Arizona late rifle in 6a

[cmcpherson]

Hi everyone,

I drew Arizona 6a late rifle tag this year and will be headed down for a solo hunt. Been doing some research and the question I keep asking myself is to buy quad to bring down for the hunt? I see that use of a quad is allowed for retrieval of elk but that really won't do to much good in wilderness or quiet areas. So I'm wondering if any previous tag holders can add input if quad was really helpful, helped moderately, or unnecessary? I appreciate any information on the matter

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Don't know if this helps at all and for whatever it's worth, but my outfitter down there doesn't own a quad or a side-by-side. He has a rebuilt Ford F250 four-wheel-drive pickup that gets him just about anywhere and everywhere that a quad or side-by-side can go. Just saying. Anyway, good luck on your hunt.

 

[Marine4life]

I hunted 6a this past September with my sister whe had the early rifle tag. There is a lot of the area that can easily be accessed by a typical vehicle but I personally would not hunt that unit without a quad. There are some very rough and rocky roads and a quad makes traveling them so much easier and quicker. Plus when it rains and snows the roads are a horrible mess. That unit is heavily traveled by recreational riders and campers and the elk are pretty used to them. Although I would guess there will be less that time of year then there was in Sept.


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[Sierra Hunter]

Quad makes the busy roads easier to get around on no doubt but there’s definitely traffic. There’s a great family out there that runs a ranch and they helped me with my pack out if that’s what you’re trying to solve

 

[Elkhntr08]

Never hunted 6A, but drove through it the other day. Sure looks like quad county to me. At 60 now, I’ve decided that dragging my quad along for most any hunt is worth the effort.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Hi everyone,

I drew Arizona 6a late rifle tag this year and will be headed down for a solo hunt. Been doing some research and the question I keep asking myself is to buy quad to bring down for the hunt? I see that use of a quad is allowed for retrieval of elk but that really won't do to much good in wilderness or quiet areas. So I'm wondering if any previous tag holders can add input if quad was really helpful, helped moderately, or unnecessary? I appreciate any information on the matter

I was with my outfitter in that unit this past winter and again, two winters ago. I'll be flying back down there next November to help him on some hunts down there. If you want to meet-up and look at some maps while you're down there this coming Thanksgiving, hit me up and I'll meet you in Verde or Payson. There are some damn nice bulls in that unit.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I wouldn’t think a quad would help you that much unless it’s been raining/snowing a lot. You are going to find the elk down in the canyons that time of year and the only thing that can get them out is you or a helicopter

 

[Paul B]

I guide in that area quite a bit. A quad on the late hunts can definitely open up some options and make life easier. You can spend 90 minutes driving in to a area in 4wd truck or 20 minutes on a quad. There are some roads in there that a 4wd truck would really struggle. Snow is also possible on that late hunt and can hinder some access. Now that being said, if you are planning on hunting the wilderness areas as you mentioned then its not worth bringing one. Most of the wilderness have nice roads around them. Also just a heads up that late 6a tag can be quite competitive. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions..

 

[Mykolaivka887]

I agree with Paul Bais. If you're a resident of Arizona and have a quad, then might as well take it because you're not trailering that far and it'll cut your offroad travel time in half. But, as a nonresident out-of-state hunter, I wouldn't bother with a quad.

The way my outfitter does it down there, without a quad, is that he runs mud terrain tires and chains all the way around on his 1999 model Ford F250, and he has a 10,000 lb WARN winch, just in case. He pretty much goes anywhere and everywhere in that rig, plus it's a damn comfortable (warm) ride as compared to a quad.

In the central units of Arizona, snow is likely during late November and early December, and it can get damn cold. Wind is likely as well. Roads can get yucky, but a quad ain't mandatory. Most all roads can be navigated with high clearance four-wheel-drive truck and chains, even when it's ugly outside.

For the most part and from my experience hunting with my outfitter down there during late season, you'll be using roads only to access "jump off points" where you'll then walk to semi remote "hell holes" where the bulls are hanging out, recuperating from the rut.

Although you will see elk alongside the back roads, road hunting really isn't a wise option during late season, because the vast majority of bulls, especially older bulls, will be far removed from any road networks.

Unit 6 is a diverse unit and has a lot of game in it; bears, lions, elk, sheep, deer, javelina, etc. It's very picturesque. I did put in for that tag this year, but didn't draw (sad). I'll be curious to hear how your hunt turns out and if you do want to meet up around Thanksgiving, I'll be in the Payson/Camp Verde areas around that time.

Best of luck and good hunting!

 

[Coueser]

I have done that hunt a few times and we always take quads. To be honest, we usually don't use them too much (unless heading to a spot in the afternoon or to help retrieve a bull) because it is pretty dang cold most times we have had the tag. Good luck!

 

[cmcpherson]

Thanks everyone for responding I appreciate you taking the time to help me out!

 

[Tberg]

I know the unit, hunted it some, did contract work for USFS there for years. Have driven across the unit on some of the worst roads you can imagine. An atv is not a bad idea, 6A has some trash roads; high pucker factor if you don't know where you're going, but a toyota or jeep can get you into most places if you're careful and know how to 4X4 on rock. Some of the best areas are behind sketchy roads. Mud is a possibility but not a deal breaker. I'm happy to point you to some spots if you PM me.