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.

 

[schmalts]

Just a guess, but since illegal entry is way down the answer should be easy. But it is a matter of who is still crossing and where. The drug runners are still going to try and those hunting areas are probably more the route they take rather than within a few miles from the legal entry point. If hunting solo be mindful of where you camp. Ive seen guys leave bottle of water outside the camp, the thought was there was less chance they would try to go inside your tent, camper, truck to find water.

 

[Zellhouse]

Hunted the late rifle season in Unit 36B last month. Saw a lot of Border Patrol, as well as Az National Guard. Did see 4 illegals in one group & some evidence of recent trash. Helicopter activity was disruptive to at least one occasion. Traffic appeared to be much lower. The ones we saw were using the wilderness area to cross. They appeared to be avoiding the roads. Saw one humanitarian group refilling watering stations during the week in the field.

Last hunted this unit in 1999. Not the same & would not recommend hunting it. Unable to locate a branch antlered buck & ended up going 0-2. Word out on social media was typical of our experience, including those who had previously been successful. Too many recent tags for earlier hunts, increasing the hunting pressure. Warmer than seasonal temps had tamped pre rutting activities to minimal.

 

[F250]

I live 1/2 mile from the Quebec border. I am the caretaker of 700 acres of woodland that tuns along the border. During past administration we were constantly encountering illegal aliens. Trail cams and trash left behind indicated lots of traffic. Several BP officers were assaulted in the area by illegals. Since last February, zero encounters, no trail cam pics, no trash to pick up.

 

[belshawelk]

I ....must ....resist comments. GL hunting