The 2007/2008 Desert Mule Deer Season hunting facts: This Desert Mule Deer Hunting season had below average rainfall yet our numbers and fawn crops sustained well with hunters reporting above average numbers and good to average antler growth. We hosted 15 hunters in Sonora during the 2007/2008 season with 13 clients harvesting bucks and 2 who pssed up bucks looking for a personal best. Five (5) of our Desert Mule deer gross scored over 200 BC and one harvested grossed over 215 Boone & Crockett.
The majority of the remaining Desert Mule deer that were taken scored between 180 -185 B&C with 28” to 30” spreads. We are anticipating another successful season in 2008-2009.
What to expect on your Desert Mule Deer hunt with us
What to expect: Expect to be served 3 hot meals a day and to hunt from before sunrise to noon and again from 2:30-3:00pm till the headlights are turned on in the truck in the evening. The majority of this time will be spent in the truck tower scouting for deer. These ranches are large and there is a lot of ground to cover. If you are not willing to put in the time in the truck, you will reduce your odds greatly on harvesting a big desert mule deer. During the 2007/2008 Season we were 13 for 15 Desert Mule Deer harvested with the biggest mule
deer a B&C 216 and over 34” in wide . The two deer hunters who didn’t harvest deer had multiple shot opportunities but passed looking to best personal records. I saw deer every day. The rut starts the late the last week in December and goes thru the first 20 days of January. The season closes the first week of February. The rut is the most popular time to hunt and it’s the time when the largest bucks of the season are taken. Expect most shots in the range from 50 to 90 yards and the occasional out to 150. 
The brush is heavy and thick and shooting distances are close. Expect your guide to spot more deer than you; he’s familiar with what to look for in the terrain that surrounds the ranch. Bring the best optics you can afford, they will come in handy. Expect to see desert mule deer every day and also expect to go for hours at a time during the day and see nothing. Just about the time you start to daydream, your guide pokes you and says "Deer."
Coyotes and Javilina may be taken at no extra charge. These are merely bonus targets of opportunity and there is no guarantee you will harvest any.
About 90% of hunters shoot from the steady rest of the truck tower. We have guided hunters to 75 years of age. Mule Deer and Los Chinos Coues is not a physically demanding hunt. Coues Deer at El Socoro and San Martin require walking and best if you are in hiking shape.
The deer on all of the ranches are very large, healthy and have a good layer of fat. Deer shot in December are good to eat; the deer shot in January don’t taste good due to the fact that they are in the rut. It is possible to bring back some meat but be aware of the extra baggage costs nowadays.
The biggest Desert Mule Deer of all of our ranches was taken in January 2008 at 216 B&B and 34” across. This mule deer was a 4x4 plus brow tines or 5x5.
Desert Mule Deer may be taken by Muzzleloader, rifle or Archery. Archery will be difficult, but possible, so you may want to bring a rifle as a back up.
All guides are native of the area and have a decade or more of experience guiding in the area. Guides speak a few words of English, good enough to understand. There is usually someone in camp who is perfectly bilingual. Rain is unlikely in December or January. Snakes and insets are not a problem during the Desert Mule & Coues Deer Seasons.
Full moon and win can effect deer movement during shooting hours. Full moon during the rut doesn’t affect the bucks as much during the rut as they are always on the lookout for does.
Rick’s December hunt: My hunt took place pre-rut, the week before Christmas 2008. I had a 700% shot opportunity on Desert Mule Deer in the 160-180 class and 200% on B&C 180 Class Mulies. I passed on two 180 Class Desert Mulies looking for a larger buck and settled for this 153 on the last day. I was only able to hunt for 5 days on this trip. Only one time did we not have a change to stalk on foot. Because the brush is so thick, stalking is not too hard. My Mulie was taken on foot about 100 yards from the truck. The doorway to the tower is 16” wide. I am 5’10” and have a 39” waist and weight 225 lbs. and I can get through it with room to spare. We can take most sizes of hunters and physical ability by having them ride in the truck cab. This landscape is incredible and holds monster desert mulies.
| TROPHY ANIMAL | HUNT DURATION | DATES | COST |
| Coues Deer | 5-Nights & 4-Days Hunting | December Pre-Rut | $3,450 |
| Coues Deer | 5-Nights & 4-Days Hunting | January-Rut | $4,600 |
| Coues Deer | 5-Nights & 4-Days Hunting | December Pre-Rut | $1,725 Youth* |
| Coues Deer | 5-Nights & 4-Days Hunting | January-Rut | $2,300 Youth* |
| Coues Deer | Extra Coues Deer Tag | December Pre-Rut | $1,725 |
| Coues Deer | Extra Coues Deer Tag | January-Rut | $2,875 |
| Coues Deer | Extra Hunting Days | Rut or Pre-Rut | $200/Day |
| TROPHY ANIMAL | HUNT DURATION | DATES | COST |
| Desert Mule Deer | 7-Nights & 6-Days Hunting | December Pre-Rut | $9,200 |
| Desert Mule Deer | 7-Nights & 6-Days Hunting | January Rut | $10,350 |
| Desert Mule Deer | 7-Nights & 6-Days Hunting | December Pre-Rut | $4,600 Youth* |
| Desert Mule Deer | 7-Nights & 6-Days Hunting | January Rut | $5,175 Youth* |
| Desert Mule Deer | Extra Desert Mule Deer Tag | December Pre-Rut | $5,750 |
| Desert Mule Deer | Extra Desert Mule Deer Tag | January-Rut | $6,900 |
| Desert Mule Deer | Extra Hunting Days | Rut or Pre-Rut | $275/Day |
2009-10 Free Range Desert Mule & Coues Combo Deer Pricing
| TROPHY ANIMAL | HUNT DURATION | DATES | COST |
| Mule & Coues Combo | 7-Nights & 6-Days Hunting | December Pre-Rut | $11,500 |
| Mule & Coues Combo | 7-Nights & 6-Days Hunting | January-Rut | $12,650 |
| Mule & Coues Combo | 7-Nights & 6-Days Hunting | December Pre-Rut | $5,750 Youth* |
| Mule & Coues Combo | 7-Nights & 6-Days Hunting | January-Rut | $6,325 Youth* |
| Mule & Coues Deer | Extra Hunting Days | Rut or Pre-Rut | $275/Day |
Wounded and lost deer count as trophy killed. Additional tags can be purchased.
Special Guaranteed Hunt
Special Guaranteed hunt: This hunt is for Desert Mule Deer or Coues Whitetail Deer hunters that maybe looking for a specific size rack or looking for a personal best score. If you don’t find what you are looking for during your allotted hunt secession and don’t harvest a deer, you can come back the following season with a $2000 discount. You cannot harvest or wound a deer on your initial hunt to be eligible for this discount. This is a Global Sporting Safaris exclusive.
Extended stay: you may wish to extend your stay if you are chasing a specific buck or just haven’t connected at the end of your hunt. You can extend your stay at the daily rate. Should you decide to stay, we will help you change your tickets. The hunter will be responsible for any change ticket fees by his/her airline.
Hermosillo Hunting License, Hunting Tag, Gun Permit, transportation to and from the Hermosillo Airport, 3 Hot Meals per day, beer, Coke & Coke Light, bottled water, one Experienced Guide per hunter, full use of tower truck and driver, field and transportation prep of the trophy, Game Tags and USFW Form 3-177 filled out for hunter and Taxidermy game tags. Not included in the Hunt Desert Mule Deer Hunting Fees
Airfare, Tips, trip cancellation insurance and hard liquor. You can visit a liquor store in Hermosillo before your ride to deer camp.
Whitetailed Coues Deer Hunts
On our Coues Deer hunts, expect to see up to 30 Coues deer a day with 7-8 being bucks. You will have a guide (1x1) with you to help you pick out the best trophy. The biggest Coues come from Los Chinos Ranch and the most Coues seen per day is at San Martin and El Socorro. The biggest Coues deer was taken at Los Chinos Ranch in the 2006/2007 season
at B&C 115. A good caliber for Coues is in the 260 to 7mm range. Expect shots at Los Chinos from 150-300 yards. All other ranches in the 80-120 range due to dense vegetation. Coues hunts are done by walking and by blinds on the dry river beds as the deer cross to the water tanks. Archery possible but rifle is the best method of take. Coues and Mule Deer rut at the same time – first 3 weeks in January. The Coues Deer Season runs December 1 to February 1. Most of the Coues Deer harvested are in the 90-100 B&C class. A 115 B&C was taken during the 2006/2007 season at Los Chinos. There have been no Coues Deer harvested since the 2006/2007 Season. This offers a prime opportunity for the trophy Coues Deer trophy hunter!
There are 5 different ranches to hunt outside of Hermosillo; Augua Blanca, La Cana, Los Chinos, El Socorro and San Martin. All of these ranches are owned by one family of cattle ranchers who are also big game hunters. They understand deer management and keep the hunting pressure light on the 46,000+ acres they own and manage. Two of the larger ranches are best known for their Monster Desert Mule Deer while the other 3 are known for their trophy Coues Deer. One of the ranches is within 20 minutes of Hermosillo and some are as far as 3 hours away. Terrain and vegitation vary from low scrub to high bushes and trees to mountain oaks and pine. We limit the amount of hunters at any one time on our ranches; 
Agua Blanca & La Cana- 4-5 Desert Mule Deer hunters
Los Chinos - 2-3 Desert Mule Deer or Coues Deer hunters
San Martin - 4 Coues Deer Hunters
El Soccoro - 3 Desert Mule Deer Hunters
Shot opportunities on some ranches range from 50-90 yards while others may range from 100-200+ yards. Hunting will range from ground blinds for Coues deer on river bottoms to tower trucks to see past the high brush.Elevation runs about 1400 for most Desert Mule Deer hunts and up to 5000 for Coues Deer. In some cases we may move hunters to other ranches to give them additional shot opportunities.
Lodging
The lodging at Agua Blanca, La Cana, Los Chinos and El Soccoro are comfortable farm houses with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with showers. There is hot water for washing and showers. Laundry is not offered so please bring enough hunting close for the week. Two of the bed rooms each contain 3 single beds. Since there is no laundry available, you will be supplied a sleeping bag to use on top of the twin beds. You may also bring your own bag if you wish. There is a full kitchen staffed by a full time cook and the food is incredible. The living room contains shoulder mounts of Desert Mule Deer and Coues Deer as well as pictures from the last 5 years of successful hunts and a fireplace. Satellite TV is available. Internet isn’t available and cell-phone service is sketchy at best. If you need to call out or be reached,
rent a satellite phone. The dinner room comfortably sets up to 6 guests. There is a brick built BBQ in the back of the house and a nice covered porch on the front.
Lodging at San Martin: 3 bedroom, 2 bath, kitchen, living room, 2 fireplaces and pretty rustic. San Martin is covered in Oaks and Pines and is about 5000’ elevation. This camp is 3 hour drive from Hermosillo and is for Coues Deer only.
Sonoran Cuisine: Our head chef, Carlos Bernal whips up some 
incredible dinner dishes including jumbo shrimp, rib eye steaks, thick hamburgers and wonderful stews and soups. There is always fresh salsa, guacamole, beans and chips and tortillas for snacks before lunch and dinner. Meals are served hot and breakfast includes eggs, bacon, fresh fruit, milk and cereal for those who want to eat light. Lunches consist of hot soups and stews. You will definitely not go hungry here and will probably gain weight the food is so good. Coke, Diet Coke, Beer and bottled water is also served at all meals and in the field. If you drink something specific, we will stop at a liquor store on the way to the ranch.
Have questions on Trophy Desert Mule Deer Hunting and Trophy Coues Deer Hunting in in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico? Call Rick Kennerknecht at (888) 850-HUNT (4868) Ext 3 or (307) 235-4650, Ext. 3 for details or booking.
