# Book Cliffs North and South



## Dahlmer (Sep 12, 2007)

http://wildlife.utah.gov/maps/public/details_boundary.php?boundary_id=714

http://wildlife.utah.gov/maps/public/details_boundary.php?boundary_id=15

I'm curious what your thoughts are regarding the split for the any weapon hunt. I haven't seen any info from the state as far as how many tags the DWR anticipates putting in each unit. I get that they won't have any final numbers until April, but it would be nice if there were some guidance provided based off of last years numbers.

If they had included the roadless area in the South unit, it would be an easy decision for me, but they way they split it makes the decision more difficult. May just have to apply for the muzzy tag.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

All they have done is gone back to the way that it was in the mid 90's before they closed it. The south unit can be a bear to hunt unless you figure out the migration patterns. But there are some good bucks in the deeper canyons.


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## derekp1999 (Nov 17, 2011)

It was done to further manage the hunting pressure correct? Didn't they determine that most of the pressure was on the north end of the unit?

I don't think tag allocation will be 50:50, I imagine that more tags will be allocated to the north unit (exactly how many more, who knows) just because it seems to have more of the winter range that deer will be migrating to. I would also assume that the north end would recieve more applicants due to its proximity to the Wasatch Front compared to the south unit. 
Just my thoughts... purely speculation.


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

While the South has a higher Buck to Doe ratio, the North holds more deer and is easier to hunt. The South seems to have a touch better quality overall. I'd look in my crystal ball and guess the South with receive 25-30% of the any weapon permits. Just a wild guess. How many points do you have?


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## Dahlmer (Sep 12, 2007)

Packout said:


> While the South has a higher Buck to Doe ratio, the North holds more deer and is easier to hunt. The South seems to have a touch better quality overall. I'd look in my crystal ball and guess the South with receive 25-30% of the any weapon permits. Just a wild guess. How many points do you have?


I am still a few years out, but wonder if this year odds might be better for one or other. Most of my experience is in the Roadless area. I would prefer to access the unit from the top rather than the bottom, but worry about camping in the North unit and hunting in the Southern.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

is the split just for the rifle hunt or is that for all hunts ?


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## Broadside_Shot (Feb 22, 2010)

Here is my thoughts on the Unit being split

The Book Cliffs Unit during the rifle hunt is essentially two units anyways.

It is not an easy effort to hunt both sides as 1 unit.

The problem I have with the split is along the same lines as the Thousand Lake area.
It feels like a hidden agenda to eventually get rid of all Limited Entry and just have units.

Thousand Lakes maintained 18 Bucks per 100 Does as a Limited Entry by allowing roughly 50 Tags. This was not good enough for Limited Entry Standards and being that it met the General area numbers they changed it.

Well Thousand Lake should have been the easiest unit to appoint tags to but no they go and issue roughly 400.

They know the exact numbers of who hunted the Book Cliffs and where they harvested the deer based on harvest surveys.

I see the same things happening here. They end up issuing more tags than they should, Buck numbers declined, meet General requirements and there you go, Lets make it a General Unit.

We will see when they assign tags numbers if they total what last years was or if they are more.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

It's all a swag until the numbers are released. Then it will be three years or more to see the damage done to the buck doe ratios

Im crossing my fingers it helps instead of hurts. I personally didnt see a problem with how it was being ran before they chopped it up. For the life of me I don't know how people think this will help. The only way you see more bucks is to kill less bucks. The bookcliffs was a good fun low end quality hunt.


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## Kevinitis (Jul 18, 2013)

I thought all the biggest bucks usually come off the North more than the South? Is this true and if so why?


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

South end has bucks escaping to indian land. North end has roads all over.


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## Berretta40 (Aug 24, 2013)

Hunted this area a few years back with my Dad and brother. Not super impressed with the area for nice mature bucks ( northern ). As someone else mentioned; it is a low end fun hunt though. Had a great time with the fam; but i don't think i'll put in again for the area. 
If you do draw however, prey for bad weather. The breeding season is about a month or so early here, and with a couple days of rain, the deer migrate like sheep northward. 

We all harvested 22-23" bucks on our hunt.


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