Book Cliffs Combo Hunt

Lonebilly52 · Apr 14, 2022

Hey all:

I'm not new here but haven't posted in a long while, forgot my login and prior username, and my email address changed, so just registered as a new user. This year I'm cashing in my points on a combo archery deer and elk hunt in the Book Cliffs. I've hunted it before for elk a few years back, and actually made a donation for the elk tag since I'm still in my waiting period. I realize I don't have the deer tag in hand, but I had plenty of points so I should be a lock.

Putting aside all of the doom and gloom talk about the BC aside, I am curious as to what 12-17 day period you would pick to hunt. I'm inclined to pick the last half of the season, but am also considering splitting up my time between the first week and the last 8-9 days. Not looking for anyone's secret spot. Just curious what some of you that have spent a lot more time out there than I would do if you had this rare combo hunt opportunity.

Many thanks.
LB

MountainRat · Apr 21, 2022

What season are you talking about? Archery?

Lonebilly52 · Apr 21, 2022

Yes. Archery.

JakeH · Apr 21, 2022

The first couple days of the archery hunt is by far the best for deer due to pressure and the fact they haven'thad everyone chasing them, for elk the last week would be best for rutting action.

If you are really wanting to combine and hunt both I would do the end of the season, hunt deer first, and if the bulls kick in and fire up you can switch over and hunt elk on those days.

elkhunterUT · Apr 21, 2022

If you can split your time, I would hunt and focus on killing a deer the first 7 days and then come back and focus on elk the last 7 days. Should be fun, whatever you decide to do.

shootem · Apr 21, 2022

JakeH said:
The first couple days of the archery hunt is by far the best for deer due to pressure and the fact they haven'thad everyone chasing them, for elk the last week would be best for rutting action.

If you are really wanting to combine and hunt both I would do the end of the season, hunt deer first, and if the bulls kick in and fire up you can switch over and hunt elk on those days.

What Jake says seems like the best logic to me.

MountainRat · Apr 21, 2022

I second elkhunterUT. Really does depend on your priority. The first week for deer is by far the best. I hunted it a few years ago. It was unreal how many deer were up top. When I went back for the 3rd week most of the deer had moved down a ways into thicker cover. I did see a couple herds of elk at water during that hunt but there was zero rut action.

Lonebilly52 · Apr 21, 2022

The only priority I have is to spend some good times away from daily life and enjoy my time in the hills. Killing a 330+ bull and a 170+ buck would be a bonus. If I have to eat tag soup, I will.

I have never tried to kill a muley in archery season before, and wanted to burn my points this year, so decided a combo hunt sounded like fun. Nothing beats archery elk, not to mention how great they taste, but maybe I'll get hooked on archery deer after this year.

Beendare · May 11, 2022

Ive heard elk screaming in there on Aug25th And the elk hunting was on.

hornkiller · May 12, 2022

Your a lucky man to have those 2 tags!
Kill a buck off the get go the 1st-3rd day is awesome for deer!

Vanilla · May 12, 2022

What is this combo hunt you reference?

JakeH · May 12, 2022

Vanilla said:
What is this combo hunt you reference?

He has enough points to draw a deer tag, and he has purchased an elk tag either a conservation, or landowner tag I am assuming. I believe that is what he is talking about.

Vanilla · May 12, 2022

Thanks Jake. That makes much more sense, and kind of what I figured would be the case.

Lonebilly52 · May 13, 2022

Drew my deer tag with 19 points. As a NR I was never going to draw the Pauns, so the planning phase begins. I’ve decided to get there early for scouting and hunt the first 4 days and then return for the last 11.

elkhunterUT · May 13, 2022

Congrats and best of luck to you! That should be an amazing time hunting both deer and elk out there. I like your plan to focus on deer for the first 4 days and then elk the last 11 (and deer if not successful early).

Lonebilly52 · May 13, 2022

I hope the Utah Archery Association spends my money wisely. Win win in my books.

woodruffhunter · May 22, 2022

I Can’t offer any better than what has already been said.
You have a great hunt(s) planned and the Bookcliffs are about as good as it gets for a great hunting experience.
Congratulations!

Lonebilly52 · Sep 13, 2022

Thought I’d share the results of my hunt.

FixedBlade · Sep 13, 2022

Great work! That's a heck of a hunt!

Tikka · Sep 13, 2022

Nicely done!

Buckbrush · Sep 13, 2022

WOW! AWSOME!

Vanilla · Sep 13, 2022

That is awesome! Congrats on a great hunt and year!

Give us some details. I'd love to hear the stories. Pics are good too though.

Chump · Sep 13, 2022

Very nice, congrats!

Outdoordan · Sep 13, 2022

Awesome bull and buck! Congrats. So, did you go all in one period or split your season up?

smokepoll · Sep 13, 2022

Congrats. Season to remember and its only September!

JB1975 · Sep 13, 2022

Great update to your thread. Thanks for sharing and nice trophies.

MountainRat · Sep 13, 2022

You did very well! Congratulations!

SanPitch · Sep 13, 2022

Lonebilly52 said:
Thought I’d share the results of my hunt.

View attachment 86726

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Thats awesome good job! I’ll be honest, I read your original post and thought to myself how stupid you are to try and hunt them both in the same year thinking there’s no way you’ll kill a decent buck AND a decent bull, but you filled both tags with absolute studs! Congrats!

elkhunterUT · Sep 13, 2022

Congrats on two great trophies!! I really like the fronts on that bull??

BacDoc · Sep 13, 2022

Let’s hear the details of your hunts, it must have been a blast. You must have shot the last good buck out there from all the doom and gloom some report on this site. Great archery bull also. Congratulations, the Books are a special place, you’re a lucky man.

Lonebilly52 · Sep 13, 2022

Hunted the first 3 days and came back for the last 12. Killed on the latter trip. Saw a ton of critters every day. It was a blast, but was hard to find a shooter buck. Saw 42 different bucks one day, and 13 different bulls another day.

Made three stalks and notched 2 tags. Both animals were taken by covering a lot of ground, getting off the roads, glassing, putting them to bed, using the wind, getting in position, and then hours of waiting for a shot. Cows and does almost cost me on both animals. The Books are indeed a special place.

BrowningRage · Sep 13, 2022

Did you literally end up killing a 170" buck and a 330" bull after you mentioned both of those scores months ago..? Are you a prophet or something.?

Great job on both of these animals. I'm sorry that buck won't be around for my rifle hunt out there in October... Congrats man.!!

woodruffhunter · Sep 13, 2022

Wow, what a hunt! Congratulations!

Tikka · Sep 14, 2022

Lonebilly52 said:
Hunted the first 3 days and came back for the last 12. Killed on the latter trip. Saw a ton of critters every day. It was a blast, but was hard to find a shooter buck. Saw 42 different bucks one day, and 13 different bulls another day.

Made three stalks and notched 2 tags. Both animals were taken by covering a lot of ground, getting off the roads, glassing, putting them to bed, using the wind, getting in position, and then hours of waiting for a shot. Cows and does almost cost me on both animals. The Books are indeed a special place.

When you say the “Books are indeed a special place” you should have seen it when it was a two track road into there…
You did fantastic, most folks don’t kill those kind of critters with a rifle tag, so a big congrats are in order….

SS! · Sep 14, 2022

Tikka said:
When you say the “Books are indeed a special place” you should have seen it when it was a two track road into there…
You did fantastic, most folks don’t kill those kind of critters with a rifle tag, so a big congrats are in order….

Was that two chins ago ??