Opinions on a Arizona Unit

[WoollyBug]

My brother in law has an elk tag in unit 27 and we are going in August. Any suggestions for a successful elk hunt?

 

[bohntr]

Hunt the old burn for elk.....find the cows away from roads This is from my camera a week ago:

 

[bigmo101]

Sounds like you had a great hunt!! Its tough to be one in done in a unit u never stepped foot in.

 

[AZmark]

I grew up and live in Unit 27. Will PM you later.
What hunt do you have?

 

[uh60Crewchief]

Hunt up top and hunt hard

My brother in law has an elk tag in unit 27 and we are going in August. Any suggestions for a successful elk hunt?

 

[WoollyBug]

I grew up and live in Unit 27. Will PM you later.
What hunt do you have?

I recently joined and don't think I can get PMs yet. But it's an antlerless rifle hunt, in the black mountain area.

 

[AZmark]

OK. Thanks for that info. It looks like that hunt is a Limited Opportunity General Hunt. Thats why I asked because normally there are no August elk hunts in 27. The limited opportunity hunts are usually opened by AZGFD to try to remove elk from lower country or areas that they dont want them setting up residence, I'm not sure what this hunt is aimed at. So reading the Black Mountain description in the regs I see it is all in the lower elevation country in Unit 27 so in August its going to be HOT. I'll look at a map tonight and try to give you some ideas but I never hunt in that country as I have excellent hunting 5 minutes from my house in the northern part of 27.

So if I were you I would try to get ahold of a game and fish officer for that area. I'm pretty sure if you call their offices in Pinetop they will help you get in contact with one.

Also there is a fire right now in that area and has burned alot of habitat around Rose Peak but without looking at a map I'm not sure how close. Highway 191 between Alpine and Clifton (your only access) has been closed for a couple weeks due to it.

 

[WoollyBug]

OK. Thanks for that info. It looks like that hunt is a Limited Opportunity General Hunt. Thats why I asked because normally there are no August elk hunts in 27. The limited opportunity hunts are usually opened by AZGFD to try to remove elk from lower country or areas that they dont want them setting up residence, I'm not sure what this hunt is aimed at. So reading the Black Mountain description in the regs I see it is all in the lower elevation country in Unit 27 so in August its going to be HOT. I'll look at a map tonight and try to give you some ideas but I never hunt in that country as I have excellent hunting 5 minutes from my house in the northern part of 27.

So if I were you I would try to get ahold of a game and fish officer for that area. I'm pretty sure if you call their offices in Pinetop they will help you get in contact with one.

Also there is a fire right now in that area and has burned alot of habitat around Rose Peak but without looking at a map I'm not sure how close. Highway 191 between Alpine and Clifton (your only access) has been closed for a couple weeks due to it.

Will do, thanks for the help. My brother in law told me that his buddy mapped out the hunt-able area on the onX app. Here is a screenshot.

 

[AZmark]

Pull up the arizona hunting regs on line (link below) and read the special notes 13 and 18. This area does not hold a lot of elk so Im assuming that AZGFD wants to remove whats there. I'd try on the north western border of the hunt area bordering the San Carlos reservation. Like I said i will be HOT and I dont think theres a meat processor in the Clifton/Morenci area so the closest would be north to Springerville at Rustys Meats. Unless you plan on boning it out and keeping it in ice chests.

My brother lives in Morenci and drives through that area a lot so I will ask him what he has seen along Hwy 191 and let you know.

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/azgfd-portal-wordpress-pantheon/wp-content/uploads/archive/2020-Pronghorn-and-Elk-booklet_191217_web.pdf

 

[slick trick]

below the rim- 4 bar mesa is where its at for sure.

 

[msw08d]

Good info guys!

 

[coueschaser]

Wollybug message me i live in Morenci and have quite a bit of experience in the lower end have seen plenty of elk in that black mountain area


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[Blackcats06]

Great unit. Some of the roughest country in the state. OTC hunts are getting very popular. Almost to the point it’s an issue. Easy to get away from people though if you really try.

 

[dtrkyman]

I hunted deer in 27 the first week of Sept. last year, I could not locate any good bucks but I had no trouble hearing seeing and finding Elk I wasn't looking for!

 

[jr4241]

If you want to message me i can share some insight with you i live in 27 and have hunted it all my life. Great bucks seen a really nice one the other day when i went fishing


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Does the unit get hunted pretty hard?

 

[slick trick]

Does the unit get hunted pretty hard?

that is a understatement !!! more like double fisted !! so much that i would bet next year it goes to draw and not OTC. I know the local warden is pushing for it., ever since they shut down unit 1 all the people go over to 27.

 

[Blackcats06]

that is a understatement !!! more like double fisted !! so much that i would bet next year it goes to draw and not OTC. I know the local warden is pushing for it., ever since they shut down unit 1 all the people go over to 27.

The GF has a trigger on when seasons go away. They would have to get rid of the December and January hunts before the August hunt can go to a draw.

 

[Trial153]

Gets a lot of pressure during the late season as well.... been there done that

 

[coueschaser]

This year the august hunt has been a complete rat race people road hunting the highway in side by sides people on top of each other and it just keeps getting more people since unit 1 had gone to a draw. January had a crazy amount of people this year too you can still kill a deer just have to go further and further back


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[AZmark]

This year the august hunt has been a complete rat race people road hunting the highway in side by sides people on top of each other and it just keeps getting more people since unit 1 had gone to a draw. January had a crazy amount of people this year too you can still kill a deer just have to go further and further back


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The draw archery draw hunt in Unit 1 is only part of the issue causing 27 to be so damn crowded.
1st -with the virus issues a whole lot more people have been camping all over the place...
2nd- The White Mtn Apache reservation has been completely closed to entry so all those campers and fishermen have been right here.
3rd - Been extra hot this year in the deserts.

However I've been out checking 3 different cameras over the opening weekend of archery deer and once you leave the road there are no people. They're just running all over the place in their motorized hunters wheelchairs and seldom get out and walk.

Every weekend since May has been like a holiday weekend. Come on winter.