Beautiful Country

[coues7]

I had to go down to Hereford AZ (which is between Sierra Vista and Bisbee) this morning.....what beautiful country. It looks like coues deer heaven with lots of Border Patrol angels

 

The Huachuca Mountains (I assume that's what they are are georgous. Any one hunt the area? How do you get access?

[billrquimby]

I don't know about access now, but years ago one of the US Fish and Wildlife Service guys working on Fort Huachuca got permission for us to drive to the fort's southern border, as high as you can get on the mountain. We climbed the fence and entered the Coronado National Forest. I jumped a very good buck about a quarter mile down into a canyon, but missed three shots at it! I hunted near the fort's West entrance twice after that and killed a couple of average bucks. (There are quite a few mule deer the closer you get to the fort's gate.) I also did a bit of Mearns quail hunting off the road past Parker Canyon Lake on the way to the Coronado Memorial and saw whitetails in the low grasslands/oak country below the mountain every time I went there. I was surprised to see how many javelinas and whitetails were in that easy, open country. Don't know much more about the Huachucas. Sorry. Maybe someone else has more recent info.

 

Bill Q

[peloncillo]

I hunted there years ago also. I was in Hunter canyon with access off of hwy 92. It was good hunting if I remember correctly three of the four of us got good bucks.

One of the largest bodied coues I have ever seen was actually down in the san pedro river bottom. He had great massive antlers also but was just a two point.

 

Keven

[DotShot]

I can tell you this about Ft Huachuca, if you are not active military, Guard, or Reserve or retired military you cannot hunt on Ft Huachuca . I know this only because i am active duty military (soon to be retired ) and wanted to put my dad and 2 brothers in with me for a Dec whitetail hunt on Ft Huachuca and could not do it. I have heard from a co-worker who hunted there last December, there is a good population of Coues and some mulies as well.

[AZP&Y]

Coues 7,

There is good access from the Parker Canyon Lake trail, which utilizes the Arizona Trail. You can also access this from Coronado National Monument, which is the southern end of the Huachucas. Over near parker Canyon trail head you can take the foot trail up to Scotia or Sunnyside Canyon. I have attached a link regarding the trail head GPS coordinates. The trail keeps you off the Military base and is entirely on PUBLIC LAND- Coronado National Forest. When you are within the Coronado National Monument boundaries this applies:

"hunting is not permitted within the Memorial, nor are firearms unless securely stored to prevent their use. "

 

If you are up in the mountains chances are you will see traffic and also tons of discarded clothing and plastic bottles etc. Oh and yes there are some sweet bucks in them hills. Also enough Gould's turkey to make your head spin.

(southern Access point below)

The Crest Trail is the beginning of the AZ trail and provides foot access.

CREST TRAIL: 5.3 miles one way to Miller Peak; Elevations: 6575 feet to 9456 feet at Miller Peak. The trailhead is across the road at the northeast end of the Montezuma Pass parking area. The trail climbs for 2 miles to the northwestern boundary of the Memorial. There it enters Coronado National Forest and continues along the crest of the Huachuca Mountains to the turnoff for Miller Peak, the highest peak in the Huachucas. The trail passes through an area that once saw much turn-of-the-century mining activity.

 

 

Arizona Trail - Huachuca Mountains

http://www.aztrail.org/passages/pass_01.html

 

Enjoy be careful and it's worth the walk up there.

AzP&Y

 

** Here's a pic shot from Miller Peak at 9,400 - lookin' south into old Mexico!

** Second picture is of an old fire on the north side of the mountain range..