what's the best Couse deer hunt in AZ?

If you judge the best off which ones take the most points it is Dec units 23, 22, 21, and 27. I'm sure some better coues hunters than I like the southern units more.
 
What do you want? More opportunity or quality?
Easier to glass or still hunt? Backpack or day hunt?
Border unit or not??
 
I would like to get quality buck if I can, and I can do backpack or day hunt and I am not afraid of the border.
so I am pretty open to anything
 
Some of the biggest bucks come from 27 due to just the size and remoteness of the unit. Unit 33 has large #s of deer but a lot of pressure. 23 has the genetics and some great bucks have come from there. 22 in the past has been great but I believe it is down from years past. I don't know 21 very well.
All of the border units will hold big bucks but you will have to deal with illegals and worry about camping etc...

December is not a rut hunt, it is sometimes a pre rut hunt but it can be a little frustrating.
Are you non resident? hiring a guide? do it yourself? Are you planning on scouting before? or just taking the hunt off?
Each unit has pros and cons. some have a lot more deer than others with some having seemingly more mature bucks but overall fewer deer.
 
I am a nonresident now! I used to live in Tucson but moved up to utah but bought a lifetime lic before I moved so am going to be in the res draw when it comes up.
I have hunted unit 36b with a bow in the past but I would like to do a rifle hunt this time, and I and going to do it myself this time.
Joe
 
My two personal favorite units for big bucks are 27 and 23. But both will require some scouting or at least a few days of learning the unit. 27 you will have to be prepared for more snow and more of a remote unit. 23 will have more weekend pressure outside of hunters. That is my .02
the 35 units are overlooked but it takes some knowledge of area, land owners etc.. 36c is my favorite 36 unit if you are able to get away 36b has enough country that killing a good buck is very doable. 36a has the most deer of any unit I've hunted but a lot harder to find mature bucks IMO
 
WHT_MTNMAN said:
My two personal favorite units for big bucks are 27 and 23. But both will require some scouting or at least a few days of learning the unit. 27 you will have to be prepared for more snow and more of a remote unit. 23 will have more weekend pressure outside of hunters. That is my .02
the 35 units are overlooked but it takes some knowledge of area, land owners etc.. 36c is my favorite 36 unit if you are able to get away 36b has enough country that killing a good buck is very doable. 36a has the most deer of any unit I've hunted but a lot harder to find mature bucks IMO
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Awesome thanks for all the information WHT_MTNMAN I truly appreciate.
Joe
 
WHT_MTNMAN said:
Some of the biggest bucks come from 27 due to just the size and remoteness of the unit. Unit 33 has large #s of deer but a lot of pressure. 23 has the genetics and some great bucks have come from there. 22 in the past has been great but I believe it is down from years past. I don't know 21 very well.
All of the border units will hold big bucks but you will have to deal with illegals and worry about camping etc...

December is not a rut hunt, it is sometimes a pre rut hunt but it can be a little frustrating.
Are you non resident? hiring a guide? do it yourself? Are you planning on scouting before? or just taking the hunt off?
Each unit has pros and cons. some have a lot more deer than others with some having seemingly more mature bucks but overall fewer deer.
Click to expand...
Wht_mtnman, sent you a PM
 
A bunch of great coues units, personally I would go with 31. 36B great potential but gets hammered... 36C has some above average deer but rarely that next level deer. 36A lots of average deer. 22,23,27,29 all have big deer but it's thick and you better know where they are. 33 is over hunted, 32 average deer. I don't know anything about the 24's and wasn't really impressed with the 35's either. I wouldn't bother with 30A/B unless you knew them really well. 6/8 have low density but you could pull a giant out if you're lucky, but its a really tough hunt. No idea about 21...
 
If I can assume that you have a hunter education point and a loyalty point...would these points not be better spent on a tougher to draw mule deer tag? You could probably draw some of the better coues tags on a yearly or biannual basis with those two gimme bonus points. Maybe I am wrong.
 
I don't have a hunter ed point! Ive drawn 12bw late in the past and may put that's a my first choice first then a couse unit as my second choice! I really would like to kill a couse
 
Abiggerfish2fry said:
I don't have a hunter ed point! Ive drawn 12bw late in the past and may put that's a my first choice first then a couse unit as my second choice! I really would like to kill a couse
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FYI. With that many points you might draw the coues in the bonus pass and not have a chance at the 12bw tag
 
I’ve had great hunts in 22 and 23. My last buck was just short of 120”. I’ve hunted Mexico many times, but think the largest coues bucks in the world are in 22 and 23.
 
I just did this year what your talking about doing. I spent 12 non res points for 31 December hunt thinking I’d be a shoe in to shoot a 100” plus buck. Even hired help. Didn’t see a buck remotely close to 100”. Had a great time however and my boy killed a cool buck. Really fun critters to hunt. Took me time to acclimate to glassing for them. I’d do the hunt again.

Some young deer acted rutty. Didn’t see a trophy buck on the does. I think earlier seasons are better for the trophy bucks. The December hunt is random and luck oriented hoping to come across a buck cruising. Do your homework. I thought I did enough but should have done more.
 
In my experience, Unit 31 is very overrated unless you have good knowledge of the unit. If you just show up and hunt it you can expect to blow 3-5 days just trying to find a few deer. Most guys are shooting dinks or going home with their tail tucked. Same goes for 29 and 27. If you want to see a lot of deer and good chance at a decent buck I'd go with one of the 34-36s. Best of Luck!
 
I went with my brother on one of those dinky deer hunts by a town called Douglas??? There were plenty of deer down there. Just don’t see what all the fuss is over a dwarf deer…..glad he got that out of his system. Easiest pack out there is though; damn near stick them in your pocket and hike out. 😂
 
Pokes said:
I went with my brother on one of those dinky deer hunts by a town called Douglas??? There were plenty of deer down there. Just don’t see what all the fuss is over a dwarf deer…..glad he got that out of his system. Easiest pack out there is though; damn near stick them in your pocket and hike out. 😂
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9C3269A9-E8F0-4935-86DD-EFE33F2D6AD0.jpeg
 
Damn, Leo, you resemble that remark. 😁

I suppose I shouldn’t be too tough on those dinky dog rat deer…..the one steak a got from helping him was pretty PDF.
 
33 and 36B are the best units in my opinion.
That being said every unit could produce a hammer if you know the unit or get lucky.
Units like 6-21-22-2327 are going to take work as the deer are in pockets and the easy to get to country is often hit pretty hard.
 
Leo said:
In my experience, Unit 31 is very overrated unless you have good knowledge of the unit. If you just show up and hunt it you can expect to blow 3-5 days just trying to find a few deer. Most guys are shooting dinks or going home with their tail tucked. Same goes for 29 and 27. If you want to see a lot of deer and good chance at a decent buck I'd go with one of the 34-36s. Best of Luck!
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I can second this. Hunted 31 this year and it was rough.
 
My favorite is 31 but that is probably because I live in it. Every year 31 puts out large mature WT. Some folks like the early (hot) hunt others prefer cooler late hunts. I have hunted all of the rifle, archery and youth hunts over the years and I really like the late December tag the best. In 2021 I had the late hunt and was able to hunt 13 days of it. I passed on lots of bucks and only saw 2 bucks that would go over 100" (probably 105 and a 115). I ended up eating that tag! I had the 3rd rifle hunt this season (2022) and got sick after opening day so I pulled the trigger early when I started to feel better.
I find it easy to get away from folks in 31 and have done a few backpack trips over the years. It can be a tough unit to find a big one if you don't know what you are doing.
I do like 27 as well and you can really get lost in the Blue if you want. I have seen giants come out of there but the WT seem to be more pocketed in 27 even seeing more and more above the Rim.
29 is a good unit too. Haven't hunted it but I know a few folks that do well in 29.
I have zero experience in the border units, sorry.
FYI...coueswhitetail.com is a good resource.
Good luck big fish!
Jeff
 
The only thing I don't like about the late December hunt is, if the rut has started you can run into some broken tines on some really nice bucks.
Rut seems to be moving back further all the time.
I saw a coues buck today chasing a doe around. Never bred her but was definitely on the hunt.
 

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