Tree stands up or down canyon from waters can be excellent and reduce the inevitable territorial dispute with other hunters over the waterhole. Areas around Crystal Springs, Sourdough Well, and along the 610 rd near the National Park Boundary provide the best opportunity for finding the often secretive Blue Grouse. In the last couple of years, only a few elk have been spotted and harvested in the vicinity of Mile and a Half Lake south to Franks Lake, on the west side of the Kaibab Plateau. Deer from the North Kaibab start migrating northward to merge with the Utah deer in early-November. Be prepared for extreme weather. Arizona is known for it's coveted and hard to acquire bull elk tags. No motor vehicles are allowed in the Paria Canyon/Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Area. Elk Hunting Arizona Elk 2a,2b,2c Ronin75 Oct 26, 2019 Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum Become a supporting member R Ronin75 Well-Known Member Joined Feb 29, 2012 Messages 570 Oct 26, 2019 #1 Anyone have experience hunting the above units for elk? 3799 - Units 12A, 12B, 13A, and 13B have an extremely low-density elk population, about 40-50 elk combined for all four units. Chukars are generally found within the lower 8 or 9 miles of Paria Canyon, along the rim of the Paria Plateau, and at spring sources along the Vermilion Cliffs. Arizona Unit 8 Elk Hunting. Contact Us Contact Us Thank you for your interest in our Deer and Elk Hunts. Before each hunting trip, verify that the zone is still open, by calling 877-438-0447 or checking online at View harvest thresholds and zone closures. Create a free account to read the rest of this access note! Happens every year. It'd be a great trip to take and walk around the woods/sit some watering holes for a day or two as a bonus; and hope to be the luckiest hunter ever. If you are fortunate enough to draw one of the most sought after deer tags in the United States come to the Kaibab with realistic expectations. The prepared hunter is often the successful hunter. By this time of year the deer are visiting water in the dark. Overview: According to David Brown in Arizona Game Birds the Blue grouse is a native of the Kaibab Plateau and restricted locals in the White Mountains. If you are considering hunting mountain lions on the Kaibab for the first time consider hiring a good houndsman/guide to increase your likelihood of success. Once a track is located the hounds are released and the lion is pursued until treed. Finally, remember that you could be sitting in the office and enjoy the opportunity to get away and take part in the oldest most admirable sport there is. Data currently indicates that buck: doe ratios, a very important management statistic, have rebounded as of late and are significantly higher than the statewide average. During the fall hunt, turkey hunting is a totally different game. If old man winter has not yet shown his face follow the suggestions given for the early hunt and good luck. See how weather varies by elevation within a unit by selecting an elevation range. As the fall progresses the deer become more and more secretive. The current yearly limit on lions harvested in Unit 12 stands at 14. Arizona Game & Fish Department, Region II- 928-774-5045 Dreams have been realized, or shattered, on every hunt in this Unit since its inception. You've got a lot of country to access. Game and fish would rather have hunters do it legally. Forest road 68G accesses Tule Mesa, and forest road 68 access the Pine Mountain Wilderness. There are generally one or two herds on South Canyon Point; however this area is more difficult to access as there are few roads in the area. Bachelor herds are typically broken up by this hunt and bucks can be relatively evenly distributed throughout the plateau. The AZ/UT state line on a GPS unit is N37 00.0 latitude. I did find some ancient droppings from over a year before but no elk. Identification seems to be a prevalent problem for first time grouse hunters as poult turkeys, Band-tailed Pigeons, and even Northern Goshawks are often mistaken for grouse. I'm not at all familiar with the area but read on azgfd that the population is super low. However, for the past few years, bison have been seen near Wall Lake, as well as along Forest Service Roads 219B, 223, 270, and 610. Walking and stalking in areas determined by scouting to hold bachelor herds of bucks can be exciting and productive. Concentrate your efforts in areas with rim-rock and significant changes in elevation. As mentioned above, the main concentration of antelope is in House Rock Valley. Other Pertinent Climate Information Thanks a ton ! No off-road travel by motor vehicles is allowed. As the crow flies its not more than 50 miles to the north end of the Kaibab plateau. Shooting from a vehicle and from the roadway is also prohibited. If you are fortunate enough to draw one of the most sought after deer tags in the United States come to the Kaibab with realistic expectations and remember, we hunt for the experience. During the fall hunt, turkey hunting is a totally different game. The early hunt is managed for hunter opportunity and usually occurs during the early part of the deer migration, thus few older-age class bucks are found during the early hunt. I was thinking about that hunt also . The AZ/UT state line on a GPS unit is N37 00.0 latitude. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. Outdoor Hub, LLC (d/b/a Carbon Media Group), 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA. Areas: The Buckskin Mountains in the central portion of the unit contains the highest densities of deer and is best to hunt after mid-October. Public land and private land percentages can sometime be misleading. Create a free account to read the rest of this elk hunting note! Forage quality and snowfall will push the deer to the lower winter range. Finally, mule deer throughout their range are altering their behavior as hunting pressure increases. Overview: The world famous, or infamous, Kaibab Mule Deer herd. The Warm Springs and Nail Canyon areas in 12AW and the Cocks Combs area in 12AE are good starting points. Remember, we hunt for the experience. Sir, Cut your losses and stay home, worst unit almost in whole state. Well, I wasn't, but welcome to AHT to you also! Im not at all familiar with the area but read on azgfd that the population is super low. Many hunters go home disappointed that they did not see big bucks on the early hunt, but every hunter should do their homework and know what they should expect on a hunt before setting high expectations. During the winter months access to areas within 12A can be extremely limited, even nonexistent. Trumbull and or Grand Canyon Wilderness. Grouse, like squirrels, appear to be most active early in the morning but walking throughout the day can result in flushed birds. Bring binoculars and spotting scopes. 0. A forum community dedicated to hunting and fishing enthusiasts in the Arizona area. These areas are open to foot and horseback travel only. The hunter questionnaire link is located on the back of your tag. Elk tags are offered thru the draw system. Unit 3a/3c - second choice. Approximately 20% of Arizona's elk hunting opportunity is found in this unit. Northern half of the unit is ponderosa pine and mixed conifer forest, rolling hills, and high mountains. You will find the majority of antelope south and east of the ranch and all the way out to the rim of Marble Canyon. The best hunting techniques include walking, and watching and listening while sitting with your back to a tree. Birds are usually found in isolated coveys, and can (usually do) descend thousands of feet into inaccessible canyons after being flushed. Units 12A East, 12AWest and 12B require near max points, but hunters lucky enough to draw an East side Kaibab tag are in store for an incredible mule deer hunt. New Harvest Thresholds When the number of harvested mountain lions reaches the threshold, that zone closes to the additional harvest of mountain lions at sundown the Wednesday immediately following. Waterhole hunting becomes less productive as frost begins to supply the need for water. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. Create a free account to read the rest of this access note! Overview: Unit 12A, world famous for the Kaibab Deer Herd, is also home to one of the premier turkey populations in the state of Arizona. This exotic game bird, native to the Middle East, was introduced into various areas in Arizona. If frost has cured out the summer range forage and some cold weather has struck, concentrate your efforts in the pinyon/juniper areas and even farther out in the sage and open canyon country. There are only a few conveniences provided along Hwy 89A in the small communities of Vermilion Cliffs, Cliff Dwellers, Marble Canyon and Jacob Lake. The lion population in 12A is a migratory population of roughly 60-80 animals with the lions essentially following the deer herd as it migrates from summer to winter ranges. Overview: This unit is primarily winter range for migratory deer from both the North Kaibab Plateau in Arizona and from the Paunsaugunt Plateau in southern Utah. Most of the land we provide drop camps on are public land, however, we do offer hunts that have private land access for an additional cost. Enjoy the natural splendor of the Kaibab Plateau, revel in your good fortune at having a tag, but most of all be a responsible sportsman and represent our sport in the best manner possible. MAP VIEW. Use the link, or scan code to get to this page and select the questionnaire for your hunt. The Paria Plateau to the east has the lowest number of deer. Areas: Concentrate your efforts on the southeast side of the Plateau in sub-unit 12AE. Just remember that there are always exceptions to the rule, and land ownership is just one piece of the puzzle. Depending on the amount of snow fall, Pigeon Canyon and Gunsight Point to the west are generally best after early November. Southern half of unit is south of Mogollon Rim and has some ponderosa pine forests in the higher elevatio Elk occur throughout unit from high elevation mixed conifer near the Mogollon Rim to the Sunset Mountains just south of Winslow. Articles often lead to false expectations; huge bucks do not exist behind every tree anywhere in the world. Concentrate on areas that are more inaccessible. Create a free account to read the rest of this terrain note! Hunters with a 12B permit (vs. 12BW permit) may hunt the Paria Plateau as well as the rest of the Unit. Areas: Concentrate your efforts on the southeast side of the Plateau in sub-unit 12AE. After an opening day of this activity plan on spending the next nine days in the same manner. After a snow storm a hunter will drive the roads found within the Unit 12 winter deer range early in the morning looking for tracks. Watching waterholes that have turkey sign around them provide the turkey hunter with the best opportunity to bag a bearded turkey during this often dry time of the year. We hunt a variety of units in Arizona. From the West: State Hwy 389 Permit numbers for the 12B hunt are very limited. Be prepared for remote camping as the only amenities during the spring hunt are at Jacob Lake and in Fredonia. Less pressure o grow big? I'd go the end of September into early October. Concentrate your efforts in areas with waterholes (not necessarily on the water), as the plateau is often dry at this time of the year. Have fun, Maybe the trees will be in fall colors when your there, Beautiful colors that time of year. Unit 12A continues to provide the turkey hunter and/or wildlife enthusiast a unique opportunity to observe Merriam's Turkeys. These hunts include the Arizona strip (Units 13A or 13B) or Kaibab (Units 12A East, 12A West and 12B) for mule deer. Overview: Unit 12A is home to one of the most unique game animals in Arizona and perhaps the nation. Look for areas with mixed conifer, aspens, and berry bushes in close proximity. I drew this hunt 15 years ago when it covered only unit 12A. The health and longevity of this winter range is critical to the long term sustainability of the 12A deer herd. It was an early October hunt and the rut would be winding down but not over. Hunters who have no desire to hunt the Paria Plateau and want to hunt the Buckskins or the west side winter range should apply for a 12BW permit. The elevation in this area ranges from 3,000' to 7,000'; vegetation ranges from riparian cottonwood-willow and salt cedar along the Gila River, to Chihuahuan Desert in the lower elevations a Elk hunting in this unit can be extremely difficult due to the terrain. Once the location of turkeys has been determined getting up early, hours before first light, is critical. . The Bureau of Land Management, Arizona Strip District, 345 E. Riverside Drive, St. George, Utah, 84770, phone (435) 688-3200 manages the majority of unit 12B. 12A includes the Kaibab plateau that actually starts in southern Utah and rising up to the south to 9300+ ft. This is a large area, so scouting will be beneficial. Grouse often flush at close range in thick cover so be prepared for quick shooting. Keep movements to a minimum, scan the surrounding area constantly, and listen for turkey vocalizations. Deer are can be found in the open sagebrush flats, but not until snow pushes them out of the trees. Areas: The Buckskin Mountains in the central portion of the unit contains the highest densities of deer and is best to hunt after mid-October. Update: For the past few years, bison have been seen near Wall Lake, as well as along Forest Service Roads 219B, 223, 270, and 610. Actually, n reports of elk have been reported in these areas or in the unit for the last couple of years. 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