Pilot Mountain elk hunt

[BUCKnBULL]

I drew the interstate elk hunt, between Box Elder/Pilot Mountain Limited Entry Utah hunt number 328 shared with Nevada elk unit 091. These units are divided by the North/South stateline border and I can hunt either side if necessary. I would appreciate any information from someone with past experience in this area. I plan on scouting it myself before the hunt but was hoping for some tips. I posted on the Nevada side as well because this is limited to so few hunters its hard to find information on the area. I am putting two kids through college so needless to say this will be a DYI public land hunt. Thanks and hunt hard!

 

[woodruffhunter]

I drew this tag in '88. At the time, it was one of the hardest units to draw in the state. I am probable not much help. However, we took the exit south of Grouse Creek and hunted the Utah side.

We found all of the elk near the 2 springs on that side. If my memory is correct, there is not a lot of water in that area.

Get a good map and scout/hunt near the springs.

 

[legacy]

The first thing I would do is call the biologist for the northern region. I hunted deer up that way last year and talked to him several times and I also talked to him about the elk on Pilot. I guess they had a "good" heard out there, and a couple of years ago during one of the really dry years, thay up and headed to a range further west in Nevada and have never returned. He gave me a ton of good information and he would do the same for you. I can imagine it will be a challanging hunt....keep us posted!

 

[REDDOG]

look around patterson pass, governer spring's and the hay fields on the east side.

 

[BUCKnBULL]

Woodruffhunter, This is exactly the kind of feedback I had hoped to get. I've revisited areas years later and found similar results. Nothing tops experience, so I'll get good topo maps and try the springs. Much appreciated! HUNTnBULL

 

[BUCKnBULL]

Legacy,
More great news learning there is a helpful Biologist in that area. Some seem more willing to help than others and if they want to cooperate, their information can be invaluable. I have a friend that is a NV bighorn sheep biologist and is a hunter as well. He'd be the first one I'd go to if I ever draw a sheep tag. The trailer they use to transport sheep to new areas says 'Ewe-Haul' on the back of the trailer. Thanks for the solid hunting tip because until you reminded me, I hadn't put much thought into researching the Northern area through the elk Biologist. BUCKnBULL

 

[BUCKnBULL]

Reddog,
Better feedback than a fellow hunter could ever hope for. Usually most hunters won't pinpoint their secret or favorites spots to locate game. Thanks for sharing and I'll definately scout these out well before opening day. BUCKnBULL

 

[OneMile]

Agreed. I was just there this weekend. Saw nice bulls. Send me a PM if you'd like more info.

 

[treedagain]

if you are in the area stop in montello at the gas station or one of the 2 bar and grills and ask them. they will point you in the right direction

 

[BUCKnBULL]

Thanks treedagain, I'll give that a shot

 

[nenevada]

Why would you stop in Montello and ask somebody sitting in a bar information about hunting elk on Pilot? Scouting both sides of the line yourself would make more sense to me, you do have that option.

 

[fullcry]

LAST EDITED ON Jul-31-08 AT 07:08PM (MST)[p]Cause you bonehead,those people all live right there.There aint much to do so most every one knows each other.Which ranchers will let you on ect... Believe me, those ladys dont miss nothing...

 

[nenevada]

fullcry,

Bonehead huh! You seem to be alot like all the other fruit loops from around there. Go to a Montello bar and ask drunks info about hunting elk on Pilot, you gotta be kidding me.

 

[muzz]

I see nothing wrong with it. Just because there in a bar makes them worthless? I think not.

 

[treedagain]

montello is a retirement/ranching community. most people have nothing better to do than discuss the most basic things in life, including where the elk are hanging out. look at the pics in the gas station and that will tell you what most people are thinking about.

 

[deserthorn]

I agree with Muzz, don't judge some one just because you don't like what they are doing. I have found some great info on hunts by going into the local bars and asking the local people there about the unit. and you will find if you sit down and have a drink with them they will be more than happy to help ya out.


Jake

 

[fullcry]

SORRY NE NE, For the record, i do not condone under age drinking.So i am not telling you to go into any bars PERIOD.
You should wait at least 6 or 7 years. Until you are at least 21...For every one else,those "BARS" serve some very good food.

 

[rutnbuck]

For what ever it is worth. I was abel to see all the bulls on the winter range this spring. There is a couple shooters for sure. The heard size is making a come back. Struggled due to drout 97- 2004 heard size down from 900 to 500 Ya should do good.
Rutnbuck

 

[nenevada]

For the record, it is not my intent to offend ANYONE on these forum's. I have lived in Northeast Nevada all my life, and there are truely some great people from Montello. I know 75% of the people that live there personally, only a few I don't know. There is nothing wrong with going to a bar or drinking, I assure you I drink as much or more than anybody else. The locals that inhabit the bar's in Montello day in and day out are not hunters, they just listen and pass on information like they were there. I've been in the Saddle Sore and the Cowboy Bar many time's and the people I've seen passing on info couldn't tell a 280 bull from a 375 bull. Only a FEW of the pictures that are in the store are from local's, and there are some VERY GOOD hunter's from Montello. I have hunted with a few people from Montello that I have known all my life, so I think I'm entitled to an opinion. Two seperate time's I've had item's stolen out of the back of my truck parked in front of those wealth of information bar's, damn good thing I had the front locked or my post's wouldn't stay on here very long. Pilot Mountain has alot to offer, the elk have made a comeback, and there are some quality class bulls there. BUCKnBULL my advise to you is look at the Sheep Range and Hogan's Alley, lot's of elk, locating them should be no problem for they will be screaming & in full rut. The only problem is they have the access road's blocked, so you have to hike or take horses. There is access to Hogan's Alley going through a little ranch, I can't remember the guy's name but I can find out if you would like me to. As for fullcry, I think YOUR the one that need's to mature a little. I've been old enough to go to a bar for a LONG time!

 

[deserthorn]

Sorry I did not know that you were underage. I do not condone under age drinking either. but for every one else that is of legal age like my self my previous post still works.


Jake

 

[fullcry]

Sorry NE NE, but from your post on this and other posts you have made on other topics, it looks like you dont like people from Montello.I have several friends their and they all are GOOD hunters.And my point still stands,stop in and chat with people in ANY bar and more than likely they will at least point you in the right direction!!!!Amazing how it will work in ANY state I have been in...For example,You want to shoot Roosters or Whitetails some were like Kansas or Nebraska try it.It will get you on more land than you can hunt...

 

[BUCKnBULL]

nenevada,
Holy maceral, I went on an antelope bow hunt with my youngest son over the weekend and when I got home found more hits on this posting than I had received in a month. I didn't mean to start a range war. I appreciate your specific information about potenial locations because I don't have any personal first hand knowledge of the area besides one weekend of scouting parts of Pilot on both the UT and NV side. I must admit I was unsucessful at locating the herd or herds. I would truly appreciate a PM with the ranchers name that may grant access into Hogan's Alley. Your feedback is likely very helpful. I also appreciate all the other posting by deserthorn, fullcry, rutnbuck, and muzz. I won't answer each and every message due to the number of participants in this fued, so any of the prior contributors that I didn't thank personally, please know that I do appreciate everyone's input. You never know what small bit of information may be the tip that pays off. Thank God for America and our freedom of free speech that soldiers have given their lives to protect. I hope we can all agree to disagree since we have one thing in common that bond us together, besides all being Americans, and that's the love of fair chase ethical hunting. It's not too hard to believe their could be a few darn good hunters in Montello and it wouldn't be much of a stretch to believe they could and would pass on a tip even if it was not first hand knowledge. I got some decent tips from some local folks in the small town of Elk City, ID which proved very helpful. That said, I can feel your pain after you were ripped off while parked in front of a bar. My wife and I were on a deer scouting trip and while passing through, we stopped in the small town of Eureka, NV and parked right in front of a cafe we ate breakfast at. Someone busted into the door of our camping trailer and stole a couple of boxes of gear, including my wife's brand new down jacket that she had just shed prior to going inside. That was the last time she went on a scouting trip with me. I have forgiven the thieves but it probably took my wife a bit longer to get over her resentment and experience in Eureka. I am certain that most of the people in that city are honest hard working people like us that enjoy hunting like we obviously do and then one idiot ruins the reputation of the town, at least in my wife's eye anyway.
I personally prefer DIY public land hunts, but I probably say that knowing that I couldn't afford an outfitter even if I did want to hunt in that manner. I for one am concerned for the future hunters because of the amount of public land that is being snatched up by the rich and then closed off to the ethical hunter that is more of a animal conservationist through good game management then any of the misguided self proclaimed animal rights activists could ever be. No fences!

 

[nenevada]

BUCKnBULL,

Sent you a PM, let me know if you got it alright.

 

[BUCKnBULL]

nenevada

Thanks for the PM and real help. I'll let you know how it works out.

BUCKnBULL