Unit 8 Archery

[cooltouch284]

Is an opportunity at A 350 class Bull realistac or do I need to lower my expectations?

 

[Zoomer]

LAST EDITED ON Apr-09-09 AT 11:26PM (MST)[p]Oh, I don't know.

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/hunting/news/story?page=h_fea_elk_AZ_Franklin_Burkhead

It may not be probable but it is possible.

 

[caelkhnter]

As most people will say, almost any Archery Rut hunt in Arizona provides the disciplined, patient, and skilled hunter with the opportunity to take a 350 bull. It is just that some units seem to have a greater number of such bulls. Unit 8 does have real potential. In my experience the problem with unit 8 is the inconsistency of the rut activity. In some years, even though the bulls may be rutting hard in the other near by units, for some strange reason they may not be doing so in unit 8. If they are not rutting hard, unit 8 can be a tough hunt to get a 350 bull. But make no mistake about it, there are 350 bulls in unit 8.

 

[muleybull]

Huge bulls in this unit. I live my life around it.

Problem is, every archery hunter takes 50 friends, so the unit now sucks big ones. Used to be great, could be again. But, if a elk farts during the hunt, 30 guys are moving in on him to either shoot him or try to video him so his buddy can look at the video at the end of the day.

I hope you have a great hunt there, if the right people draw the tags then you wont be overwhelmed with people running everywhere and you should have a great time.

But if the past 7 years are any indicator, you'll be wondering how every tag in the unit is everywhere at the same time. You almost need a parking pass to park off any dirt road.

I wont apply for this unit.

Is that ethical?

 

[nonet]

+1 on what muleybull said.

 

[cooltouch284]

Do you think hunting the junipers would be any less crowded?

 

[ClarkW]

Well, I am going to agree and disagree with the other posts. There is great potential in the unit but it does seem to get overwhelming with people and the lower pinyon juniper woodlands may be worse than the pines. Lots of guides hit the unit with several lookers for each hunter. As far as the rut though, more years than not, the unit starts up earlier than its neighboring units, but can be hit and miss through most of the hunt, like many other AZ units.

So 350" is doable, but I sure would consider a 330" bull if he were in my range there

 

[nonet]

I think junipers are actually more crowded than the pines. Reason; there are fewer elk down there than in the pines so where there are elk in the pj the guys that are hunting down there group up around them.

 

[HullinPhx]

I love this unit, the only drawback in the Cow hunters in there at the same time as the bull hunters. Plenty of 330 bulls. During hte September hunts stay up high in the pines

 

[cooltouch284]

Thanks guys for the info.it really helps.


Chris

 

[mesquitehunter]

If you look on the left side of the AZ forum under the Southwest hunting ad. That is a unit 8 archey from 07'