Please help. I got drawn this year for a cow elk hunt in unit 10 (unable to go), and a 36a coues hunt coming up this week. I have never hunted that area before, and I have had no chance to go scout out the area. No, I am not lazy. My wife just gave birth to our first child last week (reason I could not go on my elk hunt...It sucks to waste a tag) and as of 1 nov. I am an unemployed airline pilot for that shit bag US Airways (AWA was a lot better). So, needless to say things have been hecktick sp? I am going down this sunday, and I have no idea where to look, camp, hunt etc. Any help would be appreciated.

Mark

Fellow AR member Tony Mandile "Outdoor Writer" is quite the authority on Arizona Coues deer. If he doesn't see this and respond I would PM him. Here's his web site also: www.tonymandile.com

Our Arizona Game and Fish Dept. may be of help. Call and ask to be connected to the officer in that unit. They have helped us with locating game in unfamiliar units with several youth hunts over the years.

Good Luck on your hunt and congrats on your new baby!

Kind regards,
Mary

I haven't hunted 36A, but if I were in your shoes, I would call AG&F and talk to the local Game Ranger, they give out good information freely.

Mary and Pete pretty well summed it up. I too missed my elk hunt in unit 9. Oh well, hopefully there is a next year. I haven't hunted 36a either but Game and Fish can give you a starting point and Tony knows hunting in AZ.

Ken....

I was in 34B last year. It was bad, drought has clobbered the area, decimated the deer and small game. We never saw a deer, sign, or track. We never saw a cottontail or jackrabbit all weekend. No one fired a shot or saw a deer in any camp we checked with.

I sure hope it turns around, it was really depressing to see. We've hunted 34A for 30 years and I've never seen it that bad before.

This year should be better for small game at least, more rainfall over the last year. Try to call the local game officer, he may be able to put you on to pockets of deer.

The deer have a long road back to recovery down there I think.

We got skunked this year, no tags. And no, we didn't put in down those areas this year.

I wish you luck and hope it's better than last year.