# Rifle Elk Hunt - Currant Creek



## Elkaddict (Mar 24, 2009)

Went up currant creek for the spike elk hunt up Red Creek - I have been hunting there for 20+ years and in years past have never seen many hunter maybe 1 or 2 when I was out hunting. 

Well this year I couldn't believe the amount of people - we counted 18 four wheelers driving all in a line at one point. Every single clearing and on top had someone sitting in it - was crazy 

Opening morning was like a war zone there must have been 40 shots within 2 hours. the elk herd I have been hunting for the past 20 years must have been destroyed - Sad


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## Billy6x47 (Nov 23, 2014)

I've also hunted up there for a very long time. Missed this year because we are having a baby . but from what i have heard it was insane how many people are up there
we need the weather to drive all the people out .


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## mjensen1313 (Jul 29, 2015)

Currant creek has been this way for years come opening weekend! I drew out for Wasatch last year and this year so we didn't go this last weekend. The colder weather will help to drive people home.

As for the heard, if it's the same one we've been hunting it is very much doing well. My brother and I counted about 90 cows and three 6x6 bulls, of course that was three years ago.


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## hazmat (Apr 23, 2009)

mjensen1313 said:


> Currant creek has been this way for years come opening weekend! I drew out for Wasatch last year and this year so we didn't go this last weekend. The colder weather will help to drive people home.
> 
> As for the heard, if it's the same one we've been hunting it is very much doing well. My brother and I counted about 90 cows and three 6x6 bulls, of course that was three years ago.


Three years ago and today there is a huge differance in the herd


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

I've never been to currant creek and not seen huge crowds


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## timber_cruiser (Nov 2, 2007)

I hunted Currant Creek and walked about 2 miles away from end of road access. I did not see anyone past this range away from road access and saw many elk. I filled my cow tag and packed out my meat in several trips. My impression is that few hunters go on foot more than a mile or so from road access, but that is where the animals will be found.


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## mjensen1313 (Jul 29, 2015)

hazmat said:


> Three years ago and today there is a huge differance in the herd


Not so much difference; brother in law got back last night, the herd we hunt is doing very strong still! Packed his freezer and then some.


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## mjensen1313 (Jul 29, 2015)

timber_cruiser said:


> I hunted Currant Creek and walked about 2 miles away from end of road access. I did not see anyone past this range away from road access and saw many elk. I filled my cow tag and packed out my meat in several trips. My impression is that few hunters go on foot more than a mile or so from road access, but that is where the animals will be found.


That is definitely the key; just off the roads are VERY crowded! Get hiking in, you will see tons of elk!


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## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

We counted 21 people on horses in the area we hunt on Saturday, more than we have ever seen.


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## UTJuice (Oct 2, 2014)

Get on your feet and away from the crowds. My group of 3 each filled a tag. 1 spike and 2 cows. We were in elk every day but we stayed away from the lake and all the people. we ran into very few hunters in our 4 days.


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## Mtnbeer (Jul 15, 2012)

Seeing the CC herd on their winter migration last year, I can see where DWR has concerns about the elk numbers being over objective. However, I hunt on another portion of the CC unit and in places three years ago where I was seeing 3-1 cow to bull ratios, this year it was 0.7-1 cow to bull ratios (no, I am not joking). I have a control tag in my pocket, but honestly, I'm not sure I want to fill that tag, so that I can do my part to keep my future hunting opportunities in good shape.


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## Fishracer (Mar 2, 2009)

It is absolutely disgusting what is happening to the elk around CC. Yes you can see elk everyday, yes you can fill your tag. That is not the point! The point is the decline of the heard and the annihilation of the cows! The amount of hunters on the opener of the elk rifle hunt is flat out insane! That does not count all the deer hunters with control tags either! I cannot bring myself to shot a cow on this mountain. I just cant do it. I was up there for 3 weeks, during the L.E. muzzy elk. I hunted everyday and saw a total of 10 cows!!!!! Yes it was hot. Yes it was a full moon, but areas that always held elk are abandoned! I always tried to trust what the DWR was doing, but i cant anymore. Not with the year to year decline that i have seen. Im sure other hunters go up for a weekend or two and run into a heard of elk and think, wow, this is easy, there are elk everywhere! That is not the case. I have hunted this mountain every single year, in the same spot for over 25 years. The past 5 years is just a total termination of elk! I will never understand what the hell is happening and why!


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## hazmat (Apr 23, 2009)

Yup I have a cabin in the area so I am up there more then alot all year long. I have awesome neighbors who live there all year long. And anybody who knows the unit real well. Will tell you cow numbers are very bad. Weekend warriors that go up twice a year might get lucky and tell you just get off the road we found some do not get the big picture. I seen cows this week during the rifle hunt but in herds of 4 to 5 and alot of them were harvested. It use to be herds of 10-15 and big herds of 30 plus. I challenge any one that says there are still plenty of cows to go up there during the middle of the winter and try to come close to the 6k the dwr claims. My guesses are you will be way off. It will be in the low hundreds


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## hazmat (Apr 23, 2009)

First the fish lake then wasatch I am willing to bet the Manti or beaver is the next cash grab for the dwr


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## WTRFWLN (Dec 12, 2012)

*NO COWS*

Sounds like the Rumors are correct for the DWR. "we have spent a lot of money to get the Elk Heard's up in these units, NOW WE NEED A RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT". So stereotypical for the UTAH DIVISION OF NO WILDLIFE??? -O,--O,--O,-


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## archerycrazy (Feb 28, 2013)

I do not have a long history of spending time on this unit, but I can give my experience this year on my LE Elk Hunt. During several scouting trips over the summer and a few days in the hills just prior to and during my muzzleloader hunt, I saw fewer than 10 total cows. Saw way more bulls than cows. Just didn't seem right.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

archerycrazy said:


> I saw fewer than 10 total cows. Saw way more bulls than cows. Just didn't seem right.


Thats the problem with managing animals to ratios. The fastest way to increase bull to cow, or buck to doe ratios is to kill females. Its terrible for overall herd health though.

-DallanC


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## UTJuice (Oct 2, 2014)

IDK what you all were smoking. I have hunted that area for years and saw more cows this year than ever before. I saw multiple herds of 20 plus cows being pushed by a big bull. DWR was also in there with the helicopters breaking up the herds the day before the hunt. That is the main reason why you were seeing herds of 3 or 4. I filled my second tag Tuesday took awhile to find a spike they are herding back up everyday the herds got bigger. Btw the herds are not sitting next to the lake waiting to be shot at.


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## wildliferyan (Jul 31, 2010)

I hunted up soapstone and same thing. Usually saw more road hunters than actual hunters hiking in. But this year, there were hunters everywhere. In the last 5 years I had never heard as many shots the whole hunt as I heard opening day.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

The ever present battle between "quality" (IE- trophy) hunting theory vs "opportunity" hunting mindset. 

The vast majority of us say that we prefer the "opportunity" model, and trophy hunting is ruining hunting. But when we go out and see lots of other hunters, it also makes us mad. 

Not saying anyone is right or wrong. Just observing that things aren't also as black and white as we try and make them.


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## Fishracer (Mar 2, 2009)

UTJuice said:


> IDK what you all were smoking. I have hunted that area for years and saw more cows this year than ever before. I saw multiple herds of 20 plus cows being pushed by a big bull. DWR was also in there with the helicopters breaking up the herds the day before the hunt. That is the main reason why you were seeing herds of 3 or 4. I filled my second tag Tuesday took awhile to find a spike they are herding back up everyday the herds got bigger. Btw the herds are not sitting next to the lake waiting to be shot at.


-_O- Ya, i saw a herd of at least 20 purple flying pigs! 
Just because you ran into a few running together does not mean all is ok. I think you need to lay off whatever you are smoking!


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## berrysblaster (Nov 27, 2013)

The next person to say get off the road gets to buy my boots next year, I'm on my third pair...


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## hazmat (Apr 23, 2009)

UTJuice said:


> IDK what you all were smoking. I have hunted that area for years and saw more cows this year than ever before. I saw multiple herds of 20 plus cows being pushed by a big bull. DWR was also in there with the helicopters breaking up the herds the day before the hunt. That is the main reason why you were seeing herds of 3 or 4. I filled my second tag Tuesday took awhile to find a spike they are herding back up everyday the herds got bigger. Btw the herds are not sitting next to the lake waiting to be shot at.


 i am not doubting your kills do you have some pics i always like seeing spike pics. however the dwr flying helicopter part is quit hilarious


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## hazmat (Apr 23, 2009)

i would like to extend my challenge to anybody who thinks the cow herd is doing great. to head up there this winter and see the truth for yourself


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Hazmat--last winter sucked. I was there in January. Saw a few groups of bulls during my antlerless hunt. I did not see a single cow. It was not for a lack of trying. 

I understand there were quite a few (thousand) on the CWMUs. At least that's what they tell me.


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## UTJuice (Oct 2, 2014)

Here is a pict of my currant creek cow. Spike was taken with my buddy's phone I don't have it yet but it's on Facebook. Second is another cow from our group. Byw take to anyone that was there on Friday helicopter was all over the mountains. Both of these cows were taken out of 10 plus herds. The first was over 20.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Holly S%#4*...

Just curious Juice, How many years have you hunted the Wasatch?


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## UTJuice (Oct 2, 2014)

This is year 5 for me. I have been skunked once. I have pulled elk out of the same area the last 3 years.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Well,
That explain it......^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

If you had seen what the Wasatch elk herd looked like from 1995 thru 2010
You would understand why some of us are NOT happy with current elk management

There used to be ALOT more elk.


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## UTJuice (Oct 2, 2014)

I understand and that makes sense. The thing is that this is elk hunting. It isn't easy. I work my butt of yearly scouting and hunting and I don't feel that bad for people that don't want to put in the work to find the elk and come away successful most of the time. I don't run into other hunters because I am not hunting the same places or following the crowd of other hunters. I saw the zoo over by racetrack and around the campground. We had some friends that were down there that they all got skunked as well. They just went to where they had seen elk in the past and the weather pushed them out on Sunday. There are elk up there. Might not be like 10 years ago but I saw more this year than any of the others I have been up there.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Heres the thing juice.

We are looking at what the elk herd was like on the Wasatch back in the early 90s.

It took ALOT of years to make what it WAS.....:!:......

Now , we are almost back to square one.....

Got to start all over again..:!:..

REALLY SUCKS-------------I will just move to other units,
ALL READY HAVE!


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## hazmat (Apr 23, 2009)

UTJuice said:


> I understand and that makes sense. The thing is that this is elk hunting. It isn't easy. I work my butt of yearly scouting and hunting and I don't feel that bad for people that don't want to put in the work to find the elk and come away successful most of the time. I don't run into other hunters because I am not hunting the same places or following the crowd of other hunters. I saw the zoo over by racetrack and around the campground. We had some friends that were down there that they all got skunked as well. They just went to where they had seen elk in the past and the weather pushed them out on Sunday. There are elk up there. Might not be like 10 years ago but I saw more this year than any of the others I have been up there.


That is quite the assumption to think you are the only one to put some miles on in the area. I have spent a ton of time on horseback on foot and yes driving the entire area week in and week out.. I spend more time in that area then most. I have neighbors that live literally on the unit that do the same. So this is not a look at me I know where the elk are and where they are not thread. This is not a I tagged out this year and this year thread. because of I chose to shoot cows on that mt it honestly would not be that hard . There are a few areas that they go during hunting pressure year in and year out. This is a if you like harvesting them cows and spikes juice. you should take note of how **** crappy this unit is managed thread. Because ad bad as it is even yours and mine little honey holes will be dried up soon to. If you have kids and want them to enjoy the very same stomping grounds like I do. It becomes real important real quick.


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## berrysblaster (Nov 27, 2013)

I've seen 450+ head this year, is that a lot?


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## UTJuice (Oct 2, 2014)

It is to bad that it has been managed so poorly. I grew up in Wyoming and never had an issue filling my tag up there until about 7 years after wolves were introduced. I have had to hunt much harder here in Utah to fill a tag. If so many feel this way why is the DWR not doing anything about it?


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## tabbyhunter (Jul 8, 2009)

I have been all around this unit this past week. Putting my fair share of miles on the boots. And I've seen ten elk. Who woulda thought they'd all be Bulls?


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

I had 150 head of elk within 80 yards of me several times during the ML hunt, including two nice bulls, and one true monster. Its not a big mountain, pretty sure thats why there were so few of deer, elk run them out of there. The huge bull was a bull of a lifetime for anyone... had it within 60 yards of me and my boy standing right in the middle of the road for 45 seconds while the rest of his herd filtered past behind him. I tried to get my camera out for pictures or video but couldnt though my layers of clothing.


-DallanC


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## hazmat (Apr 23, 2009)

berrysblaster said:


> I've seen 450+ head this year, is that a lot?


Ha you know the answer to that. I am willing to bet there are alot of days and miles for the year to find even that. So short answer NO


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## Fishracer (Mar 2, 2009)

Goofy and Haz are spot on. This is not a get off the road and you will find tag thread. Yes there are still elk on this mountain, that is not the issue. The issue is the drastic reduction of elk, especially cows on this mountain. The DWR says it wants 1200 elk, if this is what 3500 elk looks like, what will 1200 look like? I don't understand why they want to decrease the heard, when this mountain can obviously hold much more elk then they want. Again why??? The DWR is taking a great resource, in elk and elk hunting away from all of us. This used to be a great unit to draw a cow tag every year or two, especially for the kids just starting to hunt. It got their interest into it because they would see animals, even if they never got a shot. The argument is not that there is no elk, there are elk. The argument is the drastic decline, that is indisputable. I have hunted this unit for 25 plus year. Even back in the early 2000s you had to work for your elk, you always had to get off the road. Hunting elk is never easy. I just can't justify the DWR doing this!
And for the record, this is coming from someone who has harvested an elk every year on this mountain for the past 7 years. Between me, my son, and my wife, we would all have cow and spike tags, but only fill one for the freezer. We would let others walk because of this issue. I remember have the conversation with my 15 year old son, who wanted to shoot until all the tags were filled, he didn't understand why we were not shooting that cow standing 50 yards from us, or why we shot the calf not the bigger cow. After i explained to him what was happening to the elk heard, he was on board as he got older to only harvest one.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Any update on the "study" the DWR was going to do in an attempt to square their population estimates with what people were seeing on the ground and hunter success ratios?


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## berrysblaster (Nov 27, 2013)

Vanilla said:


> Any update on the "study" the DWR was going to do in an attempt to square their population estimates with what people were seeing on the ground and hunter success ratios?


Well when 30% of the collars died on opening weekend they decided they might have a problem....not joking there


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