Unit 7/9 (Kendrick, Schultz Pass and the Tusayan migration)

Mule deer occur throughout most of unit 7, with the exception of the lower open grassland. The feature that defines this hunt is movement: based on GPS collar data, a large percentage of the unit 7 herd is migratory, moving to unit 9 during the autumn months, wintering there, and returning in the spring. That's why the two units are combined for every deer hunt.

The general-hunt areas

For the general deer hunt, the agency names Schultz Pass, Forest Road 418, the White Horse Hills, Saddle Mountain, the Hochderffer Hills, Kendrick Mountain and the country around them. That's the ponderosa and aspen belt north and west of Flagstaff.

Why timing matters more than place

If a large share of the herd leaves unit 7 for unit 9 through the autumn, then the date of your hunt decides which unit holds the deer. An early tag means unit 7's summer range; a late one may mean the animals have already moved north. Ask yourself which side of that migration your season falls on.

Avoid the low grassland

Deer occur through most of unit 7 except the lower elevations in the open grassland. Skip it, and hunt the timbered hills and the aspen pockets instead.

The retrieval rule that shapes every decision

Under the Travel Management Rule, motorized retrieval of deer is not allowed on Coconino or Kaibab National Forest land. No exceptions for a downed animal. So choose your morning by how far you're prepared to carry a deer, and pull the Motor Vehicle Use Map for the district you're hunting.

The country

Ponderosa pine, aspen stands and volcanic hills from about 7,000 feet up, with Kendrick Mountain standing above it all. Open parks between the timber give you places to glass, which is more than most of unit 11M next door offers.

Rifle success for mule deer in this country runs about 22 percent. The two planning problems are the migration and the retrieval rule.

Hunt the right unit for your dates

With a large part of the herd moving from 7 into 9 through autumn and wintering there, the practical question is where the deer are the week you hunt. Early in the season, work unit 7's Schultz Pass, White Horse Hills, Hochderffer Hills and Kendrick country. Later, be prepared to shift north into unit 9's winter range.

Glass the openings at the edges of timber

Ponderosa with aspen pockets and volcanic hills gives you park edges to work. Get above an opening before light, put the binoculars on a tripod, and watch the margins where deer move between feed and cover. Forest Road 418 and Schultz Pass both run through that kind of country.

Plan the carry before the shot

No motorized retrieval on either forest. That means the distance from the nearest legal road to the animal is the distance you will carry it. Decide what you're willing to do before you pick a glassing point, and carry game bags and a frame pack every day.

Pull the MVUM

Coconino and Kaibab Motor Vehicle Use Maps tell you which roads are legally open this season. On forests with this many closed and seasonal routes, that document is the difference between a legal hunt and a citation.

Mind the weather and the elevation

This is high country — expect cold mornings, and snow in the late hunts. Snow is useful: it concentrates the migration and makes tracking honest work. It also closes roads, so have a lower-elevation fallback.

Expect company near Flagstaff

Schultz Pass and the Kendrick country are heavily used for recreation. Be past the trailheads before light, use weekdays where you can, and be certain of your backstop.