Has anyone done the early Kaibab hunt recently? Have not drawn any tags this year and will never have enough points to hunt the late. I think I will burn what I have and hunt this year.
Early Kaibab
- Thread starter norcalhunter
- Start date
nwwa huner
Member
- Jun 29, 2011
- 79
- 0
I hunted it 2 years ago and my dad 2 years before. Tough hunt. Can be a decent hunt if you go guided. Great genetics but a very tough season. Don't expect to see a 160+ deer DIY but there's always a chance.
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
My wife drew it a couple years ago on two points. The advice I got from some guys who were very knowledgable on the area was not the spend the money or time on the hunt and to walk from the tag, and that is what we did.
On the other hand, you can draw an awesome Coues deer tag with only a few points. May be worth looking at.
On the other hand, you can draw an awesome Coues deer tag with only a few points. May be worth looking at.
I hunted it a couple years ago. Very tough hunt and low success rates, even if guided. Last year while hunting NM my guide stated the success rates for the outfit they run in the same area. Horrible numbers, so I didn't feel so bad.
Big deer there and you have a chance at a monster, but its all high timber and not fun hunting. Best hunting is over bait, which is what most guides do. I didn't know that going into it. Not my thing. People jockey to sit over the best water holes or bait with big deer coming in. Got ridiculous with the guides. One spot had someone on it 24/7, just to keep others off. I hunted mainly over water holes or trails leading to water. I also had 8 trail cameras set up over water i wasn't hunting, which I rotated to new ones every couple days. Had photos of one shooter in 9 days. Saw some deer during the trip, but there are better states to hunt when using your hard earned vacation. Might be a place to hunt when retired and want to spend a month learning it and narrowing it down. But like I said, even guided hunts didn't do so well.
Saw a lot of buffalo. Easy to get and you have the option to buy that tag if drawn for the deer tag. Wish I bought a tag because I easily could have zeroed in on buffalo. Very predictable once you find them. Impressive animals. Just massive.
Big deer there and you have a chance at a monster, but its all high timber and not fun hunting. Best hunting is over bait, which is what most guides do. I didn't know that going into it. Not my thing. People jockey to sit over the best water holes or bait with big deer coming in. Got ridiculous with the guides. One spot had someone on it 24/7, just to keep others off. I hunted mainly over water holes or trails leading to water. I also had 8 trail cameras set up over water i wasn't hunting, which I rotated to new ones every couple days. Had photos of one shooter in 9 days. Saw some deer during the trip, but there are better states to hunt when using your hard earned vacation. Might be a place to hunt when retired and want to spend a month learning it and narrowing it down. But like I said, even guided hunts didn't do so well.
Saw a lot of buffalo. Easy to get and you have the option to buy that tag if drawn for the deer tag. Wish I bought a tag because I easily could have zeroed in on buffalo. Very predictable once you find them. Impressive animals. Just massive.
Thanks guys for the input. My other thought was to to do a Coues hunt. I only have a few more days to figure it out.
Alabama
Veteran member
You can buy a tag for buffalo if you draw a deer tag? Wild free range buffalo? Wow I thought you had to be drawn to hunt or apply for the population management hunts.
Apparently buffalo tags are available for anyone who draws a 12A tag. Couldn't find it in the regs but was noted in the Huntin Fool.
Drhorsepower
Veteran member
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
Unless they change things you are correct. It will pretty much be up to those with max and one less than max in our lifetimes.
I have enough points to draw a good late season Coues tag but have never hunted Coues before. Just wondered if a newbie would have a decent shot of taking a good buck DIY? When does the rut really kick in. If I decide to hunt this year I would hunt the opener 12/13-12/18 in unit 23. Any thoughts?
Drhorsepower
Veteran member
Mule deer rut usually kicks in to full swing last part of December or early January depending on weather and location.
HuntWYODon
Very Active Member
I'm feeling the same. Have 12 pts. for deer and was thinking the last couple years to burn them on some other hunt besides 12A, !2B,13A or 13B. Hunted 12B late in 2001, Haven't been able to draw 12B late or 13A since. I will be up on Kiabab in Sept. but not for archery deer. I hunted arhery deer on Kiabab every year at least once or twice from 1987 up until a few yrs. ago when it went to draw. I miss hunting there. It's nice up there in late Aug. and Sept.. Going to stay at Jacob Lake for few days. I want to go back to a place in 12B where I picked up a bunch of shed's and found a pair of whoppers in 2001. Couldn't get there any sooner this year. Hope they aren't too bleached out yet !
Zim
Very Active Member
Is this buffalo thing for real? I never heard of anything like that. I should be drawing a 12AW late deer tag this year with one point below max.