First Kaibab Hunt Report

[Hoss50]

Hi All,

My hunting buddy and I just returned from our first ever trip to Kaibab. We drew the 12A East early hunt. We were extremely excited at the prospect of a good hunt. We geared up, got great tips from friends, and scouted. 

The area is beautiful and diverse. Lots of deer are in this area, and we thought this hunt would provide lots of opportunities. Maybe we were looking in the wrong places, but this hunt was way more difficult then we had anticipated. Kaibab does not have big bucks behind every tree as some seem to imply. 

Day 1 we woke up at 4am and started getting ready. We were almost out the door and 2 trucks flew by. We were not camped near our opening day hunt area, but I had a bad feeling in my gut we just lost our spot. We jumped in the truck and started our drive. We turned of on the road we needed to be on, and my gut was right. 2 sets of taillights ahead of us. We called an audible and went on a road 1 canyon over from our intended destination. We split up and I hiked a nasty cut in the dark to get closer to where I wanted to be. My buddy hit the opposite side of the road. I got setup and glassed some canyons that are known to hold deer. 30-45 minutes into my glassing session 3 hunters work across the hillside I am on. I spoke with them briefly and they continued down the hillside. About 20 minutes later I hear a shot. They jumped a good 4 point. They gut shot it with the first hit, but quickly followed up and put down a nice buck. I watched to see what the shot jumped, but nothing but does jumped. They had mentioned they had parked near where I wanted to hunt originally so I moved back towards that area. I got to the hillside i wanted to be at originally and started working into a good glassing position. As i got to the edge of the canyons to see into the bottom i saw movement. Two 4 point bucks, but they spotted me. They start working up the hillside in front of me but way from me at the same time. I hit a range at 216. I tried to use a tree as a rest to stabilize for a shot, but the tree was dead and was about to fall over. I dropped down to use a down log as a rest and my pack tried to smother me. I got it off and setup. I could see the deer with my eye but couldn't find them in the scope. I had the scope set on 12x from the range. I backed it down to 6x. I found them and saw the first buck was bigger. They were still moving, but stopped for a second after I disappeared behind the down tree. I didn't know the exact range but knew the rifle was sighted for about 225 yrd. I guessed they were about 250-275 so I held a little high and squeezed. Boom. The 6.5x55 barked and the buck bucked. He started trotting and about 40 yards later started doing the newborn colt stanky leg dance and dropped. His buddy freaked out and bolted. 

I started my hike across the canyon to find him. I knew he was a decent 4 point, but I was very happy when I arrived. 

 

 

I cut him up and hiked him out. We took him to Lacorti's in Fredonia to get processed. 

Then we started hunting for my buddy. After this experience we were of the idea it should not take to long to get him an opportunity. We were very wrong. The deer went nocturnal with the mostly full moon. We hunted high, low, in the burn, in the scrubs, and no opportunity showed up until the end of day 6. We jumped a small fork horn off a main road. My buddy jumped out and worked in on him and the 6.5x55 barked once more. He is meat buck, but both of these bucks are first deer for my friend and I so we were excited. 

 

It was a great hunt, but not nearly as filled with opportunities like we expected. Some days we saw 50 doe. Some days we saw zero deer. They are not dumb, and when the shooting started they proved why they are hide and seek champions. 

In 6 days after opening morning we saw a total of 3 bucks during shooting light. All were spikes or forks. We are not the best hunters, but we hunted as hard as we could and enjoyed it. We both downed our first bucks, which was amazing. 

In conclusion though, dont think Kaibab is easy, that opportunity is behind every tree, or that it will be a matter of what buck you choose to shoot. Maybe it is that way for some, but for me the experience is quite the opposite. 

 

[bigorange]

Sounds like a great hunt. Your story brings back memories of my Kaibab hunt a few years ago which was my first mule deer. Huge congrats to both of you on your first deer!

[Will K]

Nice.

[Coueser]

That buck of yours is a stud for a first deer.  Congratulations and thanks for the report, I’ve been anxious to hear back from the early Kaibab hunters.  Hoping the rut makes them more dumb before my late 12AW hunt starts

[knothead]

My son had the 12a west early hunt this year.  He was able to get his first buck ever on opening morning.  We hunted the burn area and I have never experienced so many hunters in a relatively small area before.  Multiple vehicles with multiple hunters on every ridge did not really make for a quality experience.  The deer were on top or the mid range and had not moved down to lower country yet.  We went varmint calling out near slide and there was practically no deer sign at all and there was zero sign of the rut from what we could see.  If we ever draw the early hunt again we will not hunt the burn again.  Way too many hunters and trying to pack out out a deer from all that dead fall was killer.  The Kaibab is a special place for sure and I wish all the late hunters good luck.

[Hoss50]

54 minutes ago, Coueser said:

That buck of yours is a stud for a first deer.  Congratulations and thanks for the report, I’ve been anxious to hear back from the early Kaibab hunters.  Hoping the rut makes them more dumb before my late 12AW hunt starts

I am very pleased with him. It was humbling to see the deer before him and after him at the check station be noticeably larger deer, but I knew he was a big deer, and am very thankful for the opportunity, and happy that I made the most of the opportunity in a quick humane way.

[Hoss50]

My buddies fork went down quick too. It went maybe 20 yards. He shot it from a quartering toward him. Hit right in front of the right leg and made a nasty exit on the left side.

This was Berger 135gr classic hunter bullets from my 6.5x55.

 

 

Mine didn't exit.