12A West Early

[wmm]

As a Non-Resident with 8 bonus points it has become clear that I am wasting my time applying for the Unit 13 or 12 late hunts. There are so many applicants ahead of me in the draw that those hunts are out of my reach for the next ten years. I apply for out of state tags because I want to go hunting and I am ready to have a chance at a mature Kaibab buck. Based on my research the 12A west early hunt is my best option. I have read all the posts about how that hunt is a meat hunt and very few 170+ bucks are killed. But that is all I really want is a chance at one of the bucks that are there. I only have 7 days to hunt so here is my plan; start hunting at daylight on Monday, 10/25/10 and hunt hard until I get a shot at what I want or it is too dark to hunt on the 31st. Hopefully many of the hunters will tag out in the first three days and give the unit a chance to quiet down. What do you think????

 

[longhorns26]

If you only have a week, your better off scouting for four days prior to the opener and hunting the first three days of the season. After the first day the mature bucks are all nocturnal. You need to find one, pattern it, and take him out on the first day. Otherwise, your gonna hope you bump one from his bed, and thats not a high percentage tactic for a 170" deer. All the behavior patterns of the deer will change after opening day.

 

[longhorns26]

And FYI, there are many 170 bucks taken in the 12AW early hunt, most of the guys up there don't post pics of their deer. They don't need recognition like most people on this site. I spend roughly 90-100 days a year up in kaibab, and I've personally seen many 170 deer taken on the early hunt. However, anything above 170, very, very, few.

 

[azbiggame]

Will: you have a sound plan,but where is the Question ??? Usually on the early hunt,some pre-rut activity will happen at the end of hunt --- with luck You have enough B.P. to draw the early hunts in 12A W&E,make these Your 1st and 2nd choices (1014,1012).My past 2 n.r. clients have drawn with 5 bonus points.Good Luck in the draw.Lets talk --- e-mail sent
Bruce & SilverGrand

 

[Naildriver]

Scout a few days before the hunt. Shoot on opening day or the next day.After the 2nd day, it gets really tough. You should be able to spot good bucks before the hunt.

 

[ClarkW]

Well, the big bucks still live there during the early hunt, so I agree it will be tough, but possible to find a monster. I have seen many real decent bucks (160-170) taken on the early hunt and there always a couple 180"+

 

[Prism]

With the dates being so early this year I would imagine it could be one tough hunt for a mature buck. You could get lucky, but the odds would really be stacked against you.

Anyone know why the dates are so early this year?

 

[tooele]

Yes, they have changed the dates on all the early kaibab hunts. This is going to reduce the success rates significantly. There will be no pre-rut, there will really be no chance of early snows pushing deer. It will be in a full moon phase. The AZ fish and game pulled a fast one on us. I feel real bad for non-residents. Previously, if you drew this hunt you still had a chance. Before even if you didn't have max points, it was a decent hunt. Now, if you don't have max points you won't ever draw a late hunt, insult to injury, draw the early hunt and the dates really really suck.

T