North of Roosevelt Lake?

[Jeff Welker]

For many years, I walked the area north of Roosevelt Lake chasing quail, duck and javalina. On occasion, we would hike up on the benches of Armer Mountain in the hopes of jumping some Mearns' or Scaled quail. On more than one occasion, we would catch a glimpse of a coues deer that we had distrubed. On one particular trip, we were glassing the area for pigs and found two nice Coues bucks bedded on the side of a small draw.

 

At the time, these were nothing more than curiousities. We wanted big mule deer and elk and these little guys just didn't get our blood moving. Well, I'm older and (hopefully) wiser now and have a new interest in the "ghosts" of the desert. I'm going to spend most of the next year getting in shape, having a custom rifle built and otherwise preparing for a coues deer hunt. I am wondering if this area north of Roosevelt Lake (Unit 23) would be worth pursuing - assuming I get drawn. In my initial research, it appears that southern AZ and the San Carlos reservation get alot of notice - for good reason; however, I'm wondering if this part of central AZ has good coues deer population.

 

Any help or comments would be sincerely appreciated.

 

Thanks;

[WadeNAZ]

It is worth scouting...

 

 

[Mr. Jonathan]

And anywhere off the Globe-Young highway.

[AntlerObsession]

Horrible place to hunt!

Signed,

Unit 23 Hunter

[DUG]

Horrible place to hunt!

Signed,

Unit 23 Hunter

Yeah, you don't want to hunt there. All the deer left.

 

[catclaw]

Too bad they have that stupid closure all along the north side during the good time of year. Grrrrr

[Coach]

I was camped at Cholla for about a week in May, and kept looking at those hills across the lake, wondering about the coues in there. You know they are there...A little work and some scouting should be well worth your time over there.

[AZkiller]

Lots of Lions!!

[Jeff Welker]

Thanks to all for the comments.

 

When the temps cool off in the fall, I'm going to go tromping around some of my old haunts and see what I find.

 

 

[Kilimanjaro]

Cooz shmooz...boring...

Lets hear more about the quail trifecta in that 23 country!!

[Jeff Welker]

Cooz shmooz...boring...

Lets hear more about the quail trifecta in that 23 country!!

I spent over 20 years chasing quail in the area north of Roosevelt between Salome Creek and the Young road. I've never had a dog to hunt over; however, I've gotten many limits simply busting up coveys and chasing down the trailers - learning to use a quail call made a big difference in our rate of success. Great country for Gamble - also great country for rattle snakes. Unfortunately, much of the quail season is prime snake season. You've really got to watch where you put your foot. I've got a rattle with 16 buttons on it from a fat old diamond back that I nearly put my foot in the middle while looking for a downed bird. I hunt primarily with a Model 12 16 gauge handed down to me from my father.

 

One season we were chasing a nice big covey north of the Round Mountain tank and came upon a couple of Mearns' on the slope of the Armer Mountain bench. We made a mental note and on a follow-up hunt we spent two full days working the upper reaches of that bench. We worked our butts off in that terrain; however, we finally got a couple of quail trifectas (Gamble, Mearns' & Scaled). If we had dogs, it might have been easier. That being said, it is rough country and you could injure a dog if your not carefull.

 

I've spoken with some G&F folks since then and they believe it is very rare to find all three species that far north.

 

If you like jumping ponds/tanks for duck, there are some great places in the same area. You will do a lot of driving, walking, and stalking; however, when you come over the dam and see a bunch of green heads, it can get exciting real quick. Sometimes, you get surprised with a flock of geese resting in the shade on some of the ponds. Many times, you will get nothing after alot of work - it just goes with the territory.

 

As I've gotten older and don't get out as much as I used to, I often think back on those Coues deer we found on south slope of Armer Mountain. If I can get this old body in shape again and be lucky enough to get drawn, I just might revisit some of my old haunts and see what I can find.

[Kilimanjaro]

Ive been planning on getting up in that country to chase birds with the pups.. I am going to this season. I've always heard its good country for Gambels.

 

I am a die hard Mearns hunter.. have been since I was a young boy making the trips out here to AZ from TX to run the dogs with my Dad's side of the family..Dad, uncle, Grandad, cousins, etc.. moved out here 7 yrs with the primary reason being closer to the birds.

 

Good luck with the coues up there.