Anyone hunt the Umtanum area

[rougheye]

to close to the REZ

[Archery King]

Fords suck is the problem 

[jdb]

to close to the REZ

not really

[huntingnut]

Umptanum has no early archery deer tags and is draw only with the Observatory tag. The Manastash is over the counter for deer and elk and the other unit in the Observatory unit. During modern both units can sound like WWII. There is a fairly good sized herd that migrates down from Bald mountain so it is hit and miss, during early season there is still cattle ranging in the manastash unit on Manastash ridge. My family has hunted the ridge for the last 35yrs during modern. It has gotten to where we would see more hunters than game. We made the switch to archery and now have to find a new area.

[M_ray]

Hunted it for deer and seen some good bulls from time to time but it seems like they were hit and a miss and hard to pin point at least for me allthough I wasn't hunting it for Elk.

[Dipsnort]

I hunted the Umptanum unit several years ago with rifle and yes, lots of hunters.  Too many.  I'm bow hunting for elk these days and have been considering switching from the Westside to the Eastside and the Umptanum unit is where I'm thinking about.  I guess I need to go scout it out again one of these days to see if I can figure out where the herd might be hanging out in the early season.  Any tips via pm are welcomed. 

Umtanum is permit only for archery. My number 2 choice for permit area.

Dang!  And I was only considering Umptanum for early archery elk because my first choice (Little Naches) is also permit only!   Maybe I need to scout out the Manashtash Unit instead...

[ribka]

I live in the Umtanum and I can say first hand way way too many hunters. Poaching has been a big problem in the area too. I find a lot of dead elk and deer in the off season that were shot and horns removed. Always report findings to F&G but don't seem to be too interested.

I probably see a 100 head of elk every morning now when I wake up. probably will not hang around the area as people in ATV's are driving around the locked gates, knocking down fences and are chasing them. Sick of non- enforcement of laws here in E WA.

LT Murray has great potential for big bucks if they made by draw only. 5 years ago when it draw only I saw some huge bucks by the house.

[boneaddict]

I probably see a 100 head of elk every morning now when I wake up. probably will not hang around the area as people in ATV's are driving around the locked gates, knocking down fences and are chasing them. Sick of non- enforcement of laws here in E WA.

That really pissed me off the other day when I took my girls hiking there a couple days ago.  I tell you, 4 wheelers are really beginning to irk me.  Not only is it Road closed but posted with a sign...NO MOTORIZED VEHICLES.  pparantly they don't count. 

[ribka]

I have given up calling F&G and the Yakima Sheriff.
Very disapointed in law enforcement in Yakima County.

Last Summer fly  fishing with a friend on Upper Naches. Two F&G guys jump out of the woods and yell show us your lures. My friend, who was fishing an elk hair caddis sz 14, was fined $70 because his barb was not pinched down enough.

I know these guys are busy but where are the priorities?

Re ATV's:
I know people say not to blame ATV riders as there are only a "few bad eggs" however I always see more than a few atv riders breaking the law riding in restricted areas in WA, MT, ID, OR. During hunting season  I would say 40% break the law and ride in off-limit areas.

[jmx369]

It's not worth hunting that area. Too many people and too many problems. If you shot an elk in that area, you will have 4 other hunters claiming that they shot it.