Utah Bucks & Bulls

[CHD]

This is Stephen Walker's Paunsaugunt buck from 1994. 33", scores 190.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This buck is an absolute monster and was taken by Stephen Walker on the Governor's tag in 1993 in the Paunsaugunt unit (Kanab area). Don't know the data on this buck, but he's easily over 200" on the frame. Look at that small dropper on the left main beam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the buck I took last year in the Bookcliffs that you've seen before. Remember the dark pics? Believe it or not, this buck was aged at 10.5 years. His face is very white with no black around his nose. He was just old and tired and worn out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's my usual camp (you guys starting to recognize it, LOL) on my '03 Bookcliffs elk hunt. I like to take pics of all aspects of the hunt, not just the animal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a shot of my '03 bull's rack. You've seen this bull before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here he is on my wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a view of the area on the top of the Bookcliffs. Lots of color in September.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's my '04 bull on my wall. Check out the neat light-colored spot on his cheek.

 

 

 

 

Enjoy.

[ultramag]

thanks for the good pisc.you are one huntin fool.where is the 5th wheel in that photo of your truck, that powerstroke has to have a trailer behind it

[ScottAdams]

Neat photos Chris, thanks for digging through the archives and keeping us pumped up.

Scott

[Guest Ernesto C]

Very nice pics Chris,those are some nice antelope horns on the background in the last picture,are they from Casper too? I hunted Casper the las two years in a row.

Thanks for sharing the pics.

 

Ernesto C

[CHD]

Hey Ernesto,

 

Good catch considering this is a Utah topic. Here is a closeup of the mount.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here he is in the field. Evidently, I was not in the mood that day to set up for a proper pic (a week without whiskey makes me grumpy). And no, I didn't gut shoot him, he was quartering away and I got his lungs with my .25-06 @ 270 yards. He is 15 1/2" and scores about 78 or so. He was the best buck I found in 7 or 8 days. He is also my 3rd Utah pronghorn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

That buck came from the West Desert-Snake Valley unit in far West Central Utah in September 2000. The unit had a prior history of a few big bucks, so I bought an auction tag from RMEF and went over there and had a blast. I hunt goats by taking the week before to scout before the other hunters arrive and have one picked out to whack opening morning. This has worked VERY well for me. That is a very desolate area and I didn't speak to anyone for a week while I looked at bucks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since you spoke of Casper area goats, here are a couple of mine. Both score in the mid 70's, and were taken in unit 61 (a good one) in the 1990's. The first has long, outward cutters and good hooks and is about 15". Here he is on my wall

 

 

 

 

 

And a closeup in the field.

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the second taken in 1992 at about 15" with good hooks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the country they were in.

 

[CHD]

Had to break away from that last post as things were acting funny and I was afraid I would lose an hours work. Here is the rest.

 

 

 

Here is another Utah buck taken on the north slope of the Bookcliffs in 1998. This is only a mediocre unit and I had located a 78-79" buck before the season. Unfortunately, he was in an area near major roads and a guide had found him also and his lady hunter whacked him before I could find him opening morning. AARRRRGGGGH! I ended up taking this buck that I shot right thru the heart with my .25-06 and he ran and squirted blood like I have never seen. Pretty country, ain't it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is my best pronghorn taken in eastern Utah that I showed on this forum last fall. He is 17 1/4 ".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

His right cutter is unbelievable and measures exactly 7". Man, that thing is longer than my............uh.............uh............uh..........index finger, LOL.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And lastly, I have a new tent and a new truck, believe it or not. Haven't tried the new tent yet, since I caught Pertussis last year and missed my unit 22 Coues hunt. But here is my new truck, an '05 PowerStroke with 6-speed and limited-slip rear axle, as always. But no cab lights this time.

 

 

 

 

Take care everybody.

[Guest Ernesto C]

Nice antelope,aren't they beatifull? Thanks for sharing the pics.

[CHD]

Hey Ernesto,

 

Which units did you hunt in the Casper area? I'm curious, as I have been all over that country.

 

The best trophy units in WY are in Sweetwater, Carbon, Fremont, and Natrona Counties. I like 57, 58, 60, 61, 64 myself. I applied for 57 this year, and may get lucky after many years of no-draw. I have a buddy that drew 57 two years in a row and whacked book goats both times!

 

Anyway, take care partner.

[Guest Ernesto C]

Chris the units you metioned are not from the Casper area,they are from the southern part of the state around Rock Springs or Rawlins,or I'm missing something here?

 

The units I hunted before around Casper were unit 25 and 31. I also hunted the southern unit of 93,around Kemmerer.

 

Ernesto c.

[CHD]

Hey Ernesto,

 

Yeah, the units I mentioned are towards or near Rock Sprgs & Rawlins.

 

Obviously, the best units for trophy quality are harder to draw. However, those units also have large expanses of BLM land. The units around Casper are easier to draw, aren't as good for trophies, and have lots of private land w/ access issues.

 

Any of the Sweetwater County units west of the Green River are great ones. 60, 61 and 92 have great trophy quality and are in the beautiful Red Desert. Carbon County has many book goats, but lots of private. I like 57, which straddles both counties, but have never drawn.

 

Long story short, if you wanna hunt and are not interested in a big goat, apply for one of the easier to draw units. If you are an all-or-nothing guy like me strictly after a biggun, then apply in the units I recommend and hope to get lucky.

 

Wyoming has gone thru a decade long drought same as Arizona. Horn growth has been stunted in many years. If it's an average or good moisture year, and you know how to identify a big goat, and you hunt for an entire week, you should be able to find a book goat in the units I mentioned. But once in a while, book goats are killed in average units too.

 

Take care.