# Call me dumb... (San Rafael North, elk)



## tailbon3 (Nov 26, 2012)

Yes, I deserve it but let me explain. 
From the antlerless guidebook: "During the 2012 season, the Division wants hunters to harvest as many antlerless elk as possible from eight of Utah's hunting units"
So I got all excited and put one as my 2nd choice, the San Rafael North unit. Well, after drawing a tag for that unit my brother says, "Hey dummy, why did you draw us tags for a 'very low success hunt'?" 
And I said, "What? It's an elk control unit. I assumed that meant we'd have a great chance." 
And my dad said, "Oh great, its likely my last hunt and you draw us a 'very low success hunt' tag?"
Me: <grimace  >

So, help me out! How do I find an elk in a giant desert? Anyone have any desert elk hunting experience? I spent a weekend down to the Cedar Mountain rec area for a scouting trip but didn't see any sign at all. Has anyone else hunted down that way?


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

Water....elk drink a lot of water. Start there.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Without looking at just what the boundaries are I would say around the Price River or out on Cedar Mountain. 

And just if you already don't know, the reason that they want hunters to harvest all the anterless that is possible is that the DOW doesn't want elk in these areas.


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## polarbear (Aug 1, 2011)

Welcome to the forum. PM sent. P.S. That was kinda dumb to put in for that hunt.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Finding elk is getting really difficult, but there is a few herds still out there. If I had that tag I would focus on the areas west of buckhorn res. Hadden hills and even closer to Huntington. I see elk every year out calling coyotes as they are leaving the farmers fields. If you push the trees on the hills just west of the res from north to south or vise versa you should come across some elk if not some sign to help you locate them.
If that dosn't work there is a small herd that is right at Wimmer Flat on Cedar mtn. They will stay on the private property right there most of the day but we have caught them to the south in the mornings and also to the west. 
The property belong to Triple 7 ranches and they will not let anyone hunt it, guess thats why the elk stay there.
Don't be to discouraged though there are still elk out there and finding them is going to be a fun challenge. 
I will keep you posted if I hear anything. I talk alot to the ranchers who run there cattle out there and they will usually tell me if they see elk.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Call the guys at the Price DWR office and out at Desert Lake WMA and see what they know; they likely get complaints and could likely get you permission to hunt private land. Good luck!


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## MKP (Mar 7, 2010)

I'd agree with Mike, most of the elk out there will be on or near Cedar Mountain. Last group I saw out there were near Bob Hill Spring on Cedar Mountain. Buckhorn Reservoir currently has water in it so keep a close eye on it. It was just a few years back that I saw a herd of about 30 just to the west of Cedar Mountain.


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## tailbon3 (Nov 26, 2012)

Thanks for all your help. I'm finally getting around to a hunt report 
I think they shot most or nearly all of them last year. We didn't see any fresh tracks anywhere near Buckhorn reservoir. We did finally find some tracks near a small pond in the hills south of Buckhorn but they were old, something like a month old. We talked to a coyote hunter and he said about the same thing. Only saw two elk tracks on Cedar mountain last time it snowed and they had been all over that mountain. The ranger we talked to said they'd been up in the helicopter a couple days before we got there and didn't see elk or desert sheep. I don't think I'll bother going back down. We did see a really nice group of pronghorn south of Cedar mountain.
Merry Christmas everyone!


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Don't feel bad. I've drawn THREE late season cow tags and I'm 0 for 3 on filling them.  
I can kill them all day long and twice on Sundays in the early season with a stick bow and a wood arrow, but give me a rifle and put some snow on the ground and I might as well be Stevie Wonder...

Did you call Goffy? He knows where EVERY single elk on EVERY singe unit is at EVERY single minute of EVERY single day. I'm sure he'd be glad to help you out.


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## MadHunter (Nov 17, 2009)

TEX-O-BOB said:


> Don't feel bad. I've drawn THREE late season cow tags and I'm 0 for 3 on filling them.
> I can kill them all day long and twice on Sundays in the early season with a stick bow and a wood arrow, but give me a rifle and put some snow on the ground and I might as well be Stevie Wonder...
> 
> Did you call Goffy? *He knows where EVERY single elk on EVERY singe unit is at EVERY single minute of EVERY single day.* I'm sure he'd be glad to help you out.


You forgot of every single season of every single year! :mrgreen:


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

If you 2 idiots only knew how much time I've spent on the Swell, you'd chiit....

I'll save ya some time, theres only about 6 head of elk left on the whole unit.
And it's a BIG , NASTY, unit.,,,,Dont wast your time.

Bet a $1000, I'm the only one on this forum that can honestly say they've
caught mountain lions on the San Rafael!


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## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

TEX-O-BOB said:


> Don't feel bad. I've drawn THREE late season cow tags and I'm 0 for 3 on filling them.
> I can kill them all day long and twice on Sundays in the early season with a stick bow and a wood arrow, but give me a rifle and put some snow on the ground and I might as well be Stevie Wonder...
> 
> Did you call Goffy? He knows where EVERY single elk on EVERY singe unit is at EVERY single minute of EVERY single day. I'm sure he'd be glad to help you out.


^^^^^^ ahhhhhhaaaaaaa


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

goofy elk said:


> If you 2 idiots only knew how much time I've spent on the Swell, you'd chiit....
> 
> I'll save ya some time, theres only about 6 head of elk left on the whole unit.
> And it's a BIG , NASTY, unit.,,,,Dont wast your time.
> ...


There are more than 6 elk. And while it is a big unit there are only a handful of places the elk will be so for an elk unit its pretty small. 
And while I haven't caught a lion, because I don't have hounds, I have seen plenty and should have killed a few but didn't have a tag.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Opps, forgot the zero  I'm going with the DWRs numbers on this one....
Estamated total herd size of 60 elk on the swell:lol: (2011 numbers)....

And for the record, the oldest lion I ever had a client harvest came off 
Cedar Mountain. Aged at 14 years old by the DWR. (2005)


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## MadHunter (Nov 17, 2009)

goofy elk said:


> If you 2 idiots only knew how much time I've spent on the Swell, you'd chiit....
> 
> I'll save ya some time, theres only about 6 head of elk left on the whole unit.
> And it's a BIG , NASTY, unit.,,,,Dont wast your time.
> ...


Tsk tsk tsk ...... some folks are a little too touchy.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

MadHunter said:


> goofy elk said:
> 
> 
> > If you 2 idiots only knew how much time I've spent on the Swell, you'd chiit....
> ...


Just don't like being mocked is all,,,,,
And I know, a lot of guys on this forum think I'm to '****y' and a 'know it all...

But I'll tell you what , spend about 150-200 days a year on the mountain for a
Quarter of a century, and a guy learns a few places and things


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## treedagain (Nov 21, 2009)

goofy elk....don't take this the wrong way but if you can tree a lion on the "swell" you most likely should be doing it....and kiling them all... the drop in sheep #s is in a good part due to lions. i have run more than my share of lions and after hunting down there for my desert ram i would not want to turn my dogs loose where i killed my ram.... there are spots i would if the track was right buttttt it would be a adventure in its self to just get my dogs back..


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

I here ya treed! That old cat we killed was INSAINE!
We ran it 6 times before the dogs finally figured out all that cats ' hat tricks'.

So many places in the ledges the cat could hang up the dogs. On the final run, on
the south side of Cedar mountain, the cat had seemingly disappeared at a 30' rock 
cliff going back up. After searching, we found a seam full of boulders that was
'cave like' going up... WE HAD TO ROPE THE DOGS UP!
The caught the dang thing were I SWEAR, IT LOOKED LIKE MARS! Freaky look'in stuff!

And ya, The Sheep out there are WAY COOL! Ran a few cats down in North Salt and
Coal wash. I'm done with that stuff! haven't turned a dog loose in there for 5/6 years now.

Back to the elk, In all the time I've spent out there, I've only seen 1 cow and a calf,
Looking WAAY lost over in Humbug.


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