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Show I The Gunnison Valley Gazette Page 8 The Scouting News! Zachary Watson and Caden Burrell from troop 564 of the Gunnison 2nd Ward, each received their Life Scout Award at the Gunnison Stake Court of Honor held at Mayfield Park. Zachary is the son of Chad and Julie Watson. Caden is the son of Jesse and Lisa Burrell. The Scouting Hews is Sponsored by Rasmussen Ace Hardware ACE Paints Sporting Goods Whirpool Appliances 528-7513 435 South Main • Gunnison The helpful place. HEAP WEEK the This week's Heap of the Week goes to Jaden Fredrickson. Jaden drives a 1999 blue, extended cab, Chevy S10. It's the greatest truck in the whole wide world!" Is Sponsored by: Hill's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. 2 calljtd Hill bryant 528-3988 150 East 100 North - Gunnison Warmth to your friends und loved ones^ Send them a to the Gunnison ^Valley Gazette! I I Send Gift Subscription to: Name . • Address I City , - I From: (A card announcing your gift will be sent to recipient) L State Zip I Name | I | One year In Sanpete County Subscription $25 I Two Years In Sanpete County Subscription $45 I One Year Out of Sanpete County Subscription $30 Two Years Out of Sanpete County Subscription $55 1 Send to: Gunnison Valley Gazette D PO Box 143 Gunnison UT, 84634 Or call: 435-528-5178 Or email: gazette@gtelco.net Thursday, September 28, 2006 Head to the backcountrythat's where the elk are Plenty of bull elk are scattered across Utah, but the animals can be tough to find once the general rifle hunt starts. There's good news for hunters, though ~ the animals haven't vanished, they're just hiding in the backcountry. Utah's 2006 general rifle bull elk hunt kicks off Oct. 7. "Theweather has been excellent for elk over the past three years, and most of the herds in Utah are doing great," says Craig McLaughlin, big game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. "Currently, there's more than 60,000 elk in Utah, so we're closing in on our goal of 68,400 elk. If these wet winters and springs continue, elk numbers should continue to climb." McLaughlin says some of the areas in Utah that have the greatest number of elk include the Central Mountains (Manti) and Wasatch Mountains units in central Utah; the South Slope, Yellowstone unit in northeastern Utah; and the Plateau, Fish Lake/Thousand Lakes unit in southcentral Utah. There's also plenty of elk on the Morgan, South Rich unit in northern Utah, but this unit consists almost entirely of private land and written permission must be obtained from landowners before hunting on it. Most of Utah's elk hunting takes place on spikeonly units, where hunters may take only spike bulls. Plenty of spike bulls are available, but the animals scare the spike bulls as much as the hunters do," McLaughlin says. "Unless you get into the backcountry areas where these spikes are hiding, you're probably not going to see many. If you do get into the backcountry, though, you'll probably be among the 18 percent who take a spike bull this year." The most important reminder McLaughlin has is for hunters using offhighway vehicles. "If you'll be using an off-highway vehicle, it's critical that you obtain an OHV riding map for the area you'll be hunting," he said. "These maps are available from the agency - usually the U.S. Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management that manages the before the hunt, he says elk land you'll be hunting. will be at higher elevations "We're receiving more and will be scattered when and more complaints that the season opens October 7. OHVs are being taken into To find the animals, hunt- areas where it isn't legal to ers need to get out of their use them," he said. 'Takvehicles and into the back- ing OHVs into these areas country areas where the elk damages the habitat elk deare. pend on, disturbs and scat"Elk are smart, wary and ters the animals and ruins sensitive to hunting pres- the hunting experience for sure," McLaughlin says. "As other hunters." soon as the shooting starts McLaughlin also enon opening day, they head courages hunters to do some into the backcountry areas preseason scouting and to and into the thickest cover check the boundary descripthey can find. Ifyouwantto tions for the areas they'll be be successful, you've got to hunting. Boundary descriphead into the backcountry tions are found in the 2006 and find them." Utah Big Game ProclamaThe general season rifle tion. The proclamation is hunt also occurs during the available at the DWR Web rut (breeding period) when site (www.wildlife.utah.gov) mature bulls are gathering and from hunting license groups of cow elk. These agents and DWR offices. large bulls will chase off any For more information, spike bull they see, an^l that call the nearest Division of forces the smaller spikes Wildlife Resources office or into the cover. the DWR's Salt Lake City "I think the larger bulls office at (801) 538-4700. can be tough to find. "The success rate on these units averages about 18 percent/ McLaughlin says. "That's not a high success rate, but fortunately hunters can do several things to up their chances." McLaughlin says the key is to get off the roads and into the backcountry. Unless it gets cold and snowy |
