7 point CWMU management bull?

Trammer · Apr 10, 2013

Last year I was hunting Spring Creek Dodge CWMU for elk, when I came upon another hunter that had just killed and was gutting a big 7 point bull. I learned that the hunter had taken it using a management tag. Certain that I had stumbled upon the poaching of a fine bull I notified the CWMU operator and also the game warden.
The CWMU operator minimized the situation but assured me that he would look into it.(state elk management tags require the harvest of an elk with 5 or less points on one antler). The real shock came when the game warden told me that there was nothing he could do about it. The Warden said that CWMU operators can decide what is or is not a management bull. Further complicating the matter was learning that the hunter had paid the operator thousands of dollars for the tag and he was a personal friend.
Does this seem right? Is there something in Utah law that allows a different definition of what is a "management bull" on CWMU hunts vs. Limited entry management bull permits.Was this Game Warden right or was he just covering for his buddy the CWMU operator?

Packout · Apr 10, 2013

There are no limited entry management elk hunts.

If a CWMU restricts a paying customer to whatever they consider a "management bull" then that is a contractual matter between those parties and has nothing to do with the State, nor you or me. A CWMU can not restrict a public hunter (draw) on what type of animal to shoot. (A Management CWMU permit for deer on the Alton is different.)

Ticks N Tines · Apr 11, 2013

If there are actual "Management" tags issued to the CWMU by the DWR and it is listed in the proc as a "Management tag", then there would be a problem. Otherwise, the CWMU can call the permits they get whatever they want. An elk tag is an elk tag.

Trammer · Apr 11, 2013

I understand that the state has now done away with limited entry bull elk management permits and likely CWMU managemnet bull elk permits, if they ever existed. This hunt was a year or two ago, during a time such permits were issued, at least for LE.
As I understood the hunter his permit was for a management bull and not any bull. At the time I did not know that CWMUs were issued management bull permits. The hunter did say that because of the management bull restriction he was able to buy the permit for somewhere around $5000.00 rather than a regular SpringCreek Dodge any bull elk tag that was selling for $12,000.00 to $15,000.00
Something didnt add up... If I understand you, you are saying that the hunter really obtained a CWMU any bull tag and that he may have entered into a agreement with the CWMU operator to buy the tag for a discount if he shot a management bull and that the issue of him not taking a management bull, is between him and the operator as there never was such a thing as a CWMU management bull tag?
That makes sense. If thats what happened, thanx for the help

elkun · Apr 11, 2013

just some more cwmu rip off, get rid of these cwmus,,,

rutnbuck · Apr 11, 2013

They can tell what to or not to shoot. Then can call it a pisscutter hunt if they want. They can also give you as many days to hunt if you have enough money. I have been on a spring creek hunt. So did you kill? Lets see pics if so. Rutnbuck

Trammer · Apr 12, 2013

We did kill on the last night of the hunt. A medium sized 6 point, after having a hunter with what he called a management bull restriction take the big 7 point. One of the bulls that we had been hunting.

In all fairness the operator of this CWMU is a great guy and did let us hunt down to the last day and he didnt charge xtra. If not for his help we wouldnt have killed at all.

Currently Spring Creek Dodge and the greater Blue mountain part of the San Juan are in trouble and on the decline. The primary cause of the decline is the new open bull hunt by Monticello. So now the Blue Mountain Bulls are being pounded on the mountain during the regular LE hunts and then sifted threw and pounded again on the CWMU as well for a third time as Open bulls as they cross back and forth from open bull to the CWMU.Over harvest.

Wildlife Managers have destroyed what used to be a great hunt.