Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Northern Utah Mule Deer...What can I expect?

I am hunting in northern Utah, near park valley....Anyone hunted this area....

You can expect a lot of people, unless you're hunting private ground, which there's a lot of around Park Valley.

Where is 'Park Valley' near? {Park City? Logan? Provo? etc.)

Are you going to be on private land? Or guided?



Are you hunting the first half of the season? Or second half?

And what weapon?

Ditto!! I've seen some decent bucks in that area, but I wouldn't be holding out for a true monster unless I was on private ground with pics of said monster. Also, be forwarned that many folks that hunt that area do so from either the seat of the pickup or ATV... Good luck!


SD- Park Valley is about 30 miles west of Snowville in Box Elder county.

I have hunted there.....once. Hunter's orange mountains!!! The mountains are called the Raft River mtns. Beautiful and deserted of people in the summer, but the troops come marchin' in during the hunt.

That's not the only mountains that hold deer in that area. The Grouse Creek range to the west of Park Valley holds some pretty nice deer as well. But, the roads do get a bit crowded that time of the year...

I will be hunting 9000 acres of private land..Nov 4-8. Is this a good time?

That's after the general season dates, so you must be on a CWMU property. Most of these properties are well managed for good sized bucks and the beginning of Nov should have the rut getting ramped up. You should do pretty good! If there's some decent snow by then, some of the deer may have even migrated down out of ID. Good luck!!

pointer, you running your laminated stock .338 again this year?

I like that rifle every time you post pics of it...

This one?


Yeppers, it's the only big game rifle I own...

Apparently Park Valley is near Grouse and Dove Creek's, which I forgot about.

Lots of deer in those areas, but lots of posted [private] cattle operations.

There are a lot of deer in that county and part of Utah, but the land isn't real high. Rolling with a lot of sage brush, coolies, [seasonal] river-bottoms.

What can be expected? It will be a tough hunt, not an easy one if you want a "good" buck - which will probably require lots of glasing and looking for deer. Don't let your guide "rely" on road-hunting, if you want to shot something bigger than a forked-horn!

Traditionally the [most] largest deer killed in Utah are taken in the 2nd half of the general gun season, or during the rut - often when some of the first high country snow storms start moving deer to lower elevations.

Be prepared to do a lot of walking and glassing! The country you'll be in is perfect for the .270Win or 7mmRemMag. -long [and usually] open shots.

A friend of mine hunted Park Valley around 6-7yrs ago. They camped in Park Valley and rode the quads up the mountain range (behind the store-north)in the A.M. Lots of hunting pressure and some of the deer move over the border into Idaho. My friend did take a buck, a 2X4 about 24" wide and maybe 20" high I'm guessing. He hunted the general season and there was no cold weather. None of his other party was successful (5-6 hunters).

I usually pass thru Park Valley while enroute to other hunting regions, the fella at the gas station/store usually stated a few good bucks are taken every year fwiw. I hunted the nearby Pilot range once, moderate pressure, very dry region - water seeps are the key.

PM me if you like, there is a fella in Montello, NV who knows that region like the back of his hand and he might give you some information.

MtnHtr

Guys Thanks for all the info. My Dad (69Years Old) and I are pretty excited. I will keep you guys posted on our success.

That be the one! I like it. I really like laminate stocks. They are not in fashion here on the 'Fire where "Light makes Right", but as long as there's enough barrel weight to balance the buttstock they are my favorite stock.

I wish my .338 was just like that. When I bought mine, Remington wasn't offering the M700 in .338 in a laminate stock...

-jeff