What to expect on unit 10, Sept 8th Antelope hunt

[Viper]

I may be helping a friend on this hunt. I don't know unit 10 at all...he does a little. He's done some scouting. I am wondering what can be expected on this hunt? Pressure? Odds of getting a decent buck?...just a good representative buck. Competition with other hunters/guides?

I appreciate any info.

Thanks

[10sec72]

Put the buck to bed the night before opening morning, stay there all night wake up early and find your buck and shoot it... that's how it was in 2010 for us and my son... guys shooting 1000 yards ridge to ridge. ton of pressure

[yotebuster]

I may be helping a friend on this hunt. I don't know unit 10 at all...he does a little. He's done some scouting. I am wondering what can be expected on this hunt? Pressure? Odds of getting a decent buck?...just a good representative buck. Competition with other hunters/guides?

I appreciate any info.

Thanks

Get a couple days to scout ahead of time. That is one of if not the best antelope tags in the world. He should be able to kill a great buck and not just a representative buck. You can go to Montana or Wyoming and shoot a representative buck every year, take some extra time to get up and scout a big one, be there at opening light and get him killed. Good luck and post pics!!

[azbcat25]

First post is spot on. A good number of the top bucks will be killed at first light opening morning.95%of those are guided hunters. Lots of decent bucks left and a lot less hunters after opening morning.

[AZkiller]

 

I may be helping a friend on this hunt. I don't know unit 10 at all...he does a little. He's done some scouting. I am wondering what can be expected on this hunt? Pressure? Odds of getting a decent buck?...just a good representative buck. Competition with other hunters/guides?

I appreciate any info.

Thanks

Get a couple days to scout ahead of time. That is one of if not the best antelope tags in the world. He should be able to kill a great buck and not just a representative buck. You can go to Montana or Wyoming and shoot a representative buck every year, take some extra time to get up and scout a big one, be there at opening light and get him killed. Good luck and post pics!!

This is the best advice you could get on antelope hunting. If you don't put a buck to bed don't expect to go find your 2nd or 3 choice buck. An antelope hunt done right should be over within the first 15 minutes of legal light. Find a toad. Sleep with him and kill him in the morning.

[Flatlander]

 

 

I may be helping a friend on this hunt. I don't know unit 10 at all...he does a little. He's done some scouting. I am wondering what can be expected on this hunt? Pressure? Odds of getting a decent buck?...just a good representative buck. Competition with other hunters/guides?

I appreciate any info.

Thanks

Get a couple days to scout ahead of time. That is one of if not the best antelope tags in the world. He should be able to kill a great buck and not just a representative buck. You can go to Montana or Wyoming and shoot a representative buck every year, take some extra time to get up and scout a big one, be there at opening light and get him killed. Good luck and post pics!!

This is the best advice you could get on antelope hunting. If you don't put a buck to bed don't expect to go find your 2nd or 3 choice buck. An antelope hunt done right should be over within the first 15 minutes of legal light. Find a toad. Sleep with him and kill him in the morning.

Everyone is welcome to their own opinion, but I could not disagree more with this statement. All of my antelope hunts have been similar, I decided that hunting was more important to me than killing. I took time to find bucks in out of the way places with less pressure or to hunt after opening weekend. On the AZ tags I have been a part of we spent time looking bucks over, played cat and mouse for days and ended up killing with shots under 200 yds. For me it was just more important to have a hunt than to execute a trophy like a grazing cow from 1,000 yds.

 

Everyone told me to put him to bed and get it done early, I didn't, and I am really happy I didn't. And I ended up with a decent buck.

[firstcoueswas80]

 

 

 

I may be helping a friend on this hunt. I don't know unit 10 at all...he does a little. He's done some scouting. I am wondering what can be expected on this hunt? Pressure? Odds of getting a decent buck?...just a good representative buck. Competition with other hunters/guides?

I appreciate any info.

Thanks

Get a couple days to scout ahead of time. That is one of if not the best antelope tags in the world. He should be able to kill a great buck and not just a representative buck. You can go to Montana or Wyoming and shoot a representative buck every year, take some extra time to get up and scout a big one, be there at opening light and get him killed. Good luck and post pics!!

This is the best advice you could get on antelope hunting. If you don't put a buck to bed don't expect to go find your 2nd or 3 choice buck. An antelope hunt done right should be over within the first 15 minutes of legal light. Find a toad. Sleep with him and kill him in the morning.

Everyone is welcome to their own opinion, but I could not disagree more with this statement. All of my antelope hunts have been similar, I decided that hunting was more important to me than killing. I took time to find bucks in out of the way places with less pressure or to hunt after opening weekend. On the AZ tags I have been a part of we spent time looking bucks over, played cat and mouse for days and ended up killing with shots under 200 yds. For me it was just more important to have a hunt than to execute a trophy like a grazing cow from 1,000 yds.

 

Everyone told me to put him to bed and get it done early, I didn't, and I am really happy I didn't. And I ended up with a decent buck.

I don't remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure your buck was far better than 'decent'.

[Non-Typical Solutions]

If you haven't spent much time in the unit you will get frustrated with locked land, houses etc. in places you wouldn't think! At least take the time to make sure the spot you are trying to get to or wanting to hunt doesn't fall into that category!

I have not hunted antelope in 10 but have been disappointed many times through the years to find places that were accessible are not as accessible as they once were!

It has been ten years since I hunted 10 so maybe that isn't the case, but history tells me there is a chance it has gotten worse!

Good luck with your hunt!!!

[Big or Bust]

Plenty of great goats in 10 overlooked in out of the way places...

[yotebuster]

 

 

 

 

I may be helping a friend on this hunt. I don't know unit 10 at all...he does a little. He's done some scouting. I am wondering what can be expected on this hunt? Pressure? Odds of getting a decent buck?...just a good representative buck. Competition with other hunters/guides?

I appreciate any info.

Thanks

Get a couple days to scout ahead of time. That is one of if not the best antelope tags in the world. He should be able to kill a great buck and not just a representative buck. You can go to Montana or Wyoming and shoot a representative buck every year, take some extra time to get up and scout a big one, be there at opening light and get him killed. Good luck and post pics!!

This is the best advice you could get on antelope hunting. If you don't put a buck to bed don't expect to go find your 2nd or 3 choice buck. An antelope hunt done right should be over within the first 15 minutes of legal light. Find a toad. Sleep with him and kill him in the morning.

Everyone is welcome to their own opinion, but I could not disagree more with this statement. All of my antelope hunts have been similar, I decided that hunting was more important to me than killing. I took time to find bucks in out of the way places with less pressure or to hunt after opening weekend. On the AZ tags I have been a part of we spent time looking bucks over, played cat and mouse for days and ended up killing with shots under 200 yds. For me it was just more important to have a hunt than to execute a trophy like a grazing cow from 1,000 yds.

 

Everyone told me to put him to bed and get it done early, I didn't, and I am really happy I didn't. And I ended up with a decent buck.

I don't remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure your buck was far better than 'decent'.

Flatlanders buck was a giant in my book! I will say however that your hunt was in a unit with very few tags as opposed to unit 10 so it would be a tough comparison to make. There aren't very many 87" bucks in unit 10 on a given year and most of them are gonna go down on opening morning. If he's happy with a mid 70's buck then he could go anytime and kill one in there but what I was trying to say is that one can go to Wyoming or Montana any given year and kill a buck like that so if he wanted to make the most of his tag (in regards to size of animal) then he better pick one out before season and try to get him killed right away in the am. I never said anything about 1000 yard shots and never will. Just be ready to make the most of your opportunities within your comfort zone. I drew one of the best Wyoming antelope tags this year and I'm beyond jealous of anyone with even the worst AZ tag!!! It really is that good in AZ.

[Viper]

Thank you all for the advice/recommendations! He will be scouting it this weekend, then heading back up a couple days before the hunt.

[Flatlander]

I wasn't arguing the merits of either approach, just explaining my thoughts on antelope hunts in general. And although there were few tags on my hunt, there was even less public ground to hunt. The key was being where other people weren't. I identified a couple of backup bucks I would be very happy with, and then swung for the fences for a couple days.

 

Funny thing is I missed my backup buck, twice, before I killed the one I did, which was bigger. I dont know anything about 10, I don't go there for all the reasons listed above. But on the hunts I have been on, I wanted the experience more than the trophy. That's all I was saying. Luckily, I feel like I got both.

[SunDevil]

I think, generally speaking, for trophy antelope, the hunt is more comprised of 2+ days of scouting prior to the hunt than hunting for several days after opening day. this is not necessarily the case for archery antelope, archery elk, rifle deer, etc. the majority of rifle antelope are taken on the first day. if you find one you like it is best to keep tabs on him until opening morning.

[AZkiller]

I wasn't arguing the merits of either approach, just explaining my thoughts on antelope hunts in general. And although there were few tags on my hunt, there was even less public ground to hunt. The key was being where other people weren't. I identified a couple of backup bucks I would be very happy with, and then swung for the fences for a couple days.

 

Funny thing is I missed my backup buck, twice, before I killed the one I did, which was bigger. I dont know anything about 10, I don't go there for all the reasons listed above. But on the hunts I have been on, I wanted the experience more than the trophy. That's all I was saying. Luckily, I feel like I got both.

You're right and yes you did get both but that is the exception not the rule. Generally in my opinion with antelope in Arizona and especially in 10 you can either shoot a monster or have a good hunt. So yes if you want to have a fantastic hunt and will be perfectly happy with a 75 then not a problem. But if you really want an big buck you better find him before opening day.

[6ANut]

Be ready for guides to tell their clients to shoot over you, place is a shoot show opening morning. Second day away from all the crowds was enjoyable.