Drew Unit 8 Early Archery Elk

Hunt4more · Apr 25, 2019

Anyone hunt unit 8 early elk archery? Would love it if you would be so kind and share some pics! I've been smiling ever since the draw results came out. Looking forward to chasing some big bulls in the great state of AZ. I have to pick up an elk in Kingman that Amber did for my son's first bull he shot last year in NM, therefore, I may do a scouting trip down there, or 5 this summer.

Is there really that many campers ;-) Also, I plan on bringing my 7 brother's, 3 wives and 11 kids on my hunt. Let's go

swampokie · Apr 26, 2019

>Anyone hunt unit 8 early elk
>archery? Would love it if
>you would be so kind
>and share some pics! I've
>been smiling ever since the
>draw results came out. Looking
>forward to chasing some big
>bulls in the great state
>of AZ. I have to
>pick up an elk in
>Kingman that Amber did for
>my son's first bull he
>shot last year in NM,
>therefore, I may do a
>scouting trip down there, or
>5 this summer.
>
>Is there really that many campers
>;-) Also, I plan
>on bringing my 7 brother's,
>3 wives and 11 kids
>on my hunt. Let's go
>

U forgot ur housekeeper

Gator · Apr 26, 2019

Housekeeper is one of the brothers.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]

Hunt4more · Apr 26, 2019

Yup!
Everyone is tight lipped on 8., good.

Gator · Apr 26, 2019

PM
"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]

Cactusbuck · Apr 26, 2019

Congrats on drawing your tag. The high bull to cow ratio this year should work in your favor. Most of the cows will probably be near Garland Prairie during your hunt. Personally, I would spend my days scouting right before the season opener.

Gator · Apr 27, 2019

check PM

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]

Blank · Apr 28, 2019

Just down there. Green as can be. Water everywhere from last snows and rain. Should be amazing horn growth for a long while. Davenport Lake is flooded on both sides of interstate! Really wet down around pipeline and Ash Fork

mickeyelk · Apr 28, 2019

Up around whitehorse looked good last year for elk. Also, down by the cement plant had elk. Not your typical area (hot) but they were there. I was hunting for antelope and drove all over that area. Good luck

muleyhunter413 · May 1, 2019

LAST EDITED ON May-01-19 AT 10:10PM (MST)[p]I don't have any pics to share, but I did draw the late archery tag in that unit. Post up some pics from your hunt when your back and have a belly full of wapiti. Good luck!

junior · May 10, 2019

Garland Prairie is always hit or miss with the scattered private. It always produces cows late.

Broomer · Jun 2, 2019

I had the tag in 14? as a non resident. Chased bulls for 8 days and never saw really any of the bulls before they were right on me. Lots of elk but hard as heck to see them and class them. At least where I was. But I did put an arrow in a 300? bull on the last morning but unfortunately I lost him after an 8 hour track job. I bumped him out of his bed and he had dried up. Bed was filled with blood, I was sick. Here are some pictures of the country/forest. I camped off FR 110 or 114 can't quite remember. I came into it through Williams off the historic Route 66. From that camp I got into lots of good herds west of camp. There are roads everywhere and waterholes that are by those roads so it's a little frustrating to find a place to get away from that.

buglinst · Jun 19, 2019

2016 bull.
Unit 8

Buckhunter1 · Jun 20, 2019

Hunted it in 2016 as well. Fun hunt. Killed a small 5x5. Best bull I saw was maybe 300 inches. Hunted it south along the rim... Bh1

buglinst · Jun 20, 2019

>2016 bull.
>Unit 8
>

Never saw any bulls over say 310". Passed up a handfull of smaller 4 and 5pts. I hunted north and west. Bulls were plentiful. Bulls vocal early(in hunt) then quiet till the end.

Zoomer · Jun 25, 2019

Take a drive over by Deadman when you get out and about.
I was down that way with the daughter on a late cow hunt a few years back, real nice area

Zoomer · Jun 25, 2019

Take a drive over by deadman when you get out and about, I was over that way with the daughter a few years back on a cow hunt, real nice area

Hunt4more · Jul 1, 2019

I appreciate all the contributions to this thread. Sounds like it's been really green in northern AZ so far this summer.

-t

eshunt · Aug 22, 2019

Here's a couple big boys I was chasing last year. Missed the first one at 55yds. Never was able to get a clear shot at the second one.

We saw a ton of traffic on the roads. Although most people seemed to be just out enjoying the woods, escaping the heat and riding around on side-by-sides. A few other hunters out in the woods but not a ton where I ended up hunting mostly. Some days didn't see another hunter at all. It was a great hunt!

eshunt · Aug 22, 2019

And here is the bull I ended up getting after 13 days of hard hunting. Was solo at this point. This guy had just gotten his butt kicked by the bull in second photo I posted previously. As much as I wanted a big boy, I couldn't pass up this guy again. Had him in range previously but didn't shoot.

Hunting bulls in AZ in September is magical. You will have a great experience! I am headed back to AZ next week for OTC archery mule deer hunt but will be wishing I was hunting bulls again. I heard more bugles and was close to more big bulls in just a couple weeks than all my elk hunting prior to AZ. Can't wait to go back.

Hunt4more · Aug 22, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Aug-22-19 AT 10:42PM (MST)[p]Eshunt - thank you for your share and the photos! Really got me excited after reading. I'm down to 20 days before I depart for my elk fiesta. I'm working on getting everything buttoned down at work so I can focus on nothing but bugle magic. All the best - tony

Hunt4more · Sep 6, 2019

One week out lets go!

Who getting ready for unit 8? Who's getting ready for any unit? You guys seeing some great bulls this year? How are the water holes up around Williams holding up?

Cactusbuck · Sep 6, 2019

It was a dry August as the monsoon rains seem to just be ramping up now. The water holes are looking good though. The forecast is calling for rain this next week.

Lots of archery deer hunters the past couple weeks in unit 8. With all of that traffic the elk are staying away from the roads for sure. Lots of elk. Get off the beaten path in the higher elevations and you'll see what I mean.

Cactusbuck · Sep 7, 2019

Arizona Facebook page post yesterday by Tanner Yellowhair

https://www.facebook.com/tanner.yellowhair/videos/1602127456588889/

Joe2Kool · Sep 7, 2019

Never hunted AZ elk, but unit 8 was my second choice. Obviously didn't get drawn, but will be asking you for help in a couple years!

You gotta be getting close to leaving. Season starts Sept 13th, correct?

Be sure to post pics!

BTW, NR? How many points to get drawn?

Hunt4more · Sep 8, 2019

Cactus, call me rogue but I'm not a Facebook fan, therefore, the link wouldn't work for me.

Leaving Wednesday - 48 hour pre departure mode.

Hunt4more · Sep 8, 2019

Cactus - your right, I almost forgot about the OTC archery deer hunters. That will surely keep them off the road, but, I'm sure some of these deer hunters know a thing or two about where to find a bull.

Cactusbuck · Sep 8, 2019

Have a great trip. Here is the video (bugling elk in Arizona on September 2, 2019).

Hunt4more · Sep 10, 2019

nice bull, thanks

AZBuckSnort · Sep 28, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Sep-28-19 AT 01:04PM (MST)[p]How was your bowhunting adventure in Unit 8?

Cactusbuck · Sep 28, 2019

Congrats on your bull. Awesome job. Difficult season this year!

Hunt4more · Oct 10, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Oct-10-19 AT 10:42PM (MST)[p]My bowhunting adventure was a fair one. Unit 8 is about as text book elk hunting country as you could describe. I wounded an animal, non fatal on day 6. He was coming into water. That was the one arrow I released in 8 days. He was a 330-340" class bull.

Pro's to unit 8:
Relatively easy country to get around in.
Very scenic
Good quality bulls
lots of elk in general

Cons to unit 8:
Way to many roads - seems like there is a road within 1/2 mile of another road in the entire unit - maybe even less than 1/2 mile.
Too many tags - unit did not have a limited entry type feel to it. Tons of hunters, traffic on the roads non stop i.e opening morning had us sharing a knob with another hunter, hunter on the knob to the east, hunter on the knob to the west, atv's non stop.
Water holes had 3+ cameras on them. Almost every water hole had a blind on it.
Bulls did not respond to cow calls - calling is a BAD idea in unit 8 with the one exception of bulglng in the dark.
Highly pressured bulls, seemed like bulls couldn't relax and be comfortable as they were constantly avoiding hunters.
Bulls would communicate maybe for one hour in the am and that was it.

I don't know if I would put in for unit 8 again, still thinking on this one. I have found just as good quality animals in various New Mexico units with more roadless country to get away from the pressure. Unit 8 is a great area to take your family on a camping vacation. If I ever did hunt it again, I would leave my calls at home and just spot and stalk. Most of the big bulls would water at night after dark - but I still felt like sitting water in the evening was my best chance for success as the evening action was short.

The bull I shot at the water hole was at 65 yards, through a screen mesh double bull blind, and the shot was horrible. Although I practice a ton in preparation for my hunt, I will say I did not practice enough from a chair.

Cactusbuck · Oct 10, 2019

Thank you for the update. Fair assessment of unit 8 in my opinion. From what I heard this archery season was more difficult than the average here in AZ.

CactusPepper · Oct 16, 2019

Cool story. Thank you for sharing.

cmbbulldog · Oct 16, 2019

Thanks for the report. Most mid level units are as you describe. Lots of hunters. I never call in AZ unless its to stop an elk at full draw.

AZBuckSnort · Oct 17, 2019

Thanks for taking the time to reply and share your hunt report. I was also in GMU 8 during the archery elk hunt as my son had drawn a tag (resident, 9 points IIRC), it was his 2nd choice on his application.

We hunted for a total of 9 days and in that time only encountered hunters in the field with a bow actually hunting twice. We did cross paths with several hunters that were road hunting, mostly on roads that were closed to motorized vehicles. I guess these hunters don't bother with maps and figure if the road isn't marked with a 4x8 sign stating DO NOT ENTER, or has a tire track on it, then it's ok to drive on the road into the forested areas where other hunters have made the effort to pack into for the day. Oh well, that's public lands hunting; unfortunately all too familiar to many of us who hunt Arizona's public lands.

I wish the Forest Service had the personnel and the funds(they state they don't)to actual put signs on ALL the closed roads and then have reasonable enforcement patrolling to discourage those looking for the "roads easier traveled" so those doing it lawfully on foot are not disturbed by the rule breakers.

We found that the bulls were not nearly as vocal as most elk rut hunting archers would have hoped. I believe we gave it a solid effort. My son had opportunities at three different bulls I coaxed into reasonable archery shot range (furthest was 37 yards); sometimes it's just a bit tougher with a beginning bowhunter, no matter how much they practiced shooting throughout the year. It's the little things: knowing how to position for a shot setup, knowing when it's time to put away the rangefinder, knowing when to draw, and knowing when to loose an arrow comes with experience. He will be a better hunter in the future for the experience we shared on this hunt. We camped in a secluded spot away from other folks, ate well, enjoyed our time together, heard some elk sing their September Songs and felt adrenaline-fueled thumping hearts as bulls came into bow range. I'd say we had a successful hunt and look forward to the next permit, just hopefully not such a long wait between tags!