Southwest Desert Rifle Elk

jtshedhead · Jun 30, 2021

Hello everyone! My 82 year old grandfather will be hunting elk with a rifle on the SWD this year. We have hunted the area in the past, but it’s been a few years. My dad, two brothers and I will be on the hunt with him and have dreams of killing a stud bull. The tricky part is that other than my grandpa we are all out of state now. Born and raised in Utah, but work lead us away. I understand this unit isn’t what it once was, but there is always a chance of a monster. Curious to know if anyone has hunted the unit in the past couple of years and if they have any pointers. In the past we have typically hunted Pine Valley, Hablin Valley, Sulphr, Greens, Car Burn and a few other spots. The few tags we had were muzzy. Any info in a pm would be greatly appreciated. This will most likely be our last time hunting on this unit so we want to make it count for our grandfather. Thanks in advance and good luck this fall everyone! Attached is a pic of him and I with his bull in 2012 with a muzzle loader.

BIGJOHNT · Jul 1, 2021

Do you want to hire a guide to help you ? I can make a suggestion if you need help finding someone?

deadibob · Jul 1, 2021

BIGJOHNT said:
Do you want to hire a guide to help you ? I can make a suggestion if you need help finding someone?

J.S.?

jtshedhead · Jul 1, 2021

BIGJOHNT said:
Do you want to hire a guide to help you ? I can make a suggestion if you need help finding someone?

Thank you, but we are more into dyi.

west_desert · Jul 4, 2021

Sounds like you guys know the unit fairly well. Born and raised on the SWD. It has been down for the last several years. Still a chance a solid 350-360 type bull but not the type of unit it once was. Hope ya turn him up something special. Nothing like those memories when hunting with grandpa.

nvguy2 · Jul 5, 2021

Good luck to your Grandpa and you guys. Enjoy that hunt. Wish my Grandpas were still here. Would help if I knew anything about the unit. I do, however, have a NR Muzzleloader Antelope tag that starts right after his elk tag on 9/29 and would appreciate any information you could help me out with regarding what you see for Antelope during that hunt. Again, Good Luck. Should be a fun hunt from the sounds of it!

BIGJOHNT · Jul 6, 2021

It's always a great time hunting with family. It's been tough hunting on the SWD for the last few years. That is hunting for cow elk or big bulls. My daughter spends a lot of time out there running cattle. After years of putting in her sister in law drew a big bull tag. She didn't fill her tag and the know the unit very well. Other friends with cow tags haven't seen a elk looking for cows. That's why I suggested
maybe getting a guide to help with your odds of finding a bull for your grandpa.

deadibob · Jul 6, 2021

BIGJOHNT said:
It's always a great time hunting with family. It's been tough hunting on the SWD for the last few years. That is hunting for cow elk or big bulls. My daughter spends a lot of time out there running cattle. After years of putting in her sister in law drew a big bull tag. She didn't fill her tag and the know the unit very well. Other friends with cow tags haven't seen a elk looking for cows. That's why I suggested
maybe getting a guide to help with your odds of finding a bull for your grandpa.

The DWR has been selling hundreds of cow tags year after year on the SWD, sooner or later that takes its toll on the herds. The DWR is just so slow to act and react. They don't do anything until years after the damage is done.

Hunter3006 · Jul 11, 2021

We hunted spikes in there last year. It was a great time seen bulls and cows every day. The biggest bull we seen was a 330 class bull. Maybe this year we will find a spike.