Eastern AZ Youth Late Rifle Bull Strategy Question

[TheCougar]

My two oldest kids, a 10 year old girl on her first hunt ever and my 12 year old son who has hunted before, both drew Unit 1 Late Rifle Bull tags, which has a very large number of bulls and a very high success rate. My goal is for my daughter to shoot the first 5 point or better that we see inside 300 yards. My goal for my son is to be more selective and try to get a 290+” 6 point. Based on what I know about Unit 1, both of those goals are realistic and achievable as long as the weather cooperates. I will have friends helping since I can’t handle both kids at the same time, but no matter what I have to accompany my daughter when shoots her bull, as she is using a tag transfer. I would like to hunt with one kid, then the second kid so I can be with each of them when they tag out.

My question: based on your experience with the number and type of bulls and how they react to opening day, which of these is the best course of action to achieve the above stated goals:

• Find my son a bull before opening day and spend the first few days of season chasing a nicer bull if unsuccessful on the opener, then taking my daughter out the last couple days of the hunt… or
• Take my daughter out opening day and shoot whatever presents itself, then spend the remainder of season with my son trying to get a 6 point.

I’ve heard both strategies: it is easier to get a nicer bull when you locate them before the opener and spend all your energy before/on the first day, or that the first day there are bulls running all over the place from pressure and the opener would be the best opportunity for my daughter, then I can take my time with my son looker for a nicer bull. PM's are welcome, thanks.

 

[dantana]

I can give you a hand but can't PM yet

 

[canyonhunter47]

Which season and weapon?

I’ve never specifically hunted bull elk in the eastern units but elk are elk, I don’t see how unit 1 elk would react to being shot at differently from unit 8 elk. A lot more depends on the current and previous seasons and tag #’s, terrain, roads, etc.

 

[WRO]

This is way to vague of a question to answer..

What are your season dates? What weapon? Are you going to be hunting the praries flatish stuff like unit 2 or the steeper stuff like 1/27?

 

[TheCougar]

This is way to vague of a question to answer..

What are your season dates? What weapon? Are you going to be hunting the praries flatish stuff like unit 2 or the steeper stuff like 1/27?

I’m deliberately trying to not state the unit. I’ll send you a PM with specifics.

 

[TheCougar]

I can give you a hand but can't PM yet

I’ll see if I can PM you.

 

[TheCougar]

Which season and weapon?

I’ve never specifically hunted bull elk in the eastern units but elk are elk, I don’t see how unit 1 elk would react to being shot at differently from unit 8 elk. A lot more depends on the current and previous seasons and tag #’s, terrain, roads, etc.

Late rifle. There is a big difference between a unit 1 and unit 8 late rifle tag! Sorry if I’m being to vague; I’m trying to keep unit specifics to a minimum in an open forum.

 

[robie]

I know your trying to be vague but AZ for a nonresident is getting closer to a lottery ticket than a hunt you have to worry a lot about people knowing where you are. It's not the same as OTC Colorado information. I drew a unit 10 late tag and several people on here were very forth coming with information only because its a tag you will get a few times in your life.

Eastern AZ and great unit leads to 23 (central eastern),27 or 1.

If it's 23 Late you won the lottery and consider giving AZ Ground Pounders or A3 or Mogollon Rim Outfitters a call.

Bad thing about 27 is all of the tags they are handing out on that late hunt.

Best of luck to your boys.

 

[TheCougar]

I know your trying to be vague but AZ for a nonresident is getting closer to a lottery ticket than a hunt you have to worry a lot about people knowing where you are. It's not the same as OTC Colorado information. I drew a unit 10 late tag and several people on here were very forth coming with information only because its a tag you will get a few times in your life.

Eastern AZ and great unit leads to 23 (central eastern),27 or 1.

If it's 23 Late you won the lottery and consider giving AZ Ground Pounders or A3 or Mogollon Rim Outfitters a call.

Bad thing about 27 is all of the tags they are handing out on that late hunt.

Best of luck to your boys.

Alright, I'll go back and not be so cryptic.

 

[robie]

Alright, I'll go back and not be so cryptic.

Awesome tag. Can't wait until my son is old enough. I've got my wife building points to do a tag transfer someday. Kids don't know how lucky they have it.

I've got no help for you on unit 1, but to help two kids out I bet several people will chime in.

Sent from my SM-G892U using Tapatalk

 

[TheCougar]

Awesome tag. Can't wait until my son is old enough. I've got my wife building points to do a tag transfer someday. Kids don't know how lucky they have it.

I've got no help for you on unit 1, but to help two kids out I bet several people will chime in.

Sent from my SM-G892U using Tapatalk

Yeah, I was trying not to mention the unit, as that is usually not a welcome tactic. I've already started map study and I've got 6 areas I plan on checking when I am there for archery season. I don't think I need to know where to go, but its the "how and when" that I am trying to figure out with the two kids. I am taking my son on rucks and runs every week, and we are working on woodsmanship and mental/physical perserverance - I think he is going to do great, and I want to get him a bull that he will remember. My daughter on the other hand, I just want to get her on a bull and have her enjoy the experience. Two totally different kids and goals, with only one dad, and 5 days!

 

[canyonhunter47]

My two oldest kids, a 10 year old girl on her first hunt ever and my 12 year old son who has hunted before, both drew Unit 1 Late Rifle Bull tags, which has a very large number of bulls and a very high success rate. My goal is for my daughter to shoot the first 5 point or better that we see inside 300 yards. My goal for my son is to be more selective and try to get a 290+” 6 point. Based on what I know about Unit 1, both of those goals are realistic and achievable as long as the weather cooperates. I will have friends helping since I can’t handle both kids at the same time, but no matter what I have to accompany my daughter when shoots her bull, as she is using a tag transfer. I would like to hunt with one kid, then the second kid so I can be with each of them when they tag out.

My question: based on your experience with the number and type of bulls and how they react to opening day, which of these is the best course of action to achieve the above stated goals:

• Find my son a bull before opening day and spend the first few days of season chasing a nicer bull if unsuccessful on the opener, then taking my daughter out the last couple days of the hunt… or
• Take my daughter out opening day and shoot whatever presents itself, then spend the remainder of season with my son trying to get a 6 point.

I’ve heard both strategies: it is easier to get a nicer bull when you locate them before the opener and spend all your energy before/on the first day, or that the first day there are bulls running all over the place from pressure and the opener would be the best opportunity for my daughter, then I can take my time with my son looker for a nicer bull. PM's are welcome, thanks.

I've hunted unit 1 and I've hunted bulls but I haven't hunted bulls in unit 1 so YMMV... But, there's a fair chance that you will find multiple holed up in the same area and they won't move much. Last year, in a different unit, I found them in the same spot the whole season as 2 days before opening day. Granted, it was a remote spot, but it wasn't all that far from roads, and I saw other hunters in there every day and even a bigger bull while packing ours out (packout lasted multiple days).

 

[WRO]

Super simple strategy, go this summer learn the roads, get a lay of the land, and keep an eye on where you see elk. (Possibly there, most likely not by season)

Get serious about actually looking for elk a week or 2 before your season opens, look in north faces with water relatively close. Glass your ass off every morning and evening. Find a bull or bulls you like, camp on them, kill em opening day. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. They're super predictable that time of year until they get screwed with.

The big ones will be in tougher country than the rags.. it's not about cows, just finding a good lone bull, dinks will be with cows.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[TheCougar]

Super simple strategy, go this summer learn the roads, get a lay of the land, and keep an eye on where you see elk. (Possibly there, most likely not by season)

Get serious about actually looking for elk a week or 2 before your season opens, look in north faces with water relatively close. Glass your ass off every morning and evening. Find a bull or bulls you like, camp on them, kill em opening day. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. They're super predictable that time of year until they get screwed with.

The big ones will be in tougher country than the rags.. it's not about cows, just finding a good lone bull, dinks will be with cows.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I'll be there in September scouting, but that's it until a couple of days before season. I'm trying to convince my wife to do Thanksgiving in the woods!

 

[TheCougar]

Any other thoughts from the crowd?