Arizona Muley Rut

Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
81
Location
LA
For any folks who live in AZ, or hunted the rut in December/January. Would you say that for second week in January (1/8-1/15) I should be looking more at units in Southern part of state? Region V specifically. I was doing some research on unit 22, 27 and 28 but after reading few articles I was wondering if I need to look further south than 22 and 27. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance
 

hunter325

FNG
Joined
Dec 25, 2018
Messages
86
Location
Loraine, TX
My son and I hunted units 34 and 36 the first week of January 2020 , we hunted for 10 days and I don't feel like the rutting activity started picking up until the last few days we were there. Not sure about other units but that's all I can tell you about where we were. Good luck with your hunt!
 
OP
GeauxBackcountry
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
81
Location
LA
My son and I hunted units 34 and 36 the first week of January 2020 , we hunted for 10 days and I don't feel like the rutting activity started picking up until the last few days we were there. Not sure about other units but that's all I can tell you about where we were. Good luck with your hunt!
Thank you thats very helpful
 
OP
GeauxBackcountry
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
81
Location
LA
My son and I hunted units 34 and 36 the first week of January 2020 , we hunted for 10 days and I don't feel like the rutting activity started picking up until the last few days we were there. Not sure about other units but that's all I can tell you about where we were. Good luck with your hunt!
What was the weather like for you guys hunting out there in January?
 

sgibson

FNG
Joined
Oct 13, 2020
Messages
28
The past couple years 27 has been great around that time frame. I've been out on probably those same dates the past 2 years and have gotten into pretty hard rutting bucks.
 
Joined
Jul 1, 2017
Messages
28
Location
Morenci az
27 ranges so much in elevation the weather swings a lot I’ve seen it up into the 40s and 50s and all the way down to single digits. 28 usually stays pretty good for the most part highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s usually. If you want some more info message me


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Joined
Dec 19, 2017
Messages
15
Location
SW / USA
Southern units are wide open desert landscape with elevation changes allowing great glassing

22 Mix of open low land terrain and rock mountain

27 Difficult long range glassing opportunity's with plenty of wooded tree cover
 

Aortiz99

FNG
Joined
Nov 10, 2022
Messages
13
Location
Austin, Texas
Hunted 37b, 33 and 22 last year from Jan. 1st-12th. The last couple days were the best rut activity we saw by far.
I'm hunting 37b this January from Jan. 15 - 19th. From what I've heard the temperature can range quite a bit but do you have any thoughts in particular on what I should be able to expect? Other than almost no chance of rain...
 

mavinwa2

WKR
Joined
Sep 11, 2018
Messages
528
Location
Res WA ST, winter>Gilbert AZ , NR>AZ, UT, NM, CO.
remember all to check the AZFG updates. Lots of changes to OTC archery deer tags, seasons and NR restrictions now too!

Due to changes in 2022 OTC archery deer regulations & mandatory harvest reporting, all OTC units have a harvest quota assigned. Many units, mostly near Flagstaff area, are not open for either the December 2022 or January 2023 rut seasons. AS the harvest quota was achieved in these units during the early Aug-Sept seasons. This harvest reached quota has also closed the very popular muley units 1 and 27 as well.
AZFG considers the OTC archery deer season as Aug/Sept , December and JANUARY of the FOLLOWING YEAR.


As a unit has achieved harvest quota, the AZFG will close the season on the Wednesday AFTER quota is reached. Many south units have separate quotas for Coues or Muleys.

link to updates on OTC archery deer harvests:

11/27/2022 excerpt for example:
2022-2023 OTC ARCHERY DEER HARVEST LIMIT AND UNIT CLOSURES
UNITSOPEN SEASONSLEGAL WILDLIFEHARVEST LIMIT# HARVESTED# REMAININGSEASON STATUSCLOSED AS OF SUNDOWN ON:
1Aug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022Any Antlered Deer35530CLOSEDWednesday, August 24, 2022
2A, 2B, and 2CAug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022Any Antlered Deer541CLOSEDThursday, September 8, 2022
3BAug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022Any Antlered Deer550CLOSEDWednesday, August 31, 2022
4AAug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022 and Dec 9, 2022 - Jan 31, 2023Any Antlered Deer523OPEN (CHECK SEASON DATES)
4BAug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022 and Dec 9, 2022 - Jan 31, 2023Any Antlered Deer1082OPEN (CHECK SEASON DATES)
5A and 5BAug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022 and Dec 9, 2022 - Jan 31, 2023Any Antlered Deer25340CLOSEDWednesday, September 7, 2022
6AAug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022 and Dec 9, 2022 - Jan 31, 2023Antlered Mule Deer25340CLOSEDWednesday, August 31, 2022
6AAug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022 and Dec 9, 2022 - Jan 31, 2023Antlered Whitetail Deer20137OPEN (CHECK SEASON DATES)
6B (excluding Camp Navajo)Aug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022 and Dec 9, 2022 - Jan 31, 2023Antlered Mule Deer20240CLOSEDWednesday, August 31, 2022
6B (excluding Camp Navajo)Aug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022 and Dec 9, 2022 - Jan 31, 2023Antlered Whitetail Deer523OPEN (CHECK SEASON DATES)
7 and 9Aug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022 and Dec 9, 2022 - Jan 31, 2023Any Antlered Deer65680CLOSEDWednesday, September 7, 2022
8Aug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022 and Dec 9, 2022 - Jan 31, 2023Antlered Mule Deer15150CLOSEDWednesday, August 31, 2022
8Aug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022 and Dec 9, 2022 - Jan 31, 2023Antlered Whitetail Deer514OPEN (CHECK SEASON DATES)
10Aug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022 and Dec 9, 2022 - Jan 31, 2023Any Antlered Deer251015OPEN (CHECK SEASON DATES)
 
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mavinwa2

WKR
Joined
Sep 11, 2018
Messages
528
Location
Res WA ST, winter>Gilbert AZ , NR>AZ, UT, NM, CO.
27Aug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022Antlered Mule Deer55650CLOSED
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
27 and 28Aug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022 and Dec 9, 2022 - Jan 31, 2023Antlered Whitetail Deer503416OPEN (CHECK SEASON DATES)
28Aug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022 and Dec 9, 2022 - Jan 31, 2023Antlered Mule Deer50446OPEN (CHECK SEASON DATES)



24AAug 19, 2022 - Sept 8, 2022 and Dec 9, 2022 - Jan 31, 2023Antlered Mule Deer560CLOSEDWednesday, August 31, 2022
 

S.Clancy

WKR
Joined
Jan 28, 2015
Messages
2,310
Location
Montana
I'm hunting 37b this January from Jan. 15 - 19th. From what I've heard the temperature can range quite a bit but do you have any thoughts in particular on what I should be able to expect? Other than almost no chance of rain...
We got snow to 70 degrees down there. I would say average was lows around freezing, highs in low 60s
 

Turkeygetpwnd38

WKR
Classified Approved
Joined
Aug 11, 2017
Messages
2,428
Location
Florida
Hunted 37b, 33 and 22 last year from Jan. 1st-12th. The last couple days were the best rut activity we saw by far.
☝️☝️ same experience last few years, that first week is a bit slow unless looking for coues. Check regs, a lot of changes.
*** just realized this was an old thread, picking prime dates might be a thing of the past with quotas
 

mavinwa2

WKR
Joined
Sep 11, 2018
Messages
528
Location
Res WA ST, winter>Gilbert AZ , NR>AZ, UT, NM, CO.
With the new OTC archery deer changes in AZ, much doubt whether there will ever be an opportunity to hunt late December/January rutting muley bucks again in the main units around Flagstaff and the eastern AZ border units. The AZ residents harvest the younger bucks and fill up the harvest quota fast, as evidenced in the August season this year. And future mandatory hunter reporting is around the corner for rifle hunters too. This new data will certainly change the number of buck permits for rifle seasons.
Kiss the trophy rut hunt goodbye in units 27, 1, 8, 9, 7, all of 6, 5, 4 & 3...
...now just part of the good ol' days gone by.

Perhaps AZFG will add draw permits for archery hunting those units for trophy opportunity in December & January.
 

bohntr

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
741
Location
White Mountains of Arizona
With the new OTC archery deer changes in AZ, much doubt whether there will ever be an opportunity to hunt late December/January rutting muley bucks again in the main units around Flagstaff and the eastern AZ border units. The AZ residents harvest the younger bucks and fill up the harvest quota fast, as evidenced in the August season this year. And future mandatory hunter reporting is around the corner for rifle hunters too. This new data will certainly change the number of buck permits for rifle seasons.
Kiss the trophy rut hunt goodbye in units 27, 1, 8, 9, 7, all of 6, 5, 4 & 3...
...now just part of the good ol' days gone by.

Perhaps AZFG will add draw permits for archery hunting those units for trophy opportunity in December & January.
It shows how much you truly know about this subject, as most of the units you listed have never been offered during the rut period (Dec/Jan) for archery anyways. Nothing lost or gained in this area.
 
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