I used to think I could pack anything out of anywhere. Now I might need to hire some horse help. My Dad is to old to help and my hunting partner passed away with the same points that I have. Crazy Ive been putting in for elk half my life. I sure hope this is the year. I'm sure there are others in similar situations.
52 yr old with 26 points, UT
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elkhunterUT
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What tag are you trying to draw and are you a Resident or Non-resident?
Resident. Im thinking about the San Juan early rifle. or possibly Beaver
elkhunterUT
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With your resident points, those are the units I would be considering as well along with Boulder early rifle. Good luck - you should be close on the hunt of a lifetime!
elkhunterUT
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Go muzzy with 21 points - dates are a little later this year, but it is typically an amazing hunt and you can draw some good units with 21 points.
MuleyKilla
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I don’t feel deadly enough with a muzzleloader on an elk to drop 21 points lol
elkhunterUT
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Get a little more sneaky - ha ha
In all seriousness though, it is not extremely hard to get close enough to be deadly with a muzzy when bulls are rutting hard. Keep the wind right and be careful to not spook the cows and it is very doable, especially on Utah's top LE elk units.You could be by fall if you wanted to be.
TheNewGuyInTown
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Muzzy’s shoot a 1000 yards now. They can reload in 4 seconds flat no problem. Some guys here will say it’s unethical to just use a knife or spear but muzzleloaders are basically a long range single shot rifle. You won’t have a problem if you decide to go muzzy.
CFMuley
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You reload a muzzleloader in 4 seconds and I’ll be impressed!
yoteduster
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Me too
Chesterwyo
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Question that has nothing to do with your original post. Have you hunted elk at all since you started collecting points? General Ect.
PleaseDear
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Have ya thought about doing 1 of the Multi-Season hunts for your LE elk with 26 ressy points?
Robb
Robb
I can reload in 3 seconds so 4 is possible remember he has till fall to practice!!!
Yes, been general elk almost every year and twice in Wyo. Helped on a few as well
Yes, but looks like Beaver only has 1 tag. San juan has 2 but looks to be between 6 or so guys. I might have to look into other units for the mult season to see if there are any with better odds. I just dont know if it would be better to hunt a lessor unit more or a San Juan type unit less.
UtyoteKiller
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You never know what tomorrow will bring, if you want to hunt you have the points.
Dirt_Road_Warrior
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A guy I know just died with a 23 elk and bison points. Kept waiting for “next year”. Well that never came. Pick a unit you’ll 100% draw and go hunting.
Founder
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Good point. Maybe I need to pull the trigger and at least throw my name in the hat.
BrowningRage
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26 years.? I'm not sure any single bull can live up to 26 years of hype and hope. 400" bull or bust.? Unlikely if you're competing against guides who spend 24/7 sitting on bulls until Moneybags shows up. Plus, they're rare. Not all bulls can even grow a rack that big, no matter how old.
You want to get out and pursue mature, rutting bulls.? Get a Multi Season tag somewhere else. You could chase bulls for the entire rut with a rifle then a muzzy if you want... Not to mention Archery or late season opportunities.
I've been on Boulder and the Book Cliffs during the rut in different years while hunting deer. The sights and sounds are incredible. I spent 12 deer points in 2016 on a Multi Season deer tag in the Book Cliffs. I knew the area but still took one scouting trip, spent four days Archery hunting with my kids by me, then 6 days during the muzzy just me and my dad. Finally took a nice 4 point in the rifle hunt. He's not even a 170" buck, but that wasn't what I needed to feel satisfied. I saw more country, more new and untouched places, more elk, more bears, more deer, and more jack rabbits than ever before in my life. The time and the company is what mattered to me. Not the inches on a tape.
Decide what you want out of that tag, then do what you need to. Don't trade years for inches, neither are ever guaranteed.
You want to get out and pursue mature, rutting bulls.? Get a Multi Season tag somewhere else. You could chase bulls for the entire rut with a rifle then a muzzy if you want... Not to mention Archery or late season opportunities.
I've been on Boulder and the Book Cliffs during the rut in different years while hunting deer. The sights and sounds are incredible. I spent 12 deer points in 2016 on a Multi Season deer tag in the Book Cliffs. I knew the area but still took one scouting trip, spent four days Archery hunting with my kids by me, then 6 days during the muzzy just me and my dad. Finally took a nice 4 point in the rifle hunt. He's not even a 170" buck, but that wasn't what I needed to feel satisfied. I saw more country, more new and untouched places, more elk, more bears, more deer, and more jack rabbits than ever before in my life. The time and the company is what mattered to me. Not the inches on a tape.
Decide what you want out of that tag, then do what you need to. Don't trade years for inches, neither are ever guaranteed.
BLooDTRaCKeR
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I wouldn’t sit on points for nothing in this state. I’ve burned limited entry points twice in the past 25 years of living. Drew with 6 pts first time and drew with 7 pts the second time. I put in for the easiest draw and go have a good time. Can’t eat the antlers. They’re a bit too hard to chew in my opinion!
Dad drew an early season tag about 7 years ago. Had 15 points. He was 66 when he finally drew. Passed on some nice bulls until he blew his knee out. Ended up shooting a rag horn on 15 years of waiting because he could hardly get off the road to hunt. He’s killed bigger on a general season tag.
So I say draw a tag and go have fun! You can dream all you want. Chances are, you will always be disappointed at the final outcome if your sitting on 20+ years of points and feel so much pressure to kill a bull that doesn’t exist anymore. Like was mentioned, a lot of competition now with outfitters. The big ones are being watched and taken long before the average joe gets a chance to lay eyes on them!
Dad drew an early season tag about 7 years ago. Had 15 points. He was 66 when he finally drew. Passed on some nice bulls until he blew his knee out. Ended up shooting a rag horn on 15 years of waiting because he could hardly get off the road to hunt. He’s killed bigger on a general season tag.
So I say draw a tag and go have fun! You can dream all you want. Chances are, you will always be disappointed at the final outcome if your sitting on 20+ years of points and feel so much pressure to kill a bull that doesn’t exist anymore. Like was mentioned, a lot of competition now with outfitters. The big ones are being watched and taken long before the average joe gets a chance to lay eyes on them!
3Fingerbrown
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Some very good advice here. Waiting forever for these famous units can be a real waste in some situations, though everyone is different. Some guys have different strategies for different states and I can understand wanting to draw a unit or bust as long as you have other options. But the older I get the more I learn that the only real score that matters is days spent in the field, and they are weighted exponentially when shared with loved ones.
c3
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I've drawn two times in 38 years. San Juan archery elk in 2010 and a 54-9 archery elk in wyoming in 2020.
Sometimes waiting for the good one to come your way can be worth it, but I'm an archery hunter so even with the worst luck in the universe, it's been worth it.
As a rifle hunter you're never ahead of the odds no matter how long you wait unfortunately.
Sometimes waiting for the good one to come your way can be worth it, but I'm an archery hunter so even with the worst luck in the universe, it's been worth it.
As a rifle hunter you're never ahead of the odds no matter how long you wait unfortunately.
Maxxy
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I know a lot can happen once you get into your 50's. but If I had waited that long and I knew I had strong possibility for a Multi Season tag on those units within the next 3-5 years I would hold out. Obviously the later you get into your 50's you will be a bit more limited, but I have had 2 LE tags (Expo and Draw) in the last 5 years. In 2016 I drew the Boulder Expo Early Rifle tag. I never saw a hint of the rut that year. It was brutal. Hot for the first 6 days of my hunt and then sleep and fog for 2 days. I killed a bull on day 8 and was happy with him but I didn't get to experience the rut. I wouldn't want to wait 30 years and have that happen to me. I ended up with the Multi Season tag on the Fishlake this past year (technically a "lesser" unit) and it was so nice not having to worry if I was going to hit the rut or not. Like some have said above, there is nothign like hunting Big bulls in the middle of the rut, and with an early tag I feel it is still a crapshoot. Just my 2 cents. I hope you draw the tag you want, you shouldn't wait 26 years to not hunt the unit and caliber of bull you want. You cant chew horns, but you can always hunt an OTC unit for the meat, this should be different.
thanks for that Maxxy, Im really debating on trying to get a multi season tag and will be researching that this week. I agree that I dont want to wait that long and not hunt where and when I want. Its not only my age im worried about but would love to have my Dad with me who is pushing 80 now
SlinginLead
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Go for it! I'm sitting on 25 points (NR), and I recently turned 65. My physical issues have been creating problems for the last several years. I have a meeting with my Neurologist this week, which will determine weather I need a 3rd back surgery, which in turn, will prevent me from applying for a bull tag in this years draw.
Go while you are still healthy!
Go while you are still healthy!
goforbroke
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I don't enjoy spending 4 weeks hunting one tag. So a multi season tag would have no interest for me. The rifle tag dates are excellent this year. If I had 26 points - San Juan early rifle. Show up 4-5 days early and have a great 10 day hunt with friends and family. After 10 days I am worn out and ready to go home. If you shoot a 350 or 395, they look about the same on the wall, but the memories will be the sweetest. moisture looks okay now. I'm jealous. I was able to bow hunt the San Juan and it was awesome. From what I hear the Boulder and Beaver provide the same great class of bulls. Go have a hunt of a lifetime.
littlebighorn
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The discouraging part is, there are 9 possible applicants with 28 points, 9 with 27 pts, and 41 with 26 pts, who have just been buying points. They aren't even considered in last years draw statistics.
So if any or all of them jump in this year, 26 points may feel like a drop in the bucket.
I'm almost two decades older than 52 with 26 pts. and I'm just hoping to catch a lucky break before I die!
I should have gone for a decent archery tag and I could have hunted elk 3 times by now.
So if any or all of them jump in this year, 26 points may feel like a drop in the bucket.
I'm almost two decades older than 52 with 26 pts. and I'm just hoping to catch a lucky break before I die!
I should have gone for a decent archery tag and I could have hunted elk 3 times by now.
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How did it turn out for him? Any regrets?
