Non-res arizona late archery?

[huntn30inchers]

I am pretty sure that I read in a magazine that there is a late season, over the counter archery hunt in arizona. Is that true or am I remembering things that arent true? If they do have one does anyone have any info on it?

 

[BOHNTR]

Arizona archery deer tags are over-the-counter. They offer fall hunts (Aug/Sep) for many zones, and a winter rut hunt in most of the desert units. It opens the last 2 weeks of December and ends the end of the month.(current year tag) Then with a new tag, the remainder of the season opens from January 1-31. Their seasons are structered by calendar year (Jan 1st-Dec 31st).

Now, this may change a bit, as the Department of Game & Fish is attempting to re-structure some of the seasons, including archery. Time will tell if it remains the same.

The long drought has depleted the Arizona desert deer herds dramatically. There's not nearly the numbers of deer as there was just a few years back. From our recent trends, it doesn't look like it's getting any better, IMO.

Hope it helps.

BOHNTR )))---------->

 

[huntn30inchers]

What do the odds of harvesting look like? I have seen quite a few pictures on here of hard horned deer from arizona and it looks like quite a few big bucks get shot during the late hunts.

 

[BOHNTR]

Success odds are NOT high for ARCHERY in late season Arizona hunts. Many of the hard antlered deer from Arizona on here (photos) are not from the desert units in Dec/Jan and nome are not archery kills. I'm not sure what you're calling "quite a few", so unless I'm missing something I don't think there's a lot of late season ARCHERY bucks from Arizona on here???

BOHNTR )))---------->

 

[moneyman]

AZ averages a 5-8% success rate for archery deer hunts statewide, according the odds book I bought from their game and fish last year. Some units are higher than others, but not by much. I think the highestI saw was 14%, the lowest 0%.

 

[AZtrophyhunter]

If it wasn't for BOHNTR coming to AZ our archery succes would be 0%.

 

[huntn30inchers]

Bohntr, I guess I should have rephrased that. It seems to me that every time I see a picture or hear stories about the arizona late season archery bucks they are all huge. But I didnt know that the statistics were that low, im glad I asked!

 

[offroad_tycoon]

There are deffinatelly some big deer here in AZ. And you will see a few during the late season. But it has been my experience that as soon as the rut is over the BIG bucks seem to literally vanish. The terrain down here is rough also(at least around my house it is). But hunting down here during the winter is an awesome way to beat the cold up north.

 

[BOHNTR]

offroad_tycoon:

Welcome to the board....

BOHNTR )))---------->

 

[offroad_tycoon]

Thanks bohntr

 

[Califelkslayer]

Don't forget your shotgun.. I've driven all the way down there just to follow my dog around and scare quail with my shotgun. OhYea, there was that little thing about getting out of the snow too.

 

[moneyman]

Even though the success rate is low, the Jan deer hunt is still a great hunt. Pick up Javelina tag too and you'll have a blast, probably see one or two real good desert muleys and a lot of average bucks.