AZ Unit 29 for Deer

[Guest Jason]

Anyone ever hunted coues deer in unit 29? this sight has a lot of good things to say about unit 23 i just would like to have a backup plan if not drawn. i am just looking for general ideas.

 

good hunting,

jason

[Red Rabbit]

Jason,

I have hunted unit 29 about a half dozen times, the last being around 1996. Hunted the southeast side. Found the east side too steep and brushy for my tastes. Hunted about 5000' to keep out of the denser trees. Scouted once up Turkey creek, but didn't like the huntability and glassibility. Have taken bucks from 82-97". One November hunt, a friend saw 4 bears up in the oak trees, we drew a spring bear tag the next year, but only saw one set of footprints. The area around Paradise is rumored to be good for coues.

Outdoor Arizona magazine had unit 29 for its unit of the month a couple of years ago, if ya wanna try to get a back issue.

Red Rabbit/Doug

[CouesWhitetail]

Jason,

 

I hunted unit 29 several years ago. I hunted both the east and west side of the Chiricahuas. There are a lot of deer, but also tons of hunters. I recommend you stay away from the Rucker canyon area unless you don't mind being shoulder-to-shoulder with other hunters. I scouted that area out and had a great plan for opening day, but then the whole place turned into a city of trailers, generators, atvs and people. I got disgusted and drove to around toward Rodeo NM and went in the horsehsoe canyon road. There were other hunters there, but I managed to find an isolated canyon with a lot of bucks. Nothing big, but at least I brought some venison home!

 

If you like hunting isolated areas there is plenty of it in the wilderness area there. I didn't get a chance to scout that out, but any area with a good sprinkling of springs will hold a lot of deer.

 

Amanda

[Guest jason]

thank you. i appreciate the help. hope to have a scouting report sometime in may. i will post my results.

 

thanks again,

jason

[Red Rabbit]

Amanda-

Guess we've hunted the same area-Horseshoe Canyon. Generally hike an hour or more away from the road and have only met two other hunters in half a dozen hunts. That fenced in property that blocked the old road near the canyon mouth threw me for a loop when i "discovered" it while driving in at midnight one time.

 

Jason-

If you want an outlined map of where i've hunted up Horseshoe Canyon, let me know.

 

Red Rabbit/Doug

[Red Rabbit]

I just read where there is a lightning caused fire burning in Horseshoe Canyon. 40 acres as of 6/19. Burning mixed pine into scrub. more info on the forest service/fire website.

 

Jason-How did the scouting trip go?

 

Doug/Red Rabbit

[newazhunter]

I drew an early November hunt for unit 29. We normally go up the trailhead where the fingers are but never have success. I would be open to some tips so I can finally bring some venison home this year.

 

Thanks in advance

[tcharchery]

There are NO deer in Horshoe Canyon!!!!! I heard they all moved to Portal.

[GameHauler]

This one is from 2003

Not that an old topic can not be brought back up

But thats funny

[newazhunter]

I know this was an old thread but I didn't see an option to send a pm or email a member. Just wanted to see if those members who previously responded to this thread would see and help me out.

[Coues Archer]

There are many bucks in that unit and many of them are good. You just need to put time into scouting cause without scouting unit 29 your chances of getting a deer are very slim. My uncle went to an old spot this past september during archery and knocked down a very nice 3x2 with big eye guard an old buck. Make sure you do some scouting.

[Couzer]

Very good unit, I hunt it every year!!!

[CouseforLife]

I hunted 29 about 5 times with the last being in 2005. We hunted in Rucker and while there was some people there, the spots we hunted we did not run across another hunter. We saw a ton a deer and with 6 tags in camp everyone tagged with the biggest being 95. I consistently saw 80 inch plus bucks. My biggest from there 85. Access is diffacult on the Rucker side and the Public Access area that Amanda described is where we saw everyone else going. We just hunted the USFS stuff. Not alot of camping options on this side unless you get there early.

 

 

[newazhunter]

I don't have my topo in front of me. How far is Rucker/Horeshoe Canyon from the Portal area? I'm assuming it is East of Portal?

 

Thanks

[NRS]

rucker canyon is on the west side of the mountains, Portal is on the east side.