Big Game Hunting in Utah
01-06-2010, 09:26 PM
#11
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Yucca Valley,Ca
Posts: 2,496
I will be sending in my application in the next week or so for Utah muzzle loader.the lil lady just got her hunters safety and wants to go also.so i have to find a youth rifle for her to start shooting.thinking about buying her a knight wolverine youth model.thier selling new with the complete starter kit and rifle for $150.00. and i have read nothing but great reviews on the wolverines.it's not a inline but she doesn't care and my 8yr old can shoot it soon also..crossing fingers we get tags!!!
01-07-2010, 10:34 AM
#12
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cedar Valley Utah
Posts: 977
SWThomas - Glad I could help shed some light on the process. The Manti area is a really neat area, you won't go wrong there. If you have any more questions post em and I'll help if I can.
Builder459 - Good luck on your draw and I'm sure you're excited to have the wife tag along this year. If you're like me you'll be much more focused on helping her get something rather than looking for a buck for you. The Wolverine is a good muzzleloader, you won't go wrong with it. I have one myself.
Builder459 - Good luck on your draw and I'm sure you're excited to have the wife tag along this year. If you're like me you'll be much more focused on helping her get something rather than looking for a buck for you. The Wolverine is a good muzzleloader, you won't go wrong with it. I have one myself.
01-07-2010, 06:09 PM
#13
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Utah
Posts: 53
So is the home you hope to build going to be your primary residence? Just owning land in Utah won't get you a resident tag, You need to claim Utah as your primary residence. Pay Utah Income tax etc. If the home is a second home or a vacation home, you will have to continue to apply as a non-resident.
I've drawn a deer tag two of the last four years. And I don't put in for the Southern or South Eastern Units that are the most popular. So you can figure on drawing a deer tag about 50% of the time. There are often tags left over after the lottery for the Northern Utah unit. This year they were sold out the 1st day they went on sale over the counter. Like elk, The trophy deer tags are a draw tag. The rest of Utahs deer herd is a pertty tough hunt for a serious set of antlers. too many hunters on the regular deer tags are happy to harvest a 2 or 3 point deer.
Spike Elk tags and Open bull tags are available over the counter. They come close and occassionally sell out by a couple of weeks prior to the hunt. the success rate on these hunts is about 10%. The Open Bull tags are in units that are pretty tough to hunt. Primarily the Uintas. Which is mostly Wilderness. The majority of Utahs trophey elk are harvested on the Limited Entry tags. These tags are given out on a drawing. I currently have 15 points and waiting for my tag ( 1 point each year you put in and don't draw). The Lmited Entry tags have turned into basically a Once in a lifetime opportunity.
In addition to all the above. Utah has a lot of CWMU These are private land units that can sell their own tags to hunt the various species on their ranches. Most of the animals are still free roaming wild game, That just happen to spend hunting season on privately owned land.
I buy a spike tag each year. I usually draw a cow tag every 3rd year. So I do get some elk meat most years.
Sheep, Goats, Moose and Buffalo are all once in a lifetime. They are on a point systems. There are a lot of hunters with 15-20 points applying for these tags. these are spectacular hunts if you get lucky enough to draw one. You can only put in for one of these hunts each year. For example you can apply for Buffalo, But not moose or sheep in the same year.
Same thing for the limited entry tags. You can apply for a limited entry Deer OR Elk but not both in the same year.
I've drawn a deer tag two of the last four years. And I don't put in for the Southern or South Eastern Units that are the most popular. So you can figure on drawing a deer tag about 50% of the time. There are often tags left over after the lottery for the Northern Utah unit. This year they were sold out the 1st day they went on sale over the counter. Like elk, The trophy deer tags are a draw tag. The rest of Utahs deer herd is a pertty tough hunt for a serious set of antlers. too many hunters on the regular deer tags are happy to harvest a 2 or 3 point deer.
Spike Elk tags and Open bull tags are available over the counter. They come close and occassionally sell out by a couple of weeks prior to the hunt. the success rate on these hunts is about 10%. The Open Bull tags are in units that are pretty tough to hunt. Primarily the Uintas. Which is mostly Wilderness. The majority of Utahs trophey elk are harvested on the Limited Entry tags. These tags are given out on a drawing. I currently have 15 points and waiting for my tag ( 1 point each year you put in and don't draw). The Lmited Entry tags have turned into basically a Once in a lifetime opportunity.
In addition to all the above. Utah has a lot of CWMU These are private land units that can sell their own tags to hunt the various species on their ranches. Most of the animals are still free roaming wild game, That just happen to spend hunting season on privately owned land.
I buy a spike tag each year. I usually draw a cow tag every 3rd year. So I do get some elk meat most years.
Sheep, Goats, Moose and Buffalo are all once in a lifetime. They are on a point systems. There are a lot of hunters with 15-20 points applying for these tags. these are spectacular hunts if you get lucky enough to draw one. You can only put in for one of these hunts each year. For example you can apply for Buffalo, But not moose or sheep in the same year.
Same thing for the limited entry tags. You can apply for a limited entry Deer OR Elk but not both in the same year.
01-07-2010, 07:05 PM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Yucca Valley,Ca
Posts: 2,496
SWThomas - Glad I could help shed some light on the process. The Manti area is a really neat area, you won't go wrong there. If you have any more questions post em and I'll help if I can.
Builder459 - Good luck on your draw and I'm sure you're excited to have the wife tag along this year. If you're like me you'll be much more focused on helping her get something rather than looking for a buck for you. The Wolverine is a good muzzleloader, you won't go wrong with it. I have one myself.
Builder459 - Good luck on your draw and I'm sure you're excited to have the wife tag along this year. If you're like me you'll be much more focused on helping her get something rather than looking for a buck for you. The Wolverine is a good muzzleloader, you won't go wrong with it. I have one myself.
01-08-2010, 01:43 AM
#15
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Camp Lejeune, NC
Posts: 3,869
So is the home you hope to build going to be your primary residence? Just owning land in Utah won't get you a resident tag, You need to claim Utah as your primary residence. Pay Utah Income tax etc. If the home is a second home or a vacation home, you will have to continue to apply as a non-resident.
I've drawn a deer tag two of the last four years. And I don't put in for the Southern or South Eastern Units that are the most popular. So you can figure on drawing a deer tag about 50% of the time. There are often tags left over after the lottery for the Northern Utah unit. This year they were sold out the 1st day they went on sale over the counter. Like elk, The trophy deer tags are a draw tag. The rest of Utahs deer herd is a pertty tough hunt for a serious set of antlers. too many hunters on the regular deer tags are happy to harvest a 2 or 3 point deer.
Spike Elk tags and Open bull tags are available over the counter. They come close and occassionally sell out by a couple of weeks prior to the hunt. the success rate on these hunts is about 10%. The Open Bull tags are in units that are pretty tough to hunt. Primarily the Uintas. Which is mostly Wilderness. The majority of Utahs trophey elk are harvested on the Limited Entry tags. These tags are given out on a drawing. I currently have 15 points and waiting for my tag ( 1 point each year you put in and don't draw). The Lmited Entry tags have turned into basically a Once in a lifetime opportunity.
In addition to all the above. Utah has a lot of CWMU These are private land units that can sell their own tags to hunt the various species on their ranches. Most of the animals are still free roaming wild game, That just happen to spend hunting season on privately owned land.
I buy a spike tag each year. I usually draw a cow tag every 3rd year. So I do get some elk meat most years.
Sheep, Goats, Moose and Buffalo are all once in a lifetime. They are on a point systems. There are a lot of hunters with 15-20 points applying for these tags. these are spectacular hunts if you get lucky enough to draw one. You can only put in for one of these hunts each year. For example you can apply for Buffalo, But not moose or sheep in the same year.
Same thing for the limited entry tags. You can apply for a limited entry Deer OR Elk but not both in the same year.
I've drawn a deer tag two of the last four years. And I don't put in for the Southern or South Eastern Units that are the most popular. So you can figure on drawing a deer tag about 50% of the time. There are often tags left over after the lottery for the Northern Utah unit. This year they were sold out the 1st day they went on sale over the counter. Like elk, The trophy deer tags are a draw tag. The rest of Utahs deer herd is a pertty tough hunt for a serious set of antlers. too many hunters on the regular deer tags are happy to harvest a 2 or 3 point deer.
Spike Elk tags and Open bull tags are available over the counter. They come close and occassionally sell out by a couple of weeks prior to the hunt. the success rate on these hunts is about 10%. The Open Bull tags are in units that are pretty tough to hunt. Primarily the Uintas. Which is mostly Wilderness. The majority of Utahs trophey elk are harvested on the Limited Entry tags. These tags are given out on a drawing. I currently have 15 points and waiting for my tag ( 1 point each year you put in and don't draw). The Lmited Entry tags have turned into basically a Once in a lifetime opportunity.
In addition to all the above. Utah has a lot of CWMU These are private land units that can sell their own tags to hunt the various species on their ranches. Most of the animals are still free roaming wild game, That just happen to spend hunting season on privately owned land.
I buy a spike tag each year. I usually draw a cow tag every 3rd year. So I do get some elk meat most years.
Sheep, Goats, Moose and Buffalo are all once in a lifetime. They are on a point systems. There are a lot of hunters with 15-20 points applying for these tags. these are spectacular hunts if you get lucky enough to draw one. You can only put in for one of these hunts each year. For example you can apply for Buffalo, But not moose or sheep in the same year.
Same thing for the limited entry tags. You can apply for a limited entry Deer OR Elk but not both in the same year.
01-08-2010, 01:46 AM
#16
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Camp Lejeune, NC
Posts: 3,869
SWThomas - Glad I could help shed some light on the process. The Manti area is a really neat area, you won't go wrong there. If you have any more questions post em and I'll help if I can.
Builder459 - Good luck on your draw and I'm sure you're excited to have the wife tag along this year. If you're like me you'll be much more focused on helping her get something rather than looking for a buck for you. The Wolverine is a good muzzleloader, you won't go wrong with it. I have one myself.
Builder459 - Good luck on your draw and I'm sure you're excited to have the wife tag along this year. If you're like me you'll be much more focused on helping her get something rather than looking for a buck for you. The Wolverine is a good muzzleloader, you won't go wrong with it. I have one myself.
01-08-2010, 08:46 AM
#17
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cedar Valley Utah
Posts: 977
I've drawn a deer tag two of the last four years. And I don't put in for the Southern or South Eastern Units that are the most popular. So you can figure on drawing a deer tag about 50% of the time. There are often tags left over after the lottery for the Northern Utah unit. This year they were sold out the 1st day they went on sale over the counter.
This last year I joined the dedicated hunter program but prior to that I have drawn a tag every year for the last 8 years but one. And that one year didn't draw I bought a Northern RIFLE tag that was leftover from the draw. If you are rifle hunter only then your odds are certainly lower. If you expand your weapon choices you will draw more than 50% of the time and you can always put Northern as your last choice if you want to make sure you get a hunt.
In short if you are focused on only drawing one or two regions with on weapon choice your odds will be lower.
SW - When you put in for the draw you can make more than one choice. For example you can choose Central Rifle as your first choice, but then put Archery Statewide as your second choice, and Muzzleloader Central as your third choice. Almost always you'll get one of them.
Last edited by rather_be_huntin; 01-08-2010 at 09:11 AM.
01-08-2010, 09:20 AM
#18
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cedar Valley Utah
Posts: 977
I appreciate it! Do you have any knowledge of the Manti La Sal National Forest or The Palisades State Park? I'm just trying to find out whether hunting is permitted there and how hard it would be to draw some of the better tags for these areas. Manti La Sal is literally my backyard on the property I'm buying.
What's neat about that area on up on top of that mountain range there is a well maintained dirt road called Skyline Drive. It goes for several miles right along the top of that range. The road travels north and south. If you drop into canyons and finger ridges to the east and west of skyline you will find lots of elk. One canyon may be empty but go one more over and you'll find them eventually. Getting one out is the tough part since you're almost cetainly packing up. One general area I love is where the natural gas pipeline goes through the area. It's a buried line but you can't miss the swath in the forest where it is. If you go up there you'll find it.
I usually go up to Skyline Drive through Spanish Fork Canyon which is on the other side of the range from Manti. I once went down the Manti side and I believe the road goes into Fairview which is just up the highway from Manti. But be aware this road is paved but VERY steep and windy for a paved road. If you have a very big RV at all you'll want trailer brakes and a diesel to pull that hill. I'm sure someone has pulled a big RV up there with a gasser but for me, no thanks.
I almost forgot to mention the deer hunting up there. The deer herd up there is ok at best. Some years there are a lot of deer and others they are tough to find. It is by no means a trophy deer area but there is always one or two decent bucks hiding in some of those deep canyons up there. The two points can always be found if you're meat hunter. Hope that helps.
Last edited by rather_be_huntin; 01-08-2010 at 09:25 AM.
01-08-2010, 12:52 PM
#19
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Camp Lejeune, NC
Posts: 3,869
Yes I do. I have hunted the area above Manti and is one of my favorite places in Utah.
What's neat about that area on up on top of that mountain range there is a well maintained dirt road called Skyline Drive. It goes for several miles right along the top of that range. The road travels north and south. If you drop into canyons and finger ridges to the east and west of skyline you will find lots of elk. One canyon may be empty but go one more over and you'll find them eventually. Getting one out is the tough part since you're almost cetainly packing up. One general area I love is where the natural gas pipeline goes through the area. It's a buried line but you can't miss the swath in the forest where it is. If you go up there you'll find it.
I usually go up to Skyline Drive through Spanish Fork Canyon which is on the other side of the range from Manti. I once went down the Manti side and I believe the road goes into Fairview which is just up the highway from Manti. But be aware this road is paved but VERY steep and windy for a paved road. If you have a very big RV at all you'll want trailer brakes and a diesel to pull that hill. I'm sure someone has pulled a big RV up there with a gasser but for me, no thanks.
I almost forgot to mention the deer hunting up there. The deer herd up there is ok at best. Some years there are a lot of deer and others they are tough to find. It is by no means a trophy deer area but there is always one or two decent bucks hiding in some of those deep canyons up there. The two points can always be found if you're meat hunter. Hope that helps.
What's neat about that area on up on top of that mountain range there is a well maintained dirt road called Skyline Drive. It goes for several miles right along the top of that range. The road travels north and south. If you drop into canyons and finger ridges to the east and west of skyline you will find lots of elk. One canyon may be empty but go one more over and you'll find them eventually. Getting one out is the tough part since you're almost cetainly packing up. One general area I love is where the natural gas pipeline goes through the area. It's a buried line but you can't miss the swath in the forest where it is. If you go up there you'll find it.
I usually go up to Skyline Drive through Spanish Fork Canyon which is on the other side of the range from Manti. I once went down the Manti side and I believe the road goes into Fairview which is just up the highway from Manti. But be aware this road is paved but VERY steep and windy for a paved road. If you have a very big RV at all you'll want trailer brakes and a diesel to pull that hill. I'm sure someone has pulled a big RV up there with a gasser but for me, no thanks.
I almost forgot to mention the deer hunting up there. The deer herd up there is ok at best. Some years there are a lot of deer and others they are tough to find. It is by no means a trophy deer area but there is always one or two decent bucks hiding in some of those deep canyons up there. The two points can always be found if you're meat hunter. Hope that helps.
01-08-2010, 01:38 PM
#20
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Yucca Valley,Ca
Posts: 2,496
Rather be huntin, i have a group of friends that hunt in a party and have drawn the central region for rifle every year for the last 5 years. they like to hunt as often as possible and don't bother applying for the southern region.i hunted the S.region a lot back in the 90's,98 being my last yr.what do you think my chances are for myself and my wife drawing for M/L,cenral 1st pick S.E 2nd? we would like to make this a yearly event if possible..thanks in advance.