Southern Arizona

Gotabethere · Mar 28, 2005

Have any of you ever hunted Mulies around Safford Arizona? Particularly unit 28. If you have and don't mind sharing info, good or bad, I would appreciate it. I went down there and spent a few days scouting around and kinda got of a feel for things but you can never have too much info. Thanks.

crazyaboutcoues · Mar 28, 2005

I hunted 28 a few years ago. We went three for four whith the biggest buck being a 20" four point. There are some good areas in Bitter Creek and Rockhound.

www.gilawildernesshunting.com

Gotabethere · Mar 29, 2005

Thanks for the info. I am looking into the area north of Ft. Thomas maybe. Was there a lot of hunting pressure when you were there? The reason I was looking at 28 was because the biologist recommended it. I am looking for a good Desert muley unit. Do you think this is the unit to hunt or no?? Thanks again for the info.

crazyaboutcoues · Mar 29, 2005

I would classify it as an O.K. unit for AZ. There was quite a bit of pressure where we hunted.

www.gilawildernesshunting.com

Chef · Mar 29, 2005

Farming areas are good. Deer love alfalfa, milo, even cotton when its young. Most of the hunters I know that harvest have found desert areas adjacent to farms and find them. They travel at night into the fields to feed.

Good luck.

Chef
"I Love Animals...They're Delicious!"

Chef · Mar 29, 2005

Another note, do some driving on the little dirt roads by the farms and look at how much sign there is. I think you will be amazed.

Chef
"I Love Animals...They're Delicious!"

Steelermadman2002 · Mar 29, 2005

Unit 32 and 31 offer some decent mule deer also. Both units are close to Safford. I have never hunted them (I hunt the smaller tougher deer in AZ (LOL)), but have seen some nice mulleys in the process.

bullwidgeon · Mar 29, 2005

The area North of Ft Thomas sucks. I spent alot of December there looking for coues deer. The muleys are decimated for some reason. I saw 4 muley bucks and not too many more muley does, only one of which was a "shooter" or buck over 150 inches and the rut seemed to be full blown for the muleys. The areas closer to the NM line in the Eastern part of the unit are much better (in my opinion) for muleys.

Bret M.

apache7mm · Mar 30, 2005

hey Gotabethere, i'm off the San Carlos and i can tell you the areas north of Ft. Thomas all along the northern boundary of Unit 28 look pretty damn good looking from the rez boundary line, each deer season we make a pass or two along these areas and man we see some big bucks jump the line all the time, there are some giant coues bucks we've spotted out a little further from the boundary too, but one thing though is that all these areas look like some pretty hardcore ironman hiking! very very rough and steep terrain out back there, looks like some good lion country, we've seen a few state hunters out there walking along the boundary in some spots but there are very few of them in recent years so i would think that the hunting pressure is more on the low end, if you're interested in any other info in this area i'd be glad to help out as much as i can, i know i'd like to hunt back there one of these days!

DAN

Gotabethere · Mar 30, 2005

Thanks everyone for the info. Are the rattlesnake's really as bad or as big as I hear they are down there? Hey, Apache 7, would you mind checking your inbox.

apache7mm · Mar 30, 2005

Gotabethere, got nothing in my inbox, shoot me an email.

[email protected]

DAN

apache7mm · Mar 30, 2005

hey Gotabethere check your inbox.

DAN

Gotabethere · Mar 30, 2005

Apache 7
Thanks alot, you have been a tremendous help. I will surely look into that link you gave me. I will be keeping in touch with you and let you know how it all works out. I went ahead and replied to your in box also. Thanks again.

apache7mm · Mar 30, 2005

anytime my friend, just watch out for those KILLER RATTLER'S!

DAN

bullwidgeon · Apr 1, 2005

I walked and hunted 8 miles of the fence this December from Indian Corner all the way to Hooker Gap. Do not expect to see a bunch of deer, there are a few but not alot and more coues than muleys that high. You probably will not see any other hunters either once you get up off the road 1000 or so feet.

Bret M.

Gotabethere · Apr 4, 2005

Bullwidgeon,
Thanks for the info. I am not familiar with the area's you stated. But I will look into them. You say the biggest buck you saw was a 150" class? Did you do any hunting in the flats? Did you see any big Coues? How did you get to this area? Did you turn off the Highway around Ft Thomas? Or Come thru the San Carlos?

bullwidgeon · Apr 4, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Apr-04-05 AT 10:22PM (MST)[p]I was hiking up off the Diamond Bar road. I looked in the lower stuff and flats and saw even less deer there than I saw up high. I do not know what it is but between the sheep, elk, drought, poaching or predators, something has really caused the deer to do really bad there. The areas along or on the NM line hold more deer right now than the Gilas.

Bret M.