San Juan abajo/Monticello area help

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bsevans5

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Only ever hunted Pine Valley for mule deer in the last 5-6 years as I live in St. George. Not had success. I had a neighbor encourage me last fall to put in for San Juan Abajo Mtns as he's familiar with the area and offered to help. He ended up moving away recently. I've been trying frantically to escout as archery season opens at the end of th week. I have an elderly neighbor who used to live in Monticello and gave me a contact to reach out to for help, but he hasn't responded.

I'm looking for any direction or advice I can get this week as I try and make a last minute plan for saturday. Thanks!
 
bsevans5 said:
Only ever hunted Pine Valley for mule deer in the last 5-6 years as I live in St. George. Not had success. I had a neighbor encourage me last fall to put in for San Juan Abajo Mtns as he's familiar with the area and offered to help. He ended up moving away recently. I've been trying frantically to escout as archery season opens at the end of th week. I have an elderly neighbor who used to live in Monticello and gave me a contact to reach out to for help, but he hasn't responded.

I'm looking for any direction or advice I can get this week as I try and make a last minute plan for saturday. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Why not just have your old neighbor tell you where he was going to take you???? Seems to me you dropped the ball without scouting for yourself and relying on others.

I have learned not to rely on others for my hunts. Good lesson for you to learn!!!!

Other than that…. Get in the DNR website and throw the habitat layers on and head out.
 
Depends on what your expectations are. From the sound of it, you'd be willing to just fill your tag right about now?
 
lundellhunting7 said:
Why not just have your old neighbor tell you where he was going to take you???? Seems to me you dropped the ball without scouting for yourself and relying on others.

I have learned not to rely on others for my hunts. Good lesson for you to learn!!!!

Other than that…. Get in the DNR website and throw the habitat layers on and head out.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the thoughts. I've called and texted my neighbor numerous times. He's responded for months that he's going to supply me with information, but hasn't...which is why I'm here. There's a chance that he still will, but I'm looking at other sources of information just in case. I don't typically rely on others. With the unit being 6 hours away, that did become more of a factor than usual, but thanks for the response.
 
bsevans5 said:
Thanks for the thoughts. I've called and texted my neighbor numerous times. He's responded for months that he's going to supply me with information, but hasn't...which is why I'm here. There's a chance that he still will, but I'm looking at other sources of information just in case. I don't typically rely on others. With the unit being 6 hours away, that did become more of a factor than usual, but thanks for the response.
Click to expand...
For archery down there I would personally get as high as you can and glass glass glass.
 
Your best option would be to find a good ATV trail and take your time going up it. The deer are there, you just need to be patient. Also will always see deer around the Causeway outside of Blanding on the South side of the unit.
 
SnkyHuntr said:
Your best option would be to find a good ATV trail and take your time going up it. The deer are there, you just need to be patient. Also will always see deer around the Causeway outside of Blanding on the South side of the unit.
Click to expand...

Just keep in mind, the Causeway is the unit boundary.
 
My golfin buddy drove the mixer truck up to those tower foundations. You had to back up in the switchbacks. There were only two drivers who would go up there.
 
I had a buddy that came with me. We knew it might rain, but were not prepared for what hit Friday night! got dumped on. Had lightning hit right next to us. We were under a pop-up canopy on cots. Ended up spending the night in my truck. Not pleasant. Nearby camp had a tons of hounds with them. They were barking and howling all night....so if it wasn't lighting and thunder, it was the dogs. Zero sleep. tough way to start a hunt

Memorable to say the least.
Themaddness said:
Take plenty of gear for the up coming weather.
Click to expand...
 
bsevans5 said:
I had a buddy that came with me. We knew it might rain, but were not prepared for what hit Friday night! got dumped on. Had lightning hit right next to us. We were under a pop-up canopy on cots. Ended up spending the night in my truck. Not pleasant. Nearby camp had a tons of hounds with them. They were barking and howling all night....so if it wasn't lighting and thunder, it was the dogs. Zero sleep. tough way to start a hunt

Memorable to say the least.
Click to expand...
Well it doesn't sound like weather patterns and monsoon storms have changed much there in the the last forty years!

Back in the eighties before the elk took over and mule deer hunting was real good I made some trips to the local laundromat to dry clothes and get nerve enough to go back up on the mountain! Later on I just got smart and got off the mountain by mid afternoon even with no clouds in sight.

The first year I was there one night was so bad I thought I had lost my hunting partner to lightning as we had split up for an evening hunt.

I managed to get back to our rig just as the
storm hit. He didn't. He spent the night in a our two man tent on his hands and knees on top both our sleeping pads praying the lightning strikes wouldn't directly hit him.

He said he could feel the hair on his body and his head stand up before each strike would hit seeing them and hearing them simultaneously.
When I found him the next morning he was still shaking and our hunting trip was pretty much over.

Locals there in Monticello told us lightning strikes had taken a life or two on top that mountain. Whether that's true or not I don't know but I do know that's the first time I ever heard my hunting partner mention anything about prayer!!

Your hunt might of been a bust in your mind but your still here to tell us the story!
 
HORNhunter7 said:
Well it doesn't sound like weather patterns and monsoon storms have changed much there in the the last forty years!

Back in the eighties before the elk took over and mule deer hunting was real good I made some trips to the local laundromat to dry clothes and get nerve enough to go back up on the mountain! Later on I just got smart and got off the mountain by mid afternoon even with no clouds in sight.

The first year I was there one night was so bad I thought I had lost my hunting partner to lightning as we had split up for an evening hunt.

I managed to get back to our rig just as the
storm hit. He didn't. He spent the night in a our two man tent on his hands and knees on top both our sleeping pads praying the lightning strikes wouldn't directly hit him.

He said he could feel the hair on his body and his head stand up before each strike would hit seeing them and hearing them simultaneously.
When I found him the next morning he was still shaking and our hunting trip was pretty much over.

Locals there in Monticello told us lightning strikes had taken a life or two on top that mountain. Whether that's true or not I don't know but I do know that's the first time I ever heard my hunting partner mention anything about prayer!!

Your hunt might of been a bust in your mind but your still here to tell us the story!
Click to expand...
@HORNhunter7 I was saying a lot of prayers myself!
 
Them Hounds Will Get The Game Moving!:D

bsevans5 said:
I had a buddy that came with me. We knew it might rain, but were not prepared for what hit Friday night! got dumped on. Had lightning hit right next to us. We were under a pop-up canopy on cots. Ended up spending the night in my truck. Not pleasant. Nearby camp had a tons of hounds with them. They were barking and howling all night....so if it wasn't lighting and thunder, it was the dogs. Zero sleep. tough way to start a hunt

Memorable to say the least.
Click to expand...
 
HORNhunter7 said:
Well it doesn't sound like weather patterns and monsoon storms have changed much there in the the last forty years!

Back in the eighties before the elk took over and mule deer hunting was real good I made some trips to the local laundromat to dry clothes and get nerve enough to go back up on the mountain! Later on I just got smart and got off the mountain by mid afternoon even with no clouds in sight.

The first year I was there one night was so bad I thought I had lost my hunting partner to lightning as we had split up for an evening hunt.

I managed to get back to our rig just as the
storm hit. He didn't. He spent the night in a our two man tent on his hands and knees on top both our sleeping pads praying the lightning strikes wouldn't directly hit him.

He said he could feel the hair on his body and his head stand up before each strike would hit seeing them and hearing them simultaneously.
When I found him the next morning he was still shaking and our hunting trip was pretty much over.

Locals there in Monticello told us lightning strikes had taken a life or two on top that mountain. Whether that's true or not I don't know but I do know that's the first time I ever heard my hunting partner mention anything about prayer!!

Your hunt might of been a bust in your mind but your still here to tell us the story!
Click to expand...
There is no such thing as atheists when you are on a high mountain stuck in a thunderstorm. It will bring the most prideful to their knees to pray to one that is greater than them.
 
schoolhousegrizz said:
There is no such thing as atheists when you are on a high mountain stuck in a thunderstorm. It will bring the most prideful to their knees to pray to one that is greater than them.
Click to expand...

Naw. There are some still too proud to admit that even then. You know them by their reactions to posts...
 

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