Utah Manti Archery Elk, I got lucky....

[Kyle C]

Somehow I managed to draw this tag my first time applying with 4 points. Bought points the first three years. To be honest I was shocked and will probably be returning my MT General tag as a result. I've only had the tag a handful of days and my biggest issue so far in scouting is finding areas roads don't go through, even though OnX looks like a pin cushion already. Does anyone have experience with areas to backpack in this unit? I hear horses are required in some places but the biggest expanse I can find is about 3-4 miles wide. I've heard possibly some of the roads are gated as well. I'll be going down there with a side by side to explore the side roads rather then my pickup at some point this summer.

I have a few phone calls lined up with previous tag holders, and am waiting on hunting fool to send me a previous tag holders list to make some calls, but thought I'd see what my local Roksliders may be willing to share that have had the tag in the past. I plan to call the biologist this week or next week to chat about some pins i already have and access. I will be going down to scout after TAC in big sky at the end of the month also. Taking 6 weeks of this fall and plan to hunt it to the very end, plus helping out some other friends with tags. From the sounds of it elk are not difficult to find, but larger bulls may be. I'd appreciate any help through PM or advice you guys may be willing to share about the area. In trade I could offer help in Idaho (depending on area), Montana, and NE Oregon units for Archery. Or some fall salmon trips on the Washington coast.

Thanks All!

 

[realunlucky]

They do draw the most tags and manage the Manti as an opportunity unit

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[Kyle C]

They do draw the most tags and manage the Manti as an opportunity unit

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Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Wasatch draw the most? And a good opportunity at a higher age class bull is all im after, so sounds perfect!

 

[ElkSnort]

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Wasatch draw the most? And a good opportunity at a higher age class bull is all im after, so sounds perfect!

Regardless... BOTH are managed as high opportunity units. If your sights aren't set for 350+ or bust only, it'll be sweet.

 

[realunlucky]

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Wasatch draw the most? And a good opportunity at a higher age class bull is all im after, so sounds perfect!

The bulls are managed for lowest age class objectived outlined in the elk management plan and yes Manti issues the most tags of any unit in the state.

Just something to be aware of

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[2five7]

The bulls are managed for lowest age class objectived outlined in the elk management plan and yes Manti issues the most tags of any unit in the state.

Just something to be aware of

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If you're talking about LE Bull permits, this is not true, nor even close. Central Mtns Manti is around 661 for all seasons combined, Wasatch Mtns is 951.

 

[lang]

Manti gives lots of tags, but has lots of elk and areas to get away from crowds. You'll have a great hunt. I started hunting there in the 90's it's really cool country. Horses would help but not required if you are in decent shape.

 

[Brooks051]

Manti can produce. I have seen several large bulls in not hard to get areas.

Snow may hinder some access depending on where you will be entering.

 

[Kyle C]

Manti gives lots of tags, but has lots of elk and areas to get away from crowds. You'll have a great hunt. I started hunting there in the 90's it's really cool country. Horses would help but not required if you are in decent shape.

I'm considered borrowing some Llamas, but not sure if they will be availablefor me. I should have buddies coming in and out during the hunt to help as well. The getting away from crowds thing I'm reading can be difficult with the deer hunters, but the other half such as yourself say their are plenty of spots to do so as well.

 

[Kyle C]

Manti can produce. I have seen several large bulls in not hard to get areas.

Snow may hinder some access depending on where you will be entering.

Thanks for the info! PM sent.

 

[CorbLand]

Shouldnt this thread get closed like all the other ones?

 

[BigElk1]

I have the muzzleloader tag this year for the manti. I have hunted this all growing up and got a couple smaller bulls on camera this year. I could help with a couple spots to check out. Just send me a pm.

 

[Muley_Julie]

Somehow I managed to draw this tag my first time applying with 4 points. Bought points the first three years. To be honest I was shocked and will probably be returning my MT General tag as a result. I've only had the tag a handful of days and my biggest issue so far in scouting is finding areas roads don't go through, even though OnX looks like a pin cushion already. Does anyone have experience with areas to backpack in this unit? I hear horses are required in some places but the biggest expanse I can find is about 3-4 miles wide. I've heard possibly some of the roads are gated as well. I'll be going down there with a side by side to explore the side roads rather then my pickup at some point this summer.

I have a few phone calls lined up with previous tag holders, and am waiting on hunting fool to send me a previous tag holders list to make some calls, but thought I'd see what my local Roksliders may be willing to share that have had the tag in the past. I plan to call the biologist this week or next week to chat about some pins i already have and access. I will be going down to scout after TAC in big sky at the end of the month also. Taking 6 weeks of this fall and plan to hunt it to the very end, plus helping out some other friends with tags. From the sounds of it elk are not difficult to find, but larger bulls may be. I'd appreciate any help through PM or advice you guys may be willing to share about the area. In trade I could offer help in Idaho (depending on area), Montana, and NE Oregon units for Archery. Or some fall salmon trips on the Washington coast.

Thanks All!

Which Manti elk hunt did you draw? Did you already go?

 

[Kyle C]

Which Manti elk hunt did you draw? Did you already go?

Archery Manti LE bull tag. And yes I did. Season ended the 19th of September.

 

[Muley_Julie]

Archery Manti LE bull tag. And yes I did. Season ended the 19th of September.

Right on. How did it go for you?

 

[Brooks051]

lets hear a follow up!!

 

[Muley_Julie]

lets hear a follow up!!

I hope he had a better hunt than me! The reason I was curious is that I just returned from hunting the muzzleloader season, which did not go nearly as well as expected. I was only able to scout the last day of rifle season and then hunt the first 5 days of season before we had to get home. Fully expected that to be enough time to have an opportunity on a good bull, but it's tag soup for me. During our time in Manti, across the dozens and dozens of hunting camps we saw and people we met, we only saw three dead bulls total; one in the back of a truck on the last day of rifle and two at a camp a couple days into muzzleloader season. Nearly everyone we came across was struggling. Everyone we met were Utah locals (I'm a non-resident) and they all said the same thing; it USED to be the type of tag where you'd see big bulls running around everywhere and get to take your pick. We were willing to do the hard work of hiking as far in away from all the OHV roads as we needed to so that we could get into elk. Indeed we did get into elk and had some really fun experiences being surrounded by bulls bugling back and forth, but they stay so timbered up and the brush gets so thick down in the bottom of those drainages that I never once had a shot opportunity. The closest we got was on opening day when a nice 6 point chased his cows past us at 19 yards, but they were downhill from us and I could only see him from the neck up. We never saw him again. I think if you pay attention to the harvest success data, we're going to see a huge decrease in 2023. Overall, morale seemed pretty low but most of the hunters we met were extremely kind, welcoming, and helpful. One guy had eaten his archery elk tag there in 2018 but said he wouldn't trade the experience for the world. So it does happen. Some of us didn't get to notch our tags.

 

[Brooks051]

I hope he had a better hunt than me! The reason I was curious is that I just returned from hunting the muzzleloader season, which did not go nearly as well as expected. I was only able to scout the last day of rifle season and then hunt the first 5 days of season before we had to get home. Fully expected that to be enough time to have an opportunity on a good bull, but it's tag soup for me. During our time in Manti, across the dozens and dozens of hunting camps we saw and people we met, we only saw three dead bulls total; one in the back of a truck on the last day of rifle and two at a camp a couple days into muzzleloader season. Nearly everyone we came across was struggling. Everyone we met were Utah locals (I'm a non-resident) and they all said the same thing; it USED to be the type of tag where you'd see big bulls running around everywhere and get to take your pick. We were willing to do the hard work of hiking as far in away from all the OHV roads as we needed to so that we could get into elk. Indeed we did get into elk and had some really fun experiences being surrounded by bulls bugling back and forth, but they stay so timbered up and the brush gets so thick down in the bottom of those drainages that I never once had a shot opportunity. The closest we got was on opening day when a nice 6 point chased his cows past us at 19 yards, but they were downhill from us and I could only see him from the neck up. We never saw him again. I think if you pay attention to the harvest success data, we're going to see a huge decrease in 2023. Overall, morale seemed pretty low but most of the hunters we met were extremely kind, welcoming, and helpful. One guy had eaten his archery elk tag there in 2018 but said he wouldn't trade the experience for the world. So it does happen. Some of us didn't get to notch our tags.

Thanks for the follow up. I heard elk rippin late august this year up there.

 

[Kyle C]

Right on. How did it go for you?

It went really well. I did notice the average size of bulls was way down, but I managed to find 3 bulls over 340 and had good opportunities at all 3 of them, but buggered up the ops. In total I passed up 9 bulls under 40 and a good handful more still in bow range but outside that window. I hunted 22 days with 2 weather days and tracked 291 miles on the watch. Rutting was crazy good, but only in areas I could get a long ways from people. I ended spiking in 4.5 miles and shot my bull 7.5 miles in. I told myself the last 3 days I would shoot the first 6 point I got a chance on and I did on the third to last day. Unfortunately two bulls i let walk the first couple weeks were slightly larger then the one i killed, but thats the game you play when you let them walk. Definitely not the bull I was after, but still a very fun hunt. Alot of locals I talked to blamed the late snowpack limiting the bulls to not so good nutrition early in the spring when they were in early stages of horn growth plus the stress from winter. One guy I ran into scouting for rifle showed me two bulls that had unique characteristics that you could easily see were the same bulls from this year to last. Both were in that 340-350 range last year and this year probably only 310-320. All the signs I seen lead to me believe this is true, but I'm not a local. To me the average heard bull I seen was in the 280-310 range which is still a good time.

 

[Muley_Julie]

That is awesome!!! Sounds like such a fun time. Congratulations!