What's the big deal

[Tines]

Successful hunters keep secrets because they know better, that's why. If you don't understand it's because you haven't "been there". Not saying you're a poor hunter or wknd warrior. It's just this: you haven't had a reason NOT to.

 

Outfitters aren't as concerned because it sometimes benefits them in the end, obviously.

 

Keep your pearls to yourself, that's all.

 

gotcoues took the words out of my mouth with draw odds. But just to take it further. Anyone wanna elaborate what happened to 36c after a specific buck (or two) were killed out of there quite a few years ago?

 

It's just the world we live in now

[MT_Sourdough]

Part of scouting is being an investigator, Any investigator should be able to make simple observations, connect them to other data to draw theories on things like habitual behavior.. For example, somebody posts a pic of them with an animal and you grow curious as to the unit, Just go back in this forum to the days when those tag results are released. Just saying.

[Snapshot]

Think of your unit as a bar were all the pretty girls hang out. Do you really want to tell a bunch of strange single guys about it?

And don't tell trphyhntr about the pretty girls. He will show up with his "Hammer of Thor", and it will all go south for the rest of us!

[trphyhntr]

 

Think of your unit as a bar were all the pretty girls hang out. Do you really want to tell a bunch of strange single guys about it?

And don't tell trphyhntr about the pretty girls. He will show up with his "Hammer of Thor", and it will all go south for the rest of us!

 

this. in fact, were organizing a trip to denim and diamonds in east mesa to do some hunting. come through.

[Matt Meyer]

It shouldn't matter to anyone what unit a game animal(trophy or not) came out of. As stated above, everyone has their reasons for not mentioning it. AZGFD provides plenty of stat,s regarding the animals taken, draw odds, etc. What's the difference between a 7X7 bull elk being taken out of unit 6A or unit 10. It's still a 7X7 no matter what unit it came from. Elk/Deer hunting is tough no matter what unit it is. People should just enjoy the pic, read the story, and congratulate the hunter.

[mc68]

Thanks for the replies on the topic so far. It seems the general thought is that noone trusts anyone nowadays. Its laughable to me that someone would somehow think that because a nice critter was taken in a certain unit that everyone is then going to put in for that area. Funny thing is, that nice critter is dead. Noone else is gonna kill him! I have had it happen to me before but only because I actually took a group of people along with me on a scouting trip and actually showed them my actual "honey hole". As someone pointed out, so many guys beg for a guy to give them their draw odds on where they put in for, and everyone on this site can see that, but then take an animal and want to try and say its nobody's business what unit its from. Sorry but that's a little bit hypocritical. I for one do not have any plans on putting in for an area because a nice animal was taken out of that unit. I really believe most people feel the same way. I just think its cool to see how so many different units produce good quality animals in our state. Its not hard to get the information on what tag hunters have, any outfitters send out fliers to every tag holder that draws in their favorite unit and if you enter something in record books you have to state the county. I just feel maybe we should relax a little more and quit being so paranoid. You guys are awesome for your responses so far. Thanks and keep em coming. Best of luck in upcoming hunts and please share your stories

[hawkens]

its just like fishing you start catchin fish people see it and here they come creeping up close !!! you post pics with unit # people look it up on google then your pic comes up with unit and more put in for it

[AZkiller]

I think it depends on what the tag is. If its early bull antelope or especially shrep I don't understand at all why one would not disclose the unit. Your likely not going to get drawn again and were supposed to be here to help one another. It's not like anyone is asking the best place to poop in the unit.

[.270]

Sparky, you didn't put a comma between dad and uncle. Is it the same guy? Like Casey and his dad uncle grandpa? Just needed a little clarification. Casey needs a banjo pal too. My ol man was so secretive about his secret places that it was a sin to even say which direction we went. Lark.

[MuggyMan]

I usually leave camp in one direction then circle back around. Just saying....

[firstcoueswas80]

 

 

Not to mention...it surprises me, and each year it seems to be more and more, how residents put in for units they've never stepped foot in before. Non res I get, but locals? Then they come online and want advice. Why would they ever put in for that unit with no intention of scouting it at all? Maybe they saw a pic with a unit# next to it. Idk. But when I see this and its a hunt I normally put in for, and don't draw.....Yeah, it's annoying.

I got introduced to this site because I transposed numbers on my paper application and got drawn for 36B whitetail........I googled....and I asked questions....

 

Pretty funny the responses I got of this site back then......I understand...I get it....but i sure am glad somebody gave me some help so I could get some pre-hunt scouting in.

I remember when you guys found my truck and posted up my sticker, kind of.

[Flatlander]

I do several weeks worth of work on draw odds to identify what I consider not sleeper units, but opportunity/quality balanced units.

 

If I posted up the units where I have taken nice animals that balance would go straight down the drain. I do the math, and I have seen the trends. For every dedicated hunter who spends 30+ days in the field per year there are 4 people who do little to no scouting, research or preparation.

 

I will provide an example. Last year I killed a quality antelope. I had provided a months long post journaling my preparation and hunt. I never posted the unit in that thread. Between when I posted the pics and when apps were due, 6 different people sent me PM's asking me what unit I hunted because they had high levels of points and wanted an opportunity at a buck like mine. That unit only has a handful of tags. Adding 6 people with high point levels drastically changes tag availability in the bonus pass. Now imagine, those are only the people who had the stones to send me a PM and tell me they wanted to know so they could apply. How many people just looked at the thread and tried to piece it together from pics? How many saw me in the field and did the same thing? How many would have done it if I just posted it on the thread title? Multiply that times 10 if the unit was in the original post and could be found via Google for the next decade. Next month that story will be in Eastmans, how many people would it be if I had included the unit in that article?

 

I would also cite the drastic rise in OTC bear hunters in 23 and tree stand hunters in the workman creek area as prime examples as well.

 

I don't post unit numbers to protect my hard work. I do not hunt the well known units so if people see my success I think it would change my ability to get tags in the future.

[firstcoueswas80]

I've gotta know.... Did you tell those guys who messaged you?

[Sneaker]

It comes down to the value of the information. It takes alot of hard work, time and money to find good hunting areas. There are people that change their behavior based on a publicly available hunt info all the time. If you normally hunt unit A, but then see good repetitive evidence of people having much better luck or better animals in the next unit over in Unit B, what are you going to do? You'd be an idiot not to think about switching to B. If I'm a B guy, I'd rather the masses leave my area alone for me and my circles to enjoy, we are all self interested to a point. We help others out here a CW, but it stops a certain amounts levels of information. Help for Help goes a long way though. A long long way in the right situations.

[muledeerarea33?]

I hunt unit Z yearly. Always kill, never huge (though I see the huge ones) and always happy. No tag this year for other reasons but it'll be there next year. I love the 2x2 and 3x3 coues!! Maybe one day a big one will step into a bullet.