Utah Spike Elk Hunt Advice

[FrenchJared]

Hello Forum,

I am new member and new to elk hunting. This season will be my first season elk hunting and I have decided to start with a Utah LE Spike Unit hunt. I have read everything I can find on Utah Spike Elk strategy on this forum and online. I plan on backpack hunting with intermittent returns to my truck depending on conditions, pressure, and what I see when glassing. That is a long way of saying I am prepared to backpack in and move areas and even units if necessary. I would greatly appreciate any guidance on units to focus on or tactics for chasing spikes. I have five units I have screened through GoHunt, but I have no idea what I am doing, so they could be bad choices. I want to backpack, glass for elk, and maybe even get a chance to harvest an elk. Thank you!

 

[UtahJimmy]

Welcome to Rokslide!

As you know, spike units are LE and managed for mature bulls. You won't have difficulty finding elk, but spikes are a small (<10%) portion of the population.

Good luck!

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[FrenchJared]

Thank you for the response.

 

[MuleyFever]

The spike hunts have low success because as said above there are not a lot of them. I have been out hunting cows about 5 seasons over the last 7 years or so and have seen 1 spike. But, it's all timing. I know people that have stumbled into many spikes in a few days. Just don't think that because you are only looking for a spike they are common.

 

[idahohikker]

Look for the cows and there will be spikes with some groups. My research would be finding which units have the most cows. Looking at surveys on the state website and calling bios should be the ticket. And you might want to try to avoid bumping into LE tag holders in the field. In Utah, it is probably a flat bill with 8 tagalongs, looking for a 380”+ bull, has applied for 25 years, has an Instagram, and gets pisssssed if some idiot spike hunter breathes on him. Utah folks are one of a kind and while I truly hate the culture, there are also some amazing and truly kind people that live there also.

 

[FrenchJared]

Great information, I will keep researching.

 

[Bowhunter50]

Are you archery or rifle hunting? I’m pretty sure you can kill either a cow or spike with archery in most LE units. I would double check though


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[FrenchJared]

Great question, this first year I'm focused on rifle. Appreciate the input.

 

[muddydogs]

Utah general rifle elk season is a zoo, thats the season your talking about whether its a spike only unit or an any bull unit. From what I have seen there are plenty of spikes in a spike only unit, last year on a LE elk hunt in 8 days I saw over a dozen spikes and about that many branched antler bulls.

OP why are you only looking at spike only units? If you are a Utah resident you can purchase either a spike unit tag or an any bull unit tag. Don't think the pressure is going to be any less in the spike unit or your willingness to backpack in miles going to get you away from the pressure.

Personally if I'm hunting general rifle bull I go for the any bull unit, there's always a chance of shooting something bigger then a spike, the rifle hunt is the first rifle hunting season in the unit, most have a muzzy deer hunt right before as well as archery first. In the spike units there has already been a LE rifle hunt as well as the LE muzzy hunt plus archery so these elk have had a little more pressure before the spike rifle hunt. First day or so in an any bull unit can be quite productive.

 

[FrenchJared]

Ok, that is really good to know. I initially picked spike because of how many units there are to pick from and the fact I may see some really big bulls while out there, which would be cool.

 

[Juancho]

We located a couple spikes this past weekend and they're sold out of spike tags so I can't hunt them. Let me know if you're going to get out this weekend, happy to share some info via PM.

 

[Ferrin66]

We located a couple spikes this past weekend and they're sold out of spike tags so I can't hunt them. Let me know if you're going to get out this weekend, happy to share some info via PM.

A pm would be nice. I'm out on my own this year so any help is appreciated

 

[Juancho]

New to this forum, can't figure out the PM thing, will you send me a message and I can reply to it?

 

[StopMakingSense]

It's going to be a zoo this Saturday as you saw the tags sold out in under 24 hours which has been unheard of.

Getting 2+ miles from the road will separate you from a lot of that but you will still see people. The elk will be vocalizing at 100% day one 50% day two and 5% day three and next to nothing for the rest of the hunt.

Groups of cows are the indicator for spikes. Study the terrain for natural funnels they would use to escape pressure. The rut is still going pretty hard right now so locating off of a bugle would be a good chance first day to run into a big group. Have fun out there, wear orange, be sure of your target. The spikes can hold onto their velvet well into this hunt.

 

[Ferrin66]

New to this forum, can't figure out the PM thing, will you send me a message and I can reply to it?

We can't pm as newbies. Text?

 

[mcr-85]

Spike hunting is getting lucky. Some years I've killed them opening day. Some years we've found herds mid season and killed spikes. We've killed spikes by chasing bugles and finding the herd. Some herds will have spikes and some won't. My spike hunt last year wasn't too serious. I was with my 2 little boys in camp when I glassed up a spike about 1.5 miles away from camp on the evening of opening day. I was able to get him shot right before dark. I was super lucky to kill him. I have a tag but I'm not sure I'll be out there this Saturday or not. Good luck to you guys.