but please explain the thinking. I UNDERSTAND holding out for a big one. I once went 20 years during which I only shot four deer...was holding out for monsters. Of course, I passed up LOTS of deer and ate LOTS of tags.

WHY, if you passed on 160 of them, bother to shoot a little one (all that work and stuff) the last day? It's always possible that the big one was scared by the gun or was just around the next corner.
>
>Within the Shadows, go quietly.
>
>

Within the shadows, go quietly.

300RUMMAN · Nov 3, 2011

I scouted the 8 days prior to the hunt and hunted 6 days before I shot mine. Not a monster but I am very happy. But in those 14 days I the only good buck I saw was the one I killed. Was starting to think I would eat my tag. Tough hunt.

ShowThemToMe · Nov 3, 2011

gb,
Just so you know,there are quite a few Bucks in the Book Cliffs that are management Bucks.

CSO,curious to what your management Buck looks like?
I've seen alot of Velvet Bucks over the years even in December.

Hot Dog,Hot Damn,I love this Ameri-can

ktg · Nov 3, 2011

>I had my standards set high
>going in to the hunt
>and I had decided that
>if it came to the
>last day I would take
>a management buck instead of
>eating soup, so I took
>a management buck. We
>saw some 160 bucks but
>nothing I wanted to end
>my hunt on. I
>figure it is better to
>take a management buck than
>shoot a buck that has
>potential for someone else next
>year...
>
>CSO
>

I wish more people would do that. The Book Cliffs is seriously in need of a management hunt.
>It's all about the good times...
>
>
>

coolspringoutfitters · Nov 4, 2011

gb,
I waited until 6pm on the last day I was hunting (Friday) before I shot a mature three point. My thinking was that instead of soup, I would be able to take a deer home (keeping the wife from killing me for being gone 11 days with nothing to show for it) and I would be able to help out the herd for next year and years to come. There are some good genetics out there, but there are also a lot of deer with the three point 21 inch wide genetic. I'm pretty sure most guys don't wanna blow nine points on a small three point... I did it because I believe in helping the herds. Maybe that 160 buck that I passed up this year will be a 180+ next year and it will make someone very happy... You never know, if someone would have held off the trigger last year, I might have brought a 180 buck home with me this year. Besides, I already have a 160 buck...

Here's the pic... Notice that I am still happy with him... And I guess I shouldn't have called him a "little" buck, he's not, he's a nice mature 3 point.

CSO

It's all about the good times...

coolspringoutfitters · Nov 4, 2011

Thanks KTG,
That is the exact thing that I wrote in my hunt survey. If they did a management hunt out there, they could give out a few more tags for a couple of years and relieve some of the pressure off the draws... And there are some HUGE three points out there... I've seen at least 4 come off there this year that were over 30 inches wide...
CSO

It's all about the good times...

Deerlove · Nov 4, 2011

If there was a managment hunt in the BCs 75% of the deer would or could be killed.

coolspringoutfitters · Nov 4, 2011

That's true, but it could or would clear up more room for other bucks. It is definitely an "opportunity" hunt, and you'll have LOTS of opportunities to harvest a deer that's for sure.

CSO

It's all about the good times...

SDBugler · Nov 4, 2011

Way to go CSO!

I wish more people would take that approach. I have passed up busted up 170+ class deer here in SD. My thought is why take him out of the herd if he is broken up and I'm not going to mount him anyway - hopefully they will pass on some genetics and some hunter may harvest them the following year when they carry their full set of antlers.

It really bothers me to hear hunters complain about no quality bucks and say "there weren't any big deer, so I shot this small 4 pt". There will never be any big deer if they get shot when they are young.

I wish more people would think about helping to manage the herd when they shoot a "meat buck".

BrowningRage · Nov 4, 2011

You make a good point SDBugler, and others who have conveyed the same- that passing up decent bucks this year MAY allow for Great Bucks the following year...

But you have to remember, with the way the draw works here in Utah, who wants to wait 10 years to draw a rifle tag, and then say, "I guess I'll help the herd and not punch my tag on anything but a monster?" when the point crawl is going to make it another 17-18 years to draw the same tag, if they're lucky..?

That is a lot tougher pill to swallow than "only" getting a 160" buck instead of a 200"...

And my dad's 160" buck was stud, and was the largest/oldest buck I've ever seen... Just sayin, it's a true trophy in my book. Score didn't matter...

Thanks for all your comments guys...

"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24

Gator · Nov 6, 2011

I think it would be great if they had a big youth hunt up on the Bookcliffs for mangement bucks, It wouldn't turn it around quick, But it would be a start in the right direction.
They could do a mangement buck hunt like the Henrys too and put it during the rut, I'm sure a few high point guys would spend their points on it.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]

Wiszard · Nov 6, 2011

I agree with Gator. I'd probably be one of the high points guys that would blow points on a Books Management hunt. I'd love to shoot a big ol' sprawled out three pointer.

Steve
Derkha derkha Muhammed jihad hakha sherpha sherpha abakhala- Gary of Team America World Police

Tikka · Nov 6, 2011

Gator and Wiz +1

I think these management hunts should be for youth only any how.

Give them some good hunts to start with to keep them hooked on this sport that we all love.

"And just what were these guys doing riding horses in an aspen thicket"
WhiskyMan

ShowThemToMe · Nov 6, 2011

You're gonna blow 10 points on a BC management Buck?
Keep earning points!

>I agree with Gator. I'd probably
>be one of the high
>points guys that would blow
>points on a Books Management
>hunt. I'd love to shoot
>a big ol' sprawled out
>three pointer.
>
>Steve
>Derkha derkha Muhammed jihad hakha sherpha
>sherpha abakhala- Gary of Team
>America World Police

Hot Dog,Hot Damn,I love this Ameri-can

tyef350 · Nov 8, 2011

Give the youth all the Management tags ? why i killed a small two point for my first i was just as happy as someone thats hunted a long time killing a monster i was hooked.