Kaibab Plateau Early Rifle Hunt

[Silentstalker]

Those squirrels are pretty dang cool! Did it look like this one?

 

[npaden]

You don't sound like you're having a good time?

I’m having a good time.

Just a different style of hunting than I am used to but I’m sure it is the most effective method for this hunt.

I’m used to more of a physical hunt where I hike a lot and that has been odd just riding around in the truck. Definitely more of a mental thing with the relatively few bucks we are seeing and the hours and hours behind the glass.

I probably had my expectations a little too high on the number of bucks we would be seeing each day. The wind today was a bit of a drag. It’s nice having my wife in camp.

Most hunts aren’t all fun, some more than others for sure. I’m finally getting in the groove and starting to get it figured out I think.

 

[npaden]

Those squirrels are pretty dang cool! Did it look like this one?

The one I saw seemed to have almost a completely white tail. Very cool.

 

[cahunter805]

Stick with it! I’m pulling for you to knock down a big ol buck!

 

[npaden]

Saw more deer this morning than we have on any other morning. 30 does and 4 bucks, 1 was pretty decent but it went across the highway to the wrong side while we were watching it.

Lot more enjoyable to glass when you are seeing deer and when the wind is only 14 mph instead of 20+ mph.

Spent more time out since we were seeing deer and just made it back to camp.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Do you have the full 10 day hunt booked with this guide?

 

[npaden]

Do you have the full 10 day hunt booked with this guide?

I booked a 7 day hunt but they told me I can add additional days at a daily rate.

 

[seeth07]

I booked a 7 day hunt but they told me I can add additional days at a daily rate.

Couldn't you just go back on your own to the spots you just learned? Why pay them?

 

[Mallardsx2]

Couldn't you just go back on your own to the spots you just learned? Why pay them?

I wouldn't. Clearly the spots suck. lol

 

[Dsnow9]

Couldn't you just go back on your own to the spots you just learned? Why pay them?

That feels like a dick move! Even so, If you aren’t successful multiple days in their spots why would you go to the same spots.

 

[npaden]

I’m in it this far so might as well stick with them. For a few hundred bucks more I will stick with them for whatever extra days I have. If nothing else having the second set of eyes glassing is worth something. They actually told me as they have clients tag out the guides stay and help glass for whatever hunters are left. Said it wasn’t uncommon to have 3 or 4 guides helping get that last tag filled.

My guide is no doubt better at glassing this stuff than I am. I’m getting better but it is some thick stuff and takes some practice.

This morning was better and sounds like it should continue to improve. They’ve been doing this for a while and have a great track record.

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

I have a friend hunt 12AW right now, he has passed some great big deer and sent me some pics. Must be a good area, not sure how the east compares to the west. Good luck down there.

 

[seeth07]

That feels like a dick move! Even so, If you aren’t successful multiple days in their spots why would you go to the same spots.

Good question and I'm sure it depends. This sounds a lot like a great hunt in northern NM I had rhe tag for twice. The deer mostly just move morning and night and its nearly impossible to glass them bedded in the cover they use so its mostly an exercise in patience and glassing the same good glassing spots over and over. One day a big buck just shows up when the day before you saw hardly any deer.

He made a great point about glassing help though. Those SW Mule deer can sure blend in super easy to that desert terrain and the more eyes the better especially when you can spread apart even just 50 feet for different angles.

 

[BuzzH]

That feels like a dick move! Even so, If you aren’t successful multiple days in their spots why would you go to the same spots.

Exactly, and add that to the list of the reasons why I hunt and fish with very few people. Also a reason I would never be a guide, morality and ethics are pretty rare in the hunting/fishing world these days.

Sad reality I guess.

 

[npaden]

Saw 12 does this afternoon and evening.

Just wanted to clarify, we did check out some new spots yesterday before lunch and then after lunch. Today we did the same with a new spot before lunch and after lunch. We are seeing the most deer where we are spending the most time. The place we checked out this afternoon looked awesome but we didn’t see a single deer.

The west side is considered to be a much better tag and this early hunt is tough.

Tonight is supposed to get colder but the wind is supposed to die down so hopefully that will get some deer moving.

Still plenty of time left.

 

[Nunyacreek]

You’ve got the right attitude. Trust your guide and must be present to win. Just keep at it. Something will happen, just be there when it does.

 

[npaden]

26 degrees this morning but the wind has let off. Hoping that this is going to be the day. Switched hats I’m wearing so I bet that’s going to be the key!

 

[LuketheDog]

26 degrees this morning but the wind has let off. Hoping that this is going to be the day. Switched hats I’m wearing so I bet that’s going to be the key!

Gotta have the right hat on, if I didn't have my lucky orange hat nobody would kill anything!

 

[The_Coloradoboy]

Keep grinding. It only takes 30 seconds in time to change everything on a seemingly slow hunt. Hunting big mule deer is an absolute grind a lot of times

 

[noharleyyet]

26 degrees this morning but the wind has let off. Hoping that this is going to be the day. Switched hats I’m wearing so I bet that’s going to be the key!

Time to doff the trucker, don the Kromer...