Utah Elk Hunting

[OG-danimal]

Anybody have experience elk hunting Utah? How is the hunting pressure compared to ID?

 

[2blade]

what season?

 

[cbeck36]

Never hunted Idaho. Can’t imagine anything worse than what goes on down here on all of the seasons. The concept of party hunting has been taken to dizzying heights.

 

[OG-danimal]

ID was a nightmare this year. People and outfitters everywhere. 5 mile pack in and only heard 2 bulges the entire last week of September. Sounds like everywhere has been getting hit hard

 

[amp713]

The season dates and pressure in utah makes the elk hunt a mess for those trying to start out....

 

[Sled]

The season dates and pressure in utah makes the elk hunt a mess for those trying to start out....

agreed

 

[cody21peterson]

I hunted archery season this year in Utah. It was pretty slow. Never got into elk that were fired up. The season ends too soon in my opinion. Didn’t see any big herds of elk. Took me 6 years to draw this tag and was kind of disappointed when it ended. I would suggest rifle for anyone considering hunting Utah.


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[idahohikker]

agreed

Utah is a whole new level of crazy. Colorado is crazy, Idaho is crazy, and Utah is off the rails. There are tons of people and for whatever reason a culture of respect and decency hasn’t caught on in the state. I’m not sure I fully enjoy the name but there’s a reason why Utah is commonly referred to as tardville. Poach, drive around no atv signs, park across public roads, have 8,000 spotters for a single tag holder. It’s everything hunting shouldn’t be.

 

[amp713]

Utah is a whole new level of crazy. Colorado is crazy, Idaho is crazy, and Utah is off the rails. There are tons of people and for whatever reason a culture of respect and decency hasn’t caught on in the state. I’m not sure I fully enjoy the name but there’s a reason why Utah is commonly referred to as tardville. Poach, drive around no atv signs, park across public roads, have 8,000 spotters for a single tag holder. It’s everything hunting shouldn’t be.

What is even crazier is they fill tags this way, after shooting 7 rounds because they have to use one spotter to walk them into the buck after each shot.

"You've never shot that far before? Ok try one anyway..... ok low 3 feet so hold way above him,..... ok lead him by another body length now that he is running......

GOT HIM, GREAT SHOOTING MAN!"
(Bullet is lodged in the ass)

 

[muddydogs]

O please Utah is no worse or better then any other state, seen all the same stuff everywhere. I don't have an issue with the archery season dates but I don't hunt archery and feel they have enough opportunity in Utah as it is. Follow any state game department Facebook page and you will see about the same amount of poaching posts.
But Utah is hard to draw a tag, low elk numbers, low quality animals and has plenty of people hunting the general season so you'r are better off hunting in Idaho and Colorado.

 

[Donjuan]

Apparently you can spend 21k there

 

[Sled]

O please Utah is no worse or better then any other state, seen all the same stuff everywhere.

muddy,

i have a small sample to work with but have hunted other states. everywhere has their problems but utah is, imo, the least respectful to game they hunt and outdoors they recreate in. it's a shame because it really is a special place. i won't say everyone is that way, after all the UWN is full of good people. what i will say is that values are prioritized differently.

 

[2Stamp]

O please Utah is no worse or better then any other state, seen all the same stuff everywhere. I don't have an issue with the archery season dates but I don't hunt archery and feel they have enough opportunity in Utah as it is. Follow any state game department Facebook page and you will see about the same amount of poaching posts.
But Utah is hard to draw a tag, low elk numbers, low quality animals and has plenty of people hunting the general season so you'r are better off hunting in Idaho and Colorado.

Well I can tell you many of the archery hunters in Utah DO have an issue with the archery dates, especially if you draw an LE tag for that season. What other state lets rifle hunters shoot bulls during the rut? It's ridiculous. And there is a general lack of respect on the mountains. I personally had two opportunities blown this year because UTVs drove up illegal roads in front of us. Yes, that can happen other places. But its bad in UT.

 

[honuswagner]

I'm from Arizona, grew up hunting elk and deer in AZ, CO, and UT. I now live and hunt in Utah. It's no different from any other state as far as idiots go. One thing I can guarantee you is there are idiots everywhere.

Back in AZ we seldom had to quarter an elk. Could usually get the truck close enough to load it up whole. Not so in Utah, there's just not as many accessible roads in the mountains. In my experience (I've filled OTC spike tags the last 4 years in a row) taking an elk in Utah general rifle season requires hiking at least 1-2 miles from any established road or trail (that includes horse/mule trails), then boning out the meat and packing out on pack animals or backpack. The elk find deep dark holes where none of us really want to go, much less pack the meat out of. It's great fun if you like that sort of challenge!

 

[Jacob.smithjas]

I don't have any experience in Idaho to compare it to but have been hunting OTC elk here in Utah for the past three years. If you are hunting a limited entry unit where there is opportunity for OTC spike hunters to hunt then I would completely avoid those units. Some units are not open to spike hunters which would be my option for limited entry.

If you do have a OTC spike tag you will run into a good amount of hunters but for the most part they stick close to their side by sides and atv's along the roads and don't want to put in the effort to hike in where the elk are at.

 

[realunlucky]

I don't have any experience in Idaho to compare it to but have been hunting OTC elk here in Utah for the past three years. If you are hunting a limited entry unit where there is opportunity for OTC spike hunters to hunt then I would completely avoid those units. Some units are not open to spike hunters which would be my option for limited entry.

If you do have a OTC spike tag you will run into a good amount of hunters but for the most part they stick close to their side by sides and atv's along the roads and don't want to put in the effort to hike in where the elk are at.

What about deer hunters you avoid those units too? Fact is almost all units are open to spike hunting except for entire last week. Lots of people in woods in the fall

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[idahohikker]

What about deer hunters you avoid those units too? Fact is almost all units are open to spike hunting except for entire last week. Lots of people in woods in the fall

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Utah general rifle deer season is a time of great tranquility in the woods.

 

[Jacob.smithjas]

What about deer hunters you avoid those units too? Fact is almost all units are open to spike hunting except for entire last week. Lots of people in woods in the fall

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Those few areas that don't have spike hunts are what I would put in for. Deer hunters would be an issue during the archery season which wouldn't be my first option here in utah anyways.

 

[realunlucky]

Those few areas that don't have spike hunts are what I would put in for. Deer hunters would be an issue during the archery season which wouldn't be my first option here in utah anyways.

No spike hunts run during the le early rifle hunt on any unit. Only the manti and fish lake have a season for any bulls during the general spike hunt. I'm not sure what taking about if it's not archery

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[Jacob.smithjas]

No spike hunts run during the le early rifle hunt on any unit. Only the manti and fish lake have a season for any bulls during the general spike hunt. I'm not sure what taking about if it's not archery

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Yeah I guess I was mixing up the units that don't have a spike rifle hunt, since they have a LE hunt that goes during the spike rifle hunt