Zeke-BE Report post Posted February 27, 2015 Apparently I've driven by this many times on fireroad 25. I camped my entire life by big Lake area, but never new of the wilderness down there. I just saw it today on a map! Years ago down off the black river I've seen some whitetail. Does anybody back pack in and hunt whitetail in that area?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oz31p Report post Posted February 27, 2015 I killed a turkey in there. Before the fire Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Browns Report post Posted February 27, 2015 Horrible area! No Animals! 6A is much better:) 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maximus Report post Posted February 27, 2015 i was there before the fire, we camped off the 25rd, we went hiking there and i remember telling my wife how thick was in there and lots of fuel for a fire, how does it look now? haven't been there since. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jim Report post Posted February 27, 2015 Yes there are guy's that hunt that. However it's a big area and plenty of room. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naturebob Report post Posted February 27, 2015 No animals in 1 or 27 after them big fires . I'd stay away...........BOB! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke-BE Report post Posted February 28, 2015 After a while of reading so many comments and threads I have found out when anyone says "no amimals" = secret CWT lots of animals come hunt!!!!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattys281 Report post Posted February 28, 2015 After a while of reading so many comments and threads I have found out when anyone says "no amimals" = secret CWT lots of animals come hunt!!!!! Ive backpacked in there for years before the fire. I would see plenty of different critters from the trail and there was good bear country down along those creeks. The trail system was nasty and strewn with dead falls BEFORE the fire. Ive not been in since, but im sure its pretty messed up judging by all the fallen timber on the roads around the w.a. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattys281 Report post Posted February 28, 2015 P.s. back then it was the greenest and prettiest place in the state. Reminded me more of coastal Washington than any place I've ever seen in Arizona. Huge pines covered with moss and so thick in spots that the trail was cast in shadow at noon! Because of this it was pretty popular with hikers and other backpackers. You'd never be the only one in there on a weekend. Losing that area was a real tragedy. It'll never be the same again in my lifetime. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snapshot Report post Posted February 28, 2015 I've never hunted in the Bear Wallow, but there are plenty of Whitetail along the southern face of the rim not far from there Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alpinebullwinkle Report post Posted February 28, 2015 Used to be coues deer and mulies all thru BW. Mulie population declined significantly from about 1990 (mostly due to the predator explosion I suspect). Since the Bear Wallow Fire the coues deer population has become really sparse in BW. The area was nuked by the fire and the coues don't seem to like the burns like the elk do. Not enough cover for those little wise rascals. Greatest coues populations I believe now are below the rim (in the areas that have not burned). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke-BE Report post Posted February 28, 2015 P.s. back then it was the greenest and prettiest place in the state. Reminded me more of coastal Washington than any place I've ever seen in Arizona. Huge pines covered with moss and so thick in spots that the trail was cast in shadow at noon! Because of this it was pretty popular with hikers and other backpackers. You'd never be the only one in there on a weekend. Losing that area was a real tragedy. It'll never be the same again in my lifetime. I'm not an emotional person at all. But I was fighting any sign of tears when I first drove through that area. I still get depressed thinking about it and angry Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naturebob Report post Posted March 1, 2015 It will be 4 years next month that I been gone from AZ. 1 and 27 are My fav. units. Aint seen em since the 2 big fires. I know how sad its gonna be when I get back this year. It will never look the same in our lives. Hows the Turkey hunting been? have they come back with the Elk?...........BOB! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattys281 Report post Posted March 1, 2015 It will be 4 years next month that I been gone from AZ. 1 and 27 are My fav. units. Aint seen em since the 2 big fires. I know how sad its gonna be when I get back this year. It will never look the same in our lives. Hows the Turkey hunting been? have they come back with the Elk?...........BOB! During the last two august archery hunts I could've killed about 50 turkeys. No toms at that point but lots of hens and baby turkeys. I dont know how theyre doing across the entire unit but theres plenty of deer elk and turkeys in the areas I've been hunting around the burn. Just dont forget your hard hat, because a lot of that dead timber hasn't fallen yet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naturebob Report post Posted March 1, 2015 I will bring My hard hat from the oilfield here as long as theres still longbeards. Thanks...........BOB! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
