30Hart
Very Active Member
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Just got back from my Utah limited entry any weapon antelope hunt in the famed North Rafael unit. This was an unexpected hunt as I drew one of the two Hunting Expo permits this past spring. I searched the maps, made all the phone calls (biologist and outfitter friends included) and since I'll never draw this tag again I thought I'd bring everyone up to date on this unit. First off, I think this unit severely suffers from inflated expectations due to all the past stories from all the record book bucks that have been taken over the years. I was surprised at all the hunters that had Boone and Crockett record book bucks as their expectations including several archery hunters. Okay let me justify, I talked to the biologist (by the way one of the best I've ever talked to) before his first flyover and count of 2011. He hadn't been able to fly and do a count for the past 3 years due to bad weather on the dates the plane was booked so no census data was available for 3 years, but he estimated the population trend was up (about 1,100 on both the North and South Rafael units combined). During those past years tags numbers given out had been going up and up. I talked to him again right after he flew the area?bad news he estimated the population on both units at about 650 animals. This correlated to what I was finding out talking to the guys that recently hunted it and the outfitters that guided it. The good news was his recommendation to drop permits was accepted, but he explained to me the Board didn't have to drop permit numbers even at the 650 mark you see the North Rafael in the eyes of the Division of Wildlife is not a trophy area. Scouting showed me what I already knew small herds of antelope scattered over large expanses of real estate?lots of immature bucks, very few but enough mature bucks, and no drop your jaw monsters (true record book bucks). Most bucks lacked at least 1 to 2 critical things. Lots of bucks had weak or broken prongs, lots of bucks with no length, and very few with great mass. I talked to a bunch of different archery hunters who kindly shared their info after their hunts (thanks AWHOLELOTTABULL). I set-up on the nicest buck I could find before the season started, put him to bed and took him opening morning before he could be pushed off by all the hunters. He was a solid 78 inch buck, with decent length at 15 ?, good prongs at 5 ? and just average mass throughout. Overall I was pleased with the experience, but I wouldn't have been if I'd waited 10 years to get a tag. I rate this hunt no better than the dozen or so of the leftover antelope tag hunts I've been on in Wyoming. I'd rate it slightly better than Montana antelope but definitely way below a hard to draw tag in Wyoming and definitely not worth purchasing an auction tag that's for sure?hope this brings you all up to date.
