12b west early hunt

[518Ranger]

Any one ever hunt this hunt went out it’s a big vast area not at all like wooded area you come down from but did find a little water not much really dry right now seen few deer no bucks .scouted all up to fredonia and around Utah Arizona border back south all the way up turn off going back to Jacob lake.

[452b264]

I wouldn't scout for that hunt until October, which is when the migration begins. It is also a meat hunt you may get lucky but 99.9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 % of the deer are dinks. The big deer dont move into that area until the middle to end of November. If you take a look at Az f&g web site it will tell you the same thing, if you put in for that hunt thinking you are going to kill/see a big buck you will not be happy. Good luck!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[PRDATR]

I had the 1st hunt about 5 years ago and saw a couple of smaller bucks but my son wasn't fast enough to get a shot off. Everyone we came across on that hunt were road hunting.

[518Ranger]

Well so far everybody seems to not see what this unit can turn up if you hunt hard and be patient Ryan Hatch at monster mulys has some wisdom about this unit which has led me to believe that if I hunt hard I may get a crack at a good quality deer that’s what I’ll hope for thanks guys. 

[NOTAGS]

There are some resident deer. Not the quantity of the other 12 units though. On the early hunt  you will need to put some time in if you want  to find a quality buck.

[AZkiller]

25 minutes ago, 518Ranger said:

Well so far everybody seems to not see what this unit can turn up if you hunt hard and be patient Ryan Hatch at monster mulys has some wisdom about this unit which has led me to believe that if I hunt hard I may get a crack at a good quality deer that’s what I’ll hope for thanks guys. 

Are you Soyhunt?

[452b264]

2 hours ago, PRDATR said:

I had the 1st hunt about 5 years ago and saw a couple of smaller bucks but my son wasn't fast enough to get a shot off. Everyone we came across on that hunt were road hunting.

That is the same experience my son and I had, they also park three to seven trucks/utvs right on top of every water source that is even remotely close to the road. I would rather hunt the early 12 A e/w hunts then 12 b.

[PRDATR]

36 minutes ago, 452b264 said:

That is the same experience my son and I had, they also park three to seven trucks/utvs right on top of every water source that is even remotely close to the road. I would rather hunt the early 12 A e/w hunts then 12 b.

My son and I did our usual thing. Find a place to camp, get up early have a quick bite to eat, put on our packs and head out about an hour before sunrise and cover ground. Funny you should mention waterholes.  Now just at first light I glassed up some deer a few hundred yards away on the edge of a pasture so we worked our way to them and when we popped out there was a small buck with the doe's  moving off but my son wasn't up to snuff to be able to get a shot off.  I then glassed up some other deer about 400 yards across the pasture and saw one was a buck so we cut across the pasture as the deer fed into the tree line. We cam out on the other side and looked around for them but there was a sloping cut so I told my son to head into it and be ready. As he went a truck across the next field appeared driving real slow with the headlights still on even though it was light and the sun was coming up. I saw my son pop up about 50 yards away and then the deer appeared out in front of him. JUst a little spooked but again he had trouble getting steady for a shot and then the truck stopped about 250 yards away and the grandpa and grandson we would run into later in the day, got out and the kid readied for a shot but the old man waved him off. My son kept waiting for the deer to stop so he could get a shot but they never did.

About 4pm we found a tank so we set up about 150 yards across an open firm from it and just waited. Maybe an hour later a grandpa and his 20 something son drove about 50 yards from it and parked. I stood up and waved to them and he waved back and backed out.

Maybe an hour later a husband and wife came walking along and started to step into where we were sitting under some Junipers. They saw us and waved then went back the way they came. We sat there until sunset and not seeing anything we packed up and left as we had about a mile hike back to where we were camped. We went about 40' and there was the husband and wife all set up.  

I hear they do OTC Elk tags for that area so if that is still the case I would get one.

[518Ranger]

Well just got back from 12 west early hunt and it was epic never listen to negative talk about any unit always go in with positive attitude you’ll find success my two boys and myself all harvested really nice bucks mike harvested a really nice 3x3 35 inch great deer for mike my youngest my next oldest boy harvested a really nice typical 4x4 tall mule deer and I harvested a 4x4 with front drop tines thick chocolate horns was such a great 9 days every day got better past up any many  small bucks ,cold weather helped this hunt tremendously pre rut was started and really got the big boys active.30 to 50 deer seen everyday water was crucial in this hunt late hunt going to kick out some monsters but gotta tell you this year monsters were taken.

[bonecollector]

You know what they say right? Pics or it didnt happen.

[lancetkenyon]

What a tease.  Pics or ban!

[azbirdhunter88]

Ya better show pics 

[bigbuckclub]

Post pics

[Roosevelt Mark]

I love that hunt, we will be in next year.

[518Ranger]

Never have posted pics on here little help and I will post.