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Cow Elk tag didn't get filled this year

4K views 54 replies 16 participants last post by  bowgy 
#1 · (Edited)
Well, I am at a point where I just want to hunt as much as possible. So, every year, I look for tags that I can pull with a limited number of points. I will let my sons build up their points and go on some pretty awesome hunts later on with them. Therefore, I went into this year with 0 points for antlerless elk. As everyone knows, there is very little you can pull with 0 points that have any kind of access. After doing a good amount of research on the units that were possibilities, I put in for the La Sal North unit and pulled it. The tag is good for late season (mid Nov-Jan 31). With other hunts planned between Sep-Nov, I thought this was really good. I took 2 different trips to the area (I had never stepped foot in the unit prior to these trips), but the latest trip I took was in September and there was no snow at the time. I knew that snow was going to be a major player in success on this trip, so made back up plans to try and get into the area if my main road was snowed in. I planned to set aside 5 days at the beginning of December to go hunt hoping that the snow wouldn't be too deep at this point.

Well, fast forward to mid November and my oldest son and I were in WY hunting deer. We were only 2 days in and had 1 doe in the coolers. We were looking for a doe for my son and a WT buck. We had permission on 2 different private properties and felt really good at our chances with the rut being in full swing. Unfortunately, driving down a road, there was open range and a cow stepped out in front of me. $11k in damages and another $2500 in towing charges to get the truck back home. I was not going to be going to elk hunt at the beginning of Dec as it was going to take at least a month to get my truck back.

I got the truck back from the body shop right before Christmas and made plans to try and get into my unit for this last weekend. Knowing that the road I normally go in on from the NW goes over 8500 ft before dropping down to lower elevations, I planned to circle all the way around to Gateway CO and come in from the east. Unfortunately, the access from that side wasn't great either and I got into snow that was too deep to pass by the time I hit about 6200 ft. So, after spending the night, I tried every road I could find that might get me through from the eastern side of the unit with no luck. I packed up and drove to Moab and decided I would go in and just see what the road would look like.

Surprisingly, it had been plowed all the way up and I was at the top where I needed to Y off and head back up to the NE to drop down to where I assumed the elk would be hanging out. Bad move. Although that road looked like it had been recently plowed, within 20 yds, I realized how wrong I was. It took 3 hours of shoveling to get out. I scoured my maps and just couldn't find any other access points to lower elevation. I now fully understand why the tag is pretty easy to get a hold of. On lighter snow years, you could probably get in there at the beginning of the season or early Dec, but by this time of year, without a snow machine, you aren't going in there. Oh well. We ended the season with 3 deer in our freezer. My son shot his first deer and I shot a mulie buck here in UT and a doe in WY. I can't complain too much about it, but I wish I had some elk meat in the freezer.:LOL:
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#2 ·
I feel ya. I had a late season cow tag that ended Jan. 1. I was planning on going the 30-31, but it was right in the middle of that massive storm, so I didn't even attempt it. Oh well. Next year, or maybe in 4 years with draw odds.

Congrats on the deer!
 
#14 ·
I feel ya. I had a late season cow tag that ended Jan. 1. I was planning on going the 30-31, but it was right in the middle of that massive storm, so I didn't even attempt it. Oh well. Next year, or maybe in 4 years with draw odds.

Congrats on the deer!
I hear you on the draw odds. It really is difficult to find the units you can draw with 1-2 points, and there's typically a reason that they only require that many.
 
#3 ·
I feel for you on the cow collision, ouch. That can go badly for occupants.

For being stuck: Hilift jack + lift-mate. Get out of so many things easily. Gotta have the lift-mate though. Lift directly on the tire, fill in hole, move to other side repeat. The way it rests against the tire, helps keep the base from slipping. You can use straps or whatever around the rim spokes, but the jack floats more and can slip easier.



-DallanC
 
#15 ·
Yeah. I was able to hit the brakes enough and swerve enough that the impact didn't end up setting off the airbags and neither myself or my son were injured at all. We felt very fortunate. It could have been so much worse.

I have been meaning to get a highlift jack for quite a while and just never have. This will be the catalyst to make that happen for sure. And thanks for the tip on the lift mate.
 
#4 ·
Sorry to hear about your luck. That's tough.

That's definitely big country over there. I've always been curious about hunting that general area, especially the Dolores Triangle. I've seen elk moving through that entire region Oct-Nov and then again in March. Just never spent time there in December and January. The logistics for the region are a legit challenge, even once you figure out initial road access.

Now you've got me thinking about that place again, though I'm a long way from being confident enough with my hunting skill to pull it off.
 
#16 ·
Sorry to hear about your luck. That's tough.

That's definitely big country over there. I've always been curious about hunting that general area, especially the Dolores Triangle. I've seen elk moving through that entire region Oct-Nov and then again in March. Just never spent time there in December and January. The logistics for the region are a legit challenge, even once you figure out initial road access.

Now you've got me thinking about that place again, though I'm a long way from being confident enough with my hunting skill to pull it off.
It's amazing country. Spending some time there in July and September was awesome. With the amount of deer I was seeing in there, I am beginning to think about what kind of points I will need to save to deer hunt in there. But, there are definitely a good number of elk and great habitat for them. The access can be tricky though late in the year.
 
#8 ·
Just imagine if all 3 johnnycake's somehow joined together on the space-time continuum morphing the wisdom of future johnnycake, the reckless abandon of past johnnycake, and the constant state of confusion and arousal possessed by current johnnycake. Every sub-yearling critter on the planet would simultaneously perish from fear.😬😬😬😖🤯
 
#18 ·
With that much snow a set of chains is mandatory. Not the cheesy cable chains but good solid ones with large links. They are hell on radial tires with light sidewalls but they will get you into areas that you might not want to be in. I have a set for all 4 tires for my diesel and with them on I haven't been stopped even with 24"+ of snow. You just put the truck into low gear and go.

Too bad on the hunt, those problems that you experienced are some of the reasons that I really don't think of a late season elk hunt. Where I am at there is a late season hunt but you need to be ready at the correct time as the elk migrate off of private through BLM and then back onto some private.
 
#29 ·
They are very dangerous... but at times, its still a great tool if you are careful. We ran into a dodge one morning going in ice fishing. The dodge was maybe 5 miles in when they broke through the iced up snow and dropped onto the frame. They were trying to dig it out, but the ice was pretty thick to break up with a shovel, plus no room to really get under it to try and get some clearance on the rails / axles. We hooked up all our ATVs in a line and they tried to winch off us, it was futile. That was one place the ability to jack up one tire from outside the vehicle would have saved their day. They'd been there 2 hours when we came along.

-DallanC
 
#28 ·
If easy cow elk hunts are a thing you want then look at other states draws. They usually take just a few points to draw but high success easy hunts are there for the taking. Like WY and AZ have cow hunts where you are hunting the same bull units that take a lifetime of points to get antlers, but the cow tag can be had with a handful of points and good hunting dates. Something to think about if that's your goal. A guy could have a couple cows each year in the freezer if he only cares about meat and not antlers.
 
#35 ·
Yeah. I've got a contact in WY that has invited me for a cow in the future. It's not that I am specifically looking for an easy hunt. I'm willing to work for it. I'm just at a point in my life where I want to hunt as much and as often as my schedule and wallet allow. I got into the western hunting thing late in life. My first western hunt happened when I was 37. I'm now almost 40. Pretty late in the game to learn a whole new style of hunting compared to the Texas hunts I grew up doing. But, I want to build as much knowledge and experience as possible. My oldest son is hunting now and both of my boys will be going after turkeys this spring. I want to be able to know how to do all of this so that I can teach them and put them into the best situations. Experiences like this, even if it sucked, are learning experiences and I will know what NOT to do when I have them in tow.
 
#32 ·
I'm just REALLY glad l got my cow early October this year, with all the snow.
We just snowmobiled from Midway to Brian Head. Are having pizza and a beverage at the pizza joint (great pizza), and will ride back over.
The snow level is impressive for sure. And it's a great ride on a groomed trail for an old man like me. That's the actual Brian Head in the pic.

It's a very nice day !!
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#37 ·
I smoked a cow with my truck once. Came out of nowhere at 2 in the morning while I was headed duck hunting. Happened so fast I thought I had hit a horse. I feel your pain, it sucks. You got yours back quick! I smashed mine mid November and I didn’t get it back until next may. 18k in damages. Should have totaled it out, but they didn’t.
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#43 ·
I smoked a cow with my truck once. Came out of nowhere at 2 in the morning while I was headed duck hunting. Happened so fast I thought I had hit a horse. I feel your pain, it sucks. You got yours back quick! I smashed mine mid November and I didn’t get it back until next may. 18k in damages. Should have totaled it out, but they didn’t.
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Well, at least you got vengeance on the cow that walked out in front of you. I hit the cow in the hind rump area. It literally fell down, jumped up and trotted off. The cattle owner came out and I talked to him a while and he went and checked and the d@mn thing was just fine walking around and eating.
 
#46 ·
There was a time when I may have spent more time getting going than hunting even with chains. We were slowed down but not stopped. I'm not going to go there anymore.
I can positively say that when the snow gets deep enough and dense enough all chains will do is dig you deeper in the hole. Slowly testing may save you some work.

As to the OP that is some high country up there. Glad you didn't have more problems.
 
#48 ·
Between the two of us we could make a good living off of chains.

I have 2 sets for some 35" wheels and a dozen sets for 31" wheels along with a number of sets for smaller truck wheels

Add to that 4 high lift Jack's and a 8,000 lb Warn winch.

Sent from my SM-A426U using Tapatalk
 
#53 ·
Don't know why the second pic doubled. And yes still seeing big bulls both days. With the heard of 30 cows I have seen almost more cows than bulls on this years hunts.
 
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#55 ·
Yeah..... me too, but putting one of them in the scope I thought if she dropped right there it wouldn't be too bad getting her to the truck, but if she took off for a few hundred yards or more I didn't want to trail her in the snow. I thought it would be better to find one a littler closer or make tag soup.

I have till the 31st.
 
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