# grandaddy basin, upper rock creek basin, elk



## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

Hi All,

I've gotten myself obsessed with elk hunting in the last couple of months. So, rather than just sticking close to home and hunting the central Wasatch, I've decided that will be my weeknight hunting area and will spend a few weekends deep in the Uintas due to needing to get out into the country.

I am looking primarily at grandaddy basin area and upper rock creek drainage and haven't found much information on either place. I was wondering if any of you could tell me how crowded it gets up there during elk archery and rifle season? I really wouldn't think it would be packed with people since it's a 10+ mile hike to both of those locations no matter which direction you come from.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Do you have horses? I'm an old(er) fat dude (trying to get back into shape), but that would be a haul to try and pack an elk out of there without some pony's (and actually take all the meat) I've spent a little time in the area.....


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

If you only have weekends and your hiking it 10 miles might be a little deep. 
I’ve been in that area a bunch and you be way too deep to get an elk out. 
I’d look at an area 1-2 miles in. But grand dad is a good place to look.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

Yes I'm definitely aware of how hard and long it would take to to pack it out. I have a few friends that are willing to help me pack it out if I get one. I'll just have to hang all the meat and run out to cell service to have them meet me at a trailhead. My friends and I do the more extreme side of endurance running, so if it takes a full 48 hrs of nonstop hiking to get it out then that's what I'll do! Kind of combining my two hobby/passions. 

I'm also not actually just restricting it to Sat/Sunday. I'll be going out opening weekend (archery) on Wednesday and staying through Sunday. Then I planned to have another two three-day weekends or maybe have one of them be a four day weekend. My work schedule is somewhat flexible, so if I get one on Sunday then I can take an extra day and make up the work later. 

Yes, that'll be a really hard exhausting place to hunt, but that will be part of the fun.


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

Well sounds like you up for it. The grand daddy lake area is a good one and you won’t have much in the way of others in that far. If you see another group I would be surprised. 
Good luck.


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

It is a pretty place. Have you ever killed an elk? 
I'd tend to stay away from opening weekend and go in Sept. 
.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

Packout said:


> It is a pretty place. Have you ever killed an elk?
> I'd tend to stay away from opening weekend and go in Sept.
> .


I haven't! First year elk hunting. I realize they're easier to locate in September and the temps are much lower, but I have that trip combined with backpacking with my family before the kids go back to school and I'm not hunting last weekend if August. So, my other long hunting weekends will be in September.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

rtockstein said:


> I haven't! First year elk hunting. I realize they're easier to locate in September and the temps are much lower, but I have that trip combined with backpacking with my family before the kids go back to school and I'm not hunting last weekend if August. So, my other long hunting weekends will be in September.


i guess the speed goat 50k will be a warm up for your elk hunt. running that and the wasatch 100 takes a special type of person. you won't have any trouble getting that far in and out with energy to spare. packing an animal out that far will be a real challenge. spend some cash on good game bags and learn how to properly cool meat if you plan on waiting a day for your friends to show up. after you take one down it'll be a good 2 or 3 hours, maybe more, to bag him up. then you have to find cell service which can be challenging up there. you'd be better off bringing help with you or hunting closer to make the pack out self sufficient in 2 to 4 loads. i leave the racks in the field if it's too much trouble. good luck with your hunt.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

So, it's safe to assume I won't see hardly anyone!


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## Aznative (May 25, 2018)

I will second what APD said. Ive taken several Bulls in AZ most in decent canyons about 4 miles from a road. Its hard work. Hiking in and taking one down is the easiest part. When you walk up to a good bull first thing you'll say is **** what did I do this thing is frickin huge and im way out here lol. Being far out you also want to hope you take one in the morning because quartering it out alone is a task and veing your first time if its at night will be even harder. Theres even a whole lot other things to go on about. Id honestly suggest picking an area that you can access easier to take all that stress away for your first elk then after that tackle an area like your mentioning. Its just a ton to learn at once. But if you do decide to go with it id suggest two huge things. 1st rent a satellite phone. If your miles from service when you get a bull down you dont want to waste time hiking out and allow meat to spoil. 2nd dont just rely on running. I dont run at all I just hike and ive taken marathon runners on hunts and they were done 1st day as it takes all different muscles to hike rough terrain. Look up good hunting weight lifting programs or start loading a 30lb pack and hike gnarly stuff. If you want PM me and I can help you out with equipment and other ideas to help.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

rtockstein said:


> So, it's safe to assume I won't see hardly anyone!


not any lone person on foot that's hunting elk. might see a pack of flat brim hunters. how do you feel about horse hunters? they might get that far back. if you do see them, find out what radio channel they're on and offer to pay for a pack out.

AZ's sat phone rental is a great idea. there are also a few spot locators that will send pre programmed messages to get you friends coming.


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## 7mm Reloaded (Aug 25, 2015)

Be aware elk spoil pretty quick if the weather isn't real cold . 48 Hrs. is a stretch


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## lucky duck (Dec 17, 2008)

You see that look right there? That is a look of realization after the adrenaline has worn off, it's 7:00pm and you are 5 miles from the truck.


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## RemingtonCountry (Feb 17, 2016)

:rotfl: :rotfl:

lucky duck, not too many of those are taken. I see more of the excitement pictures, but man I kind of enjoy looks like that more! I bet it was a long night!


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

Thanks for all the kind suggestions, everyone! And I appreciate all of you not saying it sounds idiotic... I'm fully aware that the idea sounds idiotic and it might very well be.

I do have a few places on the edges of Grandaddy area that are 5-6 miles in. For Rock Creek, I don't have one marked that's shorter than 10 miles in so that will be less likely to happen.

I certainly don't plan on running, unless it's going back to pick up meat with a mostly empty pack. I do run... "run" up a lot of the steepest/roughest trails around the wasatch with a 20lbish pack on and have done a fair bit of long backpacks with a 75lb pack, so I'm not worried much about the fitness aspect. I'm not one of those emaciated looking marathoners 

I was thinking of getting a SPOT for the ability to send out pre-programmed messages, but renting a SAT phone is a great idea. I'll definitely look into that.

I have quartered out large deer before and used the citric acid method of spoil prevention, but of course elk can be 5 times their size and I wasn't 6-10 miles from a road when I did it with a deer. Does anyone have any recommendations on excellent books for field meat care? Surely there's a lot of tricks other than boning out, citric acid, and hanging over cold flowing water. With any luck, maybe there will still be some leftover snow patches up there this year!!


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## Aznative (May 25, 2018)

Lucky Duck that is a true photo there lol. Been there a time or two. Nice way of putting it too.


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

Ohh Boy, where to start. First off the Granddaddy basin is one of if not the most popular hiking basins in the Uintas. It and the highline trailhead are the closest to the Wasatch front. So many backpackers that there are special rules regarding where you can camp and build a fire. When you roll up to the Grandview trailhead do not be surprised to see 20 or more vehicles in the parking lot--probably more. Yeah they probably won’t be hunters but people are people. Not sure if you knew this but elk do not like people so keep this in mind.

Second--you have never killed an elk and you plan on hunting an area with many people—many many miles in with no way to get it out aside from on your back in flippin August...dude.

You see the pic and the look in in Lucky Duck’s eyes! It’s a workout just to break down an elk!

My experience when it comes to 'buddies' that say they will help you. Some might, most folks are not the fire department and cannot drop everything on a dime, drive several hours to a trailhead and hike another several hours in just to hike out a heavy load and probably have to go back for another load. Time is not on your side. I get that you are badass but think about what you are planning on doing—you owe it to the elk. Don’t forget you also have your pack, bow, and stuff with your gear that will probably be pushing 60+ pounds.

Your chance of success is slim so go for it. When I decided to hunt the Uintas over ten years ago, I looked for basins that do not have a lot of traffic and learned from there. I also came to the realization quickly that if I wanted to elk hunt deep in the Uintas or anywhere for that matter that I needed horses. I do not own horses but through hard work, networking, and money I now rent horses/trailer/tack and go confidently into the Uintas knowing I can haul out an animal. Learning horses is a thing in and of itself and I have scars that go along with it—I could write a book and if you learn horses you need a mentor.

Feel free to PM me—I’ll even chat on the phone, heck—you remind me of me twelve years ago but what you’re planning is irresponsible—The number of folks who could pull this off without wasting meat is basically like ‘Delta force’ in shape—Don’t forget the elevation! But, I’m sure you will do fine.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

LOL Airborne!

I've been watching to see if you would chime in......

Spot on as usual.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I have found that on the size of a elk people can look at them all the time. Take pictures of them and enjoy them. 

However until one is on the ground with the thoughts of having to hump it back to where you started you have no idea of just how large and heavy these animals are.


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

Another agree for Airborne's post. 
Ultra running for 100 miles and packing 90 lbs+ of meat 10 miles are completely different. I am not a runner and I can pack more farther than my 3 buddies who do the ultras like the Wasatch and Hardrock. I thought you hadn't killed an elk simply by stating your plans to strangers on the web. 
Here are some tips- look outside of the popular drainages. You have a better chance shooting something 2 miles from the road than 10 miles from the road. The fishing in the Granddaddy area is great- take a pole and leave the bow.


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

Personal experience: I shot a nice 5x5 about 2.5 miles from the road in the Uintas. It was early opening morning of the rifle hunt in October. After an hour or two of trying to break it down on my own, I finally gave up and hiked out to call in the cavalry. None of the cavalry could come. I drove back to the trailhead where some hunters from TX offered to hike in and pack it out with me. Two of them helped me, one of whom broke the skull plate in half. The rest of their party immediately left and started hunting (they used me to find where the elk herd was). We packed it out that afternoon. I lost almost all the meat to spoilage. I'm not telling you not to do it, but you should:

1. Have the skills and tools necessary to break down an animal that big alone. Learn the gutless method for quartering an elk. Have rope available to tie limbs to trees to help you with skinning and separating the quarters.
2. Consider the distance and terrain. It would be awesome if you get one right by a maintained trail, but you might also get one in the bottom of a canyon filled with deadfall. Also, why hike in 10 miles if you see fresh elk sign at 1 mile, 2 miles, 3 miles, 4 miles.....? You won't be alone no matter how far you get because people with horses, llamas, and high levels of physical fitness can get in there, too. You'll out-hike most people within the first mile or two depending on the terrain. 
3. Have a specific plan for getting it out (arrange the pack out before hand with someone who has horses or something like that). 
4. I wouldn't shoot a cow or spike that far in because it would only be worth the torture for a nice bull, but that's me. 
5. Anyhow, good luck with whatever you decide to do. I endorse adventure, but make sure you are prepared.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

The last bull that I packed out for myself was only 100 yards from a road. Started the pack around 10 am and ended it at 3:30 pm. 

The next year we started the packing at 8 am and was done at 4 pm. There were 3 of us then and it was all downhill about 1/2 a mile.


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## torowy (Jun 19, 2008)

Anywhere there is a big trail there will be hunters on horses. The further you in you go the less pressure generally. But you will still likely see other hunters (any season) Also the earlier in the fall you go up there there will be backpackers making noise etc. It is not an easy place to hunt elk. The timber is pretty thick and the elk can be hard to find. They range all around but the populations are not very dense. It will be very challenging to do it from your backpack.


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## ns450f (Aug 28, 2018)

Don't do it, just because you will likely spoil meat and God's creatures deserve to be eaten not wasted.


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

lucky duck said:


> You see that look right there? That is a look of realization after the adrenaline has worn off, it's 7:00pm and you are 5 miles from the truck.


Lucky-
Is that a cow? If so, just imagine the chagrin if it had been a bull! They are so much larger than your average cow.

To the OP, it would be wise to listen to the advice given here. There is really no need to go in 10 miles to find elk - especially if you are on your own. As others have stated, you will walk up to that animal, if you get one, and think "what the h*** was I thinking - this thing is frickin' HUGE. I am so screwed"!! There might be ground shrinkage w/r/t antlers, but there is rarely any when it comes to the body size of these animals. Do yourself a favor and hunt closer to the trailhead. No one here will think any less of you, and everyone will applaud you in that decision. Get an elk or two under your belt before you get all crazy trying to pack an elk out 10 miles on your back.

Thinking of the Granddaddy Basin, there is a TH that comes in from the south to Granddaddy Lake. It's only about 3.5 miles to the lake from the TH. I have been there a couple times, but it has been about 10 years, so I've forgotten the name. Goes by Heart Lake on the way in. Packout is right too. Bring your pole - lots of 12-13" cutts in there.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

MWScott72 said:


> Lucky-
> Is that a cow? If so, just imagine the chagrin if it had been a bull! They are so much larger than your average cow.
> 
> To the OP, it would be wise to listen to the advice given here. There is really no need to go in 10 miles to find elk - especially if you are on your own. As others have stated, you will walk up to that animal, if you get one, and think "what the h*** was I thinking - this thing is frickin' HUGE. I am so screwed"!! There might be ground shrinkage w/r/t antlers, but there is rarely any when it comes to the body size of these animals. Do yourself a favor and hunt closer to the trailhead. No one here will think any less of you, and everyone will applaud you in that decision. Get an elk or two under your belt before you get all crazy trying to pack an elk out 10 miles on your back.
> ...


One of my closer spots I've marked is from that TH... it's in Hades Creek. I definitely don't WANT to hump 400lbs of meat 10mi one way. I'm just wanting to find an area with less hunting pressure. If I can manage to find an area of solitude 1-3 miles from a road or TH, I'd be plenty happy doing that!

I certainly don't plan to go real far in without being 100% certain I'll be able to get the meat out with minimal spoilage. These creatures are special enough to me that I'd be just as happy to sit and take photos of them if I couldn't eat them. I do like big challenges, but I don't take them on wrecklessly or without plenty of research and planning. I have too much respect for the animals and other hunters that want to be out harvesting the animals to carelessly run into the mountains and kill an elk without knowing I can get it out.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

As already mentioned, Granddaddy Basin will have lots of people still in August, even if it's not hunters. I think you could do better in other areas. But the area is really pretty, so if you're looking for a great hike (and as stated, good fishing), it could be a fun experience. 

We hiked through Granddaddy up into the Four Lakes Basin above it. The whole area is really cool. I wouldn't backpack hunt there personally. But you are way more hardcore than me, that is already clear.


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

We hauled a spike elk out with 2 guys just under 5 miles last August, then turned around and hauled a mature bull out 3 weeks later 5.5 from the road. Had buddies come up to help on the second one about halfway down the trail. Didn’t lose any of the meat to spoilage.

Not saying I recommend it, just that it’s doable.

Also, I’d recommend a garmin inreach if you are planning on doing it solo. Has a subscription service that allows you to send texts out(with your gps location if wanted) via satellite no matter where you are.

Helped a ton last year and made us feel better about being solo when the other guys couldn’t make it.

Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

Vanilla said:


> As already mentioned, Granddaddy Basin will have lots of people still in August, even if it's not hunters. I think you could do better in other areas. But the area is really pretty, so if you're looking for a great hike (and as stated, good fishing), it could be a fun experience.
> 
> We hiked through Granddaddy up into the Four Lakes Basin above it. The whole area is really cool. I wouldn't backpack hunt there personally. But you are way more hardcore than me, that is already clear.


I actually didn't know it was one of the most popular hiking destinations. I'll look into sticking to the southern edge of it, maybe the Hades Creek area, or one of the closer areas in Rock Creek drainage.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

Kwalk3 said:


> We hauled a spike elk out with 2 guys just under 5 miles last August, then turned around and hauled a mature bull out 3 weeks later 5.5 from the road. Had buddies come up to help on the second one about halfway down the trail. Didn't lose any of the meat to spoilage.
> 
> Not saying I recommend it, just that it's doable.
> 
> ...


Garmin Inreach? Do you happen to know how it compares to a spot? You can program messages to send out with a spot and it will pin the message to the GPS location on the map online. I assume it's probably garmin's version of that?


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

rtockstein said:


> Garmin Inreach? Do you happen to know how it compares to a spot? You can program messages to send out with a spot and it will pin the message to the GPS location on the map online. I assume it's probably garmin's version of that?


They're similar ideas for sure. I've used the InReach mini. The InReach Gives you the option to text anything, not just pre-programmed, but I'm sure the spot works well too. Really gave me peace of mind when I was out solo.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

I canr believe no one has mentioned boning out the meat?.......?!

I would not EVEN think of NOT doing that on this type of hunt........
Single most important thing tou need to know how to do!

Gutless, quarter, boneout.
In that order.
A must!
Twice as light, reducing the chance of spoiling meat.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

I just assumed that was a given if someone talking about 10 miles back in the trail.


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

The daytime temps will be brutal for meat hanging in late August through late September. I thru hiked the Highline in late September and it was still shorts and t-shirt weather most of the journey (minus the thunderstorms), even at altitude. I would think you would have less than 24 hours to get it out and into a cooler. I wouldn't do the hunt that time of year without pack animals nearby at a base camp you are spiking out from. I've looked at maps for that range for weeks on end and just can't think of another option for these relatively early elk hunts.

I'm a novice solo hunter who has good experience finding elk now but I'm saving the type of hunt you are describing for later when I have 1-2 other backpack hunters with me and pack animals waiting no more than 2-3 miles away. That is an epic area that requires significant resources to succeed and not end up with a bunch of rotten meat. Have I said how warm it gets at altitude the last 10-15 years?


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Boned out meat will cool down pretty fast if you just spread it out in the shade while you work on the rest. Hang bags in the shade where a breeze can get to them works pretty good. If you are lucky and a stream or lake is available put your cloth bag full of meat in a garbage bag and immerse it. It will give you at least 24 hours.

The only meat I remember losing is when we shot a bull one morning and did not recover it until the next morning. And then only lost one hind quarter that was next to the ground. Day time temps in the 70's and low at night in the 40's


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

be careful when boning out meat. a bag not cooled correctly will spoil even in the fridge. ask me how i know.:sad: 

i typically leave at least two quarters bone in. it makes for an easier pack out if those are paired with a boned bag. i've only had help once when bringing out an elk. i can typically get a large calf or medium sized cow out in one trip by myself. when all meat is boned out you need to add structure via frame pack or other rigid materials.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Dang APD. A medium sized cow is still quite the haul. Good on ya! That’s impressive solo in one trip.


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

Its good to hear you're open to shorting that distance up a bit. I killed a dandy bull less than 5 minutes into opening morning a few years ago on a solo hunt. By the time I got done doing my fire dance around the bull, high fiving the air, doing my Arsenio Hall impersonation for several minutes, taking pictures, sitting next to the bull in disbelief, etc I starting skinning him for the shoulder mount and breaking him down. It was 230 pm by the time I finished the last quarter (I don't think that was quite done yet) and looked up to see my brother riding in on the horses to help me......wait....uh.. actually pack him out for me. Tell ya what, I was barely able to carry my own weight back to the truck. This was less than 3 miles from the road and mostly uphill back to the truck. I'm not a trail runner or endurance guy but I know to get myself into good physical condition before a solo elk hunt. You will be surprised by what the emotional high of killing an elk can do to you physically. If I wouldn't have had horses the look on my face after realization kicked in would have made the look on lucky ducks face look like a kid on Christmas morning. I haven't done a solo elk hunt since. I'm kinda thinking about it this year though....


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Granddaddy is indeed one of the more popular spots. That place has been picked clean of firewood! Well, at least it was before the beetles got in there really bad. Maybe the beetles have changed that since, but last time I was there, you were hard pressed to find any wood around the lake period!

I do think you can get 48 hours - maybe more - if you bone out the meat and hang it properly. Most important item is to cool the meat off before bagging it. Middlefork nailed it. I typically hang boned out meat parts in the forks of branches or accross anything else that will get it up off the ground and cooling while I finish cutting up the animal. Your meat will spoil quickly, and especially in the early season and even if you hang it, if you just throw a bunch of warm meat in the game bag. Next you have to make sure that the meat stays in the shade and that air is constantly circulating around it. If you can hang the meat near a creek, you will get temperature drops of 5-10 degrees which will help the meat to not spoil. Just don't allow the meat to get wet as that will allow bacteria to form and wreak havoc on your prize. If it's 80 in the direct sun, chances are it is 65 or so it the shade; however, if nights cool down into the 40s, the meat will cool overnight, and that will help it withstand the higher temps during the day. All in all, keeping meat from spoiling is doable on the early hunts, but you have to do EVERYTHING right! Any deviation, and you risk losing alot of meat. Best to do it right, and get it out as quickly as possible. Anything less is irresponsible.

Oh, just had a thought. If temperatures are a concern - and they are in the early season - if you leave the bone in (especially the larger femurs), this increases the chance of meat spoiling. The bones are basically a heat sink, and they will continue to release heat into the meat long after the animal is dead. Better to bone it out and remove the source.

Good luck on wherever it is that you decide to hunt. If you treat the meat right, it will treat you right in return


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

I'd recommend looking at the snotel gauges for past years for September. Night time temps linger above 40-45 through mid to late September and average 65-70 during the day at 10,500-11,000. Average daily (24 hour total) temps of 55F. Grand Daddy sits below that elevation. It's common to exceed those figures (and go below).(Most of the sites get some sun during the day but are normally designed to measure actual air temp most of the day, ie shade). 

August is obviously warmer.

The target I've been taught is to get meat to below 40F as soon as possible. Meat sitting at or above 55F (average daily temp) for more than 24 hours just isn't something I'm ready to do as a novice.

It's those temps that have personally scared me away from going deep into the Uintas alone without pack animals. But everyone approaches it differently. Maybe if I'm lucky and skilled enough at hunting elk in the future I'll have the experience to know how to push the envelope further but I'm not there yet.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

Well yea... I never said I _wanted_ to go 10 miles back for the sake of being 10 miles back. I'm really just looking for as little hunter (and hiker) pressure as possible, a pretty place for a good experience, and a somewhat shorter drive time from the salt lake valley because I wanted to go out as much as possible in July and early August on weekends just to hike around and scout. But, if I have to drive a little farther to get solitude without having to hike 10mi in, that's fine. Especially since grandaddy is apparently loaded with hikers! I think I'll be able to find a good spot a little farther east 3-7mi in.



MWScott72 said:


> Oh, just had a thought. If temperatures are a concern - and they are in the early season - if you leave the bone in (especially the larger femurs), this increases the chance of meat spoiling. The bones are basically a heat sink, and they will continue to release heat into the meat long after the animal is dead. Better to bone it out and remove the source.


yup, boning out is definitely in the plan. Bone out, cool, spray with citric acid mix, dry, bag, hopefully hang by a stream.

Does no one around here use a citric acid spray?


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## ns450f (Aug 28, 2018)

I haven't been up there in 13 years but we used to go hiking on the east side from the west fork white rocks area and I remember seeing elk and lots of sign right off the trailhead. Maybe you should check that out because I remember it always being very secluded. We also used to make a lot of trips to mohawk lake in the grandaddy basin area and it would be super crowded until we took the trail to mohawk lake then we would never see a soul. It might have changed in 13 years but there were always elk around mohawk lake and if I recall correctly it was only 4 or 5 miles to mohawk lake.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

This is my favorite thread.


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## Steve G (Nov 29, 2016)

Oi!


OP,
I stopped reading each response 'cause the guys who know have all spoken and pretty much say the same thing I learned a few years ago and I didn't even kill a bull.


You will do what you want to do but, keep in mind that if your goal is to hunt away from the crowds, then think in terms of time rather than place. Go mid week and you'll have the place to yourself.


Last year I hunted mid week and found more elk than you could shake a stick at within 1/2 mile of the main road. Not a single hunter other than the ones I brought with me.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

I remember watching an episode of Western Hunter where Nate had to head out to service with one pack full.. He found deadfall over a little stream and laid the meat on that. There are a lot of creative ways to get the meat cooled out.


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## lucky duck (Dec 17, 2008)

MWScott72 said:


> Lucky-
> Is that a cow? If so, just imagine the chagrin if it had been a bull! They are so much larger than your average cow.
> 
> It was actually a decent bull for the Uintas


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## BradN (Sep 25, 2007)

*Maybe not Granddaddy*

You might want to take a look at Chepeta Lake area. I've seen a fair amount of elk both west and east of Chepeta while backpacking. East of Chepeta (towards Whiterocks Lake) seems more secluded. The areas I would hunt are within 1-3 miles of the Trailhead. Im certain it is less crowded than Grandaddy Basin.


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## one4fishing (Jul 2, 2015)

BradN said:


> You might want to take a look at Chepeta Lake area. I've seen a fair amount of elk both west and east of Chepeta while backpacking. East of Chepeta (towards Whiterocks Lake) seems more secluded. The areas I would hunt are within 1-3 miles of the Trailhead. Im certain it is less crowded than Grandaddy Basin.


There's no elk near Chepeta. Move along


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## MadHunter (Nov 17, 2009)

Good luck on your hunt. Be smart and be prepared. Killing your first elk will definitely make you an addict (like me!!!) or make you hate it.
I've taken a lot of folks out that were gung-ho and overly excited about elk hunting till they had to pack one out.

Take a gander at this pic and figure we were 5 guys, all seasoned hunters) about 2 miles from the truck. Shot at 6pm. First load to the truck was at 1am and the rest of it came out the next morning. Note the frost on the truck; that helped a lot.


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Critter said:


> I have found that on the size of a elk people can look at them all the time. Take pictures of them and enjoy them.
> 
> However until one is on the ground with the thoughts of having to hump it back to where you started you have no idea of just how large and heavy these animals are.


I once packed out an elk with the bright idea to put both boned hind quarters in my pack and carry a boned out shoulder in each hand because I didn't want to walk up the hill twice.

That wasn't a stupid idea. It was a STOOOOPID idea. 90 lbs on your back and 20 in each hand, yeah, stooooopid!!


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## stillhunterman (Feb 15, 2009)

Welp, y'all have at least convinced ME... Just gonna stick with 2 point buckies as close to the road as I can chootem! My body hurts just thinkin' about this thread...:shock:


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

RandomElk16 said:


> I remember watching an episode of Western Hunter where Nate had to head out to service with one pack full.. He found deadfall over a little stream and laid the meat on that. There are a lot of creative ways to get the meat cooled out.


I love that episode! Great bull he killed too. I always get jealous though when I see the animal packed out on a horse though.


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

lucky duck said:


> MWScott72 said:
> 
> 
> > Lucky-
> ...


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## BradN (Sep 25, 2007)

one4fishing said:


> There's no elk near Chepeta. Move along


LOL. Touchy subject?


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## one4fishing (Jul 2, 2015)

BradN said:


> LOL. Touchy subject?


No just trying to get a chuckle. Middle of the week up there you can have place to your self some years.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

I guess..... If Im 10 miles back and have to worry about temps and not having any help packing it out I'll just shoot a cow and attempt to make it out in one trip! 😂🙄 

So in thinking about being close to trailheads and roads, what about the side drainages that are stupid steep and nasty that don't have trails? No one wants to go up there. If I were an elk, that's where I'd be


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

rtockstein said:


> I guess..... If Im 10 miles back and have to worry about temps and not having any help packing it out I'll just shoot a cow and attempt to make it out in one trip! &#128514;&#128580;


UH....so lets just say you're "camp" setup puts your pack at 50lbs for a 5-7 day trip (packing light) going in. Then you shoot let's say a 2yr old cow, which per this chart I offer for reference, gives you 150lbs of boned out meat. Hell, lets say its a smaller elk and you net out 100lbs of boned out meat.

Have you ever put +150lbs in a backpack, let alone then walk anywhere close to 10 miles with it? Just asking......


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## weekendwarrior (May 19, 2016)

If you want it, and prepare and plan for it, it can be done. My first archery kill was a cow 8 miles in on the north slope, to just get my first bow kill under my belt. Killed right ghtbefore dark, worked all night to quarter and debone. Hung in the cool night and 9500 ft on the 17th Aug, had coolers back at the truck packed with blocks of ice blocks and cardboard, and over the next 24hrs hiked 64 miles total to haul it out solo. No wasted meat, but if you put your mind to it, your can go beyond what you initially thought your body could do. Uintas are big with elk spread out all over. Consider scouting on backpacking trips prior to the hunt and know that they can move from one week to the next. So it can take years to figure out there patterns in that big country. The reward however, was just as rewarding as my 350 class bulls I've taken. Good luck, but go in prepared to respect the animal and the taking of life.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

rtockstein said:


> I guess..... If Im 10 miles back and have to worry about temps and not having any help packing it out I'll just shoot a cow and attempt to make it out in one trip! &#128514;&#128580;
> 
> So in thinking about being close to trailheads and roads, what about the side drainages that are stupid steep and nasty that don't have trails? No one wants to go up there. If I were an elk, that's where I'd be


the elk are spotty up there but if you are scouting and finding recent sign then i'd say go for it. i hunt areas without trails that are thick understory and somewhat steep. i am only 1-2 miles in most of the time. if it's higher elevation i'm wiling to go further due to easier travel with less understory. the high altitude doesn't bother me too much since i work between 8-11k. be realistic about what you are willing to do and just get it done the best you know how. if you're after the experience of being far back hunting elk then do that too but take a calf. or just go do a heavy scouting mission 10 miles in and gain some knowledge you can take to animals closer to the truck.;-)


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## MadHunter (Nov 17, 2009)

rtockstein said:


> Holy moly..... 64 miles of hiking to pack out a cow by yourself. Nice work! I'm pretty desperate for some meat... so I may end up doing the same thing.
> 
> I did some scouting in the Moon Lake area last weekend while on a backpacking trip with my family. We camped near Island Lake in Brown Duck Basin. I saw quite bit of sign throughout the woods, but I never saw a single elk down in the basin. I went up to the top of a large flat and saw ~50 elk bedded down in the middle of a huge meadow in the middle of the day.... a little strange in my opinion. It was a new moon, or nearly, so I figured they'd be more active during the day but I wouldn't think they'd bed down there at 2PM. I went back two days later to see if I could find them again, but the field was now filled with cattle


2pm is very normal for elk to be bedded down new or full moon. You have to keep in mind that the Uintas hold a lot of elk but it's also a $h17 ton of country. The amount of land and water available to them is insane. Also the amount of cattle that push them around all that land is what comes into play to make them hard to find. It's a tough hunt that I have only been on a handful of times and was able to harvest once. Your on the right track though. It's a hit and miss game and it will take you a few seasons to figure out what they do in a particular area. Now that you found them in brown duck mountain get to know the area and try to figure out their behavior.

TOTP..... How about that?


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

Id like to chime in since everyone else is.

The last elk I shot on the Archery hunt was a little 4x5 bull. I was 1/4 mile from my 4 wheeler so, once I got the bull quartered (which doesn't take me too long) I packed both back-straps which are like 6 feet long on an elk it seems like, so both back-straps, both front shoulders (bone in) and 1 hind quarter (bone in) all in my Tenzing 6000 pack and I packed it the 1/4 mile to my 4 wheeler on fairly level ground and it was HEAVY. I grunted through it and made it my B-iotch because It was only 1/4 mile from the wheeler on level ground and I didn't want to make more than 2 trips back to the kill site but, before I packed the elk out I took all my gear back to camp and went back for the elk with an empty pack.

All the other elk iv killed iv packed out with horses. I killed a bull about 11 miles deep into the Uintas one year. In 11 miles it was a 6 hour horse ride if my memory serves me right, 
so think about that. It took a HORSE, 6 hours to pack my elk out 11 miles in the Uintas, and thats not mentioning the dangers of getting the elk from the kill site to the nearest hiking trail. There can be a lot of dead fall up in them there mountains.

IMO, the Uintas has some awesome elk hunting but, without horses, I wouldnt go more than a couple miles in. Too much to manage on foot.

especially for a Rookie elk hunter.

But, Id love to hear about your trip when you get back.

Side note, there are lots of good elk hunting places in the Uintas where you can drive to and have a nice cozy camp and still shoot mature bulls.......oops, iv said too much


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

If you haven’t got the message yet. These people are trying to tell your the Instagram hunters are full of crap. 
Only .00000000001% is going in 10 miles. 
And they have a team of people to pack out. 
So don’t believe the hype they are just trying to sell you gear. 
Most elk hunters are within 1 mile of a road. 
So going in 2 miles you will have the place to yourself 99% of the time. 
75% of Utah hunters don’t leave the road and don’t leave camp until after breakfast is done.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Hoopermat said:


> and don't leave camp until after breakfast is done.


I always have breakfast before going out on a trek for deer or elk.

It is usually at 3 or 3:30am and once it was at 2am but I had breakfast.

Then I have lunch before the sun comes up.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

What critter is trying to tell us is that he makes it in for dinner each day for the early bird special at 4pm. 

#oldpeoplerock! 

:grin:


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Vanilla said:


> What critter is trying to tell us is that he makes it in for dinner each day for the early bird special at 4pm.
> 
> #oldpeoplerock!
> 
> :grin:


Yep, and then I am in bed a couple hours after darkthirty unless I am not back to camp yet.

I try to be that person that is sitting in the spot that you want to sit at when the sun comes up. And to do that you have to get up early during the hunting seasons.

Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

I just realized I never updated this thread to say how my hunt went. I DID actually post about it on another thread or two.

If any of you are curious:

I shot a 4x5 bull opening morning. I worked my butt off scouting and learning, but of course there was a bit of luck involved.

I didn't go into Grandaddy. I hunted somewhere else due to the scouting opportunities that I had.

I ended up much closer to a road than I planned!!! I shot my bull maybe 1.5mi from my car, and only about 1/2mi from a road. I stalked a 7-8 mile loop a couple of times that day, with variations on my path. My second time through, I found the guy bedded down in the general area I thought he'd be. Then I had to figure out how to get a shot without him hearing/smelling me. Then I spent ALL night quartering and packing. With a bear eyeballing my meat!

I've since been back to try get a cow to split with my brother, but the wind swirled every time we were in range.

Yes, I definitely still feel the need to pack 10 miles into the high uintas! But, I was incredibly surprised at how much I felt like I had the place to myself, regardless of my proximity to a road. I've gotten to know the area well enough that I think I'll probably have to hunt there regularly and save my deep Uintas trip for when I need a change in scenery.

I'll have to post a picture of the antlers soon.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Congrats!


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

Congrats. The Unitas are an addictive range.


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## one4fishing (Jul 2, 2015)

Good job man. Thanks fer the update. That says a lot about you to be able to go in there and get er done.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

he had a pretty cool rack. The brows are crazy long compared to the rest of the antler!

I wasn't ready to do my own complete skull mount, so I figured I'd just do the antlers. And, didn't expect to get one so I wasn't prepared for treating the velvet!

I think I'll probably scrub it off and mount them bright white. I wish I would have been prepared for that velvet! Thoughts?


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## Aznative (May 25, 2018)

Have you contacted a taxedermist to see if its too late for them to preserve the velvet? If they can Id leave it as thats cool as heck!


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Beautiful country, but no way in hell I would hunt that far in on foot. I used to take my Mustang up there. Sure footed horse and I never shoed her. Anyway, it would be a bugger to haul a elk out that far in on foot. Crappy old photo, but you'll get the idea of what your in for.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

Aznative said:


> Have you contacted a taxedermist to see if its too late for them to preserve the velvet? If they can Id leave it as thats cool as heck!


No. I looked up some information when I got home and it sounded to me like it would be too late already, I didn't have freezer space to store them, and I figured it would be extremely expensive. My fiance has been talking about getting into taxidermy as a hobby so I figured I might let her have a go at them without the Velvet. How rotten and dry is too rotten and dry to be saved? Velvet is a completely new thing to me since you can't deer hunt in the midwest until October.

I totally wish I would have been prepared for the Velvet. But, I'll never forget the look and feel of that velvet when I knelt down next to him. That will stick forever!


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

Did you saw them off?


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

Ray said:


> Did you saw them off?


Yes I did. See the pictures a few posts back


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## jewbacca (Jan 27, 2020)

Congrats on a successful hunt! If you're interested in finding a partner to go deep into the Uintas in future years, that's the way I want to do it. Also a distance runner. For all the reasons listed in this thread, I'd never go solo, and it's hard to find folks who want to pack an animal that far out!


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