BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

[sagebrush]

If some of you can't or don't want to wait to see the results on the big game results. You can call your credit card co. and find out if it was charged to your account. Most drawings are done a week or more before the results are even posted. Good luck to those of you that put in.

[bitmasher]

What did you put in for?

[sagebrush]

a limited entry elk. and no draw for 10 years now. very pissed. I'll just try for something else for now on. Any way would you pay $280 for a resident tag?

[bitmasher]

sagebrush wrote: Any way would you pay $280 for a resident tag?

I wouldn't pay that for a non-resident tag! Is that what you all are paying to hunt in your own state?

[sagebrush]

The state of Utah wants us to pay $280.00 for an limited entry elk tag. starting next year. It will make, and already has made residents go out of state. so some you that are complaining about non-residents coming to your state. this makes one good reason.

[rather_be_huntin]

My credit card was charged a week early, saw it online. But not for my limited entry elk tag. It was for my friends deer tag. :x The limited entry Elk has been $180 but now going up to $280, they are really sticking it to the elk hunters. Ouch!!

What unit are you putting in for? I'm trying to draw an Elk Ridge tag. But I've only got 5 points so I think I've got 10 more years to wait. If you are going to try for something else, can I have your points? :D Be patient you should draw within the next few years, depending on the unit you're puttin in for.

[sagebrush]

rather_be_huntin since you are form Ut. yourself> Do you think it's better to put in by your self or with a group? I have been putting in by myself for ten years. And really think this is long enough. Any way I would like to see the group thing stay out of the limited entry draws. It belongs in the general season tags area. This is where all the family can be together. As for next year I'm done with the elk, Lets say I put in for the elk and draw out, I would be paying $335.00 for that tag. Add $280.00 plus $5.00 for every year I have been putting for next year will be eleven. comes out too $335.00 for the tag alone. I don't make this much money. A cow tag will have to do for now on. I can always go for the buck pronghorn now or even the moose still a lot cheaper than the elk. Watch how many people start to go out of state now. As for the units I have been trying for anthro mtn., deseret, Monroe, and a couple of cwmu's close to home here around lost creek.

[rather_be_huntin]

Seems like you always have more luck putting in by yourself so thats what we do. Seems like someone always draws a deer or turkey tag that way. Myself and another guy in our group already got our trophy muley so we're shooting for elk but we both have been unsuccessful for 5 years. I agree with so few tags they shouldn't allow groups anyway.

I thought $180 was steep and thought it would be a while before they raised it, I was shocked to not only see it go up but go up by $100. The price is steep so what I do is the first 3 years I just applied for the bonus point and put $60 away basically in a shoe box that a general tag costs.(I also save the estimated butchering cost to pay for the mount if I ever get a big bull on the ground) Looks like the next few years I'll be applying for a bonus point and like you shooting cows.

You've already invested $50 bucks and you've got 10 bonus points. Maybe if you apply for just the bonus point for a few years and put away a little money each year you can afford the tag in a few years and you should have the pick of the litter with say 13-14 points. Just a thought.

I agree, I think a lot of people will start shying away from these tags and going out of state. I'm not really sure what was the driving force behind raising the price so much. The only good I can see come out of it is it should get easier to draw since a lot of people will go out of state.

[sagebrush]

How long have they been doing bonus sytem?

[rather_be_huntin]

Not really sure. I've been messing with it for about 15-16 years so at least that long but I'm sure longer than that. But things like the general deer have preference points and they've only been doing that for only 5 or so years now.

[sagebrush]

I did not think it was that long. thought maybe twelve. any way where do you go deer hunting? I go in the cache area and do the muzzleload hunt.

[rather_be_huntin]

Used to rifle hunt around Bountiful and Scipio but too many people and too few deer. The last few years I've been bow hunting around Beaver and doing the extended area hunts around Salt Lake and Vernal. Haven't spent much time in the cache valley. I did shoot a cow elk up there about 10 years ago, I can't remember the name of the unit it was a CWMU anyway.

Any deer up there? The deer seem to be hurting all over the state. Down by Beaver just 3 years ago there were deer all over and I'd always hold out for a bigger buck. Now days I'm tempted (even though I never do) shoot that little fork horn you always see on opening morning.

[sagebrush]

I have been hunting cache for two years now. Used to hunt Monte Crisco on private property for three years. managed a two point a two by three and a four got the four on public land in buck springs. allot of people hunt it though. so went more north to cache. you have to get off the roads to find a decent animal. at least a good mile away from all the roads hunters. have a nice 4x5 took two years ago. last year could not get a shot so ended up over by soapstone and shot a two point. this year I'm back in cache again. will have to work a little harder at being a little slower in the walking. I jump quite a few deer all the time. i will say I always fill the tag.

[bitmasher]

Wow, I'm blown away to hear that it costs that much for one resident tag in UT!

This is precisely what I'm concerned about (besides not meeting population objectives) in CO w/ all the blabbering about pushing out more NR's. By the way, at $280 your over the costs to come to CO and shoot a cow.

While this is getting off-topic, I wonder what kind of processes are in place to regulate DOW/DNR budgets. If (and hopefully not when) costs get to be that high for a resident CO, I'd be asking what in the bloody blue blazes do the departments need THAT much money for?

In other words, if hunters are the only ones that pick up the tab for wildlife departments (this is the way it mostly is in CO), tag buyers and only tag buyers should have more direct control over budgeting. For instance if you are looking at tag costs nearly doubling it seems the onus is on the department to show exactly where year-over-year costs are doubling in their budget.

[sagebrush]

I'm not sure but I would say Utah Is probably one of highest in the Rockey mountain region. Yes it would be nice to see t where all this money goes. lets say maybe for new trucks every year. Higher pay, I believe they have been cutting back on personnel. i do see some road improvements going on, and new signs If people would just stop destroying them. They have their own little private wildlife preserve on antelope island. with buffalo, and deer their is a lot of money spent on this Island it is located in the middle of the great salt lake, By the way this tag for a buffalo cost $1105.00 for resident, and $408.00 for any where else in the state. So you can see this island is their little baby. Up north in the cache area there is Hardware Ranch, a safe haven for the elk when the season starts. You will see the elk migrate in their on opening day.
WE can't forget about the fishing here, not one of the best in the region. But we sure do spend an allot of money for it. Of the few people that I know will go to Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado for their fishing needs. Then we have the camping sector. The campgrounds are getting improvements but then this will cost you between $10.00 and $15.00 a night to stay anymore. their seems to be a higher rate every year for something. except our paychecks. Now cost of livening raise here.