Gut Pile Report post Posted August 6, 2011 Hi fellow CW members! I was biting my nails waiting to see if I was able grab a leftover tag ( Not drawn 1st go) and picked up a unit 29, Nov 25-Dec 1st hunt! Been reading up on the unit and the Chiri's and getting pretty stoked! 1st trip to the Chiricahuas, I usaully hunt 31 or there abouts. I know they've had the fires down there and I'm wondering if anybody knows if there are areas burned out not to bother scouting, as im gonna start heading down there bow hunting and looking around. Some Unit 29 buck photos would be some great motivation too !! Thanks and happy, safe hunting! G. Pile Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IHunt2live Report post Posted August 6, 2011 If you are concerned about scouting/hunting a burned area you will have a hard time finding a place to hunt. Nearly all the whitetail country in 29 was affected by the fire one way or another some areas were burnt bad while other areas it was just a low intensity fire. As far as the archery hunt. The forest is still closed and probably will be until it stops raining. Call the Douglas FS before you come to see if its open yet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gut Pile Report post Posted August 7, 2011 If you are concerned about scouting/hunting a burned area you will have a hard time finding a place to hunt. Nearly all the whitetail country in 29 was affected by the fire one way or another some areas were burnt bad while other areas it was just a low intensity fire. As far as the archery hunt. The forest is still closed and probably will be until it stops raining. Call the Douglas FS before you come to see if its open yet. Thanks IHUNT2LIVE, Very helpful info. I'll call the Douglas FS and watch the forest closures and ask about the burn. Ill have to get in there & put the boots to dirt a little more I guess to find some good habitat. Hard work = Big reward?.....we'll see in November ! Thanks again Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
couesdiehard Report post Posted August 8, 2011 Gut pile, You may also want to check out some of the maps of the burn here at Inciweb: http://www.inciweb.org/incident/maps/2225/0/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azmetalman Report post Posted August 8, 2011 Unit 29 landowner access can be difficult. I suggest that you contact the Unit 29 Game Manager for advice. In some cases foot access is given with permission. Be prepared for some serious climbing and long days. Do your homework now before you drive down there. Also check with the USFS in Tucson about road closures due to the fire. If you hunt down there....buy a lion tag. Good Luck. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dodger2 Report post Posted August 10, 2011 Gutpile, The Horseshoe 2 fire effected almost the entire unit. We lost our cabin in that fire and I have been down twice working on the cleanup (we have access permits for the cleanup/repair). There was a mosaic pattern to the burn. Some areas are TORCHED, others were ground cover burns, and there were others that weren't even touched. I was down two weeks ago and the areas that had a ground burn only were greener then any green that I have ever seen. Saw 11 deer on the main road driving out, saw 2 rattlesnakes as well. The unit isn't a total loss, but very little of it was not touched. I have the same tag that you have and have hunted down there for over a decade. There is definitely some promise, and almost every tank is completely full due to all the run off (flooding actually) since there isn't any ground cover. I am remaining as optimistic as possible about this season...there areas that I usually hunt aren't open yet and could be closed until October. Good Luck. I have found that the further you get away from the main roads the better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dodger2 Report post Posted August 10, 2011 <--------------- This picture is from Unit 29 from the 2010 hunt....this all burned...but haven't been able to get to it yet...still closed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mp_moody Report post Posted August 13, 2011 Fffffuuuuu....I have hunted 29 with leftover tags for the past two years, and have fallen in love with the unit. I saw my first non road kill lion out there, and plenty of black bears. Anyone know when the roads are going to open back up? I've been pouring over the maps, and it looks like Horseshoe Canyon on the east side, where I hunt, has burned. I may take a few days off this month and head down there, just to check out access, unless someone says otherwise. I'd hate to have to eat this $42.50 leftover tag I just got in the mail today, but I don't want to be stuck down the one or two intact canyons with 500 other hunters. Edit: some unit 29 pics From the 2009 hunt, my very first time out here. My buddy and I played weekend warrior and lucked out on Saturday morning by spotting a spike among some does. My buddy missed the shot, but we were hooked. During a scouting trip last year, I spotted a bear in this drainage just a few days before the bear season opened. Opening day, looking back at camp. My buddy's brother spotted a buck in this green drainage last year. He got away, but this was the very first buck we glassed in the unit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PRDATR Report post Posted August 13, 2011 Great pictures, thanks for posting them they bring back a lot of memories of when I hunted 29 back in th elate 80's and early 90's. We always camped in Mexican Camp and always found deer up high. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gut Pile Report post Posted September 5, 2011 Fffffuuuuu....I have hunted 29 with leftover tags for the past two years, and have fallen in love with the unit. I saw my first non road kill lion out there, and plenty of black bears. Anyone know when the roads are going to open back up? I've been pouring over the maps, and it looks like Horseshoe Canyon on the east side, where I hunt, has burned. I may take a few days off this month and head down there, just to check out access, unless someone says otherwise. I'd hate to have to eat this $42.50 leftover tag I just got in the mail today, but I don't want to be stuck down the one or two intact canyons with 500 other hunters. Edit: some unit 29 pics From the 2009 hunt, my very first time out here. My buddy and I played weekend warrior and lucked out on Saturday morning by spotting a spike among some does. My buddy missed the shot, but we were hooked. During a scouting trip last year, I spotted a bear in this drainage just a few days before the bear season opened. Opening day, looking back at camp. My buddy's brother spotted a buck in this green drainage last year. He got away, but this was the very first buck we glassed in the unit. Thanks for the pics and info. I went down for 3 days and only 2 roads open (42&74?). The rest of the roads should open I heard around Oct. 15th. I saw a couple small bucks, but couldn't get an ethical shot. I did, however, run in to some bears! Saw 3 bears total. Had to do a bunch of bushwhackin'. I'll be back down scouting, I'll try and post another report. Good Luck! G. Pile Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
