6A Early Archery Hunt....!

[Cazador]

Well with all the talk about all the surrounding units plus the very popular units hunters wait years to draw, I like to get a 6A thread going. I drew another bull tag for this unit again and was successful back in 2010 with a 330'sh bull. I haven't started my scouting yet as to I like to do it closer to the hunt and will be spending a lot of time the next few weeks back in the areas I know very well that have produced a lot of elk for me and my family. I wanted to hear from any other hunters who drew this 'coveted' tag to see how the bulls are looking. I know quite a bit of rain has fallen the last few weeks and I was up at my brother's cabin this past weekend in 5BS and water holes are filling up fast and things are really greening up. I would also like to hear how much more challenging you guys think it will be this year with a ton of tags for the early archery hunt. Where do you guys think the largest bull will be taken? North or South? I have PM'd a few members who have hunted near where I hunt to get information on those areas nearby and I'll be scouting those locations but pretty confident my ace in the hole location will produce again. Maybe we should start a 6A trophy bull contest.. LOL... Looking forward in hearing from you 6A archery elk hunters...

[desertbowhunter]

I don't have a 6a tag I have a 3c tag. But I had my first bull tag in 6a and I must say it was the best elk hunt I ever been on to date. The action was incredible!!! I was 15 (I'm 29 now) my dad put me on bulls everyday I hunted all 14 days and I missed 15 times!! It was an experience I will never forget. On the second to last day we got in on two 350ish bulls fighting and the one that got whooped (the bigger of the two) came by me at 40 yards. I got so shook up that when I drew back my arrow came off my rest and I put it back on by grabbing the fletching with my teeth. The bull stopped perfectly broadside and I shot right over his back. I cried that day and still think of that bull till this day. 6a is a great unit I hope you smoke the bull of your dreams! Good luck!!

[KaibabHunter]

I've been pokin around 6a all summer but I don't have the tag, my dad does - archery bull. I've been looking into a couple new areas and will have a couple old ones to fall back on if necessary. Some are remote and some where the pressure will likely be higher. I'm concerned about the number of tags. Although on my 6as tag in 2010 I chased the biggest bull I saw on the hunt right thru multiple camps off a major FS road. First hunt for me since the sub units were combined. Depending on how it goes it will dictate whether I try for it again in the future.

 

Edit: as far as elk seen...on cam some spots are showing cows only but only 2 also have bulls as of last week. Mostly sub 300 bulls, a couple that go a little higher and 1 definate shooter. The spot I'm leaning towards has good signs of rut activity from last year. I'll be up the week before to finalize.

[Devil Diver Down]

I hunted it last year - my first AZ archery elk hunt and my first tagged bull (the one in my avatar - 'calf with antlers' as my dad called him) - and was really nervous about the high number of tags. If memory serves, there were 825 for early, with 50 or 75 of those being cow tags. There were people all over the unit. It seemed like each tag holder had his/her own posse of 6-10 people. Water was everywhere in the early part of the hunt, so I doubt there was much haggling over water holes (at least early) but everyone had a quad or side-by-side on every road, trail and track - open or closed. I had a blast and was into bulls every day, including some toads. The crowds were kind of a downer but I had some close calls with some big boys and by far the coolest hunting experience of my life. From what I could tell, a bunch of people left after the first weekend and came back for the last weekend and full week.

 

Hope you shoot a big 'un!

[ylclaret]

I have this tag too! It's my first elk tag ever and I'm really excited about it! I was up last weekend setting cameras and just trying to get a feel for the unit. Saw one good bachelor herd just across the highway in 5bs, 4 or 5 bulls and one really good one. Planning on checking cameras in a couple weeks so hopefully I will know more then!

[naturegirl]

Yes there will be a lot of other hunters. My husband & I had the early archery tag last year and my husband hunted with our buddy who had the same tag the prior 2 years (lucky man). The amount of people always frustrates me in 6a, but I do my best to find places where other hunters aren't or I use other hunters mistakes to my advantage. My husband tagged a bull last year and I was not able to recover mine.

 

Congrats on your tag!

[Coues Stew]

I also have this tag. First ever bulll tag. A body of mine had the tag last year and we stayed up north close to town. Along the major roads you can find really nice bulls just off the road but come archery season its gonna be a frenzy in there. The elk dont really leave if anything more show up getting pushed in from 11m just really sucks when your on one and you have two other hunters callin to him from the roads. The quiet area is great as well but elk tend to shut up a little after season atleast during the day. I have not hunted down south in the cedars yet I have no idea what to expect just gotta check it out I guess.

[6ANut]

Elk are all over this year. North south east and west. Good luck to all this year, my dad and his group have the late rifle hunt in 6a. So leave a few good ones for us.

[Cazador]

6ANut... Yeah, no doubt... if we can get the 700+ archers to spread out evenly in the unit it will be an enjoyable hunt for all... LOL!

 

You know they say they can fit the entire world population in Texas so maybe I will not see another hunter during my hunt in 6A... NOT...

[wildwoody]

700 tags HOLY SLAUGHTER BATMAN, sounds like what they in 22 late riffle hunts its now hunter oppertunity these gamies are nuts . GOODLUCK AND DON'T SHUT EACH OTHER

[Seldom Drawn]

Sounds like 500 of you hunt the easy flats with good camping areas, I went to 6a the last week of the hunt last year 5 times after work and could have stalked bulls 100 yards off the road with no one anywhere near me, it is pretty sad with all the complaining of so many tags don't put in for this unit if you think there are to many tags.how many of you put in over 20 days scouting for your hunt how many of you go up 5 days before the hunt and totally mess up the elk pattern because you have no idea what they have been doing for 2 months,this is a great tag,good luck to you all who have drawn,

 

 

Seldom Drawn

[Cazador]

SD, good points you make and the morale to the story you need plan A, B & C. The last time I drew back in 2010 we scouted hard and found a very good spot. We put a lot of time concentrating in this spot to find out the day before the hunt the rancher moved his cattle to pasture a few days before the hunt and our sweet secret spot was getting overrun with cattle. Those of you who our putting in a lot of time scouting and have your areas sort of picked out you may want to talk to any working ranch hands you see and ask them when they move their cattle and where they will be moving them to. I put in for this unit again because I have seen its potential and have had success if you do your homework and hunt smart. There are more variables at play here than just the average Joe hunter messing up your opportunities at tagging a trophy or anything at all. Either way, it is going to be a great hunt and I look forward to some good stories afterwards.

 

SD, would you mind PM'ing me where you went 5 times and could have stalked 5 bulls? j/k...

[KaibabHunter]

/>Sounds like 500 of you hunt the easy flats with good camping areas, I went to 6a the last week of the hunt last year 5 times after work and could have stalked bulls 100 yards off the road with no one anywhere near me, it is pretty sad with all the complaining of so many tags don't put in for this unit if you think there are to many tags.how many of you put in over 20 days scouting for your hunt how many of you go up 5 days before the hunt and totally mess up the elk pattern because you have no idea what they have been doing for 2 months,this is a great tag,good luck to you all who have drawn,

 

 

Seldom Drawn

Not sure who's complaining, everyone seems pretty stoked to have the tag. I dont speak for anyone but me but I scout alot and I put in for "lesser" units so I can draw more often -I expect more hunting pressure. 6a wasnt my first choice but it was for my dad who's a non res and he pulled it.

That said If it turns out to be a zoo even in spots where I thought I could get away from the others well then maybe 6a won't be a first choice. I said earlier that this will be my first hunt in 6a since they combined the sub units so I'm curious how it will turn out. There isnt any other unit that comes near this many tags for archery bull so i think its a legitimate concern. And if the action is so good regardless of pressure maybe we won't care. Either way we have 2 az elk tags, both in 6a, the scouting is going good so far, and we aren't complaining that's for sure.

[hoghntr]

I love 6a! just remember the areas that get hammered the first part of the hunt often hold big bulls toward end of hunt cuz hunters have shot small and gone home or are now elsewhere in unit cuz they gave up on it. it is my #1 choice of hunts, good luck!

[jim]

Back before the sub units the tag numbers were the same. Our group had the hunt between cow and bull tags for 6 yrs. We never felt over run with hunters. The elk in those units are use to moving around people more so than other units. There are people in that unit year round. Look on your maps and find stretch's that have chunks of ground in between roads. The elk will be there.