ARIZONA STRIP AND KAIBAB MULE DEER HUNTING
The Arizona Strip.
The Kaibab Plateau.
Mention either one of these places around a group of serious mule deer hunters and you are guaranteed to get a very quick response.
The Arizona Strip and Kaibab Plateau have long been hailed as the world’s premier areas to hunt for trophy mule deer and boast an impressive track record of producing giant mule deer bucks for the hunters that are lucky enough to draw tags in these world famous trophy mule deer hunting areas. Just mentioning The Arizona Strip or The Kaibab immediately brings images to your minds eye of giant mule deer bucks with massive non-typical racks and enormous spreads. Many giant mule deer bucks have been taken from the Arizona Strip and the Kaibab Plateau and both areas will continue to produce monster mule deer bucks for lucky tag holders for years to come.
The Arizona Strip Guides Team frequently gets asked by many mule deer hunters about why the Arizona Strip and Kaibab Plateau always seem to produce trophy mule deer bucks. We believe that it is a combination of three things: Genetics, high desert Arizona plant life, and low hunting pressure.
We believe that the Arizona Strip and Kaibab mule deer genetics coupled with the hardy, stout, Arizona plant life are the 2 main ingredients in the monster mule deer recipe that is found on the Kaibab and Arizona Strip. Combine this with low hunting pressure and you have got yourself a trophy mule deer factory.
GENETICS
Genetics have to come first in the mix for growing giant mule deer bucks. No matter how good the feed, habitat, and water situation is, mule deer will never grow giant antlers without first having the genetics to do so.
For example, you can go get a teacup poodle and feed it a high protein diet, vitamins, amino acids, even give it anabolic steroids, and it will still always be a smaller sized dog. It is genetically programmed before birth to always be a smaller sized dog. Sure, with a super diet and careful mangement it will grow much larger than most teacup poodles but it will never be a truly giant sized dog.
If you are looking to harvest giant mule deer bucks you need to start in an area that has proven trophy mule deer genetics like the Arizona Strip or the Kaibab Plateau. The trophy mule deer bucks in these two regions are genetically programmed to always grow large antlers.
FEED
Feed is next. Next to genes, what a mule deer consumes for feed is extremely vital to its growth and antler development. This subject is interesting because there are areas on the Kaibab and the Arizona Strip that look like they wouldn’t support a lizard, much less a herd of giant sized mule deer bucks. The Kaibab Plateau and the Arizona Strip looks like a wasteland in some places and is the polar opposite of country one envisions when thinking of trophy mule deer habitat.
Don’t let looks fool you though. It’s what is in the feed and not how it looks that is important. A lot of the Kaibab and Arizona Strip is arid high desert habitat and it takes very tough and very hardy, drought resistant plant life to survive there.
Arizona Strip Guides LLC firmly believes that these super tough high desert forbs, as ugly and dead as they may look, are nutritionally superior trophy mule deer feed. These plants need to be very high powered and extremely drought resistant just to survive in this harsh environment. These native high desert plants, combined with the strong minerals found in the soil of the Kaibab Plateau and Arizona Strip, ensure that the Arizona Strip and Kaibab mule deer bucks have a super charged diet that supports massive antler growth.
LOW HUNTING PRESSURE
Low hunting pressure. A trophy mule deer buck has to be able to reach full maturity to really develop a world class set of antlers. In mule deer bucks on the Kaibab and Arizona Strip this occurs at around 7 to 8 years of age.
If pressure is heavy and hunters are harvesting younger age class bucks, you are cutting the legs out from under the trophy growth of your mule deer herd. Age is what lets trophy genetics blossom to their full potential and bucks must be managed carefully to allow them to reach these older age classes and pass their genes on to the does they breed.
The Kaibab and the Arizona Strip mule deer benefit from a strict hunt management program that allows bucks to reach old age. Tags are very limited in numbers and both regions are limited entry draw units where hunters must apply for and draw any permits to hunt the area.
This is a double edged sword to trophy mule deer hunters because on one hand you may wait years and years to draw a tag. On the other hand, when you finally receive an Arizona Strip or Kaibab deer tag, you will enjoy one of the finest trophy mule deer hunts in the world.
CONTACT US
Call or email the Arizona Strip Guides Team at anytime if you are interested in hunting giant mule deer bucks on the Arizona Strip or the Kaibab Plateau. Arizona Strip Guides LLC works very hard all year round to be one of your top choices in premium quality professional Arizona mule deer outfitters and Arizona mule deer guides. We can help you fill out and submit your Kaibab and Arizona Strip deer tag applications and answer any questions you might have about hunting giant Arizona strip bucks and giant Kaibab bucks in these two world famous hunting regions. Who knows, the next Arizona Strip or Kaibab mule deer tag may have your name on it. See you in Arizona.
Email us: ARIZONASTRIPGUIDES@GMAIL.COM
Call us: 928-239-4161
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