Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Utah youth elk hunt.

Well,
Looks like my 12 yr old drew this tag. I realize it's not some magical limited unit hunt.
Just wondering if anyone had some info on where to start. We'll at least give it the old college try. Thanks.

In my younger years I was an avid elk hunter. My hunting was always in Northern and Northeast Utah. I never had much luck in the Monte Cristo area (east of Ogden, Cache National Forest). It seemed like there were more hunters than elk. I have better luck hunting in the area between Flaming Gorge and Vernal (Ashley Daggett National Forest). The area I hunted most was east of Highway 191 in the area of Green's Draw and Mt. Lena.

We would spend about a week on the hunt, weather can be either extreme. One year I had a small bull down on opening morning and had to get it to a locker the next day due to the heat. Other years I remember hunting in fairly deep snow. It looks like the youth hunt is late September so it's likely the weather will be good, but it's Utah so you never know.

Thanks for the reply.
From what I can decipher, this is a tough hunt. The advantage is only 500 hunters out there, so minimal pressure.
I hunt mule deer pretty hard every year so I'm not afraid to put in the miles. My son will be in the middle of football season. The upside is that as a starting linebacker and tightend, he'll be in shape and won't wear down hiking. Downside is fitting the hunt in with a football schedule.
I will temper his expectations and it should be a great experience whether we harvest an elk or not.
I'm just trying to get my bearings on where to hunt. Any help would be appreciated.

I know quite a few people that have had good success on the youth hunt up by Flaming gorge. I used to hunt up there around Spirit an Hoop lake quite a bit years ago and had fairly good success. One other place to maybe look at is around Red Canyon lodge up there also. I killed a handful of Elk around there too.

Thanks crittrgettr,
I'll look into those areas. It should be a fun time. My Dad and brother-in-law will be up there with my son and I.
So, it will be a family affair. I'm looking forward to it.

Just wondering how the Youth Elk hunt went.