Bucks & Bulls has hunted the Goshute since 1988, but under five-year leases - much too short a time to warrant long-term management efforts and major investments on the part of the outfitter. Bucks and Bulls is known for its success in trophy game management on other properties, especially in Utah, where they work with landowners under Utah's Cooperative Wildlife Management Program. As I reported previously, this outfitter produces outstanding trophies for not one, not two, but three big game species: antelope, mule deer and elk. It's rare enough that an outfitter excels in even one of these big game animals, let alone three. Now, with a new long-term lease on one of their prime elk properties, I predict that their elk hunting will be even better!
One of the exciting things about Bonnett's new agreement with the reservation is that he also acquired the right to auction two trophy elk permits. These permits are in addition to the eight yearly hunts already sold through 2005 at the regular price of $17,500. These two auction hunts are special for two reasons. For one thing, the permits will be sold on e-Bay. Second, and most importantly, these hunts will be scheduled so that the auction winners can hunt earlier than other hunters on the reservation.
Why is this important? Well, it allows a rare opportunity, especially on a free-range hunt, to kill a bull in velvet. One of the problems throughout the West is that most bull elk are rubbed out by the........(continued)
