Possible residency in Utah..... how bad is the OTC elk units

[BeastOfTheTrees]

Utah general elk hunts...lol I lived in Utah for a few years. I think it's a joke that guys have to wait 20-30 years now with the waiting period for many of the limited entry hunts.

It's not all that bad here but yes the limited entry system and archery dates suck. I would prefer to have archery in the rut. Doesn't take a 1000 yard rifle shot to take a bull on Sept 20th. That said, you now have a 3 season option that includes archery, muzzy, rifle and extended archery. So, if you have the time and drive, you can harvest yearly. Most once in a lifetime tags are only for a lucky few. Limited entry is now close to once in a lifetime if rifle is your weapon of choice. I do see from the news that the poaching is pretty good in this state. Not my bag but seems pretty popular here. Even had a cop get busted a year or so back.

Seemed like everyone lived the backcountry life from what I saw.... I enjoyed the weekend there

 

[Poltax]

The thing about the LE tag. If you draw one, whether your successful or not, you can not apply for another LE tag for 5 years. I have 3 more years to wait to reapply.....

 

[mfllood3800]

Utah is hit and miss. Some units are decent, some are a scam. I hunted a spike tag area last year, passed on cows, never saw a spike. Headed to an any bull unit, saw a monster. He was in an area that had been cleaned out by Utah opening these any bull units up a few years back. I was told, there are no elk in that area. I had no choice but to go, as my regular area ended the week before. Soon everyone heard there was 1 bull in here, and it was a frenzy. That is how it is in Utah.

The spike areas used to be incredible, but are now flooded with NR hunters and the elk and deer herds are diminished noticeably. Im not anti NR hunter, but the Ut archery spike tag gives these NR the chance to harvest meat, so they come in like locusts. They spend $thousands, have 5 days, so it's a no brainer for them.

Rifle season deer used to be the mad house time for hunters, now it is archery elk. General Deer draws have changed from every year to every other at best, sometimes even every 3 years. LE Elk is 20 +. Both deer and elk herds in my area are seriously diminished. The DWR sold excessive amounts of cow elk tags for like 5 years in a row. Plus allows cow elk to be taken spike only units with a bow. They have succeeded in ruining the elk herds. But there are tons of moo cows in the woods now. Pretty easy to see where the state has it's allegiance. Moo cows and elk and deer herds compete for the same grazing areas. Less elk and deer , yet more cattle in these areas each year. Plus the BLM is chaining habitat areas left and right for the purpose of opening back up cattle grazing areas. In doing so they expose the elk and deer herd to vulnerable demise all while handing out OTC spike elk tags. Utah is nuts.