Guest sj Report post Posted July 27, 2003 I was drawn for the late unit 21 hunt and am very excited. This will be my first time hunting in unit 21. I have been looking at maps and reading about hikes in the unit. The Pine Mountain wilderness area sounds like a good place to start. I read that the west side of the wilderness area burned in 89. People always talk about going to old burn areas to look for deer/elk. Would that hold true on an area that burned 14 years ago? Has anyone been here? How big of an area burnt? For those of you who have hunted this unit in Dec., how many hunters are around this wilderness area? It sounds like access can be tough in some areas? What is your overall take on the wilderness area? (hunting/non-hunting) It sounds like there is some great hikes in there, hopefully I will be able to hike some of them before deer season. SJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coueshunter Report post Posted July 28, 2003 Naturally a burn area is a great food source after the burn and the grass starts coming in. I would say a 14 year old burn would be like a clear cut and still be a prime food source as long as it isnt choked with brush. I havent hunted this unit so I am just throwing out generalities but would think you should glass your butt off on S.E. facing slopes at first light and of course get up high. I would scout the burn area and see what you see then hit it hard if you find deer. Again, glassing is the key.............. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rembrant Report post Posted July 29, 2003 SJ, I am not familiar with Pine Mountain or the old burn, but I have hunted 21 a few times. Sure, burns are always good, and there was another significant burn in the same general area, what, a year and a half or 2 years ago? You should give these burns a good look. Here is an over simplification of 21; it is in 2 chunks:#1) the top of the Verde drainage West to I17 (the entire length of the unit), and #2) the steep side of the Verde Drainage from the top to the river (the entire length of the unit). Chunk #1 (the top) is full of small canyons and big hills and some very large coues have come out of there, yet this is where all of the roads are and there will be an orange vest on every good point. Chunk #2 is where the people aren't, and by the way, don't coues deer like steep terrain? This is REALLY BIG country. A common problem is finding a shooter and not being able to get within 400 yds. Another common problem is knowing where this shooter lives, but you gotta hike back out to get back to your camp before midnight because you didn't backpack in! Two or three days of this and then you are hunting in Chunk #1 with everybody else cause you are tore up. The biggest Coues buck I have ever seen on the hoof was in unit 21 (chunk #2). He had gooned me before I saw him at 700 yds and never saw him again. Scout like a madman. Look for ridges that are close enough to shoot across. Be willing to go deep off the top. If you find where you want to hunt before season, pre-hike water in there, you'll be glad you did. 21 does not have a zillion deer, but the genetics are exciting, Good Luck! Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GRONG Report post Posted August 15, 2003 Ya it burned in '89 but it REALLY burned in 2000 on the northern end of the wilderness. You should really scout hard in 21 is all I can say. I hunt there all the time and there isn't any easy part of 21. Josh Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
