Heading for Utah this week

[.270Rem]

I fly to Vegas Wed and then leave Thur for UT. I've had good reports from my guide and the season opens Sat. If we find the right bull early maybe we can chase grouse to fill out the week. We plan on seeing Zion NP along the way and welcome recommendations for where to stay at a fair price, what to see if you only have a day there, and where to get a bite of course.

Only my second hunt for a bull and may very well be my only bull tag in UT. Figure the investment in help from a pro makes sense for such a rare hunt for me. Good times await in the high country and I can't wait to see camp. Here's good luck wishes to all those chasing elk now and any of you with a pending hunt. And I plan on taking my Sako Finnlight in .270 WSM along on its first hunt with me, just in case you were wondering.

 

[jeff_gibbons]

Good luck. Looking forward to the story

 

[BAKPAKR]

Good luck on the elk hunt! When you get home, please post photos and some details about the hunt.

At Zion, stay at the lodge, if you can (and have a prickly pear margarita). If you can get an Angel’s Landing permit, do that. If you can’t, just hike up the trail past Angel’s Landing. @Wallydeuce would probably have some better advice than me.

 

[rjthehunter]

Good luck! Sounds like a great trip, looking forward to reading the write up!

 

[Wallydeuce]

If you're going to be in Zion for only a day, I suggest you ride the shuttle and enjoy the beauty of the canyon, getting out at various stops for short hikes. As far as accommodations and food options, I own a seasonal home above the Park and sleep in my own bed. I believe there are reasonable options in Hurricane and LaVerkin, 22 miles from the Park entrance.

What dates are you planning on being in the area?

 

[.270Rem]

Fly to Vegas on the 1st and stay with friends. Leave the 2nd for Zion. Roll into camp on the 3rd.

Burned more powder today and was glad I did. Rifle continues to shoot well and I shot off the tripod at some steel to mix it up a bit. Thankfully my confidence has increased with all the range time. Settled on Federal Premium 136 gr. Terminal Ascent and they were a solid choice accuracy wise. And a kinda fair price compared to the few other choices I could find in factory loads that were in stock.

I am intrigued by the Prickly Pear Margarita, nice job selling that.

 

[Elkhunter24]

Good luck!

 

[.270Rem]

TSA and air traffic control people still have to work so it's still a go for oh my God it's early. Sat opener will come quickly and I hunt until the 9th.

 

[Silentstalker]

How was Zion, how did your hunt go?

 

[.270Rem]

How was Zion, how did your hunt go?

Well, you asked on the right day. I filled my tag with a 6x6 on the 9th. I had scheduled six days to hunt and we walked up on him at daybreak. He seemed big enough especially since he was all of 50 yds away and my scope was still at 10x. Luckily I got the crosshairs right behind the left leg and he held after the guide cow called. Bull made it maybe 60 yds after impact and I think gravity helped pad that distance.

Going with a guide made all the difference. We moved between spots and camp via a sxs and that saved us from rough rides in the truck or some damn long hikes. The terrain wasn't too terrible to navigate though and no matter where we went looked like favorable elk habitat. The guide had excellent instincts and found elk each day. We got to watch elk up close a few times and watched some way over a mile away. I passed several smaller bulls and was glad I did once I had this one down.

Bugling activity was fair and we heard some most days. It helped us find some elk, but we watched silent bulls too. All in all this hunt gave me a great experience and was just what I wanted - we saw elk regularly, had several chances, and I converted when I had a shot at a bull that was exactly what I wanted.

The guide's father and grandfather guided a second hunter who had 18 points like me and he tagged a 6x6 the night before I got mine. Camp was comfortable and quite close to several spots where we hunted. Other wildlife seen included some bears and a Shiras moose. Grouse numbers were down as we saw or heard less than five. However, we balanced that by having a very enjoyable day at Zion NP and got in without paying due to the shutdown.

This was my first trip to Utah and I am glad I had a successful hunt in some fantastic country. The Sako proved a solid choice for the task and bullet performance on the Terminal Ascent met expectations by stopping in the offside shoulder. I bought a pair of Kings Camo pants for the hunt and they shed moisture very well and were warm despite being kinda thin. My new Kennetrek gaiters made a difference on the soggy days, but I had a buckle fall off them after wearing thm the 1st time.

I'll post the pics shortly of my first bull.