Should I start applying???

[wisconsinvette]

Utah is a hard state to decide on. I really hope I draw my LE tags before I end up moving out of state. If you are planning for the future UT is a great state to buy points in because you can buy a license every other year. They could change that though and you would be buying every year. The one thing is you have a chance even without max points. If you want to hunt the general deer tag every few years while you build points it would be a great state to put in. You could get a NR archery tag probably every other year with a few back-to-back years thrown in depending on the unit. The general units produce some great bucks with some work and getting to know the areas. After opening week I rarely see another hunter archery hunting for deer.

 

[quicknick]

Keep putting in now because if you change your mind in ten years then you will really be f***ed. Thats my philosophy. I can go to utah to hunt deer every two years on a general tag if i want. In the meantime i will keep building my limited entry points for the next ten years or hopefully get lucky on a solid green chip unit before that. Same goes for nevada, i can hunt deer in nevada about every two years and keep building points for elk, antelope, and sheep.

Theres plenty of over the counter tags to be had all over the west if you want to go hunting and some monsters get killed every year on those tags. States like arizona, utah, and nevada focus on managing for trophy quality not necessarily opportunity.

I just try to have a comprehensive approach to my draw strategy, hopefully it pays off in the next 20 years lol.

 

[Zim]

I've done the math Zim, seen the results. Many of the true green chip units for archery and muzzy tags have not seen the point creep that many of the top units see. Reason being, too many applicants put in for the once in the lifetime hunts on the next to impossible draw units or are just putting in for points.

Repeat..............The 8 point elk tag you mention will fall prey to full point/year creep once the 6 point "multi-species point saver" crowd hits that level. There's a huge jump in applicants in that pool. I never hear people talk about this. It was a direct result of Utah changing the rule, so nonresidents could apply for all species instead of picking just one. So someone jumping in now from ground zero faces an entirely different situation than before. Much, much more competition across the board for all species. Point creep will invade any unit within reach of that 6 point crowd. Combine this with Don Peay's NR tag heists and you have the train wreck that is currently Utah. But he does thank you for his "consulting fees".

Utah's draw odds right now totally suck when compared to similar hunts in other states..........even without figuring in the 6 point crowd! So someone jumping in at ground level with zero points is simply not evaluating all investment opportunities and thinking rationally. This is a mathematical fact, not simply an opinion.

 

[Silentstalker]

You have to ask yourself, what are my goals?

My guess is most hunters would be ecstatic with a 320 bull. That is a huge bull and most hunters cannot tell the difference between a true 320 bull and a 350 bull. That being said, why not apply and go on an archery elk hunt? The season dates are earlier, the rut is not in full swing, I get it. Its a tough hunt. I am a Utah resident and a die hard bowhunter so take my advice with a grain of salt...
Hunting archery elk in Utah is the very easiest way to draw a tag. I have drawn 3 LE tags and killed 3 bulls. All with my bow. Only one of them was bugling. Sporadically and I snuck in and killed him while he rubbed his antlers. The other two I killed over water.
If archery is not your thing, look at a late hunt. Some great bulls are killed late. Well over 350 is doable on most of the units. Don't get locked in on san juan or boulders if you have less than 6/7 points.
Be realistic in your expectations, if you want to experience some of the best hunting you will ever get in some beautiful country, do it. If your hoping to draw a san juan tag starting out now, it is almost out of the question.

Zim, sorry about your buddy not getting his bull. But don't lump all any weapon holders into the SFW pile. Most wait dozens of years for the tag and the wait is well worth it. Utah has always had early bowhunting season dates. That is not something the DP did.

 

[Elkhunter96]

I still disagree Zim. I play the points games in the majority of the western states and also apply for several states that don't use a point system. Utah isn't any worse than the other states that offer the same quality of hunts. Point creep happens in many states, ask CO.

As Silent Stalker said, got to know what your goals are. If you are young and have a long time until you plan on using points, it's a no brained to build them for future use.

I'm not a SFW fan, but I also hunted Utah well before they became a trophy elk state. I remember when anything better than a rag horn was a real trophy. Not sure who gets the credit, but I wouldn't go back to the way it was before. I hear a lot of negative about Don, don't know the guy, actually don't care. I apply because I know many of the lesser units produce massive bulls and are incredible hunts. I've been on three of them. Once myself and twice helping family/friends.

 

[Doe Nob]

Would you apply for a lottery knowing you don't have a great chance of drawing? I do for a lot of them, someone has to draw that tag, as long as there is a chance, people draw with less than max points all the time. The more lotteries you put yourself in, the more likely you are to draw one, somewhere, every few years. CO elk is true preference points (well, until they did the hybrid) I don't put in there, but NM, UT, MT, NV are all places where you get some kind of chance.

Utah I treat like a lottery. I don't plan to draw, but its a cheap lottery. I apply for governors tag lotteries in New Mexico and Colorado (elk and sheep), and I apply for Sheep in CO and MT, I buy raffle tags in MT, WY and AZ as well. I don't expect to draw any of those, but it would be awesome if I did. The money goes for wildlife management and improvement, and hopefully that translates to more animals and more tags in the future. Its a couple hundred bucks a year, if things are tight enough where that's a problem, I question whether you can afford the NR tag fees when you draw.

Those are all really long odds, but if you can afford it and you like to hunt, give yourself as many chances to go as possible if you are young. If I was over 60 or had a full trophy room (lots of guys on here who say its not worth applying now have a bunch of bad ass trophies under their belts already) I might feel differently, but I think if you are under 40 and physically able you should apply for everything you can afford to apply for!

 

[Doe Nob]

The flip side to that is looking at things you can buy and what they cost vs. cost to apply.

Mountain goats are a good example. I apply very few places for mountain goats because they are relatively cheap to go to Alaska or BC and get one there.

That is not the case for Sheep, they can't be bought reasonably, especially desert sheep, if you want a sheep, you should apply everywhere where you can.

 

[HuskyMusky]

Honestly I'd say if you didn't get in before they went from applying for 2 species to all of them... you might consider ditching UT.

I'm throwing in the towel on general deer and Antelope in UT.

I'm sure many people who applied before the change from 2 to ALL species were like me applying for Elk and Desert Bighorn Sheep.

Management in general seems to be going in the right direction though, expanding populations etc...

but more people, more hunters, more women...


If all you want to do is say hunt a Bison? You can do that without hunt UT, sure it might not be free ranging wild etc... but don't tell me some huge bison ranch is less wild than Jackson WY bison hunt...

 

[HuskyMusky]

PS- If one got lucky drawing a tag, I think I'd stop re-applying in UT for the same tag.

Would it be a good idea to make all UT tags once in a lifetime?

I personally don't foresee drawing more than 1 tag per species in UT in my lifetime, unless you just got very lucky more than once.

 

[AT Hiker]

"Trophy" is not as important to me as a quality hunt. Anything over the 300" elk (actually any elk) or 150" deer mark for me would be fantastic! Im just trying to expand my states for quality hunts i.e., low hunter density, high number of huntable animals, public land access, etc.

Archery is not out of the question at all, but if Im archery hunting elk I would rather do it during the rut and hunt summer patterned deer.

Is that doable in UT in a realistic time frame? Aside from the general hunts?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[velvet5]

"Trophy" is not as important to me as a quality hunt. Anything over the 300" elk (actually any elk) or 150" deer mark for me would be fantastic! Im just trying to expand my states for quality hunts i.e., low hunter density, high number of huntable animals, public land access, etc.

Archery is not out of the question at all, but if Im archery hunting elk I would rather do it during the rut and hunt summer patterned deer.

Is that doable in UT in a realistic time frame? Aside from the general hunts?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My 02. UT is cheap. 65 for a hunting license and 10 per species plus whatever the connivance/stamp fee is. Elk, deer, sheep and goats for like 125. Hard to beat that. I have a younger brother who can't afford that (hes 17) because he's putting in for NV and CA.......but i'l spend that and put him in for UT. He's 17.........hopefully in his 30's, 40's, and 50's he will kiss my feet!

 

[Hill Hunter]

How does a guy take advantage of the '365 day' license? When do you apply for the point, so you can apply two consecutive years on the same hunting license? anytime between march 5th and 19th (pref and bonus point period)?

 

[Tim McCoy]

How does a guy take advantage of the '365 day' license? When do you apply for the point, so you can apply two consecutive years on the same hunting license? anytime between march 5th and 19th (pref and bonus point period)?

So long as the license is active at the time of purchase you are fine. Many buy the license well into the application period and apply, the next year you apply early in the app period on the same license.

 

[AT Hiker]

We r down to the wire. I got all my areas picked out, just gotta put my app in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[spotnstalk1]

I'm the last person wanting to see anymore pressure in Utah since I'm a resident. However, non residents are crazy if they are not applying for Utah.

If you are a trophy hunter, start banking points for that once or twice in your life time elk/deer hunt on a premium unit.

If you are an opportunity hunter, Utah has some of the best "general" season deer hunting in the west with 200"+ bucks taken each year on the wasatch, for example. (not the best opportunity state for elk, more of a trophy state)

But the biggest reason is the fact that non residents are allowed to apply for all 3 limited entry species in Utah. (Residents must choose between limited entry elk, deer or antelope each year.) Theoretically, a non resident may build points and draw a limited entry tag for all three species before a resident in the long run. I can't start building deer points until I've built 8-10 elk points and drawn my elk permit.

Not to mention the cost relative to other states is around half. $65 hunting license is cheap. NV and AZ are around $150, for example.

All that said, Utah is a waste of money, there no big bucks or bulls, tons of hunting pressure, and the hunting sucks here. Stay away.

 

[Zim]

Would you apply for a lottery knowing you don't have a great chance of drawing?
Utah I treat like a lottery. I don't plan to draw, but its a cheap lottery. I apply for governors tag lotteries in New Mexico and Colorado (elk and sheep), and I apply for Sheep in CO and MT, I buy raffle tags in MT, WY and AZ as well. I don't expect to draw any of those, but it would be awesome if I did. The money goes for wildlife management and improvement, and hopefully that translates to more animals and more tags in the future.

This I can agree with. If you are happy making donations for wildlife, and don't expect to draw anything, Utah is a good place for newbies to start applying from ground zero. But you may first want to research if your app fees are contributing to $200,000/year consulting fees to someone who has absolutely no education in wildlife biology, or has been involved with numerous scandals including poachers funneling tags to Expos, and aiding associates in an attempted theft of 500 premium public big game tags in an adjoining trophy state. And don't forget snagging 200 mostly NR premium tags to convert to raffle at convention you must attend to enter. And of course all this in the state with by far the most auction tags in the USA. You should be aware this is the kind of activity you will be funding. If you feel good about calling this "donations for wildlife", go for it.

 

[AT Hiker]

Broke down and applied. I came up with a strategy that I hope works in my lifetime, haha! I applied for elk, deer, antelope and a deer preference point. I opted out of the trophy species because those species do not interest me all that much.

 

[Zim]

I finally applied last night as well. With 18 points I dam well better draw too. Would have years ago had my hunt not been pilfered by The Don. He should go get a real job if not already retired on the public dime.

Got good plans B, C, D, E & F though if it's yet just another donation in Utah. Luckily Oregon allows until 2 weeks after the UT results post to change apps, so I can cash 17 for the Mt. Emily elk tag. I need to burn some of these points somewhere this year before another corrupt politician bends me over. I'm a sitting duck right now with a target on my back.

 

[okie archer]

Who is "The Don"?
Sorry, I'm in the dark.

 

[Zim]

Who is "The Don"?
Sorry, I'm in the dark.

Get a good night sleep.

Then get up, get yourself a pot of coffee, lean your chair back.

Then go to MonsterMuleys.com and do a search for SFW and/or Don Peay.

If you have 8 hours available you will be able to get through the first 10% of the threads.

To take short cuts to some of the more notable scandals, try the keywords AZ HB2072; Corey Rossi; Auction; Raffle; Accountability; Consultant Fees. To name a few.

Please keep in mind he has several plants on there that are either outfitters, employees or board members, all of whom have their fingers in the cookie jar..............financial interest to defend him. But there's more than enough honest, pissed off regular Joe's exposing DP/SFW for what they are............white collar criminals.