Utah's New Late Hunts

Prism · Nov 11, 2005

Good luck to those of you heading out to chase November bulls around!

I'm thinking hard about burning my points up next year on a late hunt, but a lot of it depends on how the hunters do this year.

Would love to hear about the success and failures out there. I'm thinking it's gonna be a tough hunt with the warm weather, and lack of snow.

Should be interesting either way.

What do you other armchair hunters think about this hunt?

www.neverenoughbiggame.com

bschnoor · Nov 12, 2005

I'm actually thinking the same thing you are prism!
Brian

ktc · Nov 12, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Nov-12-05 AT 08:23AM (MST)[p]Here is how I see it Prism.

If I had 10 points or more no way would I touch these permits. I think they are a way to distribute draw pressure. The success will be high in harvesting a bull. Any person with one of these tags will need to be patient, willing to move around, and need to glass over the bulls top to bottom to determine if any points or beams are broken. If they do not, chances are the bull will be broken. I feel this is a waste when dealing with trophies because people want the horns on these hunts. The meat is an added bonus. It will be hard for any taxidermist to fix 50+ inches of bone. Not all bulls will be broken, but many will. We will see 370 type bulls killed when put together, and it will all be for not, because they will have busted horns. We will also see some good put together bulls killed.

I think these hunts can be a great way for people with not a lot of points to sneak in and get a great bull if done right. I personally do not like these hunts, but hey, I do not like a lot of things. We should be getting reports pretty quick. Good luck in your decision and draw.

bobcatbess · Nov 12, 2005

I'M WITH ktc ON THIS ONE!!!

BULLS THAT ARE RUN DOWN & NOT MOVING AROUND TOO MUCH!!!

360" BULLS THAT ARE BUSTED DOWN BELOW 300"!!!

ANOTHER WAY OF THE DWR MAKING MORE MONEY & ADDING PRESSURE IN L.E. UNITS!!!

FOR GOD'S SAKE,GIVE THESE MAGNIFICENT ANIMALS A BREAK!!!

THE ONLY bobcat WONDERING WHERE THE DWR WILL ADD A FEW MORE HUNTS IN NEXT YEAR,I DON'T SEE ROOM FOR ANYMORE!!!

Prism · Nov 12, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Nov-12-05 AT 08:42AM (MST)[p]Busted up antlers isn't something I'd want to use my 10 points on. I'm thinking the bulls are gonna be looking pretty shaggy too with the winter coats coming on strong.

That being said I've seen some boomer bulls with nice long tines in the winter-just wish I could find their freaking sheds before everyone else!

I may take a ride up the canyon to see how the pressure is.

Don't be given the DWR any more ideas about more hunts. I can see a statewide extended archery hunt with a $20 auxilary permit required. Everybody knows archers don't have any affect on populations, and just think of the good the extra money could do.

HAHAHAHAHA

How about a few more doe tags around Tabi, the sagebrush is looking pretty pathetic out there. I think the deer are gonna die if we don't shoot them all!

JUST KIDDING!

257Tony · Nov 12, 2005

Id agree with ktc, I think a late Elk hunt could be productive, but would be tough....if youve got some points, Id say wait for a rut hunt.

bugle_man · Nov 12, 2005

This topic actuall touches on something i've been thinking about. It seems like every year there are more and more hunts going on-late season, limited entry, extended region, etc. It is pretty much consistent hunting from August through November (more or less). Now i know not every hunt has as much pressure as the general deer season but are we putting a lot more stress on these animals than they can handle? especially going into a tough winter after being chases around by hunters on and off for four months? just curious what other hunters think

WARBIRDUM · Nov 12, 2005

Bulls will be killed with or without the snow if hunters have done some homework scouting, and the elk are not on private ground.As far as bulls being busted that is true ask anyone that has hunted bulls during the muzzleloader rut elk season, you have to weed through alot of bulls looking for one that has not been broken, most bulls are broken during the late part of the rut so why would the late rifle hunts be any different?The odds had to be great this year on these late elk hunts but if the harvest success is good this year and we start seeing pictures posted of some nice bulls I could see the odds dropping a little because people with 6 points and below will put in for these hunts if success was high.I do not favor these new late elk hunts.But for those who drew tags GOOD LUCK lets see some photos.

Tuffbucker · Nov 12, 2005

I think these hunts, if done right, could produce some great bulls. I hunted deer this year in an area that is part of one of the LE Elk Units, and I have never seen so many bulls in one area at the same time.(Counted almost 30 bulls--mature and raghorns--in a matter of 3 days). I saw more "shooters", than I saw during my LE Rut hunt last year. WHo knows, im interested to see how things go, my father0in-law is thinking of trying to burn his points on a late hunt next year.

Good luck to those who are out hunting, I wish you all a lot of success.

SCOTT

PleaseDear · Nov 12, 2005

My buddy has the LaSal late hunt. He went with his friends down for the spike mzzldr and hadn't seen any 'unbroken' tined bulls. Lots of bulls in groups already down there. I haven't heard from him the last couple of days. Kinda hoping he would be back today-Sunday sometime with a nice bull.

ktc · Nov 13, 2005

Ouch! Did I hear you right PleaseDear? NO UNBROKEN BULLS as in they were ALL broken?

This is why I struggle with these hunts. I did not think it would be that bad though. Oh well, the majority of hunters wanted these hunts.

Antler1 · Nov 13, 2005

I just got back from helping a older gentleman on his late season hunt. So far it been a tuff hunt but we were limited in area's we could hunt because of his condition. We did see some bulls but nothing over 350 which is what he's looking for. Of the bulls we did see nothing was broken.

I know I would never burn my 12 pts on this hunt but am considering putting my daughter in for this hunt. She will be fourteen this year and with 0 pts its probably her best chance to draw.

I do alot of shed hunting and have noticed some years are worse then others for broken antlers, in 2004 almost everything we found was broke and in 2005 nothing we found was broke.

PleaseDear · Nov 13, 2005

ktc, all 'raggies' no big bulls even found or seen yet.

I don't know...... high point totals like 11-14 would be a lock for most of these late hunts.....

You guys wouldn't want to hunt the San Juan or Pahvant or Monroe or West Desert ect........ doesn't the Governors tag and Sportsman tag holders usually 'tag out' late seaon..... with monsters that aint really broken up??

Just a thought....

bobcatbess · Nov 13, 2005

THINK ABOUT IT PleaseDear

ON THE SJ IF YOU HAD ACCESS THIS COULD BE A GREAT HUNT!!!

ALL ACCESS TAKES IS ALOT OF MONEY!!!

NOT A PROBLEM FOR ALOT OF YOU THOUGH!!!

REMEMBER,POOR BOYS LIKE MYSELF ARE LIMITED TO PUBLIC GROUND!!!

GOVERNORS & SPORTSMAN PERMITS ALSO HAVE ALOT MORE TIME TO GET THE JOB DONE!!!

IT'S AMAZING WHAT MONEY CAN FIND YOU!!!

I'M NOT RAGGING ON YOU,BUT I DO KNOW ALOT OF THEM BIGGER BULLS BY THAT TIME OF YEAR ARE HEADED TO LOWER TERRITORY OR IN THE THICKEST $HIT YOU'VE EVER SEEN,& NO THEY AIN'T COMMING IN TO NO CALL,THEY'VE TOLLERATED ALL THAT B.S. THEY CAN STAND FOR ONE YEAR!!!

NOT ONLY THAT,I'LL BET THERE AIN'T AN OUNCE OF FAT LEFT ON THEM BIG BOYS!!!

THE ONLY bobcat WONDERING HOW MANY NEW HUNTS WILL BE ADDED THIS YEAR & WHERE WILL THE DWR SQUEEZE THEM IN???

DonV · Nov 13, 2005

What kind of weather can be expected for this hunt? More specifically is there a chance snow can end the hunt? I have had a desire to do a late winter hunt, snow etc for elk, just something I want to do. If I can get better draw odds that is even better.

bobcatbess · Nov 13, 2005

DonV

YOU CAN'T OUT GUESS THE WEATHER AROUND HERE!!!

LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME THERE WAS 2-3 FEET OF SNOW IN CERTAIN AREA'S & THIS YEAR IN THE SAME AREA'S THERE IS NOT A DROP OF SNOW!!!

THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MILDEST FALLS I'VE EVER SEEN!!!

THERES ALWAYS A CHANCE THAT ALOT OF SNOW COULD HELP OR HINDER YOU DEPENDING ON THE AREA!!!

GOD I WISH I COULD OUT GUESS THE WEATHER,ONE YEAR PEOPLE ARE RUNNING AROUND IN THEIR CAMO BIKINI BRIEFS & THE NEXT YEAR YOU CAN'T PUT ON ENOUGH CLOTHING!!!

THAT LATE HUNT PROBABLY HAS THE BEST ODDS OF DRAWING FOR YOU!!!

SORRY I WASN'T MUCH HELP,JUST GIVING YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN!!!

THE ONLY bobcat WAITING FOR SOME 'LATE HUNT' PICTURES!!!

ktc · Nov 14, 2005

bess is right DonV. The weather can be a factor or not at all. The elk will come down with the snow so I do not think it would end a hunt. Areas getting fogged in could be a factor during a storm, but I think you are talking about elk migrating out of an area? This will not happen. The elk will stay in an area just move with the snow levels. If you like a late season, cold, snowy hunt this would be for you. Good luck.

Please,

You are right. the special tags do usually kill the day before Christmas. I would not want to hunt San Juan, Pahavant, or Indian Peaks in November for my once in a lifetime draw. Give me September. You do have some valid thoughts.

PleaseDear · Nov 14, 2005

Talked to my buds wife and he is still after them bulls! He is starting to see some better bulls now that the crowd from the spike mzzldr hunt has dwindled down. She said he sounds pretty excited about getting a big bull..........

Certain units would certainly have more private ground headaches than other units.

DonV you would be looking at a solo hunt coming from Ohio if ya drew out here. The late hunts don't really have many non-res. tags. could change for '06 after the age class and harvest data is put together for tag allocations for '06.

ktc · Nov 15, 2005

I will be praying at dinner time that you are not right PleaseDear. Age class and harvest data will be the end of what we now know the LE elk hunts to be.

ARROWHNTR · Nov 15, 2005

I just got back from my LE late hunt, and I have to say it was the most amazing hunt of my life. I spent six months scouting and looking at bulls, and it payed off big. I saw over 50 bulls a day on the hunt. The only bulls that I saw that were broken were small bulls, all of the big 340+ bulls I saw were not broken, except for one wiht a broken main beam.

The canyon I hunted had 5 bulls killed out of it by sunday one small 6, a 320 bull, a 345 bull, a 350 bull, and my bull which I will post pictures up in a while when I get them off my camera.

Awsome hunt tone of fun.