Plateau Fishlake Elk?

[lone_hunter]

I used to hunt the Plateau Fishlake unit (Utah) during the general archery season with great success. I hunted the ?Tidwell Slopes? and west Tidwell Canyon. I have not been back since 2001. I have hunted deer in the general area, but after my brother died I have not got back into elk hunting. Does anyone have any information on how the herd is doing after being decimated a few years ago? My wife, who started archery hunting last year at age 43, wants to try elk. We only have 4 days to hunt, and is obvious that I won't get time to do any scouting. It also appears that the Boulder unit is doing well? Any information would be appreciated.

 

[Muley73]

After the unit was, how should I say it? Over managed. I quit also. I did hunt the past two years however on the rifle hunt. I have shot bulls on opening morning both years. I am starting to see elk again in the areas that I use to always see them. The differnce is still the numbers. Where I use to always see 100 head I now see 25 to 30. They are coming back just slowly. One thing to remeber is this unit is still just a spike unit, no cows can be harvested on the archery hunt like on the rest of the state. Good luck and hopefully the unit will build back up to a level that can be as fun as the late 90's. Still trying to figure out why they killed the entire unit and still looking for a reason to not be bitter at the Over managers. Where was the SFW,RMEF,MDF?

 

[bullelk97]

I have hunted that area for the last ten years and watched it go from seeing a ton of elk and hardly any people to a ton of people and hardly any elk. Just as with the rest of the state, you cannot escape the crowds but elk can. Still love the area and fun to camp there but this year I am going to Idaho.

 

[DonVathome]

I assume you guys are not talking about Plateau fishlake 1000 lake? That is a limited entry area I have heard good is ok

 

[lone_hunter]

I am talking about Plateau Fishlake.

 

[monroemtnshedfreak]

The herd seemed to have bounced back quite well considering they killed every god damn elk on the unit! Those worthless fish and game guys will do anything for a quick buck. I don't know if it's true or not, but I heard they are going to start issuing cow tags again next year. They must be running low on money.

 

[lsorenso1]

Hope its good I drew a bull tag for the muzzleloader hunt, I have seen some dandys the past couple years.

 

[DonVathome]

Forgive my ignorance but is plateau fishlake and plateau fishlake 1000 lake that same area? I do not know.

 

[Elkslayer]

Don V,

Same unit as far is Elk is concerned.

ALan

 

[DonVathome]

1000 lake is a tough draw, even with 5 points odds were under 10% for a NR, guys I spoke with had great hunts, into tons of elk, saw bulls that were 300 and more several times every day.

I am confused as to how someone could hunt in 2 years in a row (draw odds make that nearly impossible) and I am worried I am wasting time applying for a bad unit.

It seems we must be talking about different areas in the same unit?

 

[lone_hunter]

LAST EDITED ON Jul-26-06 AT 10:01AM (MST)[p]For limited entry FishLake, 1000 Lake and Boulder are diffent units. For the general season, all the Plateau units are spike only, although the general archery season is not either sex on the Fishlake unit. However, my experience is that the Fishlake, 1000 lake and northern Boulder area is basically the same herd. I have watched elk move from FishLake to 1000 Lake and visa versa. At least some of the Fishlake herd winters on the north end of the Boulder unit, and some stay for the entire year.

 

[Muley73]

The Plateau/1000 Lake units is not only a LE for big bulls but a spike only general elk hunt. So you yes you can hunt it every year with a general spike tag on the archery, rifle or muzzleloader hunts. There are some great bulls on this unit, but is can be a tougher hunt than some of the other LE units in the state.

 

[lone_hunter]

Map of units.

 

[2_Point]

LAST EDITED ON Jul-26-06 AT 11:06AM (MST)[p]The Plateau Fish Lake and Plateau 1000 Lake are the same hunt unit. Yes they list them as seperate management units, but they are 1 hunt unit.

Don, if you want to have a fun hunt, get into many 300-340 class bulls every day with a few 370+ salted in then the Fish Lake is a good start. There are many good, solid, mature bulls on the unit. The drawback for the archery hunt is that it runs concurrent with the general archery deer and elk hunts. You may run into other hunters. Or you can wait 100-200 years trying to draw the Pahvant or San Juan. Me, I'd rather go hunting. There are huge bulls on every unit in Utah right now.

 

[DonVathome]

THanks guys, 2 point I agree, my dad and I (we apply seperatly) would be thirlled beyond belief with seeing 3-4 bulls that make 300 in a week, from what I hear we should beat that in 100 lake easy. More then a good enough hunt for us, Utah has far better hunts out there but like you said, but they are a looooong way off for a NR with 5 points!

We would be bowhunting.

Question, is there a spike hunt concurrent with the bowhunt? I am asking so if one of us draws the bowhunt the other can get a spike tag and hunt too, any way to do this?

 

[Muley73]

The spike archery does run the same time as the LE archery. The deer archery is also running at this time and the Plateau Fishlake side of the unit can be hunted with a general archery deer tag.