[nermarth]

Hi all, I am new to posting on this forum, and a new hunter (<2yrs). I was fortunate enough to get an LE Elk tag for the La Sal Mtns area this year and wanted to do some recon.

Has anyone rifle hunted elk in this area? I am looking to do a 4-5 day backpack hunt with some friends (jealous, but helpful buddies), and am planning some scouting trips down south at the end of July.

Any good tips, areas to target, areas to avoid, that you wouldn't mind giving to a novice lucky SOB? I know there are some areas of private land to avoid, but it seems prime for some BIG bulls.

Again, I realize I am incredibly lucky to get this tag being so new to the community, but I am taking it seriously and want to do it the right way. I've been shooting my Tikka T3x .30-.06 religiously to prepare, along with trying to do extensive research before Sept.

Any tips would be much appreciated.

 

[Ray]

I'd honestly try to get good firsthand knowledge. I'd suggest getting on Google earth and pinpointing 7 good locations (minimum) then go down there and put in the legwork. Place trail cams and scout, scout, scout.

 

[Critter]

Lot of private down there along with CWMU's so I would either get a map that shows the private or a chip for a GPS that will show it.

 

[3arabians]

Congrats! I was down there last week chasing bears. Beautiful country and a very elk rich environment. I saw several elk just driving the highway down there. Lots of private but lots of public too. Good luck.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[CPAjeff]

Two.

I had the muzzleloader elk tag down there in 2016. Incredible unit for sure. Use the search engine here, the most popular elk areas will come up in those threads, call the biologist, scout, and set realistic expectations for yourself and the hunt you want.

Here is a hint - find what the elk need most during the time of your hunt. If you have the early rifle tag, what the elk need at that time is vastly different compared to what the elk need during the late rifle hunt. For example, if you have the early rifle tag, the most important things to the bulls are cows and water. The cows will be near the best food sources on the mountain. Find the best food sources, which in turn will help you find the cows, which in turn will help you find the bulls.

 

[nermarth]

Two.

I had the muzzleloader elk tag down there in 2016. Incredible unit for sure. Use the search engine here, the most popular elk areas will come up in those threads, call the biologist, scout, and set realistic expectations for yourself and the hunt you want.

Here is a hint - find what the elk need most during the time of your hunt. If you have the early rifle tag, what the elk need at that time is vastly different compared to what the elk need during the late rifle hunt. For example, if you have the early rifle tag, the most important things to the bulls are cows and water. The cows will be near the best food sources on the mountain. Find the best food sources, which in turn will help you find the cows, which in turn will help you find the bulls.

Thanks CPAjeff and company for lending some great advice. My plan is to go scout late June and later in July and get a feeling for the terrain and potential hunt locations, camps, etc. It is an early rifle tag, so I will definitely keep the water and cows in mind. Very much appreciate the advice.

 

[johnnycake]

Good advice so far. Honestly, I would view any trips before the first week of September as strictly getting to know the lay of the land. The majority of the elk down there are highly migratory. Where you find the elk, the build especially, in the summer range is miles from where they're going to be during the rut. I have the most luck finding the bulls during the rut between 6500-8000' elevation depending on the temps and precipitation.

Also, figure out if you want to hunt the northern or the southern part of the unit, and stick to it. The LaSals aren't they biggest elk unit in the state by a long stretch, but there is still a ton of good country in the unit. Have a blast and stay in touch!

 

[High Desert Elk]

Never been on the La Sals, but if they are anything like the Blues (aka Abajo, aka San Juan unit) there will be a lot of up and down with a few benches and "flat" walking areas. Get in shape.

Agree about finding them 6500' - 8000' when they are in the dating game. As dry as it has been down here in the SW this year, spring water sources are essential, but I would expect a decent monsoon so it should be ok by Sept.

Also, make sure you focus on shooting a 3 - 4 year old 4x4 or small 5x5. They will be much better eating than a nasty tough old 375 class 6x6

 

[Rdog]

On the La Sals you probably won't need to do a backpack hunt, just find a good place to camp from off the road that's close to where you plan on hunting. There are quite a few roads and atv trails in the area so by the time you got in far enough for a backpack hunt you'd probably be pretty close to another road. There is a daily video series on youtube from a popular youtube channel who's dad had the muzzy tag for 2017, they don't say where they are but it may or may not be the la sals. ;-)

 

[High Desert Elk]

I'm starting to wonder if I should start trying for the La Sal unit next year for LE bull, according to the draw odds report, I have a much better shot at it than SJ...

 

[RandomElk16]

SJ...

San Juan?

 

[High Desert Elk]

San Juan?

Yep

 

[BigT]

Yep

Depends on what your looking for as in the quality of bull. Every year there are a couple great bulls taken from the unit. But, many of the bulls hang on Redd Ranches CWMU. You can pull some satellite bulls off the CWMU, and run across a really good bull here and there. But as the hunt goes on, the more they get pushed onto the CWMU. I've been hunting there yearly for the last 13-14 years. There are decent bulls, but nowhere near the San Juan.

Depending on how patient you can be, the majority of hunters I see tagging their bull are putting their tag on a 300-310 bull.

The early rifle has had some success, but the black powder hunters have struggled. My brother shot his last year on the very last day and it was a young 5X6. Probably a 260-270 class bull. If he hadn't shot that the last day, the success rate would have been 50% for a hunt that occurs during the rut. The rifle hunters have a much higher success rate, but that's to be expected. The late rifle is even tougher.

 

[RandomElk16]

But, many of the bulls hang on Redd Ranches CWMU.

Due to a few things, my buddy had a short time to hunt on Redd Ranches but was nothing less than impressed. He was able to harvest a 327" fairly quickly.

He then went down for a cow hunt and again was surprised at the herds of elk on the ranch. He said the ranch acknowledged that the herd likes to hang out on it, so this makes sense!

 

[Charina]

4-5 day backpack hunt? Better be willing to pack in 4-5 days worth of water with you. If you are getting that far from roads, you will likely be well above any water sources. It's perhaps doable, but you will have a hard time finding anywhere more than a 2 mile hike in, and where water is available. And if you do find that spot, you are probably going to be right on top of the elk.

While some of the bigger elk are found in more remote corners, there are a lot of elk within shooting distance of roads during the rut.

Spend a weekend driving around the north and south ends of the east side, and pick one or the other. Then spend a few more weekends down there through the summer getting to know some areas more intimately to develop a plan A, B, C . . . The cattle move around from pasture to pasture through the summer, so you should have multiple areas scouted out as one may be blown out by cattle, or hunters, or . . . You can't really get away from disturbances from alternative uses down there. It's a heavily used area, well infiltrated by roads and trails.

And be kind to the LE archers who are only beginning to get into the rut in the very end of their season (which ends the 14th). Sight in at the range, or down in the desert, not within the hunting areas.

 

[High Desert Elk]

Depends on what your looking for as in the quality of bull.

Anything in the 330 range would suffice. Guess Central Manti could be an option as well.

I know what's on the San Juan unit - been hunting it OTC to learn it better the past few years.

 

[Vanilla]

Anything in the 330 range would suffice. Guess Central Manti could be an option as well.

A very good option, if that is the type of bull you are looking for.

 

[BigT]

Anything in the 330 range would suffice. Guess Central Manti could be an option as well.

I know what's on the San Juan unit - been hunting it OTC to learn it better the past few years.

I'd have no trouble shooting at a 330 bull! I've only hunted general season elk units. I've hunted deer on the LaSal range almost yearly now since about 2004 mostly during the blackpowder. So half the time we spend glassing elk, calling them in, etc.. Just a lot of fun.

I've also hunted bear down there and would love to hunt goat too. There's some good bulls down there but its going through a downward cycle. I am sure thats common to every unit. Hopefully by the time I draw this unit, it'll be back on the way up!

 

[High Desert Elk]

There's some good bulls down there but its going through a downward cycle. I am sure thats common to every unit. Hopefully by the time I draw this unit, it'll be back on the way up!

That's what happens when you manage for horns and not herds. Eventually the good genetics get thinned out.

 

[nermarth]

Thank you for all of the great info and advice! We definitely won't be doing a backpack hunt, looks like that isn't necessary. I like the idea of hunting the boundaries of JB and Redds, seems like there have been a lot of good sized bulls taken in that area. My scouting trips will be great to get some boots on the ground in that area and locate the watering holes, roads, etc. I got the OnX maps system, has some great layers to work with. Now it's just scouting, practicing shooting with my rifle, gathering the right gear, and doing more research. Any good tips on finding used packs and camo?