# will BOXELDER be a parking lot?



## cdbright (Aug 24, 2016)

Is there a lot of archery hunters that will be in boxelder opening day or do most people get that tag just so they have the extended? 

Just trying to plan how far out i need to scout to get away from people. Also i picked the weekend that the entire valley goes camping to scout.


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

You should have it all to yourself. Most people get a boxelder tag just for the extended area


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## McFinnigan (Jan 29, 2016)

I went up there the night before the opener last year. There were definitely some people up there, but nothing out of the ordinary. 


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

The crowds are for the muzzleloader and rifle hunts. It's not a great unit at all, but you should kill something with your bow.


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## captain68 (Dec 20, 2016)

I went out and hunted over labor day last year for four days. I never saw another person the entire time I was out there. I actually saw lots of deer too, with several respectable 24-26" bucks in the mix. It was a blast.


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## cdbright (Aug 24, 2016)

that great news!! i am going to go scout this weekend


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

I guess I am a little confused, but is there a "place or canyon or drainage or something" called Box Elder that you guys keep referring to. I thought the "Box Elder" hunt area was basically all of Box Elder County? For example, when you say I am going up to the "Box Elder next weekend" or "is the Box Elder going to be crowded on opening day", what exactly are you talking about?


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

BP the "public land" on the Box Elder Unit is comprised of basically a portion of the Raft River mountains so if I was a guessing man I would go to Clear Creek and bet I would see them.


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

The entire South end of the unit gets little pressure but there are very few deer too.


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

If I were you, I wouldn't waste my time on Box Elder and start scouting the "front" right now. I would hunt it the second half of Sept. and into early Oct. I'd also probably get an elk tag while I was at it.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

little know fact:

the term "box elder" was used by the ute indians to refer to "extending" harvest season, thus the "box elder" tag that extends your season on the wasatch front. best i can tell there really is no one hunting a place called "box elder". Also, people tell me that my eyes are brown because i'm so full.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

APD said:


> little know fact:
> 
> the term "box elder" was used by the ute indians to refer to "extending" harvest season, thus the "box elder" tag that extends your season on the wasatch front. best i can tell there really is no one hunting a place called "box elder". Also, people tell me that my eyes are brown because i'm so full.


Interesting. So you are suggesting that the use of the phrase "going to hunt the Box Elder", etc. is actually referring to the hunt area "Box Elder" because it has an extended season and 
is not necessarily a specific location even though the only viable hunting location is in the extreme northern areas, the Raft River Mountains, which is a specific location. I guess I get it. Thanks


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## cdbright (Aug 24, 2016)

we plan to hunt up in Boxelder county since that is were our tag is for the opener. After all the rifle and muzzle loader hunts are over , the "boxelder" tag also allows you to hunt the Wasatch front in the extended archery hunt, so most people just buy the boxelder tag so they are allowed to hunt the extended archery hunt in on the Wasatch front, but i plan to do both so i can hunt more and not have to wait till the extended kicks in.

I do have the elk tag as well:mrgreen:


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Pretty sure you don't have to wait for the muzzy and rifle hunts to be over to hunt the extended areas.
Extended archery deer
(hunter’s choice) in
the Cache Laketown,
Ogden, Uintah Basin,
Wasatch Front and West
Cache extended archery
areas
Sept. 16–Nov. 30
Extended archery elk
(hunter’s choice) in the
Uintah Basin extended
archery area
Sept. 16–Dec. 15
Extended archery elk
(hunter’s choice) in
the Wasatch Front
extended archery area
Aug. 19–Dec. 15


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## cdbright (Aug 24, 2016)

if rifle and muzzy is still going they dont expect us to wear orange do they?


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

cdbright said:


> if rifle and muzzy is still going they dont expect us to wear orange do they?


Hunter orange is not required on muzzleloader hunts. See red text for the regulation on the rifle hunt.

R657-5-23. General Archery Buck Deer Hunt.
(1) The dates of the general archery buck deer hunt are provided in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking big game.
(2) A person who has obtained a general archery buck deer permit, or any other permit which allows that person to hunt general archery buck deer may use archery equipment prescribed in R657-5-11 to take:
(a) one buck deer within the general hunt area specified on the permit for the time specified in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking big game; or
(b) a deer of hunter's choice within extended archery areas as provided in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking big game.
(c) A person who has obtained a general archery buck deer permit, or any other permit which allows that person to hunt general archery buck deer, may not hunt within Cooperative Wildlife Management unit deer areas.
(d) A person who has obtained a general archery buck deer permit, or any other permit which allows that person to hunt general archery buck deer, may not hunt within premium limited entry deer or limited entry deer areas, except as provided by the Wildlife Board in the guidebooks for big game.
(3)(a) A person who obtains a general archery buck deer permit, or any other permit which allows that person to hunt general archery buck deer, may hunt within extended archery areas during the extended archery area seasons as provided in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking big game and as provided in Subsection (b).
(b)(i) A person must complete the Archery Ethics Course annually to hunt any extended archery areas during the extended archery season.
(ii) A person must possess an Archery Ethics Course Certificate of Completion while hunting.
(4) A person who has obtained a general archery buck deer permit may not hunt during any other deer hunt or obtain any other deer permit, except antlerless deer and extended archery areas.
(5) If a person 17 years of age or younger obtains a general archery buck deer permit, that person may only hunt during the general archery deer season and the extended archery season as provided Section R657-5-23(3).
*(6) Hunter orange material must be worn if a centerfire rifle hunt is also in progress in the same area as provided in Section 23-20-31. Archers are cautioned to study rifle hunt tables and identify these areas described in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking big game.*


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

That's the law ;-) Good thing Orange camo is legal again. LOL


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## hunting777 (May 3, 2009)

found this guy on the box elder, and I saw a bigger one this morning. Come on August 19th! Nothing like a corn fed buck! Tasty!


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

CPAjeff said:


> *(6) Hunter orange material must be worn if a centerfire rifle hunt is also in progress in the same area as provided in Section 23-20-31. Archers are cautioned to study rifle hunt tables and identify these areas described in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking big game.*


Amusingly... the statewide Sportsmens deer and elk tag seasons are Sept. 1, 2017- Jan. 15, 2018 so technically archers should wear orange from Sept 1st through Jan 15th.

:^8^:

-DallanC


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

I have seen some huge bucks on the box elder unit. I would spend some time scouting it. 

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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

DallanC said:


> Amusingly... the statewide Sportsmens deer and elk tag seasons are Sept. 1, 2017- Jan. 15, 2018 so technically archers should wear orange from Sept 1st through Jan 15th.
> 
> :^8^:
> 
> -DallanC


I did a little more research on this and here is what I have found -

https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title23/Chapter20/23-20-S31.html

23-20-31. Requirement to wear hunter orange -- Exceptions. 
(1)	As used in this section:
(a)	(i)	"Centerfire rifle hunt" means a hunt for which a hunter may use a centerfire rifle, except as provided in Subsection (1)(a)(ii).
(ii)	"Centerfire rifle hunt" does not include:
(A)	a bighorn sheep hunt;
(B)	a mountain goat hunt; 
(C)	a bison hunt;
(D)	a moose hunt;
(E) a hunt requiring the hunter to possess a statewide conservation permit; or
(F) a hunt requiring the hunter to possess a statewide sportsman permit.
(b)	"Statewide conservation permit" means a permit:
(i)	issued by the division;
(ii)	distributed through a nonprofit organization founded for the purpose of promoting wildlife conservation; and
(iii)	valid:
(A)	on open hunting units statewide; and
(B)	for the species of big game and time period designated by the Wildlife Board.
(c)	"Statewide sportsman permit" means a permit:
(i)	issued by the division through a public draw; and
(ii)	valid:
(A)	on open hunting units statewide; and
(B)	for the species of big game and time period designated by the Wildlife Board.

Not that any of these really matters - it's been a looooonnnnnnggggg Friday morning.


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## CROC (Sep 12, 2007)

Did you go scouting?


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## cdbright (Aug 24, 2016)

yes, we went today and made it up to the camp ground and walked in from there. We went about two thirds the way up straight East of the end of the camping spot at clear creak . It seemed to be a perfect spot for deer or elk as there was great cover for them and and a covered trail that leads down to the stream for water. It was 82 degrees when we got there around noon but it dropped pretty quick after the front moved in and got cloudy. We got up high enough we could glass the entire canyon and searched many many shady spots and saw nothing bedded anywhere. They must be wayyyy up high still since it is warm and there is green vegetation everywhere even up on top. 

after we got back to the truck we saw a doe down on the road but that was it. We drove over to the south side and it has not as much cover , no food , and no water so it seems there would not be any deer on that side?

i plan to go back next weekend and go further West on the North side to find another canyon and hope it looks better. 

Do you guys think they are just up high? This canyon seemed like the best spot. It must have rained hard up there as even the cow tracks were washed away and there was nothing new as far as tracks but highways trails all over, prob from the cows earlier in the year?


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

That sounds just like how my rifle hunt has gone up there the last 2 years. Normally we'll see a couple small bucks, but lately just a single doe. I've been looking into heading out to the Raft River Mountains. That might be an area you could look into.


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## cdbright (Aug 24, 2016)

does it get any better going West on the North side, that is where i am gona scout next, also should i even bother with the other mountain range that runs North/South? i know that is where the LE ELK tags are from out there and it is the place that lady shot an illegal BULL last year, but the nice part is and i thought maybe just maybe if we hunt the east/west running mountain range for deer and if there is enough pressure on the other elk range maybe they will get pushed our way? 

either way it doesn't really matter as we get the extended hunt on the front for both but it would be nice to be able to take anything with antlers on the same hunt.


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## cdbright (Aug 24, 2016)

going to go back to ELDER this weekend and see if the canyons to the WEST of the campground look any better.

I am assuming there gets to be a lot of loud campers at the campground and push everything out of there or way up top by the thick forest? 

It looks like we will prob need to camp the night prior to the opener and get way up high right away


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

PM sent. Good luck.


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## stillhunterman (Feb 15, 2009)

cd,

Head west on the north side of the Raft River range and come in through Yost. Check out the George Peak area real close, and glass, glass, glass. Would also check Left and Right hand forks of Johnson Creek. Look on google earth or a map of the area to get the right dirt roads, they split a few times. I wouldn't worry too much about folks getting rowdy in the camp ground, I have never had that problem, even during the rifle hunt. There aren't enough archers out there to move the deer much at all.

Talking to the area bio and a game warden out there, both said the deer hold really tight and head for the thick stuff during the rifle hunt and become virtually nocturnal. Gotta imagine they will follow that pattern starting with the archery hunt.

More than a few deer will feed in the farmlands at night, then head back up before dawn. Find their bedding areas and set up an ambush:shock: Good luck and have fun! BTW, the Grouse Creek Mountains to the west that run north and south have lots of private, I would stick to the Raft River range, but thats just me...


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