This drone aerial view of typical western Arizona desert terrain will give you a good idea should you consider the late AZ OTC archery mule deer hunt. The desert washes, flat top mesas, arroyos, ridgelines and desert mountains can produce a good hunt. Observe the game trails, how rainfall/monsoon drains through, see types of trees, cacti and shrubbery. The December-January hunts can be very cold at night (low 20's) with daytime highs in the 60-70 deg F range. Even in winter, locating water sources are still a main key.
This video footage by drone was filmed in early April, well after the closure of archery hunt season. Using, flying a drone to scout, film or assist in any way hunting DURING an active open hunting season is illegal by AZFGD regulations...as it should be.
I've hunted each of the past 19 years as NR in Arizona, all archery with compound bow. From the Mogollon Rim high country, Seligman/Aubrey Cliffs plains/desert area, Arivaca>Gila Bend's southern desert (coues & muleys), to the alpine conifers of unit 27. Observed many changes over those 19 years, but a dedicated archer-hunter can still be very successful in such open areas of the desert. State and BLM lands, national forests offer a plethora of public land to hunt for the late OTC archery deer season in Arizona.
