Kaibab Archery Mornings

[utaz]

I know that there are several on this forum that have had great success up North during the archery hunt. I've also had great success in seeing a good number of deer over the past four years. Though, I've yet to make my first archery kill.

I've been extremely unfortunate with the morning hunts during the Kaibab archery hunt. I see very few deer in the mornings. In fact I see more at lucnh time and see the most in the evenings.

I don't understand how to get into the deer in the mornings. I've sat for hours at water holes, I've hiked the hills to the point that I've twisted my knee one year and I've tried where I could to glass and stalk. I've concentrated my efforts near the entrance of the Grand Canyon, Jacobs Lake Lodge and near VT Lake (mostly hunting the 12 A East) in the mornings.

I've hunted since I was in diapers with my dad and I'm not new to this passion. Pattering the behavior of deers, I feel is rule number one. I just can't figure them out in the mornings up there.

Can anyone give/tell me what has worked the best for them up there in the morning.

Thanks Utaz

 

[HullinPhx]

I think the Bab deer heard moved a lot at night regardless of moon so as the sun is coming up they are already bedded down and wake up in the afternoon and start the movement again. At least on the west side this is my opinion

JOhn

 

[KaibabHntr]

A lot of bucks will hunker down until its safe to move as HullinAZ says, making them tough to find in the thick stuff without spooking them first. And they're pretty spooked to show themselves at a waterhole during shooting light - but it does happen. Most of the bucks I've run into in the morning are moving/feeding there way to their bedding areas - I just ever so slowly still hunt and use my binos (as best I can) to try and catch them. Lot of roads up there, and even though its down to 1000 archers, that's still a lot pressure. You have to look for a sanctuary they can use/bed which may just be 1 finger of a ridge out of 5 that doesn't have a road on it. Lots of trails off the sides of the roads in the canyons that are totally out of sight of the trucks and quads out cruisin - the deer move in relative safety and out of sight from the road to their beds on some of these trails. Also pays to be out and about mid day as I've caught bucks up and feeding a little as they shift beds.


KaibabHntr
www.KeyToTheKaibab.com
Everything you need to hunt AZ unit 12A!

 

[utaz]

KaibabHntr, thanks for the post. I agree at lunch time has been very productive for me and I do exactly what you mentioned above at lunch time.

So there really isn't a so called transition zone in the mornings correct? I've hunted quaken aspens before and I at times find them wondering through those in the morning in other hunts, I 've hunted hills full of sage and find them climbing the canyon bottoms as they make it to their beds and graze all the way up to thicker areas on other hunts.

It seems from the two posts that they have basically settled in by the time its legal to shoot. I guess there's a chance of a late feeder or two, but the majority of the animals are in their beds correct?

Do you think a moon or no moon changes this behavior on this hunt?

Thanks again,

UtAz

 

[KaibabHntr]

I don't know that I can tell you 100% that all bucks are bedded down by sun up. I have run into bucks in the morning, never on a waterhole though. Some are still moving to their bedding areas. Once that sun really starts to warm it up and the shadows aren't so long I would say they're all pretty much bedded down until later in the day when they may shift beds. So from sun up + 2 hours is probably your best morning time to catch that movement. That said if you have sancutary spot with lots of cover/feed away from other hunters they may stay active and less spooky longer into the day.

There are different opinions on the moon phases and how the deer react, but I would say that on the Kaibab archery hunt hunting pressure will dictate their daytime behavior more than anything else. I might be preaching to the choir but you gotta be out (off the roads) at a minimum 1 hour prior, out all day long, and back after dark to maximize your chance of seeing game. It's the Kaibab (a great unit for muleys) but its not easy - especially if you hold out for something really nice.

KaibabHntr
www.KeyToTheKaibab.com
Everything you need to hunt AZ unit 12A!

 

[cpugsie]

I've started hunting the Kaibab in the early 80's. I use to see loads of bucks in the morning and the evening and some during mid day when I wasn't taking naps. The more people that started to archery hunt coupled with the more deer/does taken during the rifle seasons just devasted the archery season as it use to be. I think that the deer are coming back in the Kaibab. This along with a limited number of archers should improve your odds of seeing more deer period. I had many close encounter and have even taken my best archery deer (176-5/8)in the Kaibab in the morning (1991).

 

[jasn]

Still hunt very slowly through bedding areas in the morning, and they'll be moving to their beds or already bedded. You do run the risk of chasing off a nice buck and having to relocate him though. I've had my best luck still hunting in the morning, spot and stalk with binoculars.

 

[BOHNTR]

Well, I'll add a bit of a different view that I've seen up there over the last 25 years or so. I've personally had the best success in the early morning hunts when I'm hunting on top of the plateau. I believe the key to successfully hunting bucks there (archery) is knowing what they're feeding on during the time frame you're there. Most believe it's aspen leaves, but it's been my experience that when you find lupin (also spelled lupine) and buckbrush, you'll find deer. Beleive it or not, there are some finger ridges up there that hold this type of vegetation without spur roads on it......and it doesn't have to be a long ridge.

I will generally hike in the dark down the bottom of the canyons until I get to the end of that particular ridge and wait for daylight. Then I begin the slowly still-hunt up the ridge, as the wind is generally in my face during this time. I don't walk directly in the middle of the ridge, but off the side......peeking up on top about every 10 yards or so. I glass each time I come up, never really exposing myself. Once you locate feeding bucks, the stalk is on.

When I hunt the lower sage/pinion country, I look for bitterbrush patches within a mile of some type of guzzler or water source. Rarely have I seen a GOOD buck come to water in that area during daylight hours. You will get bucks.....and even some medium bucks, I just personally have never seen a big buck......and those smaller bucks that did come in were generally in the evening.

I have found them in the bitterbrsuh fringes in the mornings in the low country. Now, some of the best bucks I've seen up there have been in the low country.....but they are few and far between. You may go a week and see 4 deer, but they are generally good ones. The best buck I've arrowed up there (203") came from the lower country (sage/bitterbrush).

The Bab' is a wonderful place to hunt, that took me quite a few years to fully understand and pattern. People never really bothered me up there, as I generally still-hunted away from folks and roads.

Good luck to you and I hope you let the air out of a good one!



BOHNTR )))---------->

 

[KaibabHntr]

...and that's the difference of 5-6 years kaibab experience and 20 years - thanks BOHNTR.

KaibabHntr
www.KeyToTheKaibab.com
Everything you need to hunt AZ unit 12A!

 

[redrabbit]

I believe the lupine is one plant that is coming back well in the Warm Fire burn area.

 

[Heat]

I hope all of you are taking notes!

Or better yet aren't sleeping through school while the professor is telling you what's going to be on the test!

Thanks Roy!

 

[AZBUGLER]

Interesting: I have had most of my success on the BAB in the mornings. I have shot two bucks off water in the mornings, although I must admit, neither was a big buck. The highest success I have had finding bucks in the mornings is to find a small finger ridge that they cross over. Seems like many deer follo the canyon edges right off the main ridges and get funneled into smaller shooting lanes when they have to cross over a smaller ridge that comes off the main ridge. Many good bucks have been shot by our group in these areas.

 

[BOW_N_ARROW]

I've had similar experience to that of BOHNTR with the AM hunts. With the exception of last year, every buck I've arrowed came before 0900. Last year's was the best (186") and came at 4ish in the afternoon. I hunt the west side the majority of the time and the evening hunts is when I typically see fewer deer.

I've hunted up there for 15 years, but still learn something everytime BOHNTR posts. I typically start at the top of the ridges and wait for daylight to work my way DOWN, but always seem to find the deer when I'm working my way UP. Never really thought just to start at the bottom and go from there. Sometimes the obvious is hard to see. I guess it doesn't really matter how you get there as long as it works.

Working on advice from Roy, I tried some of the low country last year. It didn't pan out for me, but when you are only seeing tracks (and some nice ones) the temptation to go back up on top where you are actually seeing what is making the tracks is hard to turn down.

The best advice I even heard about the 'Bab is that the deer are right where they find you. And it makes sense. Anyone that has been there since the '90s knows that when opening morning hits everything goes haywire and the deer anywere, everywhere or nowhere. Any patterns you think you've figured out change, you inevitably see another hunter at one time or another, deer you've been watching are gone and new ones you didn't see scouting take their place. Nevertheless, sooner or later, the deer always seem to find YOU.

JB