Help: Boulder/Kaiparowits or Thousand Lakes??

Well, I can finally put in for tags again which is awesome! Can't wait to finally hunt this year instead of just building points!! The problem now, this is my first season dealing with the whole micro-managed deal, and I'm struggling to decide between these 2 units! I don't know what to ask without just saying where's my best chance at any ol' 4-point buck, but pretty much that's what I'm asking, haha. Being as I haven't hunted Utah deer in 5 years, are either of these units a definite worse/better choice than the other these days, or should I just pick one because theirs probably just as good a chance as the other at finding a 3-4 yr. old deer? I was going back and forth on rifle or muzzy, but think I've decided on rifle, and since it's my first year hunting again I've already ensured that I'll be able to hunt every day of the season if I want to, just need to figure out where.

If I go for the Bldr/Kaprwts tag, my plan is to hunt Parker Mounain the first 3ish days, then backpack Boulder Mtn. for 4 days, then finish the season off at Parker Mtn. if I'm not seeing anything.

If I go for the Thousand Lakes tag I'll just find 3 different areas I want to focus on on Thousand Lakes Mtn. and hunt each area for 3 days.

Any input from some of you experts? PM's acceptable ;) Time is running out for me!
5,526
hound_hunter
Side note: Those "plans" for either tag are just what I would do based off of areas I know (meaning I don't know any other areas on either of those units other than what I described) - so I'm up for changing my plans if some generous sportsmen have suggestions based on personal experience ;)

I appreciate any input. I'll let you know what I decide on doing once the draw is over, and I'll let you know how it goes once my buck is down!
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I think I'd put in for the Boulders, but that's just me. I know of a few people that have seen some nice bucks on the Thousand Lakes unit, it used to be LE if I remember right. You probably can't go too wrong with either.
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In my opinion the boulder unit holds just as good a quality of deer as thousand lake does its just harder to find them. Besides boulder will be easier to draw.
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ridgetop
Unless your are a lifetime license holder or have several PPs, you can forget about the thousand lake unit this year. I heard that someone with 6 points never drew that tag last year.
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hound_hunter
Dang, so is thousand lakes that much better? You guys are talking about it like "Boulder has just as good of quality as thousand lakes, just harder to find them" and thousand lakes used to be LE, and it taking 6 to draw, etc... I have enough points to draw either for sure...is it that much easier to find bigger deer there?
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hound_hunter
Or maybe a better question, instead of asking if it's so much better, is Thousand Lakes that good of a unit? Aside from comparing it to Boulder. Would you hunt there expecting to take at least a 4 year old deer? Thanks for the input so far guys, it's all just different opinions, but I appreciate it considering I don't have much of my own opinion yet.

It's been mentioned that boulder has potential for deer to grow up some, but it can be hard to locate them. How hard are we talking? Is that because you have to get way back in there to find them, or are they not so deep, but more it's just so thick that it's hard to spot, or something else?

Comparing terrain between Boulder & Thousand Lakes: Are they pretty similar or is one notably more difficult to hunt than another?
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ridgetop
I don't know either unit very well. So I can't help much.
I do know that when the thousand lake unit was a LE, it had only about 30 something tags. Then it jumped to 400 last year when it went general. I think all but 20 or so tags were taken up by either lifetime hunters or the ded. hunters. Dedicated hunter got there choice of any unit last year. I would just go with the one you know best or want to get to know better. It takes 3 or 4 years to really figure out an area.
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Both units are pretty thick but boulder has lots of scrub brush. I have seen people hunt the boulder side of the road and get some big bucks that have crossed off of the thousand lake unit. Down through bicknell to teasedale up in the foot hills holds some big deer but they are smart. They know how to use the terrain to really blend in.
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hound_hunter
Thanks for the opinions everyone, I decided to go with the Boulder Muzzleloader tag, and can't wait! I'll keep you all posted with scouting/fishing reports throughout the summer, and a good report once I down my buck this fall ;)
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