Help for a Youth Hunt

[jp0212]

Hey everyone, I realize this may be a long shot, but I was hoping someone might be able to help point me in the right direction for my nephews hunt. He is 16 and has been really getting into hunting over the last few years. His father passed away when he was 6, so I am doing everything I can to get him into this sport and spend lots of time with him. Well the little dude got very lucky and landed a Unit 19a Archery Antelope tag with only a few points. I knew there was a lot of private land up there, but didn't quite realize how bad it is. I am happy to put in the leg work, and not even asking for any pointers on good honey holes, but rather hoping to inquire if this is an impossible hunt without a guide. I purchased Point Guard if needed, and must say hiring a guide is unfortunately well outside my spending limit right now. Is this achievable on public land, and if not, does anyone have the contact information they could pass on regarding a rancher I could contact for land access up there? I am more than happy to drop the dude off for several weekends leading up to his hunt so he can do some work helping whoever grants him access if they would like. He would be happy to do so as well if it gives him a decent shot at an animal. Thanks in advance for anyone who can offer up some help.

[Explorer]

Onx maps and a realistic idea of what he will shoot should make for a good hunt in that unit. Lots of huntable land both public and private.

[chuckster]

I had that tag in 2012.  The Fain Ranch and Deep Well ranch were open to walk-in hunters when I hunted it.  I assume that is still the case.  Azgfd should mail you a map of those areas. This is what they sent me.  Pretty easy to find antelope up there.  PM me if you have questions.

[jp0212]

14 minutes ago, Explorer said:

Onx maps and a realistic idea of what he will shoot should make for a good hunt in that unit. Lots of huntable land both public and private.

Thanks for the input! I have OnX and have spent a good amount of time looking around, along with Google Maps. Planning on picking up a Flatline Map as well to see look around even more. It does appear that most of the area where the Antelope would be seems to be private land, but I’m hopeful that isn’t the case.

[Flatlander]

Don’t assume just cause it’s private that you can’t hunt it. Fain and the deep well are typically open for walk in. Great hunt. You should be fine.

[Ed67]

Game and fish is going to mail him a map and list of ranchers selling access.  That’s not an easy tag to draw and I suggest paying a trespass fee but either way he will have a great time. Really are no honey holes in 19A and you’ll know what you’re getting into with a half day trip just driving around  

[jp0212]

Thanks Flatlander and Ed67. I will definitely keep an eye out for that map, and will have no problem paying a trespass fee if it is reasonable. I make good money, but bad luck hit us pretty hard last year. We had a baby last year (not cheap), and thankfully she is totally fine and healthy, but she struggled a little and had to spend some time in the NICU after she was born (not cheap). Then my wife ended up having a bunch of health issues, and after a few months they determined it was a brain tumor (not cheap). Thankfully she is good to go after getting it removed, and they found it to be benign, but very scary nonetheless. All that depleted the fundage quite a bit, which sadly made a guide totally impossible. I will keep an eye out for that information from AZGF, which I assume will come with the tag. Also planning to head up there in a couple weeks and do some scouting. I am pretty familiar with Antelope as I have hunted them a few times up in Wyoming, which is also why I posed the question. Land access up there is extremely tough. Lots of Outfitters seem to lock the ranchers into contracts stating they won't allow anyone else in. Major bummer. We found this awesome section of BLM land that was about 10,000 acres, but contracts with the few ranchers that surrounded it made it completely unaccessible.

[wildwoody]

Not for sure but I've herd Jayson is gone and there's a new care taker on fain ranch and he doesn't allow hunter access anymore. Could be wrong, I watched 2 plains crash there 15 yrs ago... Good luck to him..

[Zeke-BE]

13 hours ago, wildwoody said:

Not for sure but I've herd Jayson is gone and there's a new care taker on fain ranch and he doesn't allow hunter access anymore. Could be wrong, I watched 2 plains crash there 15 yrs ago... Good luck to him..

Wait what???  You can’t just say you literally saw 2 planes in one year crash and not tell the story what happen!!!!!!

[wildwoody]

1 year , hack 1 minute. During my sons archery hunt, both Men were higher ups at emrie riddle school. Real bad they both Perished. They were doing aerobatic stuts practicing for the Prescott days, hit each other on a stall, and crashed 200yrds from us. . 

[CatfishKev]

12 minutes ago, wildwoody said:

1 year , hack 1 minute. During my sons archery hunt, both Men were higher ups at emrie riddle school. Real bad they both Perished. They were doing aerobatic stuts practicing for the Prescott days, hit each other on a stall, and crashed 200yrds from us. . 

Good thing it happened there and not on a bunch of spectators 

[Zeke-BE]

2 hours ago, wildwoody said:

1 year , hack 1 minute. During my sons archery hunt, both Men were higher ups at emrie riddle school. Real bad they both Perished. They were doing aerobatic stuts practicing for the Prescott days, hit each other on a stall, and crashed 200yrds from us. . 

Wowww! That’s crazy.  Sorry OP if I high jacked this thread.