Kaibab Plateau Early Rifle Hunt

[gburk]

I agree with you passing that buck, you’re just hitting your stride, you’ve got the time off, weathers good, might as well keep the guides working for you. Better to keep it going and find something that excites you. Or go home knowing you did all you could.

Different kind of hunt than I’ve ever been on. Good luck and thanks for taking us along. It just takes one!

 

[npaden]

I know I have glassed more hours on this hunt than any other hunt I’ve ever been on and it’s not even close. Of course it helps that it has been 7 1/2 days but even on my Wyoming mountain goat hunt that took 9 days I thought I glassed a lot, but I’ve glassed for at least twice as long already. 6 to 8 hours per day of actual eyes on the glass time. I thought I was decent at glassing but this morning we started out at the same spot where we were opening morning and the aspens that I thought were “unglassable” then were not bad at all this morning. Still can’t glass though some of the black locust patches but willing to give it the college try. Trying not to let this morning get me down, really hope we see some stuff moving this afternoon!

 

[Valley1320]

Bet there's a big muley dead by the end of this hunt. Al sudden it's gonna come together when you least expect it

 

[redhammer911]

Kind of a bust this morning and I thought it was going to be go

Here’s a picture of the 160” buck we passed on yesterday. He looks a little better in the video, I may try to post that later. Just a clean 4x4 with a little weak back forks. No trash or extras. He was with a couple 140” type bucks, they thought he was probably just a 2 1/2 year old.

View attachment 390889

From what I've heard about this year that's a solid buck; looks bigger than 160 also...

 

[Carnage2011]

From what I've heard about this year that's a solid buck; looks bigger than 160 also...

It does?

 

[redhammer911]

It does?

Depends on how the pic was taken I guess; trust the guides if you went in with a plan and they said no. Then no it is....

From what I've seen taken up there this year its a good buck; but hes lasted this long might as well ride it out

 

[rustednuts]

Kind of a bust this morning and I thought it was going to be good. Pretty sunrise though.

View attachment 390890

Saw about 25 does and 1 small buck.

Here’s a picture of the 160” buck we passed on yesterday. He looks a little better in the video, I may try to post that later. Just a clean 4x4 with a little weak back forks. No trash or extras. He was with a couple 140” type bucks, they thought he was probably just a 2 1/2 year old.

View attachment 390889

Taking a short lunch and hoping that since the deer quit moving earlier than normal this morning that they will be up and moving earlier this afternoon.

I’m not feeling any pressure, if we find a big buck that would be awesome but if we don’t I feel like both me and my guide have done everything we could to make it happen.

His back forks look weak from the drought stunting them. The weekend is looking good weather wise, so I'd expect some other opportunities.

 

[npaden]

No Halloween buck for me.

Not much going this afternoon either. Maybe 15 does total. Fewer along the road this evening coming back to camp.

It was a bit breezy so not sure how much that was a factor but the 2 days we saw the most deer was when it was the calmest.

This is my guides 6th year to guide this tag and he said 4 of the previous 5 have tagged out either opening day or the last 2 days of the season. The other tagged out on the 3rd or 4th day, he couldn’t remember.

So we are down to the last 2 days of the season so looks like it’s getting close to now or never.

Took a few pictures glassing in the aspens. This is where we have been seeing the highest concentration of deer but that wasn’t the case today. No deer in these pictures that I could see.



This is a bit less thick and actually pretty easy to glass.


Not sure how anyone could glass this spot.


Oh well. 2 days to go. Forecast is for the wind to be light and variable both days so that is for sure a positive.

 

[ashersdad]

Keep at it! We're all rooting for you!

 

[Nick87]

It's gonna happen and if not, what an experience.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

No Halloween buck for me.

Not much going this afternoon either. Maybe 15 does total. Fewer along the road this evening coming back to camp.

It was a bit breezy so not sure how much that was a factor but the 2 days we saw the most deer was when it was the calmest.

This is my guides 6th year to guide this tag and he said 4 of the previous 5 have tagged out either opening day or the last 2 days of the season. The other tagged out on the 3rd or 4th day, he couldn’t remember.

So we are down to the last 2 days of the season so looks like it’s getting close to now or never.

Took a few pictures glassing in the aspens. This is where we have been seeing the highest concentration of deer but that wasn’t the case today. No deer in these pictures that I could see.

View attachment 390948

This is a bit less thick and actually pretty easy to glass.
View attachment 390949

Not sure how anyone could glass this spot.
View attachment 390950

Oh well. 2 days to go. Forecast is for the wind to be light and variable both days so that is for sure a positive.

Looks like Bob Ross got a little carried away!

 

[npaden]

We have been taking pretty short lunch breaks ever since the first couple days so no chance to go see the Grand Canyon so wife went today without me.

The main north rim area is still closed from the fire but a couple overlooks are still open.




She might go to Zion tomorrow, but not sure. This is really a neat area and we will probably come back sometime when I’m not trying to fill a deer tag.

 

[8andcounting]

Good luck I hope to see pics of you with a big big buck tomorrow !

 

[Paisano]

Thanks for sharing this hunt with us! I love the insight you are providing. Best of luck!

 

[rmyoung1]

That peep hole in the rock picture is awesome. Cool experience, Nathan. Thanks for taking us along. You’ve had quite the year!

 

[jpc01101]

Crunch time! Good feeling about today!

 

[th88]

Have enjoyed following this thread. Admire your positivity. Rooting for ya!

 

[Stretcher_Jockey]

I got a good feeling about this afternoon

 

[npaden]

I got a good feeling about this afternoon

Sure hope so because this morning was a disappointment.

Pretty sunrise though.


Less than 20 does and one spike this morning. Not a single deer the first hour of daylight in a spot that should be really good. After getting skunked there we have been checking other spots the rest of the morning that I haven’t seen yet.

Other guides and the other hunter not seeing anything either. Right now we have 4 guides for the 2 remaining hunters.

Weather is beautiful, we just need to find a good buck!

Saw a cool tree that got struck by lightning.



Would sure love to get a buck this afternoon!

 

[Bill V]

I have this east side hunt next week, muzzleloader. I sure could use the coordinates for that 160" buck. Just sayin!