# Need help on hunt - Limited entry Archery Elk Wasatch



## JStreiff (Aug 9, 2012)

I drew an archery tag for the wasatch and had a guide all set up back in May, but now he is unsure if he can even take me. I've waited 8 years to draw out and here i am, a week and a half before the hunt, and its still up in the air if he will even be able to take me out, yet alone do any scouting.

I'm wondering if there's anyone out there that knows where some good bulls are hanging out in the wasatch area that would be interested in helping me out and go with me. I'd be willing to pay a good guide fee, especially if I get a good one.

I have all the equipment I should need and have bow hunted for years.. So I'm somewhat experienced, not a beginner by any means. I just don't know the area very well and there's no way i have the time to do some good scouting and find them.

Also, I'm not some crazy nut job.. I know no one wants to go hunting with some weirdo, and neither do I. So please only serious inquires from people that know the area well and would be able to help me out. Some of my other hobbies include: Football (played for University of Utah in 2005), Baseball, Golf, Water sports, Everything.

You're welcome to private message me if interested. [email protected]


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Jason, there are elk all over that place. It's an elk petting zoo. The first time I ever stepped foot in that area was to help another guy find an elk. We called in four six points for that guy in ONE day during RIFLE season. He ended up killing a nice 320 bull right at dark. You've got a month to hunt. spend a little time up front learning the area and then go get ya one. It really IS that easy up there. I know I'll get blasted by the non-believers here, but if you're as hip to hunting as you say you are and in somewhat good shape, you should have no problem finding a LOT of elk on that unit. Dont sweat it dude, you'll be fine.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Elk petting zoo?? really?

Here's the archery stats for the last two year ,, pretty darn good. But petting zoo?

2010:
152 archery tags, 52 successful, average 13.5 days hunting , 34.8% success rate...

2011:
177 archery tags, 51 successful, average 12.8 day hunting , 28.8 % success rate ..

Success rates have fallen on the Wasatch for 6 consecutive years now, so about a 22%
rate would be consistent for this year...


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

So, you're volunteering to help him out then Goof? Is that what I heard you say?


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

I've definatley seen my share of Wasatch bulls shot ...

Thought about throwing some kinds offer out there ..

BUT, I realy dont have time to mess with another tag ..

We've got 5 permits oppening a week from Saturday ..

I'll be on the Pausagaunt til August 26th, Then on the Manti,,,,,Then on the Wasatch for rifle.

I Just dont have any extra time ....


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## pheaz (Feb 11, 2011)

How big ya lookin to slam dunk? Theres a ton of 300" bulls out and about. As for spots let me take care of my LE tag first, then I will shoot ya some spots.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

goofy elk said:


> Elk petting zoo?? really?
> 
> Here's the archery stats for the last two year ,, pretty darn good. But petting zoo?
> 
> ...


Yes Goofy, a *PETTING ZOO!!!* I venture to say that a lot of people didn't fill their tags because they were holding out for a 400 bull. :roll: Others may have not been able to hunt for very long. (enter my brother here) and still many others simply missed or maimed bulls and didn't report it. Either way, that place is CRAWLING with elk. Your stats mean nothing to me. I've seen it with my own two eyes. If you cant kill an elk on that unit you're either too picky, too lazy, have terrible luck, or blind.

Now watch, I just ran my mouth and now I wont see a bull...


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## Semaj3 (Aug 22, 2011)

I have to comment because my dad owns a small piece of ground on the Wasatch unit. So take into account that I spend lots of time up there and have hunted the area for a long time. We drew the hunt in 98 and it was an elk petting zoo, but I have seen the herd diminish drastically over the last 5 years. I will admit that the unit is big and I'm only speaking of the area where I spend all my time and may not be true of the Whole unit.


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## shaun larsen (Aug 5, 2011)

goofy elk said:


> Elk petting zoo?? really?
> 
> Here's the archery stats for the last two year ,, pretty darn good. But petting zoo?
> 
> ...


oh boy... here come the "facts" again... :roll:


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

Tex is overstating things a little. Sure there are a lot of elk, but things have to be just right with archery. I had the tag in 06--had 11 bulls in bow range and never released an arrow. Most were too small (raghorns or in the 230" range), but I had several good bulls that I passed on because I misjudged how far they were, it was just a little too dark, it was pouring rain and I worried about the blood trail....the list of potential issues could go on. 

That said, there really are a bunch of elk and I'm sure you can still have a great hunt. I believe the highest elk densities are around Strawberry, so are the highest hunter densities. Good luck.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

My .02 worth.
Being one of the lucky successful hunters last year I'll side with both Tex and AF CYN. It is pretty easy to find elk and get into elk on the Wasatch. It is quite a bit harder to get a shot oppourtunity. But that's why they call it hunting. If I wasn't helping my son on another unit I would offer to help you out. If he doesn' spend the entire hunt trying to kill one I'll let you know.
P.S. Tex quit trying to jinks yourself


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## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

shaun larsen said:


> [quote="goofy elk":3ndh1r0k]Elk petting zoo?? really?
> 
> Here's the archery stats for the last two year ,, pretty darn good. But petting zoo?
> 
> ...


oh boy... here come the "facts" again... :roll:[/quote:3ndh1r0k]
the goofy elk facts...anecdotal evidence + survey results = gospel truth :shock:


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

shaun larsen said:


> [quote="goofy elk":1bu6e94i]Elk petting zoo?? really?
> 
> Here's the archery stats for the last two year ,, pretty darn good. But petting zoo?
> 
> ...


oh boy... here come the "facts" again... :roll:[/quote:1bu6e94i]

So Shawn AND Stablebuck,, Do you not belive the DWRs harvest stats??

Or dont like the "facts" the DWR is putting out?

Just trying to understand were your coming from here ..


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## bowhunt3r4l1f3 (Jan 12, 2011)

Looks like if those hunters put in another 0.7 mean days hunting, their success rate would have jumped up an entire 6.0% ! Guess they should have tried an extra half day...


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## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

I believe 25% success rate on the Wasatch has EVERYTHING to do with people passing on 275" bulls and NOTHING to do with an ability or inability to find elk. You will see elk just by stepping 50 ft away from your camp for a urination/doodoo break on the Wasatch.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

> So Shawn AND Stablebuck,, Do you not belive the DWRs harvest stats??


No, NO I DONT!!!

Having had a father that worked for a certain governmental agency for thirty years I know first hand how the government conducts surveys and gathers info from the public. They ALWAYS error on the side of "lean" as much as 20%-30% lean in many cases. Add the fact that they dont talk to EVERY tag holder, people lie and embellish, and you've got tainted numbers at best. So no, I dont place any stock in the DWR's hunt survey numbers at all. But that's neither here nor there. The FACT is that there are a grundle of elk up there and they need to thin the herd. Utah has always been WAY WAY WAY to stingy with their LE elk tags.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

First, EVERY LE tag holder IS contacted,,
And must fill out a mandatory hunting survey OR they can not hunt in Utah any more ..

Second , these stats , I believe, Are a very good representation of the TRUE harvest ..

I'm one of the few that have been involved in LE hunts on the Wasatch almost every
year since they began.. I follow these stats pretty close , and they look accurate to what
I've seen in the field.........JMHO.......


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## bwhntr (Sep 12, 2007)

Tex is SPOT ON! This unit is a petting zoo...of course we are talking elk (which are stupid). I drew the archery elk LE permit for this a couple of years ago and passed on 320+ bulls every other day, no less than a dozen 320-340 bulls under 40 yards during the hunt. It was so much fun. Anytime I have stepped foot on this unit we are tripping over elk. I don't know why people don't fill tags on this unit. 

Like Tex said, either they are holding out for a 380+ bull or they aren't getting off their wheeler trail. I believe the DWR numbers for success rate, but that doesn't mean the unit is hurting for good bulls. IMO most every LE elk unit tags are under sold, Wasatch included.

The problem with LE hunts in this state, is people expect 380+ bulls and have an expectation that the state owes them a big bull. Just because you spent 10 years to draw a tag doesn't mean you should be guaranteed anything. Get out and hunt. When the average rifle LE tag holder spends 2 days in the field be fore harvesting...that isn't hunting. That's just showing up and killing. Hunt people.


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## shaun larsen (Aug 5, 2011)

goofy elk said:


> First, EVERY LE tag holder IS contacted,,
> And must fill out a mandatory hunting survey OR they can not hunt in Utah any more ..
> 
> Second , these stats , I believe, Are a very good representation of the TRUE harvest ..
> ...


just because they MUST fill out a harvest survey, DOESNT mean they are always HONEST/CORRECT when they get submitted... and its not they cant hunt in utah anymore, its just for the following year that they cant apply in the OIL, LE, GS hunt application...

heres some of MY facts.

in 2009, the rifle hunt was more successful than the archery hunt in every unit across the state. :roll:

in 2010, the rifle hunt was more successful than the archery hunt in every unit across the state. :roll:

in 1977, the rifle hunt was more successful than the archery hunt in every unit across the state. :roll:

for hell sakes we are chasing these critters with a BOW. of course success rates are going to be LOW. ITS NOT EAST.

just because one hunt is more successful than the other, doesnt mean there wasnt an opportunity for the hunter with the archery tag, to no kill a bull. success rates do not rely only on the amount of animals in the area. skill level, time to hunt, weather, ability, etc.... ALL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN A SUCCESSFUL HUNT. i dont see the san jaun being extremely successful on the archery hunt, and thats one of the most applied for archery elk tags in the world. but we all cant be God of the utah forest like some... :O•-:


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

shaun larsen said:


> [ i dont see the san jaun being extremely successful on the archery hunt, and thats one of the most applied for archery elk tags in the world. but we all cant be God of the utah forest like some... :O•-:


Last two years for San Juan archery elk :

2011:
21 permits , 9 successful , 45% success rate ...

2010:
24 permits , 13 successful , 54.5 % success rate ..

Looks pretty close to "extremely high" for archery too me !!


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## bullsnot (Aug 10, 2010)

JStreiff hows your elk calling skills?


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## JDC (Feb 25, 2009)

JStreiff,

Check you private messages,

Jon


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## TAK (Sep 9, 2007)

goofy elk said:


> [quote="shaun larsen":3cwiz4vq][ i dont see the san jaun being extremely successful on the archery hunt, and thats one of the most applied for archery elk tags in the world. but we all cant be God of the utah forest like some... :O•-:


Last two years for San Juan archery elk :

2011:
21 permits , 9 successful , 45% success rate ...

2010:
24 permits , 13 successful , 54.5 % success rate ..

Looks pretty close to "extremely high" for archery too me !![/quote:3cwiz4vq]
Looks high to me also... All but the fact that on that unit there is much bigger elk and shooting a bigger bull is the norm. The Wasatch probley has more bulls but not of that size... It is a OIL hunt so we all hold out for just that... That is the only factor here! The last few trips to the wasatch someone could have killed small bulls from a main road!


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## shaun larsen (Aug 5, 2011)

TAK said:


> goofy elk said:
> 
> 
> > [quote="shaun larsen":2s63u5hm][ i dont see the san jaun being extremely successful on the archery hunt, and thats one of the most applied for archery elk tags in the world. but we all cant be God of the utah forest like some... :O•-:
> ...


Looks high to me also... All but the fact that on that unit there is much bigger elk and shooting a bigger bull is the norm. The Wasatch probley has more bulls but not of that size... It is a OIL hunt so we all hold out for just that... That is the only factor here! The last few trips to the wasatch someone could have killed small bulls from a main road![/quote:2s63u5hm]
still not as successful as the rifle hunt...


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## Fishracer (Mar 2, 2009)

Elk are everywhere on this unit. I also believe to many people get wrapped up with the score then the experience priviledge of chasing big bulls. Hunters go out and spend 2 days in the woods and if they are not tripping over 380 class bulls then its a waste of time to get out and hunt. I honestly believe many hunters pass up very good bulls on this unit in hopes of a "trophy". But what they fell to realize is that the trophy is walking away and with it the enjoyment of the hunt. I also believe this plays into the survey. They are angry they didnt get there "trophy" and give false information.


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