South Cache Potential

mickeymouseoutfitters · Aug 26, 2012

What would you hold out for in the South Cache Unit rifle tag? Could it produce some 400 bulls?

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;-) Mickey Mouse Outfitters provides an experience you will never forget, because we always do it Micky Mouse style. We always guarantee shots. It might be at the ground or in the air, but it's a guarantee we are committed to.

Kevin D · Aug 26, 2012

LAST EDITED ON Aug-26-12 AT 06:16PM (MST)[p]Every year it seems as if there is at least one 370+ bull taken on the unit. Most of these bulls fall to guys that have intimate knowledge of the area and have put in their time scouting. So unless you already have a bigger bull scouted, you might not wanna be turning down any 330-350 class bulls. From what I've observed, the majority of the bulls taken on the unit the last few years have been sub 300 bulls.

mickeymouseoutfitters · Aug 27, 2012

This is the largest one so far.

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;-) Mickey Mouse Outfitters provides an experience you will never forget, because we always do it Micky Mouse style. We always guarantee shots. It might be at the ground or in the air, but it's a guarantee we are committed to.

cache · Aug 28, 2012

The bull in your your trail cam photo is an above average bull for the south cache. The genetics to grow high scoring bulls in this herd is horrible. If you are looking to kill a 350" bull you better be ready to eat tag soup . Over the years I have seen very few bulls that would go over 350". But with that said it is a very fun hunt with lots of older bulls in the 290-320 range. Good luck!

kevinp · Aug 29, 2012

LAST EDITED ON Aug-29-12 AT 06:09AM (MST)[p]Yep...I gotta agree with KevinD...On average, I have maybe 1-2 Bulls each year come into my shop from the South Cache unit that are 340 plus....the rest are between 280-310...

The genetics are there, but it takes more than good genetics to grow Big bulls and the State has decided to provide opportunity, like many of the units in Utah now, so in response, they have been giving way too many tags. Most bulls are not living long enough to obtain their potential...170-200 tags per year is way too many to substain quality for a unit such as the South Cache.

MormonOnaMission · Aug 29, 2012

But kevinp!

Show them the exception!

ForkWest · Aug 29, 2012

From many a years spent up there, I think South Cache is the most overrated unit in the state. Not to burst your bubble, but to be honest, I wouldn't be holding out for much over 300 on that unit. If you're hunting muzzy or archery, you'd best take the first 6'er you see. Like other have said, there might be a few big'uns hiding out, but I've not seen anything over 340 in all my time up there.

Ticks N Tines · Aug 29, 2012

I would smoke that bull with any weapon on the South Cache. That is an exceptional bull for that unit.

kevinp · Sep 5, 2012

Here is a Bull that spent most of his life traveling between the South Cache Unit and Meadowville Unit. I happened to kill him on the Medowville unit last September. He was 9 years old.

So this maybe an exception to the rule, but I know his genetics are still there.

KP

mickeymouseoutfitters · Sep 5, 2012

These must be related. Good backs, but not so good fronts.

________________________________________
;-) Mickey Mouse Outfitters provides an experience you will never forget, because we always do it Micky Mouse style. We always guarantee shots. It might be at the ground or in the air, but it's a guarantee we are committed to.

troutcarver · Sep 6, 2012

The potential is defiantly there. There are a couple of main things in my opinion that prevents bigger bulls being taken on the s. cache. First is to many tags second is OVER grazing. There is a reason there are big bulls taken on the Medowville unit. All their cows graze on the forest service and it leave nice tall green grass for the wildlife on most of the private ranches while there is not that good of feed left on the forest service side. The genetics are there. I guarantee there will be 1 or 2 bulls over 400 that will be taken off the Medowville this year. There is no magic fence that separates the two units.

UGAhunter · Sep 12, 2012

Good luck MouseMan! Hope you get a dandy.

Ivan

Ticks N Tines · Sep 13, 2012

>I guarantee
>there will be 1 or
>2 bulls over 400 that
>will be taken off the
>Medowville this year.

Really? When is the last time a 400 bull shot on that unit? I don't recall many bulls that reach that kind of potential.

The bull posted above was a monster. BTW congrats to the hunter on that bull, he is awesome! Also saw the story in the mags, great bull and story.

kevinp · Sep 13, 2012

LAST EDITED ON Sep-13-12 AT 12:26PM (MST)[p]Thanks HJB!...

This Bull did Green score the day I killed him at 406.....but after 60 days he was officially measured at 393 Gross and netted 384 5/8 BC....To my knowledge, he's the largest scoring Bull to be taken in Round Valley and on the Meadowville unit.. a Bull of a life time for me!..

Another problem with the South Cache has been the amount of pressure these elk see...almost 365 days of pressure in one form or another...I began to see the decline of Quality Bulls, at least in my shop, when the State went to the November hunts...along with a steady increase in Tags...spells doom for bulls ever reaching there potential....

Appreciate the nice comments on my story,too!

troutcarver · Sep 13, 2012

HJB
Did you not see the bull that KevinP is posing with above? Where do you think that Bull came from? I have very good sources that have trail cam pics of some monster bulls this year. There are reasons they can get very high Trespass fees on the Medowville unit.

Ticks N Tines · Sep 13, 2012

Yes I did see it. Did you not read all of my post? His bull was the only 400 bull I have ever heard of off the meadowville unit.

I was just wondering about all the others you know of and the two that will be killed on there this year. A 400 bull is an absolute monster and you only see a handful taken each year in the entire U.S.

South Cache and Meadowville are in my backyard, so I would love to see some pics of bulls of that caliber over there.

I spend a ton of time up that way and don't hear the words 400 very often.

troutcarver · Sep 13, 2012

I'm hoping to see pictures also. I really hope some of those big elk cross back over to the S. Cache so I can get a crack at them. Either way I think there is potential but it is very mismanaged for the high quality that we all would like to see in there.

cache · Sep 13, 2012

For you two that think the south cache is "shot out".How old do you think a bull has to be to reach his potential? Also if this unit is offering too many tags like you say then why didn't everyone who drew in 2008 and prior not all kill 350" bulls because you surely can't try and tell me there were too many tags back then. One or two huge bulls sure as hell doesn't make them average.I look at a ton of bulls every yeat on this unit and have looked at hundreds of bulls through the years and have personaly seen 2 bulls that I know would go over 350".This alone with the average age of bull killed on this unit being over 6 years old tells me that the number one reason that this unit doesn't see more higher end bulls killed is genentics. I have personally seen too many 8-9 year old bulls aged come of this unit that didn't score well for me to go along with your SFW sells pitch of "we are giving too many tags"

kevinp · Sep 13, 2012

LAST EDITED ON Sep-13-12 AT 08:01PM (MST)[p]Jeremy...Where did I say the South Cache is shot out?...I only stated what I have observed over the last few years!!

I heed to your keen observation and knowledge of wildlife!...Your probably too young to realize, that all the elk in the state, including Nevada and Arizona, got their genetics from the Hardware Ranch!....which the last time I looked at a map, was located in the South Cache....do the research!!!

destroyer350 · Sep 13, 2012

I don't have a dog in this fight, but cache how old do you think a bull has to be to reach his potenial!

cache · Sep 13, 2012

Kevin I'm heading for Wyoming don't have time to argue over the net. Do you think you would have time to meet up next week and we could hash some things out in person?

cache · Sep 13, 2012

As far as reaching potential for me it's 7. I have seen bulls aged at 6 that went over 400".

kevinp · Sep 13, 2012

Sure Jeremy!...let me know when your back!...

destroyer350 · Sep 13, 2012

>As far as reaching potential for
>me it's 7. I have
>seen bulls aged at 6
>that went over 400".

What do you consider or think to be a max age or the oldest bull you've seen aged?

MulePacker · Sep 14, 2012

It appears to me that some think man has more of a role in a 400"er than does Mother Nature.
I believe first of all the right bull must mate with the right cow and she must give birth to a bull calf "not going to happen but once in a great while". Then that calf must live to maturity in a hostile enviroment from hunting seasons, drought years to bad winters "not going to happen but once in a great while". Then during the years he can grow a 400 inch set of antlers . antler growing conditions must be right "not going to happen but once in a great while". Ocassionaly a 400"er is shot by a guy that was in the right place at the right time. This is not going to happen but once in a great while on public lands period.

So my take on it is this. There are not many 400 inch bulls on the S Cache, Dutton, San Juan, Yellowstone, RMNP or any where else simply because Mother Nature isn't that kind.

So my advice is the S Cache has great potential to provide an awesome hunt with opportunity to take a bull of a lifetime (you probably only get one tag in Utah) don't waste it looking for a score!

As a last note I have sure seen a lot of 400"ers that turn into
nice six points when they hit the ground. Could this also be a feat of Mother Nature?

mickeymouseoutfitters · Sep 19, 2012

I took your advice. This bull can't get any closer to 350.
http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos/1602photo_(2).jpg

________________________________________
;-) Mickey Mouse Outfitters provides an experience you will never forget, because we always do it Micky Mouse style. We always guarantee shots. It might be at the ground or in the air, but it's a guarantee we are committed to.

mickeymouseoutfitters · Sep 19, 2012

________________________________________
;-) Mickey Mouse Outfitters provides an experience you will never forget, because we always do it Micky Mouse style. We always guarantee shots. It might be at the ground or in the air, but it's a guarantee we are committed to.

tshuntin · Sep 19, 2012

>I don't have a dog in
>this fight, but cache how
>old do you think a
>bull has to be to
>reach his potenial!

I don't know jack about this, but my dad shot a Bull four years ago at Deseret that was 11 years old. It scored just over 320. My friend (who helped us and is a guide there) had footage of this bull fromt he year before and they figured he was around 340 the prior year. Any idea at what age they would reach their peak before starting to regress?

HayZeus · Sep 20, 2012

It looks like you did take the right advice. That is a great bull anywhere. Congrats

mickeymouseoutfitters · Sep 20, 2012

The G1's, G2's, and the G4's are worthy of a 400 class bull. I didn't think it would make it over 325 because of the G3's and all the back end, but the mass is more than I have seen in a while. Does anyone know where I could get it measured here in Cache Valley?

________________________________________
;-) Mickey Mouse Outfitters provides an experience you will never forget, because we always do it Micky Mouse style. We always guarantee shots. It might be at the ground or in the air, but it's a guarantee we are committed to.