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Unit 10 Late rifle bull

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My daughter goes to NAU and plays rugby for a club team up there, so she is tough, and was LUCKY enough to draw a late unit 10 bull elk hunt.  I would like to make it an amazing experience, but I have only hunted cows in unit 10. I am looking for suggestions of remote places most people wouldn't go that might hold bulls in the late season.  I love hunting with my daughter and appreciate any advice people are willing to share.  

Thanks!!

Bill

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: Unit 10 is a great elk unit. There are usually a few 400-point bulls here in years of good precipitation and range conditions. All you have to do is draw a permit, work hard, and be lucky. Don’t shoot the first bull you see, unless it is a real monster. Scouting is important. Respect other hunter’s opportunities. Scouting for the early bull hunt during the archery hunt should be as unobtrusive as possible. Someone else’s hunt of a lifetime hangs in the balance. Scouting and hunting from hilltop observation points with powerful optics is highly recommended. Unit 10 elk still respond to “calling” and this method of hunting can be as exciting as it gets. Pick out several different elk calls – cow calls and bugles – and practice until you sound like an elk. Instructional videos or cassettes can be helpful, but hearing real elk will also help. Vary your use of different calls and calling sounds to keep the elk on edge. Remember, elk don’t usually sound as good as champion elk callers. When a bull is worked up, almost any call will get his attention. Waterhole hunting from blinds or good hiding places can be a good method of hunting elk in the warmer times of the year. Please respect other hunter’s hunting blinds and just don’t plan on using one you didn’t put up. “Blind jumping”, similar to “claim jumping” with miners has become a problem in recent years. Hunting antlerless elk can be easy or challenging depending on your luck and existing conditions during your hunt. Again, glassing from good vantage points and watching water can be good ways of locating elk. When elk are located at a distance, aggressive hunting tactics are likely in order. A herd of elk can feed along at a relatively fast rate and can easily out-distance a stalking bow hunter. Rifle hunters have more of an advantage, but one still needs to get close enough for a good shot before the elk feed into cover.

Early-season hunting is usually done during warm weather. Make sure proper care is taken with meat.

Youth-Only general antlerless hunts area a great opportunity to get youngsters interested in hunting. Parents and adult helpers, please note: due to lack of experience youth hunters are more apt to make mistakes. Please make sure your youth hunter is sure of their target, knows the appropriate place to take a clear shot at the vitals, waits the appropriate amount of time to determine if the animal is wounded, and takes follow-up shots, if needed. If the hunter makes a mistake, please report it to the Department. The goal of these hunts is to teach good hunter ethics and accountability.

Areas: The Kaibab National Forest portion of Unit 10 is a good location to hunt elk. The central part of Unit 10 from Mount Floyd north to Long Point, the Bishop Lake Plateau, the Aubrey Cliffs, Robber’s Roost, and Cataract Canyon all hold huntable populations. The Coconino Plateau holds a good population of elk right out in the open ‘antelope’ country far from the trees. Find an area to your liking and put in your time.

 

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41 minutes ago, 5guyshunting said:

: Unit 10 is a great elk unit. There are usually a few 400-point bulls here in years of good precipitation and range conditions. All you have to do is draw a permit, work hard, and be lucky. Don’t shoot the first bull you see, unless it is a real monster. Scouting is important. Respect other hunter’s opportunities. Scouting for the early bull hunt during the archery hunt should be as unobtrusive as possible. Someone else’s hunt of a lifetime hangs in the balance. Scouting and hunting from hilltop observation points with powerful optics is highly recommended. Unit 10 elk still respond to “calling” and this method of hunting can be as exciting as it gets. Pick out several different elk calls – cow calls and bugles – and practice until you sound like an elk. Instructional videos or cassettes can be helpful, but hearing real elk will also help. Vary your use of different calls and calling sounds to keep the elk on edge. Remember, elk don’t usually sound as good as champion elk callers. When a bull is worked up, almost any call will get his attention. Waterhole hunting from blinds or good hiding places can be a good method of hunting elk in the warmer times of the year. Please respect other hunter’s hunting blinds and just don’t plan on using one you didn’t put up. “Blind jumping”, similar to “claim jumping” with miners has become a problem in recent years. Hunting antlerless elk can be easy or challenging depending on your luck and existing conditions during your hunt. Again, glassing from good vantage points and watching water can be good ways of locating elk. When elk are located at a distance, aggressive hunting tactics are likely in order. A herd of elk can feed along at a relatively fast rate and can easily out-distance a stalking bow hunter. Rifle hunters have more of an advantage, but one still needs to get close enough for a good shot before the elk feed into cover.

Early-season hunting is usually done during warm weather. Make sure proper care is taken with meat.

Youth-Only general antlerless hunts area a great opportunity to get youngsters interested in hunting. Parents and adult helpers, please note: due to lack of experience youth hunters are more apt to make mistakes. Please make sure your youth hunter is sure of their target, knows the appropriate place to take a clear shot at the vitals, waits the appropriate amount of time to determine if the animal is wounded, and takes follow-up shots, if needed. If the hunter makes a mistake, please report it to the Department. The goal of these hunts is to teach good hunter ethics and accountability.

Areas: The Kaibab National Forest portion of Unit 10 is a good location to hunt elk. The central part of Unit 10 from Mount Floyd north to Long Point, the Bishop Lake Plateau, the Aubrey Cliffs, Robber’s Roost, and Cataract Canyon all hold huntable populations. The Coconino Plateau holds a good population of elk right out in the open ‘antelope’ country far from the trees. Find an area to your liking and put in your time.

 

you left the most inportant part out.

The best way to get to unit 10 from flagstaff is I-40 ;)

 

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Hunted this the last two years. Unless you consider your self an above average hunter I would shoot the first bull you see and opening day is your best chance. The bulls hide in the thickest stuff you can find. Oh and if you have been in ten there isn't much for back country there is just pockets of country between roads. 

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