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2011 Kaibab Archery Deer Hunt

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Hi Folks,

 

I'm not sure about anyone else, but I can't wait for my archery deer hunt to start! I drew a tag for Unit 12 Archery Only. I am curious who else is headed to the Kaibab for the archery hunt? This is a hunt I have been looking forward to for a while. I was busy with a couple of other species last fall, so I didn't get a chance to archery hunt for deer (or elk). I am dying to get back up into the pines with my bow.

 

Does anyone have an opinion on the quality of this hunt now that it has been a draw hunt for a few years? It seems like there have been some great bucks taken on the Kaibab over recent years. Maybe not as many or as big as "back in the day" but there are some dandy photos floating around. I never went before it went to a draw, then I went the first two years, but skipped last year. Although I have been deer hunting on and off with my bow for over 20 years, I have not had any success with deer. I have killed one with my rifle down south and I have killed a bull elk with my bow, but no archery deer yet. I chose the Kaibab to put in for because of the high numbers of deer there. Quite frankly, although knowing that there are giants there makes for an exciting hunt, I would be very happy to put my tag on just about any buck. I am hoping to find a high quantity of deer and not necessarily a trophy deer. I think having only 700 tags this year might make the quality of hunt the best it has been in a long time.

 

I have a bunch of questions for those guys that know the Kaibab well. Do bucks ever hang down low in the winter range all year, or do they more or less ALL head up to the higher elevations for the summer? Would you recommend finding an active water source and sitting there, knowing there might be competition from other hunters, or would you mostly try to still hunt or spot and stalk? Is the Warm Fire burn area still as attractive to deer as it was 1-3 years after the burn? Is there a particular habitat type that is better for deer than others (P/J down low, Ponderosa/Oaks a bit higher, Ponderosa/Aspen even higher, Spruce/Fir near the top)? Do bachelor groups of bucks prefer the ridges or the canyons to feed? Do bucks prefer ridges or canyons to bed? The reason why I ask so many questions is that the area is so huge, there are just so many options for places to go and how to hunt.

 

I normally go with a buddy of mine, but unfortunately he was not drawn this year. I will be making a solo trip up there. As much as I would love to be up there for opening weekend, I won't be able to get up there until the second weekend. I have about 9 days to get it done before I have to head back home. If anyone is interested in sharing a camp up there I'm game.

 

So sound off, post your pics, and let's hear it from those that are going this year, or have anything they want to share to get me even more jacked up!

 

Thanks and good luck!

 

Nick

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Hi Folks,

 

I'm not sure about anyone else, but I can't wait for my archery deer hunt to start! I drew a tag for Unit 12 Archery Only. I am curious who else is headed to the Kaibab for the archery hunt? This is a hunt I have been looking forward to for a while. I was busy with a couple of other species last fall, so I didn't get a chance to archery hunt for deer (or elk). I am dying to get back up into the pines with my bow.

 

Does anyone have an opinion on the quality of this hunt now that it has been a draw hunt for a few years? It seems like there have been some great bucks taken on the Kaibab over recent years. Maybe not as many or as big as "back in the day" but there are some dandy photos floating around. I never went before it went to a draw, then I went the first two years, but skipped last year. Although I have been deer hunting on and off with my bow for over 20 years, I have not had any success with deer. I have killed one with my rifle down south and I have killed a bull elk with my bow, but no archery deer yet. I chose the Kaibab to put in for because of the high numbers of deer there. Quite frankly, although knowing that there are giants there makes for an exciting hunt, I would be very happy to put my tag on just about any buck. I am hoping to find a high quantity of deer and not necessarily a trophy deer. I think having only 700 tags this year might make the quality of hunt the best it has been in a long time.

 

I have a bunch of questions for those guys that know the Kaibab well. Do bucks ever hang down low in the winter range all year, or do they more or less ALL head up to the higher elevations for the summer? Would you recommend finding an active water source and sitting there, knowing there might be competition from other hunters, or would you mostly try to still hunt or spot and stalk? Is the Warm Fire burn area still as attractive to deer as it was 1-3 years after the burn? Is there a particular habitat type that is better for deer than others (P/J down low, Ponderosa/Oaks a bit higher, Ponderosa/Aspen even higher, Spruce/Fir near the top)? Do bachelor groups of bucks prefer the ridges or the canyons to feed? Do bucks prefer ridges or canyons to bed? The reason why I ask so many questions is that the area is so huge, there are just so many options for places to go and how to hunt.

 

I normally go with a buddy of mine, but unfortunately he was not drawn this year. I will be making a solo trip up there. As much as I would love to be up there for opening weekend, I won't be able to get up there until the second weekend. I have about 9 days to get it done before I have to head back home. If anyone is interested in sharing a camp up there I'm game.

 

So sound off, post your pics, and let's hear it from those that are going this year, or have anything they want to share to get me even more jacked up!

 

Thanks and good luck!

 

Nick

 

I just got back from the Bab' after scouting it for five days with the family. I was fairly disappointed with the quality of bucks there. I saw plenty of 130-140" type bucks, but after five days of scouting and covering a lot of good areas, I only saw three bucks over 180". One was a giant non-typical that I found in a low country area (6000' elevation) I used to bowhunt years ago. Lots of feed everywhere on the plateau including the low country. The burn held quite a few deer.....just not the quality that should be in there, IMO. Talked to the biologist up there......the herd is estimated to be about 8000 deer.....that's pretty sad, IMO.

 

They'll be a few nice deer taken (as usual), but to those of us who remember what it was like in the 80's and 90's, it was sad to see it in it's current state.

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Roy, you know what else is bothersome? Alot of people including Mr. Buck think that the Kaibab has too many deer. I just spoke to a guy that did his thesis on the Kaibab and he said the concern is if we have a really bad winter then the die off will be huge. I guess I dont see that happening up there. I see tons of available forage and wintering area and think the carrying capacity is much larger/bigger than what we have up there. I think we have over harvested the does up there for years. Anyway, what do I know..............Allen.............

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I agree about the doe population. Last year on the youth hunt we saw a fraction of the number of does i saw 5 or 6 years ago. I know they have dramatically reduced the number of doe permits. Seems like not so long ago they issued around 1,000. Last year was 250 and this year is 75.

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Roy, you know what else is bothersome? Alot of people including Mr. Buck think that the Kaibab has too many deer. I just spoke to a guy that did his thesis on the Kaibab and he said the concern is if we have a really bad winter then the die off will be huge. I guess I dont see that happening up there. I see tons of available forage and wintering area and think the carrying capacity is much larger/bigger than what we have up there. I think we have over harvested the does up there for years. Anyway, what do I know..............Allen.............

 

 

You're right Allen. What so contradictory is the fact that Mr. Buck recently said at a meeting that the body fat taken from wintering Kaibab deer was the highest it's ever been on record. Yet, they say the winter range is in bad shape??? He was asked how that was possible......he had no real answer. I'm beginning to think that if they ever made the common mosquito a big game animal, its numbers would be at an all-time low in ten years. :)

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Roy, you know what else is bothersome? Alot of people including Mr. Buck think that the Kaibab has too many deer. I just spoke to a guy that did his thesis on the Kaibab and he said the concern is if we have a really bad winter then the die off will be huge. I guess I dont see that happening up there. I see tons of available forage and wintering area and think the carrying capacity is much larger/bigger than what we have up there. I think we have over harvested the does up there for years. Anyway, what do I know..............Allen.............

 

 

You're right Allen. What so contradictory is the fact that Mr. Buck recently said at a meeting that the body fat taken from wintering Kaibab deer was the highest it's ever been on record. Yet, they say the winter range is in bad shape??? He was asked how that was possible......he had no real answer. I'm beginning to think that if they ever made the common mosquito a big game animal, its numbers would be at an all-time low in ten years. :)

 

That's very sad because it might be true. But very funny :)

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Man you guys are bumming me out! I was hoping to have this thread fire me up! I guess maybe I asked for it mentioning quality of the hunt. I hope to keep this thread focused on having some fun. I would be happy to start another thread about Kaibab management if you guys want to pick the Department and the FS apart.

 

Hey Roy,

 

I would guess that most guys see very few true 180 class bucks in their lives, nevermind 3 in one trip. I certainly have a much lower level of expectations. I am encouraged by you mentioning that there are plenty of smaller bucks around. Did you happen to draw a tag as well? Following the advice you gave me a few years ago, I plan on keeping a keen eye out for the lupine and buckbrush on the more secluded ridges to find the forage the deer like and go from there looking for bucks. Sound about right? BTW, nice collection of pics in the thread near the top! You are the jedi master of the Kaibab archery deer IMO! Thanks for your input.

 

More than anything I will be happy to get out of Yuma and into the cooler country to chase some deer around!

 

Keep the good stuff coming guys!

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Heat, I was up last year on both the early and late hunts. I will be again this year. Sure didnt mean anything by responding to Roy who posted. The Kaibab is very special to me and I sure would like to keep it that way. Based on your expectations you should easily kill one.........Allen......

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Thanks Allen! I'm really starting to love that place myself. I appreciate your passion for the Kaibab and deer in general. Thanks again for the input.

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I am encouraged by you mentioning that there are plenty of smaller bucks around. Did you happen to draw a tag as well? Following the advice you gave me a few years ago, I plan on keeping a keen eye out for the lupine and buckbrush on the more secluded ridges to find the forage the deer like and go from there looking for bucks. Sound about right?

 

Heat:

 

No tag for me this year up there.....just put in for a bonus point. I scouted it last year and this year just to see if it's gotten better to where I would go back next year. Still haven't decided that yet.

 

If you're happy with these size bucks, you should have a fun hunt, as I saw quite a few of this caliber:

 

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Notice the purple flowers (Lupine):

 

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The low growing shrub (olive colored) the buck is feeding on is buck brush:

 

059.jpg

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There are too many early season rifle tags. Those young bucks pictured above will be hammered in October. Pull into jacob lake on Saturday of the 1st weekend of the rifle hunt and almost every truck in the parking lot will have a buck like that or smaller hanging out the tailgate. Last year I saw a low rider Honda Prelude with four legs sticking out of the trunk.

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I drew the Kaibab archery tag also I set up my cameras in July hoping to draw a tag. There are alot of small bucks running around this year.I went and checked the cams this weekend and there were some decent bucks on them nothing compared to last year where i had some really nice deer.The pics are posted on the trail cam section.

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