# How about an update from all the archery hunters?



## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Here's mine. Things are slow so far. Last weekend I heard my first bugles of the year and saw a herd of about 20 or so cows with a couple small bulls in it. Couldn't see the bugler, but before the hunt started I saw a bull in this area that I deemed a shooter and I was hoping it was him. Other hunters came in to the area and buggered them out before I got a chance to find out.

Last night I saw a few small bulls that got spooked and ran off by a party of campers that showed up close by. I was just trying to help UWN poster snoodle get on them this morning since his limited hunting time has him ready to punch his tag, but they were nowhere to be found. Later in the morning we were heading to an area I had seen bulls earlier. On our way there we were stopped by a game warden who had just seen a bull on the hill and took us over to show us the spot, but the bull was no longer visible by the time we got there. Snoodle and his brother were gonna hang out and come up with a plan, and I headed back to town to spend the day with my wife and get ready for the next four days of work I gotta get through before I have 9 in a row off to close out the hunt and hopefully get it done.

So far it is has been pretty hot, quiet, and uneventful. I'm hoping that is about to change though. I found a couple good looking wallows that both have my cams on them now. This weekend I checked one, but it was cold still, no action yet. That didn't discourage me though. I expected it. It seems like about September 5th or so is when the good wallowing action always starts. I was able to talk to some guys who hunted the Manti in previous years and I got some really good intel. 

What has everybody else been seeing? Good luck to everybody still trying to get it done.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

The herds of cows have the satellites running with em but the big boys I found the last few weeks before the opener are MIA. They’re starting to bugle and had a mediocre 5x5 underneath me at my stand yesterday evening and let him walk. There was another bull bugling back in the timber 150 yards away I never got a look at.

Had a 4x5 and 40 cows come 60 yards below me on an overlook where I found a good bull two weeks ago and let him walk. Had elk all around me this morning but that small bull and herd of cows is all the elk I seen besides the cow that was 20 yards behind me I scared the crap out of when I stood up. 

It’s def better action than the first two weekends and they’re getting vocal and warming up. Just gotta wait for the big boys to join the party when the estrus starts blowing in the breeze.


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

I killed a doe the first 15 minutes of light opening morning. Went home and did family things for my dads birthday. Sunday I had to work for a few hours so I spent the rest of the day at home with the family. Monday I sat all day on a spring and saw 2 bulls and some deer. Tuesday I relocated to another area (that apparently someone thinks they own and has the balls to call me and tell me to stay the hell out of there because it’s his. Long story...) and killed a spike that came in with a 2x2 at 10:30 am. That was the end of my archery season. I have a dedicated tag for another unit, but I have 6 days off for the muzzy and another 6 for the rifle if needed, so I think I’ll wait and drag my big game hunts out for a little longer.

Ps the elk are really starting to get fired up around the central part of the state. At least the ones I know of area.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

took a deer a couple days ago and have watched the pressure change the elk patterns in my area. the larger animals i have on cam have been more active at night and the rest have pushed further off of trails into harder to access areas. the elk that were visible the first 10 days of the season have pulled a houdini. still have not heard an elk bugle this season but i am hunting a moderate to high pressured area.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

sheepassassin said:


> I killed a doe the first 15 minutes of light opening morning. Went home and did family things for my dads birthday. Sunday I had to work for a few hours so I spent the rest of the day at home with the family. Monday I sat all day on a spring and saw 2 bulls and some deer. Tuesday I relocated to another area (that apparently someone thinks they own and has the balls to call me and tell me to stay the hell out of there because it's his. Long story...) and killed a spike that came in with a 2x2 at 10:30 am. That was the end of my archery season. I have a dedicated tag for another unit, but I have 6 days off for the muzzy and another 6 for the rifle if needed, so I think I'll wait and drag my big game hunts out for a little longer.
> 
> Ps the elk are really starting to get fired up around the central part of the state. At least the ones I know of area.


Nice. I'm glad you killed one of "his" elk.


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

colorcountrygunner said:


> Nice. I'm glad you killed one of "his" elk.


Me too. After that conversation me and him had, I plan on hunting that spot exclusively for the next few years at minimum to remind him of how public land works.

Or I might send the coordinates to every guy looking for a great cow and spike area to hunt on every social media site I can find.

I haven't decided yet.


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## Gledeasy (Mar 23, 2014)

I've spent about 5 days archery for deer. I have a dedicated hunter tag. I know a couple of bucks in the area have been harvested. The deer are scattered, haven't seen my target buck for a while. 

Last Friday I got to 15 yards of this guy. I have never harvested anything with my bow and wanted to get some practice getting my pin on him; however, there was brush in the way. I had decided to pass on him but sometimes I wonder why I did lol.


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## cdbright (Aug 24, 2016)

he would be in my freezer !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Schleppy (Jul 16, 2008)

On the Manti now glassing a bench to see what I can see. Spent the morning hiking all over an area I chased some bulls in last weekend..they’re gone. Either blown out from the pressure of the MASSIVE amount of people here this weekend or trying to find the ladies now. Going to check out some of the other places I scouted this summer tomorrow. 

Good luck all...


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## AndrewW (Aug 26, 2013)

More cattle and sheep than in the past five years in my top 3 places. Had herds of 30+ elk in June and July, then the livestock showed up. Nothing in over a month. Scoured all the usual hidey holes, even went into the forbidden bedding areas and no fresh sign. The spots are 10 mi apart too. 

Anyone else seeing this?


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## Schleppy (Jul 16, 2008)

Things are heating up on the Manti boys...heard my first bugle this morning and many more tonight.


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

They were talking up my way last night and this a.m. Sat on the deck and listened with my grandson (15 years old) till 11 last nite. 
Got up at 6 this morning and he was still talking. 
Waited for light and we went in after him. Had a blast, two more joined in the chorus. :grin:
Came VERY close to getting a nice bull. Was just barely out of range. 
I set up for the one that was bugling below us.......and the one behind us came in and about ran us over. 
We chased them clear down to the bottom of the draw. My grandson wanted to keep going after them. 
By then it was 8:30, but they were still talking. He had never played with elk like that. 
Didn't want to chase them out of the area. We will go play with them next weekend. 
He had a blast........pretty sure he is hooked.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

Found one bull this weekend that was bugling very sparingly. No cows with him yet.

Lots of does, a couple small bucks, nothing special.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

I filled my bull tag opening day on an any bull unit. I went back out this passed weekend to try to get a cow with/for my brother but didn't get a shot. After Saturday morning they all seemed to be pretty jumpy, scattered, and hiding in their hard to reach holes. A lot of cattle showed up the the area too, so I'm not sure if it was mostly the hunting pressure or the cattle that scattered them.

Heard a couple of bugles just before sunrise and just after dark.


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## UintaYETI (Jan 9, 2017)

Got a beautiful buck the opening week of Utah general. Still stoked!


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Schleppy said:


> Things are heating up on the Manti boys...heard my first bugle this morning and many more tonight.


Been bugling morning and night since Thursday here. Last night was pretty slow. It seemed that the hot weather was slowing them down the last few days. They were hitting the timber at first light and not coming out till the last few minutes of light. Got some good cloud cover today and cooled down a tad. Hoping it picks things back up.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Good news is we spotted and cams confirmed funky town bull was back at the tree stand at 6:31 yesterday morning. He finished off well now if I can cross paths with him.


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## Schleppy (Jul 16, 2008)

I had my target bull at 15 yds yesterday evening...there was a cow about 10’ away from me, between us, with her nose in the air. We had a stare down for about a minute then she spooked and took all the rest of the elk with her. 

Bugles from that bull have slowed significantly lol


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## Schleppy (Jul 16, 2008)

Currently laying under a pine thinking about taking a nap if this thunder would stop. Had a 330ish bull, little weak at the back, at 47yds this morning. Drew back but decided to let him walk. The thought of that previous bull was on my mind...hope I don’t end up regretting it.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

I suck.. I'm not the guy to pass 330 bulls with a bow.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

A bird in the hand, or in this case a bull in the hand. 

But then I passed up a 180" buck one year in the hopes of getting his buddy that was over 200". The only way that I knew how big the smaller one was is that some hunters shot him as he trotted over a hill. I never did see that larger buck again. I had the 180 one at 50 yards, this was during the rifle season on a general unit.


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## Schleppy (Jul 16, 2008)

I know approximately where he is, he was bugling back and forth with the bull I passed on this morning, he has a distinct bugle. I’ve located 3 water sources and him and the cows he’s with haven’t hit any of them since I spooked them. They’re getting their water somewhere and I haven’t been able to find it, hiked about 1.5 miles in both directions at the elevation the other springs are.

Where he’s at now would be very difficult to sneak in on him. Really need to find that water...


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Critter said:


> A bird in the hand, or in this case a bull in the hand.
> 
> But then I passed up a 180" buck one year in the hopes of getting his buddy that was over 200". The only way that I knew how big the smaller one was is that some hunters shot him as he trotted over a hill. I never did see that larger buck again. I had the 180 one at 50 yards, this was during the rifle season on a general unit.


You will probably never kill a 200" buck if you keep killing smaller ones.
That I can promise you.


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## Schleppy (Jul 16, 2008)

Exactly Ridge, can’t kill the big one if you shoot the small one. I’d be so disappointed not being able to go after the bull I want...now in 5 more days it may change.


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

I'm with Random Elk.
I'm not good at passing up a good one........
Guess that's why I've never taken a 350ish. :neutral:


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

2full said:


> I'm with Random Elk.
> I'm not good at passing up a good one........
> Guess that's why I've never taken a 350ish. :neutral:


Ha! I can't even seem to pass up cows.


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## Scott99 (Sep 8, 2019)

Found deer where I can’t shoot them..then elk where I can’t shoot them..been out 9 days so far


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## Aznative (May 25, 2018)

Hopefully you Wasatch East guys have saved some deer for the muzzleload lol


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

Richard closed things out yesterday. It's a nice bull. I never realized just how heavy the head / cape are! ugh!


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## Aznative (May 25, 2018)

Nice bull! Good job!


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## cdbright (Aug 24, 2016)

*wasatch east deer*



Aznative said:


> Hopefully you Wasatch East guys have saved some deer for the muzzleload lol


i was up on Saturday and the loggers have moved in my spot and made a truck high way and scared everything away, moving onto elk now, will have to come back and shoot them from 300 yards away w the rifle


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## Aznative (May 25, 2018)

Funny you say that as I started scouting the area in June. Was going well then my first 2 spots I wanted within the last month gates are up and closed for logging. Only thing thats good is like what you say maybe keeps people away and during the rifle portion of my DH tag will be good. Idk


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

utahbigbull said:


> Good news is we spotted and cams confirmed funky town bull was back at the tree stand at 6:31 yesterday morning. He finished off well now if I can cross paths with him.


Any luck??????


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

RandomElk16 said:


> Any luck??????


Waiting on CCG also????

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## TPrawitt91 (Sep 1, 2015)

sheepassassin said:


> Me too. After that conversation me and him had, I plan on hunting that spot exclusively for the next few years at minimum to remind him of how public land works.
> 
> Or I might send the coordinates to every guy looking for a great cow and spike area to hunt on every social media site I can find.
> 
> I haven't decided yet.


I will take those coordinates haha I am looking to become pretty proficient at killing cows with my bow haha


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

RandomElk16 said:


> utahbigbull said:
> 
> 
> > Any luck??????
> ...


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Here he was just over a week ago.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Here is funky town all finished. Sorry it’s hard to see the screen shot of the video. He’s a lot easier to see when looking frame by frame of the video.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Thanks for taking us along for the ride! Sounds like you had a frustratingly fun filled season!


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## olibooger (Feb 13, 2019)

Did you end up harvesting funky town? Your last post says all finished and he is still alive UBB??😱🤯


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

olibooger said:


> Did you end up harvesting funky town? Your last post says all finished and he is still alive UBB??&#128561;&#129327;


Funky town and the vendetta bull were both alive and well and both in the same area for the rifle opener. "I think he finished well" was me saying that since the last cam pics I had and posted of him, he was in velvet in July. Then I caught him on cam all finished and hard horned.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

johnnycake said:


> Thanks for taking us along for the ride! Sounds like you had a frustratingly fun filled season!


Oh buddy frustrating but fun for sure. Was always one step or one meadow away the whole time it seems. Being my second year ever chasing with a bow I'm telling myself two things.

1 - I can't control the long hot dry summer we had or the sheep.

2 - I make a better cowboy using powder than I do an Indian using a stick and string. (Guess that's why I'm a muzzy hunter at heart lol)


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Tag soup for me as well guys. I had some close encounters with some very nice bulls, and I hit a decent 6x6 that I could not recover. I tracked him over half a mile on a mostly bloodless trail and couldn't turn him up. Here is a crappy cell phone picture of him right after I shot him. He is well out of bow range here or I would have sent another arrow. see the blood spot? I can't believe I couldn't recover him. All I can figure is that the arrow must have went through on enough of an angle that it was a single lung or even a no lung shot. On his trail he never even seemed to bed down.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

colorcountrygunner said:


> Tag soup for me as well guys. I had some close encounters with some very nice bulls, and I hit a decent 6x6 that I could not recover. I tracked him over half a mile on a mostly bloodless trail and couldn't turn him up. Here is a crappy cell phone picture of him right after I shot him. He is well out of bow range here or I would have sent another arrow. see the blood spot? I can't believe I couldn't recover him. All I can figure is that the arrow must have went through on enough of an angle that it was a single lung or even a no lung shot. On his trail he never even seemed to bed down.


Did you recover your arrow?

Edit: couldn't get pic to load but tried from my phone. That shot looks forward to me. Likely had the shoulder eat most the arrow and got single lung. They coagulate super quick too, especially when there is meat like that.

I have had that same shot on a deer and watched him bleed standing there forever. Gave him 4 hours, found him and bumped him. Then again. And again. That was my first year with a bow and learned a lot since. These guys are bigger experts than me, but that would be my theory.


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

Punched my first every archery tag the other night on a good WY bull. It's been a great trip - still trying to fill a buck deer tag and help my mom fill her elk tag. Got her on a great bull last night but shot just missed low.


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## olibooger (Feb 13, 2019)

Must be one heck of a lady! That's cool.


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

olibooger said:


> Must be one heck of a lady! That's cool.


She's a good sport for sure! I think last night got her hooked, she had a huge smile even though she missed. We easily had 100+ head of elk all around us. Hoping it comes together tomorrow!


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

waspocrew said:


> Punched my first every archery tag the other night on a good WY bull


You can't SAY that and not SHOW him.


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

RandomElk16 said:


> You can't SAY that and not SHOW him.


Here's a teaser...

Full post: https://utahwildlife.net/forum/41-hunting-outside-utah/199759-first-archery-hunt.html#post2136341


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