Hey i saw your teanaway mule deer hunt. Im from washington. Live in az now. Killed a giant 7x7 bull not far from where you were. Did i here you say you knew Swede J?
I've often spotted some nice bulls when archery hunting muley bucks. But never draw the permit as I have another favorite unit for elk. The Swede that I knew passed away many years ago. He lived in Everett, WA. My father, along with Swede and 9 others, were my elk hunting mentors for much of my younger years.
I try, vid stuff new to this old guy. Waiting on strategies with the new AZ non-resident OTC archery deer hunt changes. Many units around Flagstaff, almost all actually, closed down for December 2022, January 2023 as archery buck quotas were attained during Aug/Sept 2022 season hunts. You can't access big bucks if the small bucks get harvested and counted toward harvest quota. And in my 18 years observance, many AZ residents hunting archery shoot the first buck they see! Thinking this will impact all the western AZ units with more OTC archery deer hunter pressure...if western remains open in January after December 2022 hunt concludes. For 18 years in a row, the January OTC archery hunts have been a god send as far as trophy bucks go. Rut starts late December but by mid-late January the rut swings into overdrive. I have scouted rutting western desert muley bucks well into early March.
My in-the-field observations regarding this past January 2023 OTC archery deer season, many more archery hunters were in my favorite units. Nearly all of them AZ residents. They said their usual January units were already closed due to new regulation changes & buck harvest quotas being fulfilled for the OTC archery program. Thus, the new AZDFG OTC archery changes actually INCREASED hunter pressure in units that were still open in January for mule deer bucks.
Looks like the kofa wild life refuge. Not a lot of deer but some big ones. Also really neat little cabin you can stay in for free. Really rough road getting in to it. I'm 75 but still love the Arizona OTC hunt.
The KOFA wildlife area has some big muley bucks for sure. You got 10 years on me but more power to you for getting out there and enjoy the great outdoors!
KOFA is good. What bucks you can find will be big. Tough country, tougher to archery stalk, toughest to locate bucks but one of my faves. Those fields outside Yuma can be very good, Gila drainage. Lots hunters but there is a good reason why.
Cannot use drones or other aircraft DURING OPEN hunting season. As mentioned in DETAILS, this video was taken during after the season ended in early March 2021. Here is AZFGD regulation: #R12-1-319 B. Except in hunt units with Commission-ordered special seasons under R12-4-115 and R12-4-120 and hunt units with seasons only for mountain lion and no other concurrent big game season, a person shall not locate or assist in locating wildlife from or with the aid of an aircraft, including drones, in a hunt unit with an open big game season. This restriction begins 48 hours before the opening of a big game season in a hunt unit and ex-tends until the close of the big game season for that hunt unit.
@@MavHntr THANKS! I drew 42 this yr....know these all well. Been hunting 39 41 42 since 1971 seen lots of changes and managed to harvest a few really nice bucks and always a freezer buck. Best was 1987 6x6 duel eye guards field dressed 221 lbs 29 1/2 spread. Good to see fellow hunters of these desert deer and it takes an effort to find, stalk and bring 'em down. MAYBE WE WILL CROSS PATHS MY FRIEND.....2016 Silver Wrangler.
@@techsupport6878 you have any experience in the Kofas? im hunting the otc from san diego for a couple days at a time mid week am thinking the kofas or 41
Drone scouting looks like a great idea for the desert country MAV. I live in unit 24B which you featured in one of your other videos. The deer here are few and far between. What type of drone did you purchase, how much did it cost, and what distance can you fly it?
DJI Mavic Air 2 drone, $1K, up to 3 miles with good signal and line of sight, daylight only. Remember, using drones DURING ANY active, open hunting season is illegal in AZ. So drone is off season use only.
@@Eric-bh7jy Remember, you cannot use a drone for scouting DURING any big game hunting season. Only in off season. Rather than finding game, I use my drone to mostly scout terrain features....saves the old legs miles of hiking, walking.
Hey i saw your teanaway mule deer hunt. Im from washington. Live in az now. Killed a giant 7x7 bull not far from where you were. Did i here you say you knew Swede J?
I've often spotted some nice bulls when archery hunting muley bucks. But never draw the permit as I have another favorite unit for elk. The Swede that I knew passed away many years ago. He lived in Everett, WA.
My father, along with Swede and 9 others, were my elk hunting mentors for much of my younger years.
@@MavHntr
My dad was friends with him. Small world.
You do great videos..
I'm learning a lot about hunting Western Arizona..
Any ideas in 43 a,b
Thanks
I try, vid stuff new to this old guy.
Waiting on strategies with the new AZ non-resident OTC archery deer hunt changes. Many units around Flagstaff, almost all actually, closed down for December 2022, January 2023 as archery buck quotas were attained during Aug/Sept 2022 season hunts. You can't access big bucks if the small bucks get harvested and counted toward harvest quota. And in my 18 years observance, many AZ residents hunting archery shoot the first buck they see!
Thinking this will impact all the western AZ units with more OTC archery deer hunter pressure...if western remains open in January after December 2022 hunt concludes. For 18 years in a row, the January OTC archery hunts have been a god send as far as trophy bucks go. Rut starts late December but by mid-late January the rut swings into overdrive. I have scouted rutting western desert muley bucks well into early March.
My in-the-field observations regarding this past January 2023 OTC archery deer season, many more archery hunters were in my favorite units. Nearly all of them AZ residents. They said their usual January units were already closed due to new regulation changes & buck harvest quotas being fulfilled for the OTC archery program. Thus, the new AZDFG OTC archery changes actually INCREASED hunter pressure in units that were still open in January for mule deer bucks.
Looks like the kofa wild life refuge. Not a lot of deer but some big ones. Also really neat little cabin you can stay in for free. Really rough road getting in to it.
I'm 75 but still love the Arizona OTC hunt.
The KOFA wildlife area has some big muley bucks for sure. You got 10 years on me but more power to you for getting out there and enjoy the great outdoors!
Thanks for this point of view! im hunting the Kofas for muleys or another unit near yuma come Jan!
KOFA is good. What bucks you can find will be big. Tough country, tougher to archery stalk, toughest to locate bucks but one of my faves. Those fields outside Yuma can be very good, Gila drainage. Lots hunters but there is a good reason why.
Hit me up I'm open a restaurant in quartzite next to Patties RV Park. I'm looking for a partner.
I'm not 100 percent sure but think the use of drones to scout and hunt wild game is prohibited
Cannot use drones or other aircraft DURING OPEN hunting season.
As mentioned in DETAILS, this video was taken during after the season ended in early March 2021.
Here is AZFGD regulation: #R12-1-319
B. Except in hunt units with Commission-ordered special seasons under R12-4-115 and R12-4-120 and hunt units with seasons only for mountain lion and no other concurrent big
game season, a person shall not locate or assist in locating
wildlife from or with the aid of an aircraft, including drones,
in a hunt unit with an open big game season. This restriction
begins 48 hours before the opening of a big game season in
a hunt unit and ex-tends until the close of the big game season for that hunt unit.
Those desert bucks don't have as much mass but the sure grow wide and tall.
Usually yes, But you can find mass if near agri areas.
@@MavHntr Seen points beyond belief. Only wish it was at a time I was allowed to hunt.
Mean as all hell as well.
39? Painted rock?
41
@@MavHntr THANKS! I drew 42 this yr....know these all well. Been hunting 39 41 42 since 1971 seen lots of changes and managed to harvest a few really nice bucks and always a freezer buck. Best was 1987 6x6 duel eye guards field dressed 221 lbs 29 1/2 spread. Good to see fellow hunters of these desert deer and it takes an effort to find, stalk and bring 'em down. MAYBE WE WILL CROSS PATHS MY FRIEND.....2016 Silver Wrangler.
@@techsupport6878 you have any experience in the Kofas? im hunting the otc from san diego for a couple days at a time mid week am thinking the kofas or 41
Drone scouting looks like a great idea for the desert country MAV. I live in unit 24B which you featured in one of your other videos. The deer here are few and far between. What type of drone did you purchase, how much did it cost, and what distance can you fly it?
DJI Mavic Air 2 drone, $1K, up to 3 miles with good signal and line of sight, daylight only.
Remember, using drones DURING ANY active, open hunting season is illegal in AZ. So drone is off season use only.
I have a coues hunt in 24b this month. Something like this would make scouting a whole lot easier
@@Eric-bh7jy Remember, you cannot use a drone for scouting DURING any big game hunting season. Only in off season. Rather than finding game, I use my drone to mostly scout terrain features....saves the old legs miles of hiking, walking.