I thought it may be helpful to see that 1000 tags on the early Kaibab west side hunt is not all that uncommon. As you can see from the table below, since 1993 (that's as far back as I have at my desk presently) actually this is pretty typical.
12A West early number of tags and kill success %?s summary by year-
Year # tags Kill %
2006- 500 ??
2005- 1000 45%
2004- 500 48%
2003- 300 32%
2002- 635 26%
2001- 1000 76%
2000- 1000 36%
1999- 1000 51%
1998- 850 54%
1997- 950 50%
1996- 1000 48%
1995- 1000 48%
1994- 1150 48%
1993- 1150 45%
The AG&F create tag recommendations on the buck to doe ratios and try to keep the ratios within certain limits. Once the buck to doe ratio falls they have two choices, either kill some does or reduce the number buck tags and buck harvest. There has been a pretty load cry to stop the doe hunts so the deer herd would increase so they have no other option to keep the buck to doe ratio up but to decrease the number of buck tags.
The Kaibab is a very special place that I have been lucky enough to spend some time over the years during various seasons. It is hard for me to believe that the numbers of deer on the Kaibab are at the current carrying capacity per the AG&F, as I have seen many more animals on the range that currently exists. I would hope that they could increase the buck to do ratio, and increase the number of overall deer. The winter range of course is the limiting factor and I think there are differences of opinion on what the deer numbers should be on the winter range.
But one thing for certain is that the bucks are fun to look at on the Kaibab, I just hope they can continue to manage the herd to keep it going.