The nonpermit-tag hunts in Units 12A and 12B are open through Dec. 31, while the nonpermit-tag hunts in Units 13A and 13B are open through Sept. 11, then again from Nov. 4 through Dec. 31. The vegetation in this area ranges from Great Basin desert scrub and desert grassland to pinyon-juniper and pine-oak woodlands. The central part of the unit, the Buckskin Mountains, contains the highest deer densities and is best to hunt after mid-October. After a snow storm a hunter will drive the roads found within the Unit 12 winter deer range early in the morning looking for tracks. Create a free account to read the rest of this elk hunting note! No off-road travel by motor vehicles is allowed. Concentrate in areas dominated by this type of vegetation and look for turkey tracks in the snow, mud, dust, or around water sources. Areas: Any areas with concentrations of deer or sheep often have lions associated with them. . Although these are a little tougher hunts, a trophy Arizona elk is definitely a likely possibility to harvest. There are very few elk in this unit. Areas: Any areas with concentrations of deer often have lions associated with them. If you have a 12B tag and are trying to decide whether to hunt 12BW or the Paria Plateau, there are a few additional things that you should consider. These early hunts can be difficult because the deer are typically located in areas of formidable cover and are not easily located or glassed. Be prepared for extreme weather. With conditions slowly improving in the burned area of 12AW, and with the initiation of a landscape scale habitat restoration effort, the outlook for the Kaibab deer herd is indeed very optimistic. Areas: The Buckskin Mountains in the central portion of the unit contains the highest densities of deer and is best to hunt after mid-October. Mature grouse average between 2 and 4 pounds of succulent white meat and provide delicious table fare. During the winter months access to areas within Unit 12 can be extremely limited, even nonexistent. If I draw a 12A deer tag I will be there around Labor Day. After a snow storm a hunter will drive the roads found within the Unit 12 winter deer range early in the morning looking for tracks. Many come with visions of 32 wide racks with multiple points per side, still others are happy with a tender yearling forkhorn. Alluvial sandy soils occur throughout most of the unit and vegetation is sparse, consisting mainly of sagebrush at lower elevations and pinyon-juniper trees at higher elevations. Come prepared for all types of weather. Bring binoculars and spotting scopes. JM. Pronghorn are also found along the edge of the plateau in the pinyon-juniper transition zone. Beginning at U.S. Hwy 89A and the Kaibab National Forest boundary near mp 566; southerly and easterly along the forest boundary to Grand Canyon National Park; northeasterly along the park boundary to Glen Canyon National Recreation area; easterly along the recreation area boundary to the Colorado River; northeasterly along the Colorado River to the Arizona-Utah state line; westerly along the state line to Kanab Creek; southerly along Kanab Creek to the Kaibab National Forest boundary; northerly, easterly, and southerly along this boundary to U.S. Hwy 89A near mp 566; except those portions that are sovereign tribal lands of the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians. With continued and persistent drought the woody winter browse in 12AW has been less than productive for the past several years and as result concerns over the carrying capacity of this vital range are warranted. Deer are can be found in the open sagebrush flats, but not until snow pushes them out of the trees. Some say the great days of the Kaibab are past, others maintain things are as good or better than ever, and still others claim things will be great in the future. The prepared hunter is often the successful hunter. Elk seasons are described in the pronghorn antelope and elk regulations. Units 12A East, 12AWest and 12B require near max points, but hunters lucky enough to draw an East side Kaibab tag are in store for an incredible mule deer hunt. Once a track is located the hounds are released and the lion is pursued until treed. Create a free account to read the rest of this terrain note! The terrain in this unit could generally be described as plateau/canyon country. It is recommended that hunters do not apply for this hunt in the draw but rather purchase the tags at a significant discount as left over tags. Over-the-counter elk seasons are described in the 2014 pronghorn antelope and elk regulations. Game and fish would rather have hunters do it legally. It'd be a great trip to take and walk around the woods/sit some watering holes for a day or two as a bonus; and hope to be the luckiest hunter ever. Got a Buffalo up there , why ont Elk ? New Harvest Thresholds When the number of harvested mountain lions reaches the threshold, that zone closes to the additional harvest of mountain lions at sundown the Wednesday immediately following. Birds can sometimes be found along the Paria River, but they generally occupy the upper benches along the cliffs, high above the river. The most common technique for lion hunting in Unit 12 is similar to that used throughout the Rim country in Arizona. The average age of a buck harvested on the late hunts has climbed from just over two years of age to over 4 years of age in the past several years, yearling buck weights have stabilized at an acceptable level in recent years and as a result antler development has been excellent. Be prepared for extreme weather. No off-road travel by motor vehicles is allowed. Very few services are available for gas and food. Hunters are required to report their mountain lion harvest information to the Arizona Game and Fish Department within 48 hours of taking a mountain lion. Hunters can report their mountain lion harvest in person, by telephone at 1-877-438-0447, or online. As indicated by checkstation records, the average mature buck produced by the Kaibab is a 3-5 year old 23-25 four point. If you are fortunate enough to draw one of the most sought after deer tags in the United States come to the Kaibab with realistic expectations. The prepared hunter is often the successful hunter. Yearly reported harvest figures fluctuate around 1 dozen lions with most of these animals taken by houndsmen during the winter months. Large numbers of domestic sheep grazed on the Paria Plateau, Vermilion Cliffs, and Paria Canyon until the 1960s when the Bureau of Land Management converted all grazing permits to cattle only. During big winter storms, unit experiences snowfalls that can make travel hazardous. The lion population in Unit 12 is a migratory population of rought 60-80 animals with the lions essentially following the deer herd as it migrates from summer to winter ranges. Included in these hunts are bull only, antlerless and even 275 any-elk tags. Seems like an expensive camping and hiking excursion in a beautiful part of the country with good friends and maybe a random elk. Some lions have been harvested incidental to these other activities. While realistically many of the heard bulls with average 280-330" in both units. Use common sense; dont take shortcuts as they often take a lot longer than the more sensible route. Concentrate your efforts in areas with waterholes (not necessarily on the water), as the plateau is often dry at this time of the year. Although 12A/12B is not known for its record breaking antelope bucks, hunt success has typically been around 40% for archery and 100% for rifle. On the Kaibab Plateau the bird has a very restricted range occupying mixed conifer habitat types near the south end of the Kaibab National Forest and is also found in the Grand Canyon National Park North Rim. This is my first year being drawn for elk and got a tag for all 12 and 13 units for any elk and this tag is good until April of 19. Excellent recruitment and low winter mortality for the past two years has lead to population levels similar to the early 90s. Forest road 68G accesses Tule Mesa, and forest road 68 access the Pine Mountain Wilderness. The Kaibab Plateau ranges from 6,000' to 9,200'; vegetation consists of ponderosa pine, mixed conifer, and aspen. Are you an outfitter, hunting guide, game processor or local hotel? Antlerless Hunting: After several years of antlerless hunting, many of the does on the plateau have become as hunter-wise as most bucks. *There are open limited opportunity draw bison hunts offered in 12A/12B/13A as well as general non-permit tag (non-draw) elk hunts offered in 12B. Harvesting birds should be viewed as a bonus. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Do you have landowner tags, lease land, or have an lodge? Watching waterholes that have turkey sign around them provide the turkey hunter with the best opportunity to bag a bearded turkey during this often dry time of the year. During the fall hunt, turkey hunting is a totally different game. Jacob Lake Campground, administered by Kaibab National Forest, intersection of U.S. 89A and State Hwy 67 at Jacob Lake; DeMotte Campground, Kaibab National Forest, Hwy 67; Grand Canyon National Park, North Rim. Also, several lions are sighted each year by hunters glassing canyons and watching waters. The elevation in this area ranges from 3,000' to 7,000'; vegetation ranges from riparian cottonwood-willow and salt cedar along the Gila River, to Chihuahuan Desert in the lower elevations a Elk hunting in this unit can be extremely difficult due to the terrain. See how weather varies by elevation within a unit by selecting an elevation range. These areas are open to foot and horseback travel only. I've made far worse mistakes for sure. Many hunters go home disappointed that they did not see big bucks on the early hunt, but every hunter should do their homework and know what they should expect on a hunt before setting high expectations. Remember, we hunt for the experience. Areas: The Buckskin Mountains in the central portion of the unit contains the highest densities of deer and is best to hunt after mid-October. Under alternative management these favorable ratios should be maintained or even improved. Proactive management steps in the form of an Alternative Management Plan and a large scale habitat improvement project in cooperation with the USFS have been taken by the Arizona Game and Fish Department in order to maintain a favorable buck:doe ratio, increase the representation of older age bucks in the population, ensure long term high quality habitat, and provide for greater hunt success. Grouse, like squirrels, appear to be most active early in the morning but walking throughout the day can result in flushed birds. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area 928 608-6200 Large swings indicate a good layering system should be used. Being in position at first shooting light can be critical as the big boys are often bedded down for the day within minutes of the sun breaking the horizon. Being prepared on this hunt is even more crucial than on the early hunt. According to Arizona Game and Fish, Hunt No. Occasionally, depending on rainfall and the availability of forage, coveys can be found in some of the shallow drainages along Kanab Creek. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. Follow a few simple rules and your chance of success will increase exponentially. Page, Marble Canyon, Jacob Lake, Cliff Dwellers, Fredonia, Major Highways and Roads Leading To Please contact any department office for additional information or to purchase an elk OTC tag. A relatively constant output of older age-class deer has been evident, throughout the history of the plateau. As the fall progresses the deer become more and more secretive. Most of House Rock Valley is fairly flat with low rolling hills, so it is important to be able to locate the antelope from a distance and plan your stalk according to the surrounding terrain and conditions. Practice with a flat shooting rifle at longer distances before the hunt begins. The state line is only marked at dirt road crossings. This bird was first documented in 12B in Paria Canyon, but has since been regularly observed along the Kanab Creek/ Snake Gulch drainage. Concentrate on areas that are more inaccessible. Glassing from the slopes of the Kaibab plateau can give you a higher vantage point. If the deer are low and you glass enough it will pay off. During the fall hunt gas, food, and lodging can be found in Fredonia, Jacob Lake, and near DeMotte Park. There's nothing like autumn on the North Kaibab and Arizona Strip. Before each hunting trip, verify that the zone is still open, by calling 877-438-0447 or checking online at View harvest thresholds and zone closures. Take care in species identification before dropping the hammer. Motor vehicle travel is restricted to existing roads on all BLM land in the Unit. The history of the trees nothing like arizona unit 12a elk on the early hunt 928 608-6200 Large swings indicate a layering! 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