Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: TheKid#10 on July 16, 2008, 11:03:37 AM
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Observatory Bull Tag,
Anybody have any info your willing to share about this area. My Dad drew it and I would really love to help him fill his first bull tag with a dandy. I don't know how many more years he will be able to go as he is almost 70 and starting to crash and burn. Last year he said he was done, but I begged him to keep going until he drew a branch bull tag and now he's fired up! I have been in the area a little but don't have a honey hole if you know what I mean. Know Peaches and Goose really well but not the Observatory. Thanks for any help.
KID
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Do you have quads? Gonna send ya a pm
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What weapon did you get it for?
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Modern.
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No quads.
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Kidd, if you are going to scout the area, PM me and I can give you more detailed directions. :tup:
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spent the past 8 seasons in the manastash unit before moving to the naches to get away from people. never hunted the umtanum. that is a great tag to have especially if you get an early heavy snow because it is a major wintering area for elk. they'll come pouring out of the naches/taneum into the flats down robinson/watts canyon where the feeding stations are set up. i think your set up would vary depending on what your goals are. biggest bulls,less people,steep/thicker country or anything with antlers/don't care about people/easier access. for bigger bulls but harder hunting, i would start my scouting as close to the naches and taneum borders as i could, and if the weather comes in, move down into the lt murray. bald mountain is a good place for elk, and the manastash/umpantum unit cover the east side of the mountain. another good spot is north/east of quartz creek which would probably be my first choice. real thick up there though and steep. the l.t. holds local elk, but mostly raghorns and cows but a lot easier hunting. its just a matter of being in the right place at the right time and making a shot on a running bull. but if it starts snowing be around there, by buddy pulled that tag two years ago and stayed around the lt all season long, just seeing a few cows, the last two days of the season brought a good snow, a think around 4-6 inches and he killed a bull one day and his dad killed one the next day. elk all over the place. just my 2 cents, good luck, feel free to pm for any other help.
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Thanks for the help guys, keep em' coming. No such thing as too much info, right. Dad will need to shoot a monster so we have enough backstrap and tenderloin to share with all the informants!!! :chuckle:
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I drew a big bull rifle tag out of there this year, the best advise I think that I've been given so far is get in before the other rifle hunters do, take advantage of those first few days. Good luck, how far off the road are you willing to go, understand if its not far. I will be in there on and off all summer/fall scouting, if I see a nice dumb bull hanging out close to the road I will let you know. I'm going to kill myself by shooting one 4+ miles in, helps make the experience. :IBCOOL: I got a quad to help get it out...
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Kid, I've hunted rifle in the LT for 7-8 years for spikes and we always see some nice big branched bulls :). I always wish for the lucky draw for a bull tag in there. If you hunt the LT, get in first day and hope to drop the first big pig that you cross path's with. I've always seen 5x5 and better during the first few days of spike season and then after that it's a ghost town until the snow pushes them down. We camp/hunt in the LT near tamarac springs and come opening day of general season it's all orange vests from ridgetop to creekbottom :yike:. Pray for early snow!
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Teacherman, HEADS UP!
FYI.......If you hunt in the LT Murray, it is green dot road system so there are no quads/vehicles off road. Check the road map system posted at the gates or ask the gamey for a map. No offroad travel in the LT, unless you have the handicap sign to drive off road. Seen several tickets written for getting more than 100 feet off green dots.
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Teacherman, there are only a few limited areas in Manastash that you can even drive a Quad ON the road. The majority of the unit is posted (and enforced) that a vehicle must be licensed for use on a public road to be driven on the logging roads.
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Sounds like I better take my handicap dad and his red sign. Just kidding, thanks for the heads up. Looks like my partners and I may be boning out the animal and packing it. Wont be the first time. Thanks for the info. Keep it coming...
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Teacherman, i do alot of riding in 340/342 gmu's and there are alot of green dot roads that you can ride quads on. I live anywhere from 5 minutes to 25 minutes from any of these areas.
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Sounds great lets go riding. Just kidding if you have any suggestions please let me know.
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You let me know when your coming this way and well take a ride.
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For those of you that hunt the L.T. Murray area.....not that it'll matter much come spike season b/c they wont be where I saw them but around Tamarack springs i've been seeing a herd of about 30 elk with 6-7 spikes in it.
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Any recent sightings of branch bulls in the Observatory area? Need to find one for the old man. Is bribing with all you can drink beer and eat backstrap illegal? :chuckle:
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I am a Traditional Archer that has been hunting the Manastash since '88 and got drawn this year for an any elk permit, :IBCOOL: Yahooo!! I have been up there a few times this year looking around and have seen a few nice bulls, but most branched 5x only 2 bigger. my advice is to go over by Frost Mountain and get up on top at the "lookout" and spend some time glassing. Most bigger bulls I have seen have been away from the road and in the thick stuff, Case Knife Canyon or back by Quartz Creek. I don't know his physical condition so I would suggest dropping him off up on a trailhead like Gooseberry Flats and picking him up at Taneum Junction. I like using these trails to get away from the roads. there are several other trails with various degrees of difficulties and if you drop off at top it is (mostly) down hill. The elk I see in the area move around a lot, but seem to stick around major drainage's only different feeder streams. There is also a gated road just up hill from Gooseberry Flats that has been really good to me, if you get in there first and better about 2 miles in after the Gnat Flat trail crosses it. I will let you know how I did on the 23rd of Sept. :twocents:
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Thanks Stik, I will let you know what I see as well for your bow tag.
KID
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I read on hear somewhere that there are alot of cattle in that unit still is this true? I knwo that they will spook the elk out of the area. The day the cattle get pulled the elk will be back. OCt24 - Nov2 I will be there :'( i cant wait any longer...
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i was just up there for my dads sheep hunt, we didnt see any cattle up on the umptanum but maybe over closer to e-burg
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I live a driver/three wood from one of the LT Murray gates outta Eburg. No cattle in that country since I have been here (8 years). New job = no time to hunt this year, but am really familiar with the area. PM me and I will give you a couple of thoughts.
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PM sent, thanks.
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Cattle are on the South side of 340 unit. They will probably be out of there around Oct 1st.or so.
Slenk
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Thanks Slenk.
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My brother talked to the gal from DNR, the cattle are only in the souther portion of the Manashtash unit and are to be out by Oct 15th. Most ranchers get them out the first week of Oct. We where scouting the Manashtash ridge from Bald Mountain to the Observatory and there where a lot of cattle in there with little elk sign. We hunted that section during modern rifle for the last 30 years, 15 myself, and have never seen any cattle in there during the season. There is a small local herd in there, but most of what you will see is migrating herds.
