TAG SUCCESS! GUIDE NEEDED!

[Roy]

WOW!! I was checking my e-mail - not expecting anything and lo and behold it came to pass that I received an e-mail from the UDWR with the words SUCCESSFUL in it! I turns out that I drew the coveted 99-666 hunt! YEP! Southern Utah Desert DevilTerrapin! I am so excited and scared that I am shaking like a puppy dog passing peach pits! I can't believe how fortunate I am! However, I am really at a loss as I didn't expect to draw. Is there anyone who can reccommend a good guide service?

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)

 

[Rammu]

I have a recommendation!!!

 

[Devlin]

I think you should get ahold of Bobcat Bess for that hunt because you'll need some serious back up,50 Cal,and he knows that area like the back of his paw.Hes tuned up a lot of ATVs in that area...good luck

 

[dleonard3]

You're going to need a new gun too. I would recommend the LAR Grizzly BIG BOAR in 50 BMG. If you use the steel jacketed solids and keep your shots to under 1000 yards, this gun should have no trouble busting through the shell and reaching the vitals.

 

[JACKELOPE]

 

[dleonard3]

That's a Barrett. Too big and heavy to hunt with, but lots of fun to shoot. Maybe if you had a "gun bearer" along to help out on the uphill hikes.

 

[eelgrass]

Roy! Congratulations on the draw! How many points did you have? I hunted that unit in 2004. START GETTING IN SHAPE NOW! I can not emphasize how important that is! Not only will it make the hunt more enjoyable, it could very well save your life.

I don't think you will find a guide who hunts the Devil. I could be mistaken though. There was one a few years ago, but last I heard he had given it up for health reasons, and is now working in a florist shop back east.

I will send you a PM and let you in on the honeyhole of all honeyholes for that unit. No guide needed. What you will need is backup! Trust me, the problem is not finding one. The problem will be getting a killing shot off in time!

Again, congrats on the draw. For your family's sake, get your affairs in order before the hunt. It's the responsible thing to do.

Eel

P.S. Do you own a .458 Winchester Mag? GET ONE! And shoot ONLY solids!

 

[rutnbuck]

Don't go getting all girly on us just yet. I am thinking this might be tougher then you think. I heard on the 5 o-clock news there was a valcano erupting as we speak down there the whole area is on fire. Can't wait to see pics


Rutnbuck

 

[Roy]

LAST EDITED ON Apr-24-07 AT 06:47PM (MST)[p]Thanks for the support and info guys! I am already sure this will be the hunt of a lifetime, as long as that volcano doesn't wipe the hunting area off the map! I am planning to hunt the Virgin River Gorge mostly, there is one Devil there I had a run-in with a few years back on a geology field trip and he and I have some unfinished business to take care of. I have contacted the guys over at accuratereloading.com and I may be able to use the 577 Tyrannosaur. I hope that is enough!

Eelgrass - do you know of any good insurance companies that will underwrite a Turtle Hunt of this magnitude? I have a few things wrapped up in annuities so we should be ok - but that Accidental Death and Dismemberment policy sure would make my wife feel better! I only had 27 points and I drew this tag! My dad started putting me in for it when I was 7. How long did it take you to draw?

Yeah - I heard about that same guide. He was from the east originally, then came out west, then went back. I think there was a character in John Candy's last movie loosely based on him and his life, played by John C McGinley. Wasn't that called "Wagon's East"?

Any ideas or tips for blinds or stalking?

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)

 

[dleonard3]

If you decide to use a blind, I would recommend using bait. When bait is used, the devil teripin will momentarily be indecisive about weather to go for the bait or you first. That could give you an advantage. I've heard that the devil teripins that live near the Virgin River are partial to wound fin minnows. They patrol the banks when the river is running low looking for their dried up carcasses. If you can get your hands on some, they will be nearly irresistable to these beasts.

If you decide to try stalking, you had better be in good merithon running shape. Stalking Teripins is completely oposite of what you might think. You don't sneak around slowly. You actually have to run around everywhere you go. The rule to remember is they are slow, so you need to be fast.

 

[eelgrass]

LAST EDITED ON Apr-24-07 AT 07:25PM (MST)[p]Roy, I seriously doubt the volcano activity in that area. That mistake is made every year at about this time. The DevilTerrapin mating season is always confused with earthquakes and volcanos. (turkeys and turtles mate in the Spring) You should be fine! Plus, you have to remember, Rut was the one who reported Santas Reindeer being hit by a train a couple years back. (after too much spiked eggnog). LOL!

When I said "get your affairs in order" I was thinking along the lines of a burial plot.

Eel

 

[rutnbuck]

Just pay no nevermind to a scatterbrain that has never seen Raindeer hit by a train. You need to read Hell hath no furry like that of the DevilTerrapin.

 

[UTodd]

All this talk about hunting Gorge-US Virgins in Southern Utah during the Spring Mating Season has got me hornier than Mossback Bulls Gone Wild Vol. 27 Quest For Five over 550". Honey..................

 

[ClorideRUS]

Roy,
"Southern Utah Desert DevilTerrapin"

Dude, let's get serious! Grab anyone at the Playhouse Bar in Cedar City. They been fight'n them deamons for years!!
If you need back-up, call me!

RUS

 

[ClorideRUS]

UT-odd,

You from Shortcreek son???

RUS

 

[UTodd]

Cloride, I'm not from Shortcreek..but have been accused of riding the short bus before.

 

[dryflyelk]

I had a buddy that hunted that unit last year. We brought 8 hounds to run it with and brought home none of them. Only one guy was able to see a glimpse of the terrapin, and he drew up this picture from memory as best he could:

 

[Rammu]

I guess I have never hunted Devil Terripins but according to this post yo must have with you at all times the following:
Fishing line
Camp stove
Baseball bat
Rangefinder
Camo hat
Big bags of popcorn (not the minis)
and last but not least

.....................

 

[UTodd]

http://www.surfacetech-online.com/durable.html

My suggestion for a hunting rig/blind for this type of hunt.

 

[Knockmdead]

I am from So. Utah and have lived here and hunted here all my life. I am in great shape, able to run a marithone in just over 2.5 hours. I also am 6'4" and weight in at about 240 lbs. I can run the 40 in about 4.3 and am able to bench press 385 lbs. Needless to say I am not scared of much.

But those little DEVILS, you couldn't get me to hunt them for nothing. I couldn't do that to my wife and kids. If one of them got me, I would have my 4 sons out trying to get revenge for the rest of their lives and that wouldn't be a good thing.

Needless to say, I would definatlly take the advise of the others and have your affirs in order and take plenty of fire power and backup.


Good luck and we will all be praying for you.


Those DEVILS scare me.


Jeff

 

[crimedog]

Not only do you need that .50 cal rifle you better back a Desert Eagle side arm with plenty of clips. Anything smaller will just bounce off the shell and your only chance will be to get the soft underbelly as it rises up to bite your head off.

 

[Knockmdead]

Well, I just talked to my wife, I was going to go help you on your hunt, and she made me swear that I would never go after one of these. It is just not worth the risk she said.

And she is really good about leting me go hunting anything and everything that I want to. But she put her foot down this time.

To tell you the truth I am kind of relived. I was getting myself all worked up and in a sweat thinking that I might actually be going out after one of those dang DEVILS.

Like I said, our prayers are with you.


Jeff

 

[Muley62]

I cannot believe that no one has mentioned camo patterns yet! Due to the Devils ability to learn, I would not be dressed "so last year", you need to contact the camo companies and wear protoype only patterns. If you are spotted in one pattern do not under any circumstance wear that pattern ever again.

See if you can get a member of th Utah Airforce to fly you over that country in one of their chute planes.

 

[Roy]

Dryfly! - WOW - I have never seen a more accurate rendering of the So. Utah Desert DevilTerrapin! As I said, a few years ago I had a run in with one of these and I think this is the exact same one! At least that's how I remember him in my nightmares (when I can sleep)! I guess I better tell the story then so you can all understand why I have been putting in for this hunt for so long and with so much zeal.

Yeah, back in '96 I was down there on a geology field trip and we were looking at all the different formations in the Gorge and I had wandered out onto a cliff to get a look at some of the strata in the early Morrison formation and all of a sudden I heard this terrible hiss and turned around and there he was! Apparently he had been stalking me since we left the Oasis breakfast buffet. At first I thought he was just after the sausage I had stuffed in my pocket, or maybe it was the scrambled eggs I had rolled up in a napkin and put in my pack, I wasn't sure so I began to throw the sausages at him, praying that it would distract him just long enough to allow me to escape. Well, after throwing thirty or so sausages, it was apparent that I was the pig he was after as he was totally ignoring the pork links and patties. Well, I finished emptying my pockets for good measure but he just kept coming right after me. I had but one option. So I threw my rock hammer at him and jumped off the cliff into the raging river below, except it was July and the raging river was now just a trickle of its former self. Fortunately I landed in the soft sand and hit the ground running so I was able to get just enough of an advantage. But it was close, after my rock hammer bounced harmlessly off his iron-like beak the demon beast let out a shrill cry that shook the walls of the canyon and caused all the nickel slots at the Peppermill to simultaneously cash out immediately on the largest single nickel slot jackpot ever. It was as if he were summoning all the forces of the abyss as he gracefully leaped from the rocks high above to the river below. His seemingly effortless motion caught me a little by surprise but I knew I couldn't slow down, so I ran and ran and ran and ran and ran, all the way out of the Gorge and back to the Northeast. Luckily as I neared the top of Utah Hill, I rounded a little corner and jumped into an abandoned gypsum mine. By the most fortunate twist of fate, this deceived the demon beast and I was able to escape. The last I saw of him was the top of his head disappearing over the horizon of Utah Hill and after that he vanished into the desert, never to be seen again, or so I thought.

I never got over the fear and anxiety, and dang I miss that rock hammer! My experience with the Devil beast here in Texas last summer only made it worse, though it strengthened my resolve to vanquish once and for all the entire species and save the unwitting public from such a fate as could have befallen me on that fateful day.

I am haunted by turtles.

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)

 

[ELKabong]

Roy... are you NUTS????
look at the draw statistics... they issued 10 permits, you drew 'cause you were the ONLY one ta put in!!
*SHUDDER*
I..... I ddddrew.... this tag 8 years ago.
In spite of everyone that advised against it.
Only until last year have I been able to venture into the wild again...
I jus' talked to my thera-pist... she said it was ok now to talk about it.
Yup... that ain't volcanic activity... it is fer shure the things gett'n jiggy with it.
We started out a brave, well-preped crew, hindsite says we were way over confident, not enough respect fer the animal.
Everyone was armed to the teeth, my trackers Mjigwa 'an Blberaby, my partner Earl, the hoarse wrangler Skeeter, 'an the local we hired as a guide, Cooter.
Without alot of detail, Mjigwa 'an Blberaby are in a far better place now, Skeeter is gett'n around now perty good fer a guy with jus' one arm 'an one leg, that Cooter guy, he's porbly alive somewheres, butt no buddy's seen him since, (he bolted when we saw that the critter was gonna charge, never stopped runn'n, I guess) I visit Earl once a week up at the VA, (he had the decoy suit on, which, again, hindsite sez was a huge mistake... at least not a female suit...) Doc sez he may walk again someday, but that was a nasty, gapping wound. The mental damage is jus' too much for him to overcome. Doc calls it the "Ned Beaty" syndrom.
I lost my best horse Twister, my pack mule Gunk, 'an my old hound Blaster. I guess 'ol Blaster saved my life when he lept betwixed me 'an that big Devil... gave me a nano=second fer a slow-down shot to the cod-piece...
I didn't fill the tag... I was to bussy dealing with the carnage to follow the blood trail.
I was jus' glad we were able to beat him off...
Tried to hire some locals the next week to go recover the shell, at least. No takers.
So I said Four-gett it.
Good luck, my freind... you are a braver man than I...

 

[eelgrass]

Roy, a lot of good, decent, and caring people have come on here and given you plenty of excellent advise. But I don't think any of us really understood your predicament until now.

You hit a DevilTerrapin in the head with your rock hammer??? I know you were angry and scared at the time, but what a foolish thing to do, my friend! Even though it's been almost eleven years ago, your image and even your odor is still etched in that turtles mind like it happened yesterday! Now I see why you moved to Texas!

TK, spend as much time as you can with Roy for the next few months. He's your brother........

Lord have mercy!

 

[UTodd]

For Roy's sake I just hope it happens quick. I've heard tales of them mangy codgers actually torturing and maming to the bitter end of a slow, gruesome death. Few years back there was a rumor of a certain State Senator was actually trying to put one of the Devils on trial for a hate crime for a gruesome scene near San Rafael. Turns out not even a Lawyer would take on the case of the State of Utah vs. Devil T. Pray long and pray loud Roy!