AZ OTC mulies

[RoJo]

Go here: https://portal.azgfd.stagingaz.gov/PortalImages/files/regs/mainregs.pdf

Jump to page 40, which is actually the 42nd page of the PDF. Look in the columns labeled as "Jan 1-15, 2017" and "Jan 1-31, 2017", all the ones with something in that column are open for that species on that date range. Boom!

All kinds of units open for OTC in January...just pay attention to the dates, and whether it says "Any Antlered Deer" or "Antlered Whitetail Only" or whatever.

 

[mfllood3800]

I've been in SW AZ for the past week hunting muleys.
Been on a great 4 pt and several smaller bucks.
These desert Muleys are not the same as the Utah Mtn Muleys.

These guys hear a twig break from a couple hundred yrds and its usually game over.

Been a great learning experience.
Hunted the river, the hay fields and the desert washes
Tracking deer in the desert is no easy task. Trying to sneak up on them is even harder- pretty wide open with little cover.
When I did find a decent feeding ground, it was packed with every hunter in the state.

SW AZ mule deer hunting, archery season is a blast and a pain.

I have one more night here to hunt.
I hunt early morning, go to work for a few hours and then hit the evening hunt.

Gotta head back to Utah in the AM, hoping to tag something tonight.

 

[Muley Buck]

I've been in SW AZ for the past week hunting muleys.
Been on a great 4 pt and several smaller bucks.
These desert Muleys are not the same as the Utah Mtn Muleys.

These guys hear a twig break from a couple hundred yrds and its usually game over.

Been a great learning experience.
Hunted the river, the hay fields and the desert washes
Tracking deer in the desert is no easy task. Trying to sneak up on them is even harder- pretty wide open with little cover.
When I did find a decent feeding ground, it was packed with every hunter in the state.

SW AZ mule deer hunting, archery season is a blast and a pain.

I have one more night here to hunt.
I hunt early morning, go to work for a few hours and then hit the evening hunt.

Gotta head back to Utah in the AM, hoping to tag something tonight.

I second all of this. It was my experience as well. Its tough but a hellluva lot of fun. I did not fill my tag (I'll be back in December). I'd like to see a picture of you and that 4 pt! Get on him and good luck!

 

[BruinPoint]

Here come the reality check posts LOL. It's a fun way to escape the "snow belt" but it ain't easy hunting. I don't know where the number came from but I've heard that on average only 1 AZ OTC archery buck is harvested for every 45-60 hunter days and from what I've seen that's the right ball park.

 

[bohntr]

This morning I was glassing up a few deer and caught the glimpse of an antler in a mesquite thicket in the bottom of a wash about a mile off. Since I'm heading home tomorrow, I decided I better get over and sneak on in to see exactly what he was. I was hoping he was king of the desert.

Well, as I crept in closer and closer, this guy stood up at 40 yards.....broadside! He had a bunch of does, but he was only a big ol' forked horn. "Mr. Forkie" is not the king of the desert. I managed to dig my camera out before he took off and snapped a few photos. One last hooray in the morning, then I'll be back in December.

 

[mfllood3800]

I had driven the morning herd into an area along the river where they could bed and feed with ease hoping to get on them tonight after work. When I got there another hunter was walking out of the area in disappointment mode. I waited for him and asked, did you see that big forky in there, his reply in amazement was Yea, he snorted and headed out. I was like, Thx dude. I didn't say anything cause it's public land, but I tried to manipulate the herd to my favor, and then it was boinked. Oh well.

I was set up on a hill glassing the other night, when another vehicle saw me. I then slipped down into a popular deer runway leading away from the feeding areas, and that guy knew what I was doing. He started his razor and drove back and forth in the area I was in. Right at 6:00.

Then there were other locals who put in for a draw, that spend time driving around the hot spots "scouting deer" during the Jan hunt.

It's like a circus out there.

I hunt the mountains in Utah and have seen 3 hunters in my prime area in the last 4 years.
There are 4 hunters here each night in AZ close enough smell each others cologne.

I've never seen such a cut throat group of hunters.
I lived here for 20 yrs, and it sure has changed with the influx of deer, fields and a decent spot.

One night a guy set up 10 yrds from me, I stepped out of the bush and said, "you can have the spot, I'll go down to the river".

Hoping to get back another day or so this month and then again in Dec if needed, so I can continue the game of:
"Use the other hunters to your advantage" and "remain ethical and godly in the face of idiots"

 

[bowuntr]

Quite the opposite for me... I've been out in the woods almost everyday since Christmas and have not seen any hunters off the roads. With all of the snow and then rain it's been a muddy fiasco... maybe everyone is staying home. I'm finding areas that are hard to get to and I can glass remote country, avoiding hunters. Basically, in Arizona if you see a buck near a road within glassing distance, it's likely you're not the only one who has seen it. I had a buddy out here the first week of January and we have been hunting different 120-130 bucks everyday. He almost got a good one yesterday. The big ones haven't showed up yet... rut is picking up.

I'm fortunate because I now live here and am retired... very fortunate. It's gonna take a good one for me to fill my tag in January. If I fill my tag now, I miss out on the draw and do not get to hunt Coues in August, which is my new passion. I'm being strong right now and am leaving my bow at home... until I find a good one. Another reason the Arizona January hunt is fun is because you can hunt Javalina. My buddy took his first one the other day.... Ed F

 

[mfllood3800]

Yea if I worked closer to a better area it would be cool. I'm hunting in area 43 a and b along the col river. I'm here working and trying to get some hunting in when possible.

Heading back to Ut today

 

[MuleyFever]

Bowuntr, you mentioned if you get one now you will miss the draw. This is a question I thought of the other day. If I kill a deer on this nonpermit tag am I done for the year, even from limited draw tags?

 

[sbcff15]

Yes. Arizona is one deer per year.


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[BruinPoint]

As I understand it you can only kill one deer per year but having a non-permit tag doesn't preclude you from the draw. In other words you can get 2 tags or a non-permit tag and a point, but your bag limit is one buck per year however that comes about.

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[mfllood3800]

Many guys forgo the Jan hunt in hopes to draw out for a permit tag, if that doesn't happen then they hunt in Dec with an OTC tag.

But if you buy the OTC tag for Jan, you cant draw any other deer tag for that year.

 

[bohntr]

You can buy an OTC tag in January......if you don't fill it, you CAN draw a tag in the upcoming draw. If you do arrow one in January, you can still buy a BP for deer.

 

[HuntHarder]

Living in this state, I would never not hunt January in hopes of drawing a deer tag in the draw. January is our best season by a longshot for bowhunting. Most of my buddies hunt January really hard, passing on many smaller bucks in hopes of tagging out on a giant. If you are not lucky enough to do that, you still have the draw, August archery and December archery.

 

[Muley Buck]

Living in this state, I would never not hunt January in hopes of drawing a deer tag in the draw. January is our best season by a longshot for bowhunting. Most of my buddies hunt January really hard, passing on many smaller bucks in hopes of tagging out on a giant. If you are not lucky enough to do that, you still have the draw, August archery and December archery.

That's pretty cool to have that much opportunity and back up tags/plans. And all out your back door to boot.

 

[mfllood3800]

I just sent this info to my nephew who explained the hunt reg's to me. I think he will be surprised to know this. Thx for the info Sliders

 

[bowuntr]

Missed a javalina at 15 yards with my recurve today... The deer rut is ramping up. A Rokslide buddy is staying with me this week and was within 30 yards of this guy... twice. Ed F

 

[Hntr86]

Here's a couple small bucks. Saw one good buck but he was too far and not in a good spot. The rest were small forkys and a busted up buck possibly a small 4pt.

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[dacd4134]

They're out there, boys. Just keep huntin'...

Not pictured is my hunting partner's forky. We doubled down within an hour of each other last week.

 

[Nomad]

If you hunted neked, you'd be almost invisible.