Tumacacori Wild | Hunting and Wilderness

Continuing a Back-country Hunting Tradition Hunting and Wilderness Quality Hunting \| The Threat \| Why Support Wilderness \| Access and Dispersed Camping Voice of an Outdoorsmen \| Stories from the Field Download this page as a Handout Hunting and Wilderness A Quality Hunting Experience The Tumacacori Highlands, within Region V's hunt unit 36B, are rated by the Arizona Game and Fish Department as "Excellent" for white-tailed deer hunting. Mearn's quail, Gambel's quail, dove, mule deer, javelina, and cottontail rabbit are other common game species found in this diverse area, which supports a collection of species from four distinct ecosystems - the Rocky Mountains, Sierra Madre Occidental and the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts. This rich and remote landscape, because of its primitive nature and roadless condition, offers hunters unique opportunities to experience hunting in a traditional manner that is now rare in Arizona. The most rugged and pristine areas within this hunting unit are are proposed for wilderness to maintain the quality of the landscape, game and the backcountry hunting experience. The Threat Southern Arizona is growing exponentially. With an increasing population and growing demand for outdoor recreation, off road vehicle use is the greatest and most pressing threat to this pristine remnant of the American West. Roads created by off-road vehicle trails cause habitat damage, erosion, and disturb wildlife. Both the quality of the landscape, the quality of the hunt, and a hunter's feeling of solitude are adversely affected. Why should Hunters support Wilderness for the Tumacacori Highlands? The purpose of the proposal is to ensure that the Tumacacori Highlands remains as it is for future generations. Quality habitat, healthy game populations, solitude and a true backcountry experience will be preserved. The Tumacacori Highlands wilderness proposal is compatible laws allowing Homeland Security and Border Patrol to continue performing their duty, and allows local ranchers to continue their livelihood in cattle ranching. Wilderness areas not only foster excellent habitat, but also provide the American public with areas free of human influence and offers exceptional recreational opportunities, including hunting. Under Federal and State law, all forms of hunting are allowed in Wilderness Areas. This is your chance to preserve for yourself, and your children, a quality hunting ground where you can still experience Arizona as Arizona used to be. Supporters for Tumacacori Highlands Wilderness include the Arizona Game and Fish Department, National Wildlife Federation, Arizona Wildlife Federation, Backcountry Anglers and Hunters and the Arizona Quail Alliance, as well a growing number of local and regional Arizona hunters. Access and Dispersed Camping Sky Island Alliance, the Arizona Game and Fish Department and concerned local hunters have worked together to assure access and dispersed camping opportunities are maintained in the proposed wilderness. The majority of Forest Service system roads will remain open after wilderness designation, and dispersed camping sites will continue to be accessible by vehicle on Forest Service roads. The most significant change will be that traditional methods of hunting will replace off-road vehicle use, allowing hunters to scout, hunt and retrieve game by foot, mule, horse or other non-vehicle means, improving the quality of game, habitat, and the hunting experience. Details on these proposed road changes and ATV/OHV use are available under Roads and Access. [Back to top] The Voice of an Outdoorsmen
Jonathan Hanson Photo by Thomas Veneklasen	"As a hunter, health of the habitat and well-being of game are my top priorities. Wilderness not only provides the best wildlife habitat, but also offers the finest, purest hunting experience. Only beyond the sound of truck and ATV engines can I feel that I am a part of the chain of life, and not just some observer on a noisy perimeter. As Arizona's human population continues to expand, it becomes ever more vital that we protect the remaining gems in our natural heritage. Whether I am hunting or not, I cherish the chance to experience these bits of the real Arizona-a land of silence and space and nature unspoiled by pavement and steel." ~ Jonathan Hanson > See other Common Ground quotes > Download the poster [PDF].
Theodore Roosevelt from "Wilderness Writings." Gibbs M. Smith, Inc., Peregrine Smith Books. Salt Lake City. 1986. "Hunting in the wilderness is of all pastimes the most attractive, and it is doubly so when not carried on merely as a pastime. Shooting over a private game preserve is of course in no way to be compared to it. The wilderness hunter must not only show skill in the use of a rifle and address in finding and approaching game, but he must also show the qualities of hardihood, self-reliance and the resolution needed for effectively grappling with his wild surroundings." Richard Nelson from "Heart and Blood: Living with deer in America." Vintage Books, a division of Random House, Inc. New York. 1997. "I work here to the accompaniment of birdsongs and tumbling water rather than piped- in music; I move among congregations of trees and animals rather than crowds of people; I search for delicately hued creatures designed for elusiveness rather than for bright boxes that shriek for attention; I am surrounded by mountains and sky rather than walls and ceilings; I breathe the clear, unfettered wind rather than exhalations of heating systems and air conditioners; I anticipate the unparalleled intensity of encountering prey rather than the anesthetized drudgery of waiting in the checkout line. If hunting is an ancient, obsolete and outmoded way to live, then I will lie down on the blessed earth, let the wet moss saturate my body, open my eyes to the heaven beyond these boughs and shout my gratitude for the gift of birth in a time before hunting vanishes from the realms of human experience." Tony Dean from Tony Dean Outdoors, April 2000. "My view is that while a few hunters may not like wilderness, it's likely that many others would welcome the chance to hunt in areas where it isn't likely wildlife or long, difficult stalks would be interrupted by noisy 4-wheel drive vehicles or OHV's. It seems to me that a wilderness hunt would be of the highest quality." Stories from the Field Have a Tumacacori Highlands wilderness hunt experience you would like to share? Send us your story! Stories by Eduardo Moreno, Wendy Mitchell
Eduardo Moreno Wildlife Biologist Wendy Mitchell University of Arizona graduate	PECK CANYON by Eduardo Moreno I woke up early one Saturday morning, excited to meet my friend who promised me the best javelina hunting spot in southern Arizona. We both drew javelina archery tags that year for hunt units 36A, 36B, and 36C. My friend was a border patrol agent that had seen several herds of javelina in the area, and said that a friend of his had taken one out of this special spot the year before. I didn't know where my friend was taking me but was very excited nonetheless. Outside and waiting at 3am, I felt a slight January chill blow through me. The headlights coming down the street could only be two people, my friend or the newspaper delivery guy. I got lucky. it was my friend. On our way I asked were we where going and my friend still didn't want to give me the secret javelina spot. We headed towards Nogales driving south on I-19. As we got closer to Nogales my friend started to divulge information on this secret place. We were headed into the Tumacacori Highlands - specifically near west Peck Canyon. While driving down one of the old dirt roads, two large mule deer bucks ran across the front of the truck. We both had deer tags but we were here for javelina, and plus it was still too early to shoot. When we arrived we joined some other friends of his that could not stop talking about the area and how good the hunting was. With the sun starting to rise I could see the place we were going to hunt, and all I could say is - wow. I had never been on this side of hunt unit 36B, but I knew that this was going to be a good day. After we all told our hunting stories (and I can say there was a little over-exaggeration, but hey, we all were hunters so you have to add a little in every story), we grabbed all of our hunting gear and started to make our way down a large canyon to get across to the rolling hills on the other side. One guy said that he scoped out a herd the week before, not too far from where we were standing, so off we went. Arriving in the area where he last spotted the javelina we found a large amount of tracks but no animals. Following the tracks for about a mile we ended up at one of the two water holes that we could see from our parking spot. The water tank was heavily used by javelina and deer, and would be a great spot to put up a ground blind. Taking a GPS location, we decided to keep on following the javelina tracks leading away from the tank. We followed the tracks for several more miles until they headed off into a steep canyon that seemed impassable for a two legged animal. At this point the day was almost over. The sun was low in the sky and ready to set. After walking all day in this beautiful place I really didn't care that I didn't see a single javelina, I was just glad that my friend introduced me to this area, although that's not what I told him. I sarcastically said that I would never come back to his secret javelina spot, because there were SO many javelina there. Little did he know that I had the GPS location of that water hole and I would definitely be back some day - with or without him! *** [Back to top] SAVED BY COYOTES by Wendy Mitchell After school was over for the semester, I headed up to unit 3B with my dad for my cow elk hunt in December of '06. The Woolhouse Habitat Area in unit 3B is non-motorized and great intact pine-forest elk habitat. The almost roadless area makes for excellent game habitat and a great hunting experience. It was the last day of my hunt, for Christmas was approaching and we had to be home for the holidays. After days of seeing one bull and some antelope, we continued on foot some miles further north, and around 10am sighted four bull elk, running up a hill. My heart stopped. Then started again, luckily. After the elk had crested the hill and were out of sight, we rose from our crouching positions and began the stalk. Reaching the hill's summit revealed a herd of at least fifty elk, consisting mostly of cows. The herd was lazily grazing amongst the juniper and dry grass. Leaving my dad with most of the equipment I slowly, painfully, crept towards the herd. During this expedition, I discovered, first hand, why the herd mentality works so well. No matter where I hid, there was always an elk in view, diligently watching, keeping track of any potential predators: including me. I found a sheltered spot and began stealing forward on my hands and knees. A cow stared at me intently. I froze and for what seemed like hours, remaining in that awkward position, muscles beginning to tremble. The rest of the herd had begun to wander out of reach, while the cow watched. Fortuitously, a nearby pack of coyotes began to yip and carry on, distracting her from her scrutiny and I gratefully rearranged my limbs. Her attention was diverted again when the coyotes voiced their claim to the territory a second time. I darted as quickly as I could behind a juniper a few feet away, which had been taunting me with its cover. Behind the wonderful, concealing branches, I aimed and fired my rifle. She was down within seconds with a lung-shot. It was late in the day, and the field dressing process took us well past dark. Our flashlights out of batteries, we began the first trek back to the car with my harvest. In the dark, the waning moon and bright December stars were blocked out by clouds. A friend of my dad's kindly brought a sled for the remaining trips, which worked well on the fresh inch or two of snow. The few miles to and from the car were quite slow, but we joked and laughed the whole way, making a few trips. I was exhausted by the end, but I will always remember that fantastic hunt. ***
Quality Hunting \| The Threat \| Why Support Wilderness \| Access and Dispersed Camping Voice of an Outdoorsmen \| Stories from the Field Hunting and Wilderness