56 late v. 59 late ?

[Utahlefty]

I hesitate to even ask this but you only live once right?

real life scenario for me:

I've hunted 55 multiple times and ridden around in 56 a bit but never in November.

Will be going with a family with lifetime experience guiding here.

pros / cons of choosing one unit over the other?

public and private flaming welcome!

 

[Togwotee]

I've been on the 59 late hunt twice and a good friend hunted 56 a couple years ago. I'd definitely hunt 59 over 56.

If you shoot anything under 350 in 59 you did something wrong.

 

[Utahlefty]

my experience in 55 is that it's very weather-dependent.

same for 59? (shorter season than 56)

 

[nfh]

Both great areas. But equal size of bulls. 59 is gonna be a steep pull to hunt one of the more popular areas. Mules/horses highly suggested.

Both late hunts depend on that snow to get elk moving. But with warm weather bulls can still be found.

I suggested to game and fish on the 56 tag that one should be able to also piggy back into area 55 . It be great on warmer winters. Also it's the same herd that covers both areas. It's only 10 tags so no harm.

Good luck on your decision.

Question, you said your going with family with said will you have livestock?

 

[Utahlefty]

yes, we'll be on horses

 

[nfh]

yes, we'll be on horses

Extremely beneficial. Is your resident family familiar with the areas?

 

[mntnguide]

You have a commissioner tag, or how do you expect to be hunting either? As said above, both hunts heavily weather dependent. Couple years ago when snow never hit, both hunts were very challenging for bigger bulls. I knew someone hunting 56 and never punched his tag and never saw a bull worth shooting basically, and spent a ton of time on his horses all over the unit. I think people go into these hunts thinking migration, elk everywhere, just wait for a giant bull... which is not how it is most years. When i had a tag, it was a very hard hunt, we were riding 20 miles+ a day, and taking care of our horses in below freezing is a royal pain in the ass especially if you are packed in like we were with feed. Nothing comes easy on either of those hunts.

Nfh is very knowledgeable and gave me some great advice for my buddy couple years ago that was great, it just was a rough year for the migration hunts and nobody was finding big bulls that year.

 

[P.T. Jeffers]

loose lips sink ships

Both great areas. But equal size of bulls. 59 is gonna be a steep pull to hunt one of the more popular areas. Mules/horses highly suggested.

Both late hunts depend on that snow to get elk moving. But with warm weather bulls can still be found.

I suggested to game and fish on the 56 tag that one should be able to also piggy back into area 55 . It be great on warmer winters. Also it's the same herd that covers both areas. It's only 10 tags so no harm.

Good luck on your decision.

Question, you said your going with family with said will you have livestock?

ose

 

[Togwotee]

59 will be good with or without snow. like any migration hunt it can vary from year to year but where you intercept them matters. if you know the unit and where the elk are migrating to you know what I'm saying.

 

[Utahlefty]

59 will be good with or without snow. like any migration hunt it can vary from year to year but where you intercept them matters. if you know the unit and where the elk are migrating to you know what I'm saying.

I guess this is really what I'm asking.

so 59 > 56 with poor snow even though 56 is twice as long of a season?

I got a 380+ bull last year in 55 with no snow so I do know it can be done.

and yes, I will have a comm tag so I will have a choice to make.


I've gotten more advice from this thread than I anticipated and I really do appreciate it. thank you!

 

[Bookhead]

I guess this is really what I'm asking.

so 59 > 56 with poor snow even though 56 is twice as long of a season?

I got a 380+ bull last year in 55 with no snow so I do know it can be done.

and yes, I will have a comm tag so I will have a choice to make.


I've gotten more advice from this thread than I anticipated and I really do appreciate it. thank you!

You don't have to dedicate your tag until you decide you want to hunt that area you can dedicate it after the season starts if you want

 

[SDBugler]

You mentioned "Will be going with a family with lifetime experience guiding here." Are they still licensed guides and will they be with you the entire time?
The majority of unit 59 is wilderness so you will need a guide to effectively hunt that unit. 56 has some decent non wilderness areas where you wouldn't need a guide.

My son had the 56 tag last year and there was no significant snow to get the migration going. It was tough - especially since we were NR's and limited to non-wilderness areas and we didn't have horses. He did harvest a good bull though.

 

[Utahlefty]

It's a paid guided hunt with a father-son pair I've hired for all three previous hunts. I phrased it that way because they're not tied to one outfitter and thus we can set up anywhere we decide to go.

 

[Togwotee]

I'm not sure what you're saying but outfitters have territories. and it's illegal to hunt with unlicensed guides or guides without a permit . so unless you're working through an outfitter in the area you're hunting you can't simply go where you want. I was drug into this between a solid outfitter and a jerk outfitter making false claims last time I was in 59.

Check out the guys who bought out JJ on the south fork. I believe it's called South Fork outfitters now. their territory is where you want to be with or without snow. the jerk on the other side of the hill can do ok without snow but not as well if it comes late.

 

[nfh]

But i think outfitters can access other areas for day hunts.

Also outfitters can get spike camps for other territories, which is a process to apply for and blah blah

 

[Togwotee]

I believe you're right, but most of where you want to be in 59 will require a pack in camp unless you want to spend more time on a horse in the dark than hunting.

 

[nfh]

I believe you're right, but most of where you want to be in 59 will require a pack in camp unless you want to spend more time on a horse in the dark than hunting.

Ya, thats a long ride. I have packed in camps several times for other hunters.

 

[Utahlefty]

I've hunted with the same guides but under three different outfitters. we'll choose the outfitter based on where we decide to go...

 

[SDBugler]

Good luck on your hunt. That is a great tag to have!!!!!

 

[Togwotee]

Then you might want to talk to those guys. it's a pretty small area the elk pass through it can't handle too many hunters at once. on the other side it's a bigger area but the risk of a late migration is higher.

Depending on the type of hunt you want and your size expectations you might give 58 some thought as well. Meade has the Hoodoo tied up and they take some nice bulls. much easier hunt but I don't think the top end bulls are as big. but I can't say that for sure I haven't been watching.

If I buy a commissioner's tag there's no question where I'm going again.

 

[mntnguide]

South fork outfitter sold. Not 100% sure who bought the permit. They didnt take hunters in there last season due to the new owner. Buddy was up there, said it was a cluster F*** on the Rock. Lots of tag holders, both DIY and commissioners with other outfitters.

 

[Togwotee]

New owners since the guys that bough JJ out? I know a couple local guys who went with them in '22 and they did well. don't know what happened last year.

It doesn't surprise me it's getting crowded, probably the best elk stand in the world. if it got too crowded we found plenty upstream.

Maybe it would be worth talking to the jerk over the hill if it's getting to be a cluster in there.

 

[mntnguide]

New owners since the guys that bough JJ out? I know a couple local guys who went with them in '22 and they did well. don't know what happened last year.

It doesn't surprise me it's getting crowded, probably the best elk stand in the world. if it got too crowded we found plenty upstream.

Maybe it would be worth talking to the jerk over the hill if it's getting to be a cluster in there.

Yes, guy who bought it from JJ, just sold it again.

 

[nfh]

You mentioned "Will be going with a family with lifetime experience guiding here." Are they still licensed guides and will they be with you the entire time?
The majority of unit 59 is wilderness so you will need a guide to effectively hunt that unit. 56 has some decent non wilderness areas where you wouldn't need a guide.

My son had the 56 tag last year and there was no significant snow to get the migration going. It was tough - especially since we were NR's and limited to non-wilderness areas and we didn't have horses. He did harvest a good bull though.

You guys were successful cause you put the hard work in and didn't give up. The fact you guys went on foot I say add 10 points to bull you guys got

Weather can play a major factor usaully for the best. But I have seen dry years and stomper bulls taken.

 

[Triple_BB]

I saw a pic of a good bull taken off Winchester Rock last Nov. The hunter apparently passed up several bigger. Saw another pic of a 360 plus bull that came out of 59 late. Didn't sound like that one came off the Rock. Spoke with a guy who was hunting for a cow about that time and said he saw several large bulls when that decent snowstorm hit.