[jlash]

Hey all, my name is Joe and I am brand new to hunting. I grew up fly fishing, backpacking, and camping, however, hunting or even guns just weren't part of the family tradition (but i get the sense this forum likes black sheep). I have completed hunters ed, i am a good shot w my .22, and i can hike all day, but i am still brand new and need some guidance.

Helped a guy pack out and elk just over 7 miles this fall and absolutely loved it, even though it was brutal, so i am pretty committed to the sport. I feel like if i didnt hate myself after that, this hunting thing is for me

Should i try and start pooling points for hunts down the line? Should i try and get in field w hunts that have low success rate but high draw odds just for exposure? Do i put in for LE or Once in a lifetime hunts? I understand the value of stockpiling points but would love to get out and really hunt this fall.

 

[CHIEF_10_BEERS]

I think you'd have better/more responses if you posted in the "hunting forum"????
My philosophy is put in for everything you can, start building points and I try to put in for something every year that I know I will draw so I can hunt. The Dedicated Hunter program suits the bill for me to be able to hunt every year.
So put in for everything, start building points for harder to draw tags that interest you. Put in for an easy to draw general unit so you can hunt frequently (think archery) and gain experience. Don't overlook the antlerless hunts either.

 

[DallanC]

Honestly... all of the above.

Get a shotgun, a 20ga will work with some #6 shot and hit the hills for grouse. Watch for deer and elk, learn their patterns. IMO its better to learn a single area in detail, than spread out all over the place only spending a small amount of time out of the year.

DO start applying for deer tags. If you can take alot of time off to hunt, you can pick any general unit in the state and hit it hard... if not, closer to home makes it easier to grab a gun after work and hit the hills. You mention you are willing to hike, thats going to give you a HUGE advantage over most hunters who stick within a few hundred yards of the road.

For specific hunting advice, we need more parameters. Elk hunting is different than Deer hunting. Hunting with a Bow is very different than hunting with a Muzzleloader, and again rifle. Primarily because of the time of year, big game patterns change dramatically from August to Sept, then Sept to October.

-DallanC

 

[backcountry]

Good on ya for joining the forum, and welcome! This can be a great place to lurk & actively seek advice, especially starting this early in your new hobby & this early in the annual tag process.

You'll need advice from others about field strategy as I've been skunked on elk and never really found mule deer to be of interest. There are some hunters here who are both talented & generous with their knowledge that I hope you are able to connect with for that information.

That said, early planning and logistics are also a struggle for new & first generation hunters like us. My father quit hunting in his twenties and never really looked back, at least not until I started exploring it decades later.

Utah provides unique opportunities for both big & small game. Getting field time always helps to learn to identity evidence of game, even when out hunting other species. I'd second picking up small or upland game hunting as previously mentioned. Most of those species are free or cheaper than big game & you can start doing so without the entrance exam of a species specific tag application.

If it's appealing I'd recommend starting "close" to home and getting to know the wildlife in that environment. Having more time in the field doing so can help & being closer to home allows more opportunity to do so. I did the opposite and spent several great years getting to know a phenomenal hunting unit & place but lost valuable time getting to know the unit I'm closest to & ultimately more likely to hunt in the future. But your mileage may vary.

While at home, dedicate time to the various guidebooks Utah DWR has each year for hunting. I'd recommend reading most of them to learn the range of opportunity as well as the necessary steps to hunt them. They do a fairly good job explaining those things.

I'd also play with online maps & hunt planners that are free & readily available. You'll get to know the landscape that way without as much burden from getting out and hiking everywhere. It's not the same as field time but it can be done in spare time without the cost of time & money required to travel.

I hope you get plenty of advice here. The strategy needed to apply for and eventually use points is a specific niche that some here are very skilled at. I hope they share what they are comfortable with.

Best of luck & enjoy the learning!

 

[Lone_Hunter]

As a self taught hunter who started in 2012 maybe? I'll be watching this thread with interest. 🍿
Gimme a few drinks, and I'll write a 5 page essay, although lots of guys with far more experience then I will probably offer better advice. I'm just jaded with how crowded it's getting since 2020. Although that could be 2018 or 19 if one was to really get persnickety about it.

 

[middlefork]

Learn the draw process for big game and apply away. Pick up a bow and you can hunt every year. And now with the new rules you can do it with any weapon. The learning curve will be steep and the success rate low but you can be hunting.

Small game is a great option too. You can hunt the same areas as big game for grouse and learn not only the land but all the nooks and cranny's. Then when you have a big game tag you will have your own little data bank of info as to where you have seen animals.

It's not rocket science. Walk out your front door, do a slow 360 turn and look at what is around you. There are all kinds of wild animals close to wherever you are. See if you can find them.

As for crowding , I'll be waiting for 200,000 + hunters again on opening day before I complain.

 

[MWScott72]

Welcome Jlash!
I've been at this for about 40 years now, and although I have a few things figured out, there are still plenty of days that I become frustrated in the field. Keep that in mind as you are learning the ropes. No one gets good at this overnight, and the great ones at it are almost as rare as NFL or NBA talent. There's a reason they say that 90% of the animals are killed by 10% of hunters. Being successful isn't easy, but it's doable if you are dedicated and put in the work and time.

All this said, going after small game is a great option. Generally, there is more "action" and the opportunity to be successful...even if that success is modest at first. Some have mentioned grouse hunting. What about chukars in the west desert? Ducks on the various WMAs around the state? Rabbits where you find them? Turkeys across the state (hint, they are like hunting elk, except you can throw one over your shoulder and hike out after shooting one). If you enjoy wild game, all of these cook up nicely (with the proper preparation). You can be successful much sooner on small game than you will be likely at big game.

As to big game, the recommendation to get to know one or two areas really good is spot on. If you jump around too much, you'll never learn the patterns of the animals in a particular area - and knowing those patterns will directly correlate into being more successful. I would give an area 3 years. If you don't find what you're looking for in that time period, then move to another area that looks promising. Points can be frustrating for a new hunter just getting into the game because you are WAY behind the curve. That said, I would always apply for general season points for deer in Utah, apply for deer, elk or antelope in the LE draws, and then put in for a Once-In-A-Lifetime species. Build points in your home state, and over time you'll pull some tags. If you do it right, you can hunt deer and elk every year on general season units. Don't let anyone tell you different - it will just depend on whether you are willing to hunt with other weapons (archery or muzzleloader vs. rifle) and potentially less productive areas. Don't forget to apply for antlerless hunts too. In all my years hunting, those hunts are some of the most enjoyable. There are no expectations for antlers and the ladies always eat better!

Last piece of advice I'd give you is to get involved in a couple organizations that line up with your hunting interests. If it's big game, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) is premiere in my mind. Other organizations like Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA), Mule Deer Foundation, etc. are good places to connect with other like-minded hunters. Turkeys - Wild Turkey Foundation. Waterfowl - Delta Waterfowl, Ducks Unlimited...shoot, I just became a member of the Utah Airboat Association. I don't have an airboat, but they are cool and I'd love to get to know some of the people out there using them...and maybe get an invite someday to get out on the GSL areas they hunt that I can't. It's all about what you are willing to put in. The more you are involved, the more you will learn, the more people you will meet, and your experience will be more and better rounded (IMO).

Finally, it you ever need help with the big game draws, feel free to PM me and we can discuss it and I can give you some pointers. Utah's application period is March 23 - April 27, so if you want to hunt this big game this fall, you have to apply within this time period (exceptions for OTC elk & antlerless, but that's another discussion). Best of luck in your pursuits. Stick around and try to contribute here where you can!

 

[ns450f]

My first piece of advice is to avoid this soap opera forum 🤣 and spend as much time as possible reading regs and learning the draw process. Than start saving $$$$ and buying essential gear like optics, firearms, and a side by side......

 

[Lone_Hunter]

Okay I might be inebriated enough to respond now. Firstly, while I haven't read everything, I'm sure the guys who've responded have way more experience then I do, and offered good advice.

So here's mine, for what it's worth, there's a lot of ground to cover, and I'm not inclined to write a freaking book, but maybe a bulleted list cause I'm lazy.

• Go hiking. A LOT. That's how you really get started.
• Learn several areas at first. Pick three different areas or so, and spend time in all of them. You'll eventually, through the course of time, develop favorites.
• I hate saying it, but get OnX. EVERYBODY, or almost everybody has and uses it. OnX is the destroyer of honeyholes. I haven't been hunting that long compared to other guys here, but I've been at this long enough to see the rise of OnX, and how people are showing up in spots that I used to think were secret.
• Pick a season...... weapon....season..weapon.... season IS the weapon.. or is the weapon the season? I think most people start with rifle season. I did at least. Rifle season is a double edged sword. It's an easier weapon to hunt with, but it's also the most crowded season because of it.
• Buy an OTC tag, as long as their still OTC, and buy points for LE ASAP. I know that contributes to point creep, but if you somehow luck out and draw before you have a few seasons on your boots, it's liable to be a waste of a tag, and that 5 year waiting period will suck balls.
• Hunting has gotten expensive. If you go out and buy a bunch of Sitka hunting clothing, I and maybe someone else will call you a retard, or a yuppie, or something negative. Camo is cool and all, but what you really need, what you'll use the most regardless of what you do, is: Boots, a Backpack, and Binos. As binos go, 10X42 or 10X50. Personally I use 10X50's.
• Scout. Often. Learn to Escout. See above points I already mentioned.
• If your serious about this, it will become a lifestyle. Get the support of your wife, or your in for a hard time.
• Learn animal behavior. Get out often. Spend as much time on the mountain as you can. If you get into elk, start watching what they do throughout the summer and fall. If your an introvert, hate people, and like to stay away from roads, you might have an easier time finding them because you might just think like them.

Out of time. good luck.

 

[middlefork]

Lone's not wrong. A lot of good advice.

Back in the day of analog maps I found it advantageous to draw a circle at 50 mile, 100 mile, and 300 mile circumference. I then looked at areas available within those that looked like somewhere I was interested in seeing. I've also found that most areas more than an hour or two away from where I live are much harder to learn.

Google Earth is a cheap and entertaining way to E-scout. Although something like OnX works when you need to drill down for access.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people from northern Utah head south and those from southern Utah head north when hunting season starts. Those poor confused central Utah hunters have no idea which way to go.

But yes you need to choose your weapon and what you actually want to hunt. Those choices really do matter. And build points. You never know when lightning will strike.

 

[Lone_Hunter]

It never ceases to amaze me how many people from northern Utah head south and those from southern Utah head north when hunting season starts.

I did that once for Elk Rifle. Only cause I was just down there for general deer muzzy. Big waste of gas. I was better off hunting in my normal area closer to home.

 

[backcountry]

I went east to the Boulder because I was fascinated by the area and want to get to know it over a lifetime. I loved my time there and learned a lot.

And, I can't sustain hunting so far from home. Living in Utah distorts your sense of distance. Driving 5-8 hours seems normal until you start looking at transportation costs or describe it to others not in the West.

My hunting will mostly remain local now. Getting to know my backyard better actually sounds refreshing.

 

[MWScott72]

Grass is ALWAYS greener somewhere else, but unless you have a premium tag, the grass is likely just as green in an area close to home…wherever that is. Time in the field is the not so secret secret to success, and if you are driving halfway across the state to hunt, odds are you aren’t making too many trips. Hunting within an hour of home allows for much more field time because it may open up something other than weekends to scout / hunt.

 

[middlefork]

I've had a lot of fun over the years exploring different units in Utah. Drawing a unknown unit ups the adventure level but can certainly be fun. I spent 2 years worth of weather related access learning the Monroe unit to help with a couple of elk tags. Ditto on the Wasatch I don't even think about the time and dollars involved. with hours driving each way. Those were half the story.

If I have a bucket list it involves visiting every LE unit in Utah. I still have a few to cross of the list.

One thing about it, there are so many amazing areas of Utah to visit. Don't limit your horizons.

 

[Critter]

I agree that it is fun hunting all over the state. In the last 40 or so years I have hunted all over Utah except for the area along the Idaho border. I have also hunted all the LE deer units while they were just general tag units.

But after saying that a new person needs to pick a unit and experience it. Get to know what the animals do in different circumstances. You also have to remember that the closer you are to the Wasatch Frount and or larger cities the more competition you'll have from the sea of orange clad hunters. One thing that you'll have to deal with no matter where you hunt is the army caravans of ATV's beating the roads to a fine dust.

 

[Lone_Hunter]

You also have to remember that the closer you are to the Wasatch Frount and or larger cities the more competition you'll have from the sea of orange clad hunters. One thing that you'll have to deal with no matter where you hunt is the army caravans of ATV's beating the roads to a fine dust.

Yep, only I would count the Panguitch unit as being near one of the larger cities. Enough pumpkins in that patch, one may as well be on the front. As to fine dust on the roads, I think we're past that. There's so much traffic now, last I was on skyline, it looked like asphalt. It was a dirt road, but it was so hard packed from all the traffic, it looked like brown asphalt.

Anyway, this guy tells a pretty good story. I got a pretty good laugh out of it.