Unit 9 elk

[DidIDraw]

How is the elk herd and the bull/cow ratio in unit 9? Feedback from last year was that the late hunt was really difficult. Just wondering if it was due to the herd or the really cold weather during that hunt. I've hunted there twice and have had great experiences both times - lots and lots of bulls. Hoping that this year will be similar.

Thanks

 

[YukonDall]

COMPARED TO BOW,MUZZ,OR EARLY RIFLE THE LATE HUNT IS A FAIRLY DIFFICULT HUNT AT BEST EVEN IN UNIT 9. DID YOU HUNT THE LATE RIFLE, I THINK THE ELK NUMBERS HAVE STAYED NORMAL FOR THE MOST PART. IF YOU SAW A LOT OF BULLS ON A LATE HUNT YOUR VERY LUCKY.
I HAVE BEEN WATCHING THIS UNIT AS ONE OF THE UNITS I AM CONSIDERING WITH 15 POINTS.....HOPE 2012 WILL BE MY YEAR....GOOD LUCK...........YD.

 

[DonMartin]

YD:

Save your 15 points! Do not burn them on a late Unit 9 hunt. You are getting close to be able to draw an early rifle bull tag. Probably 3-4 years!

Don Martin
Arizona Wildlife Outfitters

 

[YukonDall]

HEY DON......I AM PLANNING A EARLY BOW HUNT NOT A LATE RIFLE HUNT. I WOULD LIKE TO GO ON A EARLY RIFLE HUNT/ BUT THE LINE NEVER MOVES......AS A NON REZZY A LOT OF THE UNITS I WANT ONLY GIVE OUT 2-4 TAGS FOR EARLY RIFLE NR......WITH 2-4000 HUNTERS THAT APPLY......THE LINE NEVER MOVES. ANY EARLY RIFLE IDEAS??

DON.....I WAS ONE OF THE GUYS THAT STOPPED BY AND VISITED YOUR CAMP IN 2008, I DREW 12A WEST LATE FOR DEER. YOU GAVE ME SOME GOOD ADVICE.....I HAD A GOOD HUNT.......THANKS !!!!

TAKE ER EASY.................YD.

 

[DonMartin]

Yep, I remember..You were in one of my NR hunter ed classes, weren't you?

Hey I got both of NR tags for Unit 23 early rifle this year. One had 19 points, one had 18. Those near the top of the list do thin out fairly fast.

If you want to bow hunt, and don't want to wait a few more years for a rifle tag, you probably can draw that NR archery tag in 23N next year with 16 points (15+ the application).

Just a thought...

Don Martin
AWO

 

[YukonDall]

YEP DON......I TOOK YOUR HUNT ED. CLASS IN 2007 & DREW IN 2008, WORKED OUT NICE. NOT REALLY A BOW HUNTER, BUT AT 57YOA I DONT THINK 4-5 MORE YEARS WAIT IS A WISE MOVE. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT BEING DRAWN FOR 2012 UNIT 9 BOW WITH 15POINTS +THE APP.....DO I HAVE A CHANCE???? OR WOULD YOU APPLY ELSE WHERE??? THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, (PM ME IF YOU LIKE)........YD.

 

[DidIDraw]

Thanks for your reply. I did the late rifle both times previous. When I say lots of bulls, I saw ~30 mature bulls over the course of the hunt. Many of them were a quick glance as they move through the trees. Seems like the bulls are alone or in small bachelor groups for the late hunt and the trick is figuring out where they move back and forth.

I'd love to hear about more about your late 12AW hunt. That is the tag I have my hopes pinned on for next year.

 

[DonMartin]

YD: Sorry its taken so long to get back to you, I had a resident hunter ed class all weekend! 34 resident and 1 NR have joined the graduated ranks!

Anyway, not sure about 15 points in Unit 9. Check out Hunterstrailhead.com

I think Jon Crump has that info on a free site he puts up.

That is probably a good number, I would think.

Don Martin
AWO

 

[Pruney]

I drew 9 this year with 15 points and it was 100% for NR. It won't be next year though as there is a big group of NRs one point back.

Pruney

 

[BigTom]

unit 9 ARchery was about 70-80% for those applying with 16 total points (15 plus the app pt) in 2011 draw. I know of two with 16 total that put in that didn't draw. If things relatively the same as last year. It will be 100% with those having 17 (total) and anywhere from 25% to 50% for those with 16 total.

this is according to my calcs.

 

[CAelknuts]

How has the moisture been in 9 this summer? I have a buddy who holds an archery tag, and I will be down there helping him on his hunt. He's arriving about 5 days prior to the season, and I won't be down until about halfway through, assuming he doesn't already have a bull on the ground. I'm just curious whether the unit has received good summer rain or if it's really dry this season.

 

[sremim]

Anybody with tags in 9 or 10 will not be disappointed by antler growth this year......some monsters will hit the dirt for sure.

 

[fin little]

Ive been scouting 9 and the feed looks great. It could stand a monsoon gully washer to refill some dirt tanks.

 

[appleman]

unit nine came my way this year with fourteen pts nonres arch

 

[CAelknuts]

Thanks guys, that's nice to know.

 

[CAelknuts]

Another quick question. How is the cell phone coverage in the unit these days? I met with my buddy that has the tag and he's leaving in a couple days. One of his questions was about cell coverage, and I had no clue what its like these days.

 

[Pruney]

I think it comes down to carrier. My two brothers have been down over the last few weeks and the one with verizon seems to get decent coverage and the one with AT&T....not so much. When I was down there two years ago, the only place I had coverage was in Tusuyan or in Cameron. I have since switched from AT&T to Verizon so should be better this year. That is good for emergencies, but I think being off the grid for two weeks might be a good thing.

Pruney

 

[CAelknuts]

Though some nice bulls have been tagged, it sounds like its been a tough hunt with all the rain. My buddy called this evening, headed to Prescott to dry out and take a day off. He said there's water everywhere, some roads are impassible and that a kayak might be more useful than a 4 wheel drive.

He has seen some nice bulls, but no shots yet. I leave to go help him on Thursday night, so am hopeful the weather improves by then.

 

[YukonDall]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-13-11 AT 06:52AM (MST)[p] CAELKNUTS......THANKS FOR THE REPORT. GOOD LUCK TO YOU & PRUNEY BOTH.......LIKE TO HEAR HOW IT WENT WHEN YOU GET HOME........YD.

 

[CAelknuts]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-13-11 AT 10:17PM (MST)[p]Pruney sent me a picture this afternoon, and it looked like December in unit 9. They had a huge hail storm, and everything was white. I talked to him and he said the bulls are just starting to talk a bit more, but it's very, very muddy and wet from all the rain. The long range weather forecast is calling for it to clear up by Friday and be sunny for the balance of the season. I hope so, it'll be just in time for when I get there.

This might work out well. The weather will get nice when I arrive, and if I can call a bull in for my buddy, he'll actually believe I know what I'm doing. SSHHH, don't tell him otherwise... ;-)

 

[YukonDall]

JUST WONDERING HOW MUCH THE 3 LIGHTING STRIKES/FIRES AFFECTED THE ELK HUNTING IN UNIT 9....???????........GOOD LUCK FELLAS.........YD.

 

[CAelknuts]

Hunting is real tough. The elk are simply not rutting yet, not herded up, not talking hardly at all. The elk are not bunched up in herds at all, not fighting, no broken tines, very little bugling. We've gotten onto bugling bulls each time we've gone out, but they're not very interested and won't come in at all. Just about everyone I've talked to is having the exact same experience.

I've talked to Pruney several times and I'll let him tell you guys how his hunt is going, but let's just say he has his own special version of tough hunting.

The good news is the weather is clear and warm, with highs today into the low 80s. It's quite a bit drier, and my buddy is sitting on a tank that was dry before all the rains, but which now has quite a bit of water, and lots of fresh sign. He should be able to kill a bull at this tank before the season ends.

 

[CAelknuts]

YD, I forgot to mention that we hunted yesterday and this morning around one of those lightning fire areas and there are some elk there, but not talking much. Actually, quite a few elk. The tough part is that what was once thick country around Red Butte is now very wide open in quite a few places. The fire was patchy though, so there are islands of thick cover, and then ares that are burned pretty heavily.

 

[muleybull]

Called in some big bulls early on, but they are beginning to get pretty call shy now. Saw a few very large bulls with cows, but a lot of average bulls with cows. No broken antlers yet.

A word of warning for anyone coming up (maybe this is just where we camped), but the mice are eating us out of house and home this year. I finally drew the line when they started to try and spoon with me in my bed!

www.nationwidehuntingadventures.com

 

[CAelknuts]

My buddy sat on a tank Tuesday afternoon and all day yesterday. We found a small and secluded tank that was getting hit pretty good, so we brushed up a natural blind and he settled in. The first evening, around 6:00, a 330 class bull came in to drink. He had the bull as 20 yards, broadside. But, he was nervous (he's never elk hunted till this hunt) and he airmailed one over the bull's back.

Yesterday, we had him sit all day, and right at dark a 4x5 bull came in. This time, he took his time to settle down and made a fantastic shot. The bull ran out of the tank, got to the top of the dam and tumbled back clear to the water's edge. He didn't go 30 yards total. He's just about done butchering the carcass now, and while it wasn't the caliber of bull he hoped to shoot, it was a great first elk hunt for him. He killed his bull the evening of the 13th day of a 14 day season.