Well 2008 was not as busy as it was in 2007, but there are still plently of border crossers roaming the back country. Most are only people coming in for work though they do say 10-20% of those also have commited other crimes besides crossing the border illigaly. Regular groups will usualy just try to hide or say hello and keep walking.
There are also drug runners and I have run into them several times. But every time they drop thier packs and run as soon as they see me and the dogs, I usualy carry a rifle and have a pack of dogs with me
I also carry a cell phone and call right away every time I see a group be it drugs or not. Border patrol comes real fast when there is drugs on the ground!
I think its getting better with less people crossing but some of the drug runner types and people smugglers are also getting desperate. There are alot more border patrol agents on the border as well because they have been hiring as fast as they can. So far in the mtns where I live and hunt its been unarmed crossers. But in the areas where people can drive accross the border there have been some shoot-outs between rivel smugglers mostly. People have taken pot shots at borderpatrol agents from the mexican side of the border.
Also last year there were several incidents where mexican troops crossed the border "accidently". Its sort of hard for me to believe it was an accident because the border fence is vastly improved and very well marked now... 10 years ago the fence in this area was only a 5 strand barbed wire thing between regular fence posts. In many of the washes it was completly open. Now its steel beams welded together in the washes and in many of the flat areas a 10+ foot high metal wall.
10 years ago there was almost no one crossing and no border patrol to speak of. I miss the days of being able to walk the back country and see no trash and have the feeling of being the only one around for miles...
