A little help on 22s late hunt

[Coues79]

/>60 tags is 40 tags too many! 22S is going to be just like 22N in a few years. 22S will never be the same after this year. They added or doubled every hunt in 22S. Oh well, another unit becomes just a money maker!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Adam

Exactly. This comes from very recent experience in this unit too. Rag horn city is what this unit could be dubbed.

[Big Browns]

When I had this tag last year I glassed up 30-40 rag's a day. It was nice to see a lot of Bulls, but also very frustrating! I held out until the last day hoping to find a nice 6x6. I ended up taking a small rag at 2pm on the last day. My freezer was getting low:) It was a very frustrating hunt! I'm not saying there aren't any good Bulls. There are some Huge Bulls in 22s, but with the added tag numbers the number of good Bulls is going to be drasticly diminished!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Adam

[Flatlander79]

Still I rather get drawn than not. More tags means just try harder or hold out for a September tag.

[Trose]

I'm pretty sure Preacher's canyon in 22N.

That would depend on what side of the 260 you're on

[AZ_XL7]

I killed a bull In 22s in 2010. They are there, but not many like there was just 5 years ago. It's actually pretty silly, we use to see elk all over the place, but with the added elk tags and the amounts of people out durning the deer seasons, it's really made the numbers And quality bulls go way down. Id offer to help with some spots, but we have a family member with the same tag. Best of luck.

 

The bull I killed is pictured in my avi.

[Viper]

I was just there with an archery bull tag. We hunted all the foothills of the Mazatzals, from Deer Creek to Mineral Spring. Glassed many hours each day. Before the rain, I saw maybe 6 small bulls...maybe a dozen cows. Sitting water was the key...before the rain. Second morning I found a spring, which already had a tree stand on it. It was late morning and no one around, so I sat in it. At 11:00 am 9 elk came in to the spring...one was a raghorn. Most of the cows filtered down the drainage, leaving the raghorn and one cow at the spring. I started to draw on the broadside bull, but the cow was looking right at me. I waited for her to turn her attention away, but the bull turned straight away and walked down the drainage...dang. This was my only opportunity the rest of the hunt. The next day I found out the local rancher and brother-in-law "guide" had treestands and blinds at all the good water, and they had 4 tags. I avoided the competition and hunted elswhere.

This was a really tough hunt and should be considered a limited opportunity hunt. Last year there were a lot of elk/bulls in there. This year the numbers were way down in comparison. After the rain I saw only cows...10 total, no bulls.

Not sure I'll put in for that hunt again. The alternative is wait 10 years for a Sept tag.

Good luck rifle hunters.

[Coues79]

Hows this hunt turning out? Was in the unit and have to say "wow". I've never seen so many vehicles rangers and quads. Wondering how folks are faring

[Craneguy]

It's bad with old people riding I'm over by payson now they ran me off! But I'm glassing bulls up and 9 good white tails the bulls are shooters if I could only get a mile closer seems to be the only ones I see are at the farthest my 15's can go lol it ain't over yet!

[ElkyG]

Hang in there and good luck

[bojangles]

Hows this hunt turning out? Was in the unit and have to say "wow". I've never seen so many vehicles rangers and quads. Wondering how folks are faring

 

 

we saw absolutely tons of elk, but couldn't find a decent bull.

 

i'm confident they are in there, just avoiding me. the tracks indicate there are several good bulls roaming the hills, we just couldn't lay eyes on them. i went ahead and tagged out this a.m. on a spiker. i'm wondering if i should have been more patient.

 

oh well, it was fun, and i'm thankful for the bull i did get.

[Flatlander79]

Same here spiker as well this morning. 90 yards through mesquite trees .300 wsm dropped him in his tracks. Plus side should be good eating.

[pwrguy]

Hows this hunt turning out? Was in the unit and have to say "wow". I've never seen so many vehicles rangers and quads. Wondering how folks are faring

 

 

we saw absolutely tons of elk, but couldn't find a decent bull.

 

i'm confident they are in there, just avoiding me. the tracks indicate there are several good bulls roaming the hills, we just couldn't lay eyes on them. i went ahead and tagged out this a.m. on a spiker. i'm wondering if i should have been more patient.

 

oh well, it was fun, and i'm thankful for the bull i did get.

Spikes eat just fine. It is and has alway's been tough to find a good bull in 22 South. They exist but are few and far between and to make it through to the late hunt without being shot or broken off takes a lot of luck.

[AZ_XL7]

I was only able to hunt Friday with my family. She killed Sunday morning, rag horn. All I can say is glass high, then glass higher. I don't think they are coming down. It's going to take someone a lot of climbing into no mans land to kill a bull. She couldn't get on the big boy that was running with her rag horn.

 

The weekenders were out in full force Friday. Rolling around

 

Good luck to all.

[bojangles]

here's my 2013 elk. he's a little guy but i'm still smilin' big!

 

[bojangles]

so, did anybody else hunt 22south?

 

i'd love to see some more pics....