kingbeer Report post Posted October 14, 2014 hey all, looking to get an OTC archery tag for some mules. wanted to find out if anyone would be able to help me out by knowing what units are the best? i would like to stay somewhat close to the valley. i know that up on the strip is good (so i have heard) but dont want to travel that far as i was to be able to go more often. any and all help would be great! thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wayno945 Report post Posted October 14, 2014 Strip and Kaibab tags are draw only. Check the regs for which OTC archery units are open in Dec, Jan, and August. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kingbeer Report post Posted October 14, 2014 by looking at this regs book it shows under the archery non-perm tag the following units the december time frame 10, 15, 17, 18, 19b, 20b, 20c, 21, 24a, 24b, 28, 30a, 30b, 31, 32, 33, 34b, 35a, 35b, 36a, 36b, 36c, 37b, 38m, 39/40a/40b, 41, 43a/43b/44a/44b now the question is what is a good area? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
43F Report post Posted October 14, 2014 As someone who is still new to hunting in Arizona I like to express my thoughts on your question: spend a little less time constructing ghillie suits and more time doing online research and getting out in the units. I don't think I asked a single question about where to hunt in Arizona in any forum until after my first year of getting out in the woods. And that was probably only because I was drawn for a tag and after I had already scouted the unit. And even then I think the questions were more along the lines of where to camp in the unit so as not to disturb the hunting areas as I was still new to public land hunting. I think any questions other than those were about how to hunt or hunting techniques for hunting in Arizona, not where. Also, if you get out in the woods you are bound to run into and meet other hunters. Running into other hunters serves you well as you will know that you are on the right trail as far as places to hunt and IMO other hunters are much more open to giving advice in the field. Also, its not hard to figure out which units are close to the valley if you have the regs in front of you. I may have come off like a jerk, but as someone who has spent resources and time that I probably shouldn't have while in college to hunt I find your laziness absolutely irritating. But good luck to you. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kingbeer Report post Posted October 15, 2014 my laziness?!?!?! really, just cause i am new to hunting totally and have never been out doing it. all that i am looking at is to find some help from fellow hunters that could point me in the right direction. and yes of course i would be able to see what is close to the valley. and if you read this correct it stated that i WOULD LIKE to stay as close as i can. not really knowing the system of how everything works or even where to go it is always best to ask for advise from people that have done this before! as i am sure that the first time your car broke down you didnt just open the hood and see what i can learn and hope that someone that knows something comes by! so rather then being a total bag to someone that is new to this, just read this and if you dont want to help out in anyway other then stating what you were like in the begining then just leave, say nothing! and what makes you think that i am constructing gillie suits?!? and for you to say and i QUOTE " more time doing online research and getting out in the units" what the heck do you thinkthat i am doing? i am doing online research. i didnt come knock on your door and ask you for advise! so get a life and let someone get the help that they are looking for 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
goinhuntn Report post Posted October 15, 2014 Best advice is pick a unit & start scouting!! There are deer in all the units you mentioned above. The desert units are good during the January rut but you got to put in the ground work to find the deer. Water, cover, food etc. google earth is great tool as you can scout areas from your computer that look good. The key is scout as much as you can to find a honey hole. You will find most guys are not going to give you specific units, but instead give advice such as this. The units up north are good in September & the desert units are good in January you just got to pick a unit & start learning as best you can. If you don't find any deer or sign move on to another area & so on. hope this helps & good luck!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted October 15, 2014 Depends on your definition of "close to the Valley". 10 is about the same distance as 35, but in totally opposite directions. Both about 2.5-3 hours drive. The desert units will be in the rut end of December and January 2015. Higher country units rut in November. Like others have said, pick a unit and spend time in it. Every unit will hold deer, and some nice ones come out of each one every year. Have fun, get GOOD glass, and GOOD boots. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MT_Sourdough Report post Posted October 15, 2014 I am no expert, but I decided that I'll share what little I know. Unit 21 is north of Phoenix. You can get the over the counter tag for that unit. The areas I know are North of Cave Creek-Seven Springs area. All them hills from the Bronco Trail Head up to Humboldt mtn are covered with Muleys and Coues. Look for the Muleys on the slopes from top to bottom and the Coues are usually on top. Glass both sides of the road. but I prefer the east side. The area has deer all up along the ridges up and beyond Seven Springs area. Another area in 21 is south of Bloody Basin road in the Perry Mesa area. There are deer in the hills coming off Brooklin Peak and Hutch Mesa all the way down to the bottom of the Agua Fria. During hunting season, you are not as likely to find the deer in the middle of the mesa, but rather in the foothills to the east or in the Agua Fria Canyon and off-shoot canyons. Where you choose to hunt may be decided by what kind of rig you have or if you have an ATV. If you do not have a good off road rig, then north of Cave Creek is a better option. If you have a decent 4x4 or an ATV, then it's all good all over. Basically. Bloody Basin Rd from Interstate 17 all the way down Cave Creek is all good. PM me and I will be glad to give more details that I have accrued through all my valuable time I spent enjoying this beautiful area over the last few years.. Heck. I'll even give you a heads up about the triple s. in case you aren't familiar. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flatlander Report post Posted October 15, 2014 I have never seen a mule deer rut in November here in AZ, but Lance is a smart guy who spends plenty of time in the woods. Anyways I digress . . . The desert in 24b, 37, 21, 22 and the 40's all have plenty of deer. Find some water sources and start hoof tracking where possible. That will give you an idea of where they head after water. Then get up high and glass those areas with your bino's on a tripod. Be patient it takes time to learn how to be effective with glass and the only way to get better is do it more. Archery mom permit tags are good for all open units so just make sure you are in an open area and get after it. Good luck and have fun. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elecshoc Report post Posted October 15, 2014 Muley's will run together in November in the higher colder areas. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost85 Report post Posted October 15, 2014 I heard that AZGFD.gov, under the hunt unit description, is a great resource for pointing people in the right direction. If i were new to hunting, this would probably be my first place to look. I have also heard that there are unit maps on the website that show what part of the state the units are in? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildwoody Report post Posted October 15, 2014 As someone who is still new to hunting in Arizona I like to express my thoughts on your question: spend a little less time constructing ghillie suits and more time doing online research and getting out in the units. I don't think I asked a single question about where to hunt in Arizona in any forum until after my first year of getting out in the woods. And that was probably only because I was drawn for a tag and after I had already scouted the unit. And even then I think the questions were more along the lines of where to camp in the unit so as not to disturb the hunting areas as I was still new to public land hunting. I think any questions other than those were about how to hunt or hunting techniques for hunting in Arizona, not where. Also, if you get out in the woods you are bound to run into and meet other hunters. Running into other hunters serves you well as you will know that you are on the right trail as far as places to hunt and IMO other hunters are much more open to giving advice in the field. Also, its not hard to figure out which units are close to the valley if you have the regs in front of you. I may have come off like a jerk, but as someone who has spent resources and time that I probably shouldn't have while in college to hunt I find your laziness absolutely irritating. But good luck to you. you no sometimes it's better to keep your redicules statements to yourself. i take it you have never asked for advice. maybe some people like to help and others like to complain. cool gillie suit. my opinion , see how it works. other people sound irritating Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Edge Report post Posted October 15, 2014 You're back! You wanted to start calling for yotes then changed your mind and wanted to skip that and call for bear instead. Ever get out and do either, any success? go north of L Pleasant, not ne, not nw, go north. Big bucks in there. Close nuff fer ya? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kingbeer Report post Posted October 15, 2014 hey thank you all for everything that you have given to me. and by no means and i asked for "hey what spot do you have your luck in" i really just wanted to find out a few units that i might have some luck in. i have a friend that went to a few units and spent many hrs glassing and hiking and never saw anything. so just being that i am new to this i figured that i would seek some advise from some people that know what they are doing! and again might i say thank you to all that helped and to the one bag of the day (43F) may your day of hunting be filled with disapointment and your boots be filled with nails! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kingbeer Report post Posted October 15, 2014 i was able to get out for my bear tag only once cause my truck is dead! didnt have any luck calling for bear! the only luck that i had was when i was giving out the fawn distress calls (guilty of downloading them on my phone) and i pist off a bull elk and my father in law was able to see it but the only thing that i saw was a fat squirel! so now i know that unit 22 was not a producer of bear or at least near the water hole that i found. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
