I wouldn't want to live within 45 minutes of Salt Lake City. We are about an hour north and I'm within a 3 hour drive of about 5 different states while still living in the country. Utah is great, but not if you are in the bigger cities.
I've archery hunted up in northern Utah. Lots of private but also no people to hunt against. Season really doesn't go very far into the rut, but the back half of the season was able to have some success with decoying.
I've had the K3 4800 from Exo for the last year and packed out 3 animals so far. I have no aspirations to search for another pack at this point. It has pretty much met every want I could have. When it isn't loaded down it feels like it is hardly even there. Loaded down it has been plenty sturdy...