Book Cliffs Muzzleloader Deer

desperatehills · Feb 13, 2011

I was one of the lucky to get a tag at the expo this year. Hope I can find some help planning my hunt. My wife and I are thinking about bringing our horses but we live nearly 1000 miles away and are not to excited about hauling them that far to a place we have never seen. Would horses be a advantage here? I would rather hunt from our travel trailer but I don't know how good the roads are for that either. I can bivy out from there for a few days at a time to access more remote country. I have read many of the past treads here and can tell you I will be super happy with a 170" buck and will hunt hard to find him. I am more likely to shoot a 145" buck thinking its 170! We don't get to look over to many in Oregon. A friend of mine hunted Unit 21 in Colorado right on the Utah border last year. He saw a lot of nice bucks and thinks the Utah side will be just as good. Does one side of the unit hold more deer than another? I will be coming acrossed on I-80. Should I access the unit from the north or drive down to the Green River side? Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

never_catch · Feb 13, 2011

"I have read many of the past treads here and can tell you I will be super happy with a 170" buck and will hunt hard to find him. I am more likely to shoot a 145" buck thinking its 170!"

Doubt you'll be needing horses then...good luck on your hunt!!

~Z~

why · Feb 13, 2011

bring a 4 wheeler and camper should cover all for this hunt buddies had it last year all took big 3points 27" 25" 24" heavy.

Elkhunter96 · Feb 14, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Feb-14-11 AT 09:16AM (MST)[p]If it is the bittercreek or south unit and not the roadless, leave the horses home. I took my 30 ft fifth wheel in last year and stayed for 20 days on my elk hunt. It was awesome. Bring 4 wheelers and lots of extra gas tanks. It is 90 miles from Roosevelt 65 of it is a dirt road. Bring lots of spare tires, I was lucky, but saw several people changing tires. It is the true definition of a remote hunt.

Pm me if you have questions. Great tag, tons of 160-170 bucks on that unit. lots of very big 3 point bucks...

To get a travel trailer in there, you pretty much have to come in from the north, Roosevelt side. It is a one narrow and steep mother coming up from I-80 and I wouldn't dare to bring in a trailer from that side, unless it was a smaller trailer. The Roosevelt drive in is longer, but really is very flat.

justr_86 · Feb 14, 2011

Dont worry about horses, bring your camper and a 4 wheeler or jeep, hell your truck will do you just fine there. I can give you some areas to check out and some good places to camp for the muzz hunt. PM me if you want.

kawboy · Feb 14, 2011

Depending on weather, the deer are going to be in the transition range of their migration. I would start high, up on the divide, and work your way down. Feel free to pm me if you have any specific places in mind. I could also give you some ideas on where to look. Congrats on the Tag, It will be a super fun hunt. You will see hundreds of deer.

I'll tell you who it was . . . it was that D@MN Sasquatch!

rmanwill · Feb 14, 2011

Congrats on the tag. You will have a great hunt. Set your sites a little higher, there is alot of good deer in this unit that will make you happy. Come a few days early to look over numerous bucks and know what is in the unit so that you can pass smaller bucks on the opener.

Like stated before, bring a trailier and a ATV. You and your wife will have a great hunt in a trailier and you can get around in your truck or a ATV.

The road in from the north is long, but flat as stated. You will be in 65 plus miles and should bring extra gas. Take it slow and the road is not bad. Sometimes like a dirt freeway and other times full of pot holes and dust. Othe times might have some moisture, but is not to bad.

Enjoy the hunt, you will have a ball!!!

CATMAN · Feb 14, 2011

as stated above. Bring extra spare tires....not just a spare tire

lotsa shale rock on that road...also works better to take it a little slow with a trailer. Most people having problems are hauling butt. Good luck on a fun hunt. Hunt high at first. They do start to move down depending on weather, but you'll find bucks high.

desperatehills · Feb 14, 2011

Thanks for the tire advice. I do carry a spare in the bed and the stock one under the bed. We had 5 flats on 3 trucks and a quad in a week long elk hunt in '09. They had put new rock on the road and it was sharp!

bonepiler · Feb 19, 2011

i can tell you from experience that it is going to be a tough hunt for 170+ bucks. But you will see a lot of bucks nonetheless. Hope you are lucky enough to bump into one of the few top end bucks. Just go enjoy the experience and be happy with whatever you get. If you are stuck on big scores, you are in for frustration.

desperatehills · Feb 19, 2011

I am not stuck on any particular size buck. I have seen bucks that scored 145 that I would love to kill. Hopefully I get a idea of whats there during my little bit of scouting time. I have never seen 50 bucks in one day of any size so that will be fun for me, even if they are all forked horns. I will be able to hunt the whole nine days and I am not afraid to hike so I'll bet I get a chance at a 160" buck. If I kill a 4-point that is wider than his ears I will be all smiles. Many of the stories I have found on MM talk about the big one that got away and a picture of the buck they settled for. All those "small" bucks are dandys and I would be proud of any of them. Can anyone post a picture of a 150"-165" buck so I can get a idea of what to look for?

Daxter · Feb 20, 2011

The trick to killing a bigger buck in the Book Cliffs is to not kill a small one. I had the muzz tag last year and did exactly what I tell everyone not to. I killed a smaller buck too early in the season. If you are patient and willing to hunt hard and pass smaller bucks I really think you can kill something 160+. I would NOT say the same thing about killing something 180+. If you pass a 170 class buck out there hoping for something bigger then you better be ready to eat your tag. Good luck.

Dax

There is no such thing as a sure thing in trophy mule deer hunting.

Elkhunter96 · Feb 21, 2011

If you want to see 50+ good bucks in one day, go up there in July and early August. It is simply amazing to look at all the bucks. By muzzy season, they will not be as easy to find, but still there. I wouldn't pass anything over 160, but 170 is doable. I would also be very happy with anything over 160

oakbrush · Mar 2, 2011

Desperate Hills wrote "Can anyone post a picture of a 150"-165" buck so I can get a idea of what to look for?"

I have a few bucks like that around the house. Here you go.

oakbrush

desperatehills · Mar 2, 2011

Thanks so much for posting those pic's. That second picture down is a first day shooter for me unless I find a bunch bigger scouting the few days before the hunt. They are all bigger than anything I have shot so far so it sounds like a great hunt. Thanks again.

ABQHUNTER · Mar 3, 2011

Well it was a tough decision but I dumped my 11 points on the BC muzzleloader hunt! I really thought I could hold out for the Henries or Pauns., but I knew that I might die before I ever stepped foot on either one of those places. I'm sure you're all laughing at me right now, but geez I want to hunt! I'll be hunting with a good friend of mine from Utah, he know's the area really well and has commited the full hunt to help me out. Good luck to everyone in the draws!

oakbrush · Mar 3, 2011

ABQHUNTER,

Don't worry about what other people think. Just go and have a good time. If you are only used to Utah general season hunting, it will be the best hunt you have ever had. A guy can kill a nice buck on that hunt if you really put the time in. If you are from out of state, try to at least make one scouting trip then get there 4+ days before opening day and find the one you want.

Good luck in the draw.

oakbrush

ABQHUNTER · Mar 3, 2011

Thanks Oakbrush. Luckily I lived in Utah for 11 years, and I made some good friends up there. I met most of them while working at RC Willey in Orem. Anyway I plan on heading up in July and August to scout and then a friend and I will go in on the Sunday before the hunt starts to try and find a good buck. I appreciate the comments and the help, if I can help in any way here in NM let me know.

Jed