Az unit 27 Rifle hunt in early Sept?
Elk
Am I reading this right, do they have an early rifle hunt in 27? Is this the first time they have done it and do they plan on doing it into the future? This was one of the units I was looking at drawing. How much do you think 40 tags would change the bowhunting?
thanks Matt Houska
Yes, rotating a unit per year. Last year was 9.
Wouldn't bother me one bit. 10 of those guys won't go very far off the road, even to chase bugles. I would guess the majority will hunt the burn/northern portion of the unit.
Negative: The rifle hunters will probably kill a few big bulls, especially ones who pay for a guide to find them and get first shot on them. The elk may be a bit more pressured and may not be in the easy off the road spots to hunt.
Positive: Look at the Archery dates! Sept 16-29. If you want to hunt into the rut these dates are better than the Sep 9-22 for the rest of the units. If you planned on packing into the harder to reach areas more elk may be pushed there.
This will result in about 38 or 39 fewer quality bulls being available to hunt since they will be dead. The other elk will arguably be affected by the gunfire and usual impact associated with camping and hunting. Not cool in my book!
I've never seen elk that are rifle hunted not be affected. 40 tags will probably mean 40 x 5 people per tag = 200 people in the unit running around calling, shooting etc. Doesn't take long after the shooting starts for elk to figure out they're being hunted again.....sucks.
Is there a schedule to which unit will have the Early Rifle before Archery? Which unit next year?
As said every other year. big unit TONS of huge bulls. I drew bow in 2013. Unreal.
Don't exaggerate Heat! Probably only 37 dead Bulls.
DonVathome, this is the first time it will have been prior to the archery hunt in this unit. It rotates every other year AFTER the archery hunt historically.
The archery hunt will be unreal with those dates a guy would be a fool to think 40 rifle tags will alter the elk . The unit is huge go bow hunt and walk into hawks nest canyon and kill a giant . good luck and show us you big bull . Its going to take a lot of points to draw .
So up to 4 non-ressy rifle tags broken down into the 2 bonus pass tags/2 regular draw tags....
Interesting to see how it plays out----points wise.
Good luck, Robb
It would be interesting to find out how it affected U9 last year....and what those rifle guys killed.....anyone know?
It will give the archery hunters one more week into the prime rut which make that tag even more desirable and I would think more people putting in for. The early rifle hunters may scatter the elk somewhat but shouldn't make a big difference.
Some of the bigger bulls will be taken out on the early rifle by the many hot shot guide services operating in the better units. With that being said the archery hunters will have a great time at any rate, for a lot of big bulls.
The early rifle and muzzleloader elk hunts are extremely hard to draw. I don't agree with AZ on the way they do this or on the early rifle Coues deer hunts. It is however a big money maker for the Game Dept. AZ is very good at marketing and these hunt structures really get piled on. Those $160 non resident license fees just keep piling up into the coffers of the Dept. Hunting is getting more popular every year and our chances to get the good tags decreases every year. I personally think the bonus point holders are getting the shaft this year in AZ. The Dept. likes more newbies getting into the draw.
I'm with beendare! That couldn't have been good for 9. Hmmm another knife for max pt guys trying for 9..
40 tags. An absolute travesty. No one should apply to 27.
Even the Blue Range Primitive Area will be completely hosed - it's only a tad over 300 square miles on the AZ side; all the elk will be blown to Hell.
Everyone should definitely apply for 9 and 3a and avoid 27. These 40 tags will probably affect the unit for years to come as well.
Forget about 27.
Idyll: Thanks for the heads up on avoiding 27. I almost blew my 6 points on that Unit. I'll take your advice and use them in 9 or 3A. Bowsite Rocks. C
Burned 12 points in 2014, so think I will burn my points on unit 1 this year instead. Big unit, some rough country, would hate to be there on the same year as the early rifle deal, but great archery dates none the less.
The only ethical thing to do is to avoid applying for 27. Do your part guys, be part of the solution.
