Hunting in 36C

[circlet]

Hello, I drew a 36c tag for late december. I am not familliar with the area. I was reading in this forum about the possible dangers of hunting in 34A&B, Is this a problem in 36C also. I have hunted lots of other species but this will be my first coues deer hunt. I would like to do this hunt myself, but am considering a guide. Can someone give me a idea of the chance of success on a do it yourself hunt. I hunt very hard and am willing to backpack in if neccessary? I would appreciate any advice on hunting coues deer, since its all new to me....Thanks

[azpackhorse]

Illegal traffic is very much a problem in 36c, I would not advise camping alone down there. As far as deer goes, just get close to the hills and you will see deer.

My buddy drew the same December tag and I will be in there in October with my son trying to get him his first Coues buck.

 

Good luck on your hunt.

[Arizona Griz]

You better keep an eye out at all times. They are as thick there as anywhere.

[coueshunter]

That is a good tag. I hunt that unit but have never drawn the late hunt. Last season there were some real nice deer taken by Duwane Adams camp. They shot a 120". If you want a good guide call him. 520-385-4995. If you are trying to do it yourself, the best advice would be to get in the unit as many times as you can, figure out access to areas that others will not be in. Make sure you have good 15x bino's, tripod and pack into areas that will have less people. Look up the unit on the AZGFD website, buy the BLM map "Sells" and start looking. The maps for the unit are not real good, they dont have forest service maps, its state land. There is access but you must drive around and learn it. The unit goes all the way to Mexico and be careful when you are close to the border because you can cross over a couple cattle guards and be in Mexico without knowing it. I was in there two years ago and didnt realize how far south I went. When you look up at the end of the day and see the lights of Sasabe NORTH of your position, it is a horrible feeling. I had my young son with me and hauled butt out of there. Anyway, know where you are at and keep your eyes open for drug runners out there. They will be the two/three guys together with backpacks hoofing it north. Best of luck..............Allen Taylor........

[Red Rabbit]

The AZG&F web site has nicely listed the access mileposts along the Sasabe Highway. You drew a great tag. Have a good hunt.

 

http://www.gf.state.az.us/h_f/hunting_units_36c.shtml

[JACK]

I was in the same position as you last year.I had never been in that unit either but

I did alot of scouting and all that stuff, and we saw a ton of deer. The best advice I can give is that the higher we got the less deer we saw. oh yeah and be patcient

there are a lot of good bucks down there! I left my camp set up all season and never had a problem, I never even saw an illegal but still be carefull good luck!

[azcouesandelk]

I hunted that unit for deer last November and javelina for the last 3 years and have seen alot of big bucks but was unable to tag my first coues. There are alot of big bucks on the hills and on the flats so just sit there and glass.

[azpackhorse]

I went out there last night to do some scouting and saw a few deer before we got hit with a big storm, I also saw one illegal standing in the middle of the road waiting for a ride.....he pert near got tire tracks on him!

The trash is as bad as ever and the grass is tall and green, should be one helluva season this year.

I'll be back down there this weekend with my video camera,leicas,.45 Sig, and AR15........looking for bucks. Don't let anyone fool you, the threat from drug runners and smugglers is real and should not be taken lightly.

[coueshunter]

I agree with packhorse. I dont want to offend anyone but if you dont see illegals and lots of border patrol vehicles in and around 36c then you are not in the unit. There is trash from before buckhorn ranch all the way to the border. I wont spell out all the roads I hunt in and around but I found one body two years ago, call www.arizonahunterswhocare.com and see how many pounds of trash they picked up this past season, around 20 tons. This trash doesnt get there by itself. You dont need to be overly paranoid, but you must be cautious. My partner had two trucks come into his camp south of brown canyon last year at midnight with radio blarring, probably for a coyote pick up of hidden illegals. Nothing happened, the truck backed out, but this is all honest advice and I spend a bit of time in there, know a few guides that do as well and you just need to be cautious and camp next to other hunters............Allen.

[25-06]

Be cautious is right...Along with common sence goes along ways...Just remember the drug runners and smugglers have nothen to loose It's nothen for them to sneak up to your tent in the middle of the night, to do what ever it takes to get a truck from you " quick gettawy "...Like azpackhorse said AR15 and a SIG.45 aint a bad idea.

[JACK]

I agree with packhorse.  I dont want to offend anyone but if you dont see illegals and lots of  border patrol vehicles in and around 36c then you are not in the unit.  There is trash from before buckhorn ranch all the way to the border.  I wont spell out all the roads I hunt in and around but I found one body two years ago, call www.arizonahunterswhocare.com and see how many pounds of trash they picked up this past season, around 20 tons.  This trash doesnt get there by itself.  You dont need to be overly paranoid, but you must be cautious.  My partner had two trucks come into his camp south of brown canyon last year at midnight with radio blarring, probably for a coyote pick up of hidden illegals.  Nothing happened, the truck backed out, but this is all honest advice and I spend a bit of time in there, know a few guides that do as well and you just need to be cautious and camp next to other hunters............Allen.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No offence taken .............but mabey you can tell me what unit I was in then...... I was hunting about 20-30 miles south of Three Points and west of highway 286 in

the Baboquivari mountian range.....any information you could give me would be great.........So how far south of Three Points is the buckhorn ranch ? I hunted in on the Elkhorn ranch a few days but I didn't go down much further than that so mabey I missed it. Is it a good place to hunt?........ I never said that I didn't see the Border Patrol or truck loads of trash either all I said I that I never saw or had any problems with an illegal's, and I belive I also said"but youstill need to be carefull good luck!"

[coueshunter]

I said buckhorn, but meant Elkhorn. From your Elkhorn ranch road you have about 30 or more miles till sasabe. That is alot of area. As an example there is a ranch at 4 miles north of the border called Santa Margarita, this is where I found a body. There has been alot of crossers coming through this area and then they disperse out by the time they get to Elkhorn. Many of the border crossers go west into the Reservation. You should just be careful. Wasnt arguing with you Jack, just providing info for anyone who goes down there. The problems arent limited to one hunting unit, they have moved further west from Nogales because of the increase in Border patrol and the baboquivari mountains make it tougher for the border patrol to watch...............Allen..

[CNE ELK]

I am new also to this board. This is my first time post. I hunted in 36C about 5 years ago. That was my first time in the unit. I remember the border patrol was very visible. I can only imagine the increase in the number of agents. I hiked high into the mountains and didn't see any illegals, but again this was 5 years ago. I also remember that even back then there was a lot of trash in the flats. I would hope that the illegals stay in the flats where it is easier walking. I am excited about getting into this unit. 5 years ago it was in Oct. This year it is in Dec. Hopefully more deer activity and they will be "easier" to find. Planning on using my .243 Last time there I remember taking 350+ yard shots. I will be come a regular at Ben Avery shooting range as the season approaches. I also have a new set of 15X56 Swarovskis to use. I am getting the tripod this fall. I also am using the time between now and Dec. to lose some extra poundage and condition my self. Dec will be here before I know it. Best I can remember is that the terrain goes uphill from Sasbe Road. Good to listen to you guys on the board. Hope to become a regular.

[stanley]

Allen & Brian have given good advice.

 

You should try to help out at the October 22nd Ranch Clean-up down there. It's a good opportunity to help-out and get a little scouting info in as well.

 

Awesome tag, good luck!

 

S.

 

[bullwidgeon]

I spent the last 2 days across the street in A. I saw 70 something deer, 40 something illegals, 4 burned out and trashed trucks, and 2 gigantic bails of something being packed around by 2 guys with a gun. I also glassed up 0 Border Patrol agents that were not on pavement and sitting in their trucks. To be fair, it had rained quite a bit, it was hot and the bugs were bad. Had I not had a deer tag I wouldn't have been out of my truck hiking around in that crap either. I also wouldn't want to get one of those shiny new government trucks muddy or maybe even stuck in some of those washes down there. I even tryed to flag one down on the Arivaca Highway last night to point out in my binos on my tripod the magical moving bails up on the ridge above me. The agent smiled, waved and never hit the brakes. His shift must have just ended or maybe his buddy was buying beers down at the Longhorn in Amado either way he had someplace else to be. If you ain't seeing illegals you ain't glassing hard enough or your lost and in a Northern unit. On the positive side, horn growth should be good this year and that country has more water than it can hold right now. Good luck

 

Bret M.