Arizona Archery

bigbuckdown · Jun 25, 2007

LAST EDITED ON Jun-25-07 AT 05:09PM (MST)[p]I have recently started hunting archery. I have never taken an animal, have practiced a ton, and I am ready to start hunting. I bought an over the counter Arizona archerydeer tag. I am just beginning to research the many areas to hunt. Does anyone have any advise on where to hunt, what maps to buy, hunting strategy on whether to spot and stalk, tree stand, or blind. Any advice is helpful. Also I am located in California.

Thank you.

grizzlyplumber · Jun 25, 2007

Mostly a matter of preference, I prefer to hike and glass and find bedded deer to stalk. I know it is a lower percentage chance than sitting on a water hole in a blind but it is so much funner. There are many places to hunt depending on where you are located, many not far from town. Get out and do some hiking early mornings or late evenings, look for water sources whether natural seeps or cattle ponds or trick tanks and there will be deer nearby. If you have a trail cam set it up and find out what is hitting it and when. It is so rewarding to find your own spot and your own deer. It may take several years before you get that first shot but it will be worth it when you finally connect. Good luck man and dont measure yourself against others successes, that will make you want to look for shortcuts.

bigbuckdown · Jun 25, 2007

Thank you for the info. I am located in California so it is a little dirve but not bad. I know it will be a long road to success but this is one reason I went to archery. It will be more difficult and more rewarding for myself when I get one.

grizzlyplumber · Jun 25, 2007

California is a pretty good distance, have you looked into the Kaibab region? North of the Grand Canyon, high number of deer and equally high number of hunters. Get back off of the roads though and you have alot of land to yourself. For a new archery hunter that will give you a high percentage chance at a shot.

bigbuckdown · Jun 25, 2007

Thanks again for updating your last entry. I was thinking about the Kaibab only due to hearing about it from other people. I know there is a lot of places to hunt in Arizona so I was hoping to get some replies such as yours. This will assist me in narrowing my hunting area down.

BOHNTR · Jun 25, 2007

Here's some information on ALL the zones in Arizona, which are broken up into regions and units.

www.azgfd.gov/h_f/hunting_units.shtml

Generally, the northern regions (forested) are bowhunted early in the season (Aug/Sep) with the exception of some high country coues hunts in the south/eastern portion of the state. The desert regions are generally bowhunted in the Dec/Jan rut hunts.

I've traveled to Arizona for the last 20+ years to bowhunt both early and late archery seasons. It's a beautiful state. Good luck and start scouting now.......I'll be in the North Kaibab next week scouting for 5 days.

BOHNTR )))---------->