Unit 5 Hopi (left over tag)

[azdonw]

Well, when I thought I wouldn't be elk hunting at all this year, I go to the mail box, and there's this tag in there. Looks like we'll be hunting on one of the various ranches owned by the Hopi tribe. Anyone have any experience or knowledge of these hunts?

[AZ8]

Congrats!

 

You can hunt the entire unit.

[el diablo]

Yes you can hunt the whole unit! Congrats. There werent very many leftovers

[azdonw]

Thanks, I guessed that, but I thought I'd see either 5A or 5B on the tag, and it would be on one of the ranches in that area. Do we call and they tell us where to hunt? The regulations are pretty silent about the nuts and bolts of these hunts.

[el diablo]

Silent because theres nothing to be told. Theyre designated Hopi cuz their only avail to the Hopi in the reg draw and there was some leftover. U have the whole unit. So in other words they have 100% draw odds on a hunt that we probably wait yrs for.

[azdonw]

Silent because theres nothing to be told. Theyre designated Hopi cuz their only avail to the Hopi in the reg draw and there was some leftover. U have the whole unit. So in other words they have 100% draw odds on a hunt that we probably wait yrs for.

Wow! I thought it was only on the Hopi res! Now I'm really ecstatic! My hunting buddy won't believe me.

[azdonw]

Here's the weird thing: the hunt I applied for (I believe said 5A), but the tag doesn't have any unit on it. I thought it said 5, but that was my permit number (no. 5). Then I looked for the hunt number, 3808, in the regs, and there isn't a 3808. Now I'm really confused.

[Willyhunts2]

Alright, the tag you have is good for the whole unit just like if you drew a tag in the normal draw. There are a certain number of tags for the hopi's that's why the hunt number will not match up with what's in the regs. They did not use all the tags so they are added to the leftover list that you filled an app out for. Maybe I'm missing something but if you have a "hopi" 5A tag then you can hunt all of 5A.

[Big Browns]

If you drew hunt number 3808 it is NOT the entire unit. Your unit is restricted to the East Sunset and West Sunset hunt areas in 5A. My brother in law drew the same hunt. I would love to be wrong, but the regs specifically state East Sunset & West Sunset in 5A.

[AZ8]

There were a couple 5A Hopi hunts besides the east west sunset hunt. The OP needs to clarify which hunt he has.

[azdonw]

If you drew hunt number 3808 it is NOT the entire unit. Your unit is restricted to the East Sunset and West Sunset hunt areas in 5A. My brother in law drew the same hunt. I would love to be wrong, but the regs specifically state East Sunset & West Sunset in 5A.

I called G&F...and you are correct. It is "East Sunset and West Sunset Hunt Area in Unit 5A - That portion of Unit 5A north of the Coconino National Forest boundary., Elk occur in low numbers in these nontraditional areas. Hunt success may be very low to no success."

[Devil Diver Down]

SMH at how some people don't read the regs. Some misinformation on this thread by a few guys - as you said, azdonw, it's NOT for the whole unit - just for the East & West Sunset areas. Fellas, the rifle hunts are limited opp areas in that specific area but the archery hunts are unit wide.

 

I pulled this same East/West Sunset leftover in 2010 and at that time it was an "Any Elk" hunt. The Game Officer I spoke to before the hunt told me to shoot the first elk I saw - even if it was a calf - because the elk would be few and far between. I spent 3 days scouting beforehand and saw 1 cow. The Hopi tribe makes everyone camp in designated areas down by the base of the West mountain.

 

With a little bit of shooting light left on the 2nd day of the hunt, I saw a nice 6x6 bull with a smaller OLD bull with twisted antlers and a cow about 800-900 yards away. I ran uphill to get in shooting range and, out of breath, came around a juniper face to face with the big bull at about 50 yards. When I tried to get my shooting sticks positioned, he bolted along with the others and I didn't have a shot. If I hadn't been carrying the sticks, I could've had an offhand shot. Last (and only) elk I saw on that hunt, but I did pop a tire on Day 5 ( the roads up those 2 mountains are ROUGH SOBs) and decided to pack it in. Found 2 matching sheds that I believe belonged to the big bull about 20 feet apart, but that's the only thing I came home with (pic with my dad, who isn't a small guy). I applied for other leftover tags this year and it's not a great tag, but while that all might sound negative - you're hunting elk this year in AZ, which is more than I can say. Good luck on your hunt!

 

[azdonw]

Thanks, Devil Diver. How did you find out where we have to camp? And if you wanted to hunt the East area, do you still have to camp in the West?

[Flatlander]

This thread has me cracking up. Everybody talking out of their arse. OP has got to have his head spinning by now with each post contradicting the previous and trying to do it in a more condescending and authoritative tone. Read the unit description on your tag. Then read the regs and find the same description with the same dates in the hunts available via the draw to everyone else (yours happens to be a limited opp. hunt). Then read the unit boundaries and notes in the regs. Everything you need to know is readily available. Honestly, I cannot believe people apply for tags they know nothing about. I wonder how many people pick up these leftovers, get confused and then never even go on the hunt. It's disappointing, because for the right guys, this is a decent hunt.

 

Do your homework, scout, and have fun. And by the way, if you don't want to camp in the designated location on the ranch, just camp on the national forest, that is the southern boundary of the unit, or rent a cabin in starlight pines, or a hotel in Winslow. It's really not too bad if you just start reading the regs. I have hunted the unit and killed multiple elk in it.

[Willyhunts2]

OP said he had a different tag. Then came back and said he did not have a hopi tag at all. So he was asking questions about a tag he didn't even have. You will be misinformed when you ask questions about tags you don't have. I have a 22 south tag, is under the rim a good spot?