Successful hunters avoid the main roads and hunt the dark timber and deeper canyons.
Large blocks of private land in GMUs 35 and 36 provide refuge areas and can make hunting difficult.
The elk population is healthy, but success is dependent on the weather in Utah. Harvest success is better in the later seasons and away from roads, with animals being found near Carpenter Ridge, Buckeye Reservoir, and John Brown Canyon.
Most elk will be at higher elevations during the early seasons above 8,500 feet in thick timber and oak brush. Distribution changes in relation to weather and hunting pressure; so hunters should be prepared to adapt to conditions.
Early seasons find elk anywhere from 7500ft to above timberline. With increased hunting pressure and snow, herds tend to move to remote areas or private landsÑaway from roads and hunters.
Hunters are advised to be in good shape and to hunt well away from roads. Elk will move to difficult terrain when hunting pressure starts; so be prepared to hunt canyons or thick timber.
The elk herd is well distributed with good hunting success expected. Elk are scattered throughout the forest and on private lands. Most elk stay at higher elevations (8500- 10,000ft) in thick timber and oakbrush.
Generally, this unit is considered very good elk hunting. They are generally at higher elevations in the eastern portions of the unit during early seasons, and move west to lower elevations (and private lands) as hunting pressure and snow depth increase.
White River offers variety and extremes. Several peaks in the Flattop Wilderness are 12,200ft in elevation. Elevation drops to 5,300ft near Rifle. The lower elevation vegetation starts out with sage, progressing to oakbrush/mtn brush, aspen, and e...
Some elk can be found in the piñon/juniper growth and canyon areas.
Elk can be found throughout the unit during the regular fall seasons depending on the snow and weather. Elk hunting is best at higher elevations with pine, fir and meadows in the earlier seasons. Elk may move to lower elevations when heavy snows come.
Most low to mid elevation elk ranges are on private land or parks and open space lands that are generally are not open to hunting. Most public land hunting is at the mid to high elevation ranges.
There is a large elk herd in this unit, and it occupies all available habitat. The later seasons are usually better, especially on public land, due to snow and hunting pressure pushing the elk out of the adjacent units.
Elk are distributed evenly throughout these units. During the day, the bulls will be in dark timber - glass in the early morning and evening.
Elk are found in the middle third of the unit in the early seasons.
Elk are plentiful throughout the Upper Yampa area. Licenses are also readily available, but hunters should not rely on leftover license availability as these herds approach population objective.
Elk are well distributed in all Middle Park units. Bull to cow ratios are good because the area is fairly steep and heavily timbered. Generally, trophy bulls are rare (a few are taken every year) because bulls are managed for hunter opportunity.
Hunters must be prepared to walk into remote and forested areas. Do not expect to see elk from roads or areas open to OHVs. In early seasons stick to cool areas on north-facing slopes in the spruce/fir and aspen forests.
Elk are distributed evenly throughout these units. During the day, the bulls will be in dark timberÑglass in the early morning and evening. The herd tends to stay in the coniferous timbered areas until late in the season.
Hunters applying for limited tags in Western states have lamented in recent years about preference point creep. Is preference point creep wide spread or limited to a few coveted units? We break down the data to answer the truth about point creep.
When applying for a limited license, a preference point is awarded when an individual is unsuccessful in drawing their first-choice hunt code.
Limited licenses are limited in many aspects beyond just quantity of licenses available.