Last year I’ll hunt Utah. Help!!

[muzz]

This is my last year hunting in Utah. I will be moving to Wyoming. I have 20 elk points and want to burn them before I move. Any help? I have only hunted the north slope for elk so northern utah is all I know.

 

[realunlucky]

Break your bow out and hunt the very best unit in the state

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[WeiserBucks]

Break your bow out and hunt the very best unit in the state

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Yup

 

[muzz]

I’m not a bow guy

 

[PathFinder]

20 whole years to figure this out, and asking on a forum to know where to burn 1/3 of a lifetime worth of points...step by step then.
#1, decide what kind of hunt you want. Archery is out. If you aren't already proficient with a muzzleloader, probably rule that out too.
-A.That leaves early, middle, or late season rifle. Decide if you want a short exclusive rut, 9 day mid season circus, or a cold late hunt.

#2. Pick a unit. First, one you can for sure draw with your 20 points. Draw odds on Utah site are a great, free resource. Then research trophy quality. Weigh the drive time because you're going to be spending at least 10 days on the unit scouting, plus the hunt.

You're at least 5 years late to getting this sorted, but the good news is that killing a 300 bull is pretty easy on any 20 point hunt. Definitely worth getting excited over regardless of the unit you decide on.

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[CorbLand]

There’s some pretty decent hunts if your willing to use a muzzleloader.

Find last years draw results and a couple years before that. Find one that has averaged about 17-18 points to draw and put in for it. Make sure your pay attention to the preference point side of the draw. Don’t run off the random.

Go do some leg work, narrow it down to a couple units and come back asking about them. You are way more likely to get help when you have put some effort in than just asking everyone to put that in for you.

 

[CorbLand]

20 whole years to figure this out, and asking on a forum to know where to burn 1/3 of a lifetime worth of points...step by step then.
#1, decide what kind of hunt you want. Archery is out. If you aren't already proficient with a muzzleloader, probably rule that out too.
-A.That leaves early, middle, or late season rifle. Decide if you want a short exclusive rut, 9 day mid season circus, or a cold late hunt.

#2. Pick a unit. First, one you can for sure draw with your 20 points. Draw odds on Utah site are a great, free resource. Then research trophy quality. Weigh the drive time because you're going to be spending at least 10 days on the unit scouting, plus the hunt.

You're at least 5 years late to getting this sorted, but the good news is that killing a 300 bull is pretty easy on any 20 point hunt. Definitely worth getting excited over regardless of the unit you decide on.

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It’s Utah, that’s how people do it around here. I know a guy that spent 26 years applying for a tag, drew it and only went to the unit once before the hunt opened because “gas was too expensive.” Don’t worry though he bought a brand new shiny 7 mag to shoot his elk with because the same gun he has hunted with for 30 years and killed elk, deer, moose, and buffalo just wasn’t going to cut it.

About a month before the hunt decided he probably better sight that new gun in. Can’t get it to shoot that great so he ends up shooting his elk with “ol reliable” anyways. 26 years of applying and the most effort put into the hunt was applying.

 

[f16jack]

Congrats on moving to Wyoming where you can shoot a great elk each year.

 

[muzz]

20 whole years to figure this out, and asking on a forum to know where to burn 1/3 of a lifetime worth of points...step by step then.
#1, decide what kind of hunt you want. Archery is out. If you aren't already proficient with a muzzleloader, probably rule that out too.
-A.That leaves early, middle, or late season rifle. Decide if you want a short exclusive rut, 9 day mid season circus, or a cold late hunt.

#2. Pick a unit. First, one you can for sure draw with your 20 points. Draw odds on Utah site are a great, free resource. Then research trophy quality. Weigh the drive time because you're going to be spending at least 10 days on the unit scouting, plus the hunt.

You're at least 5 years late to getting this sorted, but the good news is that killing a 300 bull is pretty easy on any 20 point hunt. Definitely worth getting excited over regardless of the unit you decide on.

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I’m not quite sure how to take your response. But figuring it out went out the window when we decided to move. My plans changed for the elk tag I was trying to get. As is my health. I’m not young and agile like I used to be. So ya I had it figured out. I’m simply asking for recommendations as I have not been to other units or the knowledge of them. I’m not looking for a great big bull, I would be happy with one from 300-350. Realistically 320 range would tickle me .

 

[UTJL]

Pick three units you can draw and then call the biologists for each. Don’t ask them where to hunt, ask them what the terrain is like, what elevation the elk are at for your season, where will most of the pressure be, how many elk are in the unit, how heard will it be to kill a 320 bull, etc. For a 20 point unit they’ll probably give you some good advice.

Then go scout multiple times between now and then. Last year I had an archery spike tag and hunted a top tier unit. Every day I was within 100 yards of big mature 6 point bulls. Best bull was over 350” and I was within 40 yards of him.

Even with a top tier unit killing a 320 bull is going to take a lot of effort. Plan on scouting as much as you can before the hunt. If you have health concerns I’d avoid Pahvant. I haven’t hunted it but it’s steep and rugged.

 

[PathFinder]

I’m not quite sure how to take your response. But figuring it out went out the window when we decided to move. My plans changed for the elk tag I was trying to get. As is my health. I’m not young and agile like I used to be. So ya I had it figured out. I’m simply asking for recommendations as I have not been to other units or the knowledge of them. I’m not looking for a great big bull, I would be happy with one from 300-350. Realistically 320 range would tickle me .

I'm not trying to be rude, just realistic. You're probably taking it the right way. It was meant to be a bit critical.
The rest of the response is my best recommendation. If you are able to narrow down the type of hunt you want more specifically the odds of getting decent info via PM will go up drastically. Anyone who isn't a total moron has learned not to post good info on public forums by now. If you want decent info you'll have to be more specific and get it via PM or pay a guide for it.
Regardless of current health, 20 years of waiting justifies some serious time in the field and devotion to getting into the best shape possible. It's tough watching someone blow a once in a lifetime opportunity because they refused to prepare. You've got good, realistic expectations for a decent bull. Just a little more research and decision making and you'll be well on your way to a great hunt.

 

[Silentstalker]

With the changes to permit allocation this year it’s tough to say from past odds what you could draw. If your goal is to draw this year no matter what, I would suggest you search odds with at least 2 points less than you currently have. So when looking at them you would be looking at the 17 point pool. You’re currently on the 19 point pool in the odds sheets.

My recommendation would be any of the following. Do the one you could scout /hunt the most.

Nebo muzzy
Cache South muzzy
Dutton muzzy
SW Desert muzzy

Fishlake early
Manti mid
Wasatch early

 

[TheHammer]

One thing to consider is snow pack this year.. it’s my understanding after talking with a biologist that winter kill is high. And the animals that have been typically higher in elevation in earlier seasons like the last few years, they are not going high because all the resources needed are going to be lower. This may detour one of units being considered. So when talking to a biologist, ask questions around this. To my understanding it’s going to be similar in most places as 2017 was…. Good luck!

 

[bwhntMT]

Congrats on the move to Wyoming. I did a bit of the opposite, living in Montana for 30+ years, then moving to Utah so my wife could be closer to family support. I would move to Wyoming tomorrow if I could talk my wife into it. Every six months or so I recommend we move to Sheridan or Buffalo, but she just laughs at me.

I think you've gotten some good recommendations here. If I were in that situation, I would seriously consider using GoHunt to get a better idea of how to best use my 20 points.

 

[Vedauvoo]

Here's a thought. I believe that you can take your Utah points with you when you move out of state. When I moved from Utah to Nebraska in 2010, I had accumulated 17 points. I did my research and found that the odds for drawing a premium elk hunt in Utah were much better for me as a nonresident.

So I put in for the San Juan early hunt and drew out! Hunt of a lifetime.

 

[Mountain_Life]

Buy a subscription to Epic Outdoors and take their advice on where to burn the points. You won't regret it.

 

[ckleeves]

I’m not aware of any LE elk tag in Utah where non res have even close to resident odds. For San Juan early your odds as a resident are literally 10x better with the same points. Burn them before you move because 20 non res points sure doesn’t get you what they do as a Res.

 

[Vedauvoo]

You are right ckleeves.

I just checked GOHUNT, and none of the nonresident LE elk hunts show better odds that resident, for the same number of points.

I guess in my case that was an anomaly, or things have changed since 2010.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I guess in my case that was an anomaly, or things have changed since 2010.

It's also possible that you simply drew a random tag.

 

[sndmn11]

in. Can’t get it to shoot that great so he ends up shooting his elk with “ol reliable” anyways. 26 years of applying and the most effort put into the hunt was applying.

How big was the bull?