utah or idaho

[powderhogg01]

Well it looks like this may be the last year in here in CO. I love the state but work has me potentially moving to either utah or idaho. I grew up in the wasatch mountains of utah and know that area well, though I do not know the laws currently for elk hunting. I have only been to a few parts of idaho, and I have never hunted it for elk. I am curious if anyone can break it down for me as to which state might allow the most elk hunting. What are the generals about hunting in idaho vs utah

[ElkNut1]

Idaho is an OTC state, you can hunt bulls here every year! We have draw units as well but most the state is open, it's zoned meaning you need to pick a zone which has several units per zone you can hunt. It's pretty much a choose your weapon state as well for branched antler bulls. Things can vary, best thing to do is pick an area & know the rules there.

ElkNut1

[Charina]

I live and hunt in UT, and from what I gather of ID, I suggest ID. Then again, with your affinity for fresh powder, it's pretty darn hard to beat the Wasatch Front for skiing. World class, as you probably know.

Trophy hunting advocates have heavily influenced UT regs. Here's the overview on UT archery.

A) Limited Entry:
Much of the good elk hunting ranges in the state are managed for limited entry hunting, as shown on the map below. Applications are taken in Feb each year. 1/2 of allocated permits are given to the highest point holders, 1/2 of permits are given on a random basis to all other applicants. Honestly, you can consider these LE hunts a once-in-a-lifetime opportunities (twice if you are very young, thrice at most if you are young and don't go for the top units). Some units will take 20+ years of applying to reach the top point pool, and there is a 5 year wait period after obtaining such a permit.

B) OTC:
All of the state has OTC hunting opportunities for archery. There is one tag, which lets you hunt anywhere in the state, and change any location at any time. But depending on if you are in a LE unit, or a "any bull" unit, the season and allowed take will vary slightly.
Spike Only Areas: All of the Limited Entry areas are open to OTC hunting for spikes or cows. No branched antler bulls. The season is EARLY. Mid Aug to Sep 4th this year. Other years will go a little later, but only by a week or so.
Any Bull Areas: Any bull, or cow, can be taken in these areas. Again, the season is EARLY. Mid Aug to Sep 11th this year. Will go a little later other years, but not into the peak rut. While on the map it appears there is a lot of "any bull" opportunities, that can be misleading. In the Henry Mts there are very few elk, and the DWR wants them gone. Nine Mile, San Rafael, East Canyon, Morgan, Ogden, Box Elder, and Cache East are comprised mostly of private land. There is public land there, but a whole lot is private. The Uintah Mts, which stretch from Kamas to Colorado, does include a lot of wilderness. But since it's the primary such opportunity, it is pretty heavily pressured by OTC. Kamas, North Slope, and South Slope all have good access up to the wilderness areas, but they can be really rough and rugged.
Extended Areas: There are two extended areas, not all that large, that are open all fall. These areas are very heavily pressured. Not a significant consideration, but there is the opportunity to get out every weekend for months if one wanted to. But low success rates.

Utah general seasons map.jpg (163.16 KiB) Viewed 4444 times

[realunlucky]

I love utah but hate it's limited hunting opportunities. Spike only is ridiculous but deer tags are even worse. I regret moving back every hunting season

[Lefty]

I wouldn't move anyplace just for the hunting.
Both states have so many different opportunities. I lived and hunted Utah and now live and hunt in Idaho.
I will say I drive a lot more hunting in Idaho. I saw way more huge deer in Utah. Knowing what I know now I missed some great archery hunting in Utah.

On the Wasatch front (Perry UT) I was a 20 minute ATV ride into some incredible big game hunting, 10 minutes to fishing and minutes for waterfowl.

[Lefty]

I wouldn't move anyplace just for the hunting.
Both states have so many different opportunities. I lived and hunted Utah and now live and hunt in Idaho.
I will say I drive a lot more hunting in Idaho. I saw way more huge deer in Utah. Knowing what I know now I missed some great archery hunting in Utah.

On the Wasatch front (Perry UT) I was a 20 minute ATV ride into some incredible big game hunting, 10 minutes to fishing and minutes for waterfowl.

[powderhogg01]

I wouldn't move anyplace just for the hunting.
Both states have so many different opportunities. I lived and hunted Utah and now live and hunt in Idaho.
I will say I drive a lot more hunting in Idaho. I saw way more huge deer in Utah. Knowing what I know now I missed some great archery hunting in Utah.

On the Wasatch front (Perry UT) I was a 20 minute ATV ride into some incredible big game hunting, 10 minutes to fishing and minutes for waterfowl.

I grew up in utah, went to wasatch high school as a kid. I know both area have great hunting opportunities, and I would not move to one over the other for hunting alone. My work will be the biggest factor. However I honestly did not take into account the waterfowl season out there, I am not a big bird hunter, but simply because where I live its several hours to get to a spot.
I would like to have the opportunity to try and take a bull every year, and it looks like both states will allow for that, with idaho perhaps being the easier state to get bull tags in? I will more then likely end up back in utah, but thats fine as its centrally located, and I can maybe squeeze the money for non resident OTC for idaho if things dont work out for me in utah.

[ishy]

Lived both places, as far as hunting Idaho has given me way more opportunity. Utah has it's perks, especially if you just want to see big elk that you can hunt once or twice in a lifetime. Idaho biggest advantage is season dates. If you love to call elk Utah's archery dates are a joke, your season ends just as the rut starts to get a little momentum. You get some action, but extremely limited compared to Idaho.
I love predator hunting too, and again way more otc tags here. We even let you shoot 2 bears in lots of units, and 10 wolves, mountain lion is in the sportsmans pack. Shoot just thinking about it I need to go get another job to pay for more tags and gas to take advantage of this great state!