A friend has turned me on to a small area inside this unit. He and his son live nearby, and they used to take their quads out just before dawn and bag their limit that morning. This special spot lies against the Mexican border, and is very rugged country. I went out a few months ago and spotted seventeen deer (mostly WT) without even looking.

What bothers me is that the forest is posted with signs that read something like, "Use at your own risk. This area is known to be trafficked by smugglers."

I used to live in a smugglers' corridor west of Tucson. Lost a good dog and a few tools and such. I left because I thought I was called to start a church in North Carolina. The church never happened, but ever since, I pretty much go everywhere armed.

My question is for hunters who know this unit. Have you seen smugglers in this area (west of Nogales near Pena Blanca)? If so, have any threatened you or anyone from your camp?

I'm used to the Chiricahuas (Unit 29), so this area is new to me. I also hunt alone, and night time is the most vulnerable time. I guess my fear is that someone will come knocking, and my 1911 and Blackhawk won't be enough of an answer to their questions.

Regards,

Mark

Pretty heavily traveled by dope and people smugglers.

I'd personally steer clear of that area and find another place to hunt. Camping alone would definetly be pushing your luck.

Yes. That's what I keep thinking. I guess I was hoping for someone to say the smugglers are east of Nogales (or something like that) so I could spend some time in those beautiful mountains....

Too bad I already applied for that unit. I guess I wasted my money.

Wellll, I used to work in the Tucson Sector w/the Border Patrol. This same thing was posted on Monstermuleys, about 36c and the discussion got pretty hot as some instigator said it was safe in there.

I've hunted in that area, it is dangerous (IMHO opinion, not as dangerous as certain parts of South Tucson). But, I'd hunt in that area again. At that time there wasn't as much people smuggling activity, but there is no doubt in my mind that the dope smuggling activity is about the same as it has ever been in there.

Now, when I went hunting, I took my whole family and left them in camp while I was out hunting...which pretty much sums up how I view the threat.

I knew other non LE people that hunted in there and hunted in there every year that they could get drawn in there.

You do not have anything to worry about w/PROFESSIONAL smugglers. They can land-navigate to such an extent that they would make an Army Ranger look sad. What do you think they do for a living...walk across the desert in the dark to an EXACT DESTINATION. They used to be rarely armed. If you knew that the camp is armed would you go in? They are in the business of delivering a product and they don't have time to fool around. They aren't looking for a shoot-out!!!

Now, if you encounter the non-professional, unled groups, then they come looking for water and food in your camp, but they aren't going to try to PU something from your camp and take it back to Mexico. That's what you need to be careful about. but, they aren't walking through the hills, they are mostly out in the desert where it is flat. Dopers are the ones in the hills where the going is tough and tracks are hard to find (no roads in the area).

Anyway, If I was you, and I was drawn, I'd hunt in there...although I may not apply in there next year. But, I did apply in 36A on a regular basis. Don't camp on north-south remote trails or other remote north-south routes (major roads should be OK) and use your head (like carry a .357 revolver).

Thanks for the great post, Stinky.

I agree with your South Tucson comment. It's a violent place in spite of its great restaurants.

I looked at hunting 36C and was told that it is mostly private land now. Driving along that road, all I see is fence along the west side.

I always carry a revolver when hunting (which is why I don't bow hunt), and if I end up hunting 36B this year, I may carry a 1911 in a shoulder holster as well. I know it's a lot of weight to hump, but I don't plan on straying too far from camp.

I remember ten or fifteen years ago I went camping up on the rim. About two in the morning, a group of guys pulled up and made camp about one hundred yards away. They began drinking, cussing up a storm, and shooting off their guns in camp. My wife grabbed her pistol and stayed in her sleeping bag. I grabbed my gun and slept just outside my camp's perimeter with one eye open. Wished I'd brought my AR-15....

I'm thinking that if I hunt 36B this year, I just might have to sleep outside of camp. Maybe run a few trip wires tied to cans.... I'm not concerned about the weekends. There should be enough hunters in the area to deter smugglers and bandits. But during the week....

I've been doing research concerning violence on the US-Mexican border, and from what I've read, the smugglers are becoming increasingly more bold and violent. Does this jive with your experiences?

Reading your post, I see a correlation to camping in bear country. It makes sence to stay away from the north-south trails. Should I hang my food? JK :)

Thanks for the advice.

Mark

I don't live in Tucson right now, but i did for 25 years. I hunted and camped all over the State, especially in the Chiricahuas. I also spent a lot of time in all of the southern part of the State. I really hate to see it change so drastically, but then again, I always had my Ruger 45LC with some hot loads on my hip,,,, just in case..Not to get Political, but the USA has to do something, and soon. I lived in the Northwest part ot Tucson most of the time, Ina Road, Ruthroff (Tucson Mtns)etc. I loved going to S.Tucson for great Mexican food and built a subdivision there one time too. ,, it is sad to see this place go downhill.

Ruger4570

I wouldn't say Tucson is going downhill, but things are definitely changing.

I think the housing boom has had more effect on Tucson than anything else. I used to do a lot of shooting in Wild Burro Canyon in the Tortolitas. Now it's all housing development. Some rich guy built a mansion on a finger beside Wild Burro Canyon as well. I used to hunt quail and dove just west of the Tucson Mountains between Valencia and Ajo. Now they've chained the desert and put up tract homes. Granted, they're nice looking houses, but people bought these things without visible means of support and are paying on interest-only mortgages. I expect many of them will be abandoned in the near future. Thankfully, my son-in-law had the sense not to buy into the frenzy, unlike his sister's husband, who bought two houses in as many years and now can't unload them.

On the brighter side, they put in a Sportsman's Warehouse at Orange Grove and Thornydale next to the Home Depot. I wish Cabella's would set up a brick-and-mortar somewhere in Tucson soon....

Hope you're enjoying New York. When I was in the service, a good buddy raved about the fishing upstate around Rhinebeck.

Regards,

Mark

I was back in Tucson a couple of years ago and couldn't believe the changes on the NW side I-10-Ina-Orange Grove etc. I took a ride up to myh old house on the end,, I mean the dirt road end of Camino Del Cerro. When I built my house up there I could shoot Coyotes and quail on my property. Now it is all homes. My daughter has a place off Cortaro Farm Rd.. I was awe struck at the changes in the scenery not even counting the traffic.
I had gone to South Tucson also to get some good Mex food and was a little disappointed in the area as it seems to have declined somewhat. Is there any housing going on near Tucson Trap and Skeet Club? I remarked to one of the Directors years ago that the Club should try to buy more land around there to create a buffer zone before the price of land went thru the sky. I hope they did or they will most likely face the same fate as Tucson Rod and Gun Club did...Too many bunny squeezers and tree huggers moving in. They are gonna turn Tucson into a Phoenix with wall to wall grass and accompaning humidity and water waste. End of rant.. God bless AZ

NW side is waaaaay built up. I used to have a house in Countryside (Cortaro Rd). I could look upon the Tortalitas or out across I-10 to the Tucson Mtns. Now it's all built up. Daughter lives on the south side of I-10 across from Cortaro Rd. near Li'l Abner's. That steak house used to be out in the boonies. Now it's being crowded by tract homes. Half of Raytheon lives there.

Is the Skeet Club you're referring to out on Snyder Hill Rd? If so, they still have a bit of room to breathe. South of there, across Ajo, they chained the desert and are about to put in a subdivision.

The Tucson Rod and Gun Club used to be one of my favorite places. It was a joy to simultaneously engage in two of my lifelong loves. The fact that the Gun Club was there FIRST had little to do with closing the club.

On top of everything else, we don't have the water to support these developments.

Ruger4570, what part of the Chiricahuas did you frequent the most?

How 'bout you fellas using the Private Message (PM) portion of the board so we don't tie up this forum with personal conversation?

Thanks!