# Oquirh-Stansbury Question



## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

I have a general question for anyone familiar with the Oquirh portion of this unit. I'll be hunting it during the ML deer hunt. I've been coming up from Middle Canyon and looking around the Butterfield Peaks, but there appears to be some decent looking habitat around Kelsey and Lowe Peaks. I believe I would have to access those from the Tooele side because it's a haul from Butterfield Peaks. Can anyone tell me what the best canyons to access these two peaks would be? Soldier, Ophir, etc.? Just looking to save alittle boot leather if possible...I'll be hiking enough up there anyway.

Feel free to PM me. Thanks in advance!


----------



## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

I have hunted those areas before and there is no easy access. West Canyon - PRIVATE, Settlement Canyon- Private, Soldier Canyon - Private, Ophir Canyon- mostly private, so your best bet is to come in from Middle (white pine area) and that's private too but not posted. It takes about 4 hours to hike in from White Pine to Kelsey and another hour to Lowe Peak. I don't think it's worth it for the quality that's there.


----------



## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Thanks Ridgetop, I appreciate the info. Wasn't aware that all those canyons were basically private. Knew about Settlement Canyon, but wasn't aware of the others. Thanks again.


----------



## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

ridgetop is right. Most of those areas are private. The signs get torn down as soon as they are put up. There are a few here and there and some have been grown over and are barely visible.


----------



## BigT (Mar 11, 2011)

I've never hunted this area but live in Erda and go ATV'n in some area's out in Tooele County. Something that concerns me about this area is not only the private ground, but also the push they get.

The Oquirrhs and Stansbury Mountains were the worst in Utah as reported by the DWR last year with buck to doe ratios. The average around the state was somewhere around 15 per 100 does. I think the Oquirrhs and Stansbury's were 5 per 100 does. 

If you drive up Smelter Road in Tooele and get up a ways you will find some open property. You have to hike in. There is some private a little lower on the road but its well marked. Another option would be to go south of Stockton. There is a pretty good dirt road that takes you all over the Oquirrhs. You can get into there pretty well, see some animals and at least some pretty country. There is some areas you can hike into on the Stansburys. I drove up South Willow Canyon the other day. Thats a beautiful area. If your willing to hike, you'll get into some high country and likely away from a number of hunters. 

If you go to the DWR website, you can click on boundry maps and pull up a lot of private ground and CWMU boundries through Google Earth. I use this non stop. Topo maps offered at the DWR store also show private property, forrest land, and school trust land. Would be good to have one of those if possible.

All in all, theres a lot of push on the Oquirrhs even on the archery so good luck with it.


----------

