We've had a great season scouting this year and have found some really nice bucks and bulls! We are planning on posting up some photos of what we've found once the seasons over. Right now we are trying to stay secretive with the intel we've collected for our clients. We wanted to remind all of our clients this year of the opportunity to get their big game packed out once it hits the dirt. Most people find that is when the real work starts!
If you are worried about getting that animal out make sure you put our number in your phone! 801-432-0195 (texts work great as we are often in poor service areas)
If you applied for the Utah draw and happened to be lucky enough to draw, you should currently see a pending charge on the card you used for your application. For those who drew, congratulations and our condolences to those who didn't. Best of luck next year!
If you did happen to draw be sure to contact UtahScoutingServices for your big game scouting needs! We are prepping for the upcoming scouting season and are sure it's going to be a good one! We've gotten some great moisture this past winter and spring so the antler growth should be fantastic! Be sure to contact us with any questions!
The Utah Division of Wildlife has come out with new data on Utah's big game herds. Things are mostly looking up for the deer population according to Utah biologists. You can read the latest news release on the data here.
The bad news is that the Biologists have recommended fewer total general deer permits for Utah hunters. As well as fewer limited entry deer permits. The major reason for this is the declining buck population on the North side of the Book Cliffs unit. If you have ever hunted or scouted this area of the unit you know that it is not only fairly accessible, but it has large open spaces that make it a prime location for rifle hunters. For whatever reason the deer in the area haven't been able to keep up with substantial fawn production to replace the lost bucks. If these guys were only willing to put a little sweat into their hunts, they might locate a lot nicer bucks a couple miles away from the roads. That's the benefit of this hunt though. You can shoot a real decent four point buck just off of the road. Than again, this is why we will see a decline in permits and possibility continuing decline in the buck/doe ratio for the area.
If you feel strongly about the issues at hand it is important local hunters make their voices heard. There will be local RAC meetings to discuss these and other issues. Info on how, where, and when to attend can be found on the divisions website. We recommend attending these meetings and making your opinions known to the board. Nothing will ever change unless you are willing to stand up for yourself and the wildlife.
Camo, an ultra-important aspect to maintaining your invisibility to big game in the woods. In my opinion the type of camo doesn't matter as much as the simple part that you have some period. Wearing camo is a game changer. It can be the difference between being successful or not.
My advice to you... The pattern doesn't matter that much. Really wearing earth tones and rubbing some dirt on the clothes to break up the pattern would be better than nothing.
Obviously the high end stuff such as Sitka and King's would be great! But not everyone has the money for those brands. Personally I've bought plenty of shirts at the local K-Mart and been pleasantly satisfied. The biggest part is making sure you silhouette is broken up.
Having a trail camera is an essential part of scouting for big game.
Having many trail cameras is really the key. Locating and pattering the
animals is one of the main tasks you will face when scouting for big
game. You first need to find a heavily traveled path. It's important
though that the path isn't traveled as often by humans as it is by
animals. Look for greens that have been eaten down and tracked upon.
Find a clean water source. Wallows are very important for elk hunting.
Once the rut rolls around the bulls have to wallow everyday. Their body
temperature gets so high that they really have no choice. It's one of
the quickest ways for them to cool down. Here are some photos from some
of my trail cameras.
Is anyone out there a fan of the Manti La Sal National Forest? This is one of my favorite spots in the Utah mountains. There are large numbers of elk and monster sized mule deer that roam these green hills. Here's a quick shot I snapped in the spring of 2011.
This is the kind of area you look for when searching for big game. There is a lot of great cover for animals, fresh water supply, and great sources of food. Another great thing about this spot is the large meadows. One of the best ways to find out what animals are in an area is to glass meadows like this from a distance.
There are a lot of great optics out there that can really close the distance and help you determine what types of trophies are hanging around the area. I plan on reviewing some of them on here soon.
This page is dedicated to helping others learn the way of the outdoors. Whether it be survival skills, hunting, trapping, fishing, or trapping we will cover it. I have literally spent thousands upon thousands of hours of my time growing up in the Utah mountains. During that time I have made many mistakes, and learned countless things. I would like to share some of that information with you. I also want to spend time reviewing products that I have personally used in the field, products which make your hunt that much easier and sometimes that much worse (those are the ones to avoid!).
The other reason I am creating this page is to give people a location to go to when they need to know about specific areas. I have covered so much land in my life and so many areas spanning across Utah's big game areas. If you have drawn a specific tag for some of Utah's big game please feel free to contact me regarding your tag. I will give you as much free information as possible. In case you aren't already aware people hoard their knowledge regarding their "honey holes" and secret mountain places to find big game. I have built up a large knowledge of lesser known areas that I am willing to share with people wanting to learn. If you have any questions regarding any aspect of hunting or scouting please contact me: scoutmyutah@gmail.com
Now if the free information I have available just isn't enough for you, there are more options. I am willing to put in the time to scout for your specific tag and animal in Utah's wilderness. For instance if you are an out of state DIY hunter who just doesn't have the time or money to do the pre-scouting needed, I will scout your tag for you. This will include maps of the area, photos of trophy big game in your area, gps locations of where they are hiding, and recommendations for your specific hunt. The pricing on this really depends on the amount of time you are wanting me to spend in your area. Either way it is only a fraction of the costs generally associated with big game hunting. Nothing that comes close to the tens of thousands of dollars you would spend on a guided hunt. Plus you have the pride associated with a DIY hunt and knowing it was you that put the animal down on public land!
Here is a video of a bull I called in fall of 2012:
Please contact me with any thoughts, recommendations, and questions you have regarding Scout My Utah!
