What Now???

[NTBoy]

Okay, I have not been on here in a little while so I was surprised by the thread concerning the closures of some of the units involved in the recent fires. I put in for the October hunt in 36B.

 

How will AG&FD handle this situation if I got drawn, anyone have an idea? Will I get refund on the application, or will successful applicants for such units be allowed to enter a drawing for another unit or something along those lines? Will the entire unit be closed or just the area effected by the fire?

 

Interested in hearing anyone's take on the situation. Does anyone know if all of 36B was effected or just the Murphy Peak area?

[Red Rabbit]

From what I remember from the webcast, they said the Murphy Fire affected about 25% of the unit. I suspect the hunt will go on.

[AZLance]

Right now all areas in the National forrest are closed. But what the Forest service is wanting to do is keep the burned areas closed for up to a year. They are worried about liability. Falling trees, errosion, ect..

 

Here is a map of the Murphy burn area:

 

fire map

[NTBoy]

Okay, so one of the things I have not been able to learn yet, is exactly or approximately how large 36b is. If only 25% was affected by the fire, then that would/should put total acreage of the unit at or over 300K acres. Is that close? I have not seen anything listed about the fire effecting the west side over around the Buenos Airies NWR. Anyone have any knowledge/information on that?

[AZLance]

The fire was redoominatley on the south east side of the unit. Basically if you combine the Pena Fire, the Bull fire, the Yanks fire and the Murphy Complex fire, it is just under 100,000 acres in 36B that burned this year. The boundry is the mexican border on the south, Sycamore canyon and bear valley ranch on the west, the gas line on the east and Sardinas peak on the north. The map shows this well... Very little if any of the Buenos Aries burned. Again here is the link to the fire map for 36B this year, it shows all 4 fire that burned down there...

 

My link

[CouesWhitetail]

thanks for all the info Lance and Doug!

[NTBoy]

Thanks for the info and the link, but since I have never been to Arizona, I am trying to get an idea of where to focus my efforts if I get drawn for the October hunt.

 

I have obtained all the topo maps for 36b and have been reading everything I can find about hunting in the unit. My concern is are there enough white tails on the western side of the unit for a viable hunt if I do my part. Not looking for a trophy animal, just a decent buck if possible.

 

I plan on being out there 3 to 4 days before the hunt starts, and plan on hunting the whole season if necessary. I am just curious as to what the odds are of all of 36b being closed, all of Coranodo NF being closed, or just the area involved in the fire and perhaps a buffer zone around it being closed, and if parts of the unit are still open for the hunt, which area would be better to concentrate own.

 

I know I won't kill anything if I don't get out there and hunt, just wanting to narrow down the places to be looking.

[Ernesto C]

I haven't hunt deer for the last 3 years. This year I made a decision to finally hunt for me and the area where I was going to hunt is completly burn down I hope I get drawn for my 2nd choice but I doub it.

[AzHuntingAddict]

Thanks for the info and the link, but since I have never been to Arizona, I am trying to get an idea of where to focus my efforts if I get drawn for the October hunt.

 

I have obtained all the topo maps for 36b and have been reading everything I can find about hunting in the unit. My concern is are there enough white tails on the western side of the unit for a viable hunt if I do my part. Not looking for a trophy animal, just a decent buck if possible.

 

I plan on being out there 3 to 4 days before the hunt starts, and plan on hunting the whole season if necessary. I am just curious as to what the odds are of all of 36b being closed, all of Coranodo NF being closed, or just the area involved in the fire and perhaps a buffer zone around it being closed, and if parts of the unit are still open for the hunt, which area would be better to concentrate own.

 

I know I won't kill anything if I don't get out there and hunt, just wanting to narrow down the places to be looking.

 

 

I wouldnt worry too much about it being completly closed. There is still plenty of area to get into for unit 36b (I put in for that hunt too). I think alot of the area that burned is scrub brush so there is not that much harm of falling debris. I can see the impact of flooding and erosion and a possible partial closure for the burn areas. Still I am optomistic about being able to hunt that unit.

[NTBoy]

Thanks for that info. Has anyone hunted the western part of 36b around or on the Buenos Airies NWR?

[mcgrew24]

lots of deer on the western part of this unit. take sasabe highway to milemarker 8 and head up in the hills.

[azslim]

I was on the Murphy fire, it was a dirty burn so there are lots of pockets of green scattered about. Didn't get to check out my honey hole, it got burnt too, but from what I saw I have been thinking about picking up a left-over if I don't get my draw choice. Put your feet to work and you should have a chance at a good buck.

[AZLance]

Lots of good rain on the Murphy Fire complex the last few days... Southern AZ is getting dumped on this monsoon season.

[NTBoy]

Many Thanks for all the info folks. If I get drawn this may be my one and only hunt in Arizona and i want to enjoy the whole experience and if I get a chance at a buck, so much the better. I appreciate everyone's input.