# Successful Cow Hunt



## Runter (Jun 1, 2017)

Had a successful hunt yesterday. 

Me and my two brothers have Private Land Only cow elk tags. We've gone out a few times but with snow coming in slow this year the elk hadn't started migrating through the property. Well with the snow we recently got I started to get excited.

At first light we started looking for tracks of elk migrating through the property and we weren't seeing anything but then we saw one set of elk tracks. We though that it must be a bull if it was by itself but my brother started glassing in that direction to make sure. 

Sure enough we see a cow elk all by itself, weird, we range her at 475 yards and we decide not to take the shot. The longest I shoot is 400 yards away. She eventually see's/hears us and she walks over the ridge.

Soon as it went over the ridge we decided we needed to be quick and try to catch up to here. We said a prayer that we might be able to get her and we were on our way. We knew she would eventually bed down and that is when we would probably be able to catch up to her. The wind was in our favor!

Soon after we got over the ridge we crossed her track and I pulled up my glass to look in that direction and I see her just over 400 yards away. She was calmly eating off a tree so we decided to get closer but there isn't much cover and only get within 380 yards before we start worrying about getting busted. We watched her for a about 5 minutes and then we see her laid down. We wanted to get closer but since she was laying down we could barely find where she was in all the brush. So we decided that me and one brother would stay there and keep an eye on her while the other brother tried to sneak up for a closer shot.

After another 5 minutes goes by the elk stands up. Fearing that my brother got busted sneaking up on her my other brother takes the shot. Not knowing if he got a lethal hit I took a shot then my other brother finally able to see her, not knowing if we hit her took a shot. She ran probably 100 yards then laid down. 

So after making the trek up to the cow we find out that we all hit her and we decided to have my brother tag her because he has two kids that need to fill their tags as well. 

We had about a mile pack out but we were pleased to only have one elk to pack out. The last two years we had multiple elk to pack out in one day so I was nice just to have one. 

When we started quartering her we found out why we think she was all alone. She had an old bullet wound that damaged the top part of one of her lungs. I was amazed she even survived. My guess is that she was shot in November on Deseret. It was pretty gross, lot of the meat in that area had scar tissue, looked infected and smelled bad. We left all of that stuff on the mountain. 

I'm guessing more elk will be migrating through for the next couple weeks so I hope to tag out then.


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

I love when people post party hunting stories on the internet!


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

MooseMeat said:


> I love when people post party hunting stories on the internet!


Is that you, Shaun?


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## Runter (Jun 1, 2017)

This wasn't part hunting. My brother shot the elk. My brother tagged the elk. He was fine being done hunting because he still has to take his two kids out hunting. He is now done carrying a gun for the season.


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

Runter said:


> This wasn't part hunting. My brother shot the elk. My brother tagged the elk. He was fine being done hunting because he still has to take his two kids out hunting. He is now done carrying a gun for the season.


You just said all 3 of you shot said cow. If multiple people are involved shooting 1 animal, that's party hunting


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

Runter said:


> Fearing that my brother got busted sneaking up on her my other brother takes the shot. Not knowing if he got a lethal hit I took a shot then my other brother finally able to see her, not knowing if we hit her took a shot. She ran probably 100 yards then laid down.
> 
> So after making the trek up to the cow we find out that we all hit her and we decided to have my brother tag her because he has two kids that need to fill their tags as well.


Directly from the field regs 
You may not take a big game animal for another person. For example, you cannot kill
a big game animal, and then tag the animal with a tag that belongs to one of your hunting companions. This practice is called "party hunting," and it's illegal.

What you just described, all 3 of you hit her, that's party hunting. 1 person only should have been shooting at her. Just 1. Not all 3.


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## Runter (Jun 1, 2017)

You made had me look it up.

Quote:
"Utah Code § 23-19-1 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-5-15
You may not take a big game animal for
another person. For example, you cannot kill
a big game animal, and then tag the animal
with a tag that belongs to one of your hunting
companions. This practice is called "party hunting,"
and it's illegal."

I don't think what we did was wrong in that th elk was not "taken" by another hunter.

But either way what was done was done and I don't feel wrong about it. I don't like taking a chance of letting a elk go wounded.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

MM

I don’t think it’s party hunting by the definition that you provided. If everyone has a tag, everyone has the right to shoot at an animal in attempts to take it. If, in the process, two people both hit the same animal, then they must determine who will claim and tag it. 

As the definition suggests, party hunting would be if one person shot an animal and killed it, then had someone else tag it. 

Multiple people shooting at the same animal happens all the time and many times is done by people who don’t even know each other. 

The ethical side is up to interpretation. Speaking of ethics, it’s really polite to use PM when calling someone out, especially if you possibly don’t know what you are talking about. ——-SS


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

Runter said:


> You made had me look it up.
> 
> Quote:
> "Utah Code § 23-19-1 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-5-15
> ...


The elk was "taken" by all 3 of you. So you basically have the possibility of shooting and killing 2 (or even more) elk this year, on a single tag, before you cut your tag. That's party hunting.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

MooseMeat said:


> The elk was "taken" by all 3 of you. So you basically have the possibility of shooting and killing 2 (or even more) elk this year, on a single tag, before you cut your tag. That's party hunting.


Can you prove which bullet killed the elk Mr. Moose Turd? Didn't think so...


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## weaversamuel76 (Feb 16, 2017)

Mm you joined just for this conversation you must have a special interest in it

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

weaversamuel76 said:


> Mm you joined just for this conversation you must have a special interest in it
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


And what would that be?


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

LostLouisianian said:


> Can you prove which bullet killed the elk Mr. Moose Turd? Didn't think so...


What's with the name calling?


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## Runter (Jun 1, 2017)

I hope you guys can put the "Party Hunting" thing behind us now. Unless a Wildlife Officer chimes in I think it's just up to interpretation. 

What do you guys think of the old bullet wound? According to MM was the elk taken by someone else a month ago?

Have you guys every seen scar tissue that smelled bad like it was infected?


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

I have not personally seen it, but I have heard people dealing with this on numerous occasions. It happens. 

Good work on getting a cow! If you need help thinning migrating cows, let me know and I'll go purchase a private lands only tag and meet you up there. :grin:


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Yep, I looked into it and confirmed my suspicion that MM is indeed dead wrong in his interpretation of the Party Hunting law. 

Congrats on joining the forum to hijack a legitimate hunt report using false information resulting in you looking like a total buffoon.

How does the saying go? "Better to remain silent and appear a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."-------SS


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

Sweet. I'll just shoot 4 or 5 elk and deer from now on every year, and make sure I'm just packing a little kid with me every time, let them shoot at them as well, have them tag it and then I can keep hunting the whole season! Thanks for the loop hole guys!


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

Springville Shooter said:


> Yep, I looked into it and confirmed my suspicion that MM is indeed dead wrong in his interpretation of the Party Hunting law.
> 
> Congrats on joining the forum to hijack a legitimate hunt report using false information resulting in you looking like a total buffoon.
> 
> How does the saying go? "Better to remain silent and appear a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."-------SS


I wonder who used to do that sort of crap on here before he and his "girlfriend" got banned at least a dozen times....anyone care to guess names???????
-O\\__--O\\__--O\\__-:violin::violin::violin::yield:


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Anyways, back to the OP........congrats on your success and enjoy the meat! ————SS


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Congrats on your hunt - sounds like two more to go for you and your brother.

And, to beat the dead horse even further (sorry) - this WAS NOT party hunting. All three had tags. All three shot at the same elk. One elk was killed and one tag was filled. Now there are just two hunting. Somebody is clearly trying to overwork things here...


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

MooseMeat said:


> Sweet. I'll just shoot 4 or 5 elk and deer from now on every year, and make sure I'm just packing a little kid with me every time, let them shoot at them as well, have them tag it and then I can keep hunting the whole season! Thanks for the loop hole guys!


Isn't that basically what got you in hot water with the law before?


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## TPrawitt91 (Sep 1, 2015)

Yeah based on the way the rule is written, that doesn't sound like party hunting. When I was younger my dad and his buddy did party hunting. One would have a deer tag and the other an elk tag. If either saw an animal the other had a tag for they would discuss taking it over the walkies. I must say though I never saw either of them kill an animal they didn't have a tag for, I heard them discuss it though haha. That would be party hunting. Or if i shot a deer and had my hunting partner tag it, would be party hunting. But if someone else shoots an animal and you finish it off that doesn't seem like party hunting by the definition. I can see how that might blur the lines for some people but all parties were actively hunting the animal and the last guy that shot it tagged it. Seems legit to me.


Anyway, congrats on the elk. Always a blessing to get it done.


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

Vanilla said:


> Isn't that basically what got you in hot water with the law before?


I've never been in trouble for party hunting a day in my life. Since the rule is left up for interpretation, sounds like I won't ever be either


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Clarq said:


> Is that you, Shaun?


Ohhhh! Be careful what you say about him on here. If he somehow links your UWN username with your facebook profile he will start puffing his chest out and hitting you up with private messages. Then when you ignore the barking Chihuahua he will assume that it is because you are terrified of him. Ask me how I know!


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

colorcountrygunner said:


> Ohhhh! Be careful what you say about him on here. If he somehow links your UWN username with your facebook profile he will start puffing his chest out and hitting you up with private messages. Then when you ignore the barking Chihuahua he will assume that it is because you are terrified of him. Ask me how I know!


If you are gonna tell a story, at least tell the truth...


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Dont quite understand all the heartburn over this post. It leads off with:



Runter said:


> Me and my two brothers have Private Land Only cow elk tags.


Pretty simple, anyone one with a tag can shoot at a legal animal, and that's what they did. All 3 had tags, all 3 shot at a legal animal and all 3 did hit it... so they let one brother take and tag it.

Really, that should be the end of the story other than a hearty "congratulations".

-DallanC


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## elkantlers (Feb 27, 2014)

MM, Don't you have a junior high math test to study for?


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## bfr (Apr 26, 2009)

DallanC said:


> Dont quite understand all the heartburn over this post. It leads off with:
> 
> Pretty simple, anyone one with a tag can shoot at a legal animal, and that's what they did. All 3 had tags, all 3 shot at a legal animal and all 3 did hit it... so they let one brother take and tag it.
> 
> ...


And THAT is the ffacts of the case your Honor, defense rests.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Congrats on the cow!


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

MooseMeat said:


> I've never been in trouble for party hunting a day in my life. Since the rule is left up for interpretation, sounds like I won't ever be either


Party hunting, illegally taking a game animal--elk, bear, not much difference, really. Is there?


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Anyway, congrats on your success, Runter. Sorry your success thread got hijacked by some little weasel who is notorious for stirring the pot on Utah hunting forums.


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

colorcountrygunner said:


> Anyway, congrats on your success, Runter. Sorry your success thread got hijacked by some little weasel who is notorious for stirring the pot on Utah hunting forums.


Still waiting for the truth.... come on. You can do it


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## Runter (Jun 1, 2017)

Thanks guys for helping get that all cleared up. I only started hunting again a couple years ago so I wasn't sure on the interpretation on some rules. Any way I'll keep you guys posted if we get anything else. I think we are planning on going out on New Year's Day.


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Runter said:


> Thanks guys for helping get that all cleared up. I only started hunting again a couple years ago so I wasn't sure on the interpretation on some rules. Any way I'll keep you guys posted if we get anything else. I think we are planning on going out on New Year's Day.


Good Luck!!!


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## DevilDog09 (Oct 4, 2016)

Not party hunting, some people just don’t know how to read. Congrats To your brother on his cow, hopefully you two can tag out on yours. Keep us updated


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## Raptor1 (Feb 1, 2015)

Congrats on the elk, we went out yesterday and had the most success we have had in a single day. And what you described isn't "party hunting" I would have shot at the elk as well. Too bad she had been hit before. I haven't seen it in elk, but in deer I have seen it a few times. Last years buck I took had a front that had been hit that was all covered up with recent skin growth, but when I started cutting in it wasn't smelling that great. It happens and you lose some meat.


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Absolutely not party hunting. Congrats on the cow!!


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Guys, this is a discussion forum, isn't it?
So a guy gives his input on what he thinks is right or wrong, big deal. No need for all the name calling.
IMHO, I don't think anything was wrong with what they did either.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

ridgetop said:


> Guys, this is a discussion forum, isn't it?
> So a guy gives his input on what he thinks is right or wrong, big deal. No need for all the name calling.
> IMHO, I don't think anything was wrong with what they did either.


I agree it's a discussion forum. Typically when engaged in a discussion, if you take an overly aggressive, accusatory, or incorrect stance or you are outright disrespectful, you might get tuned up a little. That's the way it is and should be.

IMHO, the amount of great posts have decreased dramatically because too many jerks are not tuned up and folks simply don't find it worth it to put their personal experiences out there for every jackass on the internet to make derogatory comments about. ---------SS

"Trees and Internet forums flourish most when they are properly pruned"


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## elkantlers (Feb 27, 2014)

What he said ^^^^


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

congrats to you n your brothers on a successful hunt. poor thing might not have made it through the winter with that old wound.


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## Runter (Jun 1, 2017)

Well it looks like we missed most of the elk. We went up on the 1st and saw 5 bulls but no cows. We saw a lot of sign of other elk migrating though recently. 

I went again yesterday and didn't see any new sign. 

I think that will rap up my hunting season. It was a fun year.


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## blackdog (Sep 11, 2007)

All these cow hunt stories. Hope you guys don't come back on here later and complain about lack of trophy bulls or elk for that matter on the LE units. 

Talked to a Utah guy over X-mas and he told me between him and his father in law they have 4 cow tags.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

blackdog said:


> Talked to a Utah guy over X-mas and he told me between him and his father in law they have 4 cow tags.


Dang, I'm jealous! I didn't get a cow tag this year. Next year will be different.


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

I'll take a cow tag over bull tag any day. I am a hunter with zero interest in trophies. I'll take the tender meat of a younger to middle aged cow over an old bull every time. But we are stuck making the most of the choices given to us each season. Sometimes that will be a spike, sometimes a cow and a few times in my life it will be an LE bull. Hopefully.

So it goes.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Cow hunts are some of the most fun hunts I've done. I love hunting cow elk. Unless you have a lot of money, or are very lucky, most of us will only get to chase mature bull elk a few times (at best) in our lives. 

Nothing wrong with hunting cows so long as the wildlife managers do not issue too many permits.


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## Runter (Jun 1, 2017)

Blackdog these elk migrate off of Deseret. I've never heard anyone complain about a lack of elk on Deseret. 

For LE units i just hope the wildlife managers do their job and keep the permit numbers in check.


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## blackdog (Sep 11, 2007)

Vanilla said:


> Nothing wrong with hunting cows so long as the wildlife managers do not issue too many permits.


Yea that's just it. The wildlife managers in Utah aren't managing the elk the whiney cattle ranchers are.

Were any of you guys at the central wildlife board meeting when the hundred or so cattle ranchers showed up demanding all the elk be killed off of the Monroe unit because elk eat the same things as cows do? Didn't the Monroe use to be the premier elk unit in Utah? How is it today? 
The so called wildlife managers want to eliminate half the elk herd on the SW Desert unit because of whiney cattle ranchers. The same thing is going on, on every elk unit in Utah.

I keep hearing how bad the Utah General elk hunt is. Do the cows in the general really need to be slaughtered like they are?

I understand the need and want for cow hunts but the full on cow slaughter that's going on in Utah is a frecken joke.

Keep buying those cow tags, keep killing those cows and good luck waiting 20 years for your once in a lifetime chance at a 330 bull.


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

You know its more complicated than that simple narrative.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

blackdog said:


> Didn't the Monroe use to be the premier elk unit in Utah? How is it today?


Interesting question. I know a 400+ inch bull was killed off it this year on the archery hunt. I know the statewide conservation elk tag holder killed his bull off the Monroe within the last couple years. I regularly see pictures of sheds and/or animals killed each year from the Monroe that are true giants. Yes, it has had its rough patches, but I'd willingly burn my 20 points on it this year without blinking an eye.



blackdog said:


> I keep hearing how bad the Utah General elk hunt is. Do the cows in the general really need to be slaughtered like they are?


You and I may differ on the definition of "slaughtered like they are," but yes, those general season cow hunts need to continue. Most of the general season cows are killed on private lands anyway, right?



blackdog said:


> Keep buying those cow tags, keep killing those cows and good luck waiting 20 years for your once in a lifetime chance at a 330 bull.


I will. And hopefully I only have to wait 20 years...that means I'm drawing this fall!


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