I want your super secret Utah elk spotz

[Goatshoes]

That would be nice and all but I wouldn't be giving up mine either.

My hunting partner and I both drew cow elk tags for Monroe/Mt Dutton/Plateau this October and plan to spend about three to four days hunting beginning on the 5th day of the season. This is my first elk hunt and first hunt for both of us in Utah. We hope to pull bull tags in the next few years and want to learn the area a little and bring home some fantastic meat.

We will be self guided on public land and are not afraid to put lots of miles on our boots or weight on our backs.

• Any hunting advice for the area is appreciated as well as any special strategic changes due to us not hunting opening weekend.
• We expect to be returning from WY with 2 -4 processed antelope. A good place where we can keep them frozen.
• A place to set up camp.
• Any referrals for pack service providers that can help us haul meat out in the event its way back.
• Anything unique about the area I should be aware of?

Most of all we want to enjoy the trip.

I appreciate PM's if anyone prefer to keep their recommendations private.

Thanks guys.

 

[Speeddmn]

What are your season dates? What weapon will you be using? Where in the world are you coming from (your post says coming from WY, is that home)? You might also try to utahwildlife forum, it's not super active, but usually some sound advice on there. I'm in Utah but up north in the Layton/Syracuse, Hill AFB area, so I don't hunt much south of me.

 

[TheDudeAbides]

That would be nice and all but I wouldn't be giving up mine either.

My hunting partner and I both drew cow elk tags for Monroe/Mt Dutton/Plateau this October and plan to spend about three to four days hunting beginning on the 5th day of the season. This is my first elk hunt and first hunt for both of us in Utah. We hope to pull bull tags in the next few years and want to learn the area a little and bring home some fantastic meat.

We will be self guided on public land and are not afraid to put lots of miles on our boots or weight on our backs.

• Any hunting advice for the area is appreciated as well as any special strategic changes due to us not hunting opening weekend.
• We expect to be returning from WY with 2 -4 processed antelope. A good place where we can keep them frozen.
• A place to set up camp.
• Any referrals for pack service providers that can help us haul meat out in the event its way back.
• Anything unique about the area I should be aware of?

Most of all we want to enjoy the trip.

I appreciate PM's if anyone prefer to keep their recommendations private.

Thanks guys.

I'd hunt Monroe. There isn't a spike rifle hunt in the unit. So, the only hunters would be cow hunters like yourself. You could have a very enjoyable hunt, it is one of the draw units very friendly to old people. You can road hunt a lot of the unit and put a stalk on elk in the unit.

If you are feeling frisky, then you can give Dutton a go. It is a backcountry hell hole.

Fish Lake and Boulder you will have more competition from spike hunters.

 

[Goatshoes]

What are your season dates? What weapon will you be using? Where in the world are you coming from (your post says coming from WY, is that home)? You might also try to utahwildlife forum, it's not super active, but usually some sound advice on there. I'm in Utah but up north in the Layton/Syracuse, Hill AFB area, so I don't hunt much south of me.

Season dates are 10/8/2016 -10/20/2016 and 11/21/2016 - 12/4/2016. We will be hunting 10/12 - 10/14, (10/15 if necessary). It is an any legal weapon hunt and we will likely both be using 7mm mag and are proven competent to 300 yds. Home is S. California, but we will be returning from a three day WY antelope hunt. Its on the way home and breaks up the drive nicely. I will give Utahwildlife forum a look. Thank you.

 

[Goatshoes]

I'd hunt Monroe. There isn't a spike rifle hunt in the unit. So, the only hunters would be cow hunters like yourself. You could have a very enjoyable hunt, it is one of the draw units very friendly to old people. You can road hunt a lot of the unit and put a stalk on elk in the unit.

If you are feeling frisky, then you can give Dutton a go. It is a backcountry hell hole.

Fish Lake and Boulder you will have more competition from spike hunters.

The back country hell hole sounds appealing especially if it means we and the animals will be less pressured. It sounds like the whole unit except for Monroe will be open to the spike hunt at that time. Is that correct? Good to know. From what I have seen on the GE map it is almost hard to get away from the roads on Monroe.

I appreciate the info.

 

[Speeddmn]

Season dates are 10/8/2016 -10/20/2016 and 11/21/2016 - 12/4/2016. We will be hunting 10/12 - 10/14, (10/15 if necessary). It is an any legal weapon hunt and we will likely both be using 7mm mag and are proven competent to 300 yds. Home is S. California, but we will be returning from a three day WY antelope hunt. Its on the way home and breaks up the drive nicely. I will give Utahwildlife forum a look. Thank you.

Sounds like a fun trip, I haven't even looked at dates for rifle elk general season. I only asked that because you might be able to snag a spike tag for the area. I believe there are NR OTC tags. If season dates don't align, then it's a moot point. Good luck either way!

 

[TheDudeAbides]

The back country hell hole sounds appealing especially if it means we and the animals will be less pressured. It sounds like the whole unit except for Monroe will be open to the spike hunt at that time. Is that correct? Good to know. From what I have seen on the GE map it is almost hard to get away from the roads on Monroe.

I appreciate the info.

With the split dates and the size of the cow unit, I tend to think the animals will be less pressured on Monroe. I would think that most residents would choose one of the other units to pair with a spike tag and then return in winter if they need too. The Muzzy deer (600 tags) / Limited Entry Muzzy Elk (11 tags) would not do much to pressure the elk on the unit. It is a gentleman's unit, which is one of the reasons the Limited Entry draw odds are comparable to those with higher age classes. Roads everywhere and would be an easier and a very fun hunt. If you are looking for the best opportunity to fill your freezer, then I would suggest Monroe as the unit.

Dutton like I said is a hell hole. It is a beautiful, steep, rocky, nasty, hell hole. They recently transplanted some Mountain Goats in the area just to give you an idea of some of the terrain. There are very few roads in the unit, so the only pressure you will find is from Horse hunters. It is a fun area, but packing an elk out of that area can be really problematic in certain spots. It does have a smaller population of elk than the other three areas, but it is not abysmal compared to the other 3. It would be a fun hunt, it is just that you may realize that do not want to pack one more than one elk out of there. If you are looking for an Adventure, then I would suggest the Dutton unit.

Boulder/Fish Lake have big elk herds and are beautiful areas and have great fishing opportunities. They will have more hunters, which may not be a bad thing. You can use the other hunters to your advantage in many cases. You will probably see more elk on these units than you will in Dutton. If it is a spike that you are after as well, I would choose Fish Lake as the spot to go. Fish Lake is the 3rd biggest elk herd in Utah. The chances of finding a spike are greater in areas with more elk. Boulder is a fantastic unit and I think everyone should at least go fishing there once in their life. It can be heavily timbered in areas, which can lead to some fun still hunting.

Either way you choose it is hunting, so it is all gravy.

 

[Goatshoes]

Thanks again. The more information I get the tougher the decision. They all have their strong points. Dutton sounds like my favorite though it may take more time than I have allotted and Fishlake sounds like it is the easier of the bull units to draw. And then their is the lower pressure of Monroe.

I took a look at Dutton on GE and see what you are saying. Impressive landscape and you are write; I don't want to haul to cows out of there.