# Fillmore Pahvant Archery Elk



## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

I wanted to pick your brains again.

I have a enough points to draw a Fillmore/Pahvant Archery Elk Tag. I have never hunted the area and was wondering how accessible it is to hunt. For those that have hunted there in the past, is the area typically hunted pretty hard for spikes and cows during the general archery season with a fair amount of people?

Is the area large enough to get away from crowds? Is the area pretty accessible for those that do not have horses and/or mules? We have mules and want to use them to our advantage.

After researching the areas it appears that the trophy quality is top notch. I have been putting in for the premium tag/units for years but I am really considering just getting the Archery LE since archery would be my preferred method and focus in any case.

Any comments regarding this area or other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Access is not a problem at all,,,ATV trails everywere.

Can be a busy place with archery deer/ spike elk hunters..
BUT the spike elk ends there Sept 7th,,,giving you a full week to hunt went its
the best for the archery dates....Most of the deer hunters would be gone as well..

You would see the LE rifle camps start showing up toward the end of archery,,But
you see that everywere.....A top quality elk hunt, you'll see good bulls..


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

thanks for the input Goofy


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## gooseblaster (Sep 2, 2009)

Don't know much about the area for elk but it is some cool country. I did my first archery deer hunt there last year. We didn't see any elk but like goofy said there are plenty of atv trails so getting around shouldn't be a problem. We talked to a guy who runs cattle up there and he was saying the elk like to hang out in the southern end of the unit. Take it for what its worth. Good luck!


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## twinkielk15 (Jan 17, 2011)

Such a gorgeous unit! I grew up in Delta and I've chased elk around there for years. Had several nice bulls coming in to the call around White Pine.


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

I hunted deer in that area from 2001 to 2008. Just about all my hunting was between Willow Creek north to Robbins Valley. From my experience, most of the elk like to hang out in the deep, dark canyons, but with mules that shouldn't be a problem for you getting one out. They can sometimes be found up near the top, but I think that would be the exception more than the norm.

That place was always a convention on the opener, but mellowed out after that. I really loved hunting it over Labor Day because the animals had calmed down by then and hunting pressure was marginal at that point. It was almost like the opener all over again...minus the pressure.

If you have good optics, use them well. There's alot of open country and good lookouts - use them to your advantage to find the elk and then go in after them. I hate that they moved the archery hunt up so early. Seems unfair to give the archers only about a week of the rut (less if the weather doesn't cooperate). Prior to the start of the rut, look for water and scout it.


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## woody622 (Jan 18, 2012)

How many points do you have for elk?


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

woody622 said:


> How many points do you have for elk?


that's a good question...

Just looked it up, it would take 12 points to be in the running for the
bonus draw........Pahavnt archery is a tough tag to draw..


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## BugleB (Sep 24, 2008)

I have archery hunted deer there for almost 50 years, starting before there there were any elk on the mountain. The elk herd has mushroomed the last couple of decades, but I can tell you this, it is a pretty hard archery hunt for elk. The elk stay far away from the roads down in the steep deep and dark canyons. The deeper you go the more elk you see and the less deer you see. If you spook the elk, they sometimes run for miles and don't come back for a long time. The first year they had a cow hunt there, there were 50 hunters and only 3 cows killed opening weekend, all by hunters very familiar with the area. The rest were driving all over the top wondering where all the elk were. After the season was over, the success was so low the DWR added a couple of months to the season to try to get some elk harvested, and that was a rifle hunt. With that said, I haven't hunted elk there during the rut. It might be possible to bugle one in during the rut if you get far enough off the road (straight down usually), or if you have enough patience, and find the right spot, you might get one from a tree stand one over a good water hole. Don't plan on an easy hunt or you will be disappointed.


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

I have 14 points. So the points should not be an issue. The real issue for me now is actually putting in for this hunt or holding out for a couple of more years for a premium tag on this unit or another unit altogether.


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## woody622 (Jan 18, 2012)

with 14 points i definitely wouldnt put in for the archery hunt. If you had 12 or maybe even 13.. i would say yes. There are plenty of premium tags that you could draw this year and even better in the next year or so... IMO 14 points is close enough for a early rifle in a really good area.. good luck with your decision though.


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

yea I am pretty certain that I am going to hold out. Especially given the fact that I have been putting in for some good hunts in neighboring states as well.

That said if I had it to do all over again I would have put in for some good Archery hunts earlier in my point accrual process. Waiting this long for a tag has been painful to say the least. The last tag I drew of any sort was a Vernon buck tag years back and the area and hunt was so bad that the Vernon unit was shut down the next year.


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## HJB (May 22, 2008)

The Pahvant archery hunt is top notch. I love that place. I hunted it in 2010 and too a nice bull in the high 360s. I had three bulls all in the same area that scored over the 365 mark and one that went 380. There are always some awesome bulls on that unit and the country is amazing. 

As for pressure, the weekends you may see a few people, but if you are used to the pressure of Monte in Northern Utah this place is deserted. Most weekends I go down, I see maybe 5 or 6 other trucks on several miles of road. During the week you may not see a single other truck or person down there. 

The Northern end is full of bulls, so not sure where the "They hang out on the southern end" statement came from. The fact is, there are bulls all over the unit. Even the sage flats at the lower elevations hold bulls. 

It's a amazing unit and well worth the 14 points for archery in my opinion. I can't get enough of that place. I helped out several guys last year on the archery hunt and they all had awesome hunts. If you want some more detailed info feel free to shoot me a PM and we can exchange emails. I have a ton of pics and video from that place.

Matt


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## gooseblaster (Sep 2, 2009)

HJB said:


> The Northern end is full of bulls, so not sure where the "They hang out on the southern end" statement came from. The fact is, there are bulls all over the unit.





gooseblaster said:


> We talked to a guy who runs cattle up there and he was saying the elk like to hang out in the southern end of the unit. Take it for what its worth. Good luck!


Thats whats the cowboy said :roll:


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## Sir Archery (Oct 15, 2012)

I know I am 8 months late on this conversation but agree with most of the comments. I drew the Archery tag for the Pahvant this year (2012) and it is tough country. I usually hunt the Manti La Sal mountains for deer and that area although much bigger is a cake walk for the most part compared to the pahvant. The Bulls are allover the Pahvant - North, South, & Central but as someone stated, they are all straight down, hard to get to and very hard to stalk. I don't think it matters which canyon or section you hunt, either way it is all straight down and lots of tough hiking. Bugle response for me was there but somewhat inconsistant. Cow chirping was not very effective. I hit a big 6x7 figured about 360-370 bull from 60 yards on the 6th day, hit him good right behind the shoulders, he dropped when I hit him - jumped up ran dropped, ran dropped, ran - I followed his crash and burn trail straight down further down into the depths of hell for nearly 3 miles until it dissapeared and with all the rain any blood was immediately washed away. Never found him; finally on the last night of the archery hunt I got a nice 350 bull from 65 yards, it took my dad and I until 3am just to get his head to the nearest road. Had to go get the meat the next morning. Funnest hunt of my life! (also hardest hunt of my life). I know of at least two others out of the 18 archery tags given for the Pahvant that got one and I know of at least two others that didn't get one. I am curious of how many of the 18 were filled.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Welcome to the forum and congrats on the bull Sir Archery! Now you need to start your own thread and share some pics, sounds like an adventure!


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