Which Utah Elk Unit?

Brainamus · Mar 3, 2022

I have 21 points. Should draw Dutton, Fishlake, South Slope, Book Cliffs Bitter, Cache South, Manti. Early rifle. Around 350 is the goal. After waiting for 21 years, it has to be a good one! Opinions?

shootem · Mar 3, 2022

Quite the procrastinator it seems. You wait until 2 hours before the deadline to ask for help. Good luck man, may the odds be ever in you’re favor.

Brainamus · Mar 3, 2022

YUP! Sure did. Thanks for the very helpful post!

nvguy2 · Mar 3, 2022

NR or Res?

Brainamus · Mar 3, 2022

nvguy2 said:
NR or Res?

Resident

HORNhunter7 · Mar 3, 2022

I've got a really hot tip for a 380 bull. I'll P.M. you tomorrow.
???

Brainamus · Mar 3, 2022

HORNhunter7 said:
I've got a really hot tip for a 380 bull. I'll P.M. you tomorrow.
???

Nice! Can't wait

HORNhunter7 · Mar 3, 2022

Good luck whatever you choose/chose !

nvguy2 · Mar 4, 2022

What did you decide? Didn’t see your reply until this morning. Out of those you listed, I probably would have chose Dutton, Manti or Fishlake. I see those odds for Fishlake are getting harder which tells me something. I’ve always wanted to check out that Unit but been applying for Early Manti. Good luck to you. Your getting a little razed I see, but man you posted this soo close to the deadline. Hopefully you knew the deadline and didn’t miss it.

Brainamus · Mar 4, 2022

I did go with Dutton. I have a buddy that hunted there last year actually. I was pretty much decided, just wanting to see if anyone else had some opinions. It wasn't a dire situation like some guys would assume.

Bigwiffy · Mar 4, 2022

You'll have to hope nobody jumps to Dutton ahead of your point pool. You were in a pool of 9 other applicants last year not in the bonus tag pool. Only 6 bonus tags. 21 might not get it done this year. Hope for a tag increase! Good luck!

BrowningRage · Mar 4, 2022

You can't go wrong with any of those picks, except Dutton...

Brainamus · Mar 5, 2022

Ya, after 21 years of unsuccessful it's hard to get optimistic. We will see!

littlebighorn · Mar 5, 2022

A 350 bull is a pretty tall order in any unit in Utah now days, especially given that we have been in a prolonged drought, and appear to be headed for more.
I had a tag in one of the top units in the state last year, and while I saw a ton of bulls in 6 days of hunting, only a couple were in your goal range.
That said, I had a hunt of a lifetime with screaming bulls in my face every day. We hunted hard and experienced everything I had dreamed of with an elk rut hunt. I came home with a very nice bull, but the inches of antlers I took had little to do with how amazing my hunt was for me.
My advice is, if you do draw, go to hunt hard, experience as much rut activity as you can and just have a blast, without worrying about the size of bull you bring home.
Good luck in the draws.

ColdBore · Mar 5, 2022

littlebighorn said:
A 350 bull is a pretty tall order in any unit in Utah now days, especially given that we have been in a prolonged drought, and appear to be headed for more.
I had a tag in one of the top units in the state last year, and while I saw a ton of bulls in 6 days of hunting, only a couple were in your goal range.
That said, I had a hunt of a lifetime with screaming bulls in my face every day. We hunted hard and experienced everything I had dreamed of with an elk rut hunt. I came home with a very nice bull, but the inches of antlers I took had little to do with how amazing my hunt was for me.
My advice is, if you do draw, go to hunt hard, experience as much rut activity as you can and just have a blast, without worrying about the size of bull you bring home.
Good luck in the draws.

That's exactly the way you need to look at it. Go have fun on a hunt. Big antlers are a bonus.

BrowningRage · Mar 8, 2022

Hey Brainamus- All joking aside, I hope you draw Dutton. It's a unit that I've only seen in Mossback videos, and Youtube videos, and I hope you can make the most of it. I will guarantee you one thing- If you get hung up on a B&C score, it will ruin your hunt. It will bring unnecessary stress to what should be an experience of a lifetime, a hunt of a lifetime... That is what will land you a Bull of a Lifetime.

Please take us along for the ride as much as you can.! Updates, photos, videos, whatever you can. Good luck in May!

Beendare · Mar 16, 2022

Thats some good advice by the last few posters. Its easy to put pressure on yourself after waiting that long for the tag…I know a dozen guys that have done it and I’ve done it myself.

Enjoy the hunt….a good bull is gravy.