What to hold out for in the Margaret

[huntaddict]

I am wondering what some of you guys that know the Margaret well, would hold out for with my tag.I have read old posts and know that for the late rifle tag it doesn't sound like you would want to hold out for much more than a 5 point. But I am wondering what would be reasonable for september 20 to the 24 with a rifle. I have been scouting and so far I have only seen rag horns and two 5's that are mature. Also if anyone has pictures of Margaret bulls I would like to see them.

Thanks

[Bob33]

From my research, a 280 class bull would be a shooter.

What are you planning to do with the animal: mount it or just take pictures?

What is the largest elk you have killed to date?  If you’ve already killed a 350 class bull, why shoot a 280?  If you’ve never killed an elk, a 280 class bull would look great on a wall.

Only you can decide what you would be satisifed with.  Are you willing to eat the tag if you don't see a 320+ class bull?

[huntaddict]

Yeah get all that. At the end of the day a guy has to shoot what he is happy with if that's a rag horn or a 320 bull it's up to the guy with the tag to decide what a trophy is. I was just looking for others opion on what kind of bulls the unit hold.

[MADMAX]

I shot a real nice 5 pt when I had my AHE tag up there a few years back.
I scouted all summer and saw some really nice bulls, when the season rolled around the smaller raghorns were all I saw.
The bull I shot was a heavy and symetrical herd bull that had 5 or 6 cows.
I took a bunch of crap for shooting a 5x5 but he is still the biggest bull anyone in my group has killed in WA.
Try Marata creek go in on MT bikes veer left on a the uphill mainline rd and head up the hill to you see a big big canyon at a 3 way intersection.
Years back I watched 16 bulls herded together up there and shot video of them, the biggest was 7x7 smallest was a 5x5, I'm sure there are still nice bulls in there but its getting pretty thick now.
IMHO, shoot the first bull that gives you a wow factor.

[julzzz]

Had margret permit last year   pm sent

[Skyvalhunter]

Hold out for a 7 X 8!!

[huntaddict]

If I'm going to do that then I might as well make it an 8x8!!! I think I should have titled this post (what's a good sized bull for the Margaret Unit).My bad.

[guardian]

Try Marata creek go in on MT bikes veer left on a the uphill mainline rd and head up the hill to you see a big big canyon at a 3 way intersection.
Years back I watched 16 bulls herded together up there and shot video of them, the biggest was 7x7 smallest was a 5x5, I'm sure there are still nice bulls in there but its getting pretty thick now.
IMHO, shoot the first bull that gives you a wow factor.

This Marata Crk area has been sold. New gates with no tresspassing, no hunting signs on them as of last week. Bummer no access from there to the high lakes.
  
 

[Elkhound]

Try Marata creek go in on MT bikes veer left on a the uphill mainline rd and head up the hill to you see a big big canyon at a 3 way intersection.
Years back I watched 16 bulls herded together up there and shot video of them, the biggest was 7x7 smallest was a 5x5, I'm sure there are still nice bulls in there but its getting pretty thick now.
IMHO, shoot the first bull that gives you a wow factor.

This Marata Crk area has been sold. New gates with no tresspassing, no hunting signs on them as of last week. Bummer no access from there to the high lakes.

What would be the best way to access the high lakes area now that Marrata Creek area is private?
 

[HornPorn]

Had Margaret permit last year  pm sent

julzzz,  How did you do in there last year?

[Cylvertip]

Also look along the border to the Winston Crk unit, from where the 1110 ( if I remember the right road ) crosses the green down stream.  If Winston is open during early archery ( fire danger issue) then some of the big boys will push over into the border area.  We have run into some really big bulls along the green.  I'm thinking you should be able to find a bull in the high 200's at least.  The north side of the Margaret used to look like a freakin barn yard with all of the elk sign in there. 

[Bigshooter]

I use to spend a ton of time in the Margaret in the summer and in september looking at elk.  If I had your tag I would hold out for a 6x6 in the 280" range.  I can count on one hand how many bulls over 300" I have seen in that unit.  If score doesn't matter you can see some huge old bulls with 8 or 9 points aside that won't score for crap because the longest points will be his eye gaurds and they will only be 10-12 inches long and all the other points will be 8 inches or less long.  But those kind of bulls will have a ton of mass and they look real cool.
Make sure you take pics and posted them.
Good luck.

[DaveBTS]

Instead of going up the hill to the left, drop down to the right. There's a "nasty" bull that lives in the bottom of canyon. Also a 150" deer.

[Cascade_Sherpa]

A 300 Class bull in the Margaret Unit is very rare these days, I agree with the above post that 280 is a reasonable goal to shoot for if you want to put in the time scouting and hiking.

[SkookumHntr]

-Your going to have a awesome hunt, Get a nice 6x6 and post up some pics