Canyons or flats?

[trphyhntr]

6 minutes ago, creed said:

I have been hunting desert mule deer for more years than I care to admit. Dry years look  near water, wet years like this it’s like flatlander said, they are where you find them. Good luck cause you’re going to need it

those bucks in your profile pic are beauties 

[oz31p]

40 minutes ago, lancetkenyon said:

If 2 hours behind optics hurts your eyes, you need better optics for western hunting.  I spend 10+ hours behind glass most days scouting and hunting with no eye fatigue. 

Just rapped up 3 days of glassing sun up to sun down.  No eye fatigue here. 

[AZAV8ER]

17 hours ago, longbowpilot said:

That's what I am starting to find out about desert mule deer I guess, it is a tough hunt.  Yeah figured rattlesnakes might still be out this time of year.  Is there a time of year in southern AZ when you don't really need to worry about them?  Do they shut down like Dec.-Feb at least?

In 45 years of hunting S AZ at 5000 ft +/-  OCT or NOV we have come across 1 rattler.

[creed]

48 minutes ago, trphyhntr said:

those bucks in your profile pic are beauties 

Thanks. Those are unit 42 bucks killed a mile and 5 years apart. I killed bigger from the same area but didn’t have the money to mount them. The one on the right was archery. 

[trphyhntr]

16 minutes ago, creed said:

Thanks. Those are unit 42 bucks killed a mile and 5 years apart. I killed bigger from the same area but didn’t have the money to mount them. The one on the right was archery. 

honestly more impressed you got one with a rifle. those general hunts are tough 

[MT_Sourdough]

I admit that I totally suck at glassing. Not natural to me.  My eyes start to hurt fairly quickly and I spend a lot of time switching to my naked eye balls to scan the land.  

I like sitting in a blind.  I hurry up and get in place.  Gotta rush to get settled in before the sun comes up. Then I fall asleep and wake up about two or three hours after the sun has arisen.  I look around and don't see anything and in short order, I fall back to sleep.  Wake back up, again, around 11 am feeling well rested.  I am good at that type of hunting.

[trphyhntr]

Same. I have nice binos and I get a headache after a few minutes 

[idgaf]

I have hunted  a portion of 36c  flats since I was 10 years old, after much trial and error (wet years and dry)  I have discovered that certain bucks prefer certain areas of cover no matter the weather or time of year.  That being said, when pushed they move to different patch of dirt that looks similar to the patch of dirt they just left. 

My last flats buck. 

[muleybowhunter]

where you find does you should be able to find bucks. i have found them in the flats and the canyons no rhyme or reason.

 

[AZ8]

I find them glassing, but they disappear when I make a move on them. Almost ghost like. 

I see more desert muleys when I’m quail hunting than I do deer hunting . They’ll just stare at me, not 20 yards away. It’s like they know I have a shotgun in my hand. 

 

[trphyhntr]

2 hours ago, Forlorn Hope said:

I find them glassing, but they disappear when I make a move on them. Almost ghost like. 

I see more desert muleys when I’m quail hunting than I do deer hunting . They’ll just stare at me, not 20 yards away. It’s like they know I have a shotgun in my hand. 

 

When I look at pics of desert bucks from way back it makes me think maybe it’s better to walk and bust them out for a shot rather than glassing all day. Guess it just depends 

[turbo]

Saw and heard a rattler October 20 up in the Catalinas, 3500 feet, rattling in some thick boulder stuff.  I think the snakes stay underground in Dec, Jan; I have not seen one during that time.  

 

[ThomC]

On 11/18/2018 at 7:25 PM, longbowpilot said:

former eastern hunter here but now proud AZ resident and becoming obsessed with desert muleys.  Been hunting this week in a desert unit that has pretty thick flats with the palo verde and cholla that is really tough to glass into.  Then there are canyon bottoms I've been glassing as well.  Only been able to locate a few does so far.  Would yall say that desert muleys generally stick to the flats or do you see them more in the canyon bottoms or on hillsides?  

The answer is yes.  Are you a pilot?  Well then,😏

[Big or Bust]

During the rut, big bucks will be where the does live, obviously.

Prerut, most of the big bucks (i.e. the old bucks 6+ years of age), will be in the flats in the desert. 

This time of the year, their favorite food is barrel cactus fruits, followed by chain fruit Cholla...

[longbowpilot]

Thanks guys for al the tips and keeping this thread going!  Hunt was unsuccessful but had a great time being out in the super quiet desert.  Probably going to invest in some better glass and get out there for the OTC bowhunt next month if I can. 

Trouble for me is getting enough time to hunt with three kids (2 in diapers), work, etc.  I hear about a lot of guys taking a whole week off just to hunt.  Back east you could easily get your buck on opening day and be done.  I'm finding that out west it takes much more time and patience!