Deer numbers.. what you expected?

[One_Duck_Limit]

Is the number of deer you seeing archery hunting or scouting higher, lower or what you expected?

I've been archery hunting in one of the Northern Utah units that had a hard winter. So far the number of deer I've seen is lower than expected.

 

[fullthrottle]

Numbers where I hunt seem about the same. Quality on the other hand has tanked. It has been very noticeable the last few years. Haven't seen a buck worth getting to balled up over. The division gives out way to many tags for a unit that is mostly private property. Everyone with a tag flocks to the small public area's and wrecks havoc. The cats are out of control also, see them on a regular basis. Wish I wasn't locked into the dedicated program, I would bail and go elsewhere. To many good general units in the state that I should be spending my time in.

 

[deerkiller]

Deer numbers, buck numbers, fawn numbers and buck quality is all up in central Utah from what I've seen

 

[257Tony]

The unit I hunt in the south central part of the state is looking really, really good. Plenty of Deer of all types, and good numbers of mature bucks.

 

[Buccsboy55]

Lower for sure

 

[MuleyKiller]

I have a hard time listening to hunters from Utah that think Utah has a good herd of deer to hunt. The only good deer tags in Utah are limited entry, and by limited I mean once in a life time because that is what limited is in Utah. The general population of deer in Utah is not good and severely mismanaged. I have hunted Mule deer all over the west and Utah is the last state I would go hunt in unless you draw one of the premium units that it takes 46 points to draw. So to answer your question , I have been scouting deer in Utah this year, which includes 8 cameras in various locations and elevations, at least 14 days in the field in some of the best looking deer country god could have made. it is as bad as I've seen it in my lifetime, and I killed my first buck in the 80's. The most frustrating part is that everywhere you go people seem to have the same solution to Utah's deer problem. Cut tags !!!!
Kill the predators! Limit the unlimited access ( ATV's)!!!And Cut Tags!!!But apparently the Division thinks this is not a good idea. And this is why I spend my time and money in other surrounding states.

 

[ridgetops]

>I have a hard time listening
>to hunters from Utah that
>think Utah has a good
>herd of deer to hunt.
>The only good deer tags
>in Utah are limited entry,
>and by limited I mean
>once in a life time
>because that is what limited
>is in Utah. The general
>population of deer in Utah
>is not good and severely
>mismanaged. I have hunted Mule
>deer all over the west
>and Utah is the last
>state I would go hunt
>in unless you draw one
>of the premium units that
>it takes 46 points to
>draw. So to answer your
>question , I have been
>scouting deer in Utah this
>year, which includes 8 cameras
>in various locations and elevations,
>at least 14 days in
>the field in some of
>the best looking deer country
>god could have made. it
>is as bad as I've
>seen it in my lifetime,
>and I killed my first
>buck in the 80's. The
>most frustrating part is that
>everywhere you go people seem
>to have the same solution
>to Utah's deer problem. Cut
>tags !!!!
>Kill the predators! Limit the unlimited
>access ( ATV's)!!!And Cut Tags!!!But
>apparently the Division thinks this
>is not a good idea.
>And this is why I
>spend my time and money
>in other surrounding states.

WOW!
Sounds like you have some really great honey holes in other states.

Concerning the O.P.,
I've seen about the same amount of bucks as from the past couple years.
I have seen a lot of new spotted fawns in the last week. I saw around 12 fawns right off the side of the road the other day in about a 1/2 mile to one mile stretch.


Get ready for change because it's going to happen!

 

[deerkiller]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-23-17 AT 11:12PM (MST)[p]>I have a hard time listening
>to hunters from Utah that
>think Utah has a good
>herd of deer to hunt.
>The only good deer tags
>in Utah are limited entry,
>and by limited I mean
>once in a life time
>because that is what limited
>is in Utah. The general
>population of deer in Utah
>is not good and severely
>mismanaged. I have hunted Mule
>deer all over the west
>and Utah is the last
>state I would go hunt
>in unless you draw one
>of the premium units that
>it takes 46 points to
>draw. So to answer your
>question , I have been
>scouting deer in Utah this
>year, which includes 8 cameras
>in various locations and elevations,
>at least 14 days in
>the field in some of
>the best looking deer country
>god could have made. it
>is as bad as I've
>seen it in my lifetime,
>and I killed my first
>buck in the 80's. The
>most frustrating part is that
>everywhere you go people seem
>to have the same solution
>to Utah's deer problem. Cut
>tags !!!!
>Kill the predators! Limit the unlimited
>access ( ATV's)!!!And Cut Tags!!!But
>apparently the Division thinks this
>is not a good idea.
>And this is why I
>spend my time and money
>in other surrounding states.

Haha alright.... maybe in your "secret" spots the deer hunting sucks, but there's quite a few guys that know muledeer around this state that are seeing great things. I've seen personally more 180"+ bucks killed on GS units than LE units. A guy can have a great hunt on just about every general unit in the state with a trophy buck possibility if they put forth the effort. That said, most of the general season hunters in the state are a bunch of quitters and shoot the first 2x2 they see opening day from their SxS. Then hop on MM and ##### about how all the predators are killing the deer, the DWR gives out way too many tags and too many atv roads have huge impacts on our deer, their population numbers and habitat.

Oh and they also talk about how great the deer hunting is in every other state, except Utah.

 

[bugleb]

With Utah's "pick your ridge" hunting, you only get one choice, and if the hunting there is lousey, that's tough. We would have gone to a different unit after opening day if we could have.

We have been bow hunting the same "ridge" for most of the past 50 years. Last year, things were looking up. We saw more bucks with better size than we have for many years, and the quality of the hunt
was pretty good.

This year, the numbers were down and the quality was way down. It has to be one of the very worst years in the last 50 years. I have never seen so many spikes and 1X2 bucks anywhere before, and mature bucks were practically non-existent this year.

Our scouting has found similar results in Wyoming region G this year. Less bucks and way smaller bucks than usual. There are going to be a lot of disappointed hunters up there this year, and by the end of the season, anything with antlers will get hammered, just like Utah.

 

[cannonball]

We are by the Monroe unit and numbers seem to be about what they were last year, BUT and that is a big but the wildlife board has seen in their better wisdom to hunt doe by Glenwood, UT. That some of the herd we need. Hunters and other predators push the deer constantly until they are right down in the fields.

Secondly, I have a friend who has hunted the Thousand Lake unit for several years, and could not believe the very high number of buck to doe ratio on that unit, until he hunted archery there this year. He found he could not find very many doe. He saw a lot of coyotes though.

Thirdly, I have another friend who is hunting in the Zion unit high country and has trail cameras. He is as many bear in the trail cameras as deer.

Fourthly, I talked to a DWR representative who has cameras on the Phavant Range above Richfield. He said there are so many mountain lions on that range of few deer he doesn't know how any survive. He went on to say the "Hounders" are the worst predator a deer can have. They wine and scream very time there is a increase in tags. They just want pursuit and release.

I am old enough I shouldn't even care, but if you youngsters don't get off your backside during the off season you deserve what you get.

 

[Dryfly]

>I have a hard time listening
>to hunters from Utah that
>think Utah has a good
>herd of deer to hunt.
>The only good deer tags
>in Utah are limited entry,
>and by limited I mean
>once in a life time
>because that is what limited
>is in Utah. The general
>population of deer in Utah
>is not good and severely
>mismanaged. I have hunted Mule
>deer all over the west
>and Utah is the last
>state I would go hunt
>in unless you draw one
>of the premium units that
>it takes 46 points to
>draw. So to answer your
>question , I have been
>scouting deer in Utah this
>year, which includes 8 cameras
>in various locations and elevations,
>at least 14 days in
>the field in some of
>the best looking deer country
>god could have made. it
>is as bad as I've
>seen it in my lifetime,
>and I killed my first
>buck in the 80's. The
>most frustrating part is that
>everywhere you go people seem
>to have the same solution
>to Utah's deer problem. Cut
>tags !!!!
>Kill the predators! Limit the unlimited
>access ( ATV's)!!!And Cut Tags!!!But
>apparently the Division thinks this
>is not a good idea.
>And this is why I
>spend my time and money
>in other surrounding states.

I am 55 years old. Hunted Utah all my life, as well as other states. I think maybe you are not doing a good job of looking. I hunt the same general unit every year I draw a tag, which has regrettably been every other year the last few years. The unit I hunt is as hard hit as any. I see mature bucks every year and have for a long time. Get a mile or two away from the damn trail and the people disappear and the deer appear. The animals are there, you just need to be willing to outwork the other hunters. If you can see a trail...you need to hike more

 

[deerkiller]

>>I have a hard time listening
>>to hunters from Utah that
>>think Utah has a good
>>herd of deer to hunt.
>>The only good deer tags
>>in Utah are limited entry,
>>and by limited I mean
>>once in a life time
>>because that is what limited
>>is in Utah. The general
>>population of deer in Utah
>>is not good and severely
>>mismanaged. I have hunted Mule
>>deer all over the west
>>and Utah is the last
>>state I would go hunt
>>in unless you draw one
>>of the premium units that
>>it takes 46 points to
>>draw. So to answer your
>>question , I have been
>>scouting deer in Utah this
>>year, which includes 8 cameras
>>in various locations and elevations,
>>at least 14 days in
>>the field in some of
>>the best looking deer country
>>god could have made. it
>>is as bad as I've
>>seen it in my lifetime,
>>and I killed my first
>>buck in the 80's. The
>>most frustrating part is that
>>everywhere you go people seem
>>to have the same solution
>>to Utah's deer problem. Cut
>>tags !!!!
>>Kill the predators! Limit the unlimited
>>access ( ATV's)!!!And Cut Tags!!!But
>>apparently the Division thinks this
>>is not a good idea.
>>And this is why I
>>spend my time and money
>>in other surrounding states.
>
>I am 55 years old. Hunted
>Utah all my life, as
>well as other states. I
>think maybe you are not
>doing a good job of
>looking. I hunt the same
>general unit every year I
>draw a tag, which has
>regrettably been every other year
>the last few years. The
>unit I hunt is as
>hard hit as any. I
>see mature bucks every year
>and have for a long
>time. Get a mile or
>two away from the damn
>trail and the people disappear
>and the deer appear. The
>animals are there, you just
>need to be willing to
>outwork the other hunters. If
>you can see a trail...you
>need to hike more


I can assure you the only hunting I do from the road is cow elk in January, early doe hunts or antelope hunts. You will not see me intentionally road hunting deer. I'm well aware what it takes to find big mature bucks. I'm not your average "road hunter"

 

[Dryfly]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-26-17 AT 00:11AM (MST)[p]My comment was directed towards Muley killer. Not you deerkiller
Edit to add I was actually agreeing with what you were saying.

 

[MuleyKiller]

I guess all I have to go off of is 30 years of hunting Utah general season deer. Let it be clear, I am not a road hunter. I go as hard as anybody out there as far as going the extra mile to get away from the ATV's and people, but in Utah that is not an easy task. But for the past 10 years I have been hunting other states ( Colorado , Idaho and Wyoming)while hunting Utah at the same time and in my experience Utah is by far the last place I would hunt for a 180" mule deer. With that being said with a few of the changes the Division has made over the past 5-6 years has made a difference, but they still have a long way to go. The one thing that I think most people agree on is that the draw process in Utah is broken. I hope that I draw a limited tag in the next 20 years and I hope that my kids can draw one limited tag in there lifetime.

 

[Cam@strawberry]

Best road hunting I've ever experienced. Option 2 was a God send for my back yard!

https://www.facebook.com/strawberrybayoutfitters

 

[wstrntines]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-31-17 AT 01:23AM (MST)[p]Don't wanna ruffle any feathers. But my buddy killed a 213 buck road hunting in utah on a GS unit this year. He said there wasn't much pressure where he was hunting. And I will say I saw the buck in person after he killed it and it's a slob 4 point frame huge eyeguard on the right and triple on the left. The mass is huge, he's wide and tall. I'm guessing he'll net right around 200. To make it worse he's a non-resident I can't even draw a deer tag in utah LOL. Another guy in his camp shot a good buck as well I haven't seen pics of that one yet. Lucky for him wyoming starts this weekend and he may have a chance at knocking down another big buck.

 

[One_Duck_Limit]

@wstrntines - Northern or southern half of the state?


No question there are some very large bucks out there on general units. I've seen pictures of two bucks taken off the Northern Utah unit I'm hunting that go over 200". One of them is well over 200".

 

[wstrntines]

OneDuck it was a southern utah buck.

 

[cannonball]

In a lot of cases the worse the hunting units have the bigger buck. Before the limited entry was established on the Pauns there were monster buck there. They were just few and far between. A lot of hunters give up really fast if they are not seeing deer.