Border Stories

[kazpilot25]

I always like reading people's stories of hunting on the border and the weird, scary, illegal stuff they encounter. I really don't have anything too crazy that I've witnessed or experienced.

 

A couple years ago down in 36B I was scouting and setting up a salt lick about a half a mile North of the border in some pretty remote country. After my buddy and I hiked in about a mile, and almost to our destination we got a very eerie feeling. We suddenly were surrounded by the strong scent of marijuana and just had a feeling that we were being watched. After glassing the hillsides around us, we heard some shuffling from an adjacent ridge and some soft voices talking in spanish. We didn't end up seeing anything or anyone, but my gut told me to get out of there. We laid down some salt, and hiked out. Never went back to check the area again, but man it was a creepy feeling.

 

Let's hear your border stories...

[bigorange]

My first archery stalk in AZ...in 36a in August a couple years back. Spotted a nice buck and my buddy and I dropped down into the wash to make our move. We both froze at one point because we heard voices nearby in the thick stuff near the wash. Not knowing what we would find and having 2 bows and a .45 between us, we backed out and went around the long way. Never saw anyone or the buck.

 

Last yr during HAM hunt in 35b we spotted a group of illegals. No big packs or weapons, just water jugs so we assume not smugglers. Impressive how fast they covered ground and climbed some really steep stuff, especially once a BP truck entered the area. Our kids were with us, so it was a good educational opportunity for them.

[ctafoya]

Crazy talk! There are no border problems. Secure as ever.

[PelaPapas]

We hunt the 36 units. Mostly 36A,and the occasional 36B & 34A. For the most part it's Me, My buddy, my Grandfather and my younger 17yr old brother who head out on our hunts. Occasionally my Dad will tag along on a hunt with us when he gets the time off work. When my Grandfather goes, he chooses to stay in camp (he's the camp cook). He always carries his revolver and has a 12ga there at camp with him (My Dad stays at camp with him when he goes). He's hunted the 36's all his life as well, so he's comfortable with staying by himself. He's bad butt like that lol. We all carry sidearms in addition to our hunting rigs when we head out there.

We see the heavy traffic areas in the canyons with a bunch of old backpacks, water bottles, etc. I always get a feeling of being watched at times. We have never had anything taken from our camp or truck (knock on wood!) even if my Grandfather doesn't go on that trip.

This past Feb we were in 36A for our Pig hunt. We were heading back to camp for lunch and walking down a small wash. I noticed something dark in the middle of the wash. It was in the shade of the tree that shaded about 3/4 the width of the wash. As we all stop, I look through my binos and realize it was a black trash bag. We proceed to walk towards it quietly & cautiously. When we get to the bag at the base of the tree, we noticed some back packs and other items on the bank of the wash. There was 3 back packs, all were identical and all 3 were camo. They weren't nothing special, looked like a regular knock-off jan-sport back pack but in camo. For each pack there was a black plastic trash bag sitting next to it. The plastic bags were empty and there was a few empty water bottles and empty cans of vegetables. What really got me worried was that these back packs & trash bags were not dirty/dusty at all. When we see the usual trails with old packs,clothes,trash etc. It looks like it has been there for weeks,months, years! These were fresh as can be! A black trash bags left out in the desert wash is going to collect dust real quick! These had nothing like they had just been taken out the box.

We got out of there real quick! I'm not sure if whoever was there was spooked by us walking down the wash. I didn't want to find out either. As soon as we left I called BP and about 45min later we are sitting at camp having lunch when we hear the BP chopper coming in. We ran up the small hill where we seen the chopper over the area we called to report. We never looked into the packs to see what was in it and we don't know what came about the spot?

Be careful out there and be smart! I've been going hunting in the 36's since I was about 10. My family & I have never had or run into any problems. Just be aware of your surroundings, take a hunting partner or 2 and have fun!

 

ALWAYS CARRY A SIDEARM!!!

[firstcoueswas80]

Saw a group of 123 while pig hunting 10+ years ago. Same hunt, EVERY time we opened a gate off of 289, people would jump out thinking we were their ride.

 

Had one walk through the saddle below me not 5 minutes before I shot my buck.

 

Walked up on a bunch of scouts in 36b.

 

Had a group of about 30 walk around my truck one morning while glassing from it.

 

Spoke to some agents who were doing night opps near my camp, said 4 groups of dopers walked around my Camp.

 

Set up camp one time, on the drive out noticed foot sign from a group over my tire sign.

 

But don't worry, the border is secure, just ask the trustworthy politicians.

[biglakejake]

i am just recycling this post from one i made in 2009. lots of contact with immigrants/smugglers every year in 36A from 1995 till i stopped going in 2002. operation gatekeeper ruined 36A.

 

on a seperate note 2 books about the border troubles that i enjoyed were "tough times in rough places" and 'bloody border"

 

i will never forget one evening down in 36a-the last day of the jr deer hunt in 2000. i had parked the truck and sent the kid out with 'last day-don't come back to camp without a buck' and started glassing the hill sides. heard something behind me and turned to find a fellow in all black, web gear, mp5 and a sidearm. identified himself as border patrol, tracked around my truck, when i told him my son was hunting up the draw he said he already knew that, and just as the sun settled behind the baboquivaris' he walked off to the east into a roadless mesquite canyon towards the sierritas....... just then there was the sound of a .257 Roberts going off and had to get busy so did not think about it what with having to get a buck out in the dark.
a few years later i read an article on the border troubles and some agents called 'shadow wolves'. solitary trackers out all night long chasing the mules. would not want that job.
lee

[Str8Shot]

Too many to tell , but in every situation when able to call out to Border Patrol and give coordinates or talk to one close to where we were, they were right on the situation...Our group has helped BP locate and take out over a dozen groups of illegals ranging in size from 5 - 30 ... Have helped them locate and take out 4 different drug mule trains, 3 were groups of 5 with one spotter carrying a gun and one was much larger, as we would later discover. We had only seen one of the mules and the black hawk was on top of him within 5 minutes of us calling it in ( thank god for even weak cell signal)... In that last case it was a group of 20 mules and they let them walk out to Arivaca road where they had probably close to 50 agents from horse back to helicopters as well as two drones ... The Tumacacori range gets most of the drug mule and Banditos traffic due to the rougher terrain and a bit less patrols on the roads and it was heading to a honey hole(4 years ago) in that range our trip was cut short by a group of masked banditos with AK's that were beating down a mule and taking his load... If not for the red bandannas we probably would have drove right into them. Instead I was able to catch it moving as we dropped from the top of the well covered canyon taking time to stop and glass through the cover. Watching it go down and with no cell signal we assessed the situation (2 of us and 2 pistols with 6 clips,) and we decided that we would not go back to our spot today. Took an hour of rough driving before we ran into an agent and we gave him the details and locations and his response was that they have been trying to get on this group and another in those mountains for the last couple weeks ...

 

Those Samaritans in my opinion are working with cartels or coyotes or both as we have watched them take out water and supplies several times to caches that would be found only by someone using gps. little to say those caches were not left in tact.

 

despite all the craziness we all still love going down there as plan B and usually go in a group of 6 - 8 guys .. plenty of extra sidearms and ammo, and not once have we had anything damaged or taken from our camp... Have had them bust deer we were stalking and jump out of bushes like fool's quail while out hiking... Have had to refuse helping them and made many calls to BP ... All in all it makes for a fun time on scouts and hunts!

[kazpilot25]

i am just recycling this post from one i made in 2009. lots of contact with immigrants/smugglers every year in 36A from 1995 till i stopped going in 2002. operation gatekeeper ruined 36A.

 

on a seperate note 2 books about the border troubles that i enjoyed were "tough times in rough places" and 'bloody border"

 

 

i will never forget one evening down in 36a-the last day of the jr deer hunt in 2000. i had parked the truck and sent the kid out with 'last day-don't come back to camp without a buck' and started glassing the hill sides. heard something behind me and turned to find a fellow in all black, web gear, mp5 and a sidearm. identified himself as border patrol, tracked around my truck, when i told him my son was hunting up the draw he said he already knew that, and just as the sun settled behind the baboquivaris' he walked off to the east into a roadless mesquite canyon towards the sierritas....... just then there was the sound of a .257 Roberts going off and had to get busy so did not think about it what with having to get a buck out in the dark.

a few years later i read an article on the border troubles and some agents called 'shadow wolves'. solitary trackers out all night long chasing the mules. would not want that job.

lee

 

https://www.ice.gov/factsheets/shadow-wolves

[John O]

Buddy glassed up a group on the top of a good size ridge 2 years ago. He called me at work and described where they were, because I had hunted in the exact area with him the previous day. I got on google earth, and texted him the exact coordinates of where they were hiding under a tree. Called a buddy of mine in BP with coordintes, who called it into dispatch. This is one of the photos he took through his binos of the moment BP busted them. Came up on horses, and ended up nabbing them all. Pretty cool. All in all, I have had very little problems in the 36's during all hunting seasons. Have hunted with my kids down there for 8 years. Be smart, always be armed, and be ready to back out quietly should a dangerous situation present itself. My 2 cents.

 

 

[Shooter McGavin]

I remember when I was 14 it was me, my dad, my younger brother and my good friend and his dad went archery hunting in 36B. We got to our camp and noticed my brothers sleeping bag and mine had blown out of the truck. Dad said, let's go to Nogales and pick some up at Kmart or Yellow Front. We get down there and the wind is just howling, he says not the best time to set up camp, we might as well cross the border for lunch and what not. Well being 14 and not knowing what "what not was" we all agreed. Well we ended up on Canal Street, 1st time I had a beer and the 1st time I was approached by a hooker. Needless to say, both dads laughing hysterical and learned the phrase "no gracias"

 

Been going down south to the 36's for years, (pig, deer, quail) tons of illegal sign (trash to make shift huts) but never an issue with illegals.

 

Going down again Nov 14-20 for my Muley hunt in 36A, hopefully an uneventful trip with the illegals. Always carrying my sidearm and long gun. I surely won't go down without a fight.

 

Be safe and keep your eyes open.

[Snapshot]

Currently......there is no such thing as a border.

[MRL1984]

I had border patrol chopper buzz off the deer I worked in on for my wife last year then when I showed my appreciation, they buzzed me.

 

We had a lantern stolen during the archery hunt a few years back. Not sure if it was illegals or not.

 

Seen plenty of the normal stuff.

[AZLance]

Was shot at by mules in 35b several years ago. But it's safe right?

[Will K]

I have ran into a lot of them in 36B. Not a good feeling even with a gun.

[Snapshot]

2006, in unit 35B....... Witnessed search and rescue bring out a dead body to a waiting coroners vehicle.