Merker, Coronado national forest supervisor states, and it has been discovered that women so employed compare favorably with men. Lee is a little more fortunate than some of his co-workers. Areas of elk concentrations change somewhat year-to-year, depending on localized summer rainfall filling stock tanks and greening up vegetation. July 1, 1947: "The 10th man-caused fire in the Prescott National forests burned over one quarter of an acre of seedlings at the head of Indian creek divide, west of the White Spar, late yesterday afternoon and early last nigh. Trail layout: The trail leaves the lookout road descending to Gaddes Spring and then back to the ridge overlooking Gaddes Canyon. ", I also made a preliminary location for a truck trail to the top of Hutch Mountain. The best morning glassing locations are off Forest Service Road 643, where a hunter can sit in the foothills, looking into the valley with the sun at their back. February 1, 1924: "Fire protection in the Prescott National Forest will receive the added protection of three new towers for lookout stations which will be in service when the fire season opens next summer, according to the supervisor of the forest. The key to successful javelina hunting is spending a lot of time glassing. Hunters should obtain access permission here before applying for this hunt. Many of the ranches here require written permission before access is granted. But he has seen non-drinking fire-watchers plunge into a two-week drunk after a lonely month in the forests. Areas: Good bets for glassing javelina are the east and west foothills of Mingus Mountain. • Mingus Mountain Picnic Area – Water is available • Mingus Lake – Water is never available at this site. Many quail hunters use pointing dogs toward the south end of Unit 19A because of the more open terrain and the absence of cholla cactus, which hunters encounter in hunting units closer to Phoenix. The open hunt area is in close proximity to an urban area and high hunter densities are typical. Key to column headings: ID - A numerical count, County - The county the Lookout is in, Topo Map - The name of the 7.5 minute topographic map the Lookout is on, Year - Date of the map, Lookout Name - Name of active Lookout or inactive site, - Status of standing Lookout (see below), EL, ft. Areas: Most elk in Unit 19A are in the juniper and shrub oak habitat types – lower in elevation than hunters would expect. Upon my return I phoned Mr. Adams and advised him of my findings. Bill Pradt, lookout on Mt. It would be appreciated if we could secure approval to add this spur to project No. One guy has broken completely, and the other two would probably break under strain. Accordingly, the towers should be received by you soon after the 15th of October, and some may arrive before that time.". Please review the hunting regulations for information and the phone number to determine if the unit remains open to bear hunting prior to your hunt, and for required harvest reporting procedures. Not all of Unit 19A is open to pronghorn hunting. It is unlawful to discharge a firearm within ¼ mile of a residence or occupied structure. Lookout tower has been constructed on the Indian Reservation line, near Deer Spring above Bailey's Ranch. A limited stratified spring shotgun shooting shot season was initiated in 2015. Revised October 25, 2020. At 3.1 miles, the trail climbs around another steep drainage, directly below the summit of Mingus Mountain, before meeting up with trail 105A in a lofty saddle. Another source attributes the name to William Mingus (d. 1911, Prescott, Arizona), a pioneer prospector who lived and worked on Mingus Mountain in the 1870s. The crew all wore hard hats. Constructed in 1935, Mingus Mountain Lookout is a 60’ Pacific Coast Steel tower with a 7’x7’ metal cab located on a wooded mountain. These anchor bolts should be placed in the deadmen at their respective locations and guy cables attached. Many times the buck will return and continue to recklessly defend this area. While I was very favorably impressed with the progress of the job, I was amazed at the complete disregard for common-sense rules of safety which I encountered. Hunters are usually most productive hunting brushy hillsides in close proximity to permanent water sources, such as earthen stock tanks. The guy wire cables were placed immediately into the cement in the deadmen and have rusted at their entry into the cement. Water sources are in high demand by hunters for blind locations. These hunts are during the rut and use of antelope decoys may be effective, as are blinds near water sources. Much of the unit’s antelope population lives in or near the Town of Prescott Valley. This may be a good place to introduce yourself and your site or include some credits. Elevation 7,693'. Springer Mountain Lookout: US 424, AZ 31: Spruce Mountain Lookout: US 531, AZ 53: Sugarloaf Mountain Lookout: US 575, AZ 55: 1 report Tower Mountain Lookout: US 532, AZ 54: Turkey Butte Lookout: US 374, AZ 19: Volunteer Lookout: US 665, AZ 60: Webb Peak Lookout: US 451, AZ 44: West Peak Lookout: US 220, AZ 14: Woody Mountain Lookout: US 375, AZ 20 Other methods of hunting lions are varmint calling and glassing for lions with binoculars. Some of these requests are declined. July 2, 1936: "A telephone line to the fire lookout station on top of Munger mountain is being built under the supervision of Ranger Jim Lambert." These areas have dense vegetation cover, so stalking may be difficult at times. Overview: Each year, between two and six lions are reported harvested from Unit 19A. Be mindful of your image as a sportsman and be courteous of Prescott Valley residents. Brushy hills north of Highway 169. Overview: The turkey population in Game Management Unit 19A is on a relatively stable trend within the limited habitat which exists. Check the mud around stock tanks for lion tracks. Scout the area well in advance; identify land ownership, and request permission of the landowner if the area you wish to hunt is on private land. Set up your blind early to establish your site, but hunters must be tolerant of others also wanting to use the area. It is free of charge, and may be obtained at any U.S. Forest Service office in the area. There are developed areas and a ranch headquarters throughout the area. Fred Merkle, supervisor, said the tower will be 100 feet high and constructed of wood. Overview: Mule deer numbers in Unit 19A have increased in recent years. On the top of Mingus Mountain is a Forest Service recreation area, which encompasses some private homes, the Forest Service's Mingus Campground, the fire lookout tower, the Methodist Church Camp, and Mingus Lake at Elks Well. Remove all blinds following the hunt. On the top of Mingus Mountain is a Forest Service recreation area, which encompasses some private homes, the Forest Service’s Mingus Campground, the fire lookout tower, the Methodist Church Camp, and Mingus Lake at Elks Well. (Arizona Daily Sun), June 26, 1964:  "A few months away from civilization may seem like an ideal situation at times--until it becomes a reality. Be aware, there are subdivisions and a fairgrounds/race track complex at the north end of the area. Remember that javelina are fair weather creatures and are most active during periods of good weather. Model: L-4 12x12 Cab. Plan ahead to make sure your hunting location and your elk removal/field care procedures allow meat to be cooled quickly after harvest to prevent spoilage. This is all easy construction and will be about 2 1/2 or 3 miles of truck trail. Mingus Mountain is also the premier flying site of the Arizona Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association. This lookout is fast becoming a safety problem due to its overall condition and age of the structure. This map identifies the open roads and trails on the forest. (7.9 km) #3 Mingus Lookout Complex National Register of Historic Places Updated: 2017-03-09 Mingus Lookout Complex is a fire tower lookout complex atop Mingus Mountain in Prescott National Forest, in Arizona. No discharge of firearms is allowed in this recreation area. "It doesn't bother me," claims Robert Lee, who spends two to three and a half months in a remote Graham Mountains spot each year scanning for possible forest fires. Others just pack up and leave without word--or bothering to pick up their pay. Address 123 Main Street New York, NY 10001, Hours Monday—Friday: 9:00AM–5:00PM Saturday & Sunday: 11:00AM–3:00PM. All of this work could be done from the catwalk, and with minimum hazard. An extensive ground search for Robert Legg, general assistant Flagstaff district ranger of the Coconino Forest, and Taylor Sheffield, state employed lookout at Turkey Butte, reported they walked on through the forest rather than try to climb back out of the rugged canyon. "On the Sitgreaves National Forest, the headquarters of which are at Snowflake, over $6,000 has been expended, largely for the purpose of connecting ranger stations and lookout points with the Supervisor's office, in order to afford communication in case of fire. OPEN: All Verde River Access Points; Powell Springs Campground, Copper Canyon Trailhead – Water is never available at these sites Access to the west side of Mingus Mountain north of Hwy 89A has become limited due to housing developments – it is best to reach this area from Perkinsville Road (County Road 70) off of State Highway 89 in Chino Valley. No discharge of firearms is allowed in this recreation area. Watch for a buck that is chasing does or actively driving off other bucks. Although the fire appears to be of fairly large proportions, it will not offer any problem to United States forests, since the distance between it and the border is too great and the region too sparsely timbered. Be courteous of others – other hunters keep antelope moving around. Obtain a Forest Service map, which shows private, State Trust, and public land designations. One lookout tower on Mingus mountain near the recreational area established on the summit last fall, is under construction." On the top of Mingus Mountain is a Forest Service recreation area, which encompasses some private homes, the Forest Service’s Mingus Campground, the fire lookout tower, the Methodist Church Camp, and Mingus Lake at Elks Well. Horsethief Basin Recreation Area offers a variety of recreational opportunities including: hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, camping, fishing, and OHV riding.Castle Creek Wilderness is located nearby, and Horsethief Cabin and Turney Gulch Group Campground are available by reservation. Other areas with good concentrations of javelina include Copper Mountain (northeast of the town of Mayer), Ash Creek (from just north of Highway 169 to south of the highway), the Agua Fria River drainage (from the town of Dewey southeast to Interstate 17), and the canyons north of Orme School (northwest of the Interstate 17/Orme Road junction, near the confluence of Ash Creek and Cienega Creek). We should be interested to know just when we may expect these lookout towers. Mingus Mountain, in the Black Hills of Arizona Mingus Lookout Complex , a fire tower lookout complex in Prescott National Forest, Arizona Max Mingus, a character in a series of books by British thriller writer Nick Stone Hunters should be diligent in looking for posted private property signage. This, however, doesn't do away with the loneliness of the job, according to Lee, who has seen about a dozen men walk off their posts during his six years at West Peak. Since a large percentage of the quail population is made up of young-of-the-year birds, these rains will have a large impact on the quail population that is present during the autumn hunting season. The 30’ Aermotor Mc-24 tower with a modified L-4 cab was built in 1933 and remains in active service. Much of the pine type is located on top of Mingus Mountain, within a Forest Service recreation area where hunting is prohibited. Good lion habitat is generally rocky canyons that have at least some dense patches of brush. It is a new style arrangement. Before they retired into the night, they reflected on the day, shared a meal, and wrote a couple of entries in their respective diaries. Overview: Javelina hunts take place during the winter rainy season, so please be mindful of Forest Service road closure signs to prevent these roads from being torn up and possibly getting your vehicle stuck. The area immediately east of Watson Lake is private land. Firearms hunters: See current hunt regulations for open hunt areas. ... Mingus Mountain; Non-topical/index: Uses of Wikidata Infobox; Mingus Lookout Complex.jpg 4,288 × 2,848; 10.27 MB. No discharge of firearms is allowed in this recreation area. If hunting in the Lonesome Valley area, hunting access in this area is quite limited and most of the pronghorn habitat here is privately owned. ... Media in category "Mingus Lookout Complex" This category contains only the following file. In late August and September, bears move lower in elevation to find ripening prickly pear cactus fruit. Of course everything had to be packed and that may have been considered, If you do build a new layout on Hutch, we would recommend that the present layout on Mahan be left intact for use by emergency firemen and as a camp for district rangers. Most elk in Unit 19A are relatively low in elevation and temperatures are still warm during the archery hunt. Other Sites on the Verde Ranger District. A two-room cabin will be built at the base for a caretaker. The vantage of this high plateau offers incredible views, especially at the rim where the ground falls away dramatically into the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness and Verde Valley. Standing Watch: The Fire Towers of Arizona by Eileen Moore. 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