Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Southern Arizona hunting

So it looks like I may be moving to southern Arizona (Tucson area ish) in the next 6 months or so. I’ve went through the regs and I think I have a general idea. Big game seems to be permits except for otc archery deer. Upland hunting quail and dove. Small game appears to quite available. What’s public land like? Not at all looking for spots or general areas just wanting big picture stuff.

Public land?
Arizona is probably 80-90% public land
It’s awesome.

Lots to see lots to do...

I sent you a PM.

COUES!

I live right where you describe and am in the woods/desert quite a lot. I have a playground about 50 miles by 50 miles right out my back door with zero effort.

Plenty of stuff to hunt. Plenty. World class coues. Tons of birds. Predators. I happen to greatly enjoy where I live...

I hear good things about sonoran hot dogs....😂

The illegals are bad though. Grin...

I hope you can buy a Beretta 20ga for doves and 12 for coyotes. Plenty of lions in your area. You are going to have some really good dove hunting.

Javelinas are also fun to hunt. You'll have to make your own judgement about the taste of the meat.

I lived in Phoenix for five years when I was going to ASU. We use to drive out into the desert, sit around a campfire and listen to the coyotes sing.

I was there attending ASU from '78 to '80.
Didn't have very much money for hunting or dating, so I would take gals out to the desert to shoot my old side-by-side 16ga. When the recoil would knock them backward I'd be positioned behind them to 'save' them from falling.

I also will be relocating there in the next 3-5 years. Already own a place there in Green Valley but I only am there for about 3 weeks in November and about 4 weeks on March- April. Still own a fishing resort in MN and am not ready to quit yet. Any suggestions for hunting or shooting during the times I am out there would surely be appreciated.

Greg W. , I think you are not too far from there so any personal suggestions would be great. Most big game seasons are after when I am out there, although I am trying to get with someone out there who takes some problem mountain lions when available.

Dean

I've seen monkeys down there too (true story), and they are fair game!

😂😂 haha h shiit!!! I see one I'm shootin!!!

And we do have troops of monkeys. For real

If you have a nice and shiny truck/jeep, consider a ATV/UTV. The "dirt" roads down here probably not what you are expecting. They are rocky, washed out and rough. You will beat up a nice truck and scratch the crap out of it here. If you have a beater, dont worry about it too bad. There are still places a UTV/ATV will go that a vehicle will have a hard time going. And with a much better ride. When you get to Tucson, and think the roads are bad, just wait until you hit some state land 2-tracks.

If you find a nice hunting spot, and the road was nice enough to get in with a truck, you can bet everyone else knows about it as well. UTV/ATV will get you farther in. Plan on getting out of it and actually doing some hunting. It seems like 75% of the hunters down here road hunt.

Physical fitness is something else to look at. I dont know where you are coming from or anything about you or how familiar you are with this area. It is mountainous, rough and rocky. South of I-10, the elevation starts around 4500 and goes up over 9000. Even if you shoot a deer off of the road, chances are you will not be able to get a vehicle in to recover it. Starting a walking/running regime now would not be a bad idea.

Tons of public land down here. Private land is accessible as long as it is not posted. That one is a real crazy one to get used to.

I have had the best dove hunting of my life down here in SE Arizona. Find out which tanks the birds are using and you will limit out in no time.

Thanks for the tip on the vehicle that’s helpful. I’m not opposed to burning the boot leather to get places and I run and workout quite a bit. I think I’m going to be about an hour northwest of you. How’s the small game hunting around there?

Tons of Deer(2 species), Javalina, Bear on the sky islands, quail, dove and all sorts of varmints. Mountain lion, coyotes, foxes, rabbits, Coatimundi, etc. Hot as heck for 3-4 months and the rest of the year is perfect. YMMV

Wear a sidearm and be very sure of your target...plenty of scurrying non-game and pursuers.

Lots of bunnies down here, jacks and cottontails. SE Arizona is about run over with coyotes. Prairie dogs up around Seligman, but they had the plague run thru them last year, numbers down for awhile.