# Book Cliffs Roadless (DIY NonRes Archery Bear)



## Romulus (Mar 11, 2016)

I will be hunting the Book Cliffs Roadless Area with an Archery Bear tag this fall. This will be the thread I will be using to log information, post pictures, and seek community. Please find something here, but leave something... so that others may do the same. 

Do it yourself backcountry hunting is a difficult for all who partake in the endeavor. Nonresidents have additional obstacles to overcome, not the least of which being paying due respect to the wild that others call home. Special thanks to the forum moderators, the long time members of this forum, residents of Utah, and to those persons who live near the Book Cliffs and/or hold that area in a special place in their heart. 

Thanks. 


Here is to the hope that success is more than solace in the solitude. 


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## stuckduck (Jan 31, 2008)

Good luck!!! There are A lot of bears down in the Books!! My good friend and his wife both drew that same tag last year. I baited his bait station once as I was headed into the Roadless unit for LE Elk. He had some Bears that would hit his station from time to time but nothing consistent... Which was a great surprise to the amount of bears down there. A very tough area to pull it off as to the remoteness of the unit. It was a full day event to Bait his station.. Almost wonder if a spot and stalk would work? Seen plenty of bears looking for Elk.


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## Markthehunter88 (Nov 5, 2010)

stuckduck said:


> Good luck!!! There are A lot of bears down in the Books!! My good friend and his wife both drew that same tag last year. I baited his bait station once as I was headed into the Roadless unit for LE Elk. He had some Bears that would hit his station from time to time but nothing consistent... Which was a great surprise to the amount of bears down there. A very tough area to pull it off as to the remoteness of the unit. It was a full day event to Bait his station.. Almost wonder if a spot and stalk would work? Seen plenty of bears looking for Elk.


did you get a bull?


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

While various orgs fight over land designations all over the state, this is the single area that draws absolute and unequivocal support from everybody. You're about to experience why that's so. Be safe; have fun!


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

Plenty of bears out there. Get on a elk gut pile if you can.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

stuckduck said:


> Good luck!!! There are A lot of bears down in the Books!! My good friend and his wife both drew that same tag last year. I baited his bait station once as I was headed into the Roadless unit for LE Elk. He had some Bears that would hit his station from time to time but nothing consistent... Which was a great surprise to the amount of bears down there. A very tough area to pull it off as to the remoteness of the unit. It was a full day event to Bait his station.. Almost wonder if a spot and stalk would work? Seen plenty of bears looking for Elk.


Judd nailed it!
Bookcliff bears are the 'kings' of gutpiles during the fall season........


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## stuckduck (Jan 31, 2008)

goofy elk said:


> Judd nailed it!
> Bookcliff bears are the 'kings' of gutpiles during the fall season........


That was our determination..... my advice... take a old horse down there shoot it and hunt over it!


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

The only problem is that you might have a hard time finding a gut pile during the fall seasons in the road less section of the Book Cliffs. A lot of area and few permits. But I would be talking to every archery hunter or rifle hunter that is there that I see.


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## Romulus (Mar 11, 2016)

It sounds like i should pack in some chicken livers... maybe catfish bait? I had been told by eastern and canadian bear hunters to use donuts and/or cherry pie filling. It sounds like i will have at least two pack-ins as i will be on foot. Perhaps concentrated scents like those found in catfish bait would give me the most bang for my back. The bear is using scent to locate gut piles right, so why break my back hauling in all the local butcher shops spoiled meat. 

The last three years i have elk hunted at 12000 feet near silverthorne, colorado. My spot is twelve miles in with an 80lb frame pack and lots of elevation gain. I do that hunt with a friend and where never too considered about meat spoilage due to the prevailing temperature at elevation. 

I do not want to push the limits of the hike in on this hunt with presumably warmer temperatures and being solo. My big first question is where to access the unit. I originally thought the south access point through sego would be the way to go, but am not sure how long the trek is through the land of first peoples. From the information i gathered one entrance has a steep grade hiking down from the access point. Clarification on these two access points is much appreciated. 




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## Bucksnort (Nov 15, 2007)

I would think gut piles be difficult to hunt. Last year a bear stole and ate part one of my elk hind quarters last year. He took it overnight. At least with bait, they have time to become aquainted and accustomed to eating during the daylight.

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## riptheirlips (Jun 30, 2008)

*Couple tips*

Not sure where you will park we parked on top the hill which is a lot of switch backs and steep to get to. When I packed an elk out a bear had been in the bed of my truck and tried getting in my horse trailer. One truck had been demolished, they left potatoes in the front, couple coolers from trucks destroyed. I would not leave one bit of food in your vehicle, don't pack in food and leave it, several camps had their tents destroyed, all cans of food were opened. We had bear come in one night spooked the horses, we were chasing horses at 2 in the morning. I was elk hunting and seen many bear, couple bear followed me when I was packing a elk on horse dripping blood. Bear were on my gut pile the next morning. Seen a couple bear close enough to read the number in their red ear tag. Great hunt just be aware of what you leave in your vehicle or tent. They ate my soap I left by the small creek, but they replaced it with a pile of scat.

Have fun be alert


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## Shunter (Jul 23, 2014)

I will be down there for the spring spot and stalk hunt with a family member. I've never hunted the area but hopefully I will have some information and of course pictures to share with everybody.

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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Should be fun hunt either way

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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

I baited bears last year. My farthest bait was about 1/2 mile from the road. I freshened the bait about 3-4 times/week (packed in about 25 lbs. of bait each time, about 60 pounds on the initial haul). I was very tired of carrying bait by the end--especially with two sites. 

I'd be very thoughtful in where you place your bait. It took me about 5 weeks to finally get a bear, and it was a TON of work even though I was pretty close to a road. 

I'm not trying to discourage you, just advising you to be very strategic in your planning. I look forward to your thread. I should draw an archery deer tag on the Books this year. I hope to have a gut pile you can use.


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## Romulus (Mar 11, 2016)

AF CYN said:


> I baited bears last year. My farthest bait was about 1/2 mile from the road. I freshened the bait about 3-4 times/week (packed in about 25 lbs. of bait each time, about 60 pounds on the initial haul). I was very tired of carrying bait by the end--especially with two sites.
> 
> I'd be very thoughtful in where you place your bait. It took me about 5 weeks to finally get a bear, and it was a TON of work even though I was pretty close to a road.
> 
> I'm not trying to discourage you, just advising you to be very strategic in your planning. I look forward to your thread. I should draw an archery deer tag on the Books this year. I hope to have a gut pile you can use.


Did you hunt solid for five weeks? Just on weekends? Did you come in the north or south entrance?

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## Bucksnort (Nov 15, 2007)

I belive AFcanyons bear hunt was in the Wasatch 

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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Romulus said:


> Did you hunt solid for five weeks? Just on weekends? Did you come in the north or south entrance?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


He had a wasatch tag.

I agree with him on the bait and time deal. I had about 10 guys helping me pack bait. I hit the trail every night after work packing bait with different friends or with my kids. I have never worked so hard on a hunt in my life. I lost 30 lbs and packed in two huge truck loads of bait. It took at least a month before a bear even hit my bait. Once they hit my bait it went in a few days. If you run out they may come back but more then likely they will just move on. Doing a roadless bait hunt will be tough imho but looking forward to seeing your hunt unfold.

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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Mine was also a wasatch hunt. It really doesn't matter which unit your hunting because bears will act the same in either area. The bookcliffs does have a bunch of bears but the time of year you will be hunting will be tough with elk and deer carcasses all over. 

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## Bucksnort (Nov 15, 2007)

Romulus and my hunt (I have the same hunt only in the BC bitter creek area) fall in the middle of August so it may be possible the bears will find it sooner since coming out of hibernation will not be an issue...hopefully.

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## Romulus (Mar 11, 2016)

Bucksnort said:


> Romulus and my hunt (I have the same hunt only in the BC bitter creek area) fall in the middle of August so it may be possible the bears will find it sooner since coming out of hibernation will not be an issue...hopefully.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


Glad you found this thread. If your interested in hunting the fringe, our bait stations could compliment each other. From what i have read so far... it looks like the south entrance is the way i should enter the unit?

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## Romulus (Mar 11, 2016)

swbuckmaster said:


> Mine was also a wasatch hunt. It really doesn't matter which unit your hunting because bears will act the same in either area. The bookcliffs does have a bunch of bears but the time of year you will be hunting will be tough with elk and deer carcasses all over.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


I was thinking the elk season doesnt start until 8/20. Does muley season open earlier. I will start baiting end of July and start hunting August 6th.

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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Romulus said:


> Glad you found this thread. If your interested in hunting the fringe, our bait stations could compliment each other. From what i have read so far... it looks like the south entrance is the way i should enter the unit?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I'd be hunting the north end on the fringe...............


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

Ten mile knoll


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Romulus said:


> I was thinking the elk season doesnt start until 8/20. Does muley season open earlier. I will start baiting end of July and start hunting August 6th.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Deer hunts start third Saturday in aug. I was under the impression a fall tag went until late October for some reason.

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## Romulus (Mar 11, 2016)

Looks like two heavy hitters recommending the north side. I thought maybe being on foot might elicit a different suggestion. My only intel is a steep descending grade going into the roadless from ten mile and a longer walk on an easement from the south. Good thing i know what i dont know. Thanks goofy elk and JuddCT. 


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

Steep doesn't even begin to describe it!


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## Romulus (Mar 11, 2016)

is the south area no good? road in too long?


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## Romulus (Mar 11, 2016)

.

a little cat and mouse on my Western Washington predator cam. can't wait ti set up in the roadless. still looking for info about hiking in from sego canyon. thx.

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## Romulus (Mar 11, 2016)

Romulus said:


> .
> 
> a little cat and mouse on my Western Washington predator cam. can't wait ti set up in the roadless. still looking for info about hiking in from sego canyon. thx.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I drew an idaho moose tag and have elected not to go on this utah bear hunt. Bittersweet.

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