Archery X2 or X9A?

Hunt4more · May 7, 2023

Looking to burn 8 points this year on an archery hunt.

Trophy quality of animals is high on the consideration list for this hunt. I could make a couple trips up there this summer to set cameras, and do some scouting.

Never hunted X zone before but this is the year.

X9A is more of a high country hunt it seems like and X2 reminds me more of hunting deer in Arizona or NM. With only 10 archery tags X2 does not seem like other hunters would be in the way.

I guess it just comes down to it what area is known to hold bigger bucks, public land access etc it also looks like X2 is relatively flat compared to ask 9A, are there challenges with glassing in X2?

Living in Mendocino County X2 is probably closer but that doesn’t matter much.

Rie bread · May 7, 2023

similar draw chance?

Hunt4more · May 7, 2023

About the same

rraney · May 7, 2023

X2 is the late hunt right

eshunt · May 7, 2023

X9a is way over rated. Look at the % of 4-point vs forkies and 3-points. Blows me away that people use that many points to go shoot little bucks. I lived in that zone for many years and the only reason I’d hunt it was because it was close to home. Not for trophy quality. I’m not familiar with X2 so can’t compare between the two.

Looking over the harvest info in the big game digest, I’d bet that the 4-point and >4-point bucks probably included eyeguards. The way tag reports go they ask for all points on each side. So a 3-point with eye guards would show up as a 4-point buck.

And X2 didn’t have any forkies or 3-points killed.

rtoreson · May 7, 2023

I don’t know anything about X9A but I’ve spent a decent amount of time in X2. That unit is mostly known for being a migratory unit during the rifle season but there r some local bucks that live out there during the archery season. Some dandies too. Water is usually a high commodity out there but with the winter we have had it might be more readily available. You will definitely want to put some cameras up and try to find some target bucks and get them patterned. It’s a big unit.

pacer1975 · May 8, 2023

Alot of deer and bear in x6a, but the deer potential is not as big. You can draw x2 rifle or a4 early bow in x2. X9a is a 3k vertical climb and backpack for the hunt. Also overrated to burn 8 pts imo. You are 4/6 years behind for the top bow tags. Look at the hunter success in x2 and a4, also the antler size. Good luck.

pacer1975 · May 8, 2023

X9a big deer are above 10k feet and you have 45 minutes at dark and dawn to spot them.

Bwht4x4 · May 8, 2023

There are areas in X-2 without much water, but overall the northern/northeast areas where most of the deer are during the X-2 archery hunt has a ton of water. I had a NE elk rifle tag in there a few years ago and I ran 12+ cameras for 3 months before season (July-Sept) all over the entire unit and I captured very few deer on my cams. In fact I probably captured 200 elk picts for every deer pict!

Rie bread · May 8, 2023

Everyone in X9a goes to the same trailheads along the crest and forget about the other 75% of the unit to the east of 395. I’ve seen nice deer right behind the air port and out to the Nevada line. It’s a big unit that is crowded with other outdoor users in a small portion of the unit. That said I think you are adventurous enough to get away from that. Maybe a good second choice?

By the sounds of it though you would be looking at x2 for a trophy and by the stats it sounds like it’s the place to go. Also close to home is a bonus

Deerdon · May 9, 2023

Hunt4more said:
Looking to burn 8 points this year on an archery hunt.

Trophy quality of animals is high on the consideration list for this hunt. I could make a couple trips up there this summer to set cameras, and do some scouting.

Never hunted X zone before but this is the year.

X9A is more of a high country hunt it seems like and X2 reminds me more of hunting deer in Arizona or NM. With only 10 archery tags X2 does not seem like other hunters would be in the way.

I guess it just comes down to it what area is known to hold bigger bucks, public land access etc it also looks like X2 is relatively flat compared to ask 9A, are there challenges with glassing in X2?

Living in Mendocino County X2 is probably closer but that doesn’t matter much.

Do a search for the X2 and M9 past hunts...then compare the posted photos and trophy quality. Even the bucks taken during the late M9 hunt (basically a 20 point draw) averaged a mere shadow of what used to come out of this zone. It truly amazes me at what Folks call a "Dandy" and "Huge" nowadays. I can only imagine that is because they have no clue as to what it used to be like years ago. I hunted there 2 years ago and let many bucks go that were much larger than most of the M9 bucks taken. The advice above about the northeast corner being closed is spot on. Back when it was open, I would guess 80+ percent of the bucks taken came from that area. Don't get fooled by the antler class (number of 4 points plus) either. The genetics for that area are GREAT...but this also means many younger smaller bucks already have 4 points. A 15 inch 4 point will still show up as simply a 4 point in the sats! Having said all this, I have hunted this area for a very long time...and will continue to do so because I simply love the country. I have said this many times...I have no doubt that the buck of your dreams is walkin' in that unit right now. Ya just have to be realistic and appreciate the changes that have come to pass over the last 6-7 years. Then add the challenges of archery into the equation.

Snoopdogg · May 10, 2023

Deerdon knows his sh!t in X2.

Hunt4more · May 10, 2023

Looking for an ass kicking challenge for sure in some new country. With no tags this year out of state, this may end up being my summer focus. Thank you very much - appreciate all the support.

huntindad4 · May 11, 2023

Deerdon is spot on on x2.

There is water there even in dry years. So waterhole hunting will be a no go in a wet year.

I think the biggest recent change is the Collins land closure, you can't remove a large section of habitat on a unit that, being a recent burn, is flooded with deer and keep the same number of tags on the unit and not damage what is left outside of the closure. Fish and game should lower the tag numbers on X2.

That said get away from the Collins land and there are still a few great bucks in there. We camp on the unit every year for memorial weekend and the week after and we were seeing way more good resident bucks in the few years leading up to the Collins closure. Then the last 2 years it has decreased again.

Hunt4more · May 11, 2023

huntindad4 said:
Deerdon is spot on on x2.

There is water there even in dry years. So waterhole hunting will be a no go in a wet year.

I think the biggest recent change is the Collins land closure, you can't remove a large section of habitat on a unit that, being a recent burn, is flooded with deer and keep the same number of tags on the unit and not damage what is left outside of the closure. Fish and game should lower the tag numbers on X2.

That said get away from the Collins land and there are still a few great bucks in there. We camp on the unit every year for memorial weekend and the week after and we were seeing way more good resident bucks in the few years leading up to the Collins closure. Then the last 2 years it has decreased again.

Appreciate the local knowledge about what’s happening there.

chrisamx · May 12, 2023

X3A borders X2 - how is that zone looking?

oilcan · May 12, 2023

I just talked to the Biologist in the X zone ( not one of these mentioned ) I apply in and and it sounds like there will be tag cuts In it and the surrounding units.

pacer1975 · May 12, 2023

How can they cut tag quotas after the digest has been published?

oilcan · May 12, 2023

Pacer sent you a pm

Bwht4x4 · May 12, 2023

CDFW doesn't work like other states when it comes to tag increases or decreases. It's very hard for the biologist to make changes to tag numbers for this year. I think they have to make the tag change proposal 2 years in advance or something like that.

pacer1975 · May 12, 2023

It would make the bio job easier if guys reported. $22 fine isn't near stiff enough imo.in wi.that a $180 ticket.

huntindad4 · May 12, 2023

pacer1975 said:
It would make the bio job easier if guys reported. $22 fine isn't near stiff enough imo.in wi.that a $180 ticket.

Agree but you still have those that will lie to sandbag the unit so inaccuracy abounds. I know people who kill deer in the b zones (where it's not even a draw) who will report they didn't kill. Not just not report but actually go on the site and fudge their report.

In a draw unit the assumption is higher success correlates with application numbers.

I'm not saying I agree with their logic just pointing out there are quite a few people who think that way.