Arizona Unit 1 elk

[CABugle]

I'm heading to Arizona to hunt elk in unit 1 in a few weeks and was looking to see if anyone has been there this year. How is the horn growth, are there good glassing spots now after the Wallow fire?

I will be there four days early to scout and have a few spots picked out after going over maps as well as google earth. Is an ATV needed to get around if the roads are dry?

Just trying to pick up any last minute info, thanks.

CABugle

 

[tooele]

Unit 1 is so big. You can hunt low cedars, high pine forests, wilderness, sage, prairies etc. The problem with the late hunt is there are a lot of people and the big bulls are tough to find and get after. Depending on where you hunt a quad could be helpful. Plenty of rough and muddy roads. Elk will be running for there lives opening day, so find somewhere near thick timber that you could bust an elk as he tries to disappear from the masses. For horn growth the unit always has pretty good horn growth and isn't affected as much as the other units are with water as there is usually plenty of feed and water in unit 1. Be ready for brutal cold if the weather turns on you. Remember a lot of it is very high country, not what you expect in az.

Good luck

 

[idgaf]

My brother and dad had deer tags there a couple of weeks ago. We saw so many bull elk we stopped looking at them. All over the unit it did not matter whether we were in the non-burned cedars or burned to a crisp pines.

 

[SanJuan]

Thanks for the pics idgaf! I have the that tag as well. Any suggestions on where to camp with a fifth wheel camper?

The mountains, not the hills.

 

[Bates7]

Camp anywhere along the 249 rd. It's a well maintained FS road and it's wide. FS249 is the road between Alpine & Big Lake. Good luck to ya man. Be sure to post up some pics, big or small.

http://img1.jurko.net/avatar_13010.jpg[/img][/url]

 

[idgaf]

That would be a good spot to camp or the greens peak road. Keep in mind the weather conditions. Right now there is a couple of inches of snow up there and it could dump by the time the hunt starts. In Show Low my truck temp has said 18 degs a couple of times so prepare for that as well as sunny and 70 degs. Good Luck

 

[Bates7]

+1 idgaf. Not to mention Big Lake sits at 9,200 ft. elevation and Show Low's at roughly 6,500 ft. so that's almost a 3k ft. difference in elevation and it is usually 15 to 20 degrees colder up there.

My family lives in Show Low and I worked at the BL store and marina for 5 summers in my late teens and I have done a bunch of hunting up there in my 45 years of livin'. I know the country really well and it is truely God's country but it's not real friendly at times.

My best advice is to be well prepared and camp near a well maintained road. You have a hunt of a lifetime here in the best elk country AZ has to offer in my opinion so don't ruin it by being under prepared or camping way back in the woods off a bad road.

http://img1.jurko.net/avatar_13010.jpg[/img][/url]

 

[SanJuan]

After five days of hunting and passing on bulls my trigger finger got a little itchy. This bull was with a bigger one moving through the timber and I mistakenly shot the wrong bull but he filled the freezer so I am happy.
http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos/9432img_1701.jpg
Thanks for the tips guys.

The mountains, not the hills.

 

[zukicrazy]

Nice

 

[WillPower]

Congratulations on your bull, good job! Wonder how the other hunter did?................Sound like a cool hunt, in many ways!

WP

"My only regret in life is setting my goals too low"