# General Season Elk



## outdoorser (Jan 14, 2013)

So I figured I'd post up a thread for anybody to ask questions pertaining to anything about GS elk. I'll start it off: How long are the spike tags going to last until they're all sold?


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Wont sell out til the first of October...


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## itchytriggerfinger (Sep 12, 2007)

And the anybull tags?


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

About the same...sometimes they don't sell out.


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## outdoorser (Jan 14, 2013)

KineKilla said:


> About the same...sometimes they don't sell out.


So why do people stand in lines at sporting good stores for hours the first day tags are available (today) just to buy their tag? Is it just the excitement of getting it faster?


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## N8ON (Oct 7, 2010)

They may be trying to get some of the leftover deer tags that are available????


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## huntinfanatic (Aug 3, 2012)

Some are there for the deer tags(not sure why because guys online are going to get the more sought after tags while you are standing in line) but most are there for the elk tags. Its probably excitement, or paranoia that they might not get one if they wait, or simply not knowing that GS elk tags have NEVER sold out in June, or July, or August!


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

because they miss the old way. where every one would go and stand in line at 4 in the morning to get there tags.


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## Huntoholic (Sep 17, 2008)

dkhntrdstn said:


> because they miss the old way. where every one would go and stand in line at 4 in the morning to get there tags.


That's not the old way............


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

The old way to me is walking in the sporting goods and handing the clerk $14 for a combination license with the deer tag attached...................

I don't worry about elk tags selling out, because archery is unlimited................


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## riverpack (Jun 7, 2013)

The "old way" was loading up the truck and stopping by any sporting goods(Sunset Sports) or hardware store and buying your tag on your way out of town and then signing up for the big buck contest and checking out the new Jeep that was for first place.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

riverpack said:


> The "old way" was loading up the truck and stopping by any sporting goods(Sunset Sports) or hardware store and buying your tag on your way out of town and then signing up for the big buck contest and checking out the new Jeep that was for first place.


I thought it was a Bronco?


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## riverpack (Jun 7, 2013)

The old way for me was buying a 30-06 when I was 17 and taking it to the high school the next day and showing all my buddy's my new rifle in the parking lot and then showing them the shells and even loading and cycling the bolt action to show them how good it worked. No police, no lock down or swat teams, even having some teachers come out to look at. Then the day before the hunt you loaded up the pick up and headed out of town and either stopped at Sunset Sports to buy your license and sign up for the big buck contest and check out the first place prize which was a brand new Jeep CJ or you could stop at any hardware store in the state and buy your license, shells and even a rifle if you needed it. Then as you rolled into any town in the state you where welcomed like a war hero returning home because the hunt was a huge economic boon to every town around, even people who never hunted or would ever hunt welcomed and appreciated you. It was a great time and I sure do miss the "old way"!!


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## riverpack (Jun 7, 2013)

Looks like I double posted, the first one was from the phone and I did not see it but I still miss the "old way". Hunting with my son has replaced the "old way " and proven more rewarding however.


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## NolanSpawn (Jun 14, 2013)

Got mine


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

Huntoholic said:


> That's not the old way............


that was my old way and the way i remember it.


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## bossloader (Sep 11, 2007)

doesn't anyone use the internet? i buy my tag in my underwear no lines no people


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

4 in the morning.............
We used to camp overnight and we were never even close to first in line !!


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Fowlmouth said:


> I thought it was a Bronco?


The last two were Jeeps... two brothers in my town won the final two and still have them. They got rid of the contest after that... those deer did NOT come from Utah.

-DallanC


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## Huntoholic (Sep 17, 2008)

dkhntrdstn said:


> that was my old way and the way i remember it.


And for that I am truly sorry......


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

I still remember the old days when you could go to the store and find 30-06 and .308 bullets or maybe even a brick of .22 lr rounds.


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

I remember in the old days when we could stay on topic.:focus:


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)




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## outdoorser (Jan 14, 2013)

I want to see some cache county elk photos! Anybody got any they'd like to share?


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## outdoorser (Jan 14, 2013)

When does the Elk rut usually occur in Northern UT?


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

It all has to do with hours of daylight.

Typically late September or early October.


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## MuleHunter (Jun 6, 2013)

Anybody know of any land owners in the general any bull areas that allow hunting on their property?


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## utaharcheryhunter (Jul 13, 2009)

So here is a question.. All I hear is north slope/south slope for general elk.. And don't get me wrong I am on the north slope come September.. But has anyone had any luck with the other general units in the state? All I do is gather maps to find good places to look, and find bits and pieces of info on this forum and others.. But there is really nothing on other units.. I am just curious..


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

I decided last year that the reason they were any bull units was because your chances of finding a bull are few and far between.

I think the DWR said "go ahead and let them try to find the elk on these areas, if they manage to find one they deserve to have it, and we still get $50 from everyone anyway." Everywhere that is going to definitely have elk is a spike only or LE area.


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## utaharcheryhunter (Jul 13, 2009)

And I agree with you, you have to search and search for the elk which I am OK with.. And I have to come to the conclusion that the dwr has forced everyone onto those LE units.. But I refuse to go onto those units because I was one of those guys that had a frustrating time with a LE archery tag, and had to deal with the "spike and cow" guys. I dont understand why everyone that has or will have a LE archery elk tag are not up in arms about that, you go through years of putting in, load on the bonus points, pay 280$ and have to deal with the thousands of 50$ spike hunters running your elk herds all over.. Oh that gets my blood boiling thinking back..
But I am going to keep on Searching..


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

I also agree with that, but I am switching from the Uinta's to a LE unit this year for a couple of reasons...

First being that I would eventually love to hunt a big bull on a LE unit and I feel that by the time I get enough points to draw the tag, I hope to have enough knowledge of the area from hunting spikes and cows to make the expensive tag worth it.

Secondly, while the Uinta's are one of my favorite places in the state, I can't really hunt them well without horses to get in there deep. I'm never going to own horses, nor do I know anyone with horses that is willing to help me out so if I did get a bull down in there, it would be more work than it's worth getting it out.

I imagine if I were hunting with Archery equipment I would probably feel differently about it all.


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## utaharcheryhunter (Jul 13, 2009)

Well see the LE experience is different for you and I.. And thats why I am asking questions about different units, because I don't have horses either..


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## bowhunt3r4l1f3 (Jan 12, 2011)

I've done the homework after I asked myself the same questions as you utaharcheryhunter. Yes there are other Any Bull units with bulls on them. The Uintas aren't the only places to find bulls. But it's definitely work and you gotta fight with private land. If you look hard enough though there are some good spots out there. Not that I really wanna say too much...


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## Speeddmn (Aug 12, 2013)

So this may seem easy enough to answer. I have a general season any bull tag. pretty standard OTC. Now my real question is when looking at the guide book, am I only limited to certain areas, or can I use my tag on a spike unit only? I've read the guide book, but think I might be over reading/over thinking it. You know how these are written. I have a friend with a few acres out near strawberry/heber area. That is a spot that could be between the boundaries. 

I feel I should be able to use my tag for a spike in a spike area only, but think I have to stay on the any bull units. just looking for clarification.


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## utaharcheryhunter (Jul 13, 2009)

Speeddmn said:


> So this may seem easy enough to answer. I have a general season any bull tag. pretty standard OTC. Now my real question is when looking at the guide book, am I only limited to certain areas, or can I use my tag on a spike unit only? I've read the guide book, but think I might be over reading/over thinking it. You know how these are written. I have a friend with a few acres out near strawberry/heber area. That is a spot that could be between the boundaries.
> 
> I feel I should be able to use my tag for a spike in a spike area only, but think I have to stay on the any bull units. just looking for clarification.


You are reading correctly.. In an LE elk area, you can shoot a cow or a spike elk during the archery season. But you only have til Friday to do it. That season ends a week earlier than the general elk areas..


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## Speeddmn (Aug 12, 2013)

utaharcheryhunter said:


> You are reading correctly.. In an LE elk area, you can shoot a cow or a spike elk during the archery season. But you only have til Friday to do it. That season ends a week earlier than the general elk areas..


Cool, thanks. I should usually trust my gut but sometimes asking the question to be simple is better than a huge fine!


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Speeddmn said:


> So this may seem easy enough to answer. I have a general season any bull tag. pretty standard OTC. Now my real question is when looking at the guide book, am I only limited to certain areas, or can I use my tag on a spike unit only? I've read the guide book, but think I might be over reading/over thinking it. You know how these are written. I have a friend with a few acres out near strawberry/heber area. That is a spot that could be between the boundaries.
> 
> I feel I should be able to use my tag for a spike in a spike area only, but think I have to stay on the any bull units. just looking for clarification.


A "any bull" tag can only be used on a any bull unit and can not be used on or in a LE or spike only unit. So you are limited to where you can hunt. You can see the units for your hunt on page 30 & 31 of the application guidebook. Strawberry/Heber areas are spike only.


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## utaharcheryhunter (Jul 13, 2009)

****, I hate to admit this.. But critter is right and I am wrong.. 
If you are hunting with a rifle, your tag needs to have "spike" to hunt on your property. 

I have a bad habit of assuming everything has to do with general archery season. Where you can hunt on any bull or spike units.

In the field regulations the general elk hunts are all called general season just depends on the weapon of choice. And they are all OTC.
And if you are hunting with a rifle you have to choose either "any bull" or "spike only". 2 TOTALLY SEPARATE PERMITS. And as for me its pretty clear on the 2 types of permits. I believe you can read it on page 17 or 18 in the field regs.

So i do apologize with the bad info on my end if you are hunting with a rifle.
I will read more carefully next time because I KNOW critter is just waiting for another chance to correct me.
And sorry if you bought a general season rifle elk tag that's "any bull".
But it might not be too late to go and exchange or something..


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

utaharcheryhunter said:


> ****, I hate to admit this.. But critter is right and I am wrong..
> I will read more carefully next time because I KNOW critter is just waiting for another chance to correct me.
> .


utaharcheryhunter, you were actually right since you mentioned archery hunting in your post and was really pertaining to that even if Speeddmn was taking about the general rifle.

Oops, I just corrected you again.


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## utaharcheryhunter (Jul 13, 2009)

I knew it, see..


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