Wasatch or Manti?

[WIDOW_MAKER]

Which LE unit is better, Wasatch Mountains or Central Mountains Manti? Which has the most elk? bigger bulls? Just curious to here your responses. Thanks.

WIDOW_MAKER

 

[southslope82]

I say wasatch for bigger bulls -wasatch all the way

 

[JDElec]

Wasatch has bigger Manti has way more

 

[cowslayer]

Whichever unit you know better.;-)

CS

"Helping turn good tags, into great ones." - www.vipoptics.com

 

[Cam@strawberry]

+1 slayer numbers mean nothin unless ya know where to find them

Wildlife population control specialist

 

[AWHOLELOTTABULL]

I really think they are both about the same as far as trophy capability goes. Manti has more elk and about the same accessability as the Wasatch. I will 3rd what cowslayer and berryblaster said. Whichever one you know the best. Pick one and learn it though. You can't learn both of them in a summer of scouting.


It's always an adventure!!!
www.awholelottabull.com

 

[Silentstalker]

Good advice given. I have hunted both and think the bulls average about the same size. Lots of good dark canyons to hunt and plenty of access. Both units get a large amount of non hunting recreation that can be a problem but with a gun in your hand you should get a very nice bull either way. Go with the unit you know the best and don't shoot the 1st bull you see unless he makes you piss your pants cause he is soo big!!!

Good luck to ya!

Chad

 

[hossblur]

Dont forget to look at tags given, and not just by the DWR, but the banquets, auctions, etc. Manti gets a lot of pressure. The herds aren't what they were even 2 years ago. Finished the quest I started with my dad 13 years ago this november. Know this county like the back of my hand, watched it go from no elk to good elk, to revenue geneator for the DWR. Killed a 6 point, good bull, not near trophy. Covered willow creek, manti, 6 mile and saw very few herd bulls. Even in november sanpete countys tourism push for atvs had a lot of folks around. Like I said, I had 13 points, I wanted to hunt this unit because its where I hunt, and because dad isn't here so it was a tribute to him, but I personally wounld't burn the points on the manti unless you have some conection to it. Never spent much time on the wasatch so I can't comment on it.

 

[Prism]

I'll second and third the idea to hunt the unit you know.

Personally, I'd take a tag on a lot of other units before I'd take a Wasatch or Manti tag though.

If you're just after a bull they're great, but if you're after a top end bull there are better units.

 

[3point]

would Fish Lake qualify as one of the better units? I've also been debating between Wasatch and Manti.

 

[piper]

Hossblur- my wife has 13 nonres points and we have been tossing around Manti early, My grandfather and I harvested a raghorn there in the early to mid 70s and it made the Ephraim paper, I hunted with my brother there in 96 or 97 any way we got into them good and nearly got a monster, so that was a lot better time for big bulls than now is what your saying? we would like a chance at a big bull and It sounds like the average age is down, Im dissapointed

 

[WapitiBob]

We look at Wasatch and Manti because have to. We'll be dead before we get one of the "good" units.

 

[2buckridge]

"Good units" Huh, You all just need to keep thinking that way! No reason to hunt a crap unit such as the Wasatch, or Manti.

 

[Prism]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-22-08 AT 04:24PM (MST)[p]Just my opinion.

They're both great units, but they don't consistently produce big bulls like some of the other units do.

Last I checked lots of hunts are available for the same number of points it takes to draw an early tag on either the Wasatch or the Manti.

I'd take my points elsewhere, but that's just me-I think the early hunts are over rated too.

If you'd be happy with a bull up to 340ish they're great, if you're after something bigger you're gonna have to be pretty lucky. A few bigger are shot every year, but not many.

Good luck with your decision(s).

 

[proutdoors]

I agree that both are about even, and both have some REALLY good bulls on them, even today. I wouldn't put them in the top tier of LE units for trophy bulls, but there certainly are some B&C caliber animals on both units. I grew up on the south end of the Manti unit hunting and running cattle up 12 mile canyon. Good country with a pile of elk on that unit. You're talking abouot the two biggest elk herds in Utah, wuth Fish Lake being the third biggest. I personally would take a Fish Lake tag over a Manti or Wasatch tag myself.

PRO

Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy and opportunity hunts throughout the state of Utah.

 

[hossblur]

I would stay away from the early hunt on the manti. I hunt the muzz deer hunt, and manti is covered with atv riders, leaf viewers, and also the sheep and cows are starting to come off. I sent my teeth in and will let you know but I would be shocked if my bull was older than 5yrs. Again, if you want to see a lot of elk, the manti is great. We saw hundreds of elk, a dozen or better 4-5points, but the herd bulls were few and far between. This area has been seriously overtagged in the draw, let alone the tags given out for banquets and auctions. The biggest bull I have seen in the last 3 years was a 7 point, not huge, the rumor was their was a near 400 bull running in the burn of six mile, but I never saw it, or talked to anyone who had since the summer, so he might of been a rumor. I love this unit, grew up hunting it, so this isn't bad mouthing the manti, and would be happy to share any info i have with you guys, but 13 points puts you in the contention for some better units. I have had family draw the oak creeks the last few years and kill really big bulls, both of them had less than 11 points. I think you have to figure that if you started drawing points at 14, you will most likely draw only 2 tags in your lifetime. Decide what you want out of the experience. I had the connection to the unit so "trophy" bulls weren't as important to me as hunting the unit was. If you want a mid 300 bull, go somewhere else. Let me know if I can help.

 

[christensendw]

I drew this last year on the manti i had 14 points it was the hardest hunt i have ever been on. Thier are to many people bugling in the hunt seson that dont have tags. I bugle 4 diffrent people in. it made me so mad also it was so hot and the full moon was on it was hard but I got my bull the last day of the hunt. I know of 10 people that didn't get thier elk this last year on the riffle elk hunt. If i was you i would go for a better place.