# Cache disappointment...



## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

I have seen the decline for a few years, but after this weekends opener I was disappointed to see just how bad the cache elk herd is getting. I can't really say see... Because we didn't see much. I just was somewhere that use to be loaded with elk. Sign was at a minimum, herd very few shots.

People who were there when they switched from anybull to LE said it took 5-10 years to see results, but then there was a big incline. 5-7 years ago a decline started and moved fast. Quality and quantity. I brought this up in a past thread. I know winter plays a part, i know they have an insane amount of spike and cow tags, and they have increased the number of LE tags and lowered the age objective. I don't know if these have impacted it or what has. All I know, way less elk!

Glad I don't have an LE tag, but sad our group even has cow and spike tags.

Vent over.


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

Cowboy up Random.. The hunt has only been open for 3 days now. I was on the SJ Ranch in late September and the elk were rutting really hard the elk were screaming from every direction. I have a cabin that is just north of Hardware Ranch and during the muzzleloader deer hunt I saw more elk than every other big game species combined and I saw deer, moose, and pronghorn that hunt.

I drew the Cache cow elk tag 2 years ago and I did not end up filling the tag or even seeing an elk after 8 days of hard hunting. I came across tracks, but they are smart animals and they travel in herds. In September there were elk literally everywhere. My hunt started in October. Had I had a muzzleloader deer tag that year I could have filled my elk tag during the muzzy deer hunt easily. This year alone I have seen over 7 different herd bulls with their individual herds on the Cache unit.

I have also seen tons of spikes out this season on the Cache as well. 
Anyhow you know the saying.... "whatever you have a tag for... You won't see"


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

I didn't go up for the general hunt but have to agree with Nambaster still plenty of elk on the Cache.
If the grand kids had a little less elk fever during the archery hunt there would have been 2 spikes and a cow down. We saw elk every day we hunted.

When it was any bull you were lucky to see a raghorn or spike running with a hundred cows. Now they are in smaller herds and more vocal.

Still have 2 cow tags to fill so we will be up there next weekend to give it a try.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

Namb... Yeah I know I gotta stick with it. Our property is NE of hardware up laketown rd. It was just hard not seeing what I am use to and basically no sign. Always see em muzzleloading, although i haven't been there a couple years for the ml hunt.

Maybe they will come. I would have felt better seeing at least 1 elk. Lots of deer, moose, and bears though! That was a first.

Middle, since you aren't after spike let me know if you are seeing any


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## hunting777 (May 3, 2009)

With the Cache , I agree somewhat with what you are saying. I think some of the numbers are going down. I haven't been seeing the quality of bulls we did a few years ago. With the North Cache LE tag, I think that hunt has gone to crap. Maybe since on the Idaho side, it is a open bull over the counter unit. I think they are issuing way to many cow tags. I know that disease where the cow are having still born has been found on the Cache unit. I do love the fact that you can at least see elk when hunting the Cache unit. I hunted spike for years there, only harvesting a few, but at least seeing elk. I tried my hand at open bull, went down for 4 years in a row and seen very, very few elk. What I did see you had to have horses or go in by foot a long way. I do think that the elk herds are steady. I think the Cache herds are there, just spread out. I love the area, and hope the best for it. This unit is my second home. I know there are all sorts of elk down on the lower private. They just haven't moved up yet. Random , I will try to PM here shortly on a few places I have found elk this year. What areas having you been hunting? Best of luck to you and your group this year hunting.


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

My brother hunts the Cache quite a bit during the archery hunt and he has seen a free fall in elk numbers in his area. 8-10 years ago there were lots of elk and a good number of mature bulls. Last year he didn't even see a six point, and during his hunt this year he saw a total of 5 elk...1 being a bull. Elk do move, and perhaps they're just getting smarter, but he is not the only one seeing the trend. Something is up, and it may not be all that good.


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## flyfisher20 (Aug 5, 2011)

I guess it largely depends where you hunt. I've hunted the same area for 10 years in the cache unit and have seen more elk and bigger elk in the last 3 years than ever before.


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## ntrl_brn_rebel (Sep 7, 2007)

The "cache" is divided into portions, for good reason... I'll comment on the North, a unit i spend way to much time in...and give you my thoughts on the South.

The North Cache is in beyond mess...forget about "bulls" let's talk about the herd. The Utah Division Of Wildlife has screwed up, big time. No flyovers were done for a number of years, meaning they had no idea what the herds were doing issuing WAY to many tags off "projections" total BS! Cow, Calf and Bull numbers are all way down, keep in mind they are managing this for opportunity with a high number of tags and young bulls, this year with 14 cameras and me spending close to 40 days on the unit I never saw a bull over 300"...honestly that sucks IMO but I am not worried about that, what concerns me is not once in two years have I witnessed a herd of cows larger than 12, this herd had three calves....big, big problem... Years ago I would see herds of 50+ there are few elk on the north cache and anyone that argues this has no idea what they are talking about...we will see BIG reduction in tags this year, mark my words, the flyover did finally occur and it is not good...in fact it's a total joke...if you like elk....

Idaho does impact the North Cache, no question

The south cache is in much better shape....for now.... Overall herds are in much better shape...although if your looking for opportunity for large bulls like it was a few years ago I would look to another unit...they are getting younger and younger as the years go by, but....opportunity is plentiful and there is no shortage of tags, it should get easy to draw similar to the north cache!


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

I'll agree with rebel on the North Cache for sure. 
And to an extent he is correct on the South Cache. The South Cache has never been known for a bunch of big elk. Yes there are a few around and you see a few go down but they are the exception not the rule. A 320 bull on the unit is a very good bull. You also have a fair amount of private property that allows pressured elk an escape from the pressure on public land. that can make finding them difficult at times.

The South Cache is managed for a lower age class and is now probably getting close to the objective. You may not agree with the objective but it is what it is.

As for cows they still have late hunts on the front and around Laketown to try to take care of the depradation. If they are causing damage the ranchers are going to complain there are too many elk.


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## phorisc (Feb 2, 2011)

I think its a lot of luck and skill finding them...you see hunters saying there are tons and others saying they've seen very few...is it more likely its the hunter that just needs to hone his skills or is it just luck? i'd say both 

depending on if your spot and stalking, ambushing, or still hunting...I think the best way to "see" elk is spot and stalk...cause you can watch them off from the distance from a high point...though this really takes patience...spend a few hours just spotting.

If you are trying to sneak up on the elk or actively hunting them on foot and trying to find them its a tricky business...

You are hunting an animal that spends 365 days per year trying to survive...is he suppose to go on vacation from trying to survive for hunting season? No...he tries even harder...its probably easiest to hunt them during archery since they aren't on edge from all the loud bangs going off as they get shot at...

I'd say play that wind right and try to be sneaky like a ninja and you will MAYBE be able to sneak up on the elk...or try spot and stalking...even that doesn't make it "easier"...


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## chobbs (Apr 30, 2012)

I just came home after 4 days looking for a cow elk for me and my son did not see anything. Nobody I talked to had seen anything either. I got discussed and came home. I used to see elk often in the area we were in.


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## hatch000 (Aug 4, 2011)

I have a cow tag and had hunted the opener. In the past, I have seen plenty of elk on the south cache this time of year but this year has been the exception. I only saw a few bulls and 5 cows in two days of hunting. I couldn't get a shot at one of the cows. 
What really blows my mind is I hunted the muzzy for deer in another unit and wasn't seeing much. Then I start cow elk hunting and I have seen a bunch of bucks. A couple dandys as well! I've still been enjoying myself and hope I can get a cow down. I need the meat.
Going back at it tomorrow.


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## Leftysbowman (Aug 12, 2010)

I spend way too much time on the South Cache...or not enough, just depends on the day:mrgreen:! There are very few if any elk left up there so there is no reason for anyone to go through the trouble of even hunting up there but if I start seeing more elk I will let everyone know8! Same with deer...no need for everyone to head that way next week, not a deer on the unit;-)!

At times it seems there are fewer elk and then other days I seem to find elk everywhere. I have noticed that they do move in and out of areas from year to year and that might be what is happening. I do agree that the age objective should be getting close...I have seen a ton of smaller 5x5 and 6x6 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 year old bulls this year but also a few "bigger uns":mrgreen:!

Here is the bull I was able to harvest the last day 2 years ago on my LE archery hunt...age came back at 6.5 years old, right at the age objective:-o.









Headed up tonight to see if we can find a cow to keep those ratio's in check8)!


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## temproost (Sep 14, 2010)

I agree with Lefty, not much on the south cache, (that will stand still while you shoot)! Had the LE archery tag 3 years ago and had a very memorable experience. Ate tag soup that year, but was my choice, passed on one to many. My boy had LE archery tag last year, we were into elk almost every day we were out (and we were out a lot), 20 min after an encounter with a much larger bull that didn't work out (because of reasons stated in first sentence), ended up with this bull on the last week.






definitely not the biggest bull on the hill, but wouldn't have traded the opportunity or the experience for anything.


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## WasatchOutdoors (Sep 26, 2007)

We didn't see much on the unit we hunt either. And we traditionally always see elk. I think a big part of it in the amount of water available. Usually it's extremely dry so finding elk near the drainages that hold water is pretty simple. This year there were little puddles all over the place and elk were spread out. Many of them had no reason to ever leave the security of remote dark timber during the day, and sign was scarce and scattered at best.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

WasatchOutdoors said:


> We didn't see much on the unit we hunt either. And we traditionally always see elk. I think a big part of it in the amount of water available. Usually it's extremely dry so finding elk near the drainages that hold water is pretty simple. This year there were little puddles all over the place and elk were spread out. Many of them had no reason to ever leave the security of remote dark timber during the day, and sign was scarce and scattered at best.


Finally saw my first elk on saturday, I will post a very blurry pic of him. I did notice both weekends puddles in the roads and drainage's. It was warm but there was water everywhere! I hunted hard, and didn't hear many shots. Also passed hardware a few times and it held 0 elk. There use to be elk in there from the pressure alone.

I heard 2 shots saturday. Thats it.


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## Beardedhunter (Oct 13, 2014)

I haven't seen them either. Not a single elk. I have been out almost every day of the hunt. Haven't heard many shots either. Anyone who has bagged one, I'd love to know where, while there are still a couple of hunting days left.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

Blurry pic of the lone Bull I saw.

Many people saw them archery and ML, but they are nowhere right now.


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

That's a good bull!


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## hunting777 (May 3, 2009)

We talked with some people who was able to harvest a few cows. They said the had been hunting everywhere and hadn't seen anything. So they decided to hit the thick timber. I my opinion this area is the thickest, nastiest place up Logan Canyon. They said they seen plenty of elk, but hard to hunt. Due to the fact you have a few seconds to see what they are, after you jump them from their beds. He said two cows made the mistake of looking what jumped them. My son and I hit some of the edges of this area, seen plenty of sign and heard a few. But no luck for us. We will be making our way into this place on Thursday. We will see what happens. I do know that all the elk in the lower private by Bear Lake has moved up to public. Good luck to all you.


Does most of you guys have deer tags for the Cache as well?


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Well according to my official personal suvey this weekend there is only one branch antlered bull, two cows and two calfs left on the Cache.

There are no deer, we ran the two off during the achery hunt.


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