Bigjay73
Well-known member
Not sure you can go too large. Like gomer said, most packs will compress to nothing. Mine is around 7000, and I use it for day hikes
Arizona Mule Deer
- Thread starter Ryan91027
- Start date
Bluffgruff
Well-known member
You will need more than 2L water per person if you grew up sweating southeastern style. Your body doesn't know it, but you sweat the same amount when you're out here just a short time. Get a 3L camelbak for each of you. Stuff yours into at least a 60L pack, and get your mom a tiny daypack.
That said, mornings and evenings can be in the 20s, so pack a thick fleece or down jacket.
No one has told you flat out, but you will need binoculars of some kind or your hunt will include very few deer sightings.
Last piece of information: wyoming antelope hunts run 85-99% success, southern arizona rifle mule deer hunts are probably 20-30%, archery in the single digits. If you're okay not even seeing something, Arizona is fine, and you could come back over and over until you figure it out (great thing about OTC archery).
I would dig deep into a bunch of states before you settle on one.
That said, mornings and evenings can be in the 20s, so pack a thick fleece or down jacket.
No one has told you flat out, but you will need binoculars of some kind or your hunt will include very few deer sightings.
Last piece of information: wyoming antelope hunts run 85-99% success, southern arizona rifle mule deer hunts are probably 20-30%, archery in the single digits. If you're okay not even seeing something, Arizona is fine, and you could come back over and over until you figure it out (great thing about OTC archery).
I would dig deep into a bunch of states before you settle on one.
FlatlanderAZ
Well-known member
If you are going to do AZ there are a few things you ought to know:
1. Optics are more important than any other piece of equipment. Buy or rent some quality optics. Even 8x or 10x bino’s on a tripod are better than higher magnification without a tripod. I teamed up with some guys from MT last year and in a day with bino’s on a tripod we glasses 3x as many deer as they had seen all week.
2. Spend 3-4x as much time behind glass as you do walking.
3. Desert mule deer are really hard to glass. Get your self some books and listen to some podcasts. Deer of the Southwest is a good one. Podcasts by Jay Scott and Duane Adams and Cody Nelson all have good detail about glassing in AZ.
4. If you come for Jan archery get a javelina tag. They are great incidental game. Honestly a combo archery deer and pig hunt during the rut is a lot more fun than a rifle mule deer hunt.
5. Look for water sources on google earth. Glass those areas.
Good luck. Arizona is a beautiful place. Soak it up.
1. Optics are more important than any other piece of equipment. Buy or rent some quality optics. Even 8x or 10x bino’s on a tripod are better than higher magnification without a tripod. I teamed up with some guys from MT last year and in a day with bino’s on a tripod we glasses 3x as many deer as they had seen all week.
2. Spend 3-4x as much time behind glass as you do walking.
3. Desert mule deer are really hard to glass. Get your self some books and listen to some podcasts. Deer of the Southwest is a good one. Podcasts by Jay Scott and Duane Adams and Cody Nelson all have good detail about glassing in AZ.
4. If you come for Jan archery get a javelina tag. They are great incidental game. Honestly a combo archery deer and pig hunt during the rut is a lot more fun than a rifle mule deer hunt.
5. Look for water sources on google earth. Glass those areas.
Good luck. Arizona is a beautiful place. Soak it up.
I have always sweat a lot, Ive lost over 8 lbs in a 2 hour wrestling practice without really trying a couple of times. How can I bring water with me if I decide to hike in and camp; for a 5 day hunt, I wold be carrying 70 lbs of water for the both of us. Are there places to refill out in the desert.
Im still not 100% about hunting arizona, I was just really interested and wanted to gather some information. And even if I dont go this trip, I definitely want to hunt there.
/sw
Member
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2019
- Messages
- 93
As someone who made the move from SFlo to AZ (granted I'm in Flag so it's not low desert) there's no limit to what I'd do for water. If it meant camping close and hauling water or having a main camp and doing little spike camps in the area, that's what I would do. You can find springs but not worth relying on, if you go that route then a quality filter system in on the list.
Danson In The Desert
Active member
Decent binoculars on a tripod and if possible a spotting scope really do make a world of difference out here.
In 34A and 36C most of the mule deer are down near the roads, so you can easily hike out to grab water and be back in a couple hours or less.
When people say the deer are in the flats it is often a seemingly never ending series of 100' hills and draws that are 45°-60° slopes so still make sure you're well conditioned.
The deer down here may be smaller in body size than the mulies up north, but they can still grow some nice antlers.
This one is from 36C.
Good luck. If you make it out here to scout hit me up, I try to take any excuse I can to get out and glass.
In 34A and 36C most of the mule deer are down near the roads, so you can easily hike out to grab water and be back in a couple hours or less.
When people say the deer are in the flats it is often a seemingly never ending series of 100' hills and draws that are 45°-60° slopes so still make sure you're well conditioned.
The deer down here may be smaller in body size than the mulies up north, but they can still grow some nice antlers.
This one is from 36C.
Good luck. If you make it out here to scout hit me up, I try to take any excuse I can to get out and glass.
Thank you, but I doubt that Ill make it out to scout, the estimated cost has already reached the upper limit. That dispels my worries about food and water. If the area calls for it, I might set up a base camp and make a couple of trips hauling gear the first day and make spike camps if I find a better area.
kylemcintyre67
Well-known member
If you are wanting to hunt mule deer in the desert specifically I wouldn't rule out New Mexico either. Several of the southern units have (relatively) easy odds for non residents. I drew an archery tag last year and a rifle tag this year. Even with last year's hunt being my first western hunt as well as my first archery hunt, I was able to get close enough to screw up a couple times. Hunting the desert is a challenge but it is my favorite terrain.
Bluffgruff
Well-known member
Katadyn or msr water filters, or carry a big water bag (platypus, sawyer?, MSR). Don't try to carry a bunch of individual water bottles from the store, it always ends up in the woods, and it's really awkward to pack effectively.
rustednuts
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2018
- Messages
- 818
you want to be glassing into north and north east facing slopes. The deer bed in the shade even in the winter. The thick green washes is where you want to look for mule deer. Finding glassing points that allow you to look into those areas is key. Check out Jay Scott Outdoors, he has a lot of podcast on AZ deer and will do Instagram Q&As.
Non-resident Hunter
Member
Just got back from Southern AZ on a 10 day hunt. This was my first AZ OTC deer hunt. I managed to get within 50 yards of a Coues that bedded. Long story short I was able to get a shot off but my arrow deflected off a branch and I missed. We saw about 10-15 deer a day. The rut is in full swing right now. Get out there!
Plans had to be switched around because I dont have a car capable of making the trip, and now im planning a kodiak island hunt. Actually booking in the next few weeks.
I am currently trying to convince a friend to go on this hunt with me. I'm starting by talking him into buying a bow.
Were you seeing any mule deer? Or just coues?
LCH
Well-known member
I did the Arizona hunt in a rented Ford Fiesta once. Had to get out and move a few rocks to prevent undercarriage damage, but otherwise it was fine.
Non-resident Hunter
Member
Saw a few mulie does but no bucks. Mostly all of the deer we saw were coues.
Jlindzard22
New member
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2019
- Messages
- 10
Don't know if you have any experience in AZ Unit 22, but my nephew has a Youth hunt in October. Do you recommend looking in the flatter rolling hills for Mule Deer or up in the larger Mountains east of 87?
FlatlanderAZ
Well-known member
Probably lower for muleys in Central AZ.
Hammsolo
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 16, 2020
- Messages
- 2,874
I was just back in Anaconda. I have a few in-laws that are very connected. Word on the street as you said, is that 270 and others have a terrible poaching problem. All the hunters I’ve talked to in the area are seeing increased poaching….
We also have another problem. An article in The Anaconda Leader paper discussed the new phenomenon in the area, Town Deer. The last fly over produced a count of 212 deer between the A Hill on the South and Stucky Ridge on the North. The Mountain Haggin Wildlife Management Area count was 2! People are feeding the deer, and lions are booming in the WMA. It has no access for machines, and no one is running hounds on foot in the are.
My buddy in Deerlodge and brother I. Butte are seeing the same situation.
We also have another problem. An article in The Anaconda Leader paper discussed the new phenomenon in the area, Town Deer. The last fly over produced a count of 212 deer between the A Hill on the South and Stucky Ridge on the North. The Mountain Haggin Wildlife Management Area count was 2! People are feeding the deer, and lions are booming in the WMA. It has no access for machines, and no one is running hounds on foot in the are.
My buddy in Deerlodge and brother I. Butte are seeing the same situation.
