BRichard Report post Posted October 22, 2018 Hey folks. Moved here from GA last year, working at Luke AFB. Spent the last 5 years in GA whitetail hunting. When I first moved here and started looking into hunting AZ I wrote it off but since have had a change of heart. Trying to nail down my strategy for the upcoming OTC deer season. First and foremost, I LOVE the pinewoods and hard wood environment. Love it. A day spent sitting quietly in the woods is day well spent in my opinion. I would also prefer to hunt these locations in AZ as well. My bow hunting tactics in these locations in GA have been to hunt ridges, funnels and pinch points. Also, paying attention to food and water sources. Acorns being the biggy. I love setting up a good ambush. I started hunting out of climbers but the last couple years I started to move around more and use makeshift ground blinds and other natural cover........ So after several hours of reading, and scouting a few different game units with google earth and a cpl other different programs, I decided to check out unit 23 this weekend. I drove in around the Reynolds creek area and hiked a 7 mile loop. I found plenty of deer sign, and even found a couple sizable rubs....I think I could be happy hunting this location and found several areas id be content to sit for a spell..... I was feeling pretty good about the whole thing until I came home and started doing some more reading about hunting the rut and started noticing that it seems the everyone hunts the rut in the desert, out in the open. Now Im starting to doubt my whole strategy....... Questions Can you hunt the pine/hardwoods during the OTC season with a reasonable expectation to see some deer or will I be spinning my wheels. Are they ALL going to be runnning around in the low desert? thoughts? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jim Report post Posted October 22, 2018 Yes, they will rut where they are. If you have good sign you will start seeing scrapes up and down the creeks in your area. If you were looking at big rubs you were probably looking at elk rubs. Coues don't usually make the big tree rubs like the eastern deer. You will see the scrapes and small trees will get beat up along their rutting corridors. Most of the guys hunting the open are spot and stalking and is a blast when the bucks really get to chasing does. . 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BRichard Report post Posted October 22, 2018 Thanks Jim, and yeah I figured the rub wasn't Coues.....I was wondering if it wasn't a mule deer.....Elk would make more sense....its was about a 5 inch diameter little pine and was worked pretty good......Scrapes in GA really start popping up about 2 weeks or so before the start of the rut...Does that hold true out here? I was looking for some old scrapes but didn't see any.... Id be interested in some spot/stalk hunts if I could connect with someone who knows what they are doing, but i think if i try to get out there myself ill be shooting in the dark....I kinda figured stick with what i know and branch off as i become more familiar. I also did a bit of scouting in the copper creek area of 20A yesterday....some some tracks crossing the dirt road i was walking.....had the family with me so i didnt do any back country scouting..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke-BE Report post Posted October 23, 2018 Western hunting is awesome! Unit 23 has plenty of mule deer and coues. You can do your thing and lots of people do it. But the bow rut hunters live for more open spot and stalk hunting. I love getting to a vantage point and glass and glass looking for moving deer rutting. All the big guys come out and you make your move. Your moving around more, your seeing more and you get plenty opportunity to put on stalks. You can bed them, you can cut them off and wait while they are pushing deer towards you. Or you can just try to sneak up on them. Its common out west to shoot at 45-60 yards at deer because of lack of vegetation. Just practice at 70 yards all the time and your 45-50 yard shots will be easier. Good luck and tell us what your going to do and keep us updated on your hunts. You can tell people about your units but keep your location to yourself or you will find 10 people in your spot the following week. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Browns Report post Posted October 23, 2018 PM SENT Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigorange Report post Posted October 23, 2018 I grew up hunting whitetails in TN...probably very similar. It took a little getting used to when I first moved out west, but I love a good spot n stalk in the desert now. Don’t worry about knowing what you’re doing...just get out there and have fun. Nothing like spot n stalk on rutting bucks. Great experience. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Will K Report post Posted October 23, 2018 Your Strategy will work great in 23. Shoot straight. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BRichard Report post Posted October 23, 2018 Thanks guys for the feedback...I guess im gonna stick with what Im familiar with this year and hopefully by next season ill be able to swing a good pair of binos and try the spot and stalk. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eastvalleyjerry Report post Posted October 23, 2018 There are no deer in 23 anymore Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BRichard Report post Posted October 23, 2018 15 minutes ago, eastvalleyjerry said: There are no deer in 23 anymore they all went to N Mexico Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bojangles Report post Posted October 23, 2018 Hunt whitetails here exactly as you would hunt them in Georgia. They are the same animal with the same behavior. You can also capitalize on their need for water if it has been dry. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatfishKev Report post Posted October 24, 2018 Yup, go after some whitetails. You will probably find them to be a little more slippery then what you are used to. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
