# best cow elk units in the state.



## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Just curious what you guys consider to be the best cow units in the state of Utah. I have 4 cow elk points. If you were going into the antlerless draw with this many points where would you be laying them down? I've had some elkless freeze your but off affairs on the Dutton and Indian Peaks. I was limited to hunting out of a heated, mobile box blind, however, because the Mrs. and my old uncle with bad knees just aren't up for a hard middle of the winter hunt. I kind of like those blinds, though. They come complete with a radio and everything! :mrgreen:


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Edit: That's mountain lion I have 4 points for, antlerless elk is only 3.


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Any antlerless unit is a good unit...provided you have two things - snow and drive to get to the animals. Find a unit that suits you, learn where the elk go, pray for snow, and then hope you have the endurance needed (or plan for it).

I understand there are antlerless hunts where you can shoot them in a field and practically drive to them. That has not been my experience where I hunt though. Far from, but I am successful - probably moreso because, I'll work my tail off for it if need be. There are many that aren't willing to put in the work for a baldy.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

MWScott72 said:


> Any antlerless unit is a good unit...provided you have two things - snow and drive to get to the animals. Find a unit that suits you, learn where the elk go, pray for snow, and then hope you have the endurance needed (or plan for it).
> 
> I understand there are antlerless hunts where you can shoot them in a field and practically drive to them. That has not been my experience where I hunt though. Far from, but I am successful - probably moreso because, I'll work my tail off for it if need be. There are many that aren't willing to put in the work for a baldy.


Kinda the prob I have. The people I have cow hunted with in the past either can't or just plain don't want to put in a huge amount of effort for a cow. Maybe I'm just best off putting in for units closest to home and hoping for the best.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Apperantly the wasatch the DWR has claims of 10,000 elk up there.


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## Rattler (Jul 13, 2014)

The Monroe has plenty of roads and cows everywhere. At least that's is the word on the street.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Rattler said:


> The Monroe has plenty of roads and cows everywhere. At least that's is the word on the street.


I used to murder a lot of spikes up there before they shut down the spike hunt. It was always fun to parade my trophy past the penetrating glares of the peeved off locals who had some kind of assumed ownership over that mountain. I can only imagine it would be fun to do with cows as well.


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

I am glad you asked... Deseret has these awesome thingys called guides. They will drag them out for you. You can also ride in their Ranger.


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Zion unit gives out cow tags don't they?
You can hunt your property while your hunting bulls at the same time.
I think other hunters do it that way down there.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

I've only been hunting elk for 3 years total. 1 on the any bull North Slope and 2 on the Central Manti. We have seen cows every hunt without too much effort...you just have to get off the road and listen. My friends killed numerous cows on the Wasatch this year but were using depredation tags. I have also seen elk up there quite a bit.

Cow elk seem to be kind of like hunting does....not hard to find, a little harder to get a shot at and way heavier to drag out.

Where have you been trying for and being unsuccessful in order to obtain 3 points? Or were you just buying points? As I understand it, most cow hunts are an every other year sort of thing unless you have terrible luck like me when it comes to drawing tags.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Are you just hoping to fill a tag? If so, I would look into the CWMU's with 3 points. 

Or are you hoping to find your own little cow hunting paradise every year or two that you can just keep hunting as you draw a tag?


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

For your hunting group, it sounds like you are bound to a truck, no hiking really, and as easy as you can make the hunt. With those parameters, you really can't beat the Deseret Land & Livestock CWMU hunt. They will either send you out on your own at no charge, or you can go with the guide for a fee. The fee is ABSOLUTELY worth it for your situation it sounds like it. You'll meet the guides in the morning, get in their truck, and they'll do all they can to find the elk. After you shoot it, the guide will gut and load the elk, take you back to your truck and load it into your truck for you. Last time I went - two years ago - the guide fee was $150, plus a tip. For what the guys do, it is VERY worth paying the guide fee and a tip. With guides, they have like a 98% success rate. If you don't get one on the first day, they'll let you come back at no additional fee so you can get one. They WANT you to get an elk, so they do all they can to help you out. 

The only downside is that is a far drive from Cedar City. But 3 points will draw you a DLL cow tag.


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## Raptorman (Aug 18, 2009)

Another vote for CWMU's. Just call the operator before you apply, they will give info on fees or guides and let you know what to expect.


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

Get a cow tag for the Fish Lake or Boulder....not too hard to find. The Dutton is also a decent option, but the country is more rugged and difficult.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Thanks for the info on DLL guys. I will look into them for sure. What are some other good CWMUs for cow elk?


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

KineKilla said:


> Where have you been trying for and being unsuccessful in order to obtain 3 points? Or were you just buying points? As I understand it, most cow hunts are an every other year sort of thing unless you have terrible luck like me when it comes to drawing tags.


Panguitch. I think this unit takes a little longer to draw than most cow hunts.


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## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

Wasatch. Hands down.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

CC -- just curious -- how come you don't consider Fish Lake or Boulder? Relatively easy to obtain tags (typically 1 point), and for the most part they aren't difficult hunts. Meat tag.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Another vote for DLL. I have also had a couple great hunts on Ensign Ranches CWMU.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

PBH said:


> CC -- just curious -- how come you don't consider Fish Lake or Boulder? Relatively easy to obtain tags (typically 1 point), and for the most part they aren't difficult hunts. Meat tag.


Good question. I guess I have just never really thought about doing those units. I hear Fish Lake has a lot of elk though. Boulder may be a good option as well. I've spent some time over there and know the unit a little bit.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

Those two units should be fairly easy to get a tag, and fairly easy to find the elk. They would be a shorter drive than trying to head to Wasatch, or DLL, and not much further than Dutton. If you don't know the unit well, there are plenty of people that would be willing to help. They are also large units with a diverse range of areas to hunt (high to low).

They are our preferred units.


Get yourself an archery elk tag, then you have a whole 'nother range of opportunities for putting some meat on your table. Numerous units allow a cow to be taken with an archery tag too. So, you could find yourself hunting Zion one day, Beaver West another, and then Paunsagaunt on another. Lot's and lot's of opportunity to put some meat on your table if you really want it.


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## hockey (Nov 7, 2007)

Pick any of the higher end LE units. Buy over the counter rifle or muzzle loader spike tag and shoot your cow on that hunt. Other than DLL I don't think it gets any easier
Not sure easy and elk hunting go hand in hand but you should see elk


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