Utah Elk Planning

[alwayshunting]

I unexpectedly drew a Limited Entry Elk tag this year in south central Utah. Looking for suggestions on hunt planning. It is a muzzy tag opening Sept. 21 through October 2. I have never been in the unit or hunted Utah before. I live around 16 hours away which will make scouting challenging.

My hope is to have most if not all of the hunting season off. I am trying to decide how to best use my days for scouting. I am actually going to be near the unit next week for a previously planned family vacation and have worked in a half a day to drive the roads and get a better feel for the unit.

I could possibly fly down before the season and rent a vehicle for a few days of scouting. Another option would be to head down a few days before the season. Though the four days before the season is an early rifle season. Prior to that is an archery season that starts August 15th. From what I have read, even with the extremely limited tag numbers, there are quite a few people in the field due to friends and guides looking for elk for tag holders.

Any recommendations on how to best scout for the hunt?

 

[AntelopeEater]

Try looking around on the Utah Wildlife Forum, its the most active Utah specific forum.

If you join and participate, and then after awhile make a post looking for help with your upcoming hunt, there is a good chance you'll get some good info.

You can also let me know where your hunt will be, and I don't mind sharing what little I may know about the area, though I have not hunted elk yet, I have hunted small game in Utah, and most recently hunted turkey in the Zion Deer Unit, and the Boulder-Kaporiwtiz unit.

Hopefully you won't be hunting the Zion unit, because I kept my eyes out for elk, and did not see any while turkey hunting and exploring around this spring. There's deer there, but while people say there are elk there, I am not convinced there actually are any.

I drew a rifle deer tag for the Manti unit this October, so I'll be taking a scouting trip there over the summer.

 

[brymoore]

I drew a UT muzzy elk tag last same time frame last year. DM me the tag info. I’ll tell you what I know for the unit.

Elk were everywhere I looked. I had been to the 3 or 4 times before season. My best scouting turned to be chatting with the archery elk hunters a few days before my tag started. Archery guys were very open about where and what they were seeing. I ended up hunting an area within a few miles of my target area because of the info provided.

 

[alwayshunting]

Try looking around on the Utah Wildlife Forum, its the most active Utah specific forum.

If you join and participate, and then after awhile make a post looking for help with your upcoming hunt, there is a good chance you'll get some good info.

You can also let me know where your hunt will be, and I don't mind sharing what little I may know about the area, though I have not hunted elk yet, I have hunted small game in Utah, and most recently hunted turkey in the Zion Deer Unit, and the Boulder-Kaporiwtiz unit.

Hopefully you won't be hunting the Zion unit, because I kept my eyes out for elk, and did not see any while turkey hunting and exploring around this spring. There's deer there, but while people say there are elk there, I am not convinced there actually are any.

I drew a rifle deer tag for the Manti unit this October, so I'll be taking a scouting trip there over the summer.

Thanks for the advice. I have been doing quite a bit of looking on that forum as well as MM but have been reluctant being the guy joining after drawing the tag. Not hunting the Zion, so elk should be easier to find. I will send you a PM.

 

[alwayshunting]

I drew a UT muzzy elk tag last same time frame last year. DM me the tag info. I’ll tell you what I know for the unit.

Elk were everywhere I looked. I had been to the 3 or 4 times before season. My best scouting turned to be chatting with the archery elk hunters a few days before my tag started. Archery guys were very open about where and what they were seeing. I ended up hunting an area within a few miles of my target area because of the info provided.

I was wondering how open earlier tag holders would be with information especially since it is such a limited opportunity even for residents. Typically it is a lot easier to get information on a OIL tag versus a OTC tag.

 

[typhoon916]

Good luck