# Questions on Uinta Mountains (elk hunting)



## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

A friend and I have decided that we will be hunting the general elk season this year. The stars have aligned - fall break at school is October 8 - 16, so we'll have 9 consecutive days during the season to hunt. We may never have a better opportunity, and we intend to take full advantage of it.

We're debating between buying either spike or any bull tags. I've only ever hunted spikes at Diamond Fork, but after years of coming up empty, we're going to try something different. At this point, the Uintas are calling to us. We fish up there during the summer, and we figure we'd be able to do some scouting on fishing trips. I've tried to do some research on the hunting there, and here's what I've come up with:

1. It's a physically demanding hunt
2. It's crowded close to the roads
3. It's a low-success hunt
4. Elk are wary and tend to hide in thick woods

Sound about right? Even so, we love it up there, and a good hunting experience is more important to us than simply killing an animal. We have the time and the physical capability to hunt there (we're in our 20's and in good shape), but what we don't have is experience. If you're willing to answer a few questions to help a few young elk hunters know what they're getting themselves into, I'd appreciate it.

1. What types of weather extremes would we need to be prepared for? How much has it snowed on previous general season rifle hunts?
2. Is the weather cool enough that we would be able to pack an elk out over a period of days without meat spoiling? It will probably just be us two, so we would need to make a few different trips.
3. Would success be more likely if (a) we showed up a day before the season started and hiked in ahead of everyone else; or (b) came in on Monday or Tuesday after the weekend madness and tried to figure it out from there?
4. Anything else we need to know in order to decide if the Uinta Mountains any bull elk hunt is the hunt for us?

Thank you!


----------



## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

I don't have any experience hunt in the Uintahs but with the general hunt early to mid October, you shouldn't have any trouble keeping meat from spoiling. Just get good quality game bags and hang the meat up in the shade and you'll be just fine. It HAS to be off the ground though to allow for complete air ciculation.

I would prepare for anything weather-wise. You just never know. It should be decent, but a freak early snowstorm could change that in a hurry. Best watch the weather carefully beforehand and at minimum, have extra gear at the truck just in case.


----------



## itchytriggerfinger (Sep 12, 2007)

Your success will be more determined on how much scouting you end up doing. Also, if you get in a couple miles using the hoards of people on the opener to your advantage to push the animals around/to you. Which side of the Unitas are you planning on hunting. North side? South side soapstone? I love the Uintas and have a fall bear tag on the la sal mountains so I won't be hunting there this year. Pm me if you want more specifics. On areas in the Uintas.


----------



## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

I have hunted elk on the uintas several times. I love the uintas but for me its a fishermans paradise not an elk hunters. With that said, there are many hunters dedicated to the uintas for elk and they have it figured out. Some are on here. They wont give you much help because its a hard and long process to get dialed in on for the most part. The best advice I have is to learn to hunt the dark timber. That is the only place I've ever seen elk in the uintas aside from hunting on the edge of the uintas near kamas.


----------



## hazmat (Apr 23, 2009)

Tough hunting but very rewarding. My advise is to go into with a three year plan. Get to know an area and stick with it.
Be prepared for some crazy weather as a big nasty snow storm is always a possibility in the high uintas during that time of year enjoy the scenery and keep notes of what you are seeing year in and year out good luck


----------



## Kingfisher (Jul 25, 2008)

weather: I have hunted the north slope in t shirts comfortably as well as full parka freezing my butt off. 
meat - even in warmer weather, an animal properly taken care of, hung, protected, in shade will last days.
strategy - as noted, tuff hunt. dwr sends each bull a copy of the annual hunt dates and most animals conveniently step over the Wyoming state line. we have had success hunting the line as that is where many head to, find a corridor and watch. we have also had success in the upper basins that are hard to access... again because that's where they hole up. I like the comment above - make it a 3 year plan cause its going to take that long to figure out how to hunt the area. seriously....
remember - you find them first, then you can hunt. oh and - calls? im not great but the only thing I have succeeded in with cow call, bugles, etc is letting the elk know where I am so they can move quickly out... one time my boy and I were in the middle of a herd, early morning, hard to see, they were chirping, cow calling and one big bull was actively bugling with several smaller ones as well... we did a couple low cow calls to see if we could get one to move our way and the whole set went dead quiet. then gone. nothing.


----------



## BradN (Sep 25, 2007)

Weather: It seems that about every other year there is a decent-sized snow storm during the hunt. Approx 3 year ago, there was 2 feet of snow at 8000 feet on opening morning. That's about the extreme that I've seen.


----------



## Trooper (Oct 18, 2007)

I hunt the Uintah's 'cause that's a tag I can get! I don't know if it's smart, but I try to find the seems between (people) trails, get there early and sit for an hour or 90 minutes at dawn and then start hiking for the rest of the day. I know that's a terrible plan, but the elk density is so low and they move so far, you just have to find them. It can be a long wait for them to come to you! Have I killed elk this way? Yes. Have I killed large bulls this way... sigh...no.


----------



## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

Thanks everyone. We're exploring a possibility of accessing some private land on the Chalk Creek unit, but if that doesn't work out, then we'll see you all on the south slope. I can't wait for October.


----------



## Elkaholic2 (Feb 24, 2013)

Clarq said:


> A friend and I have decided that we will be hunting the general elk season this year. The stars have aligned - fall break at school is October 8 - 16, so we'll have 9 consecutive days during the season to hunt. We may never have a better opportunity, and we intend to take full advantage of it.
> 
> We're debating between buying either spike or any bull tags. I've only ever hunted spikes at Diamond Fork, but after years of coming up empty, we're going to try something different. At this point, the Uintas are calling to us. We fish up there during the summer, and we figure we'd be able to do some scouting on fishing trips. I've tried to do some research on the hunting there, and here's what I've come up with:
> 
> ...


good luck!


----------



## derekp1999 (Nov 17, 2011)

I've never hunted the Uintas for elk... although several years ago I hunted the Henry's Fork area for deer. We saw a couple elk in our travels. It's a big and beautiful range that is for sure and elk are there.

I second hazmat and also recommend going into it with a multi-year plan. Success takes time so give yourself a fighting chance and plan on hunting there the next three to five years.


----------



## Raptorman (Aug 18, 2009)

Is a fun hunt, but ca be frustrating. As far as weather, like everyone has said it really depends on the year. A few years ago we got up there and there was 6"-18" of snow where we were and by the time we went home on Tuesday it had all melted and we were in T-shirts. 
I love the Uintas but have never killed an elk there. Good Luck!


----------



## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

I would recommend accessing the data in Snotel. There are many stations on the south slope and a handful on the north slope that could prove useful for your questions regarding weather in October. Give it a few minutes to explore, if you don't already use its interactive map, as its a big tool with lots of data and jargon.

Snotel Link

2011 looks like a big year for Uinta snow in October. Not sure I would be hitting my unit if there is 2 feet of snow sitting at a guage at 10k. That said it seems the average is for the first big snow to hit and last near the end of the month.

Best of luck.


----------

