Southwest Desert

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27
Well I lucked out and drew a southwest desert muzzleloader elk tag at the expo this year. I'm 0-21 LE elk tags in my home state of Wyoming so needless to say I was thrilled when I received the news. I plan to make scouting trips whenever I can and setup game cams, glass etc. Sounds like lots of good moisture this year which should help. I've already talked to a biologist and he seemed to share what's posted on the Utah website and similar to gohunt. Just thought I'd post on here and see if someone had anything to add or even wanted to aide in helping with what I consider, ?a once in a lifetime elk tag?. I will definitely post pics and write up my hunt. Also if anyone needs help in southwest Wyoming don't hesitate to hit me up.

Thanks

Skylar
 
Congratulations on a great tag!
Historically there has been some excellent bulls taken out there, and even a few giant's.
It's a huge unit which encompasses several separated mountain ranges with miles of desert in between them.
Personally I've only been out there once to help a friend scout it for elk, and we saw plenty.
The best advice I can personally give you is bring extra fuel, more than one spare tire, jumper box and tools, because you are a long ways from any kind of service.
Good luck and looking forward to your future posts!
 
Like most other elk units in this state, it is a shadow of what it once was. I've drawn it for L.E. elk in the past, pronghorn, hunted mulies there and lots of cow elk. Most recently 3 of my kids had cow tags for the dec-jan hunt this past season. I did put in for L.E. archery elk there this year, just because I know the unit well. I doubt I will draw with limited points.

I first started going out there in the late 80's and you were lucky to see one other person in 4-5 days. I'm surprised how many people were out there this past January in the middle of the week. I've had multiple tire blow outs on three trips there, one trip we had three. Very sharp rocks, especially right after a road has been graded. Infact, I've had more blow outs on that unit than all others in my life. Take 2 spares, a 12 volt compressor and tire plugs just in case. Milford isn't far off for fuel and neither is the Border Inn.

Good Luck.
 
There are still some great bulls in this unit, Best infor I can give is listen to the guys that tell ya to bring more then one spare. Glassing will find you where in the unit you need to be, find the cows and the bulls will be pretty close by even if you don't first find them.
Keep your eye on how much water is around and where it is at. IF you have a dry summer key will be the water holes.
Do some scouting using Goggle Earth find some water holes off the beaten path.
Not everything lives and beds in the trees, look in those desert area's too.
Bring the best glass and tripod you got or can get.
Good luck



"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
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Ditto what Gator said. I went through 2 tires and had a flat with another on my adventure to the SWD. Motorcycles are a good way to get from point A to point B, but be careful of the sand and loose soils as well as the slick mud when it rains.
 
Speaking of motorcycles, when I drew my SWD Archery Elk tag back in '99, I had a DR 650 that I used to get around on. I was riding on the mountain home road near the old reseed where the spring is right next to the road, and I took the corner too fast. There was dust on the hard pack and I laid my bike down. I had my bow strapped across the back rack. Once I got off the bike I looked at my bow and a couple arrows had Pierced through the quiver and some of them (carbon shafts) were bent like a spring ready to pop out. It freaked me out to see how close I came to getting a broadhead in my back. It wouldn't have been a good scenario, because I was hunting and camping alone.

Four or five years ago my daughter and I were muzzleloading deer there, camping again near Mountain home, when the engine on my xt 600 gave up the ghost. So I hope you have better luck on bikes out there than I did.
 
I had a XR650 on my hunt and only dumped 2-3 times coming back during a rain storm the evening I got my bull.
Not fun as my tread got caked with slimy goop on the upper stretch of homestead road. Finally was able to walk it to the downhill rocky stretch. I was camped right where the road goes up after the reseed.
 
>Well I lucked out and drew
>a southwest desert muzzleloader elk
>tag at the expo this
>year. I'm 0-21 LE elk
>tags in my home state
>of Wyoming so needless to
>say I was thrilled when
>I received the news. I
>plan to make scouting trips
>whenever I can and setup
>game cams, glass etc. Sounds
>like lots of good moisture
>this year which should help.
>I've already talked to a
>biologist and he seemed to
>share what's posted on the
>Utah website and similar to
>gohunt. Just thought I'd post
>on here and see if
>someone had anything to add
>or even wanted to aide
>in helping with what I
>consider, ?a once in a
>lifetime elk tag?. I will
>definitely post pics and write
>up my hunt. Also if
>anyone needs help in southwest
>Wyoming don't hesitate to hit
>me up.
>
>Thanks
>
>Skylar

Definitely appreciate all the advice and input. Will definitely look at some spare tires. Anyone who would care to comment or PM would be greatly appreciated. Plan on a scouting trip in June but I know elk usually aren't found where they summer in the same place that they rut. Appreciate all the input I can get. I'll be scouting in August and September as well but it's a huge unit. Everything helps!
 
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