| 1/2B/2C |
Mix of burnt and live ponderosa pine rolling canyon terrain. Good road access throughout with plenty of public land for a self-guided hunter. The archery hunt is one of the better hunts because of the amount of elk and rut activity. Because this unit is managed for a higher bull to cow ratio for elk under the state guidelines, this is one of the better hunt units in the state for quality year in and year out. It is, however, the lower producing unit out of the four that are enrolled in the Alternative Elk Hunt Objective. Quality is still better than the average unit in Arizona. 340" bulls are very doable, especially for early archery hunts, but 300-320" bulls will be the common herd bull found. Always a few giant bulls but they are tough to find. Good glassing unit for the late season hunts and plenty of bulls. |
| 3A/3C |
The area has a stable population with some rugged canyons but mostly gentle terrain. There are scattered stands of yellow pine, often with large burn areas. Public access is good with road access throughout. Hunting quality is typically among the best in the state during the early rifle and archery seasons. Late season hunts are more challenging as mature bulls tend to retreat to adjacent reservation land or seek cover in the dense, flat timber areas of the unit. Potential for 350"+ on early season hunts and 300" potential for late season. |
| 3B |
The population in this unit is stable but relatively low compared to other elk units. The terrain is mostly moderate and flat, covered in dense yellow pine timber with a few small hills and ridgetops offering vantage points for glassing. Public access is good with a decent amount of roads providing access. Elk can be hard to locate if they aren’t vocal, which makes late season hunts challenging. Hunting quality looks to be improving, with the best opportunities during the early muzzleloader and archery seasons. While you can encounter some 320-340" class bulls in September, trophy, mature bulls are still uncommon. Late muzzleloader hunts are especially tough, with most bulls harvested being 2 to 3 years old. |
| 4A |
This unit has a good elk population, with most animals concentrated in the central and southern parts, particularly in thick yellow pine stands and reseeded areas. Public access is solid, with a fair number of roads throughout. The terrain is moderate, featuring some deep canyons elk will take refuge in. The unit has been improving steadily, partly due to tag reductions in both the early archery and late rifle seasons in recent years. Expect a fun, low-pressure archery hunt with the potential for bulls over 330" and a decent late rifle hunt with only 170 tags available. Late season hunting can be tough, even with the limited tags, but the added topography provides an advantage, especially if the bulls aren’t vocal. |
| 4B |
Stable but lower population. Thick, flat yellow pine and pinyon/juniper. Good public access. Quality is good on this unit, but there are smaller bulls on average. Expect an exceptional archery hunting experience with only 100 tags. This unit has become a regular for having an early rifle hunt, but with only 15 tags, there will not be a non-resident bonus tag available. Don’t expect to pass on a lot of mature bulls, especially on the late hunts, but there are a few to be had. It is a tough late hunt as most of 4B is thick cover, but the low tag numbers make it a decent option without as much crowding as most of the other units north of the rim. |
| 5A |
Good population. The bulk of the population is along the Mogollon Rim in moderate, thick yellow pine stands. Good public land access. Elk are generally located in the mid to southern portion of the unit. It is a lot better early hunt with the flat topography and lack of glassing opportunities for late season hunting. Quality remains decent here. Good hunt early for moderate quality bulls in the 300-320" class with the occasional 340"+ bull. Most bulls harvested during the late season are young bulls. It is a difficult hunt during the late season to be successful on an older age class bull. |
| 5B North |
Good, increasing population. Moderate terrain with scattered to thick yellow pine timber stands. Some isolated pockets of elk will remain in the thick, flat pinyon/juniper country in the north. Quality was off a bit this year from prior years but still a few big bulls. Tag increases to the late rifle hunt made for a very crowded late rifle. Overall, it’s still a fun early archery hunt with plenty of bulls to chase, but it’s a bit overhyped given the points required to draw. 5B North and South are combined for the early and late rifle hunts. Solid 330"+ hunt for archery, but expect tough hunting for mature bulls during late hunts. |
| 5B South |
Great population. This entire unit is made up of elk habitat. Moderate terrain with yellow pine stands that have a more open canopy for visibility along with open parks and meadows. Good road access to public land. Quality is increasing with more 320-340" bulls available during early hunts. Tag increases on the late rifle hunt made for a very crowded hunting experience. 5B North and South are combined for the late rifle hunt. Expect some chaos during the late rifle hunt with the volume of tags in there. |
| 6A |
The terrain is mostly moderate, making it great for early-season hunts. As the year progresses, the terrain elk inhabit becomes more challenging as elk tend to move southwest into thick pinyon/juniper canyons. During the September seasons, most elk are found in the dense yellow pine timber stands. A strong rut will be beneficial for locating elk in the thick timber during the early archery season. The unit has good road access around public land, though accessibility decreases as you move further southwest due to large tracts of roadless canyons. Bull quality has been solid to slightly increasing, with many 300-320" bulls and a few larger ones. Expect heavy hunting pressure throughout most of the seasons. |
| 6B |
The area has a decent population but lower elk densities. During the September season, most elk are found above the rim and in the canyon country, where they inhabit dense yellow pine timber stands. The majority of the land is public, though a large section in the northern part of the unit, known for prime elk habitat, is off-limits as it is part of the Navajo Army Depot. The area has potential for elk in the 300-320" range, with a few larger bulls. As hunting pressure increases later in the season, elk typically move to more remote canyons for refuge. While this is considered a lower-tier unit, it provides a good archery hunting opportunity for applicants with fewer points who are seeking less crowded conditions. |
| 7 East |
Mostly moderate pinyon/juniper terrain with an isolated, steep, high elevation mountain range known as the Kachina Peaks Wilderness that holds a few elk. Quality is still off in this unit and will continue to be slow to recover given the number of late rifle tags. Mostly raghorns and small 6-points with a few bigger bulls as 7 East borders quality units. This unit has an early rifle hunt this year that should be a fun hunt, but don’t expect much over 340" for a big bull. The early archery hunt is more fun and can have a few big bulls wander through from unit 9, but the late hunt is very difficult. |
| 7 East (Kachina Peaks Area) |
Small hunt area with an isolated, steep, high elevation mountain range known as the Kachina Peaks Wilderness that used to hold good numbers of elk. Keep in mind that 7 East tag holders can hunt this subunit as well. Expect mostly raghorn bulls. This is a very physically demanding hunt with very few elk and even fewer mature bulls. |
| 7 West |
Declining population. Moderate volcanic yellow pine and pinyon/juniper hills and mountains. Good public access. Quality is still down in this unit, and tags are still too high for quality to improve. With 700 cow elk tags being issued annually, the population remains lower than in the past. Decent hunt for 320"+ bulls during archery and fun country to chase them in. Late archery and rifle hunters will struggle to find bulls of any quality. There is always a chance at a big bull during early archery with some mature bulls wandering over from 9 and 10. |
| 8 |
The yellow pine stands in this unit are more open, which improves glassing opportunities. Public land access is good. This unit will have an early rifle hunt this year which could yield a trophy class animal with the right outfitter or knowledge of the unit. During the September seasons, most elk are found above the canyon rim in more accessible areas. However, as the season progresses, elk typically move into steep canyon terrain where more open, south-facing slopes provide better glassing opportunities, making the late hunt here somewhat better than in other units. The large Rafael fire has spurred new vegetation growth, but it also left many elk more vulnerable to late rifle hunting pressure. Overall, the quality of hunting has been struggling and is likely to continue declining, especially with high tag numbers for the late rifle season. |
| 9 |
The unit has a stable elk population with a good number of mature bulls. Hunting can be tough due to the thick, flat pinyon/juniper and yellow pine terrain, particularly when the elk aren’t rutting during the late season hunts. Slight tag reductions in recent years have helped both bull quality and the overall hunting experience. The lack of glassing points makes it difficult to scout large areas effectively. If you’re targeting a mature bull, the September seasons are your best bet, though the draw odds are extremely low. Overall, this unit offers one of the state’s top early elk hunts with the potential for 360"+ bulls. |
| 10 |
Good population, at least on the Boquillas Ranch. The Boquillas Ranch has the bulk of the suitable elk habitat within unit 10. Decent glassing terrain to find bulls, even if they are not vocal. Moderate to rugged mostly pinyon/juniper and some yellow pine terrain. Both early and late hunts can be good, but late hunts are more crowded and considerably harder to find the bulls. The muzzleloader hunt takes place earlier in November and can be good to get first crack at bulls that are left over from early archery and rifle hunts. Quality continues to be good in this unit. Early September hunts have 350"+ potential. |
| 11M |
Archery only. Low population. There are two hunts on this unit that can have good rut activity, depending on the timing of the rut. Scattered yellow pine stands around Flagstaff. Most of the hunting is conducted around small ranchettes and can be frustrating at times. Mostly raghorn and small 6-point bulls available with the occasional mature bull. |
| 15A/15B/18A |
Thick pinyon/juniper canyons with rolling canyon and flat terrain. Tough public land access with some limited access through private and reservation lands. Best hunting is typically on private land but with some serious scouting and legwork there are always a few good bulls on public land. An outfitter is recommended prior to applying for trophy hunters. 320-340"+ bulls with a few great bulls. |
| 17A/17B/18B/19B/20A/20C |
This unit has a smaller population of elk but a high number of bulls. Access is challenging, as most elk are concentrated on and around private land. Hiring an outfitter is recommended for the best chance of success. Hunters planning to hunt public land should be in good shape and prepared for a long hunt. Both rifle seasons will see a fair number of broken bulls, but the late hunt can be particularly tough when it comes to finding a mature, intact bull. The early hunts offer the best potential for 350"+ bulls. |
| 19A |
Low elk population. Thick, steep pine and chaparral canyons with scattered pinyon/juniper. This can be a physically demanding hunt. An outfitter or plenty of time to scout the unit is recommended for success. It is tough to spot elk in thick cover. Most of the elk are concentrated in this unit, and too many tags for the small population keeps quality low. Mostly sub-300" bulls with a few 300"+ available. |
| 21 |
Low population. Good public access. Steep, thick chaparral-covered roadless canyons make it a physically demanding hunt. Temperatures are very hot in this unit during September, making the early archery hunt less than ideal. Archery dates have been moved back to match traditional archery dates of other units for this year. With the fluctuation in population also comes fluctuation in quality. There is certainly always a chance for a great bull to come out of here, but it is a long shot. Rough, physical hunt for 320"+ bulls with a few big bulls. |
| 22 |
Population is lower than in the past but is now within population objective. The highest densities are located in 22N in thick yellow pine and moderate to rugged mountains. 22S has a lower population and mostly chaparral and oak-covered mountains, but better quality bulls are harvested on average. Good public access. Early archery hunters can hunt all of unit 22. Late archery, rifle, and muzzleloader hunters are limited to choosing between 22N and 22S. The early archery hunt is much more enjoyable with very few tags being issued, contrary to the late archery and rifle hunts in 22N, which are very crowded. Tag cuts are helping the balancing act of the reduced population and maintaining the bull to cow ratio, but this unit is managed for opportunity over trophy. Still a chance at 320"+ bulls. |
| 23 North |
One of the top units in the state. 340-350"+ bulls. Great population that is managed for a higher bull to cow ratio than most other Arizona units. The early archery and rifle hunts are among the best in the state for quality and elk densities. Both have 20 tags, which will allow for a non-resident bonus tag. Mostly thick pine and oak with deep canyons and a few roadless areas. The late rifle and archery hunts have mature bulls but are difficult with a lot more tags and hunting pressure. This unit can be prone to busted up bulls by the late hunts, even though there are still some old mature bulls to be had. Hunts in this area can be as physically demanding as you want them to be. Both late rifle and late archery hunts include 23 North and South. |
| 23 South |
This half of unit 23 is more broken canyon country that has a lower density of elk. This unit always has the potential to produce a great bull, especially on years with good moisture. Plan on being in shape if you are going to hunt this half of 23 as most opportunities will consist of all-day stalks in steep, rugged terrain. This is not an easy hunt but can produce 350"+ bulls. This half of 23 is more susceptible to drought, affecting antler growth. Drought years will shrink these bulls up considerably. Both late rifle and late archery hunts include 23 North and South. |
| 27 |
Good population. Mostly thick, burnt, and live yellow pine-covered canyons at higher elevations. A smaller resident population will remain in pinyon/juniper terrain at low elevations as well. Although still holding onto a decent population of elk, quality appears to be taking a nosedive. With constant bull hunting pressure coming from high tag numbers across the majority of hunts, and along with the layout of the unit providing opportunities for long-range rifle shots, mature bulls are at a low point. This unit has plenty of rough, steep canyons and roadless terrain to shelter a few bulls, but hunters are going to have to work hard for sub 300" bulls on most hunts but mainly the late hunts. Early September hunts can still offer a decent chance at a few mature bulls. This unit has good topography for glassing during the late elk hunts. |
