White Tail Unit 27

[eldonkey]

Hello,

 

Just looking for some general advice on this unit in terms of where to camp, and which roads I can use to access decent hunting areas. I hunted the Northen portion of this unit with no luck last week for Turkey. My guess is, and I could be wrong here, so please correct me if I am, that the CWT do not frequent the upper elevations ( 8000 ft +) in this unit.

 

If anyone would be kind enough to pass on information on decent areas to scout in the next couple of weeks, I would be deeply appreciative. Would be willing to trade info on other units I have hunted as well, including 36A ( WT, MD), 30B( WT, MD) , and 35 ( Javelina).

 

 

Thanks everyone.

[Sundevils79]

Unit 27 is probably one of the toughest units to hunt for Coues as it is very thick and has some of the roughest terrain you will find in AZ. The best advice I can give you is try many of the long points along 191 between Morenci and Blue Vista (all wt country) and plan on spending plenty of time behind a pair of 15's. This unit will truly make you understand the "grey ghost" myth. Here are a couple bucks I got on trail cam on Saturday in that unit. Just have patience and be prepared to hike a little.

 

[eldonkey]

Unit 27 is probably one of the toughest units to hunt for Coues as it is very thick and has some of the roughest terrain you will find in AZ. The best advice I can give you is try many of the long points along 191 between Morenci and Blue Vista (all wt country) and plan on spending plenty of time behind a pair of 15's. This unit will truly make you understand the "grey ghost" myth. Here are a couple bucks I got on trail cam on Saturday in that unit. Just have patience and be prepared to hike a little.

 

 

Nice work and Nice Pics. I have Game Cams in that unit as well, but they are north of the areas you speak of. So would you say that a spotting scope is essential for this unit? I currently have a pair of Nikon Monarch ATB 10x42's, a truly nice and clear bino, but not at the magnification of a spotter...

[.270]

if you got the late dec. hunt i have some advice. wear your longjohns. it's gonna be cold. there are bunches of whitetail in 27, and some big ones. Lark.

[crazy4COUES]

Unit 27 is probably one of the toughest units to hunt for Coues as it is very thick and has some of the roughest terrain you will find in AZ. The best advice I can give you is try many of the long points along 191 between Morenci and Blue Vista (all wt country) and plan on spending plenty of time behind a pair of 15's. This unit will truly make you understand the "grey ghost" myth. Just have patience and be prepared to hike a little.

 

DITTO, Most areas I hunt are around the 6000 ft elevation range. Not many roads, but lots of trails. I have yet to harvest a 27 buck, when I do I will be proud.

[eldonkey]

Anyone else had luck bagging a buck out of this unit? Is there a Muley hunt going on at the same time?

[ScottAdams]

I've hunted Coues deer in 27 for the last 18 years and have had no problems locating deer but I was raised here and have spent hours and hours researching and scouting. They are generally in isolated pockets and for a newcomer it can be hit and miss and a very tough hunt. Having said that, I can tell you, like Lark said, there are a lot of Coues deer in 27 with your biggest bucks up in the more timbered regions of the unit.

 

There is no mule deer hunt during the Coues hunt.

[Snapshot]

I have shot many mule deer in 27 over the years, and have just started whitetail hunting up there. Like Scott said, you have to find the pockets of them, because they are not as spread out as the mule deer. I have seen whitetail all the way up on top of the rim, but if you glass the canyons along Highway 191 from Morenci up to Blue Vista you should find one if you are patient. I have seen most whitetail in the heads of canyons and on the ridges leading down from them usually between 6000-8000'.

I would love to give you specific spots, but the good areas I have found are few and far between and were found by alot of hard hiking.

 

Here is what G&F has to say:

 

White-tailed Deer

Overview: Unit 27 is home to a diversity of landscapes. The elevation runs from 3,500 feet at Clifton to 9,300 feet at the Mogollon Rim. The unit then slopes to 8,000 feet at Alpine. Going north on Hwy 191, you pass through several vegetation zones. The area around Clifton is semi-desert, followed by chaparral, pinyon-juniper, ponderosa pine, and spruce-fir at the Rim. Proceeding towards Alpine, you go through mixed conifers and ponderosa pine. All the area north of the Rim is high pine country.

 

Unit 27 offers several opportunities to hunt white-tailed deer throughout the year. Archery hunters can pursue deer with a non-permit tag during the August-September hunt or again in January. Unit 27 also offers a juniors-only hunt during the Columbus Day weekend. Finally, general firearms hunters can hunt during the end of October or, for the lucky few, during the last half of December during the rut. Refer to the current regulations booklet for specific hunt dates.

 

Vehicle access north of the Mogollon Rim is abundant. The area has numerous two-track roads, as well as some main roads that are periodically maintained. All are open for travel, except those that are posted as closed by the Forest Service. The area has several developed campgrounds, and camping in undeveloped sites is allowed everywhere, unless posted as "No Camping." Please obey all rules and regulations. Do not litter, and leave a clean camp.

 

Vehicle access south of the Rim is limited. The only paved roads are Hwy 191, which runs in a south-north axis from Clifton to Alpine. Another is Hwy 78 in the southern part of the unit. This highway also forms part of the unit’s southern boundary. There are three other maintained dirt roads; Forest Road (FR) 475 (Juan Miller), FR 217 (Upper Eagle Creek), and FR 515. FR 475 runs east from Hwy 191 to the Blue River. FR 217 goes from Hwy 191 west then north to Honeymoon Campground. FR 515 is a new four-wheel drive road going from Hwy 191 to FR 217 in Eagle Creek. FR 515 is a 4X4-only hunter access road built by the Forest Service using an Arizona Game and Fish Heritage Grant. It is advisable to acquire an Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest map. All roads and trails can be easily located on the map.

Due to elevation differences, weather can vary. Snow is not uncommon during the deer hunt. During the late elk and whitetail hunts, deep snow is common at the higher elevations. Rivers and washes can reach flood stage in a short period of time. Be prepared for any kind of weather.

 

Areas: The largest whitetail deer population in Unit 27 is around the Mitchell Peak / Grey's Peak area, along the southern face of the Mogollon Rim. Hunters report good numbers of deer in this area. In particular, some quality deer are found in the areas around Strayhorse Canyon and Raspberry Canyon. All the areas east and west of the highway and down towards the larger canyons coming off the Mogollon Rim offer good whitetail hunting. This country is rough and steep, and vehicle access is very limited. Hwy 191 runs between Mitchell and Grey's Peak, and climbs the Mogollon Rim at Blue Vista.

 

The Big Lue Mountains are located on the southern edge of Unit 27. There is fair to good whitetail hunting here. These mountains are in what is commonly known as the Mule Creek area. Again, vehicle access is limited. Access north of the Big Lues is by Hwy 78. FR 212 will get you north of the Big Lues. Vegetation is pinyon-juniper with some open grassland.

 

Robinson Mesa and Hot Air Canyon have a whitetail deer herd that is increasing in numbers. It can be accessed via FR 217, then by trail #37. The shortest access from Hwy 191 is from Sheep Saddle using trail #16. Vegetation is pinyon-juniper, oak thickets, and chaparral. The area is very brushy, but there are plenty of trails.

 

 

 

[eldonkey]

Thanks for the post Snapshot. Understood about not wanting to give out specific spots.... While we are on the subject, how is the camping situation in the unit? I know up on the rim near Strayhorse and to the North it is wide open with lots and lots of spots... What about to the south? Are there areas to camp off of Juan miller road or off of the blue rd into the blue primitive area?

 

Thanks again!

[Snapshot]

Camping is wide open in unit 27. Even though there are only 4 main roads through the unit, Highway 191, Juan miller, and upper/lower eagle creek and the road into the blue river drainage, there are many places to camp. Strayhorse is at the base of the Mogollon rim and there are whitetail east and west of there along the face and down into strayhorse canyon, tighten those boot laces if you hunt from strayhorse or up from Blue River.

A good place to camp off of Juan Miller is at Cow Canyon where it meets the road, you can head south from there into good country. The Gravel pits a little north of Mitchell /Grays' peak is a good place to camp, but you will have lots of company.

If I say too much more the locals and Unit 27 guys/gals will tar and feather me, so I will leave the rest up to you. Good Luck!

[COUESAZ]

To late I smell the hot tar already. Those unit 27 locals can get real mean about those areas. I have had a couple threats made even.

[eldonkey]

Fair enough... Fair enough.... I was kinda hoping the "locals" would maybe spend their nights in their local domiciles and leave the camping spots to us non-locals.... wishful thinking I suppose, and I don't blame them one bit, as it is beautiful country in that unit.... Only 275 permits or so for this hunt, so it shouldn't be all that bad... thats a big unit for such a small # of tags...

[300 wsm]

There are 350 permits for the early hunt, wich is more tags than its ever had for the whitetail season.

[capt88]

Greetings from a long time reader. Just havent had a reason to post until now. I am curious which unit would hunters be more likey to hunt during the Oct 24 rifle hunt, 27 or 28?

[ScottAdams]

I'm sure it's unit 27. Unit 28 is even more limited on Coues deer than 27.