Screwed up leftovers

[Fulch]

I put us in for leftover deer tags in a hurry once they were announced last week to assure they arrived by 8am Monday morning. My schedule is really tight with my two elk hunts in the ends October (Montana) and November (Arizona) this year so I could only squeeze a weekend in for deer around Nov 8th. When the leftover tags were announced I looked at all the Nov 8th hunts as an option’s many of which fell in units I am familiar with such as 34A, 36A and 36B.

 

Well where I screwed up is I looked at success rates from 2012 and saw unit 30B WT had a 42% success rate compared to all the others around 20% give or take. We drew the first choice from the first come first serve leftover options as the Nov 8th WT 30B. Upon drawing the tags and doing some reading, since I haven't hunted this area, I realize access is very limited to the two mountain ranges in these units due to private property at the bases. My thoughts are now that the WT population is small (125 tags issues) and most of the 42% of bucks killed probably come from the ranchers that own the property or have permission to hunt. Wishing now I could trade it in for a 34A, just wanted to rant.

[200"mulie]

I believe you can apply for a new tag .. but you'd pay again and can only harvest 1 deer. I have the 30B Dec tag and yes it is a small herd of deer compared to neighboring units... best bet is the dragoon mts has the best access. The mule mts are much more restricted but G&F tells you where and how to access those mts. Get a map for the area and get off the roads if you still go with the 30B tag and want to tag a deer.

[RWDUBOIS]

Fulch.... Not sure you got the right scoop on 30B. I have been in that area on a couple of hunts... there are lots of deer there, and plenty of areas to hunt. I agree there are some restricted areas, but you should not have much of an issue accessing the mountains. Ft Huachuca has absolutely no impact on 30B. I hunt the Ft Huachuca... it is in the middle of 35A.

[wildwoody]

suck it up and hunt hard you'll do fine, but there aren'[t many roads to hunt, lots of walking and glassing but they are there. goodluck

[RWDUBOIS]

Fulch... I PM you.... Suck it up.. please!!!!

[Fulch]

I'll suck it up and make it happen, haha. Thanks guys.

 

RW- thanks for the pm, great info. Just needed access suggestion where i can park it, hike and hunt hard which you've provided, thank you.

[mklong40]

I hunt 30b on occasion and there is access through Tombstone. They are well traveled roads but like anything, if you get off the road and put some boot time in, there are decent deer back in there.

[wildwoody]

YOU GOT THIS!

[Snapshot]

I put us in for leftover deer tags in a hurry once they were announced last week to assure they arrived by 8am Monday morning. My schedule is really tight with my two elk hunts in the ends October (Montana) and November (Arizona) this year so I could only squeeze a weekend in for deer around Nov 8th. When the leftover tags were announced I looked at all the Nov 8th hunts as an option’s many of which fell in units I am familiar with such as 34A, 36A and 36B.

 

Well where I screwed up is I looked at success rates from 2012 and saw unit 30B WT had a 42% success rate compared to all the others around 20% give or take. We drew the first choice from the first come first serve leftover options as the Nov 8th WT 30B. Upon drawing the tags and doing some reading, since I haven't hunted this area, I realize access is very limited to the two mountain ranges in these units due to private property at the bases. My thoughts are now that the WT population is small (125 tags issues) and most of the 42% of bucks killed probably come from the ranchers that own the property or have permission to hunt. Wishing now I could trade it in for a 34A, just wanted to rant.

 

I have harvested 3 deer out of 30B over the years, drawn as 3rd thru 5th choice. . You can also find whitetail where the Mule Deer live.

 

There is my free tip of the day.

[Fulch]

Thank you all for the encouraging words and tips.

[Pine Donkey]

There are no deer left in 30B. Save yourself time and frustration and just stay home.

 

Just kidding

 

There are plenty of deer in 30B. A surprisingly small amount of the 42% come from private land, because very few are willing to put in the effect to hunt those areas. Coues can be found from the main roads driving and glassing with the crowds. There are also many many places to escape the crowds. Some require a hike, but others can be driven very close to. As for the Mules, much of the locked up land is opted as foot access. Strap on a pack and you will find deer.

 

Do not get hung up on finding deer in some of the "perfect" coues country. Many locals have taken nice bucks in the middle of the afternoon amongst all the camps. Many people draw these leftover tags, drive down from Phoenix or Tucson and set up camps that resemble small towns. Then they get in their trucks and drive to the sweet spots that look like the coues country you see in videos. All the while, nice coues bucks continue their stealthy life style in the lightly hunted areas of the camps. Coues can be found in any part of 30B. Many areas that were always muley areas all hold coues now.

 

A 30B leftover tag was my first choice again this year.

 

 

[drcarr]

There are no deer left in 30B. Save yourself time and frustration and just stay home. Just kidding There are plenty of deer in 30B. A surprisingly small amount of the 42% come from private land, because very few are willing to put in the effect to hunt those areas. Coues can be found from the main roads driving and glassing with the crowds. There are also many many places to escape the crowds. Some require a hike, but others can be driven very close to. As for the Mules, much of the locked up land is opted as foot access. Strap on a pack and you will find deer. Do not get hung up on finding deer in some of the "perfect" coues country. Many locals have taken nice bucks in the middle of the afternoon amongst all the camps. Many people draw these leftover tags, drive down from Phoenix or Tucson and set up camps that resemble small towns. Then they get in their trucks and drive to the sweet spots that look like the coues country you see in videos. All the while, nice coues bucks continue their stealthy life style in the lightly hunted areas of the camps. Coues can be found in any part of 30B. Many areas that were always muley areas all hold coues now. A 30B leftover tag was my first choice again this year.

+1 and my 1st choice too.......

[sherman]

All are right. My wife picked up this left over last year we found deer every day doe/bucks it was like 16 deer in 4 days. Good luck

[Fulch]

Again I appreciate the encouragement, thank you. Alright, now I'm pumped up to learn a new area and find a buck this winter. Sucking it up.

[sherman]

What I would dod is go down and scout and just talk to some ranchers let them know what you are trying to do (gain a place to hunt) and ask them if you can hunt on there land a lot of times they don't mind peopele on there land they just want to know who is on the land. If they say no tell them you understand but everytime you are down there stop by there house