Northern Utah Mulie Status

[Earlybugle]

Just return from a UT mule deer hunt. Four of us have have hunted the same ranch in the chalk creek drainage, for three years, with great success. This year we saw very few deer and almost zero bucks. It seems the winter kill that occurred last spring across that northern tier was more severe than reported.

Any other reports from the region is appreciated.

 

[Browninglover1]

Cache unit was awful too. Lowest numbers I ever remember seeing, despite that, they shot some absolute bruisers because the deer that survived had excellent feed during the growing season.

 

[Earlybugle]

Thx for the report B'.
We Have had excellent hunting in each of the prior 4 seasons and taken nice 4pts each year. This year, the 4 of us, only saw 6 bucks, ...combined, all week. The oldest was a 3 pt. Very few Does seen. It was brutally bad. I will be eating my tag later this week.

 

[Majja13]

I had an archery tag near the chalk creek area and saw a bunch of does and sheep. Only saw one buck come out in 5 days.

 

[Tidus56]

San Juan/elk ridge area was hit hard as well. Usually I see 3-5 bucks a day during archery and we saw 3 bucks in 2 weeks. Worst I have ever seen in my life.

 

[turbo800]

I hunted cache and it was saw far fewer deer than normal. Hard to find even little bucks for my niece to shoot at. That being said I got lucky and killed the best buck of my life. He's not huge, but a pretty solid buck for the area.

Spotted him sleeping under a pine on a ridge about 680 yds away. Knew immediately I was going to shoot him. Thought he was a 4 point, turned out to be a 4x5.

 

[jarheadhunter]

What ranch were you hunting? You can PM if you want. My buddy has a LE Elk tag on the East Fork chalk creek and that's all we have been seeing is nice bucks and no elk.

 

[turbo800]

What ranch were you hunting? You can PM if you want. My buddy has a LE Elk tag on the East Fork chalk creek and that's all we have been seeing is nice bucks and no elk.

No ranch, general season public lands at the northern end of the cache unit.

 

[257Tony]

You're not alone. We guide on a couple ranches up in Chalk Creek, Buck numbers are down overall, and especially the older age class Bucks. Definitely seems like all the snow last winter took a toll on those older Bucks.

 

[jarheadhunter]

No ranch, general season public lands at the northern end of the cache unit.

I was talking to the OP. He said same ranch for 4 years. Nice buck though.

 

[Earlybugle]

That's a nice mature buck in any camp Turbo! We hunt a ranch on the southern end of the Drainage. I heard a local rancher found 40-some dead deer after the snow melted. Probably down low along the Hwy.

 

[RH300UM]

https://www.ehuntr.com/deer-in-utah-reach-record-numbers/

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[huntintoo]

Zion Unit was good on the early hunt (9th-14th).
Filled 4 of 5 tags with first year hunters! Kids were awesome!

 

[Earlybugle]

huntintoo,
What a great picture! Thank you for investing in the future with those young hunters! I predict you will never want for a partner for the rest of your life. (dang onions in my sandwich are stingin' my eyes again...) - EB