2021 Annual stink pig, jackrabbit, quail and maybe but prolly not coues deer in AZ

[jnd1959]

Well, we got out of cowtown west later than planned. Had to reroute around the snow. Turned right at pecos and went all the way to the NM border then back down to El Paso. Google said I 20 was a wreck wasteland from the snow. Dunno if thats true but I've learned to trust it. Got into Patagonia AZ about 2am their time. Scouted a little today. Very dry. Last year it was wet. Last year's wet winter means a bumper crop of quail. We're gonna concentrate on stinkers first. Lots of tracks but not much evidence of browsing. I'll send pictures as soon as I get my phone charged. Did see a coues doe, at 4800 feet even. Tried some new access spots. AZFG has a new access map. On x has a version of it. Still, ran into some fenced roads. That was a bummer as it would have saved about an hour driving to our prime spots. Last year we hunted higher up in the Santa Rita's. This year we're hunting the foothills for stinkers. I dunno why we bother, we could just set up by the garbage can at the front of the place we're staying and tag out. I keep tellin the younguns it's the journey. Teenagers. If you forget one in the mountains is that a crime, or just a sign of old age?

More to come...prolly.

[kerrbow]

Deer hunting not very good in that part of AZ is why you focus on everything else? I thought January was when the Coues and mule deer were rutting? Got a Colorado buddy who comes to Sonoita and rides dirt bikes on trails this time of year. He doesn't hunt though.

[jnd1959]

Coues hunting is pretty good but with two warring teenagers setting and glassing for 6 hours ain't gonna fly.
Yep. There's a trails off Gardner Canyon that get hit pretty hard new years.

[kerrbow]

Coues hunting is pretty good but with two warring teenagers setting and glassing for 6 hours ain't gonna fly.
Yep. There's a trails off Gardner Canyon that get hit pretty hard new years.

How much hunting pressure are you up against this time of year? Never hunted Coues so I guess glassing is the way to go. I am old and clumsy and figure hard for me to stalk a deer. Show us some pics and some dead quail.

[jnd1959]

Some pressure but I bet it picks up in a week or so. Glassing is the way to go. Don't worry, stalking a coues has a high failure rate for everyone. No quail yet looks like the trip will cut short Sunday eve. Still looking for stinkers. I think the desert mulie hunters have them spooked some. Got pictures but can't upload for some reason. Working on it.

[stevieray54]

Are you hunting private land or public

[Trailerman3]

Me and a buddy are heading out for javi’s and maybe deer on the 14th. 1st time going.

[Texas Grown]

The best to yall JD.

[jnd1959]

We're on public. Unit 34a and b. Heard 35 is pretty good for stinkers. 34a is good for coues and desert mulies. Hunt the west side of 34a for mulies although I've seen them up in hog canyon on t the south side. Coues are up in the higher elevation.

Found them this morning in the exact spot as last year. Made a stalk and had a stare down at full draw at 18 yards. Had a better shot earlier but I couldn't make out the shape. Thought it was a shrub. Young'uns gave me grief. Said I had one job and I screwed it up. They were signaling wildly and later said it was right below me. I was on the side of a canyon at about a 15 degree grade that got steeper. The one I thought was a bush moved away then circled back to check me out. Got to 18 yards and that's when I drew. He froze and I froze. Held it as long as I could then had to let down. That movement worried him and he wondered off. We didn't blow them out of the canyon. Will go back and stalk then in the draw this afternoon.

[jnd1959]

The best to yall JD.

Thanks Mike. Did the weather move some birds in?

[jnd1959]

Me and a buddy are heading out for javi’s and maybe deer on the 14th. 1st time going.

Which units are you planning on? I think that's a good time for coues.

[Texas Grown]

I don't know. I've got other priorities taking place right now.

The fish are biting, and there's hogs to be kill-t. Gotta go!

[Trailerman3]

Which units are you planning on? I think that's a good time for coues.

17a,17b,18b,19a,19b,&20

[jnd1959]

Can't help with those. I haven't been that far north. I will say, at least for our area, the minimum temps were about 12 degrees colder than what wundsrground forecast. It was 16 to 18 and the forecast was in the low 30s.

[jnd1959]

Hopefully this picture comes through. A rare site, a flock of Gould's. They're too busy eating and fighting to notice us just 25 yards away.