Utah General Deer Archery 6 points advice.

[aggieland]

I am a non-resident, Taditional archer, I have saved up 6 Points for a Utah General deer tag. Using some of the filtering on GoHunt it shows 7 different units that I can draw 100%. FOLMORE, LA SAL/LA SAL MTNS, NINE MILE, Plateau Boulder/Kaiparowits, San Juan Abajo Mtns, South Slope Yellowstone or Zion.
I have hunted the San Juan Abajo mountains outside Monticello but would like to try a different area. What unit would you choose?
I hunt public land, trophy quality is good but not as important as having more opportunities at bucks. I can tent camp, hike, use horses/mules or just bring a side by side if needed.
I value your opinions greatly, thank you all.

 

[wildwilderness]

I am a non-resident, Taditional archer, I have saved up 6 Points for a Utah General deer tag. Using some of the filtering on GoHunt it shows 7 different units that I can draw 100%. FOLMORE, LA SAL/LA SAL MTNS, NINE MILE, Plateau Boulder/Kaiparowits, San Juan Abajo Mtns, South Slope Yellowstone or Zion.
I have hunted the San Juan Abajo mountains outside Monticello but would like to try a different area. What unit would you choose?
I hunt public land, trophy quality is good but not as important as having more opportunities at bucks. I can tent camp, hike, use horses/mules or just bring a side by side if needed.
I value your opinions greatly, thank you all.

not sure what odds you are looking at but you can draw any and all the general archery tags in Utah with that many points.

You can draw many general NR archery tags with 0-1 points so not sure why you saved so many without a plan?

Are you planning to go Trad archery during rifle season?

 

[aggieland]

No, I will not be hunting in a rifle season. I only hunt in the archery seasons. I saved points because I was hunting in different states at the time. Planned to bring some family, etc.

 

[sneaky]

For archery you can draw any unit in the state for general

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[aggieland]

For archery you can draw any unit in the state for general

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Yes, just no idea what unit would be the best choice. Sounds like deer numbers are still onnthe downhill slide everywhere.

 

[Scoot]

Please be sure to include gps coordinates with the unit recommendations.

 

[PathFinder]

Would you like pictures of the bucks, or will coordinates be sufficient?

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[mtnrunner260]

Pick a unit with the terrain you want or a location you'd like to fish.
Northern units are likely to experience above average winter loss.
Southern units have suffered from extended drought.
If you have prior knowledge of any unit that's likely your best bet

 

[nobody]

Of the ones you mention, I would hunt the La Sal Mountains. We hunted there for probably 7 or 8 years straight and saw some giant deer, absolute giants. Get up in the alpine and glass, glass, glass, they're there still. Not in the numbers they were, but definitely still there.

 

[lundellhunting7]

San juan abajo..... i wouldnt even think about the others

 

[aggieland]

San juan abajo..... i wouldnt even think about the others

I have hunted that unit twice in the past, Was hoping to see some new country. My friends hunted the unit last year, they did not find many deer. 1 out of 5 guys got a 140-150 size buck. the rest ate tag soup.

 

[robby denning]

as an archer, especially trad, I'd avoid any of those platueau/ flat units. You need to be able to see and have multiple stalk opps, and not gonna happen in the thick/flat stuff. think twice about jumping from the unit you know as 1), you know it, 2) it has stalking terrain. Grass isn't greener (most of the time).

Let us know how it goes.

*edit, I just saw your post about last year/buddies success. OK, I might consider moving but just be careful about jumping around. It's a time suck

 

[lundellhunting7]

I have hunted that unit twice in the past, Was hoping to see some new country. My friends hunted the unit last year, they did not find many deer. 1 out of 5 guys got a 140-150 size buck. the rest ate tag soup.

IMO I just think that because you are not from around here I would spend time in a unit you know and not waste time trying to get to know another one.

 

[aggieland]

IMO I just think that because you are not from around here I would spend time in a unit you know and not waste time trying to get to know another one.

I understand what you are saying. But half the fun is seeing new country for me. And like I mentioned above a group of 5 guys I know hunted the area last year. They have also hunted that unit 3 times before and said the numbers of deer was nothing close to what we experienced in the past.

 

[aggieland]

I think I am going to try out the Pine Valley unit. Go hunt shows it to be one of the best options and I will be able to see some new country.

 

[MuleyFever]

I think I am going to try out the Pine Valley unit. Go hunt shows it to be one of the best options and I will be able to see some new country.

They slashed tags in that unit last year because the deer numbers are down so much. Guys that I know that hunt hard and live here had one of the worst seasons ever.

They have also hunted that unit 3 times before and said the numbers of deer was nothing close to what we experienced in the past.

This is every unit around here. Pine Valley is no exception. Its depressing.

 

[aggieland]

Sounds like the Whole state of Utah sucks unless you have the Limited Entry tags.

 

[lundellhunting7]

Sounds like the Whole state of Utah sucks unless you have the Limited Entry tags.

Even the LE units have went down hill from what they used to be.

 

[aggieland]

Even the LE units have went down hill from what they used to be.

That's a damn shame. Well I will roll the dice this year. Next year I will have 9 pp in Colorado for Deer so, hopefully I will get in a better situation. I know a lot of folks ask me why I have so many points, but the truth is with you typically hunt with family, dad/kids its not easy to hunt more than one area and the area we usually hunt does not have high numbers of deer or elk so I typically save my deer points for 1 good hunt in the future.

 

[GetWestern]

Trophy quality is there in almost all those units you’ve listed and the ones you haven’t, of course that depends on your trophy evaluation but every general unit in the state will at least have 170-180 bucks in it if you know how to hunt it and find them in which takes a lot of time. I don’t know why everyone is so down about Utah unless they are saying that to keep people out of here, yes things are not as good as back in the day but I’m usually finding top end bucks in the general units I’ve hunted and scouted after a couple years invested in them. As far as what you like to see from your description I’d focus on the units that are applicable to your trad bow hunting. Something easy to make a stalk in, starting from the unit Wasatch west go north from there and all those units will offer you plenty of opportunity for archery equipment. If you have any questions hit me with a pm and I might be able to help out a little more.