Mpar Report post Posted November 15, 2011 A friend and I drew december tags for unit 29. We are planning to scout this coming weekend. Any ideas on where to start? How did the fire impact the deer? Is the all the forest open and has anyone had any success on the earlier hunts? thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmf1321 Report post Posted November 15, 2011 I would start in unit 29 since that's where you guys have the tags. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues79 Report post Posted November 15, 2011 Moonscaped on the front end of the chiris.... down there two weekends ago and its slim slim pickins on the front side. i honestly dont know where the deer went. sucked and does suck. from what ive read, the main mountainous terrain by portal/paradise and rustler park were more mosaic but i havent been down there to check it out. late december can find a person in a good situation to find a good buck cruisin for does. take the road from portal and drive through rustler and headed back west....(think its road 42) if it isnt moonscaped youll find deer. good luck. i love hunting down there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mpar Report post Posted November 15, 2011 I would start in unit 29 since that's where you guys have the tags. Yeah thanks big help. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mpar Report post Posted November 15, 2011 Moonscaped on the front end of the chiris.... down there two weekends ago and its slim slim pickins on the front side. i honestly dont know where the deer went. sucked and does suck. from what ive read, the main mountainous terrain by portal/paradise and rustler park were more mosaic but i havent been down there to check it out. late december can find a person in a good situation to find a good buck cruisin for does. take the road from portal and drive through rustler and headed back west....(think its road 42) if it isnt moonscaped youll find deer. good luck. i love hunting down there. thanks we will try around portal Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Week'nd WaRRior Report post Posted November 15, 2011 Don't hunt this unit but maybe a suggestion. I've found that severe forest fires will drive the deer out or bring them back in a couple weeks after the fire. Yeah most guys will want to hunt in the mountains, but whats wrong with the flats and finger canyons at the base of the mountains. That's where I've found them after severe fires before, and seems some big bucks during the rut prefer that type of terrain. Look at other places were the other guys are'nt hunting. Do yourself a favor and scout next weekend during the third general hunt. You'll get a pretty good idea of where the other hunters are concentrating. You have an Az premium tag, don't blow your chances. Start Scouting now and you'll find them. Good Luck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aznate Report post Posted November 16, 2011 A friend and I drew december tags for unit 29. We are planning to scout this coming weekend. Any ideas on where to start? How did the fire impact the deer? Is the all the forest open and has anyone had any success on the earlier hunts? thanks I just hunted in 29 on the Nov. 4th hunt. I went on the south side of the unit. I found that access can be a problem in 29. Almost every road ends at a ranch with private property signs posted. This means that you either have to hike around the ranch or find a rach that allows access. The mountains are of course national forrest or wilderness area meaning no vehicles, getting there is the problem. Luckly, I found a way into the area I was planning to hunt.READ THE GAME AND FISH REPORT FOR ACCESS INFORMATION AND WHERE TO HUNT! The fire did little damage where I hunted, a few scorched trees, but the grass was waist high, it got annoying. I took a long shot and missed on a day 1 on a 3x3 and saw one other 2x2 running on day 2. I had glassed a canyon for about 30 minutes looking 300 to 500 yards when all of a sudden a buck and a doe take off about 75 yards across the canyon. By the time I chambered a round and got him in my sights he was sky lined and went over the hill. I saw about 15 does. Unfortunatly, I could only hunt for two days. All the deer we saw were within one mile of water. Pretty sure I saw the buck that I shot at the first day on the second day on my way out, another hunter harvested him in the same location I was hunting. Glass in the very steep canyons near water! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
newazhunter Report post Posted November 16, 2011 I heard that tag is almost impossible to get, no? I was down for the November hunt and spoke to the owner of Cave Creek Ranch who said the deer down their rut in December. All you really have to do is a find a doe and wait for a buck that is following her. We saw over 15 does and 6-7 spikes/bucks. The last day we were there we saw 3 bucks together, (2x2, 3x3 and then a 4x4). Now I know where to go next year. A friend and I drew december tags for unit 29. We are planning to scout this coming weekend. Any ideas on where to start? How did the fire impact the deer? Is the all the forest open and has anyone had any success on the earlier hunts? thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mpar Report post Posted November 17, 2011 Thanks for all your help.I am getting excited to go scout this weekend and for the hunt in december. I hope to have some pictures to post in about a month. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bisbee Report post Posted November 21, 2011 Two years ago we went hiking on top from rustlers park to Fly peak during a deer season. There were two deer shot just before we got there, way up high in the burns. Could be a good place to check. They were nice bucks too, not spikes and forks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
