Talk me out of 12aw early

desperatehills · Feb 15, 2023

This is my first year as a Resident. I never though I would have a chance to hunt north of the ditch with a rifle as I built points as a NR. I have 14 points going into this years draw so the early rifle tag looks like a sure thing. With the moisture we have had so far it looks like it could be a good year to go with the later dates.

Some of the reviews on this hunt say it is too crowded. Deer can get brushed up and go nocturnal. I will have plenty of time to scout but I will be hunting out of state from early September till the first week of October. Other than a trip up in August to learn the roads I may just come a week early for the real scouting.

My goal would be a 180" buck. My biggest deer to date is 178" and I have killed several 170" bucks that score in the high 150's. I guess I have a patience problem. Will I see good bucks every day or will there be days when you can't seem to find deer?

Tell me why I should not do this hunt this year.

CactusPepper · Feb 15, 2023

I'd go for it.

Elmacho · Feb 15, 2023

it will take another 5 years to upgrade?

longranger · Feb 15, 2023

Do a 3a3c hunt. Closer to anywhere you may live. Can learn the whole unit in a few trips, less crowded during the hunt, and a chance at a 180 if you scout hard.

yotebuster17 · Feb 15, 2023

longranger said:
Do a 3a3c hunt. Closer to anywhere you may live. Can learn the whole unit in a few trips, less crowded during the hunt, and a chance at a 180 if you scout hard.

It seems like they kill one or two real nice bucks each year in there (190-200+) but the bucks I see on the guides websites don’t get me too fired up. They kind of remind me of the OP’s saying of “170 bucks that score in the 150’s”. Maybe I’m wrong, just seems like if you take the average buck I’ve seen posted on their social media it’s in the low 160’s.

longranger · Feb 15, 2023

Oh no doubt the average buck killed in there is 160-165. But every year there's 4 or 5 180s and 2-3 190+ bucks killed there. I wouldn't say for certain but I bet as a percentage of the tags in 3c vs 12aw early there are more big bucks killed in 3c.

yotebuster17 · Feb 15, 2023

longranger said:
Oh no doubt the average buck killed in there is 160-165. But every year there's 4 or 5 180s and 2-3 190+ bucks killed there. I wouldn't say for certain but I bet as a percentage of the tags in 3c vs 12aw early there are more big bucks killed in 3c.

Sorry I guess I shoulda said the average bucks killed by the outfitters. I’m guessing the average bucks killed are 20” 4 pts like anywhere. Not that outfitters are gonna kill the biggest bucks for sure every year, just seems like a lot of points to burn on a unit where most of the bucks the good hunters and outfitters are killing are 160 bucks. I think the genetics are there to crank out a big one though. But obviously they are on the kaibab as well!

Wiszard · Feb 15, 2023

You might die before you get another chance. Go draw that tag and live every moment you can.

desperatehills · Feb 16, 2023

3A-3C was on my radar. That is where I intended to go when I was building points as a NR. I believe the ceiling is higher on the Kaibab. If I was going to wait a few more years I could draw the late 3A-3C hunt and have a great experience with rutty deer and very few hunters in the field. I want to burn my points this year. With my points gone I will hunt general every year and draw a lower tier rifle tag every few years.

Joe2Kool · Feb 20, 2023

Hmmm. You can put in with me and my 10 points. When we get drawn, you can use Point Guard and keep your points while I hunt!

OK, OK, that wasn't serious. With all the discussions around the AZ PG system, I couldn't help it!

But seriously, go hunt. You never know what next year will bring.

Flatlander · Mar 18, 2023

If you want to burn your points next year then there isn’t really a better option. The only one to consider would be strip archery, but I don’t recall off the top of my head what the bonus pass on that is.

You could consider 12AE muzzleloader and it would be a little later in the year. Still not full rut. I don’t recall exactly what the bonus pass was for that but you’d be close.

Or you could have your pick of whitetail tags.

Of all that, 12AW early is probably the best chance at a really big buck. If you spend two weeks there and know how to find deer, you should get an opportunity at what you are after.