Early Kaibab Reports?

Hammnit · Nov 1, 2020

Wondering how the early rifle hunts went? Did the early skiff of snow do any good? How did the fire effect the West or even the East?

I'm headed to 12A East for the muzz hunt today and just looking for any observations.
Hammnit

Wapitiwilly · Nov 1, 2020

Just got back from 12A west. Plenty of bucks And some big boys! Conditions are tough with warm weather and the full moon. Hopefully the muzzleloader hunt will be awesome???

264mag · Nov 2, 2020

Duwane Adams camp hammered some great bucks !

Wapitiwilly · Nov 2, 2020

As of Saturday DA had one big buck around 200 and a few dinks

Lancetkenyon · Nov 3, 2020

Good luck. Kill a toad.

TwoTracks · Nov 3, 2020

264mag said:
Duwane Adams camp hammered some great bucks !

TwoTracks · Nov 3, 2020

Wapitiwilly said:
As of Saturday DA had one big buck around 200 and a few dinks

As of Saturday: 185, 190, 200, 200. About 5 other nice bucks too. Maybe my definition of a dink is different though.

Wapitiwilly · Nov 3, 2020

I was there and definitely got a different report

Bluehair · Nov 4, 2020

I was there for a couple of days and I would describe the conditions as less than ideal. Lots of dead dinks.......although I didn't spend any time hanging around the coffee shop or check station where most of the big boys hang out.

Blank · Nov 4, 2020

I was there in 12B-west for 8 days. Hot, dry, very dusty, and multiple people sitting on every tank that still had water. No monsoon moisture really hurt the dirt tanks. A few guzzlers and trick tanks had water, and the cattle were sharing theirs as well!

Saw 200 deer, passed 30 small bucks, saw one shooter 4 pt outside his ears, and couldn't take the shot in the dark with so many does around. I wanted to cut down this tree on a water tank, and put it in the corner of my trophy room!!!

ruger1022 · Nov 5, 2020

I was down there on the early hunt helping out my father in law. Saw a couple big ones, quite a few average bucks, and plenty of yearlings.

Saw what looked like to me 2 really nice bucks in the back of trucks. Lots of 2-3 year old bucks hanging in trees.

Hammnit · Nov 13, 2020

Not wanting to be one of those guys who asks for info and splits. Here's the report from my 12ae muzzleloader hunt. Started out hot and dry. I scouted for 5 days and saw tons of does and small bucks. Opening day jumped a giant buck, but couldn't get a shot. On the 3rd day of the season we got tons of snow up high. Went down low that day, but didn't see much. Continued to hunt up high the rest of the hunt. Continued to see quite a few deer (and bucks) each day. On day 5 saw another big buck, but again couldn't get a clear shot (too many does). On day 6 saw fewer deer (18-20 total). Right before dark had a group of does sneak out of a draw above me with one buck trailing them. Looked good from the side (mistake) so when he cleared the small pines, I gave him one. Hit him high in the shoulder, but had to chase him a couple more drainages before I could finish him. He wasn't the big buck I was hoping for, but I still had an amazing hunt. The Kaibab is definitely a cool place.

Bluehair · Nov 14, 2020

Nice to see an honestly authentic post.

The thing that's wierd to me about the Kiabab is there are no elk. Good, but strange.

elkchaserreturns · Nov 14, 2020

Hello Hammnit! The Kaibab is a special place to hunt even when you don't tag out. That is a fine buck that anyone would be proud of. CONGRATULATIONS!
It has been several years since I hunted up there. I tagged a similar sized buck on the first morning and, of course, I saw an absolute monster on the second day. The truth is seeing that bigger deer just made the hunt that much better. Well done.

Elkchaser

elkchaserreturns · Nov 14, 2020

Bluehair said:
Nice to see an honestly authentic post.

The thing that's wierd to me about the Kiabab is there are no elk. Good, but strange.

Hello Bluehair,
It has been quite a few years ago now but, there were reports of elk being sighted on the North Kaibab. The Game & Fish denied they were true. Eventually, it was confirmed by G & F that there were indeed elk on the Kaibab.
They immediately added the Kaibab onto the "Minimal Occurance, Low Density Elk" list. They still have a hunt up there to this day.
The department definitely does not want elk on the Kaibab.
I have never heard of anyone getting anything up there although I suppose anything is possible!
Now they are trying to deal with the Buffalo infestation!

Elkchaser

Bluehair · Nov 14, 2020

Understood. Point being that if that piece of forest were anywhere else in AZ (or CO), it would overrun. But AZ has enough 400 bulls right?

Wapitiwilly · Nov 14, 2020

Saw a few elk tracks in the snow on the early hunt. Thanks for sharing your story and congratulations on a fine buck?

SlowElk · Nov 14, 2020

First off, congrats on a nice buck. Haven't been there in years, but hoping to back soon.
Several years ago, on a junior doe hunt, my then teenage daughter followed three cow elk, even collected droppings, to prove what she had seen. The people at the check station didn't believe her, until she pulled out a baggie of "elk duds". Should have seen their faces! Also, at the check station that year, a hunter pulled up with a 6X7 bull elk, caused quite a stir.

elkchaserreturns · Nov 14, 2020

Bluehair said:
Understood. Point being that if that piece of forest were anywhere else in AZ (or CO), it would overrun. But AZ has enough 400 bulls right?

Well, you can't have too many 400 bulls running around

! In my lifetime, the elk seem to have become much more prevalent statewide here in AZ than they were when I started out! And, mule deer seem to be getting harder to find!
Having said that, I am not a trained Wildlife Bioligist, and I do not pretend to know how "elk on the Kaibab" would work out for the mule deer herd long term, but I do know that the Kaibab Plateau has always been a "Magic Place" for mule deer, and I would hate to see anything mess that up.
Then again, all it would take would be for one 400+ Bull to be taken up there, , , , , , and word get out about it????
Thanks Amigo!

Elkchaser

elkchaserreturns · Nov 14, 2020

SlowElk said:
First off, congrats on a nice buck. Haven't been there in years, but hoping to back soon.
Several years ago, on a junior doe hunt, my then teenage daughter followed three cow elk, even collected droppings, to prove what she had seen. The people at the check station didn't believe her, until she pulled out a baggie of "elk duds". Should have seen their faces! Also, at the check station that year, a hunter pulled up with a 6X7 bull elk, caused quite a stir.

Wow, I never heard about a 6 X 7 Bull Elk coming off the Kaibab! Not doubting you!
Just didn't hear about it.
I guess that would be something that the AZGF would not advertise!
I would have loved to see their faces when you showed them the "elk duds". And, I wonder how they handled the guy showing up with the 6 X 7 Bull at the check station, , , , , since there are no elk on the Kaibab! (Kinda like there are no wolves in Colorado!)
"Honest officer, I was told there are no elk on the Kaibab, so I just figured it must be a REALLY BIG MULE DEER"!
Thanks for sharing!

Elkchaser

Bluehair · Nov 14, 2020

elkchaserreturns said:
Well, you can't have too many 400 bulls running around ! In my lifetime, the elk seem to have become much more prevalent statewide here in AZ than they were when I started out! And, mule deer seem to be getting harder to find!
Having said that, I am not a trained Wildlife Bioligist, and I do not pretend to know how "elk on the Kaibab" would work out for the mule deer herd long term, but I do know that the Kaibab Plateau has always been a "Magic Place" for mule deer, and I would hate to see anything mess that up.
Then again, all it would take would be for one 400+ Bull to be taken up there, , , , , , and word get out about it????
Thanks Amigo!

Elkchaser

Indeed, when my grandfather went on his first elk hunt in Az shortly after returning from WWII to even see one was rare. He was fortunate to harvest a spike, thus starting a long family

tradition of shooting dinks.

TwoTracks · Nov 15, 2020

Good job Hammnit! Not an easy place to whack a buck with the smoke pole.

Joe2Kool · Nov 18, 2020

Congrats and thanks for the informative post!

Cavalier · Dec 3, 2020

FYI: One of the questions asked at the Jacob Lake Check station is "did you see any elk".

rmanwill · Dec 28, 2020

Congrats and thanks for sharing.

rockymtnhunter · Dec 28, 2020

Yes, there are elk on the North Kaibab, here's a photo taken in 2015.

BOHNTR · Dec 28, 2020

Measured a very nice buck (38” outside spread-cheater to cheater) taken on the early hunt. A beautiful B&C typical with a few extras.

huntazido · Dec 29, 2020

I came across some old droppings on an early hunt about 12-13 years ago. When I talked to a fish cop who came by camp checking licenses and tags I told him what I saw. He said their best guess was around 30 elk living full time on the plateau. Seems every year you hear more and more sightings so I imagine the herd is bigger now.
I really hope G&F is proactive on this and keeps these numbers as low as possible. They should give a kaibab plateau elk tag to everyone that has legal deer or buffalo tag IMO. Continue selling them OTC to the non-tag holders. Once the elk get a "real" foot hold it will have a negative impact on the mule deer.