Late Kaibab?

How are the hunts going up there? Had to be some nice bucks hitting the dirt?

Dan - you help anyone on the late hunt?

I was also wondering how the late hunt was going. I believe that there are some hunters on this site with the tag or helping. Hopefully we hear from them.

My wife and I had great trip to the Kaibab this year for her late tag. We hunted hard for a week in the low country and saw lots of good bucks and a few great ones. She was only a second or 2 late getting set up on a 190+, I guess they get that big by making the right moves. She was getting a little discouraged after missing the holiday with our daughters until she shot this buck at 150 yards with the .25-06. I kept telling her to keep her chin up and how fast your luck can change on a hunt, I think she sees it now. It was our first hunt up there and we would love to do it again someday.
We did meet up with Dan(rockymtnhunter) for the first few days and would like to publicly say thanks for giving us an intro to the Kaibab. We really enjoyed meeting you and look forward to seeing you again if you come thru PHX or when we get up thru UT.

Nice buck!, it's a great hunt and only hunted the early hunt, just hoping to draw a tag next year.

I hunted 12A west. Got there on Sunday afternoon, hunted through Wednesday afternoon/ evening when I tagged out. When I checked out right about noon thursday, there had been 40 bucks checked from the west side and ten from the east side. Don't remember the pictured bucks from above but maybe the guides didn't want the pics outside their control. My buck was 26.5 inches wide. There were only three wider from the west side (they keep a log) from the late hunt. The pictures show about a dozen fantastic bucks combined from both sides, both early and late hunts. I don't know if 12b deer have to be checked and are included.

As far as the hunt itself, I did not see any great bucks, maybe one 170-180 type buck. The second biggest was the one I got, by no means a giant but I was happy with him given the deer I was seeing. He's a 4x plus small eye guards, decent mass and a touch abnormal. Sorry don't have pics. I saw over 200 deer in the three and a half days of hunting. Probably about 30 bucks.

It would have been nice to see a monster or at least some more medium sized bucks, I probably would have hunted longer. Having said that, it was a very enjoyable hunt, great country, little hunter pressure. I like to walk and cover ground when hunting and there was a ton of good area to check out. Could never cover it all in ten seasons. Did not run into a single hunter while I was out on foot. I hunted the white pockets, slide canyon and jump up areas. I also talked with some really good guys. One even recognized my South Dakota accent. Hard to believe, you all are the ones with accents.

It will be interesting to see how some of the guides do, it seems that if they do well I probably shot to early, as hard hunting could have paid. If they struggled to get the really good bucks, it probably means you need a lot of luck.

Sorry the pics I referenced are on the other post.

Congrat's on a great buck though.

Azrugerdude - Thanks for the kind words. It was an honor & a pleasure to spend some time with you and your wife. I'm thrilled with her buck and I enjoyed showing you what the Kaibab has to offer. I've met some great folks during the past few years as I've shared some of what I've learned during 44 years of hunting the Kaibab. This year was an exceptional year and I look forward to the future - may all of you have a blessed holiday season!

Just wanted to share with you the buck that our hunter, Duane McIntosh, got on his hunt.

Goldhunter, I think you talked with Duane's dad, he mentioned talking to a guy from South Dakota who had taken a nice buck!

Duane got this buck at sundown on Day 8. Was with three other bucks and 15 does/fawns.

According to G&F at the check station, buck was 3-5 years old, 28 wide (had a sticker on the other side broke off, otherwise a 30 inch outside spread buck!) Bucks antlers were 24 inches tall!

He had two small eyeguards on the right antler too.

Had a great hunt, rut was FINALLY kicking in though the weather was horrible--water was froze in the trailer-- but perfect mule deer hunting conditions.

Here are a couple of the 20 mature bucks we passed during that hunt.




Can't wait till next year!

Don Martin
Arizona Wildlife Outfitters

Great buck Don,

Yes I'm sure that was Duane's dad also, about a mile from your main camp, nice guy. Sounds like you had a great hunt. I thought about stopping in to say hi as I had chatted with you on here in the past, but time got away from me.

As I said I did not find the number of mature bucks you did but that's to be expected as a first time DIY guy. I spotted my buck at about 800 yards. Worked into a little over 100, went by at least 30 deer in the approach including 5 other bucks. When I did get close I found he was with 15 does and three other bucks. They were having a rut party as well. After I shot the other bucks just kept working the does. Took them 5 minutes to move off with me in plain sight.

That is a great place to hunt, hope the random draw luck smiles on me in the future.