Utah MRS ALL Species 2014- Seeking comments

[Breshears]

Hey guys and gals, I am getting ready to tighten up my annual article for Utah gen. application process and general updates. I am curious to hear from you guys on how thins are in your areas. Anything really good or really bad that the state isn't reporting on? I have a few good contacts down there, but I didn't get to hunt there this year. So let me know your thoughts. What do you think of the new-ish 30 unit deer plan? Any areas get hit by a die off? How are the wolves effecting things. etc. PM me or comment here. Thanks again! -Jordan

 

[RUTTIN]

Jordan, I know where I hunt the 30 units has really taken a toll on the deer numbers in the units in the Uintahs. I bow hunt and have not noticed a difference in the number of people in the unit, but since they have moved to the 30 units, when I take my 14 year old boy out on the rifle hunt it is a joke! They give way to many tags out (Kamas Unit to be specific) and it has been hard to even find does let alone a buck. We do not road hunt, and try to get away from the many orange pumpkins. Places I used to hunt 4 years ago are now over run with a lot of people that you would never see before. On our way in you will see over a hundred people on ATV's and trucks, where before the 30 units you might run into ten. DWR just has to many people packed into these small areas. As far as the elk go in the any bull units in the Uintahs the elk are starting to make a slight comeback and if a guy is willing to get away from the people you have a good chance at taking a branch antlered bull, especially on the rifle hunt where it starts so early the bulls are still rutting pretty good. This year there were a lot more mature bulls shot on the rifle hunt. The moose on the North Slope unit have started making a comeback too. I saw more moose this year than I have in the past, if we could only get people to quit poaching them. Hope this helps a little.

 

[mtnrunner260]

Ruttin is right about the 30 units. It seems there are a few around the state that just get lots of hunters dumped into them because, they have alot of public land and it keeps the statewide total of deer tags near the same.

 

[clacklin009]

Agreeing with the last two comments, my thoughts on the new 30 unit deer system is that areas hunters have not desired to go, and hunting in ways they have not desired to hunt (archery, muzzle loader), are now becoming their only options to get tags. This is leading to pressure in areas that have not seen it in the past. I'm not sure if the DWR numbers will agree with that statement, but I hunt the North Unitas and the ATV traffic during bow season was crazy last year. Even with the crazy traffic I didn't see anyone while up on the mountain which makes me think there were a lot of people new to the area and they were sticking close to the roads for easy hunting (hard to hunt the area if you don't know it, so thick).