Manson unit

[ArcherBob]

Anyone hunting the Manson unit for the late archery season?

[Skyvalhunter]

Did anyone draw a Manson Special permit and if so did they do any good?

[ArcherBob]

I did run into a guy 2 weeks ago while scouting the unit. He had a permit for modern rifle and had just killed a nice 3x4 off the 8200 road.

[Blacktail135]

 I was one of the 5 that had a Manson modern late tag. I hunted for 6 day's and didn't notch my tag. I passed on 2 smaller buck's and saw a total of 31 deer the 6 day's I hunted. I hunted the final week (hunted westside elk during the first week of this deer season). 2 day's were knocked out from the fog off the lake. 1 day was spent (stupidly) tracking a very fresh track. It was a buck, some buck, who later brushed me off in crap that found me on hand's and knee's for the last half hour of tracking. What deer that were in the area were hanging tight to HEAVY brush and reprod-like stuff. That's where I saw the 2 I passed on. I had a good wall tent with a good bed and woodstove for camp. Lot's of food, comfort and company (rodent's and spider's). The first day was lost in fog and snow and a cougar was in the area and I think, had them on edge (deer and cougar track's in the snow,while snowing,with virtually no snow in either of the track's) 6500'. Day 2 up at 3am and was clear skies with high anticipation, could see for mile's by daylight. Walked in 2 mile's to area (6500'). No deer, no track's. And that's even looking for TRACK'S in the snow filled (6" snow) basin's through my spotting scope. They just weren't there. Day 3 hiked up behind a basin to look over into a brushy bench 600 yd's wide, one doe, bedded in brush(found her with the spotter) Spent all day there. Day 4 the infamous tracking day (stupid,stupid,stupid).. Day 5 dropped down a couple thousand feet and went into the brush and small pine's/fir's. Saw doe's and the 2x3. Passed on him then the fog came in. It didn't come and stay but, it would huff up the creek drainage and then go back toward's the lake. I tried to use it when maneuvering between ridge's as I was in open but brushy country. Only saw 5 doe's rest of the day after the fog started "huffing" up and down the creek drainage's. Day 6.....road hunt (folk's do shoot deer from road don't they?). Saw more deer than all week. All doe's and yearling's. Didn't need meat. Still had sheep,elk and duck meat from last year. Saw 2 goat's and 6 sheep. Had a good hunt, not great. The weather just wasn't there. I now go to the back of the line, pointswise (is that a word?). For my 2nd time muley hunting I felt like I left it (effort) all on the hill. I had envisioned a perfect 4x4 28" wide but alas, maybe next time. Looking back, 2 thing's I could have done differently was to (1) take my snowmachine out Sawtoothe Ridge for a look-see and (2) skipped this year's elk camp and hunted the whole deer season but, I would have missed helping to pack out my partner's 5-point elk and the comraderie that come's with a successful elk camp. I got a sheep (Cleman's B) and a 4-point elk (Toutle-A) last year and a 6-pt elk (general) the year before last so I suppose I was due for a (dip?) this year. I got to traipse through the wood's for 2 solid week's this year and felt great doing so. Here's to many more chance's!!!!!!!! Happy Thankgiving! Patrick.           

[tmbrline]

Blacktail1, I hunt rifle. I took my brother in law into the manson unit for late archery last year. The snow was about the same. We saw some great deer up where you would have taken the sleds.

[ICEMAN]

Blacktail13, great write up. Sounds like a good hunt. You worked the tag, too bad it didn't pay off for you. Nothing is ever the slam dunk we think it is going to be. There are a whole bunch of guys out there who have un-notched special tags every year, guys who hunted far less than you, these are the "wasted" tags. You did not waste it, in my  opinion. Thanks for the story.

[Hunting Cowboy]

Blacktail135, great write up. Sounds like a good hunt. You worked the tag, too bad it didn't pay off for you. Nothing is ever the slam dunk we think it is going to be. There are a whole bunch of guys out there who have un-notched special tags every year, guys who hunted far less than you, these are the "wasted" tags. You did not waste it, in my  opinion. Thanks for the story.

Well said Iceman and well done Patrick!

[Wanderer]

Good story.  You left it all on the hill.  sometimes it just doesn't work out.

[ArcherBob]

Just got back last night from the Manson unit. Hunted off the Grade creek road up on the hill to the north. Really foggy on Saturday and I could only see about 50 yards most of the time. Didn't see any deer. Sunday the fog was lifted in the morning and I could almost see the top of the mountain. I started up the hill again and spotted deer right away. Locked on to a decent 4 point but couldn't get any closer than 100 yards before he took off. Fog rolled back in after noon so I headed back down and back home. Maybe next weekend I'll try again, I think more snow is on the way.

[grade-creek-rd]

Well, I bet it's getting good now...my dad said he had allot of snow this past week in his front yard, but now only has a few inches. It has since rained real hard, and froze, so it's "crunchy" and will make stalking all but impossiblel, but the big boys should be there...great time to take the cameras out.

Blacktail 135...sorry to hear that you didn't find the buck you were looking for...it really was a "bad year" due to the unusual weather. I thought for sure you would have gotten into more deer than that, until I heard it warmed up. My dad said that there was an inversion for several days. He went to the top of Cooper and it was 40 some degrees, yet it was freezing at his house. By the way, Wapato Point called me and asked if you were going to show, I told them that you were probably still on your elk hunt and would make it mid week...sorry to hear you opted not to stay at the condo. For what it's worth, Rufus Woods is getting real good. My dad has gone twice in the last week, both time limiting on 3-5 lbs fish.

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