oak creek question

bigthree · Sep 9, 2008

Just wondering why they use pahvant #s for elk I have been helping a friend we have hunted hard one end to the other but there is no way there some 1350 head of elk on that unit they may move on to that unit I think dwr should do there own survey on that unit and dont use pahvant #s thank you Im not upset I just think its fair question.

never_catch · Sep 10, 2008

Pahvant is one of the most coveted limited entry elk tags in the entire state each year, however Oak Creek is not. Several units are split up into smaller units and some are better than others. Do I find it hard to believe you haven't seen 1350 elk in there?? Not even a little!! I would doubt anyone would even be able to locate a quarter of the entire elk population on any unit regardless how hard it was hunted. There are elk in there and there are some great bulls in there, that's why they call it elk hunting though...stay patient and positive buddy. All a guy needs is 3 seconds of magic to have a nice bull on the ground. Personally I have 8 elk points and will keep putting in for Pahvant until I draw it...even if it's 10+ more years down the road...that tag is that good!! Keep hunting it hard and best of luck to you and your friend.

miagenboy · Sep 10, 2008

It is a good question to ask the DWR. There isn't that many head on the unit. I think that hunt gets mis-interpreted a lot by hunters as the Pahvant's little brother and people that don't know it expect way too much. The DWR will tell people don't expect a lot from that unit, but people think because it is so close in proximity that the bulls will be there. Don't get me wrong, there are some decent ones there but the elk numbers are few and far between.

How have you done so far?

bigthree · Sep 10, 2008

in 20 days of hunting scouting the best bull we seen was 6x1 my buddy would have had a shot but we stop on the sunny side of the mtn. To have a drink of water and he was bedded looking right at us he had us pegged about 11am !I just think the #s are not there thats why i think they should do there own survey on that unit and dont use pahvant numbers its a big enough unit to hold its own survey when the last time you have been on that unit pm if you would i would like to know what you have seen this year cause we have been on both ends of that unit west side east side north and south end thank you. the dwr just need to word it low population of elk

legacy · Sep 12, 2008

Oak Creek does not have 1,300+ elk. I attended a RAC meeting a few years ago, after they had opened up the north end of the unit and killed off a ton of elk. They said at that meeting that the objective for the unit west of the freeway was 150-180 elk and at the time we're "below objective". I said "then why in the hell did you kill of all of the elk?" Oak Creek is a large unit, but only a small percentage is elk habitat. I think this unit has been poorly managed. 2000 - 2002 were great years for Oak Creek, but it has gone down hill since.

bigthree · Sep 13, 2008

Thats what im talking about but look on the odds sheet on this forum for oak creek so if theres only 180 head then close it down till the #s rebound sounds like to me they want them dead if there was a unit with only 180 head left and they cared about it as a unit they would close it my boy had a tag for youth and killed a 320 bull nice bull.there are major issues with this unit I called the dwr in springville they told me that the unit is ran by the southern part of the dwr i need to call them thank you for your comments

legacy · Sep 13, 2008

A major problem began with landowners in Nephi and Elberta around 2001. I don't blame the landowners for complaints about elk reaking havoc on their crops. I seen first hand that elk and corn fields do not mix!
The problem was how the DWR went about resolving the problem. They opened up the entire north end of the unit and killed off a ton of big bulls. It was a freakin' slaughter....people camped off the side of the road one after the other.
From what I gather, the DWR had no clue on the actual number of elk on the north end of the unit. The unit has never been the same.
I had an archery tag in 2001 and it was pretty good. My dad had a muzzy tag in 2002 and it was okay. My wife had a rifle tag in 2006 and it was not good at all (but we knew that).
Fact is, the DWR proposed that the ENTIRE unit be opened up as a general season area! When this was proposed last year, it pissed quite a few off and it didn't happen. The reason the DWR gave as to why they wanted to open the unit up is that there was to many complaints from hunters who drew the tag. Hunters complained about the piss poor quality. Well, no crap! Instead of actually managing the unit, lets just open it up so we don't have to worry about it! Also, hunters check the draw odds on the unit and see they are good, so they apply, not knowing a thing about the unit. It borders the Pahvant, so it must have a 400" bull behind every tree...right?
Anyway, the DWR has left a sour taste in my mouth about how they have managed this unit. I would like to see this unit shut down for a couple of years and scale way back on the number of rifle bull & anterless permits. It COULD be a great unit again with a LITTLE effort.

bigthree · Sep 14, 2008

I agree shut it down for five years and let out small #of elk tags if its going to be a unit lets give it some help and make it great unit I know its going to be hard to get the farmers on that page thanks

vectrix34 · Sep 14, 2008

My cousin and i both had this archery tag , we did scout the area pretty well found the elk and hunted hard . The weather being so hot and the full moon early in the hunt made it difficult . We hunted between 10 and 14 days between us, we saw elk every day had afew close calls just couldnt close the dill. All together we figured that we saw alittle over 100 elk with 2 herds having 18 to 25 head. Out of all the elk we saw 20 to 25 were bulls 4 or 5 being around 300 inches or better. The last week of the hunt started to get good the bulls started go bugle just wouldnt come in to our calls. The rifle hunt should be good . I agree tho if they want it to be a LE hunt it should be shut down for 5 years and let the bull mature or open it and concentrate on the big ass deer i saw on the unit.