AZ MULE DEER UNITS

[mistertwister]

What unit would you consider to be the best to hunt if you were to draw a tag. Ive heard 13b, 12b, 12aw and why would you pick that unit?

 

[azbiggame]

without a doudt,13B --- great Genetics and alot of country for a Big Buck to grow old in.Everyone should have His/Her name on this tag,just "Once In A Lifetime".Look under SilverGrand Outfitters to the Left of the Az section.This caliber of Buck is why I want this tag just once,and only put 1 choice down come application time,Hunt # 1020 !!!

 

[mesquitehunter]

Mr Twister are you a non-resident or resident?

 

[mistertwister]

I am non resident and according to the AZFG website as os 4/1/09 I have 10 bonus and 1 loyalty for 11 total bonus points. I am confused and dont know if I am a MAX point holder or not. And how many other NR's are in my category. Thanks for the help

 

[DonMartin]

Mistertwister:

Bad news sir, you don't have enough bonus points to draw a 13B, 12A west late, 12A East late or a 12B late tag. Right now, going into the 201o draw the maximum points is 12...

You need to be in the max bonus point pool to draw these tags if you're a non-resident. If you were a resident, that's another story.

If you haven't taken Arizona Hunter Ed, then do it and you'll be in the max pool!

I'm doing a class here in Kingman on April 18.

Write me for more details on that class, I can be reached at [email protected]

Good luck and good hunting!

Don Martin
Chief Instructor
AZ Hunter Education

 

[mesquitehunter]

LAST EDITED ON Apr-02-09 AT 06:41PM (MST)[p]

 

[mesquitehunter]

While I was typing Don chimed in. There you go.

 

[mistertwister]

How many NR have 12 points and can you take the class online?

 

[scottyboy]

Howdy Don,
will there be an opportunity to take the class sometime this spring/summer somewhere in either the Tucson or PHX areas??
I've neglected to take the class since Ive lived in AZ since '03. Drew my elk this yr with 7 points on pure luck (was ready to wait 12+), but now I'm planning for the deer/sheep, and then the next year's draws, etc.. Need to get that extra point in the game ASAP.

Thanks!

 

[mesquitehunter]

If I was a non-resident with max points I would recommend picking the hunts Don mentioned above.

But for the other non residents who don't have max points and never will there are other hunts south of the ditch that offer great opportunities at some great bucks as well.

 

[betterlucky]

I would stick to all the desert units, 20b,20c,21, etc stay away from 12,13 and 42 late hunts, please just stay away,LOL

 

[AZWALKER]

That was a good one. I'm surprised Maddglasser hasn't chimed in. I know his opinion and have seen the results of what he can do in the desert!!! Thats where I'd use my points, with Travis guiding me!!!!

Donnie

 

[mesquitehunter]

Maddglasser is on a water hole project in 37b. He left yesterday and wont be back untill Sunday.

 

[Bwht4x4]

I had 12ae late last year and now wish I had saved my points. Not what I had expected.

 

[quest]

Maddglasser is still at the water project. I got back on Friday. Man hes got some story's to tell.

quest

 

[HillbillyNnevada]

Bwht4x4,
Please elaborate on your hunt. I have thought about burning my points on this hunt since I am a non-resident with less than max points. How was it? What would you do if you could do it over?

 

[mesquitehunter]

Hillbilly the 12 ae early hunt IMO is a total bonus point burner. The bigger bucks are very adapted to their survival and are about 99.9% nocturnal. The majority of the bucks killed on that hunt are 2-3 year old deer. Now all that being said the late hunt with some snow can be an awesome hunt for the big boys. There are other hunts south of the ditch that offer a better opportunity at 180+ bucks.

 

[L84hills]

I drew 12a east early last year was disappointed about four days till I walked up on a great 4x4 about 35 yards laying in his bed.I think great deer are in all those units if you look hard enough

 

[Bwht4x4]

LAST EDITED ON Apr-09-09 AT 05:43PM (MST)[p]I've been busy and haven't had time to add to this discussion about my hunt last year in 12ae late. I'll add more as I can.

I hunted hard every day of the season and scouted 5 days before the season started. We also got 8-18 inches of snow on top and another 2-3 inches at the bottom of the plateau during my hunt. The snow did not appear to help in pushing more deer off the top. I was without a doubt ?in the deer? thoug from day one. I was seeing up to 30-35 deer per day and including a few bucks. The biggest bucks I could have shot were a 26" wide 3x3 and a 25" 4x4 (may be 150" deer).

In addition, the pjs are supper thick and impossible to glass. I was able to successful still hunt through it and had opportunities at a variety of smaller bucks. Hunting as hard I as I did in this unit, where we had snow before and during the hunt, should have produced something a little better than what I saw. I was walking 3-4 miles, glassing the sage flats, still hunting and stand hunting (ground blinds). Sign was hard to find except in very specific areas. Some area were void of deer, while others were loaded with them. My best days were clearly stand hunting. The deer were moving constantly and allowed me to sit still and have them come to me.

I know the quality the Kaibab has the potential to produce. I killed a 192" buck there years ago. I wouldn't do this hunt again if given the choice, IMO. Id save my points for the Strip.

If someone gets this tag please let me know as I'll share all I can about my hunt and ideas to make their hunt more successful than mine.

 

[BomberBlackies]

Did you by chance hunt the small recent burn in the Saddle Mtn Wilderness? Many deer? Thanks

 

[Bwht4x4]

Is the burn up high and accessed from the top or down low and accessed off of FS Road 8910? There was a small burn along the 8910.

 

[Idcurs]

12ae is still not up to the level it was ten years back.12w is back up and growing and producing buck as big as any on the strip.The strip has small er hunter numbers and not the pressure ,but not near the deer numbers either.I hunt all these units in late dec and jan for lion and see a lot of big bucks ,right now I will be putting in for 12aw.I have 9 points and like my odds in the hunts this year.The biggest buck I saw last year lion hunting up there was a 35 inch buck.This buck had a main frame of 217 -220 and at least 80 inches of trash.13b is a great unit but not as good as it was 5 years back,Luke put to many damn tags in here for to many years!!!!13a is far better and less tags,and a week deeper in the rut.Odds are bad for both units,but like said earlier you need to hunt one of these units once in your like to truly see what BIG mule deer are like.There are deer as big as the strip bucks in the southern units,and you have to hunt your butt off to find them but they are there,just not in the numbers you will find on the strip.