Please define "desert units" in AZ

[Camo]

Sorry for the stupid question. Yes, I'm an FNG here, that has some "use it or loose it" vacation time that I thought would be well spent solo bowhiking the first full week of January. I am curious what everyone considers the "desert units/areas". Are those referencing all the areas south of the Mogollon Rim, or more SW like units 39-45? I've seen references more up towards Phoenix and even northwest in 15, 16, 18. I'm basically confused. I've got a 24 hour drive to the middle of AZ and looking forward to seeing the sunrise in the desert. Thanks for any thoughts or direction.

[Flatlander]

Man there is desert all over this state, technically almost all of it is. But I would say in general terms that any unit south of the mogollon rim will have desert in it. Some units on the west side of the state along the Colorado River will have desert further north. You could sort of generally say that any of the 20’s units are partially desert, and anything 30’s or 40’s is primarily desert. There are a few exceptions to that but it’s a decent rule of thumb.

If you are coming from a long ways out and want to see some desert landscape I would recommend scrolling around google earth and pulling up images in areas you are interested in. That should give you a good understanding of the landscape in those areas.

 

[stanley]

Good morning, and welcome to the site!

Not certain if there is a iron clad definition of "desert units" here in AZ.  I think you pretty much summed it up, in that basically ALL of the units/areas you referenced could be considered desert units.  Some of them will have pockets (or more) with terrain that is not typical "desert", meaning there will be higher elevations with more evergreen type of foliage (juniper, pinon, ponderosa, etc.), but most of all of those areas are generally considered desert.

And yes, the sunrise in the desert is an amazing thing!!

Good luck,

S.

 

[jim]

Depends more on what species you are wanting to hunt. Some units have a good mix of both and some areas are one or the other. But alot of Deseart in most of the units that are open during that time frame.

[trphyhntr]

i was online the other day and a guy had a utah buck pic saying how he loves desert bucks. there was a dang fur tree in the background lmao. everyone wants a desert buck i guess

[Coach]

I fur tree? Now that I gotta see. 

[ThomC]

You are in the desert when the little furry things stick in you.  And when you start to like it then you are a real desert rat.  😉

[trphyhntr]

19 minutes ago, Coach said:

I fur tree? Now that I gotta see. 

Pretty sure it was on phoneskope FB page 

[PRDATR]

I would consider most areas less than 4500' to be desert.

[Camo]

Cool pic Stanley. I just wanted to clarify if a certain group of units were considered "the desert" as opposed to others. Based on the responses, I guess I can assume a number of units have desert areas within them. Thanks for everyone's input. 

 

[naturebob]

Ya that kills me on other sites up north when guys in Oregon and Wasthinton ETC. say they were hunting the Desert. Bring em down here in July ,We will show them Desert.LOL..........BOB!

[CouesPursuit]

If I get what you're asking and was to be a snobby native for a second, it depends on which species of deer you're after.

 

Not a distinguishable subspecies, but I've always thought Arizona "Desert Mule Deer" deserve some type of designation after living where they do and as old as they can. I picture saguaro/ocotillos with creosote/mesquite/paloverde habitat, somewhere near a dry wash that sees water as often as I do a deer season.

 

Coues are coues, and Flatlanders post summed up the units well.

[AZAV8ER]

desert, well when you are no longer in the Palo Verde and cholla zone then you kinda transitioning from desert. Mesquite, ocotillo and grass mixing in some oak then figure you are leaving "desert" behind. Not necessarily scientific, just a way to calibrate it.  

[jim]

Heck half the state the mountains are pure desert on 1 side and tree covered on the other. lol

[BOHNTR]

I always considered desert mule deer to inhabit the Sonoran and Mohave Desert regions of the state.