Border Coues Units since Biden left office

[mariano742]

Does anyone know if the Arizona border coues deer units have seen much lower illegal traffic since Trump took office? being a solo hunter I’m a little leery of drawing a border unit unless the situation has drastically improved in the field. thanks for any input

 

[brymoore]

I’ve hunted a few miles from the border including this year. I saw a lot of border patrol and zero immigrants. BP was using the Army to run Blackhawk infrared routes. There’s lots of trash and other evidence in the backcountry but no bodies.

I spoke with a local deer hunter who said he’s never seen an immigrant in 20+ years.

 

[jpc01101]

Hunted far southern NM solo. Tons of border patrol and I saw no illegal activity and I glassed the hillsides and the flats all day long for like 8 days.

 

[BuzzH]

I've hunted the AZ border since about 2010 or so, worked down there starting in 2002.

The past dozen years have been way more quiet. I've seen illegals numerous times, including this December. A BP border patrol helicopter was hovering over a dude jogging along a ridge top. At one point the guy hit a barbed wire fence and sort of rolled over it. The guy jogged a long way until the BP helicopter got low on fuel and left (found that out the next day). I've seen groups in the past up to 18 or so. Lots of small groups. Have seen the drug mules too, carrying mj bales.

There is considerably less trash now than 10-20 years ago.

I would say your chances of seeing an illegal on the border is 50-50. Even the years I saw more crossers and more activity never felt threatened. Never had anything stolen.

I can't say there is less activity this year than the past 5-6 years.

 

[MTGomer]

I wasn’t really in a coues unit but I was in a western AZ border unit in December. My guide partner did see 4 smugglers scouting prior to the hunt and I saw a little fresh sign.

There’s still organized smuggling. The hoarded of unguided people from all over the world just coming across and sitting down and giving up is what is no longer happening.