Arizona Unit 8 & 19A

[Upchurch_k]

Headed back to Arizona in December since I was unsuccessful on my January 2020 OTC hunt. Unfortunately the unit that I hunted in January doesn't have a December season so we're headed to new territory. I've been e-scouting the units mentioned in the title pretty hard. I like the different topography between them, right now I'm focusing on the Western edge of Unit 8 near Dutch Kid Knoll/Jack Ass Knoll.

The problem is I won't be able to scout in person before the hunt, can anyone tell me what the actual topography is like:

• Is this an area that is glassable?
• How are the roads getting in and out that time of year?
• Does it get hunted hard?

 

[marktole]

I have hunted 8 and 19A.

I do not know the area you are specifically referencing to tell you if its glassable.

Roads are good that time of year IF its dry. Its a nightmare if its wet from snow or rain. One year I was down there I walked around with 10# of mud on each boot for a week. Roads were slicker than snot.

It gets the living piss hunted out of it in January, especially on weekends. I have never been there in December to compare. When I was there this past January I have never seen so many other hunters on the roads AND in places I thought I'd have to myself, even after some work to get there. There is an RV/camper city about every 3 miles along the road, quads and ATV's stacked in there thick.

Now, all that being said, if you are willing to work hard to find the deer, you will find the deer. I have found that they hide in really specific places to get away from hunter pressure. And when you find them, you usually find a lot of them. Comparing the two, 19A probably receives less pressure, at least in my experience.

 

[FullValue]

It's a good area, the Knoll's you speak of give a great glassing vantage point you can see a long ways. There are a lot of areas you can get up a take a look around. The roads the main ones anyways are usually accessible though they can get heavy amounts of snow. It's kind of a clay type mud so depending on how much moister they get will depend on how the roads are. There will be a lot of traffic for sure, most of it will be road hunters, there are a lot of roads and they get hammered. Not too many get out of their vehicles unless they see something off the road. There are several loop roads that will have people on them all the time. You are close to 19a from where you want to be, jump on hwy 89 and you are there in 20 minutes. The dirty Verde separates the two units in that area there is deer in both.

 

[Upchurch_k]

It's a good area, the Knoll's you speak of give a great glassing vantage point you can see a long ways. There are a lot of areas you can get up a take a look around. The roads the main ones anyways are usually accessible though they can get heavy amounts of snow. It's kind of a clay type mud so depending on how much moister they get will depend on how the roads are. There will be a lot of traffic for sure, most of it will be road hunters, there are a lot of roads and they get hammered. Not too many get out of their vehicles unless they see something off the road. There are several loop roads that will have people on them all the time. You are close to 19a from where you want to be, jump on hwy 89 and you are there in 20 minutes. The dirty Verde separates the two units in that area there is deer in both.

Thanks for the input guys, how was the cell reception in that area? I have AT&T, when we were in the previous unit in January I didn't get any signal. We had to drive roughly 30 minutes one way to check in with the wives at night.

 

[FullValue]

I use Verizon, it can be hit or miss not sure on AT&T but I could usually find a spot without too much trouble. It's a little better on that side of the unit only because there are more open spots as your not in as heavy timber..

 

[Upchurch_k]

I use Verizon, it can be hit or miss not sure on AT&T but I could usually find a spot without too much trouble. It's a little better on that side of the unit only because there are more open spots as your not in as heavy timber..

I appreciate that, thanks for the info.

 

[walkercanales10]

It's a good area, the Knoll's you speak of give a great glassing vantage point you can see a long ways. There are a lot of areas you can get up a take a look around. The roads the main ones anyways are usually accessible though they can get heavy amounts of snow. It's kind of a clay type mud so depending on how much moister they get will depend on how the roads are. There will be a lot of traffic for sure, most of it will be road hunters, there are a lot of roads and they get hammered. Not too many get out of their vehicles unless they see something off the road. There are several loop roads that will have people on them all the time. You are close to 19a from where you want to be, jump on hwy 89 and you are there in 20 minutes. The dirty Verde separates the two units in that area there is deer in both.

Is it possible to cross the Verde if needed? I too will be in the area in December, and have been looking at hunting the south portion of 8/northern 19A

 

[bowuntr]

Is it possible to cross the Verde if needed? I too will be in the area in December, and have been looking at hunting the south portion of 8/northern 19A

Perkinsville Rd has a bridge. Ed F

 

[Carpenterant]

There’s some pockets of coues in 8 and 19a. Don’t know much about the specific area you’re asking about but good glassing in both. Some parts of 19a I gave up on for archery because it’s so full of gambels oak and manzanita my current skills wont allow me to sneak up on anything in that stuff. The verde isn’t much on the west side of Mingus mountain, mostly a canyon. Always seem to be a ton of people out with bows opening weekend in December.

 

[west_of_zero]

Bill Williams wilderness area, where them knolls are, was closed all summer and fall this year. Likely it'll be full of deer pushed there from hunting pressure of the earlier hunts. And will also be absolutely packed w fellow hunters

 

[VegasMike]

I’ve been through unit 8 numerous times in the summer months and hunted it once in August (packed with hunters and campers). Decided to check it out this weekend for the opener. Holy shit balls there were tons on hunters camped at every pull off and out driving the roads. Didn’t see anyone actually getting out of their trucks though as usual. Found some elk at the tanks at last light but no deer and the only fresh sign I saw were from people lol. The area is very thick and glassing spots are tough to come by. That area seems really tough to hunt without game cams tree stands and blinds. I hear there are some nice bucks in there if you can find em though I’ll retreat to my glass-able and stalkable areas. Good luck to everyone with the Dec & Jan OTC tags!

 

[bowuntr]

8 is a shitshow... I found a 30" buck in a secleded area. There are now two big camps in his backyard. They are starting to rut right now... Ed F

 

[walkercanales10]

Does it usually stay this crowded throughout the season or is it just because the season just opened?

 

[west_of_zero]

This is no doubt the most crowded i've seen 8. As mentioned above, it is indeed a shitshow. Guessing the whole season will be crowded prob bc of a few reasons: 1. pandemic, 2. BW mountain corridor, where everyone knows the bucks are was closed this past fall/summer for fire abatement..everyone also knows the deer have probably been hiding out there all year, 3. unit 7 hunters are probably down here too bc they don't have a winter season this year