AZ OTC archery deer

[Tbob]

Well I scored a few days off from work this week. Heading back out to AZ and trying to fill my tag I bought in August.. It's about a 7 hour dive to my camp and I couldn't be more excited to go (I'm currently living in San Diego for another 8 months). I'm leaving Thursday after work and will have all day Fri/sat/sun to hunt and gotta head home early Monday morning.. This will be my 2nd time hunting in AZ for mule deer.. I saw a few does on my 3 day hunt in sept, but no bucks. I'm going to move my camp about 4 miles further into this canyon and give it a go.. Super stoked to be getting out. I was hoping a buddy was gonna join me, but he couldn't get the days off of work.. Solo trip it is!
    I had a mt lion walk though my camp in sept while I was enjoying a camp fire one night.. It was making the craziest noises. At first I thought it was a woman screaming as she was walking to my camp... Super spooky. Hoping that doesn't happen again this time out..

[Bean Counter]

You should have good weather. No rain (in case you want to sit on water holes) and mild temps whilst the suckas up north are bundled in parkas 

I believe mountain lion tags are only $14 for residents and non-residents alike. That should keep them out of sight    I've seen four in the years i've lived here, the last of which was a 20 yard stare down, just below the top of a mountain.

[CAMPMEAT]

What unit ? I'm in 34 A/36 B. Right in between on highway 19.

[WAcoueshunter]

I believe mountain lion tags are only $14 for residents and non-residents alike. That should keep them out of sight    I've seen four in the years i've lived here, the last of which was a 20 yard stare down, just below the top of a mountain.

Unfortunately that's not the case, $75 for NRs.  With the number of lions they have down there, you'd think they'd make an exception to the standard NR markup for cats.  Seems like someone in our group sees a cat pretty much every time I hunt in AZ. 

[Bean Counter]

$75? That's madness 

Reminds me of either ID or MT (whichever it was) that was charging an exhorbitant amount for NR wolf tags

[CAMPMEAT]

I've seen around 10 Couse in 4 months. 1 cougar, 1 fox, 1 coyote, bunch of Roadrunners so far.

[Tbob]

Can't wait...
    So I'll be in unit 18b.. I was going to grab a lion tag last time I was out and just forgot.. If I happen across a store where I can buy one on my way out, I'll probably grab one, but there are no walmarts along my way so I'll just have to keep an eye out for a small outdoors type store.. 75 isn't too bad, but not sure if I'd have the time to swing by a FnG office to have the hide sealed if I actually got one.. so I may just skip it this time.. Lemme tell you though, those things make some crazy noises that you'd swear was a woman screaming in agony. So crazy!

[Tbob]

Weather report is saying rain on Friday and then cold and sunny on Sat/sun.

[Tbob]

So can I expect to be seeing some pre-rut behavior from the mule deer this time of year or am I still a little early ? I was planning on using the same strategy as in sept, get up high and glass, glass and then glass some more.. Thoughts? Thanks.

[WAcoueshunter]

I would think they'd be getting started about now.  The late coues hunts just started, to coincide with the first part of the rut, and the desert mule deer should be on roughly the same schedule.  The first late coues tag I had, I hunted the middle of December and they were going bonkers.  Got my buck on 12/17, as he and a buddy chased a hot doe on a flat out run across the hillside in front of me. 

Maybe you're a little early, but you won't know if you don't go find out.  Be sure to give us a report!  And good luck!   

[Tbob]

Awesome! Thanks man! I'll definitely update ya when I get back.

[ELKBURGER]

Good luck to you! Post up a story and pics when you get back

[lamrith]

I've seen around 10 Couse in 4 months. 1 cougar, 1 fox, 1 coyote, bunch of Roadrunners so far.

I hunted 34a Oct 2015, we had deer 1st night and then nothing after that.  Wishing I had dropped the hammer on the second spike after my step dad dropped the 1st one.  Got greedy and ate a tag for it.

Those Coues are pretty amazing at hiding in plain sight sometimes.

[Tbob]

Don't worry man, I'd have done the same thing. 
This trip, I'm hoping to take anything legal (any buck deer). Freezer is awfully empty..

[edsudac]

I'm jealous.  34A is my old stomping grounds and really miss the late bow season for coues and desert mulies in that  unit and other southern AZ areas.  Don't overlook the flats below Elephant Head.  There's some hammer mulies in that lower country with minimal hunting pressure....stay low in the ocitillos for the coues as well..they should be chasing hard when you get there.  One other thing...watch out for drug runners and other illegals that run those hills hard.  Make sure your gear is packed up and locked when you leave camp.  If you want some hints or advice on some areas shoot me a PM.  Good luck and let us know how you do.