[reece_mess16]

Happy Fathers day to all the dad's out there and hello to all. I just drew my first Utah Archery Tag in the Nebo Unit. I've been e-scouting the unit pretty hard and think I've found a couple spots I'd like to hike into and backpack camp/hunt for a few days. I'm not looking for the honey hole, but I was hoping someone who has some experience there could let me know what I'm in for and if buying a spike elk tag is worth the 400$ us non-resident guys spend.

I'm doing a solo back pack hunt. I like getting away from the crowds. I'm a Marine, been hunting Nevada since I was 10 and know my way around the mountian, so I'd like to think I know what I'm doing in the backcountry.

Thanks for any help guys!

 

[mlob1one]

Couple of questions,
-Are you going to spend just a few days hunting?
-Are you willing to take a cow if a spike is not found?

I would say that it is worth it for two reasons.
-Yielding/harvesting a couple hundred pounds of high grade meat for a couple dollars a pound makes a lot of sense to me.
-It expands your target options while on the mountain. (While some may find that to be too distracting, I have been able to capitalize on finding animals I was not expecting to harvest while on other hunts.)

Thank you for your service Reece. God bless you and your hunt this Fall.

Btw, undergrowth is particularly thick this year because of the wet Winter and Spring. North facing slopes will take additional time to move through.

Hit me up if you have additional questions.

-Mike

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[bow_dude]

I used to hunt Nebo many years ago. Steep country. Doesn't set well with my age restrictions and energy levels anymore. Prior to the Nebo loop road being paved it was a great place to hunt. Now it is so accessible by car that it doesn't have the appeal to me as it used to. Still some fine hunting there though. Not sure where to tell you to start that will get you away from hikers and sight seers. I have run into elk in many locations. You just have to be in the right place at the right time.

 

[reece_mess16]

I didn't realize that elk tag was not only spike but cow as well? I'll buy it as soon as I can if thats the deal.

As far as deer I'll hike in to the North part of the unit and see what happens. I have about 10 days to spend on the mountain. I plan to spend 5 or 6 deep in the back country and come out for the rest to relax a bit.

When and where can I buy the elk tag?

 

[KRH]

I didn't realize that elk tag was not only spike but cow as well? I'll buy it as soon as I can if thats the deal.

As far as deer I'll hike in to the North part of the unit and see what happens. I have about 10 days to spend on the mountain. I plan to spend 5 or 6 deep in the back country and come out for the rest to relax a bit.

When and where can I buy the elk tag?

Archery elk tags go on sale July 11th, although in Utah general season archery elk tags are unlimited so don't feel like you're in a hurry. An archery tag in Utah is considered a "Hunter's Choice" tag so in spike units you can kill a spike or cow, on any bull units you can shoot any elk you want including a cow. The general season archery tag is also not unit specific so you can hunt any general season or spike unit you want throughout the season dates. A tag can be bought at any DWR location and at most sporting goods stores, Walmart, etc.

Thank you for your service

 

[swbuckmaster]

I don't think he drew a spike tag. I think he drew a LE bull tag. That tag is only good for a bull

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[swbuckmaster]

Last I looked you don't draw an archery spike tag you buy them. He said he drew his first archery tag.

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[Critter]

Last I looked you don't draw an archery spike tag you buy them. He said he drew his first archery tag.

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But he also said " and if buying a spike elk tag is worth the 400$ us non-resident guys spend."

Me thinks that we need a little bit of clarification from him

 

[swbuckmaster]

This may sound bad but I would never buy a 400 dollar non res archery spike tag and hunt nebo. Pretty much anything you hunt is going to be down hill from the main road. Solo/elk/up hill pack out in the heat sucks.

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[reece_mess16]

I drew an archery deer tag but was wondering about the spike tag and if it was worth buying. I looked in the big game manual today and realized with all the time I'm spending in Utah this August/September I might as well buy a bull tag and hunt north too. Why not? I was just curious about Nebo overall.

 

[Critter]

You can only have one bull elk permit and a archery either sex tag counts as a bull tag. So if you want to hunt a spike/either sex archery hunt you'll have to do it next year.

So your bull tag that you drew is the only one that you can have. Now you might be able to pick up a left over cow tag when they go on sale.

 

[swbuckmaster]

I used to hunt nebo in the late 80s. It was awesome for deer back then! Not so much these days. You could probably still turn up a big buck on the west facing slopes of mount nebo or above i15. I always found Elk down bear trap. Never really saw elk and deer in the same areas. I quit hunting that mountain in 1990. Not sure I'd go back for deer or elk unless they gave me a LE bull tag.

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[reece_mess16]

Archery elk tags go on sale July 11th, although in Utah general season archery elk tags are unlimited so don't feel like you're in a hurry. An archery tag in Utah is considered a "Hunter's Choice" tag so in spike units you can kill a spike or cow, on any bull units you can shoot any elk you want including a cow. The general season archery tag is also not unit specific so you can hunt any general season or spike unit you want throughout the season dates. A tag can be bought at any DWR location and at most sporting goods stores, Walmart, etc.

Thank you for your service

Can I buy online?

 

[swbuckmaster]

You can only have one bull elk permit and a archery either sex tag counts as a bull tag. So if you want to hunt a spike/either sex archery hunt you'll have to do it next year.

So your bull tag that you drew is the only one that you can have. Now you might be able to pick up a left over cow tag when they go on sale.

He didn't draw a bull tag he drew an archery deer tag.
So he can get a spike tag and shoot a spike or cow if he wants. Branch antler bulls are off limits for elk for him.

I wouldn't waste the money for elk if it were up to me.

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[swbuckmaster]

Can I buy online?

Yes

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[reece_mess16]

You can only have one bull elk permit and a archery either sex tag counts as a bull tag. So if you want to hunt a spike/either sex archery hunt you'll have to do it next year.

So your bull tag that you drew is the only one that you can have. Now you might be able to pick up a left over cow tag when they go on sale.

I drew an archery deer tag. The elk part of all this was just a way to hunt longer if I tagged a deer early, since my brother lives in Santaquin and my parents in bountiful. I did not draw an LE bull archery tag. I'm really more interested in a deer, the elk is a back up, I'm still here, want to hunt sorta thing lol...

 

[swbuckmaster]

I drew an archery deer tag. The elk part of all this was just a way to hunt longer if I tagged a deer early, since my brother lives in Santaquin and my parents in bountiful. I did not draw an LE bull archery tag. I'm really more interested in a deer, the elk is a back up, I'm still here, want to hunt sorta thing lol...

How long are you going to be in utah?

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[reece_mess16]

I have 17 days. I've been in 13 years and I usually hoard leave days until deer/elk season. This years the stars have aligned and I'm taking serious time off as I have to burn some of the time off before I lose it. It adds up fast over that amount of time.

 

[swbuckmaster]

Does your brother hunt?

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[High Desert Elk]

Sounds like a little bit of "confusion" going on here...

First off, the only OTC elk tag available for archery is the General Archery Elk Tag. It is either sex, for the most part, statewide. Check the regs for the particulars.

This same tag is good for only a spike bull and antlerless in LE Bull units (check the regs for the definition of a spike, you're not limited to a "martian"...)

This same tag is good for any elk your happy little heart desires in the 'Any Bull' Unit(s). Not many to choose from, so unless you have a sweet little spot to hunt, don't bother. Stick to the LE Bull units, aka, the unit you drew for deer.

I have found in the past when I've had a general archery deer tag and bought an OTC general archery elk tag to go along with it, I forgot about deer and chased elk - mostly, because I don't care that much for mule deer hunting. If you love deer hunting, stick to that.