Re: Utah Draw

joesikora · Dec 31, 2015

Re: Utah Draw

Going into the 2016 Utah draw with 11 points for Elk is there a unit out there with a descent chance at drawing and with a fair chance at a BC class bull (ok stop laughing) or should I just continue to build points? I can hunt with either weapons would rather have any weapon hunt so I can shoot my bow if the chance comes. I purchased my membership with Trailhead (good info there) and will talk to Utah Bio, game warden sect, but still need my MM buddies advice.

As always thanks for your time
Joe

"Sometimes you do things wrong for so long you
think their right" - 2001
"I can't argue with honesty" - 2005
-Joe E Sikora

Deerlove · Dec 31, 2015

manti Wasatch or fishlake, would give you archery options.

joesikora · Dec 31, 2015

Thanks Deerlove

Joe

"Sometimes you do things wrong for so long you
think their right" - 2001
"I can't argue with honesty" - 2005
-Joe E Sikora

Zeke · Dec 31, 2015

Joe,
In a word, no.
The three choices deerlove mentioned may garner you a tag but not a B&C bull, no way.
I'd take his advice and hunt one of those units and make the most of it. Just don't plan on getting close to B&C.
Just my 2 cents (and it's worth that, at least)
Zeke

springvilleshooter · Dec 31, 2015

My daughter had a tag in the Wasatach this year and I scouted 20 or so days for her hunt then spent another several days on the unit hunting deer. I never saw a Bull that would net B&C. I saw a handful of bulls that would gross in the 360's including the one she was very fortunate to take. There are surely a few monster bulls running around all the LE units but you don't run into them very often.

To me, an honest 320 bull would be a reasonable expectation with an outside chance at a bull in the 350's. These are huge Bulls and beautiful animals well worth the time and effort in my opinion. If you are serious about a 370"+ bull, I would plan on spending a LOT of money in the form of an army of professional help. You will need a mid sized duffel bag full of $100.00 bills to go this route.-----SS

goofyelk · Dec 31, 2015

Joe,
PM sent.
With the best option.

joesikora · Jan 1, 2016

Thanks for all the great advice guys!
That's what makes this site such a great one, the people.

Your friend
Joe

"Sometimes you do things wrong for so long you
think their right" - 2001
"I can't argue with honesty" - 2005
-Joe E Sikora

joesikora · Jan 1, 2016

WOW!
You know for some reason I was thinking 360 was BC and 11 points was starting to get in the range to have a small chance at drawing a tag.
I don't think I was drinking when I posted this! LOL! With that being said I still want to hear everyone's suggestions and advice.

As always thanks s much for your time
Joe

"Sometimes you do things wrong for so long you
think their right" - 2001
"I can't argue with honesty" - 2005
-Joe E Sikora

Vanilla · Jan 1, 2016

11 points should draw a muzzy tag for the three units listed above, not just archery. The muzzy hunt is a little later this year, so you'll want to take that into consideration.

I helped on the Wasatch muzzy in 2013 and 2014. We never saw a bull bigger than 330-ish in 2013. We saw one bull in 2014 that would have gone 360+, but he was 3 ridges over and we never saw him again once he went into pines. We saw a few that were 340-350 class type bulls. I was not on this unit last year, so I can't say how it was in 2015.

I helped on a Manti early rifle tag this year. It was my first time hunting the Manti, and it was pretty awesome. We located a bull that we estimated 370-ish the week before the hunt, but someone with more experience than I said he'd go 380+ when I showed him the video. We never found that bull again, but others knew about him and were chasing him. I think he got pushed to private ground before the rifle hunt started. I bet we saw 40+ bulls in 3 days of hunting, with a couple that were probably 330 class or better bulls, a bunch in the 310-320 range, and some younger bulls as well. My buddy ended up killing a bull that scored 358 and some change on day 3.

I have never hunted Fish Lake, but if pictures tell a thousand words, big boys are shot there every year. There was a picture of a 390+ on MM from the rifle this year.

If I was in your point range, I would hunt any of these units. I'd probably pick Wasatch as #3 in that group if you're dead set on 360+. If you want a good looking mature 6, than any of the 3 will produce. I would have a little concern based upon dates in 2016 for the muzzy, but if that is what I could draw and I wanted to hunt this year, then I would draw one of those tags and go hunt the heck out of it.

How good are you at field judging? Honestly, if you put a 340 bull in a field with a 360 bull at 1,000 yards, most of us won't be able to tell much of a difference, if any at all. You're talking one inch extra on each tine, an inch or two spread, and less than 1/4 inch on each mass measurement. These differences are not very noticeable, even for the trained eye.

schoolhousegrizz · Jan 1, 2016

You would be close to drawing some late hunts. Fishlake, Dutton, Deep Creek. You will gave to check the odds to be sure.

springvilleshooter · Jan 1, 2016

Well, even if your goal was to make the 360" awards book, you would likely have to shoot a 370"+ gross bull to net 360" for the books. I don't have a ton of experience but it seems to me that most big Bulls will have at least 10"-12" of deductions.------SS

Sierra · Jan 1, 2016

>Well, even if your goal was
>to make the 360" awards
>book, you would likely have
>to shoot a 370"+ gross
>bull to net 360" for
>the books. I don't have
>a ton of experience but
>it seems to me that
>most big Bulls will have
>at least 10"-12" of deductions.------SS
>

+1 and don't forget the fact that 90 percent of hunters over score their bull.

Zim · Jan 1, 2016

If you are serious
>about a 370"+ bull, I
>would plan on spending a
>LOT of money in the
>form of an army of
>professional help. You will need
>a mid sized duffel bag
>full of $100.00 bills to
>go this route.-----SS

Haha yup ain't that the truth. Hell my only LE elk tag in Utah was 1997 in a mid tier unit and there were 6 pair of binoculars on my bull when I shot him. They belonged to another tag holders posse. The bull wasn't even that big. I've not had that happen in any other state I've hunted, except a couple ATV scouts in unit 1 AZ.

***********************************
Member RMEF, Pope & Young Club, NRA, UWC & DP Hate Club

goofyelk · Jan 1, 2016

Joe,
Check the NON-RES draw odds close..

Some of the info given here is NOT even close!

TS30,
The only non-res muzzy tag even close is Fishlake.
Manti an Wasatch bonus permits still out from 11 points.

Not good info on archery permits either,
ALOT of guys laid off last year because of hunt dates.
There will be hunters with 12----13 maybe more points
going after those tags this year.

Insanity · Jan 1, 2016

I know of 2 bulks over 375 harvested off manti in 2015, and heard of several others close to 390 just depends how far your willing to hunt.

Salmon · Jan 1, 2016

Springvilleshooter, Sent you a PM

Vanilla · Jan 2, 2016

Totally missed that this was non-resident. That changes things significantly.

Yep, slim pickings for non-resident LE elk hunts. You might be in line for a late Wasatch tag in the next few years.

Honestly, as a non-resident with 11 points set on a 360+ bull, hopefully you've been saving your pennies. Best bet is to buy a tag on a premium unit. They aren't cheap. If you drop your score mandate, you have options still for a good hunt.

Homer · Jan 2, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Jan-02-16 AT 07:14PM (MST)[p]
I just officially scored a 2015 wasatch bull for B&C. Springvillehunter is exactly right. He is an absolute monster that I would never ever pass.

7x7...384 gross, 357-6/8 net. I tried hard but couldn't book him in the awards....

I sure hope the hunter wasn't disappointed because he was a brute.

360 awards, 375 all time for B&C

He was a DIY non resident

Homer · Jan 2, 2016

Who in tjeir right mind would pass this bull??.......Joe?

elkassassin · Jan 2, 2016

>Who in tjeir right mind would
>pass this bull??.......Joe?
>

May I Ask Who You Pissed Off this time?

"I'm Living & Dieing with the Choices
I've made!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=N8i5NLyXZdc

GLEDEASY · Jan 2, 2016

Sent you a PM.

>LAST EDITED ON Jan-02-16
>AT 07:14?PM (MST)
>
>
>I just officially scored a 2015
>wasatch bull for B&C. Springvillehunter
>is exactly right. He is
>an absolute monster that I
>would never ever pass.
>
>7x7...384 gross, 357-6/8 net. I tried
>hard but couldn't book him
>in the awards....
>
>I sure hope the hunter wasn't
>disappointed because he was a
>brute.
>
>360 awards, 375 all time for
>B&C
>
>He was a DIY non resident
>

joesikora · Jan 3, 2016

Homer, I wouldn't pass on a beauty like that!
How you doing Bessy?

Thanks for sharing the pixs
Joe

"Sometimes you do things wrong for so long you
think their right" - 2001
"I can't argue with honesty" - 2005
-Joe E Sikora