UT Nine Mile, Anthro Pronghorn

WhiskeyMan · May 19, 2011

Howdy folks,

Found out today that I drew this rifle tag as a non-res. Credit card hit of $288. This is my fifth Utah pronghorn tag in a dozen years. Three were conservation tags.......two were drawn. Got some good bucks.

Looking for a biggun, which this unit has produced in the past. Looking for an 80"+ buck on public land in this unit. Is anyone willing to share their knowledge of this unit? PM's are welcomed.

Is there any particular area(s) where most of the goats live? How has the winter been and how are the numbers these days and has there been any winterkill the last few years?

How has trophy quality been recently? Are there 80"+ bucks in the unit? Where would you hunt for this caliber of buck?

Thanks in advance for your help.......I appreciate it.

WM

velvetmonster · May 23, 2011

Whiskey,
I hope you have received some PM's in response to your request. This is one of the few units in which I have zero knowledge so I can't help. Someone step up...WM has given out tons of advice when asked.

BacDoc · May 28, 2011

I work south of Myton, and have seen more Antelope this spring, than I have for a long time. Have helped kill a couple of 80+ in. bucks in the past. I haven't seen anything that big yet this year. If I see something good, I let you know. BacDoc

Dr_Hunter · May 28, 2011

Sorry. I am not familiar with that area either. I am sure a search would pull up some names though. I remember reading about a Father and Son hunt on that unit last year. They both shot respectable goats too.

"Half of being smart, is knowing what you're dumb about."

WhiskeyMan · May 29, 2011

Thanks for your input, Dudes.

Can anyone comment on how this past winter was in that SW portion of the Basin? How would you rate the cold, snowpack, and lateness of this winter on a scale of 1 to 10.......with 10 being a nightmare?

Last year (2010) I hunted goats in eastern Utah on a conservation permit in a unit that I have extensive experience in. That unit last fall had 20% of the goats it did a decade ago......and the hunt was a disaster. One hunter from Moab told me that the snow was deeeeeeep during the winter of 2009/2010 in that particular unit......like he'd never seen. I see that the Utah DWR cut statewide goat tags from 1023 down to 650ish this year. They seem to agree with my assessment that the 09/10 winter was deadly on goats. Was this past one equally as bad or worse?

WM

southslope82 · May 29, 2011

I live here in the basin,, this years snow pack was intense out here can't say that I have seen more snow in the lower country than ever before or any were for that matter. Spring well we are still waiting for it lol... Its been long/cold spring too. Probably worse year I can remember not really the coldest but probably the most consistent cold I have seen. But I would not let any of that discourage you my brother works south of myton/bridgeland area and watches the goats pretty close he seems them on a daily basis and last year showed me pics of two different goats that were monsters I couldn't beleive we had goats that big here "80 Plus all day" but other than those two everything else is pretty average, dinky, I think in a few days of hunting though you could find a shooter pretty easy. Don't let the winter get you down them antelope will still be out there I promise.