I Have an archery deer tag...I have never hunted the unit but made a trip in June. Planning another next week. First of all if anybody wants to split gas out for a scouting trip let me know. Second, are my efforts better used scouting on the roads and ridges glassing or do I venture into the roadless for a backcountry experience? I'd like to hear your thoughts. I plan on hunting the first 5-7 days and if needed return after Labor Day for another 5-7'.
Book Cliffs?
- Thread starter dkendall
- Start date
E
elkun
Guest
book cliffs , suck, sorry but dwr has sold way to many tags , kill a 25 inch buck. you will be in the top 10%, wish it was better , good luck,,
Broadside_Shot
Active Member
- Messages
- 590
Elkun said it right. This is not a trophy unit. Great unit for Kids and Road Hunters wanting a 20" 3X4.
I put my wife and daughter in for it because it will be fun for them to shoot a big two point or a 22" 3 point
I put my wife and daughter in for it because it will be fun for them to shoot a big two point or a 22" 3 point
P
patriot2014
Guest
If there are that many young bucks, there is always older bucks around. I have harvested some real nice deer off units people say don't hold big bucks. If you hunt hard enough, you can find a big bucks.
K
kreaton
Guest
I'm with Patriot, you pay your dues and really put some time in you'll find one
BrowningRage
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 4,443
Have we really all become such Limited Entry snobs that we put down a unit because we see TONS of 22"-25" bucks everyday..?? Trophy hunters will still pull big bucks out of there, and so will road hunters. Anybody that wants a family along for a fun hunt will do no better anywhere else in the state.
DKendall, stick to the top. Don't go into the Roadless area. Very good friend of mine had the archery tag last year and he said he "wasted" the first 5 days he hunted because he went into the Roadless area. He hunted hard, found some bucks, but nothing bigger than you can find from the road with some binoculars (or usually just your eyes).
Also, he ended up taking a good buck.
Stick to the Divide Road some, and branch out onto the many fingers that are present to get away from other hunters. You will find lots of deer, lots of bucks, and when you see the right one, you go after him.
"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24
DKendall, stick to the top. Don't go into the Roadless area. Very good friend of mine had the archery tag last year and he said he "wasted" the first 5 days he hunted because he went into the Roadless area. He hunted hard, found some bucks, but nothing bigger than you can find from the road with some binoculars (or usually just your eyes).
Also, he ended up taking a good buck.
Stick to the Divide Road some, and branch out onto the many fingers that are present to get away from other hunters. You will find lots of deer, lots of bucks, and when you see the right one, you go after him.
"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24
WhiskeyDog
Active Member
- Messages
- 224
I'm going to post this here but it will apply to many posts in these forums. It won't answer the original question, but I think a lot of people are confused or misinformed of the Book Cliffs units, especially regarding the Roadless. I see people stating that going into the roadless is a waste during the archery hunt and to stay on top. However the roadless is the top. I think a lot of people have the south side confused as being the roadless. Any part of the mountain that drains to the south side is not in the roadless, it is part of the Bitter Creek/South Unit. While different species and different hunts are split different, there is no Roadless Unit designation for deer. Only Elk and Bear, both of which have the same boundaries. What most of these posts say is stay out of the roadless early on for deer, but what they really mean is stay in the higher country. This is not a jab at any one person, but far too often people put in for Book Cliffs hunts, having no idea what the mountain is like or even where the boundaries are for that matter. You can see the boundaries at http://wildlife.utah.gov/maps/public/details_boundary.php?boundary_id=12 Please folks, educate yourself on the unit before you apply for the hunt or give advice. There is so much misinformation on the Book Cliffs in these forums that it's sad. By the way, there are in fact a good number of deer in the roadless during the archery, however hunting this area without the proper setup(pack animals and spike camp setup) would be very difficult.
backinthegame
Active Member
- Messages
- 754
Absolutely agree that with so many young bucks there are bound to be some better deer around. Just gotta find them, and that's never easy.
A few years ago my brother and I had Vernon archery tags. All I'd ever been told (similar to the popular sentiment on these forums) is that the Vernon isn't a trophy unit, lots of 20" 3x4's, no mature bucks to be found, etc, etc. Very much like what you hear about the Book Cliffs. Well, we worked hard and sorted through a bunch of the junky bucks that everyone talks about...but in the end found several very good bucks and killed two that are definitely better than the "junk" that everyone will have you believe is the best you can do on the Vernon.
This year I've got a Books archery tag. Expo tag! (Sorry!) I don't know what I'll find or stick an arrow in, but there are good deer on the unit if that's your goal.
Best of luck!
A few years ago my brother and I had Vernon archery tags. All I'd ever been told (similar to the popular sentiment on these forums) is that the Vernon isn't a trophy unit, lots of 20" 3x4's, no mature bucks to be found, etc, etc. Very much like what you hear about the Book Cliffs. Well, we worked hard and sorted through a bunch of the junky bucks that everyone talks about...but in the end found several very good bucks and killed two that are definitely better than the "junk" that everyone will have you believe is the best you can do on the Vernon.
This year I've got a Books archery tag. Expo tag! (Sorry!) I don't know what I'll find or stick an arrow in, but there are good deer on the unit if that's your goal.
Best of luck!
>I'm going to post this here
>but it will apply to
>many posts in these forums.
>It won't answer the original
>question, but I think a
>lot of people are confused
>or misinformed of the Book
>Cliffs units, especially regarding the
>Roadless. I see people
>stating that going into the
>roadless is a waste during
>the archery hunt and to
>stay on top. However
>the roadless is the top.
>I think a lot of
>people have the south side
>confused as being the roadless.
> Any part of the
>mountain that drains to the
>south side is not in
>the roadless, it is part
>of the Bitter Creek/South Unit.
>While different species and different
>hunts are split different, there
>is no Roadless Unit designation
>for deer. Only Elk and
>Bear, both of which have
>the same boundaries. What
>most of these posts say
>is stay out of the
>roadless early on for deer,
>but what they really mean
>is stay in the higher
>country. This is not a
>jab at any one person,
>but far too often people
>put in for Book Cliffs
>hunts, having no idea what
>the mountain is like or
>even where the boundaries are
>for that matter. You
>can see the boundaries at
>http://wildlife.utah.gov/maps/public/details_boundary.php?boundary_id=12 Please folks, educate
>yourself on the unit before
>you apply for the hunt
>or give advice. There is
>so much misinformation on the
>Book Cliffs in these forums
>that it's sad. By the
>way, there are in fact
>a good number of deer
>in the roadless during the
>archery, however hunting this area
>without the proper setup(pack animals
>and spike camp setup) would
>be very difficult.
I see what you are saying, but What I think of when I say Roadless is the whole area you cant drive into. Regardless of the boundary's. The deer move from year to year on that unit and this year im seeing deer in areas that sucked last year, and some of the good areas from last year was slow for deer this year. You are correct on having the right gear to go in. I like to cover ground and glass until I find good numbers and hunt/hike from there. If the Roadless is slow its hard to move fast IMO. It all what you put into it. My advice get down there and look around for yourself. If you wait until the hunt you will get what you deserve. Good luck post some scouting pics.
>but it will apply to
>many posts in these forums.
>It won't answer the original
>question, but I think a
>lot of people are confused
>or misinformed of the Book
>Cliffs units, especially regarding the
>Roadless. I see people
>stating that going into the
>roadless is a waste during
>the archery hunt and to
>stay on top. However
>the roadless is the top.
>I think a lot of
>people have the south side
>confused as being the roadless.
> Any part of the
>mountain that drains to the
>south side is not in
>the roadless, it is part
>of the Bitter Creek/South Unit.
>While different species and different
>hunts are split different, there
>is no Roadless Unit designation
>for deer. Only Elk and
>Bear, both of which have
>the same boundaries. What
>most of these posts say
>is stay out of the
>roadless early on for deer,
>but what they really mean
>is stay in the higher
>country. This is not a
>jab at any one person,
>but far too often people
>put in for Book Cliffs
>hunts, having no idea what
>the mountain is like or
>even where the boundaries are
>for that matter. You
>can see the boundaries at
>http://wildlife.utah.gov/maps/public/details_boundary.php?boundary_id=12 Please folks, educate
>yourself on the unit before
>you apply for the hunt
>or give advice. There is
>so much misinformation on the
>Book Cliffs in these forums
>that it's sad. By the
>way, there are in fact
>a good number of deer
>in the roadless during the
>archery, however hunting this area
>without the proper setup(pack animals
>and spike camp setup) would
>be very difficult.
I see what you are saying, but What I think of when I say Roadless is the whole area you cant drive into. Regardless of the boundary's. The deer move from year to year on that unit and this year im seeing deer in areas that sucked last year, and some of the good areas from last year was slow for deer this year. You are correct on having the right gear to go in. I like to cover ground and glass until I find good numbers and hunt/hike from there. If the Roadless is slow its hard to move fast IMO. It all what you put into it. My advice get down there and look around for yourself. If you wait until the hunt you will get what you deserve. Good luck post some scouting pics.
WhiskeyDog
Active Member
- Messages
- 224
I understand you thinking of the areas with less accessibility as roadless. However when you refer to the wilderness study areas and ruggid south slope as the roadless, you cause confusion to many as the Little Creek unit is known as the roadless. To say stay out of the roadless would be most commonly taken as stay out of the Little Creek Unit. When in fact there is good hunting to be had there, given the proper methods and setup to do so. However the Bitter Creek has good hunting as well and for someone without riding/ pack animals, it is by far a better place to hunt because of mobility. The deer do move year to year, but they often move week to week. I spend nearly every weekend of the year on the Books, there are great bucks to be found. With that said you can't expect to drive to the unit opening morning and kill a 200"er without having knowledge of the unit. You can cover nearly the entire range of mountains like the henrys in a day. I've spent my entire life playing on the Books and still have plenty more places out there I'd love to explore. In my opinion a person ought to spend a considerable amount of time out there before applying for a tag, or plan to hire an outfitter that knows the area. It is far too big to figure out in a weekend or two.
I appreciate all of the input. I am for sure planning to hunt on top. I was just curious about the roadless "little creek" on top. I'm heading out on Wed- Sat morning. I plan to hike a few miles and camping just to snoop around. I also plan on hitting a bunch of the ridges and glassing. I know there are a lot of average bucks around. I would love to take a 170+ type buck with my bow. I also know that deer don't get that big by being stupid. Thanks for the advice!
Well I spent the last three days out in the Books. Here is the report...I looked over nearly 150 bucks, saw equally as many elk, bear, and two bison. I located two potential shooters. Unfortunately I didn't have the camera for either. One is a 5x6 that has matching cheaters and an in line. Only bout 23 wide 160 class. The other is a straight 4 point that's in the mid 160 range. However he was in a very remote location that would be very hard to get to. I know the hunt is going to be fun but it is also looking like a big challenge too.
Saw this guy two different trips.
Record book spike
Average Joe
Love the views
Saw this guy two different trips.
Record book spike
Average Joe
Love the views
Ranger1
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 1,463
Nice pics, we took a bunch of pics also (My son likes to click off a dozen at a time). A lot of young bucks and fewer nice bucks. A lot of country to look at but a bit nervous for the hunt. Maybe work it out to get in one more scouting trip before going over a few days early before the hunt. Good luck.
