No More Peaks...

[ltd2004]

Those kaibab/strip elk tags are surprising, 750 draw tags? I know there are periodic sightings and a some kills on the kaibab during the open season this last year, but who is going to put in for these in the draw? Did they find a hidden herd with 800 animals that we didn't know about? Seems like some unsuspecting people will put in for this and be wasting their money would be my worry.

[ltd2004]

In the notes at the bottom it says there is a total of approx 40-50 elk in all 4 units combined. It recommends not wasting bonus points on the tag, but rather get as a left over tag, in so many words anyways. And tags will be only 35 bucks as well

[Flatlander]

...early rifle bull in 7E sounds like a crybabies dream as well.

Not sure what you were saying there.

 

You are correct I misread the regs and 4 of the cow hunts are still there, just with fewer tags. Any elk tags changed to bull tags. They eliminated the concurrent non-Peaks hunt. Too bad.

[Explorer]

 

...early rifle bull in 7E sounds like a crybabies dream as well.

Not sure what you were saying there.

 

You are correct I misread the regs and 4 of the cow hunts are still there, just with fewer tags. Any elk tags changed to bull tags. They eliminated the concurrent non-Peaks hunt. Too bad.[/quote. I think people with ALOT of points saved up would be less than satisfied compared to other units.

[Flatlander]

 

 

...early rifle bull in 7E sounds like a crybabies dream as well.

Not sure what you were saying there.

 

You are correct I misread the regs and 4 of the cow hunts are still there, just with fewer tags. Any elk tags changed to bull tags. They eliminated the concurrent non-Peaks hunt. Too bad.[/quote. I think people with ALOT of points saved up would be less than satisfied compared to other units.

 

Uh, yeah. In that unit 350 is a miracle. Pretty much mid range elk there, like lots of other places in AZ now unfortunately. Our "mid-tier" units are quickly becoming comparable to Idaho trophy quality.

[IA Born]

I was actually surprised to see that many Peaks Hunts. I was talking to a friend at AGFD at last spring's youth tag and there was talk about either removing them completely or cutting it down to two cow hunts. This is all because the last several years of this particular hunt have done what USFS and AGFD wanted, which was to cut the elk population down after it exploded up to 10x normal levels after the Schultz Fire. The elk population got so high that they were exceeding the carrying capacity and not letting the natural regeneration post-fire to proceed. Elk are great animals, but they can be absolute heck on a landscape and these particular ones were contributing to the major erosion issues that have been happening. These hunts were originally intended to be short-term hunts, anyway, using hunters as the management tool to reduce an overpopulated herd. Frankly, I was surprised to see four cow hunts up there, but not surprised to see the number of tags cut. I think leaving the four hunts was AGFD's compromise to allow hunter opportunity. Had they followed good science and management principals, everyone would have been in an uproar over lost hunting opportunity.

[Bhunter24]

Just tell me when I can apply.

[trophymaster]

IA Born pretty much nailed it on the head, I went to the Flagstaff open house and had some good discussion on the peaks hunts and other units up here. I also was the only one at the meeting. Not that I agree with everything they are doing, but AZGFD had 6 open houses for these recommendations and also prior to these open houses they had additional ones where your voiced opinions can make a difference.

[Flatlander]

Thanks TM, the Mesa open house is tomorrow. I plan to attend and also plan to be one of 3 guys that do, as is typical.

[Flatlander]

In the notes at the bottom it says there is a total of approx 40-50 elk in all 4 units combined. It recommends not wasting bonus points on the tag, but rather get as a left over tag, in so many words anyways. And tags will be only 35 bucks as well

Yeah, reading the notes, it seems like they really just want to wipe out the elk north of the Colorado. They know that people from the valley won't go there for such a limited hunt and that out of state prices are too steep for the folks who live near the area.

[jim]

Well at least the game and fish could not have spelled it out any clearer on the Kaibab elk hunts. It seems like with all the cameras up there somebody should have what few elk are there dialed in and this tag if they don't draw anything else should work great for them.

[Flatlander]

So did anyone see what actually got approved in the commission meeting? I had to work that weekend and missed it.

 

Hopping they didn't leave 22 with the early hunt structure that was recommended. The way it was written up 22S Muzzleloader would be before the 22 early archery hunt, but the 22N early rifle tag would overlap the archery hunt by 1 week. That would be a disaster in my mind.

[Explorer]

I also noticed that they moved a couple antelope hunts into october.. I'm excited for the regs to come out so I can put in for some tags!

[Flatlander]

I also noticed that they moved a couple antelope hunts into october.. I'm excited for the regs to come out so I can put in for some tags!

That whole thought process was around the idea that hunting disrupts the antelope rut, correct? Maybe more pregnant does equals more fawns. I wonder if they have seen success with the expirements they did in other units recently.

[DesertBull]

They should just give every deer and buffalo hunter north of the River an elk tag.