# Deseret Elk



## Afishnado (Sep 18, 2007)

I've been putting in for Deseret Ranch elk, andI have enough points now that I should draw within the next year or two. 
Who here has hunted Deseret lately? I haven't heard anything good about them since the new outfitters have taken over. I know someone who said his experience was horrible because unless you hire them to guide you they treat you like crap and try their hardest to keep you from being successful. He said it's only about the money for them. Is there any truth to that?


----------



## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

None of what you have relayed sounds right to me. I have NOT hunted there yet, but will be in Dec. My dealings with them so far have been very positive.
I don't understand why they would not want to have you harvest your animal, it's all about sound game management.
Maybe, just maybe you would have better odds if you hired one of their guides, but I believe all the guides would try their best to get you within shooting distance of an animal whether you had hired them or not.
One thing for sure, if YOU trust what your information people are saying, I'd say DON'T put in for a Deseret tag.


----------



## Afishnado (Sep 18, 2007)

Bears Butt said:


> None of what you have relayed sounds right to me. I have NOT hunted there yet, but will be in Dec. My dealings with them so far have been very positive.
> I don't understand why they would not want to have you harvest your animal, it's all about sound game management.
> Maybe, just maybe you would have better odds if you hired one of their guides, but I believe all the guides would try their best to get you within shooting distance of an animal whether you had hired them or not.
> One thing for sure, if YOU trust what your information people are saying, I'd say DON'T put in for a Deseret tag.


I'm not sure that I do trust the information,that's why I'm trying to get all the facts. I'd like to hear from someone else that has hunted Deseret recently so I can make the decision of whether or not I still want to hunt there. 
There's no way I'd ever hire a guide, I think that takes away from the hunt.


----------



## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

You will have a good hunt all by yourself and you may even get an average bull 300-350. The opporator told us we could only have one friend.


----------



## Afishnado (Sep 18, 2007)

swbuckmaster said:


> You will have a good hunt all by yourself and you may even get an average bull 300-350. The opporator told us we could only have one friend.


I could have shot average today, definitely not looking for average.


----------



## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

I'm pretty sure you have to have a guide if you're hunting big bulls on the ranch. Lots of big bulls up there, though. 

I just got back from a deer hunt last month. I think almost every elk hunter got a bull. The smallest I saw was about 315", the biggest was 384". One hunter shot a 5x6 management bull that was 350." These were all private hunters.


----------



## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

You do have to hunt with a guide. Nothing like waiting to draw a tag and getting to hunt with your new best friend. Not! I'd prefer to do it with family and friends arround. 

The cwmu is not for me.


----------



## Afishnado (Sep 18, 2007)

Thanks for everyone's comments. I think I'll be changing where I put in for.


----------



## eyecrazy (May 4, 2008)

you have to have a guid if you shoot and wound a animal then that is yours you can try to retreve it but that is it the only one you get to hunt


----------



## tshuntin (Jul 13, 2008)

Afishnado said:


> I could have shot average today, definitely not looking for average.


How many points do you have? What is your size expectation for a bull?


----------



## Afishnado (Sep 18, 2007)

I have 15 or 16 points, can't remember which. I'll want a 350+ bull. Right now I'm up to the Unitah's after a beautiful 390 bull. He's a smart one as you can imagine, but it's sure fun trying.


----------



## tshuntin (Jul 13, 2008)

Very cool. Good luck!


----------



## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

I have done cow elk hunts there. One was under the old management, and the other was last year, under the new management. I have not done a bull hunt. 

My experience with the new management on the cow hunt, is they are good enough guys. The guides WANT you to be successful. You will be hunting with one of their guides. One guide, Amos, has been there forever and I think he knows all the elk by name. That thinks like an elk. Tommy, the new owner of the hunting management is that way as well. He has been there forever and he only succeeds, if hunters succeed. His boys are also guides. They are good guys, young, a bit ****y, but good guys, and good guides. 

You will see elk, lots of them, and you will have a chance at a very good bull. But it isn't hunting a game farm. The elk get pushed very hard, for a very long time. Of course, the bull hunts happen well before the cow hunts, and when the rut is going on so you will be successful. It is not a do it yourself hunt, and you can't take a bunch of people with you. So if that is what you want your "I've waited 18 years for this tag" hunt to be, then apply somewhere else.


----------



## Bite Me (Jan 10, 2011)

Just got back from a deer hunt up there with my brother. His tag was a draw tag, not purchased. If you want a 400+ elk, or a 30" deer, it's probably the wrong place for you. If you want a 300+ elk, a nice 20-25" buck, and lots of friendly help from the guides up there, this is probably a hunt for you. In my opinion the guides bent over backwards to help you. Deer hunters could use the guide or do it on their own. Elk hunters are required to have a guide for the following reason: they are basically there to verify if you hit the elk or not. As many of you are aware, an elk can take a lot of abuse, and appear not to be hit, so the guide is just there to verify this. I would recommend this hunt to anyone. It was fun.


----------



## Blanding_Boy (Nov 21, 2007)

Sorry, excuse me.....

You don't 'trust all the information' and yet you are trying to get the truth here? That sounds real logical doesn't it?

Why don't you call the wildlife manger and talk to him

435-793-4288

Best


----------



## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

The guys that run the show are good guys. The 'new' management isn't really new. Tom has been handling it for a long time.

My dad shot a bull there 4 years ago with a public draw tag. His health limitations made it a perfect hunt for him. They bent over backwards to make sure his goals were met. And they were. Great experience for him.


----------



## Afishnado (Sep 18, 2007)

Glad to hear so many positive stories, just the feedback I was looking for.


----------



## mack1950 (Sep 11, 2007)

my wife drew the tag and it was outstanding; the thing to remember about the guiding is that u are receiving the same hunt that the hunters paying the full price I believe its around 15,000 your not only getting a guide but you will be staying at a fully staffed lodge, all food, lodging is included. the guides are a very big plus as deseret has over 200,000 acres for u to look over, from what I have seen on the bulls available you could fall out of the truck have your gun go off a kill a 300 class bull. the guides do there level best to get you a trophy bull but you still have to do your part, like I said its a big hunk of property be in the best physical shape you can get into a lot of the better canyons are steep and deep and 90 percent of the road are on top meaning you will be hunting down into a lot of honey holes, you could get lucky a few do. deseret will work with you as far as scheculing but you will be likely be placed toward mid sept to the third week usually with the other lucky draw hunters. a average bull will run 330 to 340 with bulls going up to 380 plus with a success ratio around 80 percent. the one thing deseret cannot control is the capability of the hunter poor shooting and physical conditioning affects the success ratio a lot. if you are looking for a do it yourself hunt and a 390 upwards
bull this is not the hunt for you but if your looking for a free all inclusive except tags hunt with a great chanch at a trophy bull you might consider it carfully a quick phone call to the hunt manager will give you all the details


----------



## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

My buddy hunts there every year. He has done doe Ant., buck ant, cow elk, and bull elk. His nephew also did buck deer. He loves it up there and the guides are real good to him. Bull is the only hunt you have to be guided and from everyone I know, their guides are very polite and want you to be successful. It is their job for you to be successful. 

Only negative I have heard is that the private buck deer hunters go where the bigger bucks are, and the draw buck hunters ofter hunt in a different area where getting a monster is a whole lot harder/luckier.


----------



## elkfan (Jul 30, 2013)

I've been putting in for the Deseret elk hunt as well and I've wondered about the experience with the guides. Two guys I know both had uncles hunting bulls at Deseret last week. Both of the hunters said their entire experience was nothing short of excellent. They both said they were treated "like royalty" for the entire week. They also said that their respective guides were extremely pleasant and worked very hard to put them on bulls that met their individual (realistic) criteria. 

I know I'm still several years away from drawing the tag, but to me it sounds like the current experiences are very positive.


----------

