AZ pronghorn units

[couesdiehard]

During this lull waiting for fall draw results, I have a question I would like to ask of everyone. I currently have 18 bonus points for pronghorn and am likely to get drawn in the draw next year. I have never spent a lot of time scouting these guys since drawing a tag seemed so unlikely for so long. I really don't know if I will ever get drawn more than once for AZ pronghorn, so I would like to give myself the best chance to hunt some B & C goats. If you were me, what unit(s) would you apply for? No secret spots please, just the unit you think is tops. P.M. me if you don't want it displayed. I plan to start scouting this summer and fall while travelling to different parts of the state so I may come up with some ideas of my own too.

 

Lee

[Red Rabbit]

Unit 10 may still be tops, but 18BP won't put you in contention to be drawn for several years. Look at the bonus point reports on G&F to compare units. Take the 22-250 while scouting and get some vermin to help out the antelope fawns.

 

 

[couesdiehard]

Doug,

You are right that is one of those units where you need 19 to 20 BPs be reasonably sure of a chance at a draw. Others are a little more in my favor but I wonder if I should start putting in for one like that for the next couple of years.

[Red Rabbit]

Most of the good units needed 19BP or more to get in the 20% pass for the 2010 draw. Even Unit 10 was 19 or more, as it was 2 years ago when I drew a tag in 18. So I would hold out a few years, as you've waited all these. You might get in the last of the 20% pool in 3 years allowing for some point creep.

 

Keep track of Eli Grimmett's blog.

http://www.pronghornguideservice.net/blog.html

[couesdiehard]

Thanks Doug,

that is a great resource. I will follow it.

[wackycouesaddict]

Hunt archery every four to five years

[ruthunter]

I only put in for archery and i finally drew a tag this year after 10 years. Im proof it can take longer than 3-5 years.

[couesdiehard]

I considered archery hunting goats but I already had 12 or more bonus points and could not bring myself to use them up to sit in a blind with a bow. My stalking skills aint good enough to try spot and stalk either. I am going to use my .300 WSM for this draw. After that, I will probably start applying for archery though. Thanks for the input though.

Lee

[elkhunter]

I guess it's hard to say, I live down in Sierra Vista and man there are some quality goats in 34B, and they are up in the juniper/oaks and that unit certainly ain't known to be BC country, quite a few goats over 80 and they seem to top out bout 85.

 

I vote for 10 as well for the best BC just because of the high quananity of goats and the high quality, I took picture of a goat that was atleast 18in tall while I was working for AZGFD, some serious bigguns out there.

 

I guess I am saying it really comes down to how often you scout. Anyone can kill a 100 inch coues buck in any unit in Arizona, it just comes down to your scouting effort. IF I were you I'd put in for 10 for first choice and figure out what unit is known to be 2nd-5th best in the state for BC bucks and have that one as your second choice. Seriously good luck to you!

[cramerhunts]

I would hold out Lee and get that unit 10 rifle tag, you've waited this long why throw your points away on something less then one of the top goat units. There isn't a BC buck behind every tree and it can be dang tough but that's part of the hunt. The genetics are there and there just is flat out a lot of country where you'll find a true trophy goat.

[ruthunter]

Another consideration could be 19a and 19b they both have had record goats killed in them in the past years.

[DUG]

19B is a good choice if you want to pay 1500 bucks to hunt. We always used to put in for 19B. But we don't even put in for it. Lots of big ones there for sure. Not much public land open to hunt anymore there. My wife has 15 points now so she should get a tag in the next few years.

[EliAGrimmett]

This buck was taken last season in Unit 10 - it scores 91-6/8 B&C.

 

Amount of scouting time available is a definite factor - and maybe the most important one.

 

Unit's 10, 5A, 5B, 18B, 19B are probably at the top of the list right now for being able to produce many B&C bucks and upper 80's type bucks.

 

19B can be a pain.

 

Unit 10 is the most consistent, but will require the most time.

 

18B is consistent as well, but sometimes the big bucks are on the Float and that will cost you.

 

5A and 5B have horrible roads, but good bucks.

 

If you have very little time to scout I'd suggest somewhere like 17A or 15A. Potential for good bucks and very little antelope country to scout. The bad thing is that once you scout all the country what you see is what you get. If you didn't find a big one then there probably isn't one there. Unit 10 isn't like that. You can scout up there for weeks and weeks and always have a good chance at seeing something new.

 

Units 7, 8, and 9 can be great units, but if you're unfamiliar with them they can be very daunting because of the dense cover in some areas. Because the bucks can live in treed areas and be invisible for so long, if you don't know where to concentrate your efforts you may never find anything.

 

4A and 4B can also be really good units.

 

19A used to be the best on the planet, but the drought, transplants, and development have nearly destroyed the trophy quality. If it could have a bounce back year it might be a great unit again.

 

We even guided to an 87 inch buck in 3A a few years ago and I hear of big bucks coming from Unit 1 all the time.

 

Honestly, most units with enough country and population can be good units with B&C bucks - the amount of time spent scouting will determine what you come home with. If you can scout before you apply - say this season for next season - you can narrow down your choices.

 

I applied for Unit 10 and 5A this year. Didn't draw. If I could access all the ranches in 19B I'd have applied there. Not sure where I'll put in next year. Our scouting this year will dictate my choices. Most likely it will still be Unit 10 first choice. Second choice is up in the air.

 

Good luck!

[BRYCE CANYON]

Thanks for that info Eli.

 

I like 5A and 5B but am anxiously waiting to see how the Hopi Ranch scenario plays out. With 19 points, I hope to draw soon.

[EliAGrimmett]

Yeah, the Hopi deal is a little weird considering it isn't something that's been done before (that I know of). What's really interesting to me within this whole Hopi/Leftover tag/etc. debacle is that after calling and talking to multiple G&F personnel it seems that every single person in the office was told something different about how it was really going to work. I got so many different answers I was beginning to think it was all just a big prank.

 

As far as the Hopi's getting tags - what's surprising is that there were leftovers! Which makes me wonder how G&F came up with the number of tags they were going to give the Hopi's? Weird deal I think.