Area 9 December tag

fullcurl0

Member
Mar 12, 2011
61
43
Out West
Well, I would love to see a pic of one of those big late season bulls, or speak to someone who has actually hunted and killed bulls then? Maybe Meathunter, you could show some of the bulls from your 4 or 5 years hunting there? I've spoken with a couple of outfitters, and their success is not good, a 320 bull seems like a big bull and tough to find on public land in the late season.
So I'm all eyes, lets see those big bulls! I'm excited now!
 

Redbowman

New Member
Jan 18, 2016
47
3
I would never turn in a area 9 tag. The Bulls are there. The weather could be perfect for you.
 

fullcurl0

Member
Mar 12, 2011
61
43
Out West
Have you got some stories of a good bull in the late season Redbowman, would sure appreciate any intel you might have, or heck, post a pic of a good area 9 late season bull, at least then I'd know someone has done it! I've yet to actually confirm a good bull taken in this season.
Thanks for all the feedback, it sure helps a fellow figure things out.
 

Umpqua Hunter

Veteran member
May 26, 2011
3,576
88
61
North Umpqua, Oregon
Well I'm a bit surprised, as I drew my second choice for an area 9 late rifle hunt.
I have been second guessing my decision now... Any advice sure would be appreciated, I have Point Guard, so could turn it in... But, I'm not getting any younger and may never see one of the real premier tags. I'm honestly a bit concerned if a one week hunt is enough to get it done on a really good bull?
I know these late hunts are tougher, but is that because guys just aren't serious enough or are the bulls that hard to find?
Any help sure would be welcome.
How many points did you burn fullcurl0? The reason I ask is if you are in the 4 to 7 point range, I would definitely hold out for another tag. Remember after 5 consecutive years of applying you get an extra "loyalty" point, so you will get a two point jump after year 4. There are a few late hunts and lower point archery tags I would jump on in a heartbeat.

Unit 9 is definitely one of the tougher late hunts. I had an archery tag in 2000, it was a drought year with no rut. It was BRUTAL without the rut even though I was hunting with one of the top outfitters. I was in bow range of one elk during my hunt. It is flat with thick cover. I don't recall glassing any elk. Success in seeing elk was by calling and sitting water. The competition for the best water was very high and that was with only 100 archery tags. My understanding is the better glassing points for the late hunt are well known and likely you'll have company. I can tell you that I have never been seriously tempted with a Unit 9 late rifle tag.

Also in reading your comments, it seems that you were maybe surprised to draw your second choice. Maybe not, but that was my perception. In Arizona if your number comes up in the draw both your first and second choice are considered before moving on to the next applicant. There are different scenarios of how this plays out depending on if you have enough points to be in the bonus pass or not for one or both of your choices.
 

fullcurl0

Member
Mar 12, 2011
61
43
Out West
I sure appreciate that info. I'm not sure I understand when you say after 4 years your up by two points? I do realize the loyalty point
thing, but does that happen every 5 years or once only?
I have 9 points. Thanks so much for the honesty! As you can see in this thread, some folks really like the late season In Area 9, I'm just
wanting to see a harvest pic from the hunt.
 

meathunter

Active Member
Jun 6, 2012
181
8
Idaho Falls, Idaho
Well, I would love to see a pic of one of those big late season bulls, or speak to someone who has actually hunted and killed bulls then? Maybe Meathunter, you could show some of the bulls from your 4 or 5 years hunting there? I've spoken with a couple of outfitters, and their success is not good, a 320 bull seems like a big bull and tough to find on public land in the late season.
So I'm all eyes, lets see those big bulls! I'm excited now!
Here's a late season unit 9, smaller 6x6 bull my wife shot back in 2005. We only had 4 days to hunt due to time constraints, took this on the 2nd day and the next day packing out. There are a lot of access roads and found the elk about a mile and 1/2 in from the road. Elk were feeding heavily at that time stocking up for the winter, IMO. I didn't score on a bull during the rut archery hunt once in unit 9, although saw really good ones. Got a couple of cows from that unit too, easy hunt.Shari's elk side.jpg
 

Umpqua Hunter

Veteran member
May 26, 2011
3,576
88
61
North Umpqua, Oregon
I sure appreciate that info. I'm not sure I understand when you say after 4 years your up by two points? I do realize the loyalty point
thing, but does that happen every 5 years or once only?
I have 9 points. Thanks so much for the honesty! As you can see in this thread, some folks really like the late season In Area 9, I'm just
wanting to see a harvest pic from the hunt.
I've been collecting and organizing kill photos by unit for many years. I have virtually nothing noteworthy from Unit 9 late. There are a few late tags I would hunt in a heartbeat but 9 isn't one of them. With 300+ tags a year, if your odds of killing a solid bull were descent on that hunt, there should be a pile of photos circulating. The outfitters are giving you good feedback.

With 9 points you are in the running for several good mid tier elk tags, particularly if you hunt with a bow. If you mean you had 9 before the draw you would have 10 after this year. That is a good spot to be in.

To help with your decision making....Unit 9 late rifle required residents only to have 6 points to be in the bonus pass draw. It looks like one or more nonresidents drew with 7 points. I think before the new nonresident draw system implemented last year, that tag was drawing around 5 points. What that tells you is you have the points to draw tags with a higher demand.

Unit 9 has 390+ bulls so there is always the chance. I tend to base my hunts and expectations on what is likely though. If I felt 9 late was a solid 340 hunt I would have been all over it. :)

The loyalty point is what I was speaking of. It looks like you got that long ago :)
 

meathunter

Active Member
Jun 6, 2012
181
8
Idaho Falls, Idaho
Yeah Umpqua seems to track the point system well and knows what it takes. My 1st archery hunt was back in 1986 and the last time in unit 9 was a cow hunt in 2010. A friend of mine had never shot an elk, so we hunted in there back then when I was living in Flagstaff. With 300+ tags, the elk are pressured good by the late hunt. Having moved to Idaho quite a few years ago, that probably is a lot of points to burn for the late hunt. I'm not familiar with the AZ point system and the changes there now.

Good luck on whatever direction you go, the big bulls are there, finding them at that time could be challenging :)
 

Gr8bawana

Veteran member
Aug 14, 2014
2,671
605
Nevada
I'm wonderig if AZ Fish & Game keeps records of point class elk harvest. I mean unit 1 and 27 are known for holding monster bulls but what percentage of the bulls taken are say 360+.
Just because those bulls are there doesn't mean you will find one and successfully take one.