# Let's Talk Uinta Elk



## Airborne

'aasdfasd;fhsdf


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## flint

I have hunted elk in the Uintas several times. I have almost always been able to find elk, however, there is lots of pressure and they tend to be very spooky. During the general rifle season they tend to move back into the more rugged and wilderness areas as the hunt progresses. Archery season is probably the best because they haven't had a lot of pressure. By they time some of the late cow hunts roll around they have been chased for four or five months.


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## north slope

There are no elk in the Uintas.... :O•-:


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## bigbuck81

north slope said:


> There are no elk in the Uintas.... :O•-:


+1


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## dark_cloud

No cows in the wilderness? I see cows all the time in the wilderness. Its a hit and miss thing on the rifle hunt and a ton of pressure. I prefer the archery, but the rut seems to run late where I hunt. I have thought about the muzzel loader, but the snow will either make it or break it. To much snow they move to private or Indian land, and not enough snow has them scattered every where from the top to the bottom of the mountain.


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## swbuckmaster

there are so many elk in the Unitas you should be able to flock shoot em


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## bigbr

north slope said:


> There are no elk in the Uintas.... :O•-:


No DEER either!


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## bigbr

swbuckmaster said:


> there are so many elk in the Unitas you should be able to flock shoot em


Most of them got the flock shot right out ov'um!


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## swbuckmaster

the Unitas has one of the largest elk herds in Utah and this is prolly one of the reasons for low deer numbers.

Every area that has high numbers of elk has low numbers of deer. 
coincidence I think not!


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## ktowncamo

Just had to interject Deer into yet another thread. I'm sick of deer this and deer that. 

As for elk in the uintas, if you've found a spot keep working it. I've spent the last two years hunting archery for elk in a spot that is quite small in comparison to the Uintas. I have rarely not seen elk each time I hike into this spot. I have learned a lot about trails, patterns and where the elk feed water and bed down. I've only seen 1 other archer in this area in two years. However, during the rifle elk there were people all around this area. It's lower elevation (8500-9500') so I'm thinking I may scout other high elevation spots but the map is so huge and I have learned this area...which is why I have a hard time seeing myself going anywhere else for elk during the regular archery season.

Scouting in the Uintas for me is best done on google earth first and then day hikes with my boys covering as much ground as we can, looking for sign first and then going back to concentrate on finding elk. Learning the countrside or a particular area is key since there is so much terrain. My uncle uses a lot of salt rocks and cameras in the uintas to find elk. 

Just something awesome about mountains that have few to no hunters when it's archery time.


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## Airborne

Thanks to those that have added some insight to the Uintas. Let's keep it coming!!--helpful comments only please


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## bullsnot

The elk in the Uinta's are not as vocal as they are in other parts of the state. I believe that to be due to the hunting pressure. I've herd them call but they are very shy. IMO it's best to use calls to hone in on their location and move in on them quitely once you have thier location dialed. They call spook easily though so be careful.

They also do not seem to be in big herds up there although I have seen a couple of big herds but for the most part they hang in bands of 5 or so it seems. Again I think this a reaction to pressure. Herds will fracture into smaller groups when pressured. 

The elk in the high Uinta's seem to like the thickest pines they can find. They don't like to be out in the daylight for very long. When hunting up there it's time to be a timber rat. Learning to still hunt the timber is a big advantage. 

Just my 2 cents


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## bowhunter

The most success I have had has always been out of a tree stand over water. It took me a few years to try certain waterholes with many failures. I finally found one that is about 3.5 miles off the road that has been very productive for me. Nothing huge has been killed but a few raghorns and some spikes. Good luck...It took a long time to find this spot but there are probably many spots up there like this one, you just have to be willing to work for them.


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## TLB

I can't add much as far as hunting this area, but would like to ask a couple more questions. Would you focus your efforts on the North or South slope? Second if you were going to target an elevation what would that be?


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## TEX-O-BOB

swbuckmaster said:


> *the Unitas has one of the largest elk herds in Utah and this is prolly one of the reasons for low deer numbers.*
> 
> Every area that has high numbers of elk has low numbers of deer.
> coincidence I think not!


DING DING DING! whatta we have for him Bob! This statement can be said for almost the whole state. I've said it all along, want more deer, kill more elk.

Sh*t! sorry, we're still talking about deer... 

Now, the Unintas are full of elk. But it's a very hard hunt. The terrain is dificult, the elk are scattered, and the pressure is high. But for those who hunt hard and aren't afraid of a little work the rewards can be nice. Don't expect much over a 300 class bull and invest in a horse or you'll be pizzing up a rope.


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## campfire

"Terrain is difficult, elk are scattered and hunting pressure is high." Sounds about right.


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## vaporpestcontrol

Its not all any bull right?


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## bullsnot

The high Uinta's is all any bull.


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## 10yearquest

I like to hunt at or above 10000 feet and either far from the road or in areas near roads that get overlooked, The few I have found have terrain barriers like cliffs and really steeep hills. Study maps and google earth then go hike it. Be ready for alot of competition and hotspotting especially if you or someone in camp has a big mouth!

+1 on the calling advise bullsnot. Really easy to spook them with calls.


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## huntinkid

From what i've seen on the South Slope you need to start buying tags from the injins because the little strip that you had to drive through had two 6 points and my brother had a youth elk tag and luckily these bulls were far away and he almost shot then a miracle happend and they slipped though the trees and we went into town to see if it was legal and it wasnt. :evil: :evil: but further driving roads and glassing we found some elk and a herd close to 45 animals all in one area and it was guranteed overlooked and its a mother of a hike....in 1 mile you hike 3,000 feet in elevation....so there are elk just start hiking and get a horse


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## TopofUtahArcher

bigbuck81 said:


> north slope said:
> 
> 
> 
> There are no elk in the Uintas.... :O•-:
> 
> 
> 
> +1
Click to expand...

Agreed.  I will NEVER, EVER, EVER hunt there again - except next year.


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## Mezmarley

When I first moved here in '86, I chased elk the traditional way...call & hike. After blowing out a few animals, I opened my eyes to discover the fact that if I simply sat water, the elk stayed in my general area, and moved back through every 2-3 days. Since that time, I (we) have killed elk almost every year. We work our tails off hiking in and packing out boned meat, but were in elk every year because we MINIMIZE the impact we make. Sneak in and sit water. As soon as you go tromping around, elk will move on. Find a little slice of heaven by scouting, then more scouting, and even more hiking away from roads, and you should have no problem killing elk every year. Most people don't want to work that hard, plain & simple.


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## hazmat

the uintas are a fun and chellenging place to hunt.in my experiances throughout the past 12 years is the same of what has already been said.the place i hunt is a highly hunted area but i use this to my advantage and only use the area most people hunt as my base camp.once the shooting starts the elk head up high and into the thickest timber they can find.another thing i am starting to notice is that some of the bulls are getting bigger up there we have taken some good bulls out of the uintas and seen some impressive ones harvested by others as well.here are some pics also i would like to see pictures of others open bull elk if you have them


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## ramrod

it's to bad the ute tribe wont work with the state or the Unitas it could be a world class elk area.


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## bullsnot

This is an any bull Uinta's bull.


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## 10yearquest

very nice I have only shot cows there.


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