36B Plan/Decision

[silverthrice]

First off want to say how fortunate I feel that a site like this exists for those who are new to the game of Coues deer hunting. Originally from Arizona moved west to Comifornia as a kid. Have spent several years hunting most of central and southern California (mule deer, quail, pheasant, and turkey), public land only. I decided that I would do something a little different this year and apply for a tag in southern Arizona and try my hands at a Coues hunt. And I picked several different units all with the intention of wanting to draw something that started (November 25) figured it would bring me luck since its my birthday. Anyways I plan on heading early/mid September(spend about a week) grab the usual Topo maps for the area kind of check out the refuge and other things I found interesting while looking the unit over on Google Earth.

 

I had a few questions that I hope could be answered honestly by the members on here and hopefully I don't get trolled to hard by keyboard warriors.

 

1. I am gathering from reading past post that this area seems to have a very steady flow of two legged critters that might not be so legal in the US. If so are most just illegals trying to cross for a better life or is the traffic more drug mule related? I was possibly thinking of driving as far as possible in my truck and then hike in deep away from what would be the normal areas locals would hunt I would assume. Thoughts/advice?

 

2. Is it safe to camp out in this area? Might even be doing this hunt on my own without my usual hunting partner, he started a new job and I have a feeling he wont be able to get away. Again maybe all these questions will be answered as I head down during September.

 

3. I don't want specific areas( to hunt) but I will admit that I might of bit a little more then I should of but screw it, I am up for a good challenge. ( I would prefer PMs) I am curious as to main access points to enter with a truck not specific hunting spots. I have no problem hiking deep in.

 

4. What are the main areas most people seem to congregate and or hunt, because I personally would rather like to try not what every other weekend warrior will be doing, again I have no problem hiking in deep.

 

Again, any advice, suggestions, and a little bit of trolling I don't mind...

 

Thanks, Daniel

[Guest oneshot]

You can never be over-armed while solo camping in the 36's...

[roninflag]

i saw a lot of border patrol agents and a lot of deer in unit 36b, when I was there.

[firstcoueswas80]

If you're going to be solo another option is to bring a dog with you. Obviously their senses are much more acute than ours and they will let you know if trouble is near especially while sleeping. Granted a bulldog might not be your best decision nor a miniature poodle but something like a lab or a mut would be great.

[PelaPapas]

Lots of deer all over the unit. Hiking in a good ways off the main trails will only increase your chance of tagging a good buck. I've seen a lot of people "truck hunt" from the road. So by just getting out the truck and hiking in a good ways will increase your odds.

 

1. Illegals/Drug Mules are out there. Always keep your head on a swivel. I always carry a sidearm with extra mags in my pack hip pouches. Driving your truck out and then hiking in should be no problem as long as you have 4x4 to use in some spots. Always keep anything worth breaking into your truck out of sight. I don't keep an ice chest in my truck anymore. I'm afraid one day someone will pass by my truck, see the cooler and break my window to get some water. I now keep a cheap ice chest in the bed of the truck whenever we do take the truck out.

 

2. Camping in big groups is always good. Our base camp usually has anywhere from 10-15 people on our hunts. With a few of those people staying in camp all day. My grandfather has gout and can no longer hunt so he just likes to go camping with us and be the "camp cook". If you're not hunting with a big group, maybe consider camping next to a main road and driving in everyday? If you have a camper on your truck maybe just drive in and sleep in your truck wherever you may be that night?

 

 

Lots of good areas to hunt in 36b with pretty easy access. Almost any spot in 36b will hold coues deer. I've noticed in the past years more and more coues hanging out lower in the rolling hills. Grab your tripod/binos, set up on a big hill and glass. You'll find em!

[Str8Shot]

a quick Summary of your questions ...

 

Lots of Coues to be found.

 

Lots of Illegals also to be found ... as the temperatures cool the numbers will go up and the groups (especially of the non cartel kind) will get bigger.

The crux though is, the more secluded and rough the terrain the better chance to find more quality bucks and the better chance to running into the more unsavory illegals that are usually packing more than just a bail on their back.

 

Never had an issue camping down there (knock on wood) but never done a solo Pack out camp either , usually been between 2 - 8 people when we go down. If I were to go solo I would make sure to have a small footprint camp elevated and a good distance from any foot trail (pretty easy to see the well used trails these guys leave)

keep in mind Border Patrol can show up on you at anytime (sensors all over that unit far from the roads) so do not be too jumpy when you hear foot steps, horse hooves, or the sounds of rotors.

 

I would break the unit down into 3 corridors ...

 

The Eastern- Everything east of Ruby road following the Tumacacori Range South to North ... Parallels the interstate accessible from both sides... Great Coues Country ... Greatest chance, IMO, to run into the worse kind of illegals the groups we have seen are usually smaller with at least a few guns in the groups. Also have ran into Banditos fully armed waiting to take over the mules.

 

The Central Corridor - West of Ruby Road east to Tres Bellatos ... A lot of deer .. A lot more Roads .. A lot more Campers and Hunters ... because of a lot more Border Patrol activity ... Still gets a lot of illegal traffic but more likely they will be bigger groups of the less violent sort (I do not use the term criminal for the bad cause they are all criminals once they cross that border)

 

The Western Corridor _ west of Tres Bellatos east to Sasabe Highway ... Great Coues country (especially the closer to the border you go, but they can be found all the way to the northern border of the unit as well) mixed with a bit more Mule deer country as you go further west and north through the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge... Had a couple close calls about 10 years ago about the same time and not far from the strip of US land Closed to everyone because of the cartels and violence. I will be checking it out this year to see if much has changed.

 

I will be down on the first hunt with a group of 13 friends and family members ... we plan on covering much of the unit... If you have some questions or want some feedback about specific places after our hunt ... Shoot me a PM not going to put any specific places on the open forum.

 

 

Good luck

[Zeke-BE]

What Str8shot said. 36B take the map that has hills and mountains and pick a spot. There will be deer! If you find heavy used trails in the rough terrain stay away. The bad guys are in the rough stuff and on top of mountains. I always 4x4 in and hike hunt from the road and a mile or 2 in. I've seen some decent bucks. If your alone just camp a 50-100 yards from another hunting party. Stay with the groups. Does it really mean anything? No but by myself I like to know that there are people around. In my own group I dont care. You will see border patrol and Ive been hunting in 36B for almost 8 years and never seen illegals yet (in the desert). Everyone of them out there do not want any trouble or attention. They just want to get into the US and not get kicked home. But by yourself bring a hand gun too!

[wildwoody]

SSS..

[PRDATR]

What Str8shot said. 36B take the map that has hills and mountains and pick a spot. There will be deer! If you find heavy used trails in the rough terrain stay away. The bad guys are in the rough stuff and on top of mountains. I always 4x4 in and hike hunt from the road and a mile or 2 in. I've seen some decent bucks. If your alone just camp a 50-100 yards from another hunting party. Stay with the groups. Does it really mean anything? No but by myself I like to know that there are people around. In my own group I dont care. You will see border patrol and Ive been hunting in 36B for almost 8 years and never seen illegals yet (in the desert). Everyone of them out there do not want any trouble or attention. They just want to get into the US and not get kicked home. But by yourself bring a hand gun too!

 

I've hunted it three times and will add that helio's flying low at night may keep you up a bit. My only "encounter" was fortunately a near miss. As my son and I were traversing a hillside the trail went under some trees (oaks?) and there I came upon a well hidden camp with a sleeping area, magazines, food stove etc. Glad it was unoccupied at the time.

[Kaffer62]

Usually you can find a group of camps that won't mind you camping close. There are quite a few camps on the Buenos Aires side. I will be over there during the same hunt. Just on the a side.

[BigGameHunter]

I spent a lot of time talking to border patrol agents out in that area last year when I was scouting and hunting. The advice they gave me was to becareful in washes and valleys that run North and South. While I saw all the trash left behind from the illegals I didn't encounter one in my 4 days of hunting/camping, nor did I see any on my scouting trips. They are out there, but as border patrol said, they are trying to avoid you as much as you are trying to avoid them. If you still have concerns, remember this, you are a carrying a gun too.

 

In regards to whitetail in that unit ... you won't be bored.There are tons of deer in this unit. Find a comfy spot and hang out behind those binos ... I was out there last weekend scouting, and found 8 WT (1 buck) in the late afternoon. I like your odds of filling that tag.

[Guest oneshot]

talking today with a couple of hunting friends about Coues being in spots they normaly see mulies, ie; lower elevations, mesquite/prickly-pear...

and how we have both forgone pushing deeper "where no other hunters go", and instead to start hunting right off an intersection of dirt rds that lead deeper into the Mt's and letting all the other hunters pass us by...

 

It has worked for him in Cali and for me in NY... bet it would be a good tactic in over-tagged units here in AZ...

[silverthrice]

I spent a lot of time talking to border patrol agents out in that area last year when I was scouting and hunting. The advice they gave me was to becareful in washes and valleys that run North and South. While I saw all the trash left behind from the illegals I didn't encounter one in my 4 days of hunting/camping, nor did I see any on my scouting trips. They are out there, but as border patrol said, they are trying to avoid you as much as you are trying to avoid them. If you still have concerns, remember this, you are a carrying a gun too.

 

In regards to whitetail in that unit ... you won't be bored.There are tons of deer in this unit. Find a comfy spot and hang out behind those binos ... I was out there last weekend scouting, and found 8 WT (1 buck) in the late afternoon. I like your odds of filling that tag.

Thanks for the advice, and you got my spirits high with your early observations of what you have seen so far thanks again.

[silverthrice]

Lots of deer all over the unit. Hiking in a good ways off the main trails will only increase your chance of tagging a good buck. I've seen a lot of people "truck hunt" from the road. So by just getting out the truck and hiking in a good ways will increase your odds.

 

1. Illegals/Drug Mules are out there. Always keep your head on a swivel. I always carry a sidearm with extra mags in my pack hip pouches. Driving your truck out and then hiking in should be no problem as long as you have 4x4 to use in some spots. Always keep anything worth breaking into your truck out of sight. I don't keep an ice chest in my truck anymore. I'm afraid one day someone will pass by my truck, see the cooler and break my window to get some water. I now keep a cheap ice chest in the bed of the truck whenever we do take the truck out.

 

2. Camping in big groups is always good. Our base camp usually has anywhere from 10-15 people on our hunts. With a few of those people staying in camp all day. My grandfather has gout and can no longer hunt so he just likes to go camping with us and be the "camp cook". If you're not hunting with a big group, maybe consider camping next to a main road and driving in everyday? If you have a camper on your truck maybe just drive in and sleep in your truck wherever you may be that night?

 

 

Lots of good areas to hunt in 36b with pretty easy access. Almost any spot in 36b will hold coues deer. I've noticed in the past years more and more coues hanging out lower in the rolling hills. Grab your tripod/binos, set up on a big hill and glass. You'll find em!

Thanks makes sense with leaving the cooler in the truck. And i definitely have 4x4 I have a 1994 toyota Land cruiser with locking diffs. You have me intrigued, with the lower rolling hills. That iss interesting I thought they liked to stay high and tight away from anything that doesn't resemble a fellow coues deer. Whats your opinion on why they are hangout out on lower hills ?

Edited August 12, 2016 by silverthrice

[trphyhntr]

i had a completely different experience in 36b, saw numerous illegals and they made little effort to hide from us. but i hear sometimes they give up and just walk down the road, which is what we saw. we called BP. the first illegal crossers i ever saw i thought were backpackers or something because they just stood there on the side of the road and waved then walked off into an arroyo. didnt put 2 and 2 together until we saw more. the chick in the first group was pretty cute.