Arizona Mule Deer in August

[Ozzy]

Howdy,

Anyone have any advice on early Arizona deer? Work brought me to Arizona. It's taking me away again in the fall....so all I have this year is the early OTC archery tag. Plan on hunting water and staying out of the sun when it hits 100. Unsure on which area to hunt. I am in Tucson, but think it'll be necessary to drive North a bit due to temperature.

Cheers,

Ozzy

 

[smitty661]

put in for the draw, you never know. Ive drawn the kaibab 12A/B archery tag 2 times with 0 points as a non resident. You can use your OTC tag as a back up plan. I cant speak for the other units but the kaibab was my funnest archery hunt to date. good luck!

 

[dhoshour]

The units for OTC archery deer are generally not great. Most have very low success rates, average is 12%, but hey, it beats being behind a desk.

The OTC archery hunts are listed in the brochure and you can find the success rates in the Hunt Arizona starting on page 38. You'll find a few units in the 20s and even 30s for success. Some units have mulies, some Coues', some both.

Show Low in the White Mountains is about the closest cool weather to you and is one of the better areas for OTC archery deer. Beautiful country, too.

 

[junior88]

You are very close to Mt Lemon, take a drive. you'll be surprised by what you see.

 

[smitty661]

common kaibab 4x4

 

[CampRipleyLF]

Nice buck, congrats! I agree put in for the draw and use OTC as a back up. Could always get lucky

 

[Ozzy]

I'm a year late, but thanks for the replies! I hunted 27 for 3 days in September and 33 for 7 in January. I made 4 stalks and killed nothing, but gained a lifelong fascination with mule deer. Currently gearing up to chase them this August!

 

[Ozzy]

A few of the deer I chased...

 

[JV842]

Was stationed at MCAS Yuma in the mid 90’s, hunted just north of there n the Kofa’s; seemed like the mulies there were in pockets n would move quite abit, so u had to also; some very nice bucks though. Also find trails coming down from the mountains leading to the alfalfa fields. Also hunted around Nogales for Coues; too much fun especially in the late archery when they r rutting. And on the eastern border near Alpine by the Blue River; beautiful country around there.

 

[prhunter]

Very cool. TFS!

 

[dirtclod Az.]

You might want to try Catalinas down there also.

 

[Ozzy]

You might want to try Catalinas down there also.

I did hunt some there. Great for coues. Chased some mulies down low, but dealt with a lot of other hunters there.

 

[recurveman]

Too hot to hunt. Try later in the year.......

 

[Old man bob]

Dhoshour, August and Sept. Hunts Are Great ,Just can't be a Puss from NC. It is completely Different in the desert. There are High country hunts that are higher than any bump back East that are for the Guys that can't put up with a little heat.......Man up if You wanna come West I grew up in Pa. and we called em , Mtns. Not a chance, they are Hills or Bumps I came here in 77 ,thank God I was a Basketball player ,It helped Me in The 12k MTN'S......BOB!

 

[Non-resident Hunter]

View attachment 81855

common kaibab 4x4

Wow nice buck!