# Central Mtns, Manti/San Rafael



## mpjeffnorton (May 9, 2017)

Its my first time hunting this unit. I was wondering about any tips/tricks/advice one might have for this unit. We are going to be doing sunrise and sunset hunting but any areas better then others? Good chance for a harvest? 


Thank you in advance!!


----------



## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

It'll depend on what you are hunting. 

Deer will be all over the place and the elk will be in the canyons.

Orange pumpkins will be all over the place on both the deer and elk hunts.


----------



## Brookie (Oct 26, 2008)

Most of the Deer have Gone Nocturnel. The weather has them changing their patterns too.


----------



## NVDuckin (Apr 18, 2016)

Critter said:


> It'll depend on what you are hunting.
> 
> Deer will be all over the place and the elk will be in the canyons.
> 
> Orange pumpkins will be all over the place on both the deer and elk hunts.


What's the limit on pumpkins?


----------



## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

The only one you can get is the 'Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown'.


----------



## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

No doubt, 
Early snow moving the deer off the Skyline early this year.


----------



## brendo (Sep 10, 2013)

goofy elk said:


> No doubt,
> Early snow moving the deer off the Skyline early this year.


We found some deer up high today not a lot but only had one day to look. But, south skyline is downright scary to drive in a truck right now.


----------



## guner (Sep 25, 2007)

Well we found em here there and every where. My son drew Muzzle loader Deer and a cow tag, couldn?t make it down until Thursday night (after sons football game) Friday morning we were on the mountain in our spot by 6:00am, had a single 5 point Elk (300 class) walk by within 100 yards, waited but no cows. We walked about a mile through scrub and saw 2 bucks walking on hillside (ranged at 213 yards) my son aimed and from the trees behind first two came 3 more bucks, all 5 were good 4 points, last on was probably 35 + inches, but I don?t think any were under 30?, my son almost Had an accident right there! He shot and third Deer hunched and kicked back legs and we waited about 20min, went over and no Deer, searched for an hour, no blood and no Deer. This mornin 7:30 a big 6 point bull (340ish) about 20?cows, my son dropped a cow at 40 yards. Optima v2/Powerbuilt 245g/100gr of 777 pellets. And this is official the most I?ve had to say on this site since back when Fish and Game ran it.


----------



## OPENCOUNTRY (Jan 25, 2009)

brendo said:


> We found some deer up high today not a lot but only had one day to look. But, south skyline is downright scary to drive in a truck right now.


Because of snow? How far south? I'm going to be around Fairview on north Skyline. Do you know what I should expect?


----------



## guner (Sep 25, 2007)

A few little skiffs of Snow in some shaded spots, nothing to speak of, I guess it rained/snowed a couple days ago, so some very muddy area?s but drying fast. Last night 7:00 pm or so, up by Gooseberry it was 30 something. Was cold and overcast this morning, a few sprinkles but was fairly cleared out by 9:00 am. There were several camps, already set up on top, a bunch of Trucks and trailers headed up Fairview Canyon last night and early this morning. So I think you will see a lot of people, a lot of those Da*n Razors zipping around. I think with the increase in people, the Deer/Elk are going to move more to nocturnal.


----------



## brendo (Sep 10, 2013)

OPENCOUNTRY said:


> Because of snow? How far south? I'm going to be around Fairview on north Skyline. Do you know what I should expect?


North skyline will be fine. South skyline on the native road section is a mess. The road is all tore up. super deep slick mud that always trying to send you off the edge. Hands down were the worst driving conditions ive been in and I owned three jeeps that got used. I only saw a handful of side by sides and atv's and 2 other vehicles up there all day. If you head up there just be prepared with tow ropes and either chains or mud tires.


----------



## guner (Sep 25, 2007)

Sorry late addition to Manti, anyone headed up watch out for sheep, there were still alot on top, and they were just starting to herd some down to corrals/trucks.


----------



## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

The south Skyline top road is beyond nasty!

Brendo is right, 

We went across the top between Plesant creek and Sping city 3 week ago and it was terrible. 
No WAY I'd try it now.
It was snowing ON the mud up there at noon.

DO NOT TRY TO TAKE A TRICK ACCROSS IT RIGHT NOW. or the next few days.


----------



## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

I'm kind of in the same boat as the original poster. Drew my first Deer tag this year, and it will be my first muzzy hunt to boot. So I'm on a new hunt, with a new muzzy, in a new area, and I desperately want some meat in the freezer.



I've been scouting for bucks since June, and i've only seen 3 bucks, and always when I least expected it (crossing a road). Aside from that I've seen about 4 does, 2 porcupines, 1 black bear, 3 herds of elk (one was 50+ by count), and several large herds of sheep, which i've grown to dislike immensely.


This coal hallow fire isn't doing anyone or anything any favors either. I was scouting in that general vicinity but have since pushed south not too far from the electric lake area. I figure a lot of other hunters will do the same, or turn in their tags outright. Because of the fire I'm considering it, but I haven't given up yet because the unit is huge.


When does the snow usually come? What can I expect? Any pointers on general locale's to go to? Heck any nugget of advice or wisdom would be appreciated. So far I haven't seen much in the way of Deer, but I've seen a whole slewful of Elk. Of course that's how it works. When I look for turkey, I find deer. When I look for Deer, I find Elk; and when I look for Elk i find nothing. Maybe I should have stuck with Elk and not given deer a try, of course then I'd never see any elk.


----------



## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

When does the muzzleloader hunt take place? This year I'd expect it to be hot and dry all the way through October.

This is of course subject to change because here in Utah the weather is bi-polar. The last few years I have seen more elk than ever before, whether that's due to the greatly reduced tag numbers or not I do not know. Deer seem to be fairly steady and in our specific hunting area the buck to doe ratios are a bit low..but that's just mt observation, your mileage may vary.


----------



## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Lone_Hunter said:


> I've been scouting for bucks since June, and i've only seen 3 bucks, and always when I least expected it (crossing a road). Aside from that I've seen about 4 does, 2 porcupines, 1 black bear, 3 herds of elk (one was 50+ by count), and several large herds of sheep, which i've grown to dislike immensely.


What time of the day have you been out looking? As hot as it has been you have to get out before the sun comes out to find them while it is cool. Then go again about a hour before sunset. Other than that they will be lying down in the shade.

They might even be doing the same thing during the muzzle loader hunt, it is all going to depend on the temperatures.


----------



## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Well,
I saw 45 different bucks over a two day period ....
Pretty impressive on the Manti this year I'd say.


----------



## RemingtonCountry (Feb 17, 2016)

I have seen just about that many in the last 3 days where i've been on the Manti, it's gonna be a good hunt this year!


----------



## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

KineKilla said:


> When does the muzzleloader hunt take place? This year I'd expect it to be hot and dry all the way through October.


Sept 26 thru Oct 4



Critter said:


> What time of the day have you been out looking? As hot as it has been you have to get out before the sun comes out to find them while it is cool. Then go again about a hour before sunset. Other than that they will be lying down in the shade.
> 
> They might even be doing the same thing during the muzzle loader hunt, it is all going to depend on the temperatures.


Last weekend, I left the house at 3AM if that tells you anything. Been glassing likely watering holes in the morning. After that I spend my time up on a ridge glassing north facing slopes. Everywhere in between, I've been looking for scrapes, scat, and tracks. Most of what I find is scat, and usually fairly old.



goofy elk said:


> Well,
> I saw 45 different bucks over a two day period ....
> Pretty impressive on the Manti this year I'd say.


Tease! :lol:


----------



## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Watching water holes isn't going to get you very much with deer, also deer haven't even began to scrape off the velvet. All the scrapes that I saw this last weekend were from elk


----------



## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

A buddy and I had this as our "loophole" hunt a few years ago and had a good time. The area/unit is huge and the fires aren't going to help with pressure distribution, but here is what I can tell you in the area I know. 

1. Where the sheep are, the deer will not be. I don't know if it the Great Pyrenees dogs that accompany the herds, the sheep, or the herders, but the sheep areas were almost completely devoid of deer during the muzzy hunt. Conversely, ungrazed areas had large numbers of deer. From what you told us, this may be a factor in your lack of success so far. This also will change between now and then, so don't discard certain areas because you aren't seeing them now. 

2. You will see lots of does. The bucks were not anywhere to be seen in many of these locations. We did find some bucks though. 

3. Where the deer were around Labor day was not where they were found during the hunt. 

4. The fishing was pretty good too. ;-)


----------



## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

That unit sucks. Avoid it.


----------



## RemingtonCountry (Feb 17, 2016)

RandomElk16 said:


> That unit sucks. Avoid it.


I second that.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I was in that unit last weekend. 

Saw a couple deer but all were at dusk. Nothing during the day. 

Lots of cattle and sheep on the mountain right now.


----------



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Catherder said:


> 3. Where the deer were around Labor day was not where they were found during the hunt.


This!

I have this problem every year. I know where they are when it's warm. But just before the hunt, they move to locations unknown to me.


----------



## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

Here are a couple that I've been watching and they stepped out again last night where I thought they would. Now hopefully no one will bump them and I can surprise them tonight.









Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

JuddCT....well? Were you able to get one of them?

I didn't draw any tags this year but would be glad to live vicariously through you. I did manage to get within 30 yards of a cow elk this weekend on the opener but she was moving pretty good, getting her calf out of harm's (mine) way and didn't allow for a shot. 

This bowhunting stuff is difficult.


----------



## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

KineKilla said:


> JuddCT....well? Were you able to get one of them?
> 
> I didn't draw any tags this year but would be glad to live vicariously through you. I did manage to get within 30 yards of a cow elk this weekend on the opener but she was moving pretty good, getting her calf out of harm's (mine) way and didn't allow for a shot.
> 
> This bowhunting stuff is difficult.


No dice. I hiked a long way (basically around the back side of the Mtn to make sure I kept the wind in place. These bucks typically feed out at about 8:15 pm and then go back to their beds before shooting light. I made it to the spot at 6:30 pm where I would have a max 40 yard shot. I waited earnestly and I checked my watch and it said 8:00 pmZ. Suddenly I heard a branch break in the trees behind me and I spun around to see two hunters working their way down to where I was sitting. I moved a little bit to show them I was there and they saw me and quietly moved off. From my location the bucks would come out below and to my left. I looked at my watch again and it said 8:14 and I heard another twig below and to my left. I sat astonished as the two hunters were coming out in the exact trail where the bucks feed out from. Too bad. From where they were the wind was blowing directly down the trail to the deer.

I sat my bow down and called them over to chat. I asked them if they saw me earlier and they said yes. They said they thought they gave me enough room. Oh well. In all we had a good chat and left as friends. I don't think those bucks will be back as I have yet to see them again. But I won't stop looking. I'm having too much fun.

Here are some smaller bucks I was able to glass as well but didn't want to go after.































Here is a cool 2 pt I'm still looking for.

















Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

Bax* said:


> I was in that unit last weekend.
> 
> Saw a couple deer but all were at dusk. Nothing during the day.
> 
> *Lots of cattle and sheep on the mountain right now*.


I think that "lots of sheep" in the mountains right now, is an understatement. They are *everywhere*, no exaggeration. Even in areas where you'd think nobody would be. This last weekend I hiked several miles on a no ATV access trail into the mountains, then went a few more miles off that trail, and I still found sheep, or where sheep have been. Stumbled right into a sheep herders camp by accident too. (Kinda hard to miss all the brightly colored trash laying about).

If they can't bring their sheep trailers in, they'll have a canvas tent up somewhere. They're everywhere, its like an infestation. The question I have is, when do they leave?!?!


----------

