AZ Desert Deer?

[kaibabhunter]

Looking for a little advice/comments on AZ desert deer hunting...

So this was the year I decided to get serious about figuring out my OTC archery desert unit kind of close to home. Word is that there are nice bucks both up high and in the flats in this area. I chose up higher because less hunters are willing to go in that steep nasty terrain. I've been scouting/checking trail cams since June about every 2-3 weeks. After basically no results (4 miles in from the nearest road) on the first trail cam I moved it and my second trail cam to a new spot (about 2 miles in). The new spot has a small water source that comes and goes throughout the year - water is just under the surface if it is dry and the animals can dig down to it. It also has a couple trails coming into the wash within 50 meters and a decent amount of sign. I let the cams sit for 2 weeks and only had pigs and 1 doe on the cams.
I left the cams in place and went farther up the wash to look for more water. I found a very thick patch of vegatation in the wash with all sorts of trails in and out of it and found another watersource that looks to hold water year round in the next small wash over about 200 meters away - also found a lion deer kill that looked a couple months old in the thick stuff. I'm considering setting up another mineral site either near the new water source or the bedding area - not sure which would be best. So there's water, minerals, cover/bedding area and a nice "escape" saddle all within a 1/2 mile area - but no consistent deer that I can find. I jumped 6 pigs out of this "bedding" area and figured they're probably making most of the trails and sign in the area. There's also now 4 confirmed lions working this area. The resident herd has definitely been hit hard by these cats. Being this early in the year, I'm not getting too discouraged at the lack of deer for a January hunt, but would like to see something soon...what do you guys think? Am I wasting my time?

[m gardner]

Look for old rubbed trees. If the bucks are there during the rut they surely rubbed a tree or two around the water in the past few years.
Mark

[MuleyMadness]

If your cams on are the water source and there isn't a ton of water nearby...AND you simply aren't getting any pictures of deer I'd be a little nervous myself. 4 confirmed lions makes me a bit worried also, they will take out way to many deer and this could be a major factor.

If it was me, I'd look elsewhere for better results after reading your description.

[Bowtech43]

I'd have to second the motion. Sounds sparse.

[one hunting fool]

third. Az is a good area but I think that hole has been fished out

[kaibabhunter]

Looks like I won't be wasting my time in this area anymore...this was the only think on the cam besides a couple pigs:

[GUTPYLZ]

He looks pretty skinny too. I'm taking the dive and going to unit 9. It sounds just as good as any to me.