November Elk Tag advice

B

bowdent

Guest
Hello all,

I am looking for some input from those with experience. I have an archery elk tag in AZ for the middle of November. I have had this same tag twice before and also a tag during the rut in the same unit. I have had zero luck finding the elk during the November hunt. The unit has a large amount of high alpine 7,000-10,000 ft habitat and also a large amount of lower elevation Pinyon/Juniper 5,000-7,000 ft habitat. During the rut the high zone has got elk everywhere. What conditions have you seen push the elk to lower elevations? Cold, cold & snow, or only snow depth? By the time November comes around the unit has been heavily hunted, and usually there is only 1-2" of snow. Thoughts on what you all have seen elk do going into winter. Thanks in advance!
 
Never hunted AZ, but where I have hunted in CO, the elk are on private land by then. Do they have that option where you hunt?

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
find elk in the "PJ Timber" and using water This will give You best opportunity hunting mid week between before hunters show for General elk opener Good Luck ... Bruce & SilverGrand
 
Elk in AZ are accustomed to our warm weather and the availability of green feed. Once we have two or three days of temperatures below freezing, the elk start to move to lower elevations because the frozen feed loses nutritional value quickly. That's why the elk aren't in the high elevations in Nov regardless of snow. If its warm (relatively speaking) and dry, sit water just below the freeze elevation. Once the snow hits the ground, hunting will be tough. I would scout the week before, find water the elk are hitting hard (cameras are your best friend) and take a bull in the first few days of the hunt. You may be able to tag your bull before the snow. Any bull taken in the late archery hunt is a trophy IMO.


"You can fly a helicopter to the top of Everest and say you've been there. The problem with that is you were an a$$hole when you started and you're still an a$$hole when you get back.
Its the climb that makes you a different person". - Yvon Chouinard
 
I would get there a week early so you can see the animals and were they are at, then when the masses get there and send them into hiding they will not be out to see but will still be there,they will also stay off water till night most likely,unless you have a remote source of water were you cant drive to and mybe no cameras. I would find the one you want early and work the edges of the bedding/hiding area,should be easy to find you cant glass it and it will smell like elk.
 

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