OTC Bison

Dang big · Sep 7, 2020

Did anyone get one of these tags? I am curious how difficult this hunt is?

Wapitiwilly · Sep 7, 2020

Hunt is going to be the toughest hunt ever in Utah. Might have a better chance of shooting a grizzly in that canyon??

Dang big · Sep 7, 2020

Hopefully we get to read a cool story about this super interesting

WhiskeyDog · Sep 18, 2020

Honestly if you haven't had some prior experience with this country and all the permits, access difficulties and private land, it will be super tough. The DWR will make a bunch of money off tags, but very few buffalo will be killed.

Dang big · Sep 18, 2020

Does this hit your OIL as well?

Zeke · Sep 18, 2020

Dang big said:
Does this hit your OIL as well?

Yes, from what I understand.
Guys with points won't play this game but some guys w/o points will because they have nothing to lose....except time, money, body fat, blood and sweat.
Zeke

Zeke · Sep 18, 2020

What I know about it is this: Hunting one and then actually shooting one will be super difficult, at best, but getting one out to stay legal will be an insurmountable challenge for most.

WhiskeyDog · Sep 18, 2020

If you buy the OTC tag, you will forever be ineligible for the OIL bison draw tags.

Dobber · Sep 19, 2020

It is my understanding you loose your OIL points. But you can purchase the tag every year if you want. I can't do it this year, but interest in keeping an eye on how it pans out. Toughest hunt in Utah, you will earn it for sure.

deerlevi · Nov 30, 2020

I got one and we went down the river. We had three guys with tags and three boats. It was challenging, but the other two guys have tons of river experience so the river part went well. There was way more hunting pressure from the river than I would have expected. We only saw one group of bison and we harvested two cows and yearling bull from it.

Dang big · Nov 30, 2020

I got one and we went down the river. We had three guys with tags and three boats. It was challenging, but the other two guys have tons of river experience so the river part went well. There was way more hunting pressure from the river than I would have expected. We only saw one group of bison and we harvested two cows and yearling bull from it.
Way cool did you see them floating or land and hike in?

rmanwill · Nov 30, 2020

deerlevi said:
I got one and we went down the river. We had three guys with tags and three boats. It was challenging, but the other two guys have tons of river experience so the river part went well. There was way more hunting pressure from the river than I would have expected. We only saw one group of bison and we harvested two cows and yearling bull from it.

I hear that the way you hunted you earned it and put forth the effort. Great job. Congrats.

Ultimag · Nov 30, 2020

Zeke said:
Yes, from what I understand.
Guys with points won't play this game but some guys w/o points will because they have nothing to lose....except time, money, body fat, blood and sweat.
Zeke

They will loose a, lot of it

SnakeKidd · Dec 5, 2020

I have been hunting this unit my entire life and the wild horses and now the buffalo in my opinion have been the reason for the decline in the elk and deer on the book cliff side of the river and are now doing it to the range creek side. I was the first in line to buy one of these tags and do my part to eliminate these buffalo from this side and after about 40 days in the field hiking and rafting and covering ground I got a big bull. I shot the first one I saw and just got lucky that it was a good one. This hunt is tough and if you don’t know the area I wouldn’t recommend the hunt to anyone. I was told last night that two rafting groups were froze in and had to hike out. If they get extremely lucky and trespass a lot they may only have a two day or so hike out with most of there belongings staying on the river. The other area these buffalo live is owned by Utah university and requires a permit that allows two people in by foot or horse only. This is completely shutdown after November but a pile of buffalo were killed in this area this year. I believe this little herds numbers will be greatly reduced for next years hunt making it a tougher hunt. If you do this hunt expect very little from it and don’t raft that river after mid November. It’s not worth dying over.

deerlevi · Apr 19, 2021

Dang big said:
I got one and we went down the river. We had three guys with tags and three boats. It was challenging, but the other two guys have tons of river experience so the river part went well. There was way more hunting pressure from the river than I would have expected. We only saw one group of bison and we harvested two cows and yearling bull from it.
Way cool did you see them floating or land and hike in?

Sorry I never responded. Its been a while since this was active, but we hiked in. The group was only a quarter mile from the river and our camp so we were pretty lucky.