Logic behind spike hunting??
Utah
Hey guys, As a non-resident, I recently started looking into the idea of hunting Utah for a mature bull years down the road. From the little I have gathered, Utah uses spike hunting to control the age class of the bull elk throughout the state?? Can someone shed some light on the logic behind shooting spikes? Wouldn't it be fair to say that you are likely shooting mature bulls before they show their true potential?
Well for what its worth, I think I may have answered my own question after thinking about it. So assuming the bull can make it through the spike phase, he basically gets a free pass from hunting until 5,6 + years down the road when he has trophy potential.
there is no "logic" in shooting young bulls in a LE unit.
"there is no "logic" in shooting young bulls in a LE unit. "
there's no logic in letting rifle hunters hunt the rut either with success rates typically at 98%, but they do it any way
pluuuuuuus one 4blade! never made any since how utah structures their season dates too me.
When I moved to Utah, I said what, they allow a high power rifle hunt in the middle of the Sept rut!# My grandmother could kill a 300 bull in that hunt!
Killing a big bull in the middle of Sept is nothing to be proud of, in my opinion! Where were the Utah Bowmen's Association when this was past?
When I moved to Utah, I said what, they allow a high power rifle hunt in the middle of the Sept rut!# My grandmother could kill a 300 bull in that hunt!
Killing a big bull in the middle of Sept is nothing to be proud of, in my opinion! Where were the Utah Bowmen's Association when this was past?
A "spike" in UT is more than just a spike. But, I agree, pretty dumb management concept to kill big breeder bulls at the peak of the rut with a 300 Ultra Mag...
Stillhunter: UDWR decided that the hardest part of a trophy bull hunt should be drawing the tag, while also bowing to the outfitters, landowners, the new inline muzzle-loader guys (for deer, esp), and took the elk rut part of the season away from bowhunters.
UBA was there, trust me. I even went to meetings, and I never go to meetings. They were shut down by the above groups, SCI, and a few others. DWR was like, "What, we gave you a three week season, statewide! That's plenty of access and opportunity."
After you apply for 26 years and finally actually get a tag... You might be kind of glad they let you hunt during the rut with a rifle, and remember NO ONE is forcing you to. You can always hunt those dates with your bow. Most units have so few tags available for such a large area, and number of big bulls that it would present no issue at all. Guys in CO. archery hunt every year with muzzle loaders season open in a lot of areas.
Wow, after three and half months someone finally thought up a response.
I agree that the hardest part of the trophy bull elk hunt is probably drawing the tag.
The two bowhunters I know who drew one of those tags never bothered to take their bows. They left them in the closet and pulled out a rifle so they for sure could kill something. This hunt seems to be more about killing than hunting. I suppose there are a few 'bowhunters' who actually would use their bows during this hunt.
There can't be a state with less logic and screwed up game regulations than Utah.
