Arizona/NM hunters,..How many of you run into border crossers while hunting?

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Pack_Wolf

New member
It occurs to me that certain areas of the Southern state may be more at risk for accidentally getting in to the way of these individuals and groups,when hunting. How often does it happen? This is the time of year that crossings increase.
Are there any precautions that are taken and not openly discussed?

Thanks,

Pack
 
Originally Posted By: Orneryolfart357Buy a Sombrero and grow a big Mustache. The Border patrol will prolly give you a free escort, Thanks to Obummer. lol

true. they might even tell you where to make the next stand.
 
I'm down near the border and surprisingly haven't come across anyone while out calling. I do run into BP all the time though.
I have a decent idea of the areas that are more used by the illegals and tend to call elsewhere. I don't take any special precautions.
 
Nice post Redleg84. I plan on spending 6 weeks or so along the border areas and Phoenix.

I was raised in Douglas, so I am aware of some things still. It has changed from 40-50 years ago.

Thanks.

Pack
 
Interestingly, the AZ hunting regulations book has a map that shows a "Homeland Security" border with the notes, "Homeland Security issues along the international border may affect the quality of a person's hunt." The area in question is south and west of Tucson, and southwest of I-10 up to about Casa Grande, where it then heads west towards Yuma. I'd probably steer clear of hunting down towards Nogales and Sierra Vista...
 
They mostly move at night and will have look-outs in the hills.

The odds of running into them are pretty slim......

A few weeks ago we were out calling and called one into our first stand. My partner motioned the illegal to sit down. He did......and we proceeded to call our stand for a few more minutes.

You know what concerns me more than illegals....is the supposed "Minute-Men types" From my limited experience, those guys are pretty intense when you cross their paths.
 
I encountered a single " undocumented immigrant " while javolina hunting just north of the silver bell mountains in southern AZ. It was raining pretty hard when I walked up on him sitting under a tarp trying to stay warm with a single burner propane stove. My espanol is OK but not fluent. I asked if he had seen any javolina or my hunting partbner. He wasn't in a talkative mood. Another time while glassing an alfalfa field we saw a mini van stop on the far side of the field. Poeple appeared out of the desert, got in and the van left. All the trash they leave is something you never hear about in the news.
 
We owned some land for a couple of years south of Sanderson Tx. Place was about 9 miles from the Rio Grand. Never saw any illegals while hunting, but the hunting shack on the place was well used by them. Previous owner told me to keep it unlocked because they were gonna get in there anyway, and at least they wouldn't break the door down or bust the windows out. Locals down there told us to pay attention at night as they are attracted to headlights. Never had any problems personally.
 
I ran into both individuals coming across the border illegally and border patrol during several hunts near the border when I live in San Diego.

Me and a buddy likely tripped a sensor on a dove hunt years ago about three miles from the Mexico border. We were buzzed by a lightless and completely blacked out helicopter in the middle of the night. He hovered over us at about 60-feet until we pulled our wallets out and showed him our CA driver's licenses.

On another hunt I surprised two illegals coming three a creek bed. I was deer hunting and I saw them first. When they spotted me, they put their hands on their heads and started walking towards me. I know enough Spanish to let them know that I wasn't there to take them in and told them to leave. In the blink of an eye, they disappeared into the bushes. I was done hunting around there.
 
The goal for smugglers is to get their contraband (illegal immigrants and drugs) from the Mexico border to the interstate highways for distribution into the United States. In AZ, the area south of I-10 and I-8 is where most activity occurs. The main corridors are where there are wilderness areas, Indian reservations, and areas with bad cell phone service.

Things to watch out for are vehicles traveling at high speeds on back roads, encountering a stashed drug load or vehicle, and desperate people on foot faking they need help when they actually want to ambush you.

The chances are slim that this will be encountered, but hunters should stay aware of it.
 
I've bumped into groups a couple times while out hunting, and also found "stuff" stashed. As mentioned above though, it's the trash they leave that's the worst. On pretty much any short deer hunt hike I could easily fill my pack with trash multiple times. It's disgusting. I pick up what I can, but don't even leave a dent.

The Border Patrol has messed up way more hunting for me than illegals, but those guys are usually good for a nice chat. Some of them can even tell you where good hunting is.
 
a trapper Clint Locklear I think made a short vid clip about trapping by the border and its on youtube I think...they find a machine gun right there making the vid along with the usual everyone has mentioned backpacks, water bottles & TRASH.
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It got a bit better in the last two years or so.

Prior to that we used to run into them on a regular basis.

Like Bushman said, you really gotta watch out for the wanna be militia guys. We have had them come up on us while they were "patrolling." They gave us a bit of grief until they realized they were out flanked then they cooled their jets a bit.

Illegals mostly didn't know we were there. We just let them pass and call it in to BP later. Here is one that we found walking on our friends farm. He was hiding next to an irrigation shed. We asked him if he was ok since he was covered in mud and hiding next to the shed. We called BP but the coyotes drove in and grabbed him before BP got there. He is one of the few that we have had face to face contact with.



I just keep a sidearm on, and keep your situational awareness on and you will be just fine.
 
Originally Posted By: REID2168a trapper Clint Locklear I think made a short vid clip about trapping by the border and its on youtube I think...they find a machine gun right there making the vid along with the usual everyone has mentioned backpacks, water bottles & TRASH.
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You never know...



 
I have encountered them at times along the border. In most instances no problem. We did run into a caravan of drug smugglers about 8 years ago that made me nervous as one of them was packing a AK. They scattered into the brush and we got out of there. Another time made a stand and we topped the hill and there was about a dozen people at our truck. When they saw we were armed they took off. I don't call right along the border like I used to very often and when I do I pack my AR vs. my Ruger #1. but I don't worry about the illegals much it is the Border Patrol constantly ruining your stands that keeps me out. But it at least shows you they are trying to do their job.

drscott
 
ive hunted the border 4 times and seen illegals everytime. seen them with the pack full of marijuana or coke too. have had them jump out on the road at me and ask for water before. I was only 50 miles south of phoenix the other day and came on one of their camps.
 
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