UTAH San Juan Late Archery - Help?? Very limited time to accept a returned tag.

B

Brokenarrowz

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I know, I’m a FNG who’s been a long time lurker. But…

A tag got returned. I’m next on the list.
It’s my dream unit in Utah.
But there is no info on late season archery cause it’s a new hunt code.
All elk on Private??? Etc…
Any help would be absolutely amazing.
I’ve been a guide for a long time in SW CO and happy to trade info including units 76 and 61.
Willing to pay a trespass fee, but hoping for a DIY. I’m economically challenged single dad.
 
Stubaby said:
There had to be a reason you applied for this tag, right?
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Yea, but months of knowing and scouting is a completely different ball game. Maybe you can just jump on something like this. I can’t just bail on life without extensive planning. Don’t know many folks that could.
Actually went over to scout this morning, no positive results. Was Hoping the weather had animals moving.
I will 95% pass unless I know something more between now and then.
.
 
Brokenarrowz said:
I’m hearing a lot of that. Much appreciated
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Of all the late season hunting (for cows) I've done on that unit from sagebrush and ponderosa's to blue spruce at 10,000', I have never seen enough to make me want to hunt a bull that late. I have seen some dandy's at times, but pretty tough to shoot one at 45 yds with a bow.
 
Can't help you with the unit, but.... how many points are you burning? What are your realistic odds of another tag in Utah in the future? As a non resident your odds are very slim unless you have a grundle of points, and if you had that you probably wouldn't have been putting in for the unit anyway.

My advice, a tag in hand is worth a hell of a lot more than many many many years of unsuccessful email's.
 
13 points.
The tag went to a 15 point holder this year during the draw cycle.
So, if creep doesn’t explode, which it could, I could possibly draw a tag and have real planning/scouting/hunting time in the near future.
The big deal is I did see elk yesterday while scouting. Saw 2 bulls definitely not worth my points and waiting period afterward.
This is a tough one.
Interestingly enough, I’m getting more locals/majority saying pass on it, but I completely understand the bird in hand thing, especially any tag in Utah!
If I do decide to take it, cause my boss is understanding, I’ll happily share info I find.
 
Isn't the non resident crap ton of people at 14 points? The year they allowed points for all species. If you are behind that, keep the tag. If you are in front of that turn it in. I have always heard it is a tough hunt, but only guy I know that has hunted late season san juan still went 350 plus after 8 days. With a rifle it only takes one bull. Archery, might be a LOT more difficult.
 
Brokenarrowz said:
13 points.
The tag went to a 15 point holder this year during the draw cycle.
So, if creep doesn’t explode, which it could, I could possibly draw a tag and have real planning/scouting/hunting time in the near future.
The big deal is I did see elk yesterday while scouting. Saw 2 bulls definitely not worth my points and waiting period afterward.
This is a tough one.
Interestingly enough, I’m getting more locals/majority saying pass on it, but I completely understand the bird in hand thing, especially any tag in Utah!
If I do decide to take it, cause my boss is understanding, I’ll happily share info I find.
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I look long term. If it takes you 3-5 years to draw on your own points, then add a 5 year wait, then another 20 after that for point creep, your 25-30 years down the road to your next tag.

Take as many tags as you can get.
 
hossblur said:
I look long term. If it takes you 3-5 years to draw on your own points, then add a 5 year wait, then another 20 after that for point creep, your 25-30 years down the road to your next tag.

Take as many tags as you can get.
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I am about to make the call. Still totally on the fence. Its very, very hard for me to turn down a tag given the current hunting climate with every damn person out there "ultralighting" their way through units. Every limited entry is getting more and more difficult to get. SW CO is a joke now. I would highly enjoy a limited entry hunt.
I'll let you all know.
Thanks for all the opinions and all are taken into consideration.
 
It would be beneficial to have help finding good bulls. You could get luck or not, but extra eyes would up the odds. If you don't have that now but could in the future, I'd say pass. Tough decision though. If you take the tag, PM me. Good luck
 
If you are not able to make the commitment to hunt the whole or most of the season on short notice, then you should not take it.
If you can get the days off to hunt you should take it. This isn't a tag that you can really pre scout other than what roads go where. And with onX, that isn't as critical.

Either way I hope it works out for you.
 
Ok ya'll, I passed on the tag.
I know how valuable a tag like this can be, but I do not feel that I could get enough time off work to do this tag justice, or any tag in Utah justice with this short of notice. I hope the next person has the full 2 weeks and takes a good bull.
I'm working 3 jobs and while all my bosses are pretty dang understanding, It would be too tough to coordinate.
I spent all my vaca time on an incredible pronghorn hunt in September. I am blessed already.
So, I might be waiting another 20 years for something, but that is something I'm willing to do in this case.
This tag deserves to go to the next person.

And Btw, I know there is a lot of very experienced hunters on this forum. I have guided SW CO for almost 20 years and if there is info anyone needs, please PM me. I'd prefer that over open forum. Happy to share general info over a public forum, but details I prefer PM's

Thanks all. I feel like I joined a Hunting/Tag Creep support group for a couple days! lol
And it brought up the ever present discussion about western hunting and tag availability.
 
cantkillathing said:
I was actually amazed that anyone with less than 0 points put in for these tags. To be successful on this hunt you will need all the spotters you can get, that have lots of time to help, and you yourself has lots of time to give to the hunt. Then you might have 5% chance.
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Knowing anything about the unit or not I’d have to agree strictly based on it being a late archery elk tag. That’d have to be in the bottom of my list for something to burn points in. Gotta be one if the lowest harvest odds hunt you can think of. That’s a tuff time to get close to bulls
 
Well I was the next guy in line. The info on here makes it seem like it would be a pretty difficult hunt. But being a guy with not a lot of points I feel like it would be pretty dumb of me to not take a 5% chance of success on hunting it over a 99% chance I won’t draw a tag anywhere for a lonnnng time.
 
oldcrow said:
Well I was the next guy in line. The info on here makes it seem like it would be a pretty difficult hunt. But being a guy with not a lot of points I feel like it would be pretty dumb of me to not take a 5% chance of success on hunting it over a 99% chance I won’t draw a tag anywhere for a lonnnng time.
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Let's go!! I love a gambling man.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
 
I would blame it on brokenarrowz😆
Just kidding.
It was kind of fun reading along with all the advice on whether to take this permit, and then he decides to not take it here comes oldcrow.
I tip my hat to you oldcrow.
Good luck, I hope you geteverything you are looking for
 
oldcrow said:
Well I was the next guy in line. The info on here makes it seem like it would be a pretty difficult hunt. But being a guy with not a lot of points I feel like it would be pretty dumb of me to not take a 5% chance of success on hunting it over a 99% chance I won’t draw a tag anywhere for a lonnnng time.
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Hell yeah man, go have a fun hunt. Wish I knew more about the unit, but I've never set foot in it.

Just going off what I know from my local units, the bulls will be fairly patternable, so if you find them one evening, they should be there in the morning too, or again that evening. I would think you would be able to set up an ambush if you can figure out their daily routine.

Good luck man.
 
Good luck Old Crow, I really hope it works out for you, just curious how many points did you burn for this? Its really going to be one the toughest hunts out there, maybe see if they make some of those grenade arrows the rambo used in his movies and just fling those out there.
 
idahohillboy said:
I have the LATE Nebo let ya'all know how it goes drew it on 7 points NR. I shoot a lot of stuff with a bow confident if I can find the right one I can get it done.
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Locked gates. no access. No snow. Below average antler growth. Combine all of that with 200 late cow hunters pounding what little ground is accessible…. Good luck. You’ll need it 🤭
 
Bux n Dux said:
Locked gates. no access. No snow. Below average antler growth. Combine all of that with 200 late cow hunters pounding what little ground is accessible…. Good luck. You’ll need it 🤭
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Sometimes those cow hunters can tell you what they're seeing
 
Weiserbucks said:
Is there going to be a pile of cow hunters on SJ?
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No more than normal. There are places on the Blues where bruiser doesn't need to come out of the "high country" all winter.

There have only been a handful of times where I could've shot bulls while filling cow tags and that's because bulls and cows don't normally hang together this time of year.
 
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Bux n Dux said:
Locked gates. no access. No snow. Below average antler growth. Combine all of that with 200 late cow hunters pounding what little ground is accessible…. Good luck. You’ll need it 🤭
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I bet I kill a good one.., its always doom n gloom lol. I hunt Idaho OTC so Im ok with crowds but I have heard below average antler growth..
 
idahohillboy said:
I bet I kill a good one.., it’s always doom n gloom lol. I hunt Idaho OTC so Im ok with crowds but I have heard below average antler growth..
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I grew up in the unit. I currently live in the unit. Spend several months a year up there chasing elk, deer and turkeys. Ive been up several days since last weekend… it’s not doom and gloom. It’s the truth.

I bet you get your azz kicked. But I applaud your optimism.
 
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Bux n Dux said:
I grew up in the unit. I currently live in the unit. Spend several months a year up there chasing elk, deer and turkeys. Ive been up several days since last weekend… it’s not doom and gloom. It’s the truth.

I bet you get your azz kicked. But I applaud your optimism.
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You currently live in the San Juan unit?
 
IMG_8507.jpg

The success rate will not be 0%. @oldcrow made it happen this morning! Thanks to everyone who offered advice. It's not the biggest bull on the SJ but it's my cousins best bull to date and I'm really happy for him.
 
Thank you everyone who helped out with information on this hunt. I glassed up a bunch elk early in the morning a pretty long way off and moved out to the end of a Mesa to get a better look at the bull that was with the large group of cows. From that location I heard a bull bugle in a distant canyon and it was answered by one not far below me. I hit a few cow calls and it didn’t take long for a heard to work up on the bench below my glassing point. There were about 60 cows with this guy and they worked below the rim of the Mesa I was on. I followed along above them and was finally able to get a clear shot on this bull at 23 yards when he stopped to bugle one final time.
IMG_8511.jpeg
It was a hunt I will never forget.
 
oldcrow said:
Thank you everyone who helped out with information on this hunt. I glassed up a bunch elk early in the morning a pretty long way off and moved out to the end of a Mesa to get a better look at the bull that was with the large group of cows. From that location I heard a bull bugle in a distant canyon and it was answered by one not far below me. I hit a few cow calls and it didn’t take long for a heard to work up on the bench below my glassing point. There were about 60 cows with this guy and they worked below the rim of the Mesa I was on. I followed along above them and was finally able to get a clear shot on this bull at 23 yards when he stopped to bugle one final time. View attachment 128499It was a hunt I will never forget.
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Seems pretty unusual to have a bull still with cows and bugling this time of year. That had to really add the excitement.
Super happy it worked out for you.
 
oldcrow said:
Thank you everyone who helped out with information on this hunt. I glassed up a bunch elk early in the morning a pretty long way off and moved out to the end of a Mesa to get a better look at the bull that was with the large group of cows. From that location I heard a bull bugle in a distant canyon and it was answered by one not far below me. I hit a few cow calls and it didn’t take long for a heard to work up on the bench below my glassing point. There were about 60 cows with this guy and they worked below the rim of the Mesa I was on. I followed along above them and was finally able to get a clear shot on this bull at 23 yards when he stopped to bugle one final time. View attachment 128499It was a hunt I will never forget.
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Congrats Crow! Cool story and picture with the sleeping ute in the background!
 
Oldcrow really is a good MF'er. He hasn't been around MM long but he's been doing his work since the 90's. We've been hunting together for a long time and usually take smaller critters on OTC tags.

He's certainly got a little karma coming his way and I'm glad to see it. Oldcrow, me and my son had deer tags this fall and Oldcrow scouted like a mofo due to living close and having a dedicated tag. He killed zero bucks but made our hunt really great.
20231024_092632.jpg

That's Oldcrow in the middle and he's welcome in my camp any time.
 
Ps aren’t most of these late archery bull hunters supposed to be wearing an appropriate amount of hunter orange while hunting? Many of these units have rifle cow hunts going on that started before the bull hunts did…
 

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