# Deseret CWMU Cow Elk



## fishawk (Aug 23, 2009)

I lucked out and drew an antlerless cow tag for the Deseret CWMU. I grew up hunting in Idaho and don't have any experience with how a CWMU works. I'm hoping some of you guys can give me some info on what steps to take or what I need to do first. I emailed Tom Land (operator) already. Thanks for your help!


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## Swampy_Dog (Oct 4, 2015)

Never hunted elk out there but I've hunted antelope twice all I did was call to get my season dates and I checked in at the check station they gave me a map told me where they've been seeing antelope (which is everywhere) and sent me on my way, loved my experience there and plan on putting in numerous times


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## robiland (Jan 20, 2008)

You will do well. They treat the people great there. I have never been there, but all the people that have, say it is great.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Congrats on drawing a tag! I worked for DLL and lived on the ranch for 18 months - be prepared to see lots of wildlife and some beautiful country. Tom Land and his guys are top notch. If the process is still the same, you will receive a letter in the mail from Wild Country Outfitters explaining all the details of the hunt (i.e. - ranch rules and hunting dates).


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Here is the link to the DLL cow elk hunt info -

http://wildcountryoutfitters.com/cowelk/


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

How many points did you have to draw that golden tag?


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## fishawk (Aug 23, 2009)

I had 4 points


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

Great group of guys up there. 

Up to you if you want to try it yourself, or go guided. 

The guided will have you a shot day one, and they will clean your animal and have it loaded up, then take it right to your truck bed.


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## tander123 (Sep 21, 2007)

$400 per person and we drew two tags. Ouch!!! Not sure my Honda Ridgeline will work for that hunt and may have to go guided. Thoughts?


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

tander123 said:


> $400 per person and we drew two tags. Ouch!!! Not sure my Honda Ridgeline will work for that hunt and may have to go guided. Thoughts?


Your Ridgeline will be fine - the roads are very well maintained up there. I don't know where you are coming from, but here are a few things to consider about the guided option.

More than likely they will have you an elk on day 1. You will use the guides truck/atv, they clean and retrieve the animal for you, and Tom has some awesome guys that work for him - so you'd have a great time being around the guide.

Unguided:
It's likely that you could have one shot on day 1, but you'd be responsible for your own vechile, gas, and getting that animal out (there are some places up there that would be pretty nasty to get one out of). If you didn't get one on day 1, you would need to either drive home and come back the next day, stay in Evanston (hit Suds Brothers for dinner) and come back, or spend the night on the ranch in the designated "camping area." My assumption is that you probably don't have a camping trailer (please forgive me if I am wrong), so you'd be sleeping in a tent. Depending on your hunt dates, that could be one very long and cold night.

Either way, Deseret is a special place - best of luck!


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## WasatchOutdoors (Sep 26, 2007)

tander123 said:


> $400 per person and we drew two tags. Ouch!!! Not sure my Honda Ridgeline will work for that hunt and may have to go guided. Thoughts?


It's been years since this incident, but the first time (of 2) that I drew this tag, my truck broke down the day before. I hunted the ranch unguided, and got a cow the first day. Driving an early 90's mitsubishi mirage sedan.

The roads in Deseret are well maintained, There's not a lot of places that your ridgeline won't have decent access to. And you really don't need the guide. It's a very target rich environment.


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## tander123 (Sep 21, 2007)

I've done the guided option before and they are great! I just choked a bit when I did the math for two of us.


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## Firehawk (Sep 30, 2007)

We did the guided hunt with my two kiddos in 2015. It was one of the most amazing experiences we have ever had. Both my daughter (16 at the time) and my youngest son (14 at the time) tagged out early afternoon. These were their first successful attempts at taking big game, although they had both hunted a couple of years already. We had watched bulls bugling like crazy, wallowing, classic rutting action etc. during a fairly serious rainstorm. We stuck with it and hiked a lot with the guide. His comment was how grateful he was that we were willing to hike as many are unwilling to do that at all. He was so patient with my kids and was just as happy as I was when we cleanly took two nice cows. We all helped take care of the animals and were so grateful for the guide team bringing down the Razor to haul out the two animals. We were in a very steep canyon and were worried we'd have to hike them out, but they were able to get them out of there.

It was such a great experience and both my kids still talk about how much fun they had. My daughter heads off to college in a couple of months and she and I were reminiscing about this experience and the fun times we had. So glad we were able to share this and other hunting experiences before she headed into adulthood. She cried when she told me not to put her in for a tag this fall as she wants to see how hard college is before making that kind of commitment. Can't wait at all for another opportunity to go hunting with her again.

Anyway, don't be afraid to use the guide services. I only hope that your guide is as great as ours was. Tyson Land will help organize things with Wild Country Outfitters and he is great too.

Enjoy those awesome steaks!

FH


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

My two brothers and I all had the tag last year. It was the first year they'd done their new system of a true DIY hunt. Last year's hunt was tough going as there was no weather at all by the time the hunt rolled around, so most of the elk were still holed up in Blue Fork, which is a not-so-pleasant place to get to. It is elk country, but not the easy hunt so many had experienced up at Deseret. 

Opening day I hit it with one brother and we brought young kids as our one guest each thinking our trip would be like our experiences in the past. We planned to just road hunt with young ones as our guests. We found one smaller herd all day, and could have shot them but were in an area we really didn't want to go with the kids. It would have been hard work. 

I went back up a few days later with my other brother. The two of us hiked to the elk this time. We made a play on one herd early in the morning, but they busted us. A little after lunch we got down to another canyon and killed my cow. I hit reset on my GPS once we were loaded up and we had to pack my cow 1.74 miles back to the truck. It was a pretty good jaunt for a cow hunt. 

Wild Country Outfitters are a great bunch of people. I've killed 3 cows on DLL since 1999. Both of my brothers have killed cows there over the years. One of my brothers has killed a doe pronghorn there. My dad has killed a cow and a big bull there. Aside from the big bull (where they provided a guide for everyone) and my first cow hunt, all the hunts were non-guided. I have nothing but total positive things to say about how things go there.

I don't have any experience with any other CWMU, but DL&L treats the public hunter the way I think the program was designed to do it. It's a great experience up there.


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

I drew same tag with 3 points. didn't realize the guide fee was so high now, so I am gonna go unguided.


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## Raven_6 (Sep 10, 2017)

@CPAjeff I purchased an OTC bull elk tag this year and plan on hunting near and around Deseret. Growing up in Wyoming, I had heard countless stories of the elk and deer that are in the ranch. I understand the hard work that is required in maintaining the area. Without stepping on any toes, where would you suggest I go? I was planning on going near Monte Cristo or near Causey Reservoir and hiking around the border of Deseret. I don't want to upset anyone and I'll respect the rules and regulations of private lands. What would you suggest I do to prevent or eliminate any possible confrontations with those that work at Deseret and it's owners?


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Raven_6 said:


> @CPAjeff I purchased an OTC bull elk tag this year and plan on hunting near and around Deseret. Growing up in Wyoming, I had heard countless stories of the elk and deer that are in the ranch. I understand the hard work that is required in maintaining the area. Without stepping on any toes, where would you suggest I go? I was planning on going near Monte Cristo or near Causey Reservoir and hiking around the border of Deseret. I don't want to upset anyone and I'll respect the rules and regulations of private lands. What would you suggest I do to prevent or eliminate any possible confrontations with those that work at Deseret and it's owners?


Good question!

I haven't been on the ranch since 2016, so my information may be a little out-of-date... The folks at DL&L don't take trespassing lightly - I know of one individual who they looked for/chased down in a helicopter (he may be the most notorious trespasser on DL&L in the history of the ranch). With that being said, I wouldn't be one bit afraid of hunting the boundary - just be absolutely sure you know where you are and where the boundary line is. More than likely, there will be folks out patrolling DL&L's boarders.

You'll have plenty of competition in the areas you mentioned, but that's to be expected and I think you've narrowed down the potential areas where you might have success pretty well! Best of luck!


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

I've had the cow tag a couple of times. Seen lots, and by lots, I mean hundreds and hundreds of elk. It has been amazing. The guide fee is worth it. At least it was to me. Good guys. Be sure that you tip your guide as well. They beat all heck out of their trucks to get you on an elk. Very worth it. It is a totally different hunt than anything else I've experienced. Good luck.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

Raven_6 said:


> @CPAjeff I purchased an OTC bull elk tag this year and plan on hunting near and around Deseret. Growing up in Wyoming, I had heard countless stories of the elk and deer that are in the ranch. I understand the hard work that is required in maintaining the area. Without stepping on any toes, where would you suggest I go? I was planning on going near Monte Cristo or near Causey Reservoir and hiking around the border of Deseret. I don't want to upset anyone and I'll respect the rules and regulations of private lands. What would you suggest I do to prevent or eliminate any possible confrontations with those that work at Deseret and it's owners?


Have a real real good gps with a land map on it (like onX), and "when in doubt", stay clear. DLL knows exactly where their boundary is, and it's not worth the prosecution that will follow. The will 100% have people patrolling/spotting during general season hunts.

Lots of people go up Monte and are 200 or so yards from the fence line. A few lucky people slam big ones each season. It's a crowd, and there are a lot on horseback. Good luck. Causey would be a hell of a pack out to hike where you need to, but might bring some luck. I don't know where the Anybull and public land borders are exactly up there though.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

It has been awhile since I've been up on Monte Christo but in the past the DLL border was VERY apparent (log rail fence or better).

I haven't been on the Causey side to see how it is marked but I know some people who have hunted it and even it is crowded. There are no secret spots up there.

But every year there are a few people who get lucky. Have fun.


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## Raven_6 (Sep 10, 2017)

Thank you all for the help! I believe I have planned and prepped accordingly. I do have OnXHunt and have downloaded all the maps for when I am out of service. I don't mind hoofin' it for a chance at a decent public bull. Im not necessarily getting my hopes set too high considering it is a public hunt. I just returned from one of the best hunts Ive had in awhile in Wyoming. My brother (a non resident) drew out the 91-1 elk tag and filled it within the first 45 minutes of the hunt on Monday. Growing up in Star Valley made it a little extra special. Ill post some pics of it in a new thread. Thanks again for the help!


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## MadHunter (Nov 17, 2009)

I drew that tag 2 years in a row back in 93 and 94. I did a DIY hunt and had an amazing experience. The place is absolutely stunning and it's a top notch operation. I do not recall being given the option for a guided hunt. Even if I was given the option I was so broke I could not even pay attention. I remember I had to "qualify" to hunt. We met up at Lee Kay center and had to make 3 shots onto an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper at 100 yds. They also took down the serial number of the gun I used and was not allowed to hunt with any other gun. Some folks were all butt hurt about the qualifying but...it's their land and their rules.

First year I tagged out on the first morning. Second year was unseasonably warm and they only had about 5% success rate the first weekend. The following week we woke up to some pretty cold weather and about a foot of snow. Game changer I paired up with another solo hunter and we agreed to hunt together and share the work. Even share the meat if we only got 1 cow. I ended up shooting the lead cow and after a bit of running around the herd regrouped to have an election and Lawrence shot his cow. To this day he and I remain friends. I got more than a great hunting experience out of it. I am sure you will too.


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