# Talk me out of the Wasatch



## DevilDog09 (Oct 4, 2016)

I’ll draw the Wasatch archery elk tag this year...IF I put in for it. I know the unit, I know where the elk are (most of the time). I’m looking for a 320+ bull. Why shouldn’t I pull the trigger? Id love to do a LE muzzleloader elk, but since allowing the scopes the points to draw have shot up. Anyone have good/bad experiences on the LE Wasatch elk in recent years?


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

I see no reason to avoid it. You check every box to be able to have a great hunt. I am not a bow hunter, so archery wouldn’t work for me, but sounds like it’s a thing for you. 

I say do it!


PS- How many points do you have? That might change my mind.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Save your points! I ate tag soup three years ago on the ML hunt. Not for lack of seeing, finding, Elk, (which were few) but because I was very picky. I was focused on one Bull, and chased him. Passed on a 330 class the last evening at 50 yds. because the "BIG GUY" was at 200. He dropped off into the depths of steep thick crap to never be seen.


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

I didn't hunt the Wasatch last year, but the year before that during the spike rifle hunt I had the drop on two different 6x6 bulls at 125ish yards, just not the right tag. Dumb luck that year, prior to that for 4 or 5 years I only seen a small herd ONCE, with no spikes.


The issue I have with the Wasatch is there's a boatload of private property. Maybe as nearly as half the unit in some places? Some of the best Elk habitat is on private property, and the Elk know it. Every year I hunted Spike rifle there, opening morning, all the Elk were making a beeline for private property. You can nearly set your watch by it. It doesn't help that some of the landowners are persnickety and cut down tree stands that are anywhere near the property lines.



That's less of a problem around Strawberry, but there's an Army of hunters in that area as well, so lots of pressure. I am completely unaware of how things are north of strawberry.


Personally, I hate the Watsatch (or at least, large portions of it). However, my experience there has only been during the month of October during the rifle hunt. Maybe LE Archery will be different then general season?


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## DevilDog09 (Oct 4, 2016)

Vanilla said:


> I see no reason to avoid it. You check every box to be able to have a great hunt. I am not a bow hunter, so archery wouldn't work for me, but sounds like it's a thing for you.
> 
> I say do it!
> 
> PS- How many points do you have? That might change my mind.


I have 6 points for this year. I Just have an itch that needs scratching and I think the Wasatch could scratch it


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

DevilDog09 said:


> I have 6 points for this year. I Just have an itch that needs scratching and I think the Wasatch could scratch it


I would say scratch it...

BUT - you are putting a number restriction on yourself. That will take away from the experience, especially if you look at archery success rates and realize it's hard as hell on any of the units.

"Bigorexia" is real. Could you kill a 320" on the wasatch? Absolutely. You could kill bigger.

Should you pass a Mature Bull in bow range because he may or may not make the cut? Nope.

If you want a sure-er thing - wait the 20 years to get a rifle tag. (Again - I am in the SEND IT and get more than one LE tag group).


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

I hunted it in 2011 archery. I hunted 18 days before connecting on a bull.
We saw multiple bulls most days and were in to elk every day. I was not being picky and set my goal as being satisfied with a six point or big five.

The truth is I shot the first bull that presented a shot I was comfortable with. Lucky for me it measured just shy of 320.

The only complaint I had was the amount of people. It was difficult to find a camp spot with every one leaving theirs for weeks at a time.

Best to go into it trying to just enjoy the hunt


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

it will be a tough hunt. It will be hot, and if you havent killed your elk by the first week of September then their patterns will change and all or most of your summer scouting will have gone out the window. It's a 25% success rate.

I had that tag in 2010 and it was tough.. we had monster bulls hitting a water hole all summer long, every week and the very week of the hunt they disappeared. I sat on that waterhole for nearly 17 days before anything bigger than a 300" came back in. With 3 days left to hunt, I had a 340 bull come in and I decided to take him.. Not quite my "bream bull" for a LE hunt but, better than tag soup!

Do It!! hunt your balls off and beat the odds! but, you run a higher risk of not filling a tag and then banished to the oblivion of a 5 year waiting period


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

goosefreak said:


> With 3 days left to hunt, I had a 340 bull come in and I decided to take him.. Not quite my "bream bull" for a LE hunt but, better than tag soup!


Again... I guess I am weird. A 340" is a freaking stud of a bull, especially with a bow! Congrats!


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I have a 340 bull hanging on my wall. I could of waited another week or so and hoped that a 390 one would of came in but the odds of that are so far out there that it is like playing the lottery. 

A 340 bull with either a rifle or a bow is a great elk.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

Critter said:


> I have a 340 bull hanging on my wall. I could of waited another week or so and hoped that a 390 one would of came in but the odds of that are so far out there that it is like playing the lottery.
> 
> A 340 bull with either a rifle or a bow is a great elk.


A lot of people will never even kill a mature bull in their lifetime. There are celebrity hunters that will never know the joy of taking a Rocky Mountain Elk.

So again, I am in the ever shrinking group that thinks taking down one of the most stealth and difficult to hunt animals in the US is just incredible.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

If harvest rate is something one is concerned about, they should not apply for an archery tag. Killing a bull with a bow is hard. Always has been, always will be. 

I just assumed anyone putting in for an archery tag knows that their chance of harvesting is lower than other weapon choices. If your desire is to have a much higher chance of harvesting, don't put in for the Wasatch archery tag. Wait 7-10 years and draw a late rifle or muzzy tag instead.

But if you know the drill with archery, and are okay with the chance of coming home empty handed at the end of an otherwise awesome hunt, I have no reason why you should avoid this tag this year.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

RandomElk16 said:


> Again... I guess I am weird. A 340" is a freaking stud of a bull, especially with a bow! Congrats!


Thanks! AND, you are absolutely correct. A 340" bull is a heck of a bull especially for archery but, when you have 360+ bulls hitting cameras all summer long and then disappear the week of the hunt those 340's turn into last day bulls.. I catch flack all the time for down talking those type of bulls. Its not that I'm down talking that quality type but, more of a "standard" thing. I grew up in a big elk hunting family as far as a LE unit is concerned 360is plus is where you start getting into different levels of badassery. Its just my own personal thing.

So, yes, a 330-340 bull is a heck of a bull.

I still stand firm that whoever came up with the idea of starting the archery elk hunt in mid-late August was a down right LOON!


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## Old bugler (May 24, 2017)

Two years ago I got tired of applying and knew I would get selected if I applied. Bio's told me how great the hunt would be and plenty of elk so I applied and got the LE archery tag. Hunted south of Strawberry and what a bust. Soooo many people and not so many elk. I was into elk everyday and could have shot a rag 5x5. Saw one 6x7 shooter while he was leaving with his cows to become a non resident somewhere. Save your points for a real quality unit. I got selected back to back years for the Dutton(2000 and 2001 non resident) and was into incredible bulls every day. Took a 6x7 341 and pig of a 5x5 the next year. I really regret wasting my points (13) on the Wasatch but age was becoming a factor for me. All my opinion anyway. Good luck with your decision.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

goosefreak said:


> Thanks! AND, you are absolutely correct. A 340" bull is a heck of a bull especially for archery but, when you have 360+ bulls hitting cameras all summer long and then disappear the week of the hunt those 340's turn into last day bulls.. I catch flack all the time for down talking those type of bulls. Its not that I'm down talking that quality type but, more of a "standard" thing. I grew up in a big elk hunting family as far as a LE unit is concerned 360is plus is where you start getting into different levels of badassery. Its just my own personal thing.
> 
> So, yes, a 330-340 bull is a heck of a bull.
> 
> I still stand firm that whoever came up with the idea of starting the archery elk hunt in mid-late August was a down right LOON!


I shot my bull about 500 yards away from where I saw a 365"+ the night before. It was tempting to want to keep going after him, but I also knew I would be happy leaving with this elk in my truck.

I feel you though. I still picture him with his amazing whale tail and perfect form. He was chasing solo cows, not even herded up. Weird for a bull so large, but also meant he didn't have to fight or get busted up. Just come in, take a hot cow, and run lol. He was a sissy but it kept his rack in perfect shape!


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