Utah deer hunting sucks - Please close it down!

ridgetops

ridgetops

Very Active Member
Messages
2,743
I'm sure this is going to pi$$ off a few but
this is all I've been able to put a tag on in the past eight years of UTAH general season hunting on different units.

With all the complaining about how bad the hunting has been the past 10 years.
I can't wait for it to get better, so I can find bucks like this from the road.

2012-Rifle
498312012riflebuck.jpg


2013-Muzzy
962782013muzzy.jpg


2015-Rifle
87962015rifle.jpg


2016-Muzzy
88142016muzzy.jpg


2018-Rifle
37862018rifle1.jpg


2019-Rifle
710342019buckcopy.jpg










see my latest wildlife pictures on I.G.
Follow me @ antler_chaser_
 
Should have let them grow a bit more. How u expect to kill monsters when u keep shooting little ones. ?
Good job nice bucks.
 
>So bad that you only killed
>6 deer in 8 years
>is what I'm reading...;)

It's the DWR's fault.
They made me eat my tag those two years.
 
I agree with you. Shut it down.

I remember growing up and how rare it seemed to come across a four point. Now if I go a hunting day without seeing one I'm wondering what's up.

Those are some sweet bucks. Congrats!
 
>>So bad that you only killed
>>6 deer in 8 years
>>is what I'm reading...;)
>
>It's the DWR's fault.
>They made me eat my tag
>those two years.


Greedy bastages know what's up and trying to keep you from killing every buck left in the state
 
>If that's the best you can
>do then I guess that's
>the best you can do....
>Better luck next year......

Thanks, I hope there's tags to be had this coming year.
see my latest wildlife pictures on I.G.
Follow me @ antler_chaser_
 
LMAO! Thanks for finally saying what everyone already knows. IT's so funny to me that there are a few on this forum that continue to do a great job of pushing people away from Utah. ONE person in particular!

Just to let that one person know, we aren't that dumb. BUT, if you chase away even one or two hunters by your creative banter on this site then I guess that is a success right! BAHHAAA>>
 
You've done great, no doubt about that. I still think there's some great bucks around if a person gets after it hard. But things can be better, or at least stop getting worse.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
@mm_founder on Instagram
LIKE MonsterMuleys.com
on Facebook!
 
Feel the same about Idaho, it could be better, but I don't think it's doom and gloom.

Congrats on some AWESOME bucks!
 
>You've done great, no doubt about
>that. I still think there's
>some great bucks around if
>a person gets after it
>hard. But things can be
>better, or at least stop
>getting worse.
>
>Brian Latturner
>MonsterMuleys.com

I agree but it's definitely not the dome and gloom that some are trying to make out to be.
 
>Maybe you should have just made
>the title of the post
>"Look at Me"
>
>Rut

I guess people should stop posting their successful hunts.
Is that what your saying?
Or
just not if they're within units you might be hunting?
 
800,000 plus to less than 300,000. If that was your 401k. Would you be posting about the ?good weeks?.
 
>800,000 plus to less than 300,000.
> If that was your
>401k. Would you be posting
>about the ?good weeks?.



It's still possible to have stocks do very well when the market is down.
I just get tired of the guys always screaming to get out of the market completely because you'll never get your money back.

Let's improve the habitat and kill about 50 percent of the lions and dogs out there and I promise you we will start seeing more deer.
 
>Ridge,
>
>Are all those bucks shot on
>the same unit or different
>units?


Different units.
I've been thinking about trying a different unit next year.
 
Nope, not at all what I am saying but rubbing it in everyone?s face by posting pictures of every big deer you have ever shot is hardly showing a ?successful hunt?.

Rut
 
LAST EDITED ON Dec-23-19 AT 10:01PM (MST)[p]>Nope, not at all what I
>am saying but rubbing it
>in everyone?s face by posting
>pictures of every big deer
>you have ever shot is
>hardly showing a ?successful hunt?.
>
>
>Rut

You really don't get it and definitely don't get what I'm about.
Rubbing it in everyone's face's is the last thing I'm trying to do.
Every year I have several people reach out to me looking for help and advice.
So I give it. Some take it and I never hear from them again. Some don't take it, after hearing it and that's fine with me. Others report back to me with their success and gratitude. I have developed a friendship with many of these people looking for help. So if my pictures can give a few people hope and excitement about what our general seasons can offer. Well then , mission accomplished.
I know everyone's not going to like what I post and that's fine.
I have a feeling that most do enjoy what I have to offer.
So I'll keep posting until I feel otherwise.

BTW, that's not even close to all the big bucks I've killed or passed on. I just posted the past 8 years to keep thing more current.
 
Narcissism? Ridge? Nah. Not even close, and I don't even know the guy! The idea here is that maybe the very vocal minority on this forum screaming about the sky falling on deer hunting may not be the only perspective in town. Just because they are the loudest doesn't mean they are totally right in their assessment or opinion.

In addition to ridge?s examples: I read people posting complaints about the Book Cliffs all the time on this forum and how there are no deer left there. I have a good friend that had the archery tag this year. The pics he sent me throughout the summer, on his hunt, and ultimately the buck he killed blew me away! Truly exceptional mule deer. And I'm not talking just one or two. There were many. All from one person on one hunt on a unit he had never stepped foot on before this year where some people on this forum basically live and say there are no big deer left.

So, am I to believe posts saying there are no deer? Or picture and video evidence of many trophy bucks found by one guy that found them with no prior experience on the unit?

I don't know, maybe both are right to some extent? The doom and gloom just gets old. I've really enjoyed my deer hunting experience the last several years. I've only killed one buck in the last 4 years, and it was the smallest buck I've ever killed in my 25+ years of deer hunting. But I've also never measured success in inches, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about.
 
Nice Ridge, however I do think the herd is in bad shape in many places. Ridge, in your opinion would you say the herds and the number of bucks are just fine?
 
Nice Job to Ridgetops!



>Narcissism? Ridge? Nah. Not even close,
>and I don't even know
>the guy! The idea here
>is that maybe the very
>vocal minority on this forum
>screaming about the sky falling
>on deer hunting may not
>be the only perspective in
>town. Just because they are
>the loudest doesn't mean they
>are totally right in their
>assessment or opinion.
>
>In addition to ridge?s examples: I
>read people posting complaints about
>the Book Cliffs all the
>time on this forum and
>how there are no deer
>left there. I have a
>good friend that had the
>archery tag this year. The
>pics he sent me throughout
>the summer, on his hunt,
>and ultimately the buck he
>killed blew me away! Truly
>exceptional mule deer. And I'm
>not talking just one or
>two. There were many. All
>from one person on one
>hunt on a unit he
>had never stepped foot on
>before this year where some
>people on this forum basically
>live and say there are
>no big deer left.

For Niller:

They Took a few Better Bucks in the Book Cliffs this year,mostly by Archery Hunters!

You Don't Listen too Well!

So Here's my offer to You:

We Do Deer Counts in the Book Cliffs/NE Utah every Year!

You are Invited for Next Years Deer Count!

Yes it is an LE Unit!

Bring your Camo & The Best Glass You have!

It Will Be Full Blown Rut Time!

I'll show you what's doing 99% of the Breeding!

You Will Miss a Day of whatever you normally do in Mid-November!

We Will travel/Glass as much ground as we can from break of day Till Dark!

It's an LE Unit,Several Hunters that have waited 10+ years to get a Tag should be taking Nice Bucks,Not just a small Hand full!

So Tell us Niller?

Have You Not seen the Deer Herd Change in recent Decades?

I Didn't see You Giving up your Deer Tag to Hoss,What's up with that?

You said you wanted to Help,Right?








>
>So, am I to believe posts
>saying there are no deer?
>Or picture and video evidence
>of many trophy bucks found
>by one guy that found
>them with no prior experience
>on the unit?
>
>I don't know, maybe both are
>right to some extent? The
>doom and gloom just gets
>old. I've really enjoyed my
>deer hunting experience the last
>several years. I've only killed
>one buck in the last
>4 years, and it was
>the smallest buck I've ever
>killed in my 25+ years
>of deer hunting. But I've
>also never measured success in
>inches, so maybe I don't
>know what I'm talking about.
>













I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!:D:D:D
 
Can't anyone be happy for a guy that is successful??

I thought we all like seeing pictures of big dead deer vrs. no pictures at all??

Jeez.
 
>Can't anyone be happy for a
>guy that is successful??
>
>I thought we all like seeing
>pictures of big dead deer
>vrs. no pictures at all??
>
>
>Jeez.


+1
No wonder so many good people have left this site over the years.
 
>I Didn't see You Giving up
>your Deer Tag to Hoss,What's
>up with that?


You?re not paying attention bessy. Hoss is calling all of you out that are asking for tag cuts to step up and put your money where your mouth is. I have never in my life a single time said that I think the state gives too many general season deer tags. The reason why I know I've never said that is because I don't believe it, and never have believed it. Even if the deer herds are hurting, I do not believe hunting is the limiting factor for that. You need to pay attention, I've said that probably 15 times to you. If I don't believe hunting is the limiting factor, why would I give up my tag I get every year? (Yep, LL holder here bessy!!!)

If I am ever convinced that hunting is the problem, I'll stop doing it. Until then, I'm a hunter and will continue to hunt when I can.
 
So ridge....
You mentioned General season tags.....
Ok
I'm interested in if all these bucks you showed were all on public ground.
Also
Without giving locations or units away, could you give insight as to if some or if all were killed in one end of the state or the other.
Northern? Southern?
All in central?


"Wildlife and its habitat cannot speak. So we must and we will."
Theadore Roosevelt
 
>So ridge....
>You mentioned General season tags.....
>Ok
>I'm interested in if all these
>bucks you showed were all
>on public ground.
>Also
>Without giving locations or units away,
>could you give insight as
>to if some or if
>all were killed in one
>end of the state or
>the other.
>Northern? Southern?
>All in central?
>
>
>"Wildlife and its habitat cannot speak.
>So we must and we
>will."
>Theadore Roosevelt


Hey BillyBob!

I'd Never Ask Ridge for Locations of His Favorite Hunting Places!

But You Can Scratch NorthEastern Utah Off the List,He Ain't Hunting here!

He's Smarter than that!








I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!:D:D:D
 
First off good job ridge, do not ever let one or two apples sour the bushel. I would like everyone on this site boast more about there past success.

It has been documented that when the first pioneer's came to the this part of the country of the intermountain west that they stated the area was void of very much game except for pockets of deer there was not even enough rabbits to keep a small family in food.
The number of deer at 800000 is a number that happened after decades of over grazing of grass from cattle which turned range conditions ideal for Muley deer, two World Wars and hunters hunting with adequate equipment for the times but not near as efficient as the past 30 years, predators all but extinct from years of goverment trappers and poisons. So maybe 300000 number of deer is a more natural number.
I think a few of you guys on hear can remember the Jackrabbit numbers of the 1970 and early 1980 and how they would have rabbit drives and kill them by the thousands using baseball bats, was that a product of natural environment or a product from introduce of what man kind needed to make this area of the mountain west more productive.
Now days Jackrabbit hunting can be kind of tough going and I do not think it is from over hunting of rabbits.

I think most everyone agrees that deer numbers are down across the state with some units down more than others but some hunters are enjoying the hunt opportunities that they get and do believe you make it for what it is. Ridge's post I do believe is a prime example of that.
 
Well done, Ridgetops. Sweet bucks all, and a couple real smokers.

Some guys get jealous at a brother's success because they themselves don't have any.

Too bad we can't all stick together without the envy and jealousy. After all, we're all in the same boat.

This post is a prime example of why myself and others won't post pics. That and I don't have any idea how to! :)

Congrats on some nice bucks.
 
So ridge....
You mentioned General season tags.....
Ok
I'm interested in if all these bucks you showed were all on public ground.
Also
Without giving locations or units away, could you give insight as to if some or if all were killed in one end of the state or the other.
Northern? Southern?
All in central?


BillyBoB,
I'll answer your question, even though it bugs me whenever someone tries to discredit another hunter by asking questions like... "was it LE or general season, was it public or private, was it a long range shot or how far did you have to hike in or were you using horses.

I've got twenty 3 point or better racks hanging on the wall, either in the house or in the garage and all but two were killed on public land. On the years I didn't bring one home, I probably have passed on a dozen or more 150" - 170" general season public lands bucks. Also, there are a few sections of private land out there that is open to the public, which I have hunted on. All my bucks have been killed within the Central and Southern units. I have personally seen some smoker bucks in the Northern region in the last few years too.
Bessy is correct about me not spending much time around the basin. Although I have hunted around the Red Cloud Loop North of Vernal for elk and saw a few smaller 4 points but that was years ago and I wasn't really looking for deer at the time.
 
Great bucks, especially the 2019 buck. Being consistent like you have requires a lot of work. You put your time into scouting and hunting and end up being much more successful than the guys who don't. The average hunter would be lucky to kill one buck like that in 8 years but they don't put I the work you do.
 
>The real question is if Ridge
>got more followers on instadouche
>because of this post?


I've probably got more stupid responses than new followers.

I do appreciate the positive comments and supporting my wanting to share something positive.
 
Ridge
My questions weren't typed to discredit you for your successes.
It's was out of curiosity. The little amount of time I've spent on private ground versus the large amount of time on public ground were quite different experiences.
Also
I've never hunted central or southern Utah.
So my questions were more out of curiosity due to comparison of my own personal experiences.
Obviously you've been successful and I'm confident you earned every single one.
Congrats
And thanks for answering my questions with as much helpful detailed information as you could give.

Happy holidays
And
Good luck on your future endeavors




"Wildlife and its habitat cannot speak. So
we must and we will."
Theadore Roosevelt
 
Ridgtops,

That's quite an accomplishment. I think 2015 is my favorite.

Nice to hear an alternative voice to doom and gloom. The best archery hunter I know has a large family. Someone in his family consistently kills something 30"+ every year - even this year. He never has anything good to say about buck numbers - go figure.

I started deer hunting in 1989. Scarcely saw anything the first 10 years. The past 10 have been way better. The pessimism gets really old as it defies my observations. It seems like there are a lot of ulterior motives other than having a good general hunt in place.

I wish DWR would try your ideas about controlling cats, dogs, and habitat.

Thanks for the lift.
 
Ridge-

Congrats on taking some smoker bucks over the last several years. I can only imagine the time and effort that went into scouting, locating and killing those bucks. I would like to see some of the bucks that got away during those same years.

What happened in 2014 and 2017? Were you maxed out on your DH hunter tags or did you just strike out those years? Congrats again on some amazing success!

-Hawkeye-

My Favorite Expo Tag Quotes:

"It is fair to ask how much comes in with the five dollar application fees and how much went onto the ground.? Don Peay of SFW during 3/31/2005 Wildlife Board Meeting.

"There will be a full accounting of how the applications fees are spent.? Don Peay of SFW - 9/26/2006 - Monstermuleys.com
 
Great bucks ridge and great success. I do believe a guy can get a great buck on any unit if he puts in the time and hard work. You help prove that. I wish I had more time to do it.

Being able to hunt central and southern units almost every year would be cool. But that takes dedicated hunter service time or a lifetime tag. I've been unsuccessful 2 years in a row now for general deer even with choices including Morgan South Rich, Ogden Muzz, and even Yost. Things are bad when you can't even draw one of these.
 
>Ridge-
>
>Congrats on taking some smoker bucks
>over the last several years.
> I can only imagine
>the time and effort that
>went into scouting, locating and
>killing those bucks. I
>would like to see some
>of the bucks that got
>away during those same years.
>
>
>What happened in 2014 and 2017?
> Were you maxed out
>on your DH hunter tags
>or did you just strike
>out those years? Congrats
>again on some amazing success!
>
>
>-Hawkeye-

2014 was probably the best year of scouting/hunting I've ever had.
While scouting, I had found probably 6-8 bucks in the 160 - 175" range and 5 or 6 that were 180"+. The biggest was a true OIL 200" class buck that was still in the velvet but I just never could catch up to him or another one that had a 6-7" droptine.

2017: I was hunting an area I hadn't hunted in over 15 years and I really got my butt kicked by the learning curve of a new area.
I believe this is a big problem for most people who jump around a lot from area to area.
Then they claim how crappy the deer herd is.
or if an area does crash, people are unwilling to check out new areas and give it a try for 3 or 4 years before deciding if it's a good or bad area.
 
>First off good job ridge, do
>not ever let one or
>two apples sour the bushel.
>I would like everyone on
>this site boast more about
>there past success.
>
>It has been documented that when
>the first pioneer's came to
>the this part of the
>country of the intermountain west
>that they stated the area
>was void of very much
>game except for pockets of
>deer there was not even
>enough rabbits to keep a
>small family in food.
>The number of deer at 800000
>is a number that happened
>after decades of over grazing
>of grass from cattle which
>turned range conditions ideal for
>Muley deer, two World Wars
>and hunters hunting with adequate
>equipment for the times but
>not near as efficient as
>the past 30 years, predators
>all but extinct from years
>of goverment trappers and poisons.
>So maybe 300000 number of
>deer is a more natural
>number.
>I think a few of you
>guys on hear can remember
>the Jackrabbit numbers of the
>1970 and early 1980 and
>how they would have rabbit
>drives and kill them by
>the thousands using baseball bats,
>was that a product of
>natural environment or a product
>from introduce of what man
>kind needed to make this
>area of the mountain west
>more productive.
>Now days Jackrabbit hunting can be
>kind of tough going and
>I do not think it
>is from over hunting of
>rabbits.
>
>I think most everyone agrees that
>deer numbers are down across
>the state with some units
>down more than others but
>some hunters are enjoying the
>hunt opportunities that they get
>and do believe you make
>it for what it is.
>Ridge's post I do believe
>is a prime example of
>that.

Yeah I'm calling bull on 800k deer in Utah at anytime. Best evidence I've ever seen puts the historical high for Utah mule deer in the 400,000s. Where's this 800k claim coming from?
 
Ridge - Impressive portfolio of bucks. You are doing more things right than wrong.
This site continually makes me confused. I don't know whether to post up pics of bucks killed or tags cut up?? Seems neither are correct.
Here's to enjoying what's good about deer hunting and trying to figure out a plan for what's not!
 
>Ridge - Impressive portfolio of bucks.
>You are doing more things
>right than wrong.
>This site continually makes me confused.
>I don't know whether to
>post up pics of bucks
>killed or tags cut up??
>Seems neither are correct.
>Here's to enjoying what's good about
>deer hunting and trying to
>figure out a plan for
>what's not!


Thanks 5K and you other guys that have appreciated this thread.
My O.P. was most tongue in check sarcasm. I was just trying to make a point that it's really not as bad as many cry that it appears to be.
I see guys posting that they will never hunt Utah because of how bad it is.
I also see on the Colorado site how bad just about every unit is in the state. The same thing can be said about almost every western state. So is it really that bad or are people really that bad of hunters or is it that people are just trying to steer other away from their hunting units?
 
I started the Colorado thread myself. It has nothing to do with steering people away or that everyone must be a bad hunter, the deer are disappearing. Do I have to show you my colorado deer this year to have credibility? It's about making sure there are deer for the future and that mule deer don't disappear from the landscape. Anyone can turn the discussion into how successful or not successful they are. That's not what it's about. It appears that the deer are declining and Colorado and Utah?s response is to issue more tags. Doesn?t make sense to me.

Rich
 
>Straight up Rich, a few bucks
>does not make the herds
>ok.


So what's your idea for permit numbers? Leave them the same or a few cuts where needed or massive cuts? I'd really like to know some of your "rich" ideas.
 
I would first to have an accurate herd count with age class on bucks before any tag discussions could be had. To give out tags without that number is reckless at best.

Rich
 
Great bucks.
The total deer population in Utah is still pathetic and research from collaring fawns show we are going in the wrong direction, which confirms deer counts as well.
 

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