Unit 12B West late quality

[oilcan]

So i was wondering how the quality of the 12b West late hunt compares to 12AE Late hunt.
With the hunt being a week later i would think this helps alot.I have 13 Non-Res points and for my second choice the 12BW hunt has a little better odds.
Any info would be appreciated

 

[azbiggame]

when talking about the Az. draw and odds for N.R. ??? plenty of words can be used but most are X-Rated !!! So,12BW and the late dates make this a very good hunt,but most all hunters are in same Burn in Buckskins ... 12A-E has same quality and more huntable country.Both units make a good 2nd. choice,but 12AW Late should always be Your 1st choice,unless You have MAX B.P. and as alwasy then it is 13B "OR BUST" ... Good Luck,
Bruce & SilverGrand

 

[DonMartin]

I'm gonna agree with Bruce on this one.

You are hunting migrating bucks from the Paunsgaunt in Utah, (90% are from there, 10% are from the Kaibab) in 12B West whereas in 12A East you are hunting resident deer.

Lots more area to look at on the Kaibab, where a lot of the hunters will be congregated in the burns in 12B West.

That being said, personally I'd take the 12B West over that late Kaibab east hunt, but that's just my preference. Boomers have been taken in both units.

Don Martin
Arizona Wildlife Outfitters

 

[tooele]

Here are some more things to consider.
1. Tag reductions over the last 4 to 5 years are significantly improving the herd on the Kaibab.
2. 12A west is the best hunt of the three generally speaking for size and numbers.
3. 12 A west has better range and areas to hunt during those dates.
4. 12 A east has better range and areas to hunt for the dates and is much more scoutable than 12 B west as 12 B west is mostly migration deer.
With your points unless you, a friend or a guide have a particular deer scouted in 12 A east or 12 B west I would not pick these units as a second choice, I would have first choice 13B and 2nd choice 12 A west.

My .02 cents.

T

 

[Bwht4x4]

I stupidly choose 12AE late as a second choice in 2008 and drew it with max points. The amount of deer was incredibly low. The best buck I saw was a 25" 4x4, which I passed on at 30 yards as he chased a doe around. I'd take the early hunts here for less than max points, but I would never burn max points for these hunts. I screwed big time, don't be a me!

B-

 

[oilcan]

Thanks for the reply's
I probably didn't explain what i was thinking very well.
With 13 Non-res points(including hunter ed point)i realize there will not be a 13 A/B hunt in my future.

12AW late has been and will be my first choice.
What i'm trying to decide is IF i should put in a second choice.With only 3 non-res tags and worse odds 12AE late doesn't make much sence.12B is iffy to draw but 12BW late looks like i have a pretty good chance at a tag.
Normally i wouldn't even put a second choice but this year i have not drawn a single tag and am worried i will not have a place to hunt this fall.But i also don't want to waste 13 points on a bad hunt just because i don't have anything else lined up.I really like this years dates for the late hunt and that is what got me thinking about the 12BW hunt.Decisions Decisions
Thanks again

 

[azhuntin]

I like the 12 b hunt for a few reasons.

1. You are hunting kaibab and paunsagunt deer and both herds are doing much better than in recent years past. If you want to hunt the buckskins you can get away from the other hunters. There is not that many on the late hunt, the early hunt is a different story.

2. 12 b is a huge unit and trust me the buckskins are not the only place where there are deer, but that is where you will see the most numbers.

3. There are some giants in 12 b just need to know where to look and in those areas you will rarely see another hunter.

I have hunted both the 12 a east and 12 b late hunts and I would definitely pick 12b over 12 a east.

Good luck on the draw and your decision

 

[couesmagnet]

I would second what azhuntn said. I would stay away from the buckskins and that whole area cause of the hunting pressure. There are better places to hunt, but have less deer than the buckskins in 12B west. Multiple big bucks were harvested last year in 12B west. !2a east can still be really good, but i would go with 12b west over 12a east. Also, just my opinion, but far more deer bail off into 12 a west/12b west than 12a east. More deer = more big bucks. Good luck what ever you choose.

 

[ClarkW]

Stick with 12A west. 12B and 12AE can produce are not consistant enough to burn that many points on. My buddy did this after 14 points, got 12AE and was very dissapointed.

 

[LC]

Ive hunted both pleanty enough times and I think they are very equal hunts and would for sure apply 12bW as your second choice! It just depends on if you wanna get out and hunt or drive the roads with every other hunter on what kind of hunt your going to have.
If someone handed me both late tags and said I could choose one I'd probably take the 12BW late tag. But thats just my personal preferance with my experience and the places I like to hunt.

Lance Crowther
www.tlohunting.com

 

[DonMartin]

Oilcan:

Didn't you draw a Kaibab tag a few years back?

Don Martin
AWO

 

[oilcan]

Don,

No i drew a unit 1 Archery Elk tag a couple years ago,the same year i took your class.