# Kamas Unit 7 - First Timer



## AndrewW

This is my first year archery hunting in Utah and I drew Kamas Unit 7. Grew up hunting in TX & MS, so a very different style than out here. The last two weekends I hiked in 3-5 miles from the 150 and then hunted the ridge lines. I've come across a half dozen or so 2x2 & 3x3, but have not found "the one" to let loose on yet. Would be interested to connect with others who hunt this area and exchange information/tips. I have been hunting solo on both these trips, and looking to head back out Sept 6th - Sept 8th if anyone is interested in joining up.


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## jayo

You can't ask for help until you get 10 posts or build some bridges with the highfalutin crowd. I would help but I don't know anything about the Kamas unit. Over at the gutpile.net there are a couple guys that hunted it this year and seen some bucks.


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## martymcfly73

Sorry I know nothing as well. Here he is boys. Flame away like you all did with solocam. We'll show these newbs they can't come in here asking for help. Unless of course he's in a clique. Good luck, I hope you get a warmer welcome than the last guy who asked for help.


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## AndrewW

Thank you gentlemen for the positive and affectionate welcome to the board - seriously, neither of you cursed me out for asking if anyone wanted to exchange information or compare scouting notes. Thanks.


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## outdoorser

I was a new member just 6...or 7 months ago (I forget). I had TONS of help from people on here even then before I had a post to my name and knew only maybe one person on here (a low# posting guy himself) anyway, Welcome to the forum AndrewW!! Oh and this is my first year ARCHERY hunting utah as well but I'm hunting Box Elder unit 1. Anyways, hope you find somebody to go hunting with! and good luck!
p.s I'd take the 3x3, heck even a 2x2--being your first archery in utah.


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## AndrewW

Thanks outdoorser. My coworkers all said I should have taken the shots too. Come next weekend I will, just didn't want to end the season so quickly!


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## outdoorser

AndrewW said:


> just didn't want to end the season so quickly!


I hear you man. On opening day I passed up on a small 2x2 thinking to myself "oh c'mon, its a long time till dove season if I end the hunt this soon." Then for the next few days I couldn't find a buck for the life of me. But then I had the oportuinity to take a bigger 2x2 at 40 yards--I missed. Then the same thing happened with a WIDE 2x3. Anyway, I hope I can fill my tag soon, and again, best of luck to you. And Post up some pics as soon as you get one on the ground!!


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## Elkaholic2

AndrewW,

The kamas is a hard unit to hunt. There are bucks but finding a mature buck is more of like finding an old Spanish gold cash! 10 out of 10 bucks will be under 3.5 years old. At least that's what it seems like. Keep doing what you are doing and if you put in enough time. You may cross paths with a older buck. Remember that there is a reason this unit goes undersubscribed. If I were you, I'd old out for a big one. Then Hunt the wasatch front in the extended season. You'll have more deer to hunt and about the same amount of competition. And to you get to hunt mulies during the rut!!! Good luck


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## dkhntrdstn

it a really tough unite to hunt with not many deer on it. in a week of hunting we seen about 30 deer and only four bucks we could hunt. the rest of the deer was on privet land.


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## Kerr

*Kamas Unit-7 = all Does*

I am impressed that any one has seen any bucks at all in this area. I drew out for this area this year, it was my third choice on the list. I have done a couple of pre-season scouting trips, and have now been up on two different trips since opening day. This last Saturday I saw 23 deer. The only bucks were the ones on private property as I was driving to the public areas. I have been just below bald mountain in between several of the lakes and not seen one buck. On opening weekend I hunted around the Norway flat area. I saw no bucks. My son said he saw one two point in that area, but it was 70 plus yards away and he did not get a shot. Most recently I went up by mud flat and shingle mill area around by the ledge fork campground by the Smith and Morehouse Resevior. I did not see a buck. The public land on this unit seems to be very densely forested, and the places that are easily accessible to most people seemed to be highly frequented, not just by hunters, but by everyone else as well. I have hiked miles and up to this point I am slightly frustrated with this season and this area. It is beautiful country though. I have hiked into several areas that seemed to me to be the perfect habitat only to see one or two deer that were the wrong gender. I don't know if this information helps anyone, but I would sure appreciate any advice if there is any out there. At this point I am not going to be very picky about the size of the deer I harvest as I have yet to see a buck in an area that I would actually be able to legally hunt (not private property) in the Kamas Unit. I am going back up the 6th, 7th, and 8th I am honestly confused about where to best focus my time. Any input would be appreciated.


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## Elkaholic2

The kamas unit is really hard to hunt with any weapon. Especially for mature bucks. For inmature bucks you can manage to come up with a few here and there. This unit Is heavily timbered and over hunted. And all elevations hold deer. This is NOT an easy hunt and there are reasons you can pick up the tag so easy. So, just enjoy the scenery and the time in the woods and I would look into the extended if want deer meat! But you guys are hunting good areas. There's just not a lot of bucks!


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## delement87

I've been hunting unit 7 area for about 10 years. after figuring it out, i wouldnt hunt any other non-cwmu unit. just sayin


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## bow_dude

Guess you guys don't know where to look. I had no trouble finding bucks. Only saw 1 doe. If I knew how to post a picture I'd make you drool with the pictures i got from my trail cam of mature 4 pt bucks. Keep looking, they are there.


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## clean pass through

I archery hunted the Kamas unit this year. 

Opening Saturday- Saw 1 doe and about 20 hunters actually out hiking where ever I went.

Sunday- one buck 25" buck that was 800yds away and bedded in a non-killable location. 4 does and bumped a few out of beds that I could not see. 

Wednesday- 12 bucks, 2 does and 2 fawns. Stars were not in line to kill one of them. 

Thursday- 3 bucks , 3 does and 2 fawns. " " "

Friday- 2 does

This was all on public land! Most of the bucks were mature bucks in fact I only saw 4 yearlings. It is a heavily timbered area and the only way to hunt it is getting out there and try to see them before they see you. Not very effective. -O,- Water was everywhere. The bucks are there but you do have to work for them. With that being said I will put in for this unit again AS A BACK UP. I did not have time to scout this year or hunt as much as I wanted too but it was a good outing. 

Its not as bad as the "Sky is falling," people are saying!


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## msummer88

I've hunted that Kamas unit for the past ten years. There has only been two years (mission) where I haven't harvested anything. My dad has hunted it longer than I have. We've had a family cabin about a mile north of SMH res. If you are a meat hunter you should have no problem finding a good 2-3 year old buck. Hell thats all I've ever shot :grin: now since i've gotten into bow hunting AND have been getting away from the roads/people i've started to see bigger bucks. BUT GET AWAY FROM THE ROADS!!! There is a lot of traffic up there now. If you really want to get into some good sized deer, go get lost up in the Gardners fork area or the Hells Kitchen area. Both places will kick your butt if you not in shape for it. Tough country, not a place for the lazy hunter. I shot my first buck with my bow last year. Every day i hunted last year i got a shot off at a buck and was finanally able to stick one. The first buck I missed was a awesome 5x5 @ 60 yards. So they are up there! Just get away from everyone.


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## AndrewW

Great to see all the positive posts today. Totally stoked and motivated again for the coming hunt. Regretfully work and family will keep me on lock down until next weekend. I've averaged 12-15 miles of round trip hiking both times I've gone out so far, with most of my hunting in the 10K ft elevation range. The deer have also all been in heavy timber, very similar to the situations everyone is describing. My camera has definitely gotten a work out with the awesome scenery.

Side note - last night I was mountain biking up in Mill Creek Canyon and came across a nice 4x4 - he was just standing in the middle of the trail. Elevation was around 9,000 feet, so the Wasatch Extended option might tempt me to hold off on a yearling this year in hopes of grander things come during the Rut!


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## utbowhntr

I have seen some big deer and elk back in the Soapstone Basin Area. Get way back in and maybe over in the Wolf Creek area if that is part of your unit. Good luck and take anything you get. Especually being your first year in Utah. And relax and just enjoy the country. Don't work hard. Enjoy the experience. it's not always about the kill.


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## Elkaholic2

Whoever is hunting soapstone basin with a unit 7 deer tag. Pease let me know in advance. Ill join you with the C.O. And get a chance at some reward money!!!!!!

Soapstone is NOT in the kamas unit for deer. You can hunt any bull elk through out the area. But check your boundaries before heading out.... For deer and elk you have several boundaries in the immediate area. Wasatch unit, kamas, and s.s. Yellowstone all adjoin along hwy 35 and 150.


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## huntinguy

*Kamas*

Anybody know of any landowners in the Kamas unit that sell trespassing rights? Got a couple family members that drew it out for any weapon this year. From the sounds of things the hunt sounds worse than the usual zoo found on most mountain ranges in Utah during the general season hunt. Thought private may be the way to go if at all possible.


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## msummer88

There is actually a lot of public land up there. If your wanting to beat the crowds, you'll just need to get away from the roads. There is plenty of animals up there. I have a 100 acres of land north of Smith and Morehouse and we always have a couple yearling bucks running around the property. Now I hunt up Slader Ridge and Gardners Fork to try to find something bigger (but I can't stop pulling the trigger on the first thing I see :grin: ). 

We only allow family to hunt on ours and the other surrounding propertys do the same. Its not a lot to hunt, you kind of have to catch a buck moving through the property. 

The big private properties in that area are the Thousand Peaks Ranch and the Stillmans Ranch. Both of those are CWMU's. Thousand Peaks has an outfitter group that does guided hunts up there, and I think its Red Creek outfitters. If I could, those are the two private areas I would want to hunt, a lot of big bucks on Thousand Peaks. I watch them all the time.


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