Unit 19A AZ Mule Deer (January)

[Campo]

Howdy all,

Two (pleasant) surprises in my life this week. First, my brother who has been in Saudi Arabia for the last ten years has moved back to Cottonwood, AZ! I have not seen him since 2009. Second surprise was that my wife green-lighted my going on an AZ mule deer hunt from January 1st-7th. Originally, I was planning on hunting Unit 22, and thus I have about two years of research and feel like I have a good handle on that unit. To make matters more rushed, I had not planned on hunting AZ until 2019.

That said, my brother lives closest to Unit 19A, and I would really love it if I could spend a bit of time with him. I have done a rushed batch of research into 19A (emails to AZGFD officers, google earth, onX, etc.) and hope to get more details as time rolls on.

Any tips, pointers, or general info. anyone would be willing to drop about this unit? I could reciprocate with information from Unit 80 and 81 in Colorado for elk and mule deer, if that would interest anyone (PM only, of course).

 

[BRTreedogs]

Sorry i don't have an info about Az specifically, but in general I would just hunt the unit you know. And hopefully plan a little extra time to go see your brother.
Or invite him to go with you.
Or just go pound the new unit worst that could happen is alot of bow hiking, and that's better than a good day at work.

 

[RoJo]

I wish I could help, I do not know 19A. But 22 is not that far!

Good luck!

 

[dmoto]

It's an "Any Antlered" hunt, so you'll also see the occasional coues. It has been very dry here for the last 3 months. Nothing like last year. Find the water and you'll find the deer. Quite a few water tanks spread throughout the unit. NE side of the unit does better than most other areas.

 

[neverquit]

I haven’t been to 19a at all this year but I’ve been hunting it in Jan aug for the last 5 years .

You won’t have a problem finding deer. I too prefer the north and north east sections.

 

[Campo]

Thanks for all the help everyone! Much appreciated!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ajkbruin]

I wish I could help, I do not know 19A. But 22 is not that far!

Good luck!

Hey Rojo my buddy and are flying out from CT and are looking at hunting 22. Ang advice you could give would be much appreciated. This is our first time hunting donkey deer and first time hunting desert. Thanks!

 

[RoJo]

If you are hunting mule deer, focus on the lower elevations. If you gain too much elevation, you will start to see mostly Coues. I have not been out kicking around the desert lately, but I have heard the rut is picking up steam.

Just get out there and glass!

 

[Ajkbruin]

Ok thanks! Just want to confirm that there are actually decent deer numbers there haha

 

[MuleyFever]

I was just in the unit for a week. I only saw a hand full of deer and one buck. I was not in the north most part of the unit though. The deer I did see were on the north end of Woodchute(sp?).

 

[bowuntr]

North end of woodchute is the north end of 19a... just sayin'. Ed F

 

[MuleyFever]

That's why I said I wasn't in the north MOST part, you know, by the river. There is a good 8 miles from where I was to the north boundary. Lots of room for deer to be, and where I was not. Just sayin'.