I agree with
@Altitude sickness Altitude, there are so many variables when hunting elk. The biggest variables being location, time of year, and what your goal is for the hunt. To add to his thoughts.
Elk hunting in Utah spans from mid-August through December, with minimal breaks between seasons. This means hunters may encounter everything from the heat of August to the snowy conditions of December, or anything in between. The terrain is just as varied, ranging from southern deserts to dense mountain timber and high-altitude subalpine regions. If you plan to hunt elk more than once, you’ll eventually experience all these conditions, as elk tags are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain.
There are significant differences between hunting bull elk and cows, but I’ll focus on bull hunting, specifically the large six-point bulls that every hunter dreams of one day hunting.
Tag Options for Bull Elk Hunting in Utah:
1. Over-the-Counter Public Land Tags
These are the easiest tags to obtain and are generally attainable most years. However, competition is heavy, as thousands of hunters are limited to specific areas where these tags are valid. The rifle and muzzleloader seasons last only a week each, while the archery season extends for two weeks.
Elk in these areas are particularly difficult to approach due to high hunting pressure. If you're not prepared to take longer shots, your chances of success decrease significantly. To put things in perspective, many Utah bowhunters prefer close-range shots but still practice at 100–120 yards in case that’s the only opportunity they get. In these public hunting areas, you’ll be lucky to get one shot in an entire season, and the success rate for these hunts is well below 10%.
2. Limited-Entry Draw Tags
The next-best option is drawing a limited-entry bull elk tag. These tags apply to various units across the state, offering better odds, less hunting pressure, and success rates upwards of 75%. The downside? It takes an average of 13+ years to draw one of these coveted tags, and for premium units with the potential for 350+ class bulls the wait could be 20+ years.
These hunts are highly rewarding, with fewer hunters, more elk encounters, and a greater chance of harvesting a trophy bull. However, considering the rarity of drawing these tags, most hunters will only get two or three of these opportunities in a lifetime. When that moment finally arrives, you’ll want to be fully prepared, including the ability to take a long-range shot if necessary.
3. Landowner and Auction Tags
The final way to secure a bull elk tag is to buy one. Options include private Cooperative Wildlife Management Units (CWMUs) or nonprofit hunting auctions held at banquets and online. These hunts offer flexibility, you can choose the type of experience you want, you can reasonably expect less pressured animals usually offering shorter shooting distances and higher success rates, typically above 95%.
However, this comes at a steep price. Expect to pay between $20,000–$40,000 for one of these tags, often booking a year or two in advance. In 2024, Utah’s statewide elk tag sold for $190,000 at an auction. While these hunts provide the best overall experience, most hunters on this forum would prioritize other dream hunts before spending that kind of money on a single week of elk hunting.
Another factor that will greatly influence shot opportunities, include whether the hunt takes place during the rut. Rutting bulls can sometimes be called in to within just a few feet of the hunter. However, the rut’s timing varies each year based on weather patterns and other variables, so planning a mid-September hunt could mean hitting the rut perfectly—or missing it entirely.
Ideally, every hunter dreams of sneaking in close, taking a shot at an elk they can smell, or while watching two six-point bulls fight for cows. The reality? You take whatever tags you can get and adapt to the conditions at hand. The best advice is to hope for a shot inside 100 yards but be prepared for whatever opportunity the bull of your dreams presents.
Over the years I’ve harvested many elk, some at distances so close I worried they’d fall on us in the makeshift blinds after the shot, others at more than 700 yards. Hunting bull elk is an adventure, whether you’re exploring familiar ground or new country. The key is to be prepared and stay adaptable. Don’t try to force an ideal scenario that may never come, because unless you're willing to spend big money, you’ll only get a few chances to experience it with your own tag in hand.
Not my biggest elk but probably one of my most satisfying.
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