# Where to find cow elk around Little Dell Reservoir?



## Wolf (Jun 13, 2008)

I have tried to fill my cow elk tag around the Little Dell Reservoir without success. My tag ends January 31. I used to see elk feeding early in the morning far uphill from the reservoir in past years. Recent snow did not help much. Any suggestions on where to find them would be greatly appreciated!


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

All the way up on top Wolf.


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## Watcher (Dec 31, 2008)

Don't forget the snow shoes and a sled. After you pull the trigger it's all down hill.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Saw guys pulling one out today above the golf course. 

The tag you have sucks by the way especially sense they made immigration archery only. They sell way too many tags and know it is a low success unit. 

Good luck and yes bring the snow shoes and sleds it wont be easy.


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

I rather think that it's a high success unit...for those that are wiliing to try. As was said, the elk are going to be at the top and that's where I will be if I hunt there this weekend. They've been pushed around alot, so they won't be close to any roads.


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## bowhunter (Sep 10, 2007)

swbuckmaster said:


> The tag you have sucks by the way especially sense they made immigration archery only. They sell way too many tags and know it is a low success unit.


The tag he has doesn't suck. :roll: I actually think it's one of the easier tags to fill. the key is to get high and let the elk come to the hunter. Your best shot is still up above the golf course. Have fun, its a really cool hunt.


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

If this is considered a hard hunt in Utah you guys truley are spoiled. This is my archery backyard and I can get 100 yards from elk all year long in this area.
Get high, glass and then stalk, I started to PM you and offer to take you out but then realized it is so easy!!!! Dude, get high up glass, and then stalk!!!!!!!!!!
If I had a rifle this year I could have shot SEVEN cows and 2 bulls!!!!!! I only made 10 hunts!!!!


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Sure its easy to kill one with a rifle if you see one compared to killing one with a bow thats a no brain'er and any moron can figure that out.
That wasn't what i was saying.

Most of the cow hunts ive been on in this state you can kill cows from a vehicle. You dont have to worry about privite property, archery only areas, poor axcess. 

I think if its so easy to get a cow out of this unit the guys above would be glad to give you a hand. Sounds like they know more then i. Highly doubt it but will give them the benefit. 

If they fall through pm me and ill tell you where i have seen cows this week.


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

I'm not getting on you swbuckmaster, I'm just suprised that anyone would think this is a hard to hunt area or a low succes area. This is the winter grounds and my problem with this area is that the Elk are in the wide open and it is impossible to stalk them with a bow when they are sitting on top a hill in open sight! With a gun they would be an easy target. PERFECT rifle area!! I hunted this spot for the last few years and I'll let you in on a little secret, I won't tell you just where I hunt but the fact is I didn't shoot cows this year cause I am going to buy and raise some pork at my house so I didn't need meat. My hunts this year were more for the long term and were more scouting trips. I found some massive bucks and bulls and next year it is on!!
It is a big mountain and I might be hunting the archery only area and I might be on the edge of private, I won't give my spots away, I might have been on the public open bull rifle area or not. To tell you the truth it doesn't matter because with all this snow the Elk are on the public rifle areas. Like I said I started to PM Wolf and tell him just where to go but I just feel like it is to easy, if you just park the truck and glass you can find the elk!!! I didn't connect this year because I worked a lot for next year and for meat this year it is going to be out of my pocket. The little amount of hunts I made I could have killed a calf and cow, same with deer I could have killed a doe but I would rather pass, buy pork and shoot one next year.
I understand it is tough out there but like I said I made 10 hunts and could have shot 9 Elk on 10 hunts, if that is low success, I'm sorry you guys are spoiled!! Here is the deal wolf if you don't shoot one this weekend I'll let you know where the elk are in that area, I'd love to take you up and put you on them but I have to work. The BIG hint is " I saw one pulled down above the golf course"!!!
If shooting an elk above a golf couse is a hard hunt, I"m in heaven!!!! I want you to kill an elk wolf I really do but I just want you to learn what I've learned. I moved here 4 years ago, from Louisiana and I have learned a ton. I'd love to put you on an Elk and I will try my best, but take my advice, you are in an easy area where they have to many elk and DNR are GIVING out cow tags!! Glass, see the elk, and figure out how to get in range, I've done this with a bow and gotten withen 100 yards a bunch of times! To top it off this is my lazy spot when I don't feel like making a real hunt! Like I said I won't give my area away it is not in this area but this area is loaded with elk!! My Real hot spot is the same place I know of 4 wolves that make it there home and it is not to far away!!
Wolf shoot me a pm I'll put you on them but I just want a front quarter if you connect!!


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## hatch000 (Aug 4, 2011)

what unit is this cow hunt that you're all discussing and is it a rifle or archery hunt?


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Its a rifle tag that has beginning and ending dates, but you can shoot it with a bow any time from beginning of the archery hunt to end of jan 31st.

Its north i-80, west of salt lake county line, east if i-15. Dont know the north boundary or what the units called.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Double post


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## bowhunter (Sep 10, 2007)

swbuckmaster said:


> I think if its so easy to get a cow out of this unit the guys above would be glad to give you a hand. Sounds like they know more then i. Highly doubt it but will give them the benefit.


A little arrogant don't you think? Honestly if you think this hunt is a "hard" hunt I have to disagree. We can agree to disagree. I would agree with you if we were talking about the south side of I-80 That is a whole other animal. The north side is much more "friendly". We have taken 8 cows and 2 bulls within 2 miles of the reservoirs. I took the bulls with archery gear in the late season. Nothing great, a raggy and a 1 horned spike. That being said, as long as you get above the elk your chances increase dramatically.

Signed,
The guy who doesn't know as much as swbuckmaster :O•-:


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

bowhunter said:


> swbuckmaster said:
> 
> 
> > I think if its so easy to get a cow out of this unit the guys above would be glad to give you a hand. Sounds like they know more then i. Highly doubt it but will give them the benefit.
> ...


First i get beat up by a guy that has never killed anything up there and has only hunted it for 4 years and then you come on twisting my words into something there not.

Believe me i have no problems killing cows or small bulls on either the north side or south side with bow or killing a cow with a rifle. In fact i pass cows and small bulls every year with my bow on both sides of i-80. Im a big horn hunter. You put in the time anywhere in this state and you can usually be successful. You defiantly dont have to be anything special. I know im not. I also find its funny how you try and take a dig at my screen name. Lol i never picked that name it was given to me and then the name picked me. Lol

You guys are beating me up saying its an easy hunt. I disagree when you compare it to other cow units in this state where you never have to LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE to kill. The stuff i have said about this unit are simply facts. You can disagree with them if you want.

By the way killing anything with a rifle doesn't take any skill what so ever and its not hard to kill a cow with a rifle on either side of i-80

My south side i-80 cow this year


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## walkalot (Oct 11, 2011)

I will call it an easy hunt in the sense that the elk are "there"

There is definitely work involved in this hunt, but you can go into it knowing you will come out with an elk in1 day providing you don't blow your stalk and can get your elk out. I've taken two elk from there in December both close to 3 miles in. I packed mine out solo in two trips and the other with my father in law and out in one trip. No sleds involved just debone and carry it...

I highly recommend trekking poles with the deep snow, I did t use snow shoes but would have been nice on the way out. Everyone already told you where to go just by saying golf course. Get up high and walk the ridge line, glass for elk or even just the tracks and you know they're close. You may have to hike 2 to 3 miles but you'll find them. If you aren't willing to hike that far they definitely come closer and cross the road and such but gotta have some luck on your side to find them then, start hiking in the morning darkness and get in there and fill that tag. I saw over 30 elk the last time I went in December

Good luck, they're in there all over


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

So, I shot my cow in there last weekend. That makes it 3 cows w/ three tags. The elk are in there,BUT they always get the last laugh. Shot mine at 3:30, took me an hour to get to her through knee to thigh high snow, boned out and on the trail by 9pm (after a quick trail dinner) and took me 4 hrs. To pack out to the road, and it was only 1.75 miles away. The snow is DEEP and starting to crust in places. If u don't take snow shoes and poles, you'll regret it! Glass the night before and find them, then get up high to relocate the next morning. The elk I was after on Sat were right where I left them Friday night. Good luck Wolf! It's a high success unit as well as a high exertion area to boot. Gotta work hard to get them out once down.


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## bowhunter (Sep 10, 2007)

swbuckmaster said:


> bowhunter said:
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> > swbuckmaster said:
> ...


I'm not sure where I took a dig at your screen name. If you felt I did then I apologize. I have been on this forum long enough to see that you know what you're talking about. Just don't automatically think that you know more than someone just because they disagree with you. 
You stated that the "the tag sucks" and its a "low success unit". I disagreed, then you said "By the way killing anything with a rifle doesn't take any skill what so ever and its not hard to kill a cow with a rifle on either side of i-80" So you can see why I disagreed, now I guess I agree with your last statement. I guess I'm not really sure now what I agreed with you on. This can be confusing with all these opinions LOL.


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## Wolf (Jun 13, 2008)

Thanks for all suggestions you provided! This year is different! A friend and I tried all day (7:30 am- 6:30 pm) yesterday hunting on top of the hills south of the Little Dell Reservoir (north of the golf course). We went all the way up to the top ridge on the east where no human foot prints had been there. We saw 7 moose and one bull elk. There were few elk tracks left in snow. Snow was about a foot on top and a few inches on the south slopes. Don't know where the elk are. Saw two other hunting groups (three other hunters) on hills far north to us (they started from the parking lot).


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

swbuckmaster said:


> bowhunter said:
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I already said I wasn't beating you up, I was saying this is not a low success hunt! Which now you are agreeing with!
This is not a road hunt but that is obvious it is walk in only!!
The guy comes on here asking a question and he gets dishonest answeres saying sorry this is a bad tag and a low success hunt, when it is not at all, you are even confirming that now.
This is a hard hunt when you have to walk through all the snow but that doesn't mean it is hard to find and kill Elk. It is going to be phisically hard to hunt anywhere with all that snow!!
Swbuckmaster, you really have no way to spin this, you made a statement that wasn't accurate and acted like we were the ones that were wrong by saying maybe we know more than you do. Well, now that you are agreeing with us it looks like we were right all along, this is an easy area to kill an Elk with a rifle if you are after cows!!!


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Hogg Im not spinning this in any way. Ive said this is a low success cow hunt and it is. The division gives out more cow tags then there are cows on this unit. So there are going to be quite a few that eat their tag. Thats simple math! 

About the only place to hunt the cows is above the golf course. Guess where all the hunters are and guess where the cows aren't? The only thing i said is it isnt hard to kill anything with a rifle and it dont take any skill to kill anything with a rifle. Thats a fact! Unfortunately that unit isn't about driving around and killing anything out your window with a rifle. Its about finding a cow where you can shoot one. Those are the things that makes that tag suck!

Wolf i sent you a pm with my number. ill point you in a direction ive seen some cows. Its more info then you'll get out of hogg.


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## walkalot (Oct 11, 2011)

I sent wolf some messages on where to go as well...I agree there are more tags given out than are elk in the area, but still the elk are there plain and simple so it shocks me harvest numbers aren't higher. There are elk in more areas than just the golf course, they are also all the way back passed big hatch as well. I have 2 other locations to fill this tag north of bountiful, but you have to wait for them to move in and
Can be a rough hike also.....if it weren't for the smog you can glass them with a good spotter easily. That being said I agree there is no way they come near filling all the tags they've given out with lack of hunting area.


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

The elk move around in there depending on pressure. Sometimes they're above the golf course, sometimes in the canyons above Little Dell, sometimes further up the E Canyon road towards Big Mtn. I probably find them 75% of the time. Wolf, not sure exactly where you were at - if it was Alexander Ridge S of the lake, there are tracks every where. Keep at it - you'll get into them eventually. It took me three outings to get mine - and only two of them were up there.

I stiil disagree with SW though - it's only low success if you aren't willing to hike.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Wolf i sent ya my phone number to your email.


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## bowhunter (Sep 10, 2007)

swbuckmaster said:


> The division gives out more cow tags then there are cows on this unit. So there are going to be quite a few that eat their tag. Thats simple math!


That is interesting. I personally would have thought there were more elk on this unit. 200 tags right? So less than 200 cows on the unit? 
I would be willing to bet there are more cows than tags. IMHO. You would think there are at least 200 elk from I-80 all the way up to I-84. Right? That seems like a large area for that few of elk. Thoughts?


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

There probable is more than 200 cows. The problem is they hang on privite property or cwmu units. Just because a boundary is big doesn't mean you can hunt it all. 

Instead of cabitchen about me why dont you contact Wane and help him out? Like i said you two obviously know more about that unit than then I!

You guys are busting my balls because i say the unit sucks. The question i need to be asking is why do you care if i say it sucks. If i was or wanted to hunt this unit with a late cow tag "im not" and some dude came in saying it sucked id shut my pie hole and agree with him cause the last thing id want is more competition for such a prize tag. But you two will argue with me that its an awesome tag and then basically tell the dude to pound sand and keep hitting the hill. Makes no sense to me. I tell him it sucks but still point him to the elk via phone call. 

If i publicly say im wrong and your right and killing an elk off it is as smooth as cream corn will you quit stalking me or do i need to get a restraining order? Lol 

"the unit is awesome cause hogg, bowhunt and swbuck says so" lol:smile:


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

A couple weeks ago, there were over 200 head of elk in the Barney's Hollow area in City Creek. Not sure if they're in there now - I spoke to a biologist last week and they didn't have any new info. That's another area to keep in mind if Little Dell doesn't pan out. Best way to access is to come in from Bountiful.


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

swbuckmaster said:


> Hogg Im not spinning this in any way. Ive said this is a low success cow hunt and it is. The division gives out more cow tags then there are cows on this unit. So there are going to be quite a few that eat their tag. Thats simple math!
> 
> About the only place to hunt the cows is above the golf course. Guess where all the hunters are and guess where the cows aren't? The only thing i said is it isnt hard to kill anything with a rifle and it dont take any skill to kill anything with a rifle. Thats a fact! Unfortunately that unit isn't about driving around and killing anything out your window with a rifle. Its about finding a cow where you can shoot one. Those are the things that makes that tag suck!
> 
> Wolf i sent you a pm with my number. ill point you in a direction ive seen some cows. Its more info then you'll get out of hogg.


Lol, you are a stand up guy man, you offer advice and then say you will give him more info than me? LOL what great guy you are I hope you do offer more advice than I do cause I'd like to see Wolf kill one and any tips he gets will help. If you think above the golf course is about the only place to hunt cows you surely know much much less about that area than I do!! If you read all your posts that you have made it is clear to see you are talking out of both sides of your mouth, first you say it is a low success hunt and then you say it is easy to kill a cow on this unit, I guess that is cause it is a rifle hunt and in your opinion it takes no skill to kill with a rifle,, hmm.


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

bowhunter said:


> swbuckmaster said:
> 
> 
> > The division gives out more cow tags then there are cows on this unit. So there are going to be quite a few that eat their tag. Thats simple math!
> ...


That area has way way way more than 200 cows. I've seen 200 head on 1 hunt before. Don't let anyone tell you different!
I'm no Elk master but I have eyes and I know what I've seen and I know that area has a lot of Elk!!


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Hogg i thought we already went over this a few post up. You defiantly know more than i when it comes to hunting the front. We dont need to keep measuring boners you win. I give!


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Anyone know who the two hunters were that got lost above Little Dell and had to get pulled out by Search and Rescue? Glad they made it out being nothing more than cold and a little lighter due to the bill they'll receive from the county. My hunting partner was packing out a cow he killed on Sat. and saw the search and rescue folks gearing up to go in around 4pm. The storm really hit hard up there - always check the weather and have extra gear to handle the elements!!


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

I don't know who it was but I heard on the news that they were 5 miles back!! I know the news always gets things wrong so I'm not saying they really were that far in but if they were then good gosh that is nuts!!


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