Pausaugunt, Need Help

WIDOW_MAKER · Oct 11, 2005

My brother has a tag for the Any weapon Pausaugunt tag. We hunted last weekend and didn't see a single deer opening day.
The night before the hunt started we saw 40 bucks. We can't find them in the day time. It's so fustrating. We don't know what direction they are heading after night time. Does anyone know of areas where the deer head to after night? Everyone says the deer are still high. We hunted by Tropic Resevior and down low by Cannonville. We talked to a bunch of people who weren't finding the deer too. Seems so wierd not to see a single deer on the Pausaugunt. We are giving it our last shot and heading back out this weekend. Any help would be great! My brother has been puting in for this tag for 8 years.
Email: [email protected]

Thanks,
Derek

elkantlers · Oct 11, 2005

If you saw them the night before the hunt they have got to be there somewhere!
Try tracking them out. Unless they are flying deer, there are going to be tracks

WIDOW_MAKER · Oct 11, 2005

That is a good idea, but there are tracks all over going in and out of the field. I know the deer are somewhere close, how close do you think they are from where they feed?

fin little · Oct 11, 2005

Widow-Maker,I sent you a private message.

elkantlers · Oct 11, 2005

Take a piece of sage brush and sweep the trails in a few spots so you can tell which one they are using. Try to find a distinctive buck track and then keep on it. Have one person keep his nose to the ground so that you don't loose the track, and have another person there scanning ahead looking for the deer in case they jump and run.

AZBuckSnort · Oct 11, 2005

I can relate a bit to your situation. I returned yesterday from helping my Dad who has a tag he's waited 15 years to draw. He has determined to hunt the lower country and knows he has made a decision that will likely lead to him seeing fewer deer then those hunting higher areas of this huge unit.

I have to tell you we hadn't seen a single hunter, not one, out in the field with a rifle actually hunting. Oh sure, we've seen a number of pickups and ATV's with folks riding around; but hunters out hunting, not a single one.

He's hunting one particular buck we saw Friday and again twice on Saturday. He's a cagey bugger and may end up besting my Pop and elude him for the entire season; however, he's having a good time in great country in gorgeous weather. Does it get any better than that?

Hey, if any of you locals have spotted a clean 4X4, really tall, well outside his ears, with a sway back and a grizzled white face, send me an email!

In the mean time, here's a pic of the view from camp...

mike111 · Oct 11, 2005

That pic looks like the mountains just east of Fredonia/Kanab? That country looks awesome!

AntlerKing · Oct 12, 2005

Vermillion cliffs?

Boskee · Oct 12, 2005

Good luck to you and your Dad Bucksnort! I hope he gets that buck and has a wonderful hunt.

RACKMASTER · Oct 12, 2005

YOU CAN SPOT LIGHT AT NIGHT AS LONG YOU DO NOT HAVE A FIREARM IN YOU LAP!
Has the road kill on 89 picked up?
HUNT PIONEER GAP in the am HARD... SOUTH 89
Those big bucks move and cover alot of ground at night!
The Paunsagunt is special and most of all it an migration thing from the high country to winter in AZ!
GOOD LUCK
Rackmaster

ktg · Oct 12, 2005

Ya, I hunted it in '99 and there were MANY spotlighters on the highway at night.

bonehead · Oct 12, 2005

Nice pic from Bald Knoll....Good luck on your dad's hunt and I wish you the best.

AZBuckSnort · Oct 13, 2005

Here's a bit of what we're all out looking for...

deerbedead · Oct 14, 2005

That picture is definitely not out east of Kanab. That is the pink cliffs up on the high country.
Kanab cliffs are red.
Our country has 3 sets of cliffs. Pink up high, white in the middle, and red down by the border.

AZBuckSnort · Oct 14, 2005

Hunt update...my Dad killed a 182 gross 4X4 this morning so he's tagged out and headed home after a great week in the Paunsaugunt.

Prism · Oct 15, 2005

Cool! Let's see some pics!

redelkarcher · Oct 16, 2005

Congrats to your dad... I am hoping for the same news tonight when my Grandpa returns from huntin' there as well... He has also been waiting for a great number of years to draw down there. The last report I got was on Tuesday and he hadn't seen anything bigger than 24" 4-points, so we will see. I wish I were there with him but work and school knocked me outa that idea...
Anyways congrats to your Dad and post some pics.
redelkarcher>>>------------------>