Arizona advice???

ianpadron

WKR
Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Messages
1,720
Location
Montana
Hey guys, the wife and I are looking to buy a home with short term rental potential in AZ. Need to be able to escape the dreary PNW in the winter. Looking for recommendations on areas to focus that get us:

1) as close as possible to top tier quail hunting (bonus for deer opportunities)
2) within 10-15min of a small community with services
3) good location for folks visiting and looking for an Airbnb when we aren't there (access to golf, hiking, biking, ATV trails, etc)

So far we've focused on the Gold Canyon area near the Superstitions, and really like the feel out there for reference sake.

Thanks in advance, and no we aren't libs coming to ruin your state ;)

Lets go Brandon.
 

GSPHUNTER

WKR
Joined
Jun 30, 2020
Messages
3,907
I have hunted the are around Lake Roosevelt and up to Punkin Center. Quail hunting can be fantastic depending on spring rains, just like any place else. Javelina and Desert mule deer can also be found there. Payson is not far from there. My friends moved there about two years ago and just love it. There are two golf courses just outside of Payson. Lots of off road opportunities.
 

Northpark

WKR
Joined
Mar 8, 2015
Messages
1,130
Tonto basin near lake Roosevelt might work. Otherwise I’d say look towards Tucson area. Stay away from the Phoenix metro area including gold canyon unless you really like people. Also real estate prices are getting rough around there.
 

fmyth

WKR
Joined
Mar 14, 2019
Messages
1,582
Location
Arizona
Hey guys, the wife and I are looking to buy a home with short term rental potential in AZ. Need to be able to escape the dreary PNW in the winter. Looking for recommendations on areas to focus that get us:

1) as close as possible to top tier quail hunting (bonus for deer opportunities)
2) within 10-15min of a small community with services
3) good location for folks visiting and looking for an Airbnb when we aren't there (access to golf, hiking, biking, ATV trails, etc)

So far we've focused on the Gold Canyon area near the Superstitions, and really like the feel out there for reference sake.

Thanks in advance, and no we aren't libs coming to ruin your state ;)

Lets go Brandon.
I am a licensed real estate broker(21yrs) and live in Gold Canyon(12yrs). I'd be happy to talk to you about the area. Feel free to PM me.
 

HuntHarder

WKR
Classified Approved
Joined
Aug 4, 2014
Messages
1,946
Location
Phoenix, Az
Cottonwood/ camp verde area is great. Prices are going up on everything everywhere. The wineries are a big draw for that area and are only expanding. Sedona is really close, Great hunting for just about everything within 30 minutes to an hour. The town itself is getting bigger, almost too big imo. Just me, but i would avoid Tucson like the plague.
 
Joined
Jun 16, 2020
Messages
11
haha, ya Tucson is a bit ghetto. A lot of the small towns around Tucson have you watching your back. Lots of tweakers walking around
 

Dirtbag

WKR
Joined
Jul 24, 2014
Messages
433
Location
Colorado
Tucson or Green Valley
We stop in Green Valley every year for supplies before hitting the mountains, always thought it was a clean community and the people were nice. Its in proximity to good hunting as well. Tucson is a bit sketchy, but that is based purely on the fact that my first experience was a guy shooting heroin in a walmart parking lot without caring that there was a a bunch of people watching him.
 

GSPHUNTER

WKR
Joined
Jun 30, 2020
Messages
3,907
We stop in Green Valley every year for supplies before hitting the mountains, always thought it was a clean community and the people were nice. Its in proximity to good hunting as well. Tucson is a bit sketchy, but that is based purely on the fact that my first experience was a guy shooting heroin in a walmart parking lot without caring that there was a a bunch of people watching him.
Better than shooting people.
 
OP
ianpadron

ianpadron

WKR
Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Messages
1,720
Location
Montana
We stop in Green Valley every year for supplies before hitting the mountains, always thought it was a clean community and the people were nice. Its in proximity to good hunting as well. Tucson is a bit sketchy, but that is based purely on the fact that my first experience was a guy shooting heroin in a walmart parking lot without caring that there was a a bunch of people watching him.
I'm from WA state so that kind of activity makes a place feel like home LOL
 

greaseywater

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
122
Plenty of good parts of Tucson to go along with the sketchy. Like anywhere. If you want to be close to Mearns, Scaled, and Gambels check out Sonoita and Patagonia (very small), Sierra Vista or Vail. Vail is on the far east side of Tucson.
 

jeffdixon

FNG
Joined
Sep 23, 2021
Messages
28
I have hunted the are around Lake Roosevelt and up to Punkin Center. Quail hunting can be fantastic depending on spring rains, just like any place else. Javelina and Desert mule deer can also be found there. Payson is not far from there. My friends moved there about two years ago and just love it. There are two golf courses just outside of Payson. Lots of off road opportunities.
Be prepared to shell out some major $$$$ if you go anywhere near Payson. Dang shame right now with housing prices. But good recommendation other than Payson :)
 
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
65
Location
AZ
We moved down to NE Mesa few years ago from the PNW and love it. Kind of depends on your budget, house prices around here have skyrocketed lately, though seem to be plateau-ing the last few months. I love our area, 20 min to Sky Harbor and close enough to drive to hunting spots before dawn. I've found some decent deer spots within 45 min, though you could certainly do better with Coues outside of Tuscon. A similar area to Gold Canyon you might look into is Fountain Hills (plus Outdoorsmans shop is up there if you need to unload few paychecks). No offense to anyone in Payson but we were looking for a cabin there a while back but kind of got turned away, it can get pretty dumpy in areas. Great place to visit, camp, etc but we decided owning a non-permanent place up there isnt worth it.

PS My wife is RE agent if you end up needing one somewhere in the valley
 
Joined
Sep 22, 2013
Messages
6,389
Look around Williams, you want to be located near the doorway to the Grand Canyon for rental income plus the weather is nice at this elevation. Once you drop below 5000' the heat can become oppressive. It can at higher elevations as well but for shorter periods of time.
 
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