2015 Utah Big Game Draw Results are out

[NBK]

And I received the dear John letter:




May 29, 2015



Dear JOHN :

Thank you for your recent applications for Big Game. Your results are as follows:

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UNSUCCESSFUL: Limited Entry Buck Deer

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UNSUCCESSFUL: Limited Entry Bull Elk

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UNSUCCESSFUL: Limited Entry Buck Pronghorn

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UNSUCCESSFUL: Bison

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UNSUCCESSFUL: Desert Bighorn Sheep

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UNSUCCESSFUL: Mountain Goat

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UNSUCCESSFUL: Bull Moose

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UNSUCCESSFUL: Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

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Preference Point Earned: General Season Buck Deer

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Permits remaining after the drawing may be purchased on a first-come, first-served basis at participating license agents, Division offices and online at wildlife.utah.gov. For details, see page 15 of the 2015 Utah Big Game Guidebook. Visit wildlife.utah.gov/bginfo to view a list of remaining permits.

Thank you.
Utah Wildlife Administrative Services

 

[Lungpopper]

At least they said "Thank You"

 

[FleaSkinner]

Not to brag, but...

Dear XXXXXXX :

Thank you for your recent application for Big Game. Your results are as follows:

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SUCCESSFUL: General Season Muzzleloader Buck Deer

Hunt: Wasatch Mtns, West
Weapon: Muzzleloader
Your season date(s): Sept 23 - Oct 1, 2015

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I just applied for one hunt as part of a group with two Utah residents. We've done this same hunt every other year for quite a while and have never not drawn out. They always said it was because Utah wants my non-resident fees. I guess not, since you didn't get drawn. Sorry, dude.

 

[Bonejour]

I went for points only in UT.

 

[BuckHunter]

I think I'll brag just a little.

I had 8 points......This was my 9th year. I'm so stoked ! It's a very hard tag to get. Last year I talked to a hunter that got it after 17 years.



Dear BuckHunter :

Thank you for your recent applications for Big Game. Your results are as follows:

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UNSUCCESSFUL: General Season Buck Deer

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SUCCESSFUL: Limited Entry Archery Bull Elk

Hunt: Utah
Weapon: Archery
Your season date(s): Aug 15 - Sept 11, 2015

 

[Bonejour]

Congratulations!!!

 

[BuckHunter]

Boy, that's a real, "Dear John Letter" if I have ever seen one. Utah can be difficult if you are old and want to hunt before you die. If you are you and have year to go when you can still leap tall mountains in a single bound its great. I did draw my trophy buck but know how to win at drawing games from 40 years of practice, I have done my time and now can only leap small hills in a single bound.

PLAN B
Recommendation: I always put in for Colorado also. The best hunting is the Northwest corner of the state which isn't far from Utah and elk drawing in 100% for most areas with leftover available to get elk,deer and antelope this year being announced at the end of June and purchased about Aug 6th.

There I always put in for a point first and a license 2nd and get both. I have hunted the area for about 35 years and it is an Oasis of big game. That Corner of the state has 200,000 elk, fair to good deer population and great antelope population. I have never hunted there for deer, elk, and antelope that I didn't fill my tag. And I was alwaays done by Noon on Sunday.

The key is the animals are there you just have to research where they will be when you get there. If you are going to drive, or fly into Hayden you want to hunt private property, the public land is over run with hunter, some successful but most not. That is what makes the private land so good they push everything from the public land to the private land.

4 day private land hunts semi-guided in the epicenter of elk with lodging is under $2000 and you success rate is at 80%.
If you know how to shoot you will rake a elk home. You need to move fast on this because these honey holes fill up fast since they book them light to promote the elk to come in on the private land.

Wyoming has some buys but you have to be careful some are not so great and they are pricier. You can get a Mule Deer hunt for under $2000 guided on private land if you know where to go. Usually an antelope is a little over 1/2 of that.
Elk Draw in Wyoming is difficult it is better to just go to Colorado for elk.
Nevada and Arizona, catches a lot of hunter because it is close, so it takes advantage of Cali hunters with prices out of the world because they have more people than animals.

Idaho has some good options but usually you only hunt it once. Every thing is straight up or straight down, very strenuous hunt.

New Mexico with it program that has been in place for about 5 years requires a landowner voucher to hunt, This add on the average $2000 for what you can get the same hunt for in Colorado, so go north.

I hunt Colorado and Wyoming every year plus what else I can draw. I basically get 5 points per year because I put in for 5 different western states.
I also do some over the counter license states like Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska usually Mule deer but some have great whitetail numbers so I will hunt them also.

Don't miss the Colorado left over license announcement toward the end of June that is your ticket to successful hunting without buying a voucher.
I will get down off my soap bo x on the topic," I hate to see hunters ripped off"
If you need any help let me know, there is a lot of good hunting out there if you don't do it you will just grow old and later say "I Should Da when I was younger."
Greg Merriam

Great info Greg. Thanks for your post.

 

[Discounted Hunts]

Thank-you for allowing me to post it. I have such a wealth of information for hunters there is no reason why a american that wants to hunt should ever be tied to hunting only his own state. It is like wearing blinders, not seeing whats around you. My goal is to hunt every state so I have a lot of practice. Each state has its unique twists and bends but with each I find loop holes that will provide me options for premium hunting. The best advantage is for instance you are not stuck with 1 buck or 1 bull limitations that you would have in a home state. My wife and I fill 19 licenses per year, in this way I use what I know to enjoy the benefits of knowledge. I am open to sharing that knowledge if they have a desire to shoot Mule Deer, Elk, Antelope or anything else. I am not and have never been, and most likely will never be a rich man. But you don't need to be rich to hunt if you do it smartly. I am not one that wastes a lot of time on public land hunting with competition and minimal animals or hiking 2 days to get back a head of the public land crowd. Why chase the animals. Instead just go where the animals go when the public land army pushes them off public land and on to private land
.
So say private land hunting is to expensive. I look at what you pay for travel and licenses how important is it to come home with something. If it isn't important walk over hunted public land with your new boots and brand new coat, and all the ammo you burned sighting in your rifle..... I guess to me the bulk of that is spent just to hunt in an area but if you don't have a opportunity to kill something then then what was your goal in going out there to hunt.
If it was to walk around with your rifle over your shoulder you don't have to pay to do that the US army will pay you to do that!
My goal maybe vulgar but it is simple, to me I hunt because I enjoy seeing game, shooting my rifle, hearing it go off, hearing the bullet hit the animal and seeing it drop.

If you don't enjoy that don't go on any of my hunts because it is the goal of every outfitter that I put you with on private land. With a opportunity rate of 99% and success rate ranging from 75-100% across the outfitters and hunts on private land for elk as low as $1695 semi-guided, I certainty hop your goal is to take back meat, ours is.

There are even cow hunt for new hunters with a rifle practice session prior to hunting the high fence elk.

The opportunity to hunt every year is out there, you will have to sneak outside of your comfort zone but it will be well worth it. I don't mean to write that as a business but as a way to tell Cali Hunters there is opportunity as long as your health allows it. Don't wast your life not doing it because there will be a time in the future when your health won't allow it, don't learn that to late to do anything about it.
Hunt Greg Merriam