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Show Prospects For Elk Hunt Good For '91 Season In 1990, Utah's 33,719 general season bull elk hunters harvested 5,514 elk with a rifle. Antlerless permits holders killed an additional addition-al 3,573 elk. Primitive weapons accounted ac-counted for another 419. The prediction pred-iction for this year is at least as good. "Calf production has been good and elk haven't been as affected affec-ted by the drought as deer," says Jim Karpowitz regional game manager. man-ager. "We expect good elk hunting region-wide." Some of the state's best elk hunting is found in southeastern south-eastern Utah which is home to roughly one-fourth of the state's elk population. Here's a run-down on 1990 hunting statistics and forecast for 1991: General season hunters took 1,238 yearling bulls from the Manti in 1990 for 16 percent hunter success. "We've been trying to stabilize the herd with cow permits, so we expect the same yearling harvest as last year," reports re-ports Derris Jones, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources game biologist. biolo-gist. "Calf production was good last year, so we expect lots of yearling year-ling bulls this year." Jones indicates indi-cates that more branch-antlered bulls are showing up, and reminds hunters of the "yearling bull only" regulation in force. Hunters are advised to scout deep canyons with water. Elk will move into deep, dark timber with heavy hunting pressure. Hunter success on the Avinta-quin, Avinta-quin, Anthro Mountain and Mini-Maud Mini-Maud units ranged between 84 and 88 percent last year. Range Creek was up to 90 percent. These are limited entry units in 1991, open to special permit holders only. Excellent Ex-cellent hunting is expected again this year. The two limited entry Book-cliffs Book-cliffs units, east of the Green River, produced 87 and 88 percent hunter success rates last year. Hunting will be just as good for 1991 permit holders. Hunters are advised to hunt the higher elevation eleva-tion aspen pockets for best results. The Moab unit harvested 192 bulls in 1990 for a 20 percent rate of success. Hunting is expected to be a little better in 1991. Bulls will be found in aspenoakbrush transitional zones early in the hunt and in pinionjuniper types later on. Hunters on the limited entry San Juan unit will find some nice mature bulls and good hunting. Each of last year's permittees took home a bull. Things look just as good this year. Weather permitting, this year's elk hunters should find hunting in southeastern Utah at least as good and possible better than last year. |