AZ UNIT 23 late bull hunt

[stingray]

I have drawn a late archery bull hunt for unit 23 on november 11th.Any ideas on where to go?This is my first elk hunt,I cant wait.

 

[bowdaddi]

kevin I also have the unit 23 late archery bull tag . from what i hear it can be tough . It will depend some on the weather.
there are places both north and south of young that hold elk I have heard between christopher creek and hiagler creek is good .
there seems to be alot of elk in there this year. also around
workman-creek. anyways good luck.

 

[stingray]

Bowdaddi,I have heard that it is a tough hunt also.I was planing to scout it out the first few weekends before the hunt.I was told that christofer creek was good but that alot of people hunt that area.I heard that the elk move down lower as it gets colder.I was wondering if I should get a tree stand, or sit on water holes or try to spot and stalk them.I have not hunted elk before.I have been putting in for elk for six years and finally got a tag.Good luck to you also.

 

[bowdaddi]

this is the first time i have hunted this unit but i "drive through" twice a week i am going to spend a few days there next week and scout around. i imagine alot of the 125 hunters will be in the north part of the unit. i have contingencies in place for spots in the lower section of the unit. water may very well be the best bet! if you can find a game trail leading to the water you might be able to utilize a tree stand and ambush them this way. spot and stalk is a favorite way of mine to hunt and can be productive with this hunt. I have talk to many hunters that have hunted this unit in the late season all types "stands ambush,spot and stalk,and water holes have all been succesfull.
the water hole is going to be your stand by this unit is still fairly dry and the elk are watering everyday . anyhow good luck
and let me know how you did

 

[J_C]

kevin we will be in unit 23 hunting as well. not sure where we are going to start at but will be there a few days to do some scouting, hope to find a at least a few bulls. good luck on your hunt. J.C.

 

[buckfever69]

I had this same tag last year. Very Tough Hunt. By the time your hunt rolls around, there will have been so many hunters in there that the Elk are so skitish. We hunted around haigler and saw 3 bulls in the first 3 days and did not see any more bulls the last 4 we hunted. One was a nice 340. Stocked to within 100 yards and got busted by the 20 cows that were with him! It was a pretty disappointing hunt. We thought that we would be able to sit water but it rained alot the weeks before and there was water everywhere. They were not hitting the tanks. If fact, we sat in tree stands at water holes and saw nothing. Very hard to pattern the bulls as well because they are in between the rut and wintering. So scouting may or may not be of much benefit because they are moving around. You may have to go deep into hells gate to find some good bulls. Good Luck and I hope your hunt is better than mine. All I can say is...at least you are HUNTING!

 

[PAL]

I got a nice bull in there on the late rifle hunt last year... my only advice is: The deeper, steeper, thicker and darker the canyon... the better.

 

[stingray]

Thankyou for the advice all of you.I hope we all get a chance to get an elk.I am looking at it like it will be a real hard hunt.But like you said atleast we will be hunting and not at work.

 

[AZbowhntr]

I would be curious to look at the northeast corner of the unit. That is the part of the unit that the burn went through. I know 3A and 3C have bounced back real well. I had the tag a few years ago and hunted south of Haigler Creek. Opening morning saw a REAL nice bull and then passed on a raghorn later. Oxbow Mt would be a good place also. And if you wanted to really get away from everyone else go out by Diamond Butte. You won't have another hunter within 20 miles of you.