# Elk on the north slope



## outdoorser

What are my chances of getting a tag filled on the general season Any bull in the North slope? Mind you I have never hunted the Uintas, only been near the north slope once on a scout camp. I wouldn't be picky, literally "any bull" would do. *I know this is one of those questions everybody hates to see on a forum, (and I know that's what everybody says just to ease the pain of such a blunt question.) I do believe in doing things by your own power and not pestering everybody for honey holes and all that, but I don't have many options. Its either let you guys try to answer my questions or just tough the hunt out and probably never see an elk.* -THANKS to all you good souls that enjoy helping a brother out!


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## goosefreak

slim pal, since you never hunted the uintas. i'd say slim. I pack in on horse in the uintas and i'v killed a bull, and been into a few others that we couldn't make happen. its tough. I go there often, and I know a few areas really well, and still it can be rough for me.... hunting elk is 1 thing, but hunting elk in the uintas is a hole different ball game. having said that, there is always what people call... (luck). if I were you I wouldn't hunt until the last week, and if your pressed for time then I would wait for the last 2 days, don't get too crazy on the calling, from my experience soft occasional calling is better, (at least in the uintas) once you get one to respond back, then just sweet talk him in, let the elk tell you how to call, you don't always want to hit'em right after they bugle, especially on weary bulls like in the uintas. sometimes waiting longer to respond back to a bull will build up his anticipation to come in. (just my experience) good luck to ya though!


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## KineKilla

Scouted and Hunted the North Slope last year. Horses are definitely the way to go.

You will be in a very thick pine forest and while there are some nice bulls up there it is very difficult to get around without them smelling, hearing or seeing you. If you do get one down, you'll have a great time packing it out.

That being said, look around up by Hoop Lake.


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## bowhunt3r4l1f3

Chances? Probably around 5% or less realistically. If you've never even hunted or seen elk in the Uintas especially the North Slope (which is totally different than the South mind you) your chances are more like 1%. But you'll never learn until you try right? 8) After a few years hunting in the Uintas your chances will go up but not significantly. I see a few nice bulls taken there every year though.


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## goofy elk

Slim,,%1 ???
Ya, If u have horse's, and go deep for 3-5 days ....

Take the horse out and chances on the N slope fall to %.005,,

Seriously outdoorser, SUPER tough hunt.
I'd take golf more serious if the North slope was the only place to elk hunt


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## Kingfisher

one of the big problems not listed by the excellent advice given by others above is that the entire herd is mailed the proclamation and they know when the hunt starts. they prepare by stepping over the wyo state line and watch as the utah hunters cover the territory. been there when you could see herds over the fence and few on the utah side. i bet when the utah hunt is over and the wyo begins, they step back across into utah. we have taken about 6 bulls total off the norths slope over the years, much less than a 5% success rate when you figure we typically have about 6 to 10 hunters.


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## KineKilla

Shoot me a PM and I'll send you some information regarding where we found some elk last year (GPS coordinates). In fact we found a very nice 5 point during scouting and heard him bugling opening morning, but after some shooting in the next canyon over, he made like a ghost. 
There was also a cougar killed 3 point in velvet in the same area that a bear had been dining on. I think they are in that area fairly regularly, and only about 1-2 miles from the nearest trail head.

I'll bet he's still in that area this year. We are not hunting the area this year and I'd be glad to give you the information I have. What you can realistically do with the information is yet to be seen.

I am typically an optimist and say your chances are better than the 1% mentioned above...but not much.


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## outdoorser

Hey KineKilla, thanks for your generosity; I'd PM you but with what everybody said on the percentage of actually filling a tag up there, I may go a different rout on the G.S. elk. And thanks to everybody else who responded. Here's another question to you all--in your opinion, what is the unit that has the best chances of filling a G.S. any-bull tag? What about spikes? Just curious as to what everybody's opinion is....


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## ARCHER11

In my opinion, your best chance at filling an any bull tag is in the uintas. If you have horses or are in shape and willing to pack in to some of the remote drainages you have a chance at some elk. I spent 8 days back in there last year and had multiple opportunities to kill cows and a few close calls with some nice general season bulls. Last year was my first year in the area and I was more than happy with the experience and opportunities I had to fill my tag. If you'd rather stick closer to the roads there are still elk out there the hunting is just a lot different and more difficult.


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## ARCHER11

I was archery hunting


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## Nambaster

This post makes me appreciate my bull that I harvested on the North Slope:grin:


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## outdoorser

Lets see pictures, Nambaster!


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## Nambaster

Imma need a scanner since it was back in the days of film instead of digital media. Just to paint you a picture it was back in 1999 I was walking through the tree line when I noticed a bright yellow body 60 yards away that looked a little out of place. I ducked my head to verify that what I was looking at was a bull and saw definite antlers at the base of the animals head and I was sure it was an elk. His vitals were wide open in my path to fire. One shot from my 30-06 and he laid down right where he was standing. When I got up to him he was still pumping blood out on the snow. I was 17 at the time and alone and a mile and half from any road. It was awesome to call my dad up on the old Motorola Brick phone and let him know that I had just shot a bull. When he asked how many points you would never imagine the surprise in his voice when he heard that I knocked down a 5x8 bull in the Uintas... Anyhow 3 days later I had him all packed out and got to show my dad... I would hunt the Uintas every year if I had a job that would let me off for that long.


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## outdoorser

Great story nambaster!!


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## goosefreak

I would agree, even being hard to hunt, my opinion is that the uintas is the best GS elk area. I go in on horse, and have taken a 5x5, and a 5x6. You just got to put your time in getting to know the country, and how to hunt it. that could be said about anywhere though. You put your time in, and its gonna pay off for you (I also do Archery)


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## bowhunt3r4l1f3

Outdoorser, 

General season spike is the way to go besides a cow tag. IMO if you know what your doing you should see at least a few spikes each year. I see spikes nearly every time I or someone in my family has a cow tag. Getting within range and having a shot are other issues all together. If I'm remembering correctly spike success rates are usually around 15-20%. Not great, not horrible.


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## outdoorser

I want to see some Cache unit spike elk photos! (don't have to be spike)


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## richardjb

*North Slope*

I hunt archery. I get into elk every year and have taken some and blown some good opportunities. I don't use horses and have honey holes close enough to drive a truck or wheeler legally within 1/3 mile from where I have my climbers set up. Hunting below 9000 ft. The elk are where you find them. I know where to find them. Granted, I have been doing it for a long time. Of all the elk I got on my trail camera, the 6 point was pretty good. Probably only score 250 -270, but a North Slope bull that might have survived last year may be about a 300 or better this year.


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## wyogoob

Kingfisher said:


> one of the big problems not listed by the excellent advice given by others above is that the entire herd is mailed the proclamation and they know when the hunt starts. they prepare by stepping over the wyo state line and watch as the utah hunters cover the territory. been there when you could see herds over the fence and few on the utah side. i bet when the utah hunt is over and the wyo begins, they step back across into utah. we have taken about 6 bulls total off the norths slope over the years, much less than a 5% success rate when you figure we typically have about 6 to 10 hunters.


All of us in Southwest Wyoming can't thank you fellers enough for running all those North Slope elk over to us just before our rifle elk hunt opens. :mrgreen:


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## hazmat

these are all elk from the north slope. i will tell you it is an extrmemely low success hunt there are yaers. we have 8 tags in camp and see very few elk. of course there are some successful years as well due to hard work and knowing the area over a 20 year span.


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## ridgetop

nice bulls hazmat


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## stillhunterman

ridgetop said:


> nice bulls hazmat


+1

I've thought hard about hunting the N.S., but I've come to the conclusion it would either kill or do great bodily harm to my fragile old body:shock: I have opted instead to hunt the stomping grounds of my youth, nearby on the Kamas area. Though it will still probably kill or do me great bodily harm, at least I will go out peacefully surrounded by memories of old :mrgreen:

That N.S. can be some tough country to not only hunt, but get around in as well! Best of luck to you Outdoorser!


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## hazmat

ridgetop said:


> nice bulls hazmat


thanks ridgetop


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## KineKilla

Here's a good idea of what hunting the north slope looks like. There is a 5 point bull in the center-right of this pic. THICK FOREST AND TONS OF DEADFALL!


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## richardjb

Lots of areas are like that up there. Can be hard to sneek up on. Got to ambush or call em in. Getting excited for this years hunt.


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## Smokepole

I've hunted on and off for many years on the N Slope for elk using either rifle or bow. I like getting at least 2+ miles from any road so that I can get away from most the other hunters. Last time we rifle hunted the N Slope I took my nephew and uncle. We packed in 4.5 miles and hunted from there. Opening morning we were another mile from camp when we ran into another hunter who had spike camped right were we wanted to be at first light. We moved on past him and headed up on a different hillside. I had my nephew move up the hill and my uncle stayed lower. As we worked the side hill I made a few cow/calf calls and threw in a couple young bull bugles. We'd only gone a couple hundred yards when I received a bugle back from way up high on the side hill. I quickly moved forward and below my nephew and cow called back. The bull came straight in but, my nephew couldn't shoot until he was only about 30 yards away (thick nasty stuff). We had the bull quartered out and back at camp by noon. Shortly after that hunters on horses came down the trail packing out a bull. The hunter we moved past that morning had killed a bull and then called family to come in and pack his bull out he shot in the area we initially wanted to be in that morning.
Success on the N Slope is very low as noted above. However, once you get to know a certain area very well your odds go up. My uncle asked me what he though his odds would be before we went on that last hunt. I told him we probably had a 25% chance at getting a bull. My uncle did not kill a bull that year but, since my nephew did, we were 50% successful (I did not hunt, I was playing guide for them). It was the first time either of them had ever hunted for a bull elk.
Hike into some alpine lakes and catch some fish while scouting for elk. Get out there and start making your own fond memories in the Uinta's, North or South slope, it doesn't matter. 
Smokepole


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## Yahtahay

There aren't any bulls on the North Slope...Stay out. :mrgreen: Heres a few pics of bulls from last year, but let me tell you, there are no bulls on the NS!


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