PICK THE UNIT YOU LIKE!

For you who are desirous to go hunting this fall, remember that on Feb. 1 you can put in for the hunt of your choice.  Also, remember that you are not guaranteed a tag.

I have included a link to the DWR website that shows you approximately how many hunters there were in each of the 30 units last year.  Of course the units last year were 5, but the DWR have taken the time to break the 5 into the 30 we will have to choose from this year.

Most of those reading this site were hunting in the new Unit 2.  This chart shows their best guess is a 16.1 to 100 buck to doe ratio.  Did you see 16 bucks last year?  I saw 4 and hunted 7 days of the 9 available days to hunt.  I guess I didn’t look under the right trees.

http://wildlife.utah.gov/hunting/pdf/hunters_afield_2011.pdf

This chart has some interesting information.  One of which is that they guess 13% of the general deer season tag holders didn’t even go hunting.  I question this number, as it seems extremely high.

Anyway, FYI folks!

Bears Butt

Jan. 2012

Todays adventure is taking me to Mantua Res. for some ice fishing with a small group of boy scouts.  It should be an interesting day and I hope some of them catch a fish or two.  The reports are saying “slow fishing”, but then when you are a old as I am, slow is a relative term.  Hopefully there will be more to this report later in the day!

Bears Butt

Jan. 2012

Got back from the lake at about 3 p.m.  There were only 2 scouts that showed up and so the 5 of us went to the lake.  We had a sum total of 10 bites all day and no fish hookups.

I suggest to anyone reading this and thinking about going ice  fishing…do not go to Mantua…no body was catching anything.

We still had a great time though!

The DWR has available “on line” the 2012 big game guidebook for you to study.  Lots of changes to the deer hunt this year.  One very positive change it that youth (under 18) can apply for tags as groups of up to four.  As long as turn 14 or 18 on or before Aug. 21st.  This give kids a chance to draw limited entry tags as well as general tags and hunt as groups.  Remember too, that parents or other adult have to accompany youth that are under 16.

On a slightly negative side is the fact that the state deer hunt is being broken up into 30 separate units.  So when we apply we need to make sure we are all on the same page as to which unit we are applying.

On a VERY NEGATIVE note is the fact that we will NOT know how many tags are being offered for any of the units state wide.  We will be applying “blind”.  Another note is that the tags that are being offered are given to the Dedicated hunters first and foremost and then a percentage (15% I think) of the remaining tags will be dedicated to youth who have applied for that area.  Once those two things have been fulfilled, the rest of us will be in the drawing for the remaining tags.

Keep another thing in mind as well.  A couple of years ago they implemented a rule that says if you don’t apply for a limited entry/once in a lifetime/ or buy a point at least ONCE in a THREE YEAR period, you will LOSE any points you may have had accrued!  That is a big deal if you plan on hunting in some limited entry dream hunt in your lifetime.

Study the maps and make up your minds before the February 1st date.  You have until March 1st to apply.  It’s like we have said, “No Lead, No Dead” and this is no different…”No Apply, No Cry”…..

There will be follow up postings on this subject as we get closer to the application periods.

CRAWFORDS for some in 2012!!!!!!!!

Bears Butt

Jan. 2012