the manson unit holds some local deer. most are in low areas around orchards and wineries. the unit is big and has a fare amount of migratory deer that come out of the back country and winter at or below grade creek road. last year there was some snow up high but we did not get enough to push them till mid december. i was up grade creek road the weekend after thanksgiving and saw a few deer but nothing like it was. the rut was in but we only saw a few does and two small bucks. we didn't go up nelson butte just because we knew the snow line was in down to a spot that if you get there you wont get out. if it was me i would concentrate my efforts in the heavy timber areas. falls creek, coyote flats, top end of poison creek. i know these areas will hold deer as the migration begins. the migrating deer will come out of areas like minors basin, south navarre, uno, and summer blossom and hold up in those timber areas till the snow gets deep and the move down to the lake. prepare for rain, snow, sun, everything in between. i know of two bucks taken last year that hit 25" wide but one was a 3x3 and the other was a crabby 4x4. both were taken in timber in 7in of snow with two to three does with them. it's become a hard unit but i think the deer are starting to come back. a few years back you could drive and hike all day without seeing a deer. now i average 12 deer a day in the last two years of making the loop.
