Area 4a 4b

ironworker · Mar 13, 2016

Hi every one i am new to hunting Arizona would Like any info you can share on the areas of 4a 4b.I am wanting to archery hunt Mule Deer I have a Flatline map for 4a still need to get 4b! Looking to get some population numbers for those areas,is there alot of hunting pressure in these units?

bonecollector777 · Mar 13, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Mar-13-16 AT 07:27PM (MST)[p]I live in Heber and have hunted 4B quite often for elk and have had a few family members with rifle deer tags in the unit. I'll be straight up with you in regards to the deer population in 4b. It sucks. The bucks are very spread out and in real thick stuff most of the time without any places to glass. BUT 4B also has the potential to produce a giant bucks due to the factors mentioned earlier. The biggest deer I've seen in my life was in 4b and have seen some 200"+ bucks killed there. But that is definitely not the norm. Especially with Archery. Hunting pressure generally isn't too bad due to the unit size and having other better units to chase deer in. If you put in the time and hunted hard you could kill a good 4x4 but don't expect it to be easy. 4a I don't know as much about but I believe deer numbers up there are slightly better than 4b. But also think the pressure is worse there.
If you have any questions or want some help getting to know the unit send me a PM. I'll tell you everything I know because I don't ever hunt there anymore for deer.
Blake

AZ8 · Mar 13, 2016

The deer density in 4A low. Big country with low densities make for a difficult hunt.

I've hunted 4A my whole life, both elk and deer. There are mule deer in there, but you better put in a lot of time scouting. I chased one buck for 3 years with no success! Think he grew old and died. He just disappeared. lol

The further north in the unit, the less pressure. The transition zones between the pines and pj's offer you less people, but fewer deer. Tough to glass in that thick stuff to. On the southern end, they've done a lot of thinning between the 300 and the 100 road and deer have been responding. Good place to start.

Get some boots on the ground and start scouting. You will go several days without seeing deer. Don't be shocked.

Good luck.

ironworker · Mar 14, 2016

Thanks for the info I will take you up on that added info Blake! Looks like I have my work cut out for me though, would it be worth my time to put in for the draw for that area or just start banking point for a better unit?

bonecollector777 · Mar 14, 2016

You'll be able to draw that rifle hunt with very few points. It can't hurt to try it once and see what you think. You might like it. And then after that try other units if you didn't like 4b. Across the road in 3c is a much better hunt with some really nice bucks. They have an Archery only draw hunt there that Is awesome. Tons of deer and low pressure. Only 100 tags I believe. You can draw that hunt with 2-3 points and it will be much better than a 4b Archery hunt. But obviously drawing a tag will start your bonus points over as compared to otc 4b. The rifle hunts in 3c is amazing but could take 8+ points to draw.

Captain_coues · Mar 18, 2016

I'm from Holbrook and can tell you it's tough in 4B. I'd stay away if I was you. Think about 3B, I've seen and heard of big ones from that unit. The draw hunt for 3A/3C would be the best if your okay with archery only.

ironworker · Mar 19, 2016

Thanks for the info! From what i can find there is only archery and muzzleloader in 3B is that correct? What area would one start looking in 3B for the muleys?

ironworker · Mar 19, 2016

Thanks for the info! Where would I start looking in 3B im not familiar wit the area and is the unit Archery and Muzzle loader only? With the over the counter bow tag can I still apply for a point for rifle in another unit?

ironworker · Mar 19, 2016

Thanks for the info! Where would I start looking in 3B im not familiar wit the area and is the unit Archery and Muzzle loader only? With the over the counter bow tag can I still apply for a point for rifle in another unit?

Captain_coues · Mar 19, 2016

I only mess around in 3B. Just know it's loaded with sprawl. A lot of 40acre garbage. Too bad or it would be the best out there. I believe it's only muzzle and archery. All I recommend is stop along the highways and do about a two mile loop until you find a productive place. Those places change all the time. You could apply for 3a/3c and still go over the counter elsewhere but are allowed only one deer per year.

Dirtbag · Mar 20, 2016

>I'm from Holbrook and can tell
>you it's tough in 4B.
> I'd stay away if
>I was you. Think
>about 3B, I've seen and
>heard of big ones from
>that unit. The draw
>hunt for 3A/3C would be
>the best if your okay
>with archery only.

Hey Captain_coues...I'm from Holbrook also......

Greg

Captain_coues · Mar 20, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Mar-20-16 AT 05:56PM (MST)[p]That cool Dirtbag! I was one of the few that were born and raised there. In the 70's Holbrook had a functioning hospital.

I hope ironworker has some luck. 4B was awesome in the early 90's but has gone down big time in the last 10 years. Our favorite was always 3A for deer but that has problems now and I won't go back except to maybe Shed hunt or apply for antelope. Since 4B was so close, we got to see a lot of it and some big ones too. Nothing lately though.