# Deciding where to Elk hunt this year.



## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

So I learned a TON last year and a lot of it was from the guys on this forum. Last year I bow hunted upper fish creek and it was loaded with Elk. The 3 hour drive makes that place not as attractive.

Here is where I"m thinking about hunting this year and I just can't make my mind up. I can't get out and start scouting these area with all the snow so I'm dieing!! I figured I'd get some of your thoughts on these areas.

Bow season:
I'm thinking of going to Echo/Henefer WMA and hiking to the back where the Elk are, my brother will be with me so I'll be able to pack the meat out. I can get a horse also if I kill.

Middle Fork WMA, again I'd hike in and camp.

Monte cristo, I'm leaning away from this area only because it is over an hour away and scouting every weekend is going to get expensive!

Session Mountains, above Bountiful. I know the area has a lot of private land but it is really close and I'd be able to put a lot of scouts in.

The backside up Farmington, the hogsback? I haven't been back there but from the map it looks like it would have a few Elk in that area, Also really close and I could scout it.

Last I'm thinking of Parley's. I hunted this area last year in the late season and learned it pretty good. 

Now my Dad is coming up for the General rifle hunt and I'm thinking of the same areas for his hunt. I'd like to stay in the same area so I get to know it really well. The atractive thing about hunting Farmington or Bountiful is that my Dad could get a control cow tag.

Also thinking about East Canyon WMA, I've heard that area gets hammerd for the general season though.

What are some of the pro's and con's of these areas? I'll hike like a total maniac so that part is not even an issue.

I know Utah has some much better hunting areas for Elk but I'm trying to stay in an any bull unit and stay close to home so I don't end up broke paying for gas!!


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

Since you already exposed some of your potential areas on the public forum I will share what I think IMO. 

The Echo/Henefer WMA you would have to be way way back in there to get in on some elk. I would almost prefer the 3 hour drive. Unless it is an amazingly cold year I think that getting close to some elk would be pretty hard. It is an awesome late season area though. 

Middle fork, people laugh when you tell them that you are planning on hunting elk up there during the archery season, but my hunter education instructor managed to pull a decent 5 pt out of there during the archery season back in 1995. 

Monte Cristo, Will be crowded. 

Sessions mountains, Better in the winter time and good for the wasatch extended, 

Farmington, I have seen most elk north of the golf ball towers. This year in January I did see a herd of 11 cows right above Lagoon though... 

Anyhow I am not sure if this refines your dilema but hopefully it will narrow it down a little bit. I am by no means an elk expert.


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## humpyflyguy (Sep 10, 2007)

Let me save you some time and money on the scouting. Some of the places you mentioned, you will need to reconsider. The back side of Farmington is all private and pretty well posted, I think it is the Jacobs creek CWMU, there is some public area in there but good luck on trying to get the elk to cross over. Session mountain on the front side is a waste, the back side however could be pretty good if it was not private, it is part of the Hardscrabble CWMU. You can sometimes catch the elk on the public but in the past I have noticed that someone usually goes through there on horses a day or two before the hunts open and chase the elk down onto the Morgan County side. The Henefer WMA is not a bad place but you do need to hike way in there and hunt real close to the private fence line and hope to catch one on the public side during the Archery hunt, but during the rifle hunt it is more likely a few are on the private side. East Canyon WMA for archery is also a waste of time, hills are steep and when you think you are getting close to where the elk are you will notice that the canyons are all posted with a cwmu sign, can't remember wich one because it has been a couple of years since I hiked in there, plus last year and this year they are running a crude oil pipeline through the bottom half so I am thinking with all the construction the elk are pushed over to the other side of the mountain and that is all private. Really your best bet would be Monte Cristo area or East Canyon. Access East Canyon from the Mountain Dell road or Immigration canyon area, heck of a hike but during the archery you won't have too many people to deal with, it is a different story during the rifle though.
If you need any more information or someone to scout with, send me a P.M. I usually scout theses areas pretty good but don't start until late July since the elk herd numbers are lowi in these areas and they move around alot.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

hoghunter011583 said:


> Last I'm thinking of Parley's. I hunted this area last year in the late season and learned it pretty good.


The north side of Parleys the elk dont come over in tell there snow. They stay on the Jeremy ranch side all summer long.If you want to hunt elk I would hunt the south side. Like Lambs canyon and that.


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

Nambaster said:


> Since you already exposed some of your potential areas on the public forum I will share what I think IMO.
> 
> .


Well, the areas I mentioned are not big secrets and the pretty much suck so I doubt I turned a lot of heads. 
Monte Cristo is out for my Dad's hunt, I was up there last year for archery and it was still pretty crowded.

Thanks!!


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

Lol :lol: I will have to agree with you. Temperature wise I would say that most of the areas that you mentioned were on the colder side. I plan on hunting some luke warm to room temp areas myself. I wish I had a hot area where the bulls get so crazy that they will breed anything with fur on it, but unfortunately if I see any elk within bow range I am happy to release an arrow. 

What area are you from? You are saying you want to stay within an hour of your house?


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

Nambaster said:


> Lol :lol: I will have to agree with you. Temperature wise I would say that most of the areas that you mentioned were on the colder side. I plan on hunting some luke warm to room temp areas myself. I wish I had a hot area where the bulls get so crazy that they will breed anything with fur on it, but unfortunately if I see any elk within bow range I am happy to release an arrow.
> 
> What area are you from? You are saying you want to stay within an hour of your house?


I'm in Layton. I'm trying to decide if I should scout an area close to home and really learn what the Elk are doing. Or fish all summer and then make a scout or 2 just before the season opens in a spike ony area like Strawberry. The more I really look into it the more I'm starting to opt for a farther better area, I just would love to put my brother on a bull!!


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## Size Matters (Dec 22, 2007)

I would agree on going farther away the places you were thinking about are a lot of work for the amount of animals you will see. 8)


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## WasatchOutdoors (Sep 26, 2007)

I'm just up the road from you in Centerville. I can get to the mouth of farmington canyon in about 10 minutes and go up there pretty regularly. I don't see a lot of elk up that way, at least not on public ground. Personally I drive to some of the area's with higher densities of elk, because I enjoy the experience of seeing elk regardles of whether I get one. On the plus side, as an archery hunter, you can take a spike or a cow on the spike units. So while you want to get a bull, really in the end, there's not a huge difference between a cow and a spike. 

On the any bull units, you won't see anywhere near as many elk, but with that archery permit in hand, any elk will do. But the pack job on an any bull unit in my experience tends to be longer, and usually in more rugged country. just food for thought.


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

WasatchOutdoors said:


> I'm just up the road from you in Centerville. I can get to the mouth of farmington canyon in about 10 minutes and go up there pretty regularly. I don't see a lot of elk up that way, at least not on public ground. Personally I drive to some of the area's with higher densities of elk, because I enjoy the experience of seeing elk regardles of whether I get one. On the plus side, as an archery hunter, you can take a spike or a cow on the spike units. So while you want to get a bull, really in the end, there's not a huge difference between a cow and a spike.
> 
> On the any bull units, you won't see anywhere near as many elk, but with that archery permit in hand, any elk will do. But the pack job on an any bull unit in my experience tends to be longer, and usually in more rugged country. just food for thought.


Yeah the any bull areas are surley for the die hards!! I think I'll look around a little bit and make a desicion oh prolly opening morning at 2 am!!lol


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