Is $400 for a cow Elk tag too much?

[SWEETXPBEATCH]

I know this question stirs a few different responses/emotions from me as well as quite a few other "hunters" on here. I am a bow hunter through and through. That said, Utah is miserable for the general public and I want to get my son out for a hunt. I owe him one! I like Elk, probably worth a few hundred pounds of meat and it would be a depredation?? tag.
Any thoughts? Be nice!

 

[sledhead ut]

Sounds about right. I think that's what my bro in law charges to hunt private property. Adam can tell you how they spoil you too. Got tractor???

 

[JedInUtah]

It all depends on what area the tag is for??? Is $400 unreasonable? Probably by most hunting standards.......If you like elk meat and to get out with your boy then its probably worth it. I wouldn't pay that much just because I don't need it that much. There's always next year.

You don't want to spend it though if the area is known not to produce elk late season.

That bottled elk meat I did is top notch. Bringing some to Tog to try out. If I get elk next year, it is going in bottles, jerky, and steak.

 

[SWEETXPBEATCH]

We hunted on snowmobiles last year with great success

Sounds about right. I think that's what my bro in law charges to hunt private property. Adam can tell you how they spoil you too. Got tractor???

Went with JFP's family and filled 2 Cow tags. The sleds were very handy for getting into some good areas and getting the cows out. Brought both my boys. This year, I want him to have a bigger role in the cull.

 

[SWEETXPBEATCH]

Spanish Fork area

It all depends on what area the tag is for??? Is $400 unreasonable? Probably by most hunting standards.......If you like elk meat and to get out with your boy then its probably worth it. I wouldn't pay that much just because I don't need it that much. There's always next year.

You don't want to spend it though if the area is known not to produce elk late season.

That bottled elk meat I did is top notch. Bringing some to Tog to try out. If I get elk next year, it is going in bottles, jerky, and steak.

I had already known of a good Elk population down there. Just going off a whim and someone I don't know. So, Per pound I think it would be worth it. Plus I have a taxidermist that is a close friend and he said he would tan the coat for cheap!

 

[Kevco]

I think that is a smoking deal, I was under the influence of tryptophan thrs. but Im pretty sure my cuz is getting $1200.00 from the Cali hunters to wack a slicky. If ya want I could probably get ya the family deal on a tag up Echo LOTS of elk.

 

[rodw7c]

Heck yes way too much. You can buy alot of beef for 400.00 and you will not be contributing to the Department of wildlife mis-management.

 

[girlpowder]

Yowzers!!!! No this isn't a cheap way to go unless your Gorge Bush.

But my bro will provide a good hunt though.


http://thunderranchutah.com/hunting2009.html

Check out the web gallery..

 

[PJ-Hunter]

I know this question stirs a few different responses/emotions from me as well as quite a few other "hunters" on here. I am a bow hunter through and through. That said, Utah is miserable for the general public and I want to get my son out for a hunt. I owe him one! I like Elk, probably worth a few hundred pounds of meat and it would be a depredation?? tag.
Any thoughts? Be nice!

Public hunting sucks here? What did I get myself into? I know the archery season is waayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too early for elk but I guess that's why I'm maintaining residency in CO for. The rut.

And yes, IMHO I think $400 is too much for a cow elk tag. That is too much for a in-state tag anywhere. Out of state, not so bad.

 

[mtnpull]

Yowzers!!!! No this isn't a cheap way to go unless your Gorge Bush.

But my bro will provide a good hunt though.


http://thunderranchutah.com/hunting2009.html

Check out the web gallery..

I keep trying to get the pic off my phone to post, but no can do.

We got there around 11 AM and were on the road back home by 3 PM with two cows in the bed of the truck. And that tractor sure worked slick.

 

[girlpowder]

I keep trying to get the pic off my phone to post, but no can do.

We got there around 11 AM and were on the road back home by 3 PM with two cows in the bed of the truck. And that tractor sure worked slick.

K, so after looking at Thunder Ranch pricing all in all it doesn't seem so bad. And the fact that the tractor hauls it. Dang that's cool.

Adam. Can't you send the picture on your phone to your e-mail and drag it to your pictures?

 

[sledhead ut]

Or text to me and I'll post it for ya.

 

[mtnpull]

K, so after looking at Thunder Ranch pricing all in all it doesn't seem so bad. And the fact that the tractor hauls it. Dang that's cool.

Adam. Can't you send the picture on your phone to your e-mail and drag it to your pictures?

I've done it before, but I just took my data plan off my phone and I think that is why I am not able to send the pic to my email. I am txting it to Ron right now.

 

[NewMTNsldr]

Not trying to pee on any ones parade here but, anyone who says public land hunting in Utah sucks isn’t working hard enough. In the seven years I have been hunting in Utah I have killed 6 elk. Granted I have yet to shoot the 400 I want to put on the wall yet, hopefully my number is coming up one of these days. But I have managed to take an elk all but 1 year I have hunted. I have not shot a single one from my truck or four wheeler. I was talking with a guy a couple of years ago and he all but called me a liar when I told him how many elk I had taken. He told me he had been hunting for 20 years and had only ever shot one elk. When I asked how far he typically hiked he actually said “usually a couple hundred yards from the 4 wheeler”. No wonder he never kills anything and this seems to be the way the majority of people hunt in here. Which is fine with me.

I do agree the regular archery hunt in Utah is way too early. I shot one bull with my bow and some of the meet spoiled before I could get him out. Thus ended my archery hunting in Utah. However there are the Extended archery units that allow bow hunters the opportunity to hunt clear through January.

Having never paid for a tag and the fact I am a cheap/broke bastage. I would say $400 for a cow tag is steep. But if you are going to pay for a tag and compare $400 to the upwards of $800 - $900 cow tags some of the other places are offering then No it’s not too bad.

GP, the place your brother works looks awesome and if I could afford it I would do a trip like that some day. I say trip because to me that isn’t really hunting. Being driven to a tower blind to watch the elk mill around in an environment where they are fed and not pressured, to take your pick and then have a tractor come and pick it up. Really seems like more of a social affair than hunting.

 

[sledhead ut]

Here ya go Adam.

 

[mtnpull]

Not trying to pee on any ones parade here but, anyone who says public land hunting in Utah sucks isn’t working hard enough. In the seven years I have been hunting in Utah I have killed 6 elk. Granted I have yet to shoot the 400 I want to put on the wall yet, hopefully my number is coming up one of these days. But I have managed to take an elk all but 1 year I have hunted. I have not shot a single one from my truck or four wheeler. I was talking with a guy a couple of years ago and he all but called me a liar when I told him how many elk I had taken. He told me he had been hunting for 20 years and had only ever shot one elk. When I asked how far he typically hiked he actually said “usually a couple hundred yards from the 4 wheeler”. No wonder he never kills anything and this seems to be the way the majority of people hunt in here. Which is fine with me.

I do agree the regular archery hunt in Utah is way too early. I shot one bull with my bow and some of the meet spoiled before I could get him out. Thus ended my archery hunting in Utah. However there are the Extended archery units that allow bow hunters the opportunity to hunt clear through January.

Having never paid for a tag and the fact I am a cheap/broke bastage. I would say $400 for a cow tag is steep. But if you are going to pay for a tag and compare $400 to the upwards of $800 - $900 cow tags some of the other places are offering then No it’s not too bad.

GP, the place your brother works looks awesome and if I could afford it I would do a trip like that some day. I say trip because to me that isn’t really hunting. Being driven to a tower blind to watch the elk mill around in an environment where they are fed and not pressured, to take your pick and then have a tractor come and pick it up. Really seems like more of a social affair than hunting.

A couple of things about that "hunt". First off I am much like you with my hunting. I spend about 30+ days in the field during the fall and all of it is hiking. I can't stand riding around in a wheeler or in a truck. We went out to thunder ranch simply to put some meat in the freezer. We got lucky and only paid $200 on a few left over tags. For us we were not just sitting in a tower blind. Instead, we spotted where the elk were and snuck through a low wet land area (spot and stalk) to within range and took our shots. The elk are not fed and it is not a high fence outfit. The elk can come and go as they please. The tractor was nice because it fit in with our agenda and what we were trying to do.....get some meat and get home without spending too much money. It was fun, but you are right, it is not true hunting in the sense of what I usually do. But it is not a high fence elk farm either. Personally I have had just as easy hunts on public land minus the tractor pick up. Overall it is a fun thing to do if it fits in your budget and needs. The waterfowl hunts out there would be awesome. Right on the green river with lots and lots of wet land!

 

[SWEETXPBEATCH]

Bow hunter

I agree, and I think I made the point right up front that we weren't hunting rather we would be culling a cow under the ospice of "depredation". That said, the bow hunt in Utah is way too early!!! YOu have hunters out with primitive equipment in 90deg weather expecting to hunt responsibly and take the "correct" animal out of an area! I passed on a few 2-3yo elk with JFP this fall. had a few good broad side shots at 20-30yds with some hogs calling 1000yds away and was being stingy or responsible?? When you consider the kill success rate of <= 14% you can soon learn why people get desperate and take whatever has horns!! Again, a meat hunt I am ok with. I won't however, call it "hunting".
Thanks

 

[NewMTNsldr]

mtnpull, I was not trying to bag on you or what you did in anyway. I think it is great you got some of the best meet in the world for your family. From reading your past post and seeing the pictures I know you are not a couch potato hunter.

I was not trying to bag on the ranch in anyway either. As I stated, if I could afford it I would love to do it some day. My claim of it being more of a social affair came directly from the Ranches web site where they state “this is a gentlemen’s hunt” and they talk about the comforts of the tower blinds. That is all.


Sweet, Again I agree the regular season elk hunt is way too early. As for passing animals, that is your right and I am all for people who choose to try and shoot big animals. I personally prefer elk meet on my table so I am much less picky especially on public land. If, like this year, I have a cow tag and the any bull tag I will look for a nice bull as I know I can fill the freezer with the cow tag. Every hunter has there own opinion on how the elk herd in Utah should be managed. I personally think they should let each hunter take one animal a year. If a hunter doesn’t take an elk with the bow let them BUY a rifle tag, if they don’t take one with the rifle let them BUY a muzzle loader tag. Just think of the revenue that would generate for this fish and game. Of course that would mean the state would need a much better reporting system to ensure people weren’t taking three animals instead of one and I am not sure how that could be managed.

edit: Now that I think about it, it wouldn’t be that hard to manage. The DWR already tracks who has what tag, so lets say you have an archery tag, in order to get a rifle tag you would have to bring your un-used archery tag to an authorized license shop, they would destroy your archery tag and issue a rifle tag. Easy as that……

 

[SWEETXPBEATCH]

DWR mismanagement

mtnpull, I was not trying to bag on you or what you did in anyway. I think it is great you got some of the best meet in the world for your family. From reading your past post and seeing the pictures I know you are not a couch potato hunter.

I was not trying to bag on the ranch in anyway either. As I stated, if I could afford it I would love to do it some day. My claim of it being more of a social affair came directly from the Ranches web site where they state “this is a gentlemen’s hunt” and they talk about the comforts of the tower blinds. That is all.


Sweet, Again I agree the regular season elk hunt is way too early. As for passing animals, that is your right and I am all for people who choose to try and shoot big animals. I personally prefer elk meet on my table so I am much less picky especially on public land. If, like this year, I have a cow tag and the any bull tag I will look for a nice bull as I know I can fill the freezer with the cow tag. Every hunter has there own opinion on how the elk herd in Utah should be managed. I personally think they should let each hunter take one animal a year. If a hunter doesn’t take an elk with the bow let them BUY a rifle tag, if they don’t take one with the rifle let them BUY a muzzle loader tag. Just think of the revenue that would generate for this fish and game. Of course that would mean the state would need a much better reporting system to ensure people weren’t taking three animals instead of one and I am not sure how that could be managed.

edit: Now that I think about it, it wouldn’t be that hard to manage. The DWR already tracks who has what tag, so lets say you have an archery tag, in order to get a rifle tag you would have to bring your un-used archery tag to an authorized license shop, they would destroy your archery tag and issue a rifle tag. Easy as that……

I have sent similar recommendations to the DWR. Other states offer this same scenario for bow hunters

 

[NewMTNsldr]

I will be the first to admit that my elk management plan is purely my selfish ideal to get me more hunting time. The simple fact is that 10 years ago it was a rarity to hear of someone shooting a 300 class bull and today 400 plus is the standard for limited entry bulls. Utah has done something right with the elk herd. Numbers are up state wide and people are shooting monster bulls every year. What’s more is that people on general hunts are shooting high 300 bulls from time to time. So they must be doing something right. Of course like everything else I spew this is just my .02