6A Archery Hunt after 8 years. Advice?????

[LuckyGuy128]

So after 8 years I drew a September Archery rut hunt in 6A. I put in on a whim as I normally put in for 5BS and 10.

This is a huge unit and I have never hunted Elk before. I have no problem packing in somplace for a week and I would gladly spend 5 days packing out a nice bull.

 

Advice on general areas, calls, techniques..... anything.

 

I view this as a once in a lifetime opportunity and am planning on taking my 2 weeks of vacation.

 

Help???

[DesertBull]

If you are wanting to do a pack in, the southern 1/2 would be your best bet. There are some deep canyons and fewer( I did not say no) roads. There are two "quiet areas" that are roaded, but the roads are closed much of the year. The key, as always, is water. Especially in the lower elevations of the southern part of 6A.

 

If you are going to start scouting now,concentrate on finding remote water and less on finding bulls. The bulls will move after they rub off. Look for cows and water. Their feeding areas and bedding areas will change as the heat increases and the monsoons come, but they will always come to water.

 

Good Luck

[stanley]

Quiet areas!!!!!

 

It is a fun tag! Good luck!

 

S.

 

[CouesFanatic]

Don't think you need to pack in to kill a good bull. It just isn't so in that September hunt. But don't be afraid to bust your butt chasing the bulls. The bulls come looking for the cows in September. If they are bulging, it should make the hunt much easier. good luck.

 

Oh, and while some people call, I wouldn't recommend it. A lot of bulls have been educated before.

[youngbuck]

Get in the best shape you can and get acclimated to the elevation. You can catch up and get infront of elk moving. It isn't a stroll in the park, but can be done. Your tag is the one going on the bull. Don't let your buddy talk you into or out of a bull.

[KaibabHunter]

Read these posts (a lot of good info):

Elk in Pinyons/Junipers: http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20542

Tough Hunt: http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20839&st=0&p=220129&hl=tough&fromsearch=1entry220129

 

Do a forum search for 6a. A lot of good info came out last year on the unit.

 

Pines and pinyon country in the unit and both hold elk. I had the 6AS tag last year and saw elk in both types of terrain but ended up having better action in the pines but that could vary from year to year. I think with your tag it will be interesting to see where 595 archers focus in the unit. You may find your spot overrun with hunters and other areas left alone - not sure what will happen but interested to see the results without the 3 sub units. I would definately scout some plan A-D spots cause who knows how much pressure you might have with the tag allotment.

 

Using a locator bugle and chasin em worked the best for me. You might go a mile but you can catch up. I prefer to stay mostly silent and then when real close, challenge by a bugle or tree rake, lost cow call...or stay silent and keep workin in on em. You can sit water but so do a lot of other guys. I found somebody's trophy rock that had 5-6 trails coming into and was getting absolutely hammered by elk. I set up on it once and bumped a 6pt bull on my in as he was on his way in and had a cow at 10 yards later. After the shot, stick to the blood and find em quick. It gets real hot by 10 am. I too wouldn't worry too much about roads - the elk didn't seem to last year. Keep us posted cause I really want that tag again!

[azhchunter]

Try south of Buck MT in the gooswick park area, nice transitions and canyons. South of Stoneman lake on the south west side. Jacks canyon n Fossl canyon are all good spots. Dont foget south of Apache maid. Dont for get to have fun.

[LuckyGuy128]

Great advice all! I'll keep everyone posted on how it all turns out.

[oldboy]

The whole unit holds bulls. Nearly everything said is true with great advice. Don't try to pack in some place though. There are certainly remote areas in Unit 6a but the temperatures can reach nearly 90 degrees in September. I've been on hunts where four of us have worked until one in the morning struggling to get a bull in just a mile or two in. Had we not retrieved it that night, it would certainly have spoiled by noon the next day. I've heard the horror stories by others tracking elk until late at night and not beating the clock the next day as the sun rises and the heat sets in.

 

I've been so tempted to hike deeper into some of the wilderness areas of the unit, but it is just not feasible in September with a big'ol bull you need to cool down.

 

Good Luck on your hunt!

[couesdiehard]

One trick that really got me into bulls during the runt during that hunt in the south 1/2 of the unit was to find flats or plateus that dumped off into deep thick canyons. The bulls would be running the cows ragged on the flats in the early morning and then like clockwork at about 7:30 the cows and bulls would drop down into the deep canyons and hide out. Find a flat they are working, be there an hour before sun up and be prepared to chase the bugling bulls. While they are on the flats they are constantly moving. Good luck. It's a blast!

[youngbuck]

Not trying to ruffel any feathers, but that last thing I would do is rush a stuck bull. If he is hit but not a perfect lung shot, give him time. If a bull is jumped up that hasn't had a perfect shot on him, he can go miles. It does get hot, and you might have to him out late at night, but you'll be packing out a bull.

[muzzlehunter75]

Hey I know Some good spots in 6a for elk send me a pm if yor inerested i'll give you a area that is good and you will be elk all day!