This is the first year I am getting an over the counter tag and have a few questions. Are they for any antlered deer (mule, whitetail?). Are you restricted to a unit once you buy a tag? If I didn't tag the deer till january is that my only deer for the year (I think it is just checking) And last but not least What unit would you suggest? I'm in the phoenix area (Gilbert) and would like to keep with in reasonable driving distance. Pretty excited i'm getting back into archery. Haven't been bow hunting in 4 years due to nobody I know down here is interested. I decided i'm headed out myself to learn on my own. I'm not totally in the dark though I have shot many deer in Nebraska but it is pretty different terrain here. Thanks in advance for any advice you have for me. Justin
Justin - Yes, good for any antlered deer. Units are mostly open, check the regs. Some Units have restrictions, some have varying dates. Yes, the OTC tag is only good for that year. If you have an OTC tag for 2007, and get a deer in January, you are done for the year. Best Units? There are better authorities than I who will likely speak up. Be sure and check the Unit reports at www.azgfd.com
Ya I checked the site out. thinking 22 or 24B. So I can hunt in 24b and 22 with the same tag correct. they are not unit specific.
Correct. I cannot say for sure that every Unit is open, but I do know that most (if not all) are. Again, check the regs, as the dates may vary slightly in different Units.
Hunt water if we get a dry winter, and sit it from 07:00 to 10:00. Then do the spot & stalk think until about 4:00, then go sit water again. Altho I have had 5 times as many deer show up in the morning as in the evening the one I took in Jan was an evening sit. If we have a wet winter then all bets are off and deer are where ever you can find them. The rut here runs from late Dec to middle/end of Jan depending on what part of the state you are in. By the 2nd week of Jan the mule deer are rutting pretty hard in the desert, that's when you can get a big boy.
I am after a big ole mulie for sure. I have shot some good midwest whitetails. I hear/see some of the stories here and seems like the desert can hold some monsters. The only unit I have really got to go play in is 37B and that was just quail hunting. saw no other game besides atv's. I thought about 24b and 22.
Ya thats what I hear. Im sure I will take that challenge eventually. Sounds Like they are extremely elusive.
Don't forget, it takes 3 coues mounts to cover the same wall area as one nice muley. :roll: Me, I'll just stick to hunting muleys.