Tactics in brutal heat: August OTC season.

[180ls1]

3 minutes ago, CatfishKev said:

Just fyi, if you are hunting the sky islands down south expect mule deer country to stop at roughly 3500-4500 at which point it will become coues country from there up.  

Where abouts in AZ are you thinking of hunting? 

The big Mtn range south of Kingman. Thinking of working the lower half of both the range and elevation.

[CatfishKev]

7 minutes ago, 180ls1 said:

The big Mtn range south of Kingman. Thinking of working the lower half of both the range and elevation.

Ok just wondering, dont know about anything up that way.  Although my approach would be tripod and good 15s, glass in the am until 10am, and from 4pm til dark and in the afternoon id start my glassing on any available shade.  Glass is your friend, let the binos do the walking and be patient.  From 10 to 4 I'd either sit water or sweat your a$$ off walking and finding tracks, sign and water.  

[Delw]

You clowns and sitting at water LMAO. and who the heck said find a dry hole in AZ after 3 weeks of no rain? you hunting in down town phx?. dude that the monsoon season the only place that doesnt get rain is the phx valley.

 

Glass or run around in your truck on the dirt roads you's find them, there not as thick there as they are on the east side of the  freeway but there in there. you will generally see them in the roads and hour before sunrise and as the sunsets and 2-3 hours later. fun area to hunt some decent bucks in there. just not as deery as other areas close by. its rough as crap in most places too.

one other thing, if you go on top then its all private land pretty much but there is a few roads where you can get off the private and into the state land. and lots of deer cause they love the private land up there but do venture out occasionally.

beware that there are a ton of private property in on the east side of that hill from I-40 down to almost wicki-up. upper and lower trout creek on the west side are better hunting.

[oz31p]

52 minutes ago, 180ls1 said:

Good to know. Thanks for all your help so far. If your avatar is any indication I'll make sure I bring pleany of water haha!

Ya that was packing out from a successful back pack hunt at about 5k. 
 

that bucks a pretty good example. Glasses him at noon feeding on a 95degree day well over a mile from a water source. There really aren’t any rules. These animals go and do what they want and seldom fit in to our made up rules for them.

p.s California blows 🤣😉

[180ls1]

15 minutes ago, Delw said:

You clowns and sitting at water LMAO. and who the heck said find a dry hole in AZ after 3 weeks of no rain? you hunting in down town phx?. dude that the monsoon season the only place that doesnt get rain is the phx valley.

 

Glass or run around in your truck on the dirt roads you's find them, there not as thick there as they are on the east side of the  freeway but there in there. you will generally see them in the roads and hour before sunrise and as the sunsets and 2-3 hours later. fun area to hunt some decent bucks in there. just not as deery as other areas close by. its rough as crap in most places too.

one other thing, if you go on top then its all private land pretty much but there is a few roads where you can get off the private and into the state land. and lots of deer cause they love the private land up there but do venture out occasionally.

beware that there are a ton of private property in on the east side of that hill from I-40 down to almost wicki-up. upper and lower trout creek on the west side are better hunting.

Thanks for the info! So if you were me you'd jump over to 18b or somewhere else? I don't mind driving I just chose a spot close to where my client is.

[Delw]

it wouldnt make any difference if I was you or not, because I like hunting both units and then some.

[Redman]

Depending on where you hunt be prepared for a very hot hunt- no other way to say it.  Snakes are also something to keep your eye out - finding a secluded water hole is the best recipe for success - but rain can come at the most inopportune time, I had a couple tanks with trail cameras that were getting 10-20 bucks a day, then it rained and maybe 1-3.  The northern units that are open will have much better temps and if you can pattern the bucks you could spot and stalk / ambush. 

I haven't hunted in August the last few years because it sucks compared to hunting in the fall.... this year I will be hunting the late Dec hunt so next year Aug (LOL).

[180ls1]

10 hours ago, Redman said:

Depending on where you hunt be prepared for a very hot hunt- no other way to say it.  Snakes are also something to keep your eye out - finding a secluded water hole is the best recipe for success - but rain can come at the most inopportune time, I had a couple tanks with trail cameras that were getting 10-20 bucks a day, then it rained and maybe 1-3.  The northern units that are open will have much better temps and if you can pattern the bucks you could spot and stalk / ambush. 

I haven't hunted in August the last few years because it sucks compared to hunting in the fall.... this year I will be hunting the late Dec hunt so next year Aug (LOL).

Thats great info thank you! Do you sit water specifically? I guess that would depend on how reliably they are coming to drink. I was thinking of sitting a hill above water so I can take advantage of them coming to drink and them just being in the general area.

[Redman]

I sit in a blind and had great success- well sort of. Hit a very nice buck lost it- after 3 rattlesnakes crawling on my hands and knees tracking I said pulled the plug.  I have also spot and stalked plenty -  thing about blinds you have to be committed to a long day - understand how the deer come in, ensure you don't walk through their bedding areas and disrupt their patterns. 

[180ls1]

On 4/20/2020 at 4:38 PM, Redman said:

I sit in a blind and had great success- well sort of. Hit a very nice buck lost it- after 3 rattlesnakes crawling on my hands and knees tracking I said pulled the plug.  I have also spot and stalked plenty -  thing about blinds you have to be committed to a long day - understand how the deer come in, ensure you don't walk through their bedding areas and disrupt their patterns. 

Hmm, sounds like I really need to learn the area first before considering that. Were the deer coming in mornings and evenings usually?

[Redman]

On 4/23/2020 at 11:04 AM, 180ls1 said:

Hmm, sounds like I really need to learn the area first before considering that. Were the deer coming in mornings and evenings usually?

Mostly mid morning - I would get in the blind at dark and leave at dark - like I said long days. One day I decided to get in later because a buck was coming in later - checked my camera and a big ol black bear had come in about 30 mins before I got there- the season was open.

I would freeze 8 water bottles and drink all of them and use them to cool me off.  Also a spare battery to charge the phone- download some movies - if you really lucky get cell service and surf the net all day. 

 

Good luck shoot me a PM if you want more info

[180ls1]

Are you all finding them more heavily on the north-facing slopes or not really?