Archery - 20-30 days
Late Archery - 45 days
Muzzleloader - 5 or 10 days
Late Muzzleloader - 15 days
Modern Weapon - 4 days first hunt and 10 days second hunt

Status/Trend UPDATE: May 2005.  Click here

Pinetop Region (East Central Arizona)
Mule deer numbers continue to decline on a landscape level. Speculation for these significant declines vary from unfavorable climatic conditions, rotating livestock grazing from sheep to cattle, predation, competition with elk, accelerated timber harvests and forest succession. The prime suspected factors in these units are forest succession and climatic conditions. Fire succession is well demonstrated in Unit 4A, where a 21,400 acre stand replacement fire burned in 1956. Other smaller fires burned in this unit in the 1960's and 1970's. Preferred deer browse plants such as Ceanothus became a dominant species within a few years of these fires. It was not uncommon to classify 200 to 300 mule deer in the burned areas in the late 1970's and early 1980's. Forest succession has occurred in this and other burns. Ponderosa pine is now the dominant overstory plant species, with the preferred browse species much reduced in range, palatability, and frequency. Surveying deer in these burns today is unpredictable with much reduced numbers when encountered at all.

It is thought that deer numbers will not substantially increase until habitat conditions improve. We will need above-average summer and winter precipitation. The deer herds on the Apache/Sitgreaves National Forests would also greatly benefit from more large-scale stand replacement fires. Long-term fire suppression has reduced browse vigor and distribution. Timber harvest practices have opened up ponderosa pine stands, reduced age class diversity, and increased road densities. If deer habitat quality is to increase on a large scale then more liberal fire management needs to be implemented.

Numerous habitat improvement projects such as broadcast burns, pinyon and juniper removal, and water developments have been implemented on National Forest Lands. It is believed that these projects have benefited mule deer, but are not of a landscape scale. Mule deer populations would best benefit from stand replacement type fires in selected ponderosa pine and Gambel oak communities. Unfortunately, this degree of burning is not allowed during prescribed fires.

The spring and early summer of 2000 were one of the driest on record. However, fawn recruitment rates for 2000 and 2001 in most units were consistent with average rates. Precipitation amounts from fall 2000 through spring 2001 were above average. Generous spring green-up should benefit survival rates for adult deer. Anticipate good fawn survival rates if summer monsoons provide average precipitation.

Flagstaff Region (North Central Arizona)
In June-July, 1996, a wildfire burned about 53,000 acres of the deer winter range on the west side of the Kaibab Plateau (Unit 12A). This fire effectively reduced the carrying capacity of that winter range by approximately 50%. During April 1997, vegetation monitoring to assess the range condition, Department and Forest Service personnel measured 82% of cliffrose twigs had been bitten. Due to the very poor rainfall in 1996, most cliffrose plants had produced little new twig growth that year. The deer browsing observed during the winter had removed nearly all current year growth and had frequently removed previous year's growth. The Region and the Forest Service considered recommending an antlerless deer hunt, but since the public meetings about the hunt recommendations for 1997 had already occurred and the Department had not discussed possible antlerless hunts, we considered it inappropriate to subsequently propose such hunts.

In 1998, after excellent moisture and growing conditions, the cliffrose had exceptional twig growth and appeared to have improved plant vigor. Browse transects, monitored in February, showed deer use of twigs to be in the 40-60% range on most transects. Only a few transects exhibited the 70-90% use seen the year before. Therefore, despite an excellent fawn crop and consistent with the established monitoring criteria, no antlerless hunt was recommended for 1998.

Browse monitoring in February 1999 showed extremely heavy use (75-95%) on most transects where the deer herd had wintered. Despite a very mild winter with little snow, the deer had moved down to the traditional winter range and remained, even though better forage conditions existed nearby. This "transition" zone between summer and winter range received almost no browsing until April when the deer herd began to migrate back toward summer range. During the migration the cliffrose in the transition zone receive 60-70% use. Based on the heavy browse use and another excellent fawn crop, the Department recommended 1000 antlerless permits for fall 1999.

Browse monitoring in February 2000, showed continued heavy use of cliffrose despite a mild winter and lack of water on the traditional winter range that caused the deer to disperse more widely than normal on the winter range. Based on this heavy browse use, Region II recommended 1000 antlerless permits for the 2000 fall hunts.

Browse surveys in Februray 2001 found 75% average use on cliffrose. Based on this continued heavy use, the Flagstaff Region recommended 2000 antlerless permits for the 2001 hunt season.

Archery hunting on the Kaibab Plateau continues to be very popular. Recent archery harvest has comprised about 30% of the annual Kaibab buck harvest. In 1996, complaints of hunter crowding during the Kaibab archery season prompted the Region to recommend a later starting date (mid September) to miss Labor Day weekend and to overlap with the opening of archery elk season. This approach has been used since then. Comments from hunters participating in the hunt and Regional personnel observations supported the questionnaire data showing that hunter crowding was reduced by the later starting date in 1996, increased again in 1997 and has generally since then (Table 10). While participation is still high, the hunters have begun to spread the hunt pressure throughout the season rather than all come opening weekend, as ocurred in the past. This has improved the quality of the hunt, according to the hunters. The Department will offer the same non-permitted archery dates for Units 12A (Kaibab), 12B, and 13A in 2001.

Consistently poor fawn recruitment in the mid 1990's caused most mule deer herds in Region II to decline. This trend reversed somewhat in 1997-99 with improved fawn crops. Recruitment dropped again in 2000. However the buck:doe ratio in most units was so low in the mid 1990's that improvement, even with the better fawn crops has been slow. Poor fawn recruitment and low buck:doe ratios have constrained management options for mule deer in recent years. The improved recruitment in 1998 and 1999 have begun to provide some more management options, but buck:doe ratios still need to improve in much of the Region.

Kingman Region (Northwest Arizona)
The mule deer fawn recruitment of 31 fawns: 100 does was down from 41 recorded in 1999/2000, and was below the most recent 5-year average for this Region of 33. Buck: doe ratios remained stable in most units, and permits were kept almost the same for year 2001/2002 hunts. Range conditions were excellent for the winter and spring 2000/2001. Hopefully, this will improve fawn survival for the summer of 2001.

After 5 years of poor fawn survival and declining deer populations, deer numbers have stabilized in the past 3 years at low densities. The improved fawn survival in 1998, 1999 and 2000 and has provided recruitment to the doe segment of the population while providing increased yearling bucks for harvest. Buck:doe ratios have increased to above 25 per 100 for the regional average. The heavy rains during two weekends of the 2000 general deer hunt resulted in a harvest below expectations due to poor hunter participation. This has kept buck: doe ratios high.

Yuma Region (Southwest Arizona)
Buck-to-doe ratios were up slightly this year over last (30 versus 27), and were higher than the 5-year average of 25. Common to all units was a drop in the fawn-to-doe ratio since last year. They ranged from the mid 20s to mid 30s, averaging 31 region wide. This compares to an average fawn ratio of 50 last year. There had been two consecutive years of strong fawn crops. The drop occurred even though the region experienced a third consecutive summer of average to above average rainfall. Apparently the very dry winter of 1999/2000 impacted fawn survival the following fall.

Population estimates declined significantly this year over last. The current regional estimate is 6,877 mule deer, compared to 9,885 estimated last year and 6,463 the year before. It appears that last year's population may have been overestimated, as this year's numbers are more in line with the estimates from 2 years ago. It is likely that last year saw a population increase that was actually somewhat smaller than what we reported. In some areas last year, twice as many deer were seen on transects than the previous year. Fawn recruitment alone could not account for that increase. One possible explanation is that larger average group sizes among the deer herds last year were more easily observed and caused us to overestimate population size. A few less permits overall will be offered in the fall of 2001 because of the lower population estimates and poor fawn crop.

Tucson Region (Southeastern Arizona)
The average number of deer per hour of helicopter survey was 14.2 compared with 16.2 last year and 17.4 the year before; a steady continuation of a recent downward trend (36.6 in 1992, 32.7 in 1993, 26 in 1994, 24 in 1995, and 24.9 in 1996). The decrease in observations from the helicopter is a direct result of decreases in helicopter survey hours beginning in 1997-98. A total of 3,430 deer were classified resulting in ratios of 15 bucks:100 does:31 fawns. Region-wide fawn survival is below guidelines for the sixth time in 7 years.

The buck:doe ratio is at the lower edge of guidelines and fawn:doe ratio is below guidelines for the 6th year in the last 7. We constructed the fawn:doe guidelines because we believed deer populations could not maintain themselves if fawns per 100 does was less than 40. This has proven to be the case; mule deer populations in the region may be half what they were in the high years of the mid-1980s. Overall hunt success is below guidelines at 18% for the third time in the last 2 decades. Considering bucks:100 does of 17 mule deer units, 9 are below guidelines, 5 are within guidelines, and 3 are above. Samples sizes are very low for some units that are above guidelines. Considering fawns:100 does of 17 units, 15 are below guidelines, none in guidelines, and 2 above guidelines.

Mule deer populations increased to relatively high levels in the mid-1980s in response to the high fawn survival that occurred in the early 1980s. The drought conditions in the late 1980s reduced the populations region-wide, especially in the desert units (37A & 37B). Populations partially recovered in 1990 and 1991 but have decreased steadily since then, as evidenced by trends in harvest, hunter success, and helicopter observation rates.

A deer check station has been operated in the Altar Valley during the opening weekend (Friday - Sunday) of both mule deer hunts for the last 9 years. Field dressed weights were obtained on 12 yearling mule deer bucks brought to the check station in 2000. These bucks averaged 76.9 lbs., which is below the 8-year average of 80.9 lbs. Dry range conditions result in poor body condition and, as a consequence, lower fawn production. Mule deer fawn recruitment levels have been below guidelines for most of the 1990s, causing the deer population to decline.

The Sonoran desert areas north or Tucson (Unit 37A) have seen dramatic reductions in mule deer populations over the decade. In 1993, 800 mule deer permits were available. The number of permits has been reduced nearly every year to the present 200 permits. The causes for the observed decline are numerous and complex; however, poor forage production caused by poor precipitation and exacerbated by prolonged and heavy livestock grazing are the most significant contributing factors. The Tortolita Mountains are the heart of the mule deer habitat in the unit. During the extended drought over the past 3 years, livestock operators in this area were slow to remove/reduce cattle numbers, or simply failed to respond altogether, resulting in severe degradation of range conditions, especially on State lease lands. Near total removal of perennial grasses resulted in heavy dependence on browse plants and subsequent direct competition between deer and cattle for remaining forage. The year-round presence of feral horses in the heart of the Tortolita Mountains has also caused further degradation of wildlife habitat.

On some grazing allotments in the Sonoran Desert, are managed for 50% utilization of jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) by cattle. Jojoba is the primary species used by mule deer in this area, comprising a significant portion of their diet. During the months of May and June it likely represents over 75% of their diet. Another important deer forage, Fairy duster (Calliandra eriophylla), does not grow in normal shrub form in these areas but instead remains low growing, rarely reaching more than 6 inches in height. Actual utilization of jojoba and fairy duster by cattle is not monitored in these areas and use is frequently higher than 50%. Examples of these poor browse conditions are represented by the Smith Wash and Hayden Allotments in Unit 37B west of Dudleyville. Examples of lightly grazed or ungrazed areas can be found nearby on The Nature Conservancy Allotment near Dudleyville and inside each water catchment exclosure.

Mesa Region (Central Arizona)
Deer surveys this year indicated a continued good buck to doe ratios, but a drop in the fawn survival. Last years higher fawn survival was recognized in the harvest, with many yearling bucks in the harvest. This years hunt recommendation reflects the low fawn survival with fewer yearling bucks being available to hunters. The population continues to trend downward. Rangelands continue to be in poor condition do to a combination of drought and continued overgrazing, especially within the Prescott National Forest. The Tonto National Forest is currently reducing or removing cattle in response to over-use during drought conditions.

There has also been a steady decline in the average group size of mule deer observed since 1989. Average group sizes have declined steadily from about 4.9 in 1988 & 1989 to about 2.7 in 2000 year. Another interesting observation is that during this period of decline in mule deer numbers, whitetail numbers appear to be increasing. Areas that used to be considered typically mule deer habitat now contain whitetail. Whitetails appear to be replacing mule deer in several areas. Loss of mule deer habitat on State Trust Land continues to be a problem in the southwest portion of the unit. New housing developments, commercial areas, and golf courses have removed considerable amounts of land from useable habitat. Noticeable increased human and vehicular activity proximate to these developments may also be impacting mule deer.