avid hunting & outdoors – southern utah edition – june 2015

INSIDE:Young GunsThe Cancer Bull

Southern Utah EditionJune 2015

HunTAVID.com

HunTInG | FISHInG | GeAR | OuTDOORS | PRePAReDneSS

www.huntavid.com | Southern Utah Edition2

AVID HuNtINg & outDoorS June 2015 3

ContentsTable of

June 2015


08 Worth The Wait12 The Cancer Bull16 Hunting Bears and Cats

in Southern Utah20 Over The Counter Velvet22 Buck Fever

HunTInG

FISHInG

26 There’s Just Something About Largemouth Bass

30 Review: Mtn Ops32 Review: Buck Open Series

GeAR

36 Mill Canyon Trail #3101338 Young Guns42 Spot The Hunters45 Outdoor Family

OuTDOORS

46 Can Keeping Yourself Fit and Healthy Make You a Better Hunter?

48 WaterPurification: Your Family Still Matters

PRePAReDneSS

50 Local Trophies52 Utah’s Trial Hunting Program54 Utah 2015 Calendar of Events56 Business Directory

DePARTMenTS

The publisher is not responsible for the accuracy of the articles in AVID Hunting & Outdoors Magazine. The information contained within has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Neither the publisher nor any other party assumes liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance of this material. Appropriate professional advice should be sought before making decisions. Outside of our staff authors, articles written by providers or professionals are invited authors and represent the opinions of that particular individual, business, group or organization.Ifanarticleisapaid“advertisement,”or“advertorial,”itwillbeidentifiedassuch.©Copyright2015.AVID Hunting & Outdoors

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45The publisher is not responsible for the accuracy of the articles in AVID Hunting & Outdoors Magazine. The information contained within has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Neither the publisher nor any other party assumes liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance of this material. Appropriate professional advice should be sought before making decisions. Outside of our staff authors, articles written by providers or professionals are invited authors and represent the opinions of that particular individual, business, group or organization.Ifanarticleisapaid“advertisement,”or“advertorial,”itwillbeidentifiedassuch.©Copyright2015.AVID Hunting & Outdoors

AVID Hunting and Outdoors magazine was started by people who are passionate about hunting in Southern Utah. You can pick up any hunting magazine and read all about the biggest and the best animals taken in different parts of the world. But what about the rest of us, the DIY hunters, and the hunters that don’t have an endless bank account? Those are the hunters and outdoorsmen we would like to appeal too. The hunters right here in Southern Utah where we have world-class hunting in our own backyard.

Hunting used to be about spending time with family and friends and enjoying the outdoors. These days it has turned into a competition and is all about the trophy animals. Not that we don’t all want a trophy animal, but we want to bring the “meat and potatoes” back into hunting. Get people back to simply enjoying the outdoors, and sharing that vision with our family and friends. We want to show our newer generations the excitement of seeing big game in the wild and being outdoors instead of just seeing it on TV.

So while you might not see the biggest and the best animals taken in this magazine, you will see local people and families hunting and enjoying the outdoors right here in Southern Utah. We will strive to bring you updated information, rules, regulations and local success stories. If there is a story you would like to see in the Avid Hunter magazine, please submit it to us. Thank you for taking the time to read and look through your local hunting and outdoors magazine.

Letter from the Editors



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Working Together To Save Lives

Worth The

WaiTwww.huntavid.com | Southern Utah Edition8

By Zeb Hirschi

One night, as I was just about to fall asleep, my dad came into my room and told me that we were going to go hunting the next morning. Excitedly, I set my alarm for four o’clock. As soon as we woke up, my brothers and I loaded up our gear and headed out.

We had a long hike to our glassing spot. While scoping things out, my dad spotted some deer a ways away. He said it looked like a nice big four point. I wanted to go get him right away but my dad kept saying that we needed to be patient. We sat there for another hour and then moved to a new spot to get a better view. We lost track of Wait

the big one, but saw a tall skinny one. I figured that was better than nothing so we created a plan to stalk him. I practiced shooting my bow until I felt confident in my shots and then we left into the dusty mountains to execute our plan.

We had been hiking for what seemed like forever when we finally reached the top of the mountain. We arrived at a good glassing spot where we could see just about everything. I asked, “Hey dad, have you seen anything?” We were whispering so quietly that I could barely hear our words. He said, “Yeah, I see the biggest one that we

Continued on Page 10

AVId HuntIng & outdoors June 2015 9

HUNTING

couldn’t see down there. How far do you think that is?” I guessed that he was about 400 yards away. I said, “How far do you think that is?” He replied, “Maybe 220 yards.” I didn’t believe him. That seemed way further than 220 yards. Dad asked me to get the rangefinder, so I grabbed it and calculated the distance. It was exactly 220 yards away from us! We got together with my brothers and made a new plan. My Dad and I were going to hike down and get under a tree while my brothers would wait at the glassing spot for further signal to join us and watch the stalk unfold.

As we got closer, we took our shoes off to quiet our feet so that the deer couldn’t hear us coming. My dad knew from past experiences that if the deer even heard a twig snap it would get up and run off. After we got to the tree and had been stationed there for about ten minutes I asked, “Do I have to stand the whole time?” Dad said, “Welcome to bow hunting!” I giggled and Dad told me to be quiet or I wouldn’t get the shot. I decided that if I wanted a big deer, I had better stand here patiently and quietly.

Suddenly, we were startled by a loud beeping sound. It was my watch alarm! We thought that we had really blown it. I told my Dad that the watch would go off again at 3:15. We tried to get the alarms to turn off, but we were unsuccessful. We eventually dug a hole and buried my Christmas watch. It is still buried out there to this day. About fifteen minutes later the buck got up and started to walk out. He stopped as I drew my bow back. My dad told me to let it down because I didn’t have a good shot, so I let out my bow but kept it up. Then the buck started to come out from behind a tree and I pulled back my bow again. I was ready! As he revealed himself once again, I drew in a breath and took my best shot! THUMP! WHACK! CRACKLE! CRACKLE! “You hit him right in the heart! Great shot,” Dad said. He was bleeding pretty bad out of his side but he still had the strength to run over the next little draw. We immediately ran over the ridge to see if we could get another shot.

We had only been running for a few steps when I stepped on a

Continued from Page 9


cactus with my barefeet. Ouch! We stood on the ridge for a while and kept a good eye on him and after a few minutes he laid down under a tree. We inched closer to see if we could sneak up on him and were able to get within eight yards of him. I was so mesmerized by how awesome he looked. He must have sensed that we were there because he immediately sprung out of his bed. He was so fast that I didn’t even have time to draw my bow back. I couldn’t see where he went but I knew he had snuck down into the ravine. I knocked another arrow and prepared to shoot him a second time. We found him standing at the bottom of the ravine. I drew back and waited until I thought the shot would be perfect. I knew I had hit him good the first time but he was a fighter. He was standing still, but right as I released he started to move again and I missed. He ran down a little hill and ended up laying down again. After we searched for a little

while I started to get worried. Had we lost him for good? Finally we found him about seventy yards away. We waited an hour, then went and ended the war. My dad said, “You did it buddy! You’re a deer slaying machine!” and I said, “Thanks to you I am!” My deer ended up scoring 172 inches, and was a good three by four.

Thanks to my dad, I learned many valuable lessons on that hunt. I was just 12 years old and had never shot a deer before but I had a great teacher by my side. I had to be patient, diligent, and work hard, but in the end I triumphed. What an awesome experience that I will remember forever.

Zeb’s father, Mike Hirschi owns a local archery shop out in Hurricane called Lightning Archery. He also has his own guiding service called Record Book Outfitters. Mike and his family are the real deal.



CancerThe

Bull


HUNTING

Hunting has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started hunting and fishing with my dad when I was around four years old. I was either sitting on the bank of a lake or river with a fishing pole in my hand, or literally walking in his footsteps through

marshes hunting ducks or in snow-covered fields chasing pheasants. Some of my fondest memories with him came from our deer/elk camp in the Cache Valley Mountains of Northern Utah. Back then my dad killed some monster deer and elk but we never kept one set of antlers. Like everyone else from that time, they were left on the mountain unless you needed a coat rack or somewhere to hang your hat. It was a pure time to hunt where no one cared about the score. It was the body size that mattered. Large body meant more meat and meat was the trophy. Sadly, the days of hunting with my dad were short lived. He was 42 years old and I was 11 when he lost his life to cancer. Still, the hunting memories and lessons he instilled in me left a lasting impression. I loved being raised in a hunting family and wanted the same for my kids. Many years later I married my wife, Gaylene. She’s a wonderful women who likes to camp and spend time in the outdoors, but hunting just isn’t her thing. She does, however, allow me to continue to follow in my dad’s footsteps by passing that same passion of conservation through hunting to our kids.

In 2013, after applying for our family to hunt in Utah, I started feeling kind of strange. I had some cramping in my stomach that had become quite unbearable. I went to the doctor, who seemed to think it was the onset of a kidney stone. He gave me some meds and sent me on my way. Within two days, I could tell it wasn’t a kidney stone. The next morning at 2AM, I woke up with an incredible pain in my bladder area. I knew I was either going to die right in my bed or explode on my way to the hospital. My wife heard me groaning and saw me trying to stand up. She insisted on driving me to the hospital since I was in too much pain to drive myself. There are about 3700 cracks in the road from my house to the hospital and I felt every single one. Once in the emergency room, a doctor came

walking toward me with a very large catheter. Having never had a catheter before, I thought it was impossible for a tube that size to fit where he intended to put it. As I began to protest, he placed the catheter and a wave of relief washed over me. After some additional testing, the doctor diagnosed me with colitis and sent me home with some prescriptions. I took the meds and felt better, but all the while something was nagging at me, telling me that something was still wrong.

Two months later, I told my wife I needed to have a colonoscopy. I had just lost a good friend to colon cancer at 36 years old and I wanted to be able to rule that out. As I awoke from the procedure, the doctor told me he had found something. Trying to lighten the mood, I told him I was missing the TV remote and my high school ring and asked if maybe he found them. He didn’t laugh. I guess my doctor’s sense of humor was not up to par considering he was about to drop the bomb that I had colon cancer. He said it had escaped the colon wall and was attached to my bladder and had gotten into my lymph node system. Not good on any level.

I was sent into emergency surgery where they removed 17 lymph nodes and six inches of my colon. I try to be an upbeat guy but this was a tough thing for me to handle. I was not ready to die and needed something to keep me going. That’s where my wife and kids came in. They were very supportive and encouraging and always trying to keep me positive. In many ways it was harder on them than me. On one of my down days, where I needed an extra boost, I got it from the DWR (Division of Wildlife Resources). They had written me, saying I was successful in drawing the Fish Lake archery unit. That is a unit that will usually take 10-15 years to draw and I drew it with two points. My new drive in life was to get well and hunt that unit with my bow. My wife would shake her head as she watched me schedule all of my future surgeries, chemo, and radiation treatments around the hunt. I did all that I could to stay in shape. However, due to the chemo’s affect on me, I ended up fat, round, and easily winded. I still wanted to do all that I could to hunt that unit.


By Tom Hooker


As all cancer fighters know, if the disease doesn’t kill you the cure just might. The chemo I received was called O5-FU and it lived up to its name. After receiving my treatments I was in pretty bad shape. It lasted for about a week and a half, which was just in time for the next dose so I never felt on my game. My saving grace is that I have a lot of great friends and family that were willing to help out. When the day came to enter the woods, I knew they would have my back. The day before the opener, I camped with a group of good friends. We had a great camp set up and although I was pretty high in spirits, I was not feeling well. The night was short and the sleep didn’t come easy but on opening morning I was ready to get going. I left camp with my friend Clint and we took a short walk in areas that had held elk in the past. We hiked around and called most of the day but didn’t see or hear anything. By that afternoon it was clear to me that my hunt was over. I was too weak and sick to keep it up for another day, much less two weeks. I called the Utah Division of Wildlife and explained my situation with cancer and they were gracious enough to take my hunt back and allow me to keep my bonus points. Later that year, I was able to take my two daughters, Baylee and Kali, on a cow elk hunt that they had drawn but I was so beat up and sick that I could only walk maybe 100 yards or so. I had come to the realization that my hunting year was over but I had a renewed spirit and desire to beat this disease and to hunt harder the next year.

Fast forward one year, and with lots of healing prayers of faith that were sent my way, I am still alive to hunt another season. I had beaten cancer but the luck of drawing that same tag eluded me. Another good friend of mine, Dan Derrick, said we should try our luck and go hunt archery elk in Colorado. Well he didn’t have to ask me twice. I was all

in for the adventure and to not only prove to myself that I was back, but to celebrate life. We had planned on staying 5-6 days and just hunting until we couldn’t stand it any longer. The night we pulled into camp, we quickly set everything up and took off on our mountain bikes for the last hour of light to see if we could locate anything. We had traveled maybe a mile and I knew my strength wasn’t back yet. It takes a while to get the effects of chemo out of your body. Dan was able to locate four bulls and several cows, and although I didn’t see them it was great to know they were in the area. That night we talked about the morning strategy and planned on heading back to where he saw the bulls.

Morning came quickly and we headed out. We were only 40 yards from camp when we decided to let out a locating bugle to see if anything was close. To our surprise we had three different bulls fire back at us. About 500 yards away, two rag horn five-points stepped out of the timber and kept bugling to us. I was trying to make a plan on how to approach them without spooking them off but Dan said we should be aggressive and go straight at them. The plan worked flawlessly. Within ten minutes we were 50 yards from the bulls. As we cow called to the two closer rag horn bulls, the third bull, and I assume the herd bull, stayed in the trees and kept bugling. Not wanting to look a gift bull in the mouth, we decided to try and take one or two of the rag horn bulls. The bull that was closer to me went to my right and dropped below me and caught my wind. He was gone, taking the other rag horn with him. We stayed put and continued to cow call. While I was calling, Dan put together his Montana cow decoy and it seemed to work. One of the bulls came back. It was closer to Dan than it was to me but he said, “This is your shot”. The bull stood broad side to Dan but head on to me so I had no clear way of taking a good killing shot. We played him for several minutes and I could tell he was getting nervous. Just then, he turned and started to move away from us. I stopped him with a cow call and he gave me a slightly quartering away shot. Without any prompt, Dan said, “70 yards”. My 70 yard pin found its mark and I loosed the arrow. For the first year ever I decided to use expandable blades and a lighted nock.

The arrow flew fast and straight out of my Hoyt carbon matrix, and the red nock looked like a laser ripping through the early morning air. This allowed me to follow it all the way to impact. The sound of the arrow as it whacked the bull’s side and the quick



direction change of the bull let me know the deal was done. I looked at Dan in disbelief. As we stood there looking at each other we heard a loud crash. I wondered what it was and then it dawned on me. It was probably the bull going down. Not wanting to spook the bull, and to be sure we didn’t lose him, we decided not to walk toward the sound but rather to follow the blood trail. After covering about 75 yards we found the bull piled up next to a pine tree. He was a beautiful, big body 5x5 and the first that I have ever taken with my bow. I have guided several friends on hunting trips and have bugled in many bulls for others to claim for their own, but this was my own. From the time we heard the first bugle to the time we laid hands on him was maybe 30 minutes. We have hunted together for years and have had thousands of experiences but nothing like this has ever came so quick and easy. This was a Godsend.

As we stood over the bull we hugged and high fived but it seemed so surreal. As I began breaking down the bull, Dan said, “I’ll head back to camp and grab the pack frame”. By the time he got back I was about halfway done so he began to pack out the meat. This is not the first time he has helped me pack out my game. By the time I was done he had packed out all but two loads of meat. We had the bull broken down and to the butcher by noon. Later that night we went back to that same spot and called in another rag horn 5x5. I think it was the one that had winded us earlier that morning. Dan moved into position but the light was failing fast. As it sometimes happens, we

ran out of daylight before he could take a shot. We hunted a few more days but the bugling had stopped and I

think Dan noticed my health was wavering, so he made the call to fish a day and then head home. It’s hunts like this, with friends and family, that make up the memories and trophies that keep me craving more. Thanks to those early years spent in the woods following my dad, I learned to appreciate the joy of the hunt by the experiences that I lived, and not to judge the hunt by the size of the trophy on the ground.


Hunting Bears and Cats in Southern Utah

i have been running hounds in Southern Utah for most of my adult life. Every year I buy an over the counter Cougar tag in hopes that we tree a giant tom on an open unit. Unfortunately, bear tags are a little harder to come by. After years of putting in for the bear draw, it was finally my turn! I had drawn the Premium Panguitch Lake Zion tag,

which meant that I got to hunt in both the spring and fall hunts. The spring didn’t go great for me. I treed a few sows and ran some mean

boars that put the whoopin’ on my hounds! I wasn’t too worried because I figured it would be easier in the fall. Wrong! The bears seemed to have packed up and left all of the areas that we had hunted in the spring and summer. Well, all of the bears except for one big boar.

This giant bear had been getting a little too close for comfort to some cabins during the deer hunt and the landowners wanted him gone. I put several good runs on the bear but I couldn’t shut him down. With only five days left in the bear hunt and two days left in the cougar season, I was about to give up. It was then that the snow began to fly. If I was going to get him, I needed to act quickly. I went up the mountain looking for any sign that the big ol’ chocolate bear was still out feeding. There was no sign of him. The snow had fallen all night long, making the animal footprints harder to distinguish. We came across some tracks that we thought for sure were too big to be a mountain lion so we dumped the dogs and the chase was on!


I will never forget the

satisfaction I had that day.

With only a couple of days

left in the hunt, I was able

to punch both my tags with

amazing animals. I decided

to taxidermy the bear and

the lion together because

they were old buddies from

up on the hill!

‘‘

‘‘


HUNTING


After a long uphill hike, we peeked out and could hear the dogs treeing. As I approached the tree, the wind was let out of my sails when I saw the long, yellow tail hanging out of the tree. A lion. I started taking some pictures of the lion and realized that this wasn’t just any Cougar. This was a Boone and Crockett record book mountain lion! I checked my tag, and decided to punch it on this giant tom! I let him have it and he fell out of the tree and off a big cliff.

About an hour later we found the big cat. It was bitter sweet as we dragged the lion to the truck. Yes, I had just killed a trophy tom, but the reality was sinking in that I was about to eat tag soup on my long awaited bear tag. We loaded the dogs and realized we were short a couple (not uncommon). We looked for a while but couldn’t find them and it was getting late so we decided to come back in the morning. The next morning while looking for the lost dogs, we found the big bear track a few hundred yards up the road from where we dumped out on the lion the night before. Luckily we had brought the dogs again. We dumped the box and I started hiking with the dogs, as they were not shipping out on the two-day-old bear track very fast. About 500 yards into the hike, my buddy started screaming on the radio, “There he is! Shoot him!” I wasn’t able to


see him through the trees, but the dogs sure caught wind of him. Away they went! After hiking straight up hill into the same bluffs that we killed the lion in, I could hear the dogs baying the bear. I gave it all I had to get there, but I could only see a big brown bunch of fur running down the other side of the mountain. My buddy had driven the truck around and started screaming on the radio again. I got another burst of energy and ran down the mountain, only to find that the bear was already to the top of the other side. I scrambled my way toward the top and my energy was spent. It took me about an hour to climb the mountain. When I reached the top and looked into the bottom of the next canyon, I could see the dogs and the bear fighting. I pulled up to aim but my scope was fogged over. With shaking hands, I rubbed it good enough that I could make out the bear and bang! Bear down!

I will never forget the satisfaction I had that day. With only a couple of days left in the hunt, I was able to punch both my tags with amazing animals. I decided to taxidermy the bear and the lion together because they were old buddies from up on the hill!

If you are interested in hunting bear or cougar email me at [email protected].


Over The Counter

VelvetT

wo weeks before general archery season we were at our favorite spot overlooking a big draw. I was scanning the area on the face of the mountain that was a few thousand yards away. Tony, my brother, was glassing down into the gully when he said he spotted two elk. We pulled out the

spotting scopes and there they were. They were both bulls and pretty decent ones for a general Utah unit. One had just stripped his velvet and the other was a 6x7, still in solid velvet.

We were just getting busy at work building fifteen new town homes so it made it tough to get out and keep track of those two beauties. We didn’t even get back out until the night before the opener but we worked hard at it and located them once again. We were back at our favorite lookout when we found them and put them to bed that night. We were sure someone would bump them in the dark so we decided to stay close to the RZR so that we could find them first thing in the morning.

Opening morning found Tony, Clay, Greg and myself on the mountain. We all had tags and wanted to find our own animals so we decided to split up. Tony and I stayed in the side-by-side, glassing from below. We spotted them right at daybreak.It was the same two bulls we had been tracking.They were on the move with someone bumping them just like we had predicted. After a few hundred yards,

By Tim Lyle


the bulls held up and bedded down in some mahoganies. A group of hunters started up after them. We decided to let them be the ones to jump these elk out of their beds and we knew it would be near impossible to stalk and fling an arrow in the thick trees. We stayed on the glass and watched as the other hunters attempted to sneak in. They ended up bumping both bulls. The bigger 6x7 stayed high and ran back where they had come from earlier. We jumped in the RZR and made it back around the face just in time to see him slip into some trees and lay down. We set up there to watch until we were ready to make a stalk that night. I ran back into town and got our friend Shaun, and a few sandwiches while others stayed on point.

A few hours later, it was time to set up Clay and Shaun as our spotters. The rest of us started the steep hike up the mountain to get into position a few hundred yards away from the bull. We wanted to be ready for him when he finally stood up. Tony took his watch at the west flank, just above the bull. Greg and I went to the east of him. Greg stayed low and I went a little higher. We all sat, waiting in the boiling sun for this big guy to make a move.

At about a half an hour before dark, our spotters said he had stood up and was working his way towards me. I took off my boots and pack and got the Bowtech ready. I could see the brush moving but still could not see horns. I snuck up the little swell I was in so that once he stepped out, I would have about a 30 yard shot at him. I worked my way up, got on my knees, and waited for an opening to shoot. I was nervous that it was too dark to shoot, but then he stepped out in a perfect opening with just enough light to have a clear view. I picked a spot and let the Ramcat fly. It was a little far back but a complete pass through and he took off. I knocked another arrow and let out a bark, to which he stopped and turned. I guessed about 60 yards and I let another one fly. I heard a smack and knew it was a hit. As we made our way closer to him we instantly found blood and my first arrow, but we backed out just to be safe. We made the long hike back to the RZR and headed home. The next morning we got right on him, and a short time later we had him. He was a 6x7, still in velvet, and thanks to my good friend Shaun and his connections I was able to keep

it that way. It’s awesome to have elk horns in the velvet. I couldn’t have done it without the group of guys that I hunt with. It was a team effort, but I was the lucky one to have flung the arrow.

Ten years ago we started a hunting business called Dominant Huntin’ Boys or DHB. We are passionate hunters that started making videos and selling merchandise. Check it out at our website, www.DominantHuntinBoys.com or contact the Avid Hunter magazine for more information.

HUNTING

HUNTING

Having grown up in Southern Utah, I have always had a passion for the outdoors, hunting and fishing in this beautiful state. So when I moved to Nevada a few years ago, I still put in for the Utah draws each year. I figured there was no point in putting in for the Nevada draw because Southern Utah was

my stomping grounds. However, after talking with all of my hunting buddies in Mesquite and seeing the bucks that they had killed just outside of town, I decided to give the Nevada tags a try. After a few years of unsuccessful draws, I finally drew a deer tag for the mountains around Mesquite. The locals had all described the hunt as simply going to Nays Ranch where the deer feed in the orchard and shooting one within minutes. This sounded easy enough! What I encountered was anything but easy.

Before the hunt started, I took my brother and son out to Nays Ranch to start scouting. As we came over the mountaintop, I couldn’t believe what I saw. An orchard? No! It was more like I had just pulled into Modena. I could only spot about 15 trees, three trailers, and more rusty, broken down cars than all the dealerships on the boulevard could handle. That’s not what I would call an orchard. On my first day of scouting the area, I only saw three deer. Needless to say I was a little deflated.

On opening day my brother Eric and I went to the backside of the ranch and hiked up a large canyon. We had seen a buck going up this way and we hiked for miles to find him. As we approached the end of the trail with no deer, we decided to regroup and wrap around to the front side of the mountain where my friend had shot his deer the year before. This area looked a lot more promising but still no deer. It was the first time in my hunting life that I had searched all day and had not gotten close to a single deer!

It was day two and I decided to start on the front side of the mountain. As we came around the corner of the main trail, it looked like the circus had rolled in. There were about 15 RZRs, a few rangers, and an assortment of kids and dogs. I had no choice but to walk right through all of it. As I got closer to the slew of people, I realized that I knew them! It was the Woods Family. They are a wonderful hunting family that has been hunting

FeverBy Dave Heath



these mountains for years. They were very knowledgeable of the area and full of helpful advice. I helped them fix their broken down RZR and then we hunted together most of the morning. It’s great to hunt locally and run into people you know that are willing to help. By the end of the day we had seen eight does but still no bucks.

By the third day I was ready to try a new spot. I ran out to the mountains north of town with my Dad. We hunted hard and again



saw no deer. I was beginning to wonder where the deer were hanging out. Having hunted Utah Hill and seeing deer in every canyon I ever walked in or glassed, I was pretty discouraged.

Day four came on a Sunday. While at church, my friend Chad and I got talking about hunting in the area and decided to leave Sunday school and head for the mountains. We hiked up a large peak and glassed until the sun was setting. We had seen nothing. As we descended the mountain, we saw two big bucks standing right in

front of our side-by-side. We couldn’t believe it! Unfortunately I was not fast enough to get a shot on the bigger buck and I decided to let the smaller one pass.

On day five my brother Eric and I headed out to the area that Chad had shown me. We came in from a different angle this time and spotted a buck first thing. This was my buck. We came up with a plan and started to head his direction. While on our way to find the big guy, I saw him out of the corner of my eye. We backed up a little and there he was. A really nice mature 3 Point tending to some does. We looked him over in shock. I had been hunting and scouting so much without seeing anything and I was not prepared. So as I slowly got ready to take the shot, my hands were shaking. I could not get steady. I had the worst buck fever I have ever experienced. The funny thing is this was going to be the biggest buck I had ever attempted

to shoot. Eric could see that I was trembling and he tried to calm me down. I finally steadied myself and began to move around to get a better angle on him. He was up a narrow canyon about 200 yards away. Eric whispered, “Shoot him in the neck!” It was the best shot I had so I let the 270 Winchester Short Mag go and the buck disappeared! I didn’t know what was going on because the does did not even flinch. Eric said, “You nailed him!” We hiked up to where we had shot the buck, still not believing that the does that were only about 20 yards away from us didn’t make a move.

Finally after days of seeing next to nothing I got my chance with the Nevada tag. I was so happy that I got my hands on a nice, mature, local buck and that the local people were able to help me find him. I can’t wait to draw this tag again!


By “Backlash Beau”

There’s

Just Something

About

LArgEmoutH


BASS

i have been thinking a lot lately about my obsession with Largemouth Bass. I grew up spending most of my time fishing for trout. I decided to retrace my steps and see if I could discover why out of all the game fish there are to pursue I still prefer largemouth bass to most other species. Maybe it

comes down to the fact that bass are higher on the food chain. A lot like myself, bass catch and eat the trout.

I grew up watching Orlando Wilson, Bill Dance, and Roland Martin’s fishing shows on TV and most of the time they were teaching techniques for catching Largemouth Bass. I would hold out for those once a year trips that we would take to Lake Powell and use what I had learned. I still remember the first Bass I caught; I was probably around 10 years old. It was on a farm pond in central Utah. It was awesome!

Although they spend part of the year in shallow waters, one great thing about Largemouth bass is they are structure-oriented fish meaning they like to be around bushes, trees, rocks, etc. There is something about being able to see the shade of a tree where you know there will be a bass and being able to actually cast to your target and hook a fish. The more you fish for them the more you develop a “bass sense” and as you cruise the lake you find spots that you get really excited about. Then the game begins. Do you run a crank bait through the brush or do you pitch a jig and let it fall at the base of a tree? It engages your mind. You are constantly trying to put a pattern together to catch more fish. Each fish you catch begins to be a piece of the puzzle until you get enough pieces that you can see what the fish want. What depth was that fish at? Was my retrieve too fast or slow? Did he hit on the fall or during the retrieve? All are pieces to the puzzle.

There was a day I spent on Condie Reservoir with one of my brothers up in Idaho. I have had some luck on this reservoir in the

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FISHING


past when I was in my float tube around the flooded brush and trees in the coves. This day was different. I couldn’t even buy a bite on this lake. It was a general rule for my brother not to bring food with us when we went fishing because he knew that unless I got hungry we could possibly spend the entire day on the water. I could tell he was getting pretty bored and was ready to go. Laying in the bottom of the boat working on his tan was a clear sign of his enthusiasm. So I told him I wanted to fish down a bank then we would work our way back to the ramp and call it a day. Unfortunately for him I hooked a Largemouth bass. It wasn’t a huge fish but for the size of the lake and as far north as we were fishing it was a decent size. It was about 2-1/2 lbs. To this day my brother claims that fish cost him four more hours on the lake but I couldn’t just admit defeat and leave without catching a few fish. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle. Once you start you want to keep going until you figure it out.

The summer I graduated high school my family went on a trip to Minnesota. I was pretty excited to go to the land of 10,000 lakes. I packed a stack of In-Fisherman magazines that I was going to



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study the whole way there. We ended up camping at a KOA on Cass Lake and rented a boat for the time we were there. We spent the first day looking for Bass. The water was shallow and you could see the bottom the whole way across. There weren’t any steep banks, cliffs, or big rocks that I was used to looking for in lakes back home. Needless to say we were pretty unsuccessful. We even enlisted the help of a local that was camping there. He showed us the ins and outs of the Lindy rig used for Walleye. Using his advice we caught a few perch, but ironically no Walleye. My dad did finally catch a Walleye while dragging a spider grub along the bottom of the lake. Later we went to the camp store and asked where we could catch some Largemouth bass. “Bass? Why would you want to catch bass when we have Walleye, Northern Pike, and Musky in this lake?” This guy proceeded to tell us that if we really wanted to catch a Bass, there was an island in the lake and there was a pond on this island. He told us about a path in the trees where you could drag your boat across and get in the pond on the island. This was our best bet. The next day we loaded up the boats and headed for the island. Once we got the boats over to the pond, we had a blast. We caught a lot of sunfish, Northern pike, and some fish that we did not even recognize. We ended up calling it a rock bass. I remember breaking out a Yamamoto


Hula grub and casting it up in the shade of a tree. I intently watched the line as it started to move down the bank. I swung the rod tip and set the hook. I fought it to the boat and low and behold it was a Largemouth Bass. We took it to the camp store and weighed it. It came in at about 3 lbs. I did it. Out of the land of 10,000 lakes, I was able to catch a Largemouth bass.

Although trout fishing is a great time, it’s not all about simply catching a ton of fish. For me trout fishing was always showing up at the lake and simply asking someone what the fish were biting. Too often we heard, “You should have been here yesterday. They would bite anything.” Don’t get me wrong there are trout anglers out there that put a lot of effort in to what they do and are great anglers. I did not have the passion to pursue trout as much as I did Largemouth bass. The fact that they weren’t as readily available made it that much sweeter to catch them. To almost literally hunt them is so exciting. Looking for a good location where you know they will most likely be, trying to figure out their patterns and their behaviors to increase the success of your day on the water, and the fact that they are aggressive predators makes for one awesome fish.

Get out and wet a line!


REVIEW


GeAR

Do outdoor performance supplements really do what they say they can do? I tried out the MTN OPS Yeti™ pre-workout formula and this is what I thought. If I am not at work, I am either at the gym or in the mountains enjoying the outdoors. With that being

said, I am always looking for something to give me a little extra boost in energy and alertness to help me reach my full potential.

I would like to point out that I am no expert with performance nutrition supplements, but I have tried my fair share over the past few years and know what I like and don’t like. The majority of the supplements I have tried either give me the jitters or, after just a couple of hours of use, my body I’m burned out the rest of the day.

While at the Hunting Expo in Salt Lake City this year, I noticed a booth called MTN OPS™. Until that moment I had never heard of them and had no idea what they did or what products they sold. I visited their booth and they explained that they sell outdoor performance supplements for the active hunter. This peaked my interest. They offered me a sample product to use and review. The product I tried was the MTN OPS Yeti™—Monster Pre-Workout Formula. They told me it strengthens your body with explosive sustained energy, increasing your levels of performance and endurance. Those of you who have tried pre-workout supplements know how much they can help you reach your fitness goals, so I was eager to give it a try over the next month.

The first workout I tried while using the Yeti™ supplement was the stairmaster. I usually don’t last more than 15 minutes on this machine, but this time I lasted just over 20 minutes and could not believe how easy it was to breathe. At the end of the 20 minutes I was sweating so much it was as if I had thrown a bucket of water over my head. After that I continued to go through my normal workout routine. By the end I felt great and still had plenty of energy. To me there is no better feeling than leaving the gym knowing you gave 100% and still have energy to spare. The Yeti™ surpassed all my expectations and helped me get more out of my workout. With this product I never felt jittery and I never felt that crash that often occurs after taking a pre-workout supplement.

MTN OPS™ has a wide variety of products that I am excited to try in the future. I would like to continue to support MTN OPS™ because they are a local Utah company and their products deliver the results they promise. In my experience, MTN OPS™ supplements truly do all that they say it can do.

By AVID Crew Member


Buck Open SeriesBy AVID Crew Member

REVIEW

Buck® has been a reputable American company since 1902. With their reasonable prices and great warranties, hunters like me have trusted their blades for years. Their newest line of knives, the Buck® Open Season Series has been designed to provide a blade for all of your field

needs. With claims to such versatility I had to throw one in my pack for this season to give it a try.

The first thing I look for in a knife is how easy it is going to be to clean. Some people may not think that’s the most important element, but I am never too ecstatic about the cleanup from an animal. If a knife has a lot of sharp edges in the handle, with different places for things to get caught and build up, this makes it hard to clean. I tend to not use a knife like that until the final step of meat cutting to save me from having a nasty blade in my pack.

The next thing I look for in a blade is how long the knife will hold an edge. When daylight’s fading and you’re trying to dress your game in the dark with nothing but flashlights, the last thing you want is to be stuck with a dull blade. I have had some people recommend razor knives as a good option since the blades can be quickly changed and the factory sharpened edge is literally razor sharp. I agree that these knives have their advantages but they should be used strictly

Above: Open Season Skinner.Far Left: Open Season Boning.Left: Open Season Bird.


GeAR


GeAR


for skinning. These interchangeable blades are extremely thin and with a relatively small amount of force, can be broken off leaving you knifeless with a booby trap waiting in your game. The 135 Packlite® Elite is the new lightweight option in the Open Season Series that will help you get your game dressed in the field with precision and accuracy. This perfect set includes a lightweight caper and boning knife. The slender blade of the boning knife is perfect for tasks such as deboning and skinning. The caper’s modified blade allows for precise, detailed work with ultimate control. The minimalist design makes the entire set lightweight and easy to carry but strong and reliable made with S30V steel and housed in a convenient compact sheath. These blades hold an edge and work wonders with game.

The Pro versions in the Buck® Open Season series are designed with S30V stainless steel blades and Rosewood Dymondwood handles, with a metal inlay. They come with a genuine leather black sheath. The Select versions are designed with 420HC stainless steel and black thermoplastic handles. Each knife in this series comes with a heavy-duty nylon sheath. All knives feature an ergonomically contoured handle with a large finger coil for a controlled, comfortable grip.

So what’s the best blade to carry? That’s up to the individual holding the knife. At the end of the day I like to be prepared for as many situations as possible. I carry a few different blades so that I don’t end up stranded in the dark without a way to dress and pack my game but the Buck® Open Season blades have a special place in my pack.



WHAT’S STOPPING YOU?

THAT’S RIGHT, NOT A THING.


mIL

L CAN

yoN

trAI

L #31

013


OuTDOORS

Have you ever wanted to look at Cedar City from the top of Pine Valley Mountain? Well, this hike would be your answer. This hike is not the easiest hike in the world, it will be a 4 mile hike up to the summit. The terrain is pretty steep, especially the last mile. The trail itself is pretty good, it just depends on how bad the runoff water has been. Most of the hike is through a very narrow canyon with heavy, dense brush on both sides of the trail. Once you peak the summit, it is all worth it. With clear skies you can see for miles in all directions. You can see over the Kolob Mountain and up to Cedar City. The hike is worth the effort once you reach the top. However, if for some reason you have to stop and turn back before the top, you might be disappointed.

GPS Coordinates 37.45465,-113.4565 for trail head start point.


Young

The Williams sisters from Southern Utah are among the top shooters in

the world. Jalise, age 12 and Justine, age 10 are practical pistol and 3-gun

shooters who compete at the state, national, and international level.


OUTDOORS

They are moving up the ranks in USPSA and have won and placed between 1st and 4th in many high level competitions in D Class and C Class Production. They recently participated in some major 3-gun competitions where they demonstrated that they could shoot with the

best. It isn’t just the impressive shooting that makes them successful but also their spirit, skills, and accomplishments.


YoungGuns


Jalise and Justine have grown up in St. George, Utah where they have excelled in school, are accomplished piano players, and earned their black belts in Karate. While growing up, they also learned to hunt and shoot rifles and shotguns. Their father has been taking them hunting since before they could walk. He had to tote the diaper bag alongside

his hunting gear. While most kids first learn to shoot a .22, the girls’ first gun was a .357 rifle. They then progressed to an AR-15 and 20-gauge shotgun.

When Jalise was 10 and Justine was 9, their mother took them to “Ladies Night” at the Southern Utah Practical Shooting Range, where they had the opportunity to shoot .22 pistols. They immediately loved pistol shooting and wanted 9mm handguns. However, their father was against it and like most parents, did not believe young children should be shooting 9mm pistols. After only a month of training at the range, the girls were ready to show their father how competent they were with a pistol. They took their dad to the “Tuesday Night Steel” in hopes of changing his mind. Their dad was convinced that he would put an end to the pistol nonsense once and for all. However, after watching the girls shoot, he not only approved but he now shoots competitions with them.

After only nine months of competition, the sisters wanted to shoot a 3-gun match called “Hard as Hell”. This is not your average 3-gun match, but rather one that tests your physical and psychological strength as an athlete. Their parents would not let the girls sign up because it was such a grueling

competition. Ken Nelson, the match director, contacted the parents directly and asked why Jalise and Justine were not signed up for the match. Ken convinced the parents that the girls were ready and they agreed to allow them to compete. They were still certain the girls would be unable to keep up with the full-grown competitors, especially the military personnel. After the first day, seeing many grown men drop out of the competition, they were sure the girls would be unable to continue. However, the sisters continued to demonstrate their enthusiasm and commitment. At the end of three days, these young guns not only completed the competition that many adults had dropped out of but they also beat many of the remaining competitors.

More recently, the girls competed in a USPSA tournament in Jamaica. After the competition, the Jamaican team was so impressed with the girls’ shooting and demeanor that they sponsored the sisters, paying for the whole family to travel to and attend the Jamaica Invitational Pistol Tournament. The girls once again rose to the challenge and Justine won 1st place Junior and High Lady in Production. Jalise went head to head with the top shooter in the world in a shoot off. She impressed everyone by not only keeping up with him, but by almost defeating him on the last run.

Jalise and Justine are now sponsored shooters that frequently shoot USPSA and 3-Gun matches nationally and internationally. They shoot for the Berry’s Manufacturing Team and are sponsored with XCR-L Robinson Armament Rifles. PK Real Estate Utah, Dillon Precision, Tac-Tec-Cal Holsters, House of Hearing, TPC, MGM Targets, and Weapon Shield also sponsor them.

Although they are young and small, these two girls have demonstrated that kids, with the proper training, can be safe and responsible with firearms. Overall, this sport belongs to adults with whom the girls mainly compete. There are few juniors that compete and most are in their upper teens. Unlike these other young competitors, Jalise and Justine are already professional shooters. So the question is, where will they be at age 15? As the sky does not even seem to be the limit for the Williams sisters, you’ll want to keep an eye on these two as they continue to bust every myth and stereotype about young women.

If you are interested in following these two young ladies adventures, you can find them on Facebook or YouTube by searching Jalise & Justine Williams.


Spot The

HuNtErS(Locations shown on page 44)



OUTDOORS

List of camouflage being used

Expect a full camo review in our next issue!!!

Kings Mountain Shadow

Predator Spring Green

Kryptek Highlander



OUTDOOR

FAMILYSouthern Utah is a wonderful place to live, work and relax. There are three hundred families that are moving in every month to enjoy what our area has to offer. Raising a family here has been the best decision my husband and I have ever made.

Growing up I lived in Provo where my family loved to camp, fish, and be in the outdoors. Later when I had my own family we would vacation here as frequently as possible. Finally (it took years), I convinced my husband to make the move to St. George, and to be honest I needed the SUN!

People relocate to our area for various reasons. Might be because of the excellent quality of life, the many breathtaking scenic areas, the temperate climate, the healthy lifestyles, the variety of beautiful golf courses, our outstanding school systems, or the growing business opportunities.

This past winter, my husband and I took our 2 granddaughters skiing, and that was so enjoyable. We had taught all of our children around the age of 4 years old to ski, so taking our granddaughters Brylee and Alexi was such a great experience, and they both loved it.

By the time winter is winding down, I am ready for spring (like everyone else) and wanting warm weather. Usually that entails getting excited for the boating season. We love water sports, and last summer we spent six days on the Colorado River. We had a lot of fun and enjoyed being together. In the summer we are so busy with camping, boating, softball, fishing, or biking that it flies by way too fast, and before you know it the hunting season is here. I have always been considered a hunting widow. My husband has always had a passion for hunting, and has taught our two sons and daughters to be the same way. I’m the only one in our family that doesn’t hunt. I do love to camp and go with them. Everyone in the family puts in for the draws, and depending on who and what tags they get, that determines our fall season.

My family loves to do it all, and this area has given my kids the opportunities to pursue their individual passions. We have grown together because of the activities that we like to do as a family, and just to name a few: camping, hunting, boating, fishing, golfing, biking, off roading (jeeping at the Sand Dunes), horseback riding, skiing and sports.

Southern Utah is absolutely one of the best places to live; every morning brings a new adventure, and I truly can’t imagine living anywhere else.

By Barbara Walker

OuTDOORS

Can Keeping Yourself Fit and Healthy Make You a Better Hunter?



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There are so many people out there that love to hunt but won’t step foot off of their vehicle, unless they see something worth chasing. My philosophy is: to

really see something, you have to get off the beaten trail and work. Keeping your body in good physical shape can make the difference between a fulfilling and successful hunt, or a dust covered drive on some dirt roads. Having a fit body will undoubtedly help you in covering a larger area that is not accessible by vehicle and will in turn help you see more animals.

Equipment is a huge factor in the successfulness of your hunts, but it can still only go so far. Using your body as a tool is how to get things done. The demanding physical requirements of packing an animal up or down a hill can be bone crushing. It doesn’t matter if you own the best rifle money can buy. If you cannot get into gear and get over the next hill, you may have zero chances of seeing anything at all. Practicing with your equipment will help you become more efficient but it still has its limitations. If you want to be successful hunting year after

year, then it will take more than an ATV or a 4-wheel drive truck to get you where you need to go. Now, you will hear a story every year where someone you know gets lucky. You know, where the giant buck runs right in front of them as they’re driving down the road. There is a difference between getting lucky and being successful year after year and your physical efforts are what make all the difference.

Not all of us have enough money to go pay for a guided hunt; where we walk around with someone on a ranch until they tell us to shoot a monster. We have to do it ourselves. Working hard for an animal makes the hunt that much sweeter. Have you ever worked your tail off at something and still had no success? Everyone has had this happen one time or another. Hunting is no different. You can go all day and see little to nothing out in the field, but when the stars align and everything comes together there are few feelings that compare. Hunting is demanding on so many levels, and staying in good physical shape can do nothing but help your odds in pursuing big game, especially if you are a backcountry hunter.

Here are 3 tips that will help you stay fit in the off-season:

1. Hunt small game. By hunting even the smaller animals, you still get outside and have to move your body around. Take advantage of the situation and build your endurance.

2. Practice shooting. Shooting helps you stay focused and motivated. If you are driven with a goal in mind, this will help you improve your shooting skills and hopefully help you to exercise more.

3. Eat what you kill. Almost all of the species in the wild are very healthy for you and equally delicious if prepared properly.

Everyone’s body has its bounds, and therefore is limited to what it can do when out on a hunt. If you are in shape, your body will let you cover more ground, go to more extreme areas, and become your most vital piece of equipment that no amount of money can buy. Being in great physical shape will help improve every aspect of chasing big game.

PRePAReDneSS

Water Purification:

Your Family Still Matters

By Glen Webb


Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast, a prepper or love foreign travel, you need a portable

system that makes water safe to drink. No matter how pristine the setting, never assume a particular water source to be safe. The EPA reports that 90% of the world’s fresh water supply is contaminated

by microorganisms that pose a serious health risk. These microorganisms generally come from human and animal waste that are spread by rain and run off. They are so

small they are measured in “microns”. There are 25,400 microns to an inch. A human hair is approximately 100 microns in width. There are 3 types of microorganisms you need to protect

against. Protozoan cysts such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium are 1 micron+ in size. They are present in most water sources. They have a protective shell that resists most chemical treatments but

their relatively large size makes them easy to filter out with a good quality water microfilter. Bacteria such as E. Coli and Salmonella are .2 micron+ in size. Bacteria is a common threat in untreated water but can be removed by a quality water microfilter or destroyed with chemical treatment. Viruses such as Hepatitis A and Norwalk Virus are .018 micron+ in size. Viruses are typically too small to be removed with a water microfilter. The good news is they are the least common microorganism in natural, outdoor water sources and can be destroyed with chemical treatment.

Quality water microfilters make water safe to drink, are dependable, remove sand and organic material from the water and improve water taste. They’re available in many styles including lightweight hand-pumps, gravity flow systems and filter straws. It’s hard to beat the portability and ease of use of a straw style microfilter.

The LifeStraw personal water filter by Vestergaard is the best straw style microfilter we’ve tested. You use it just like a straw - place one end in untreated water and draw clean, safe water out the other. Even small children can easily draw water through it. The LifeStraw personal water filter is rated for a minimum of 264 gallons and removes up to 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria, 99.99% of waterborne protozoan

cysts and suspended particles down to 0.2 microns. It’s only 8 5/8” long, 1 1/8” wide and weights 1.6 ounces. The LifeStraw personal water filter retails for approximately $20.

Other styles of water microfilters range in price from approximately $60 to $300 and will filter 200 to 13,000 gallons.

With a price point starting around $20 and weights as low as 1.6 ounces, make sure you have a quality water microfilter for your next adventure.

It will allow you to have safe, convenient and inexpensive drinking water on your adventure - and it may even

save your life!


PREPAREDNESS

LocalTrophies


A

B

C

D E

A Brandon Walker

B Eric Heath

C Jace Wittwer

D Jermey Bastian

E Emilee Andrus

A Brandon Walker

B Eric Heath

C Jace Wittwer

D Jermey Bastian

E Emilee Andrus


F

G

H

IJ

F Casey Stilson

G Dave Heath

H Justin Walker

I Clint Morwood

J Maviny Schmid

F Casey Stilson

G Dave Heath

H Justin Walker

I Clint Morwood

J Maviny Schmid

Utah’s Trial Hunting Program

Have you ever wanted to bring your spouse, child or friend along on a hunt and give them a chance to try hunting? Starting last fall, it is now easier to have them join you on your next trip. Utah’s new Trial Hunting Program went into effect in the fall of 2014 and is open to both

residents and nonresidents. This program allows anyone over the age of 12 to try hunting for a few years—while accompanied by a licensed hunter over the age of 21—before taking a Hunter Education course.

Signing up for the programSign up for this program began on Aug. 7,

2014. To get started, the trial hunter must: • Be at least 11 years old to apply for a

permit and at least 12 years old to hunt.• Complete a brief Orientation Course and

Exam. (After completing the exam, the trial hunter will receive a trial hunting authorization number.)

The authorization number is valid for three years, but the trial hunter can choose to take Hunter Education at any time during that three-year period. Before hunting, the trial hunter must:

• Purchase a Utah hunting or combination license. (Our systems will recognize that

you are participating in the trial hunting program.)• Obtain any permit that is required to hunt a specific species.

Remember, that trial hunters may only apply for certain types of permits.

Eligible licenses and permitsAfter you obtain a trial hunting authorization number, you may

apply for and obtain the following licenses and permits:• Combination or hunting licenses (good for hunting all small

game, including upland game and waterfowl)• General-season deer and elk permits• Permits to hunt bear, cougar, sage-grouse, sandhill crane, sharp-

tailed grouse, swan and turkeyParticipants in the trial hunting program may not apply for

or obtain the following types of big game permits: limited-entry, premium limited-entry, once-in-a-lifetime, CWMU, dedicated hunter, sportsman or convention. Responsibilities of the supervising hunter

The hunter who will supervise the trial hunter in the field must:• Be 21 years old or older.• Provide direct, continual supervision and instruction on safety,

ethics and hunting regulations.• Possess a valid Utah hunting or combination license.• Supervise no more than two trial hunters at one time.• Obtain and carry written permission from the parent or

guardian of any trial hunters who are minors.The Division has monitored the progress and success of trial/

apprentice hunting programs in 35 other states, and these programs have exceptional participation and safety records. This program will simplify the process of allowing people to hunt for the first time with those they love and respect.

For more information check out: http://wildlife.utah.gov/trial-hunting-program.html.



Friday, June 5Spring limited-entry black bear hunts end

Saturday, June 6Summer limited-entry black bear hunts begin

Monday, June 15Prairie dog hunt closure begins

Thursday, June 18Antlerless application period ends

Thursday, July 2Summer limited-entry black bear hunts end

Thursday, July 9Antlerless drawing results available

Tuesday, July 14General-season bull elk permits availableRemaining limited-entry big game permits available

Thursday, July 16Remaining general-season buck deer permits available (any legal weapon, archery and muzzleloader)Youth archery deer permits available

Tuesday, July 21Remaining antlerless permits available

Monday, August 10Fall limited-entry black bear hunts begin

Saturday, August 15CWMU archery buck deer and bull elk season beginsextended archery elk (either sex) in the Wasatch Front extended area season beginsGeneral archery any bull elk season beginsGeneral archery buck deer season beginsGeneral archery spike elk season beginsLimited-entry buck deer archery hunts beginLimited-entry bull elk archery hunts beginLimited-entry pronghorn archery hunts beginPremium limited-entry buck deer archery hunts begin

Tuesday, September 1CWMU any legal weapon (rifle) buck deer and bull elk season beginsCWMU buck pronghorn season beginsCWMU bull moose season beginsCWMU muzzleloader buck deer season beginsCWMU muzzleloader bull elk season begins

Friday, September 4General archery spike elk season ends

Saturday, September 5Once-in-a-lifetime mountain goat hunts begin

Friday, September 11General archery any bull elk season endsGeneral archery buck deer season endsLimited-entry bull elk archery hunts endLimited-entry pronghorn archery hunts endPremium limited-entry buck deer archery hunts end

Saturday, September 12Extended archery deer (either sex) in the Ogden, Uintah Basin, Wasatch Front and West Cache extended areas season beginsExtended archery elk (either sex) in the Uintah Basin extended area season beginsLimited-entry bull elk any legal weapon (rifle) hunts beginLimited-entry pronghorn any legal weapon (rifle) hunts beginOnce-in-a-lifetime bull moose hunts beginOnce-in-a-lifetime desert bighorn sheep hunts beginYouth general (rifle) any bull elk season begins

Tuesday, September 15Once-in-a-lifetime Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hunts begin

Sunday, September 20Limited-entry pronghorn any legal weapon (rifle) hunts end

– U T a H 2 0 1 5 –

CaLENDaR OF EVENTS

Monday, September 21Limited-entry bull elk muzzleloader hunts beginYouth general (rifle) any bull elk season ends

Wednesday, September 23General muzzleloader deer hunt beginsLimited-entry buck deer muzzleloader hunts beginLimited-entry pronghorn muzzleloader hunts beginPremium limited-entry buck deer muzzleloader hunts begin

Thursday, October 1General muzzleloader deer hunt endsLimited-entry pronghorn muzzleloader hunts endPremium limited-entry buck deer muzzleloader hunts end

Saturday, October 3General any legal weapon (rifle) spike and any bull elk season beginsLimited-entry buck deer any legal weapon (rifle) hunts begin

Thursday, October 15General any legal weapon (rifle) spike and any bull elk season endsOnce-in-a-lifetime bull moose hunts end

Saturday, October 17General any legal weapon (rifle) deer hunt beginsPremium limited-entry buck deer any legal weapon (rifle) hunts begin

Sunday, October 25General any legal weapon (rifle) deer hunt endsPremium limited-entry buck deer any legal weapon (rifle) hunts end

Monday, October 26Henry Mtns. management buck deer (any legal weapon) hunt begins

Wednesday, October 28Sportsman permit application period beginsGeneral muzzleloader elk season beginsPaunsaugunt management buck deer (any legal weapon) hunt begins

Friday, October 30Harvest-objective black bear hunts endHenry Mtns. management buck deer (any legal weapon) hunt ends

Saturday, October 31CWMU any legal weapon (rifle) buck deer and bull elk season endsCWMU archery buck deer and bull elk season endsCWMU buck pronghorn season endsCWMU bull moose season endsCWMU muzzleloader buck deer season endsOnce-in-a-lifetime bison hunts begin

Sunday, November 1Paunsaugunt management buck deer (any legal weapon) hunt ends

Thursday, November 5CWMU muzzleloader bull elk season endsGeneral muzzleloader elk season endsLimited-entry bull elk muzzleloader hunts end

Friday, November 13Limited-entry buck deer archery hunts end

Wednesday, November 18Sportsman permit application period ends

Thursday, November 19Fall limited-entry black bear hunts endSpot-and-stalk limited-entry black bear hunts end

Sunday, November 22Limited-entry buck deer any legal weapon (rifle) hunts end

Saturday, November 28Youth late-season (rifle) any bull elk season begins

Monday, November 30Extended archery deer (either sex) in the Ogden, Uintah Basin, Wasatch Front and West Cache extended areas season endsOnce-in-a-lifetime mountain goat hunts end

Thursday, December 3Limited-entry buck deer muzzleloader hunts end

Sunday, December 6Once-in-a-lifetime Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hunts end

Tuesday, December 15Extended archery elk (either sex) in the Uintah Basin extended area season endsExtended archery elk (either sex) in the Wasatch Front extended area season ends

Friday, December 25Once-in-a-lifetime desert bighorn sheep hunts end

www.wildlife.utah.gov


B U S i N E S S

DIrECtoryBIOLIFE671 N Dixie DrSt George, UT(435) 656-0055

BT Pearson tires204 N Bluff St, St George, UT 84770(435) 628-0431

Desert Rat468 W St George Blvd, St George, UT 84770(435) 628-7277

Dixie Gun & Fish1094 E Tabernacle St, St George, UT 84770(435) 674-4008

Kustom Containers3730 S 1700 E, St George, UT 84790(435) 680-4509

McNeil Engineering315 Hilton Dr # 3, St George, UT 84770(435) 673-5127

PK Real Estate21 N Main St, St George, UT 84770(435) 251-8092

Sneekez646 South Main St. #303Cedar City UT 84720-3466

St George Auto Gallery1081 E 700 SSt. George, UT 84790435-628-4242

Stilson Bros Construction2309 So Southgate Hills DrSt George UT, 84770435-229-2102

Summit Athletic Club1. 1532 1450 S St

St George, UT (435) 628-5000

2. Suite B1 446 S Mall Dr, St George, UT (435) 251-8800

3. 1973 W Sunset Blvd St George, UT (435) 628-2151

SureCrete1173 S 250 W Ste 209. St. George, UT 84770435-674-2309

Temperature Wise390 Red Cliffs Dr, St George, UT 84790(435) 705-9592

Town & Country Bank405 E St George Blvd, St George, UT 84770(435) 673-1150

Weigh Safe855-492-6444

Your Family Still Matters175 W 900 S, St George, UT 84770(435) 628-7042

Premier RV Brokers2705 S 60 E, St George, UT 84790(435) 673-5388


BIOLIFE671 N Dixie DrSt George, UT(435) 656-0055

BT Pearson tires204 N Bluff St, St George, UT 84770(435) 628-0431

Desert Rat468 W St George Blvd, St George, UT 84770(435) 628-7277

Dixie Gun & Fish1094 E Tabernacle St, St George, UT 84770(435) 674-4008

Kustom Containers3730 S 1700 E, St George, UT 84790(435) 680-4509

McNeil Engineering315 Hilton Dr # 3, St George, UT 84770(435) 673-5127

PK Real Estate21 N Main St, St George, UT 84770(435) 251-8092

Sneekez646 South Main St. #303Cedar City UT 84720-3466

St George Auto Gallery1081 E 700 SSt. George, UT 84790435-628-4242

Stilson Bros Construction2309 So Southgate Hills DrSt George UT, 84770435-229-2102

Summit Athletic Club1. 1532 1450 S St

St George, UT (435) 628-5000

2. Suite B1 446 S Mall Dr, St George, UT (435) 251-8800

3. 1973 W Sunset Blvd St George, UT (435) 628-2151

SureCrete1173 S 250 W Ste 209. St. George, UT 84770435-674-2309

Temperature Wise390 Red Cliffs Dr, St George, UT 84790(435) 705-9592

Town & Country Bank405 E St George Blvd, St George, UT 84770(435) 673-1150

Weigh Safe855-492-6444

Your Family Still Matters175 W 900 S, St George, UT 84770(435) 628-7042

Premier RV Brokers2705 S 60 E, St George, UT 84790(435) 673-5388

avid hunting & outdoors – southern utah edition – june 2015

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