Quick Tips
- Scout the unit, find different areas
- Have a detailed map that shows road access
- Hunt as many days as possible
- Visit Newspaper Rock north of Monticello, Canyonlands National Park & Natural Bridges National Monument
On The Ground
The unit consists of Elk Ridge and the Abajo Mountains, as well as hundreds of square miles of desert and canyonlands east of Lake Powell and the Colorado River. This accessible unit has a variety of different users on the mountain during the bear hunt.
The bear’s diet in the spring generally consists of grass, and forbs. They will be relatively close to water sources like springs or creeks. They move the most during the early morning hours and in the evening, and will continue to increase their amount of movement as the hunt progresses. Expect bears to be covering ground and looking for opportunistic meals as their diet will start to switch from grasses to more substantial carbohydrates like acorns, pine nuts, and berries. June is the peak month for the black bears’ mating season.
Terrain
East of Monticello and Blanding, this mostly public unit consists of high mountains, huge expanses of desert, foothills, canyonlands, mesas, and valley floors. Some valleys have sections of irrigated farmland. The highest point in the unit is the Abajo Peak at 11,360 feet above sea level.
Vegetation
Desert plants such as yucca, prickly pear cactus, sagebrush, and wild grasses grow on valley floors. Pinyon pines and juniper trees cover much of the land at elevations from 6,000 to about 7,500 feet, where sagebrush and oak brush grow. Large conifer forests and aspen groves grow at high elevations.
Access
Dirt roads offer great public access in this unit. Hunters can get away from roads in many areas by walking or riding in on horses. Hunting is not allowed in Canyonlands National Park, which takes up much of the northern half of the unit. Elk Ridge Road crosses South and North Elk Ridge which offers access to the high country. North Creek Lane, Johnson Creek Road, and Causeway Road climb the Abajo Mountains. ATVs and four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended. Vehicles are not allowed in Wilderness or Wilderness Study Areas including: Dark Canyon, Butler Wash, Fish Creek Canyon, Grand Gulch, Road Canyon, Bridger Jack Mesa, and Indian Creek. Hunting is not allowed in Natural Bridges National Monument, Canyonlands National Park, and Ute Mountain Indian Reservation.
Camping and Lodging
Motels and RV parks can be found in Monticello and Blanding. Prime hunting sites are a long ways from those towns, so most hunters camp along dirt or gravel roads with travel trailers or tents.
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