Unit 23 Any help will be appreciated!

Iddogguy · Sep 16, 2022

I’m hoping to draw a 23 elk tag in the next few years. I’m planning on archery hunting javelina & or deer in January until I draw. Hoping to learn about the unit. I was originally going with unit 10, spent time there & decided to switch to 23. I’ll stick it out for 23 N or S so l’m going to learn what I can pre tag. If anyone is willing to help in anyway I would be grateful! Would prefer PM’s. Thanks in advance Mark

CouesFanatic · Sep 16, 2022

How many points do you have?

Iddogguy · Sep 16, 2022

I have 27, nonresident points.

AZGuy · Sep 16, 2022

I know 23 south and I’d take 10 over it, but I know 10 well. Feel free to PM about 10 if you want.

Iddogguy · Sep 17, 2022

Thank you, AZGuy

fin little · Sep 17, 2022

27 points, you don't like 9 ?

Iddogguy · Sep 17, 2022

When I started putting in it was 9 or 10. That I wanted to hunt. Then I shifted to just 9. Now after all these years it’s 23, it appeals to me because of the quality and the lower tag numbers!

I remember when 9 archery elk was OTC. I was hunting Idaho & Montana every year. The elk hunting was great then. Just never found the time to hunt Arizona. It’s hard to leave good hunting to go someplace else.

fin little · Sep 17, 2022

Sounds like were both of a certain age. Ive been running around 9 since the 80s. Its a unit I could still hunt , country club elk hunting.

longranger · Sep 18, 2022

I believe you would never be guaranteed a 23s rifle tag since there's only 10 early tags. There should be 1 bonus pass tag for 23n since there's 20 tags in there now. Last year 4 others with 26 like you tried for 23n and 5 tried with 27 so if that stays the way it is you could technically be 9 years out on a 23n early rifle tag if you're the last to draw and noone else with those points switches over to trying for 23. Similar looking situation for 9 and 10. So. .. yeah tough situation you're in. Not sure how old you are but could still be in for a long wait. Any chance you archery hunt? Or could get the unit 1 early muzzleloader hunt.

Iddogguy · Sep 18, 2022

longranger said:
I believe you would never be guaranteed a 23s rifle tag since there's only 10 early tags. There should be 1 bonus pass tag for 23n since there's 20 tags in there now. Last year 4 others with 26 like you tried for 23n and 5 tried with 27 so if that stays the way it is you could technically be 9 years out on a 23n early rifle tag if you're the last to draw and noone else with those points switches over to trying for 23. Similar looking situation for 9 and 10. So. .. yeah tough situation you're in. Not sure how old you are but could still be in for a long wait. Any chance you archery hunt? Or could get the unit 1 early muzzleloader hunt.

I’ll probably put in 23N archery first choice, not sure about 2nd choice at the moment. Maybe 23N any weapon 10 or 9. I could have drawn an archery tag in 9 or 10 the last few years. There’s only 20 nonresidents with more bonus points than me. I prefer the archery for the longer hunt time, that may play to my favor?

Thanks for your input longranger. Mark

longranger · Sep 18, 2022

Iddogguy said:
I’ll probably put in 23N archery first choice, not sure about 2nd choice at the moment. Maybe 23N any weapon 10 or 9. I could have drawn an archery tag in 9 or 10 the last few years. There’s only 20 nonresidents with more bonus points than me. I prefer the archery for the longer hunt time, that may play to my favor?

Thanks for your input longranger. Mark

Based off last year's point numbers you would draw 23n archery. One guy with 26 applied for it and drew. Obviously never know who might give up on a rifle tag and put in but you would have pretty good odds of drawing it. Whatever you do always apply for the harder to draw hunts first choice and then the archery 2nd. And DO NOT put any choice that's easier to draw than the 23n archery as your 1st or 2nd choice because you will automatically draw it and never be considered for the 23 archery tag. If you have the rifle hunt 23 1st and 23 archery second and happen to be the one with highest points applying for the archery tag you will get it in the bonus pass. If for some reason someone else with 27+ points applies with you then you're not guaranteed either tag and would have to hope to draw a random tag.

Iddogguy · Sep 18, 2022

Yes, I put in 23N rifle first choice & 23N archery second choice last year. I only had 25 points because I never had the Hunter’s Safety Point. That’s been taken care of now!!! Thanks for your input. Mark

windtalker · Sep 27, 2022

I hunted it this year. I looked at tons of bulls but was looking for that monster so I came home empty. best hunt I have ever been on. lots of 280-320 type bulls the Larger ones never presented themselves. chose wisely between 9, 10 and 23.

windtalker · Sep 27, 2022

Also my expectations were probably way to high but I only saw one bull that would push 350. could have taken a shot within 30 yards everyday. if you draw the tag PM me and I will give you what I know about the unit.

longranger · Sep 27, 2022

windtalker said:
Also my expectations were probably way to high but I only saw one bull that would push 350. could have taken a shot within 30 yards everyday. if you draw the tag PM me and I will give you what I know about the unit.

Onln One bull pushing 350? Where did you hunt? I was helping in 23s where I saw several 370+ bulls but also saw some similar sized ones across in north.

windtalker · Oct 4, 2022

was in 23N. pretty much everywhere except the wilderness. that was a little to rough for this old guy right now. also stayed away from Valentine area until the last couple of days. way to much people traffic there. checked out alot of bone but never could see the big one.

coueser · Oct 4, 2022

I had that tag myself 7 year prior. My experience was similar to yours Windtalker. I saw a lot of elk and a lot of 320-330 bulls but just a couple of bulls bigger than that. . . Granted one bull ended up getting shot by the Governors tag holder and going 438 and one other bull I had opportunities at was probably 380s by my estimate but those were the only bulls I saw that I felt confident eclipsed 350 and I looked at A LOT of bulls. It's a great hunt and I had a lot of fun but I think other hunts probably give you a better opportunity at a 350 bull (if that's what your after) in my opinion

Iddogguy · Oct 4, 2022

Thanks for your post’s.
I’m going to apply for a archery Javelina tag so I can look the country over.
Was wanting to hold out for something north of 360.

Thanks again!

Iddogguy · Jan 16, 2023

Just got back from looking over 23. I like the looks of it. The main factor I like is the lower tag numbers. Now comes the hard part trying to decide where to burn 27 Elk points!

elkhunterUT · Jan 16, 2023

Iddogguy said:
Just got back from looking over 23. I like the looks of it. The main factor I like is the lower tag numbers. Now comes the hard part trying to decide where to burn 27 Elk points!

Best of luck!! Wish I had your problem.

If you draw the tag, would love to hear and see about your hunt.

windtalker · Jan 17, 2023

Yes good luck! those points should get you something in one of the Top Tier units. would love to hear your story wherever you draw.

Deer · Jan 18, 2023

Wish I had 27 points only 16 here

Skykarp · Jan 18, 2023

Deer said:
Wish I had 27 points only 16 here

Your in a decent spot for with 16. It just depends on what your goals are.

Deer · Jan 18, 2023

Skykarp said:
Your in a decent spot for with 16. It just depends on what your goals are.

Id like a big bull on a good hunt (not bombarded with people) but I assume that is what everyone wants.

AZGuy · Jan 18, 2023

Deer said:
Wish I had 27 points only 16 here

You could be chasing big bulls with a bow or muzzleloader this year. Why wait? I knew a guy that spent 22 points on an early bull tag and got 1 day of bugling on a 7 day hunt on what was the best unit in the state, It’s not worth the gamble. Cash in, kill and start building points again.

devobrodie · Jan 19, 2023

I hunted 9 archery back in 2006 I think, It was a pretty good time, but unit 3a/3c is pretty great now, my I know of 4 people that have hunted archery since 2015, I went on one of them with my son, and all had great hunts with opportunities at good bulls, and might want to consider that one?

Deer · Jan 19, 2023

AZGuy said:
You could be chasing big bulls with a bow or muzzleloader this year. Why wait? I knew a guy that spent 22 points on an early bull tag and got 1 day of bugling on a 7 day hunt on what was the best unit in the state, It’s not worth the gamble. Cash in, kill and start building points again.

You bring up a valid point, I think I am stuck in the mindset before AZ put half the tags to random. I had always hoped to hunt 9 but those days are gone now

AZGuy · Jan 20, 2023

devobrodie said:
I hunted 9 archery back in 2006 I think, It was a pretty good time, but unit 3a/3c is pretty great now, my I know of 4 people that have hunted archery since 2015, I went on one of them with my son, and all had great hunts with opportunities at good bulls, and might want to consider that one?

3a/3c with a bow is a top hunt in the country in my opinion.

wweaver79 · Jan 20, 2023

AZGuy said:
3a/3c with a bow is a top hunt in the country in my opinion.

Shhhh. Stop

Muley_73 · Jan 20, 2023

AZGuy said:
3a/3c with a bow is a top hunt in the country in my opinion.

I hunted 3B this year but my Outfitter was smoking some giants across the road last year!!! I think you are spot on!!!

Iddogguy · Jan 21, 2023

Thanks for all the information, been wolf & lion hunting for 4 days. Seen there’d been lots of action while I was out of cell service.

I had lots of points a few years before I retired so I just banked them till I retired. I have 25 in Utah and 29 in Colorado. Had 20 some in Nevada and drew in 2020. Here is my archery bull in Nevada & the broken horned one I killed in Idaho the same year.
Thanks again for the information! Mark

Deer · Jan 21, 2023

Iddogguy said:
Thanks for all the information, been wolf & lion hunting for 4 days. Seen there’d been lots of action while I was out of cell service.

I had lots of points a few years before I retired so I just banked them till I retired. I have 25 in Utah and 29 in Colorado. Had 20 some in Nevada and drew in 2020. Here is my archery bull in Nevada & the broken horned one I killed in Idaho the same year.
Thanks again for the information! Mark

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Awesome bulls!

Ranger1 · Jan 22, 2023

Iddogguy said:
Thanks for all the information, been wolf & lion hunting for 4 days. Seen there’d been lots of action while I was out of cell service.

I had lots of points a few years before I retired so I just banked them till I retired. I have 25 in Utah and 29 in Colorado. Had 20 some in Nevada and drew in 2020. Here is my archery bull in Nevada & the broken horned one I killed in Idaho the same year.
Thanks again for the information! Mark

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Great bulls, congrats!

devobrodie · Jan 22, 2023

Nice bulls!

hornkiller · Jan 23, 2023

Iddogguy said:
Thanks for all the information, been wolf & lion hunting for 4 days. Seen there’d been lots of action while I was out of cell service.

I had lots of points a few years before I retired so I just banked them till I retired. I have 25 in Utah and 29 in Colorado. Had 20 some in Nevada and drew in 2020. Here is my archery bull in Nevada & the broken horned one I killed in Idaho the same year.
Thanks again for the information! Mark

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That is an awesome nv bull!

208LOGAN · Jun 30, 2023

Well did you draw your tag in 23 this year? I hunted the late hunt 2 years ago and that is some awesome country. Ended up taking the 8x7 in my profile pic.

Iddogguy · Jun 30, 2023

No luck, there were two of us with 27 points. Other guy got the tag!

It wasn’t all bad tho. I ended up with an Utah early San Juan archery Elk tag.

yotebuster17 · Jun 30, 2023

Iddogguy said:
No luck, there were two of us with 27 points. Other guy got the tag!

It wasn’t all bad tho. I ended up with an Utah early San Juan archery Elk tag.

Whoa! That’s a good consolation prize!