# Need some Help!!!! where to Elk hunt Archery Any Bull OTC



## blackdeath (Jul 23, 2015)

Hi If anyone would give me some info on where to go archery Elk hunting in Utah. It would appreciated. I am from Louisiana and have never been to Utah. I will be bring horses. so I can get off the beaten path. I have hunted in Colo. for several years. But this year I want to try somewhere different. Thank You for any help!!!!


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## Skally (Apr 20, 2012)

In the woods


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## blackdeath (Jul 23, 2015)

Dam!!!! I didn't know that?? That's why I never see any. I been hunting in town


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## hazmat (Apr 23, 2009)

South slope of the Uintas is your best bet


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

+1 south slope of the Uintas.-----SS


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## blackdeath (Jul 23, 2015)

Thank you guys for some help. Just trying to get a idea where to go.


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## Dukes_Daddy (Nov 14, 2008)

Skally said:


> In the woods


Nothing like helping a fellow hunter out.

Agreed southslope of Uintas best OTC unit and horses are awesome. Personally I would suggest you consider one of the spike units and Manti would be at top of that list.

Thanks for planning Utah this year and PM if you need anything else.


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## Schleppy (Jul 16, 2008)

Honestly you would probably have a better general hunt going back to CO, many more elk. If your dead set on hunting in UT, like everyone else said, the south slope of the Uintas is as good a place to start as any. Tough hunt and plenty of competition. 

Where were you hunting in CO?


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## MuscleWhitefish (Jan 13, 2015)

Idaho or Colorado. 

The reason OTC archery any bull elk rut hunts.


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## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

Schleppy said:


> Honestly you would probably have a better general hunt going back to CO, many more elk. If your dead set on hunting in UT, like everyone else said, the south slope of the Uintas is as good a place to start as any. Tough hunt and plenty of competition.
> 
> Where were you hunting in CO?


Ditto, if I were paying for an out of state tag it would definitely be Colorado, bigger bulls and more of them.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

30-06-hunter said:


> Ditto, if I were paying for an out of state tag it would definitely be Colorado, bigger bulls and more of them.


The units in Colorado that you get the bigger bulls are the units that it takes 15-20 years to draw, you can't even hunt spikes in them. 
The majority of Colorado with a OTC tag you are going to be finding the 300pt bulls just like Utah, but perhaps more of them. Or you are going to be dealing with a lot of private property and access problems.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Personally, I like seeing lots of elk and even big bulls despite not being able to shoot one. That would be why I would recommend a spike tag and then either target the Manti, La Sals, or dare I say, Monroe:shock:


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

Since it is an archery tag you can hunt spike or anybull units. Go hunt a spike only unit if you are happy to shoot a cow. If you are set on shooting a bull then the Uintas is the place to go. With horses, the North Slope is a good choice. South Slope is good too. Get a good map and look for places you can ride an hour from roads and you will have a chance. Be aware that many of the spike only units have more deer hunter pressure. If you get back in far enough on the anybull units I feel you can have a good hunt. 

I have had some great hunts on Anybull units. Come on out, bring a fishing pole and enjoy the vacation. You'll see new country and have the chance to kill an elk. What more can a guy ask for? Good luck.


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

Packout said:


> What more can a guy ask for?


Better season dates would be one

There are better states for an OTC elk hunt as a non resident. Limited Entry hunts in Utah are amazing but I would not travel here for OTC elk. The only reason to hunt Utah OTC as a non resident would be:

You are going to draw an LE tag in the near future and want to learn a unit, hunt spike and cows in that unit while learning it

You really want to hunt spikes and cows while seeing big bulls that you cannot hunt--maybe you like to take pics?

You have access to good private property on an OTC big bull unit

You have some secret knowledge or honey hole on an OTC big bull unit--no one in their right mind will give you this online or in person.

These are the only logical reasons I can think of to come OTC to Utah unless it's more of a camping/family trip while carrying a weapon. I say this and I hunt the Uintas every year and have had success. It took years to learn it, lots of miles and I won't tell anyone where I go.

Keep in mind the Uintas are rocky rocky rocky and a flat land horse may have trouble navigating steep trails or rocky areas--I speak from experience, had a horse get stone bruised on me last year and it cost me two days of hunting.

I have hunted Colorado OTC and it's better, I have hunted Wyoming general tag (1 pt to draw) and it's MUCH better. I hunt here because I live here, its cheaper and I know the area. Sorry to be a downer==I would appreciate some honesty if I were planning a hunt and I am giving you some honesty. But who knows--maybe you will kill a 350" bull off a main road on the north slope--crazy stuff happens.


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## blackdeath (Jul 23, 2015)

I/we have hunted Colorado for the past 20 years. We hunted from the top to the bottom. killed lots of elk some nice and have had to take a few cows along the way. Yes it is good hunting there for OVC and a few draw units through the year. We almost tag out every year there. Just wanted to try some place new. Just a starting point helps lots when you have never been in the state before. Maybe get lucky and see one of those 350 bulls. So Thank You All For Any and All The Help!!!!!!!!


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

blackdeath said:


> I/we have hunted Colorado for the past 20 years. We hunted from the top to the bottom. killed lots of elk some nice and have had to take a few cows along the way. Yes it is good hunting there for OVC and a few draw units through the year. We almost tag out every year there. Just wanted to try some place new. Just a starting point helps lots when you have never been in the state before. Maybe get lucky and see one of those 350 bulls. So Thank You All For Any and All The Help!!!!!!!!


Something smells funny here...ok bubba what part of Looziana is you from?


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## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

LostLouisianian said:


> Something smells funny here...ok bubba what part of Looziana is you from?


Why does it sound fishy? Because he can spell or seems educated? Or maybe you can tell by his responses if he's married to his sister?


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

martymcfly73 said:


> Why does it sound fishy? Because he can spell or seems educated? Or maybe you can tell by his responses if he's married to his sister?


I'm thunkin it's the last comment of yours that's most likely correct. :grin:


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## Jrdnmoore3 (Sep 1, 2013)

There are plenty of big bulls in utah on OTC units the problem is there are very few people willing to work for it. I have spent the last 6 weekends looking for elk and have located 7 bulls that I would consider shootable and a few spike here and there. The biggest being in the 330-340 range you can kill a decent elk every year pon OTC tags if your willing to go out and look.


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

I have hunted Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Colorado. Have hunted all but Idaho as a resident and non-resident. The size of bulls IMO for OTC units are best in Wyoming, then Utah, then Idaho, then Colorado. Pretty much a generalization but I think it is pretty close.

I agree with Packout on the Uintas depending which drainage you are hitting. The Uintas are a special place. Critter is spot with OTC elk hunts in Colorado. 

There ARE big elk on OTC units in Utah and they are up in the Uintas. Tough hunt? Yep. Have to go deep? Yep, but they are there and like Packout said there is some great fishing up there.

In any state OTC tags are what they are. Tough hunts for big elk. My first choice would be Wyoming strictly due to the amount of time a person can hunt but most people can't take off and hunt every season either.

If you have not hunted the Uintas, you need to once in your life. With the weather the Uintas has had there will be some gooduns up there this year. More so than most years.


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## blackdeath (Jul 23, 2015)

I'm about 60 miles SE of Shreveport. Where you from LostLouisiana?


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

I fetching love the uintas and agree with mr mule skinner that they are a special place and maybe if you have killed a truck load of elk in other states and have **** good horses then maybe they might be worth hunting but bring a fishing pole-- nothing like a 16" Brookie from a lake ten miles in the back country. 

Lot's of guys saying there are HUGE Bulls in the uintas, well fellas I would like to see a few pics of what you fine gentlemen are killin. Post up some pics guys, let's see those monsters that you are killin, nothing under 300" excepted. Talk is cheap, pics are where the rubber meets the road. Everything else is fluff.

Sorry to the op, still not going to share my honey hole, worked too **** hard to find it.


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

hmmm........I said big bulls. Not HUGE or Monsters. Are you saying you have never seen bulls over 300" in the Uintas and need pictures as proof that they are up there? 

You may want to find another honey hole ...........on second thought stay where your at.


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

Pay attention blackdeath, the folks who are pointing you towards the uintas cannot produce a picture of themselves standing behind a 300" bull killed in the uintas. Speaks volumes doesn't it. Unverifiable trail cam pics or spotting scope pics need not apply and I would hardly call a 300" bull a monster, just a good respectable bull. You're up muleskinner


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## MuscleWhitefish (Jan 13, 2015)

10,000 any bull permits. 

90% hunt the uintas. 

9,000 people in a mountain range. 

At least Colorado splits units for the unlimited tags. 

I like Idaho, because I can have a deer tag and bear tag in my pocket at the same time. 

Montana should also be mentioned, it provides a good OTC option. 

Without horses I would not touch Utah OTC any bull. I hunted it for years and probably won't hunt it again. Archery would be a lot better than rifle in the uintas. If I was bow hunting, I would go to a state that would allow me to hunt during the rut.


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

MuscleWhitefish said:


> 10,000 any bull permits.
> 
> 90% hunt the uintas.
> 
> ...


Agree with you there. We go deep on mules. We also bow hunt exclusively. 90% of the bowhunters we see are within 2-2.5 miles of their truck and then saying they are 6 miles deep.

You need coordinates of kills as well Airborne or can I just post any random bull to wet your whistle?


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

BTW..........years ago a 300" bull was more than just respectable. Anybody remember when they were just referred to as 6 points? 

There are lots of rags in the Uintas for sure especially around the Red Cloud Loop/ Grizzly Ridge Area. Fact is the last elk I took was a calf. It was by choice though. Call BS if you want. Makes no difference to me.


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

I am not callin BS on ya muleskinner, I just think that it is a reasonable request to ask for a little proof. If guys on here are saying there are plenty of big bulls in the Uintas then let's see some smiling happy faces holding up a big bull in the Uintas wilderness, pics of bulls on the wall don't count. I am not being rude, just asking for a little proof since you are promoting a certain hunt. Packout and jrdnmoore3 are welcome to post up their trophies as well. I will be the first to singing your praises!:grin:

If I was a mountain climber interested in climbing Everest and some internet forum guys were telling me it's not that bad and to give it a try I don't think it to be unreasonable to ask for a pic of them at the summit. Maybe I am being unreasonable?


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

The definition of a trophy is subjective at best and ambiguous. What is a small bull to one may be the trophy of a lifetime for someone else.

A 300" bull is nothing to sneeze at. A lot of guys have never had the chance to take one and are pumped when they shoot a 260" bull. The excitement with that far outweighs the "status" of what is now the "norm" of the 300 club.


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## Schleppy (Jul 16, 2008)

MuscleWhitefish said:


> 10,000 any bull permits.
> 
> 90% hunt the uintas.
> 
> ...


This is 100% correct. Cant speak to Montana but I have hunted DIY OTC in ID, WY, CO and UT several times in each state. The hunt experience was better in ID, WY and CO for many of the reasons others have stated including # of elk and size. I personally would not hunt the UT general any bull hunt if I didn't live here. As everyone else has mentioned, the Uintas are really nice and the fishing is great but its hard to recommend this hunt.


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## maffleck (Jul 23, 2015)

Saying the South Slope of the Uintas is barely more helpful than saying hunting in the mountains. The area is so vast and rugged. If you aren't already settled on where to hunt, do you have access to horses? I can make a suggestion if you have horses and are ready for a pretty tough hunt.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

blackdeath said:


> I'm about 60 miles SE of Shreveport. Where you from LostLouisiana?


Avoyelles parish...so you from around the Natchitoches area then?


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

Airborne said:


> I am not callin BS on ya muleskinner, I just think that it is a reasonable request to ask for a little proof. If guys on here are saying there are plenty of big bulls in the Uintas then let's see some smiling happy faces holding up a big bull in the Uintas wilderness, pics of bulls on the wall don't count. I am not being rude, just asking for a little proof since you are promoting a certain hunt. Packout and jrdnmoore3 are welcome to post up their trophies as well. I will be the first to singing your praises!:grin:
> 
> If I was a mountain climber interested in climbing Everest and some internet forum guys were telling me it's not that bad and to give it a try I don't think it to be unreasonable to ask for a pic of them at the summit. Maybe I am being unreasonable?


I'll get something up. For the record I, personally have never said that there are plenty of big bulls up there or even lots of them. I said that they are there. A person certainly needs to know where to look for them as well. The Uintas is huge area to hunt. Not like looking at the summit of Everest and just knowing that you have to put one foot in front of the other.

BTW Airborne....I fully respect your opinion on things. I appreciate the fact that you have called BS before on many things


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

LostLouisianian said:


> Avoyelles parish...so you from around the Natchitoches area then?







But I ain't never been to Natchitoches! God, I always wanted to say that in a sentence!


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## blackdeath (Jul 23, 2015)

LostLouisianian said:


> Avoyelles parish...so you from around the Natchitoches area then?


Yes I am. Live on Black Lake.


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## blackdeath (Jul 23, 2015)

maffleck said:


> Saying the South Slope of the Uintas is barely more helpful than saying hunting in the mountains. The area is so vast and rugged. If you aren't already settled on where to hunt, do you have access to horses? I can make a suggestion if you have horses and are ready for a pretty tough hunt.


Hi Maffleck, yes we do have horses and hope I'm ready for the hunt LOL. I/We have packed in lots of times for long stays in the wilderness in Colo. So any help sir would be greatly appreciated. Thank You Monty


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

blackdeath said:


> Yes I am. Live on Black Lake.


**** ass or *******?


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

blackdeath said:


> Hi Maffleck, yes we do have horses and hope I'm ready for the hunt LOL. I/We have packed in lots of times for long stays in the wilderness in Colo. So any help sir would be greatly appreciated. Thank You Monty


In that case Yellowstone Creek Drainage up by Milk Lake is a good area. Its a long ride and some fun steep stuff. You can go up swift creek and cross over Bluebell Pass or take the Yellowstone drainage straight up. Yellowstone Creek holds some fine trout. Milk Lake can be great fishing. All of the lakes below Bluebell on the Swift Creek side hold lots of trout.


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## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

LostLouisianian said:


> **** ass or *******?


I'm waiting for the answer to this before jumping in.


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

LostLouisianian said:


> **** ass or *******?


I have a vague idea of what a ******* is, not so much the other


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

ok blackdeath (interesting handle by the way) it looks like if muleskinner will play I should to--by the way I always wanted to hunt milk lake, looked good on the map. So when I was researching the Uintas to hunt years ago I saw a video on Youtube where a group of guys went elk hunting near painter lakes which is up the Uinta river drainage (google it)--it's far far back in there but they seemed to have luck based on the video.

You should also buy the book: FalconGuides Hiking Utah's High Uintas by the Probst brothers. I found it to be an amazing resource. Heck I even started cold calling people with that last name in SLC until I found them and had a good conversation about hunting the Uintas, didn't help much but still interesting. That's the kind of crazy I am--cold call 50 people with the same last name looking for some guys who wrote a book 20 years ago to see if they saw any elk in their travels.

I think the archery OTC big bull elk hunt ends on 9/13 this year, I would go the last week if I were you.

Also I think you need to come back on the forum after your hunt and post up your trip report with cool pics and a story--nobody who asks for info does this--it would be nice if it actually happened once


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

Painter Basin is a good spot. There are good honey holes up there. I am done with the tips. Those are two first places I would go. You won't see people back that far and typically if you do they are just hikers. Some friendly. Some need shot.


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

Airborne said:


> I have a vague idea of what a ******* is, not so much the other


It is in reference to a person of cajun ethnicity.I think most regard it as an insult,but could be wrong.(had some kin live in New Orleans)


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Airborne said:


> I think the archery OTC big bull elk hunt ends on 9/13 this year, I would go the last week if I were you.


Sept 11 is the last day this year..................

WAAAAAAY to early to end, Not even worth mess'in with this year.

And airborn, I'm back on Parker archery antelope this year.......Again!


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

Lucky dog! Have u noticed all of the marker flags on Parker mountain? What do u think those are for?


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Saw those last week,

Thought may-be a new fence line going in.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Airborne said:


> Lucky dog! Have u noticed all of the marker flags on Parker mountain? What do u think those are for?


Subdividing for a new town?????? :behindsofa:

I passed on a goat tag down there for my Colorado muzzle loader deer and elk hunt. I need to get down there and check it out anyway. The fishing is always good close by even if you don't have a 4 legged animal tag.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Critter,
My boats new home is Fishlake, Lakeside marina...It's been there all summer.

Dose that make me a Local?...:mrgreen:...


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Mr Muleskinner said:


> Painter Basin is a good spot. There are good honey holes up there. I am done with the tips. Those are two first places I would go. You won't see people back that far and typically if you do they are just hikers. Some friendly. Some need shot.


I've hiked thru, and over, and around Painter Basin many, many times; hunting fishing, or going from "A" to "B". Never seen any hikers that needed shot. Seen some hunters on horseback that needed a good spanking though.

.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Airborne said:


> ........................
> 
> Also I think you need to come back on the forum after your hunt and post up your trip report with cool pics and a story--nobody who asks for info does this--it would be nice if it actually happened once


Come on...that's not entirely true. Lots of our members post up...even *Moderators.*

This is a disturbing trend. These days we have to prove every story, every experience, with a picture. It's ridicluous, and doesn't say much for society. I take a lot of pictures, but not of everything. Some things I just don't post; a ptarmigan here, a golden trout there.

While I'm at it. Being successful hunting isn't always that cool. There's always losers lurking, waiting to pounce on a poor sap that got a big one and posted up his adventure. Get a nice elk and someone says I posed with someone elses animal. I put up cooking ptarmigan once in Recipes and a member accused me of using Cornish Hens, my ducks were store bought because they didn't have BB holes in the breast. And then there's assinine "the Wyoming wild bison aren't wild thing." Give it up. Another reason some of the successful big game hunter-UWN members have left or don't post their kills anymore.

Anyway, getting back to the original post. I'm the kinda guy that likes to see people earn their keep, burn a little shoe leather to find a good elk hunting spot. But I also feel the UWN is a place to share info and to share it without "hot spotting". So that being said I sent blackdeath a PM with a great spot. I hope blackdeath and/or his horse are in good shape.

.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

goofy elk said:


> Critter,
> My boats new home is Fishlake, Lakeside marina...It's been there all summer.
> 
> Dose that make me a Local?...:mrgreen:...


Close enough for me.

I look at all the zip codes that I have lived at in the state of Utah and I have just about the whole state covered as far as a local is concerned. Perhaps that is why I live in Colorado now, trying to get it covered also.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

Airborne said:


> I have a vague idea of what a ******* is, not so much the other


I had no idea that ******* might be a racist term...hmmmm :shock:


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

wyogoob said:


> Come on...that's not entirely true. Lots of our members post up...even *Moderators.*
> 
> This is a disturbing trend. These days we have to prove every story, every experience, with a picture. It's ridicluous, and doesn't say much for society. I take a lot of pictures, but not of everything. Some things I just don't post; a ptarmigan here, a golden trout there.
> 
> ...


I think it is far easier to just not care what people think. I will post a pick if I want. Share info if I want. Others should do the same and not worry about the opinions of others. I have found each area that I hunt on my own and if I want to share a location I will. If I don't feel like it I won't. I certainly don't care what people may think about a recipe I share.

As far as the bison go......Wyoming is the only place in the U.S. that bison have lived continuously since prehistoric times. Luckily though they have narrowed down their attack victims to idiots.


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## blackdeath (Jul 23, 2015)

I would like to Thank you all for the help. Maybe we will get lucky and kill 1. We should be up there around 13th. One good thing it want be 103 degrees like it was here today. Thanks Again


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