Unit 22N Arizona / Just finished

[Wildatheart]

Just finished this hunt with a guide from Chappell guide service. ( was top notch ) 5 star reviews and highly recommend Chappell guide service.
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We hunted for 5 days. To say the unit is overcrowded is an understatement. We hunted hard, glassing for 8-9 hours a day. And hiking many miles. Along with hunting different areas and ways of the unit. We tried every thing and scoured this unit top to bottom. We saw a total of about 7 cows & 1 small 3x2 bull. I will not and do not recommend applying in this unit if you want a chance at a decent bull. The unit itself is awesome to hunt because you can glass plenty of land, however the elk were just not there. This was the last rifle hunt so they were super pressured and looked to be pushed out of the unit obviously. I did see a few small bulls pulled out while we there. Learned a lot about elk and elk hunting and very thankful for the opportunity. Will be building some points for a better area now.

 

[slim9300]

Just finished this hunt with a guide from Chappell guide service. ( was top notch ) 5 star reviews and highly recommend Chappell guide service.
_
We hunted for 5 days. To say the unit is overcrowded is an understatement. We hunted hard, glassing for 8-9 hours a day. And hiking many miles. Along with hunting different areas and ways of the unit. We tried every thing and scoured this unit top to bottom. We saw a total of about 7 cows & 1 small 3x2 bull. I will not and do not recommend applying in this unit if you want a chance at a decent bull. The unit itself is awesome to hunt because you can glass plenty of land, however the elk were just not there. This was the last rifle hunt so they were super pressured and looked to be pushed out of the unit obviously. I did see a few small bulls pulled out while we there. Learned a lot about elk and elk hunting and very thankful for the opportunity. Will be building some points for a better area now.

The success rate was 36% in 2019 and 57% the year before with 475 hunters during your season. That’s a lot of elk dying.


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[Anozira]

I was up last weekend helping a buddy on this hunt and to say its tough is an understatement. We saw a couple decent bulls some hunters hauled out of a nasty canyon but generally the hunters we talked to said they haven't had much luck this year. The late 22 rifle hunts are getting harder and harder every year. I think because of all the "Covid Campers" the woods were especially busy around Payson which didn't help.

 

[Wildatheart]

The success rate was 36% in 2019 and 57% the year before with 475 hunters during your season. That’s a lot of elk dying.


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I feel like that is going down year after year, especially after seeing the sheer amount of tags they give out.. these poor elk don’t get a chance to grow

 

[Wildatheart]

I was up last weekend helping a buddy on this hunt and to say its tough is an understatement. We saw a couple decent bulls some hunters hauled out of a nasty canyon but generally the hunters we talked to said they haven't had much luck this year. The late 22 rifle hunts are getting harder and harder every year. I think because of all the "Covid Campers" the woods were especially busy around Payson which didn't help.

Makes a lot of sense! It’s really some awesome country up there ... as long as your not elk hunting LOL

 

[coues craze]

That can and usually is a tough hunt. You hired a very reputable guide and still had a tough go of it. If some weather hits above the rim and the stars align it can be better than what you experienced but you can’t ever count on it obviously.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

I hunted there this year too. My first AZ elk hunt, and it is VERY different than a Colorado hunt! I was amazed at how people hunted down there in all camo (I walked in on a guy in a full Ghillie suit) during rifle season.

I hunted a day before my buddy had to leave for a family emergency, then 3 days solo, and didn't get into elk until that 4th day. There was sign everywhere, but I just wasn't finding the elk.

On day 4, I watched a couple of cows for a while hoping a bull would show up, and then a few ridges over, right at noon, I busted a small herd of about 6, but only got a good look at 3 of them, and those were all cows.

Day 5 I woke up excited to get back onto that herd, but someone had busted my window and stolen my pack and gear out of my truck in the motel parking lot in Payson. I filed the police report and drove home empty handed.

 

[Anozira]

I hunted there this year too. My first AZ elk hunt, and it is VERY different than a Colorado hunt! I was amazed at how people hunted down there in all camo (I walked in on a guy in a full Ghillie suit) during rifle season.

I hunted a day before my buddy had to leave for a family emergency, then 3 days solo, and didn't get into elk until that 4th day. There was sign everywhere, but I just wasn't finding the elk.

On day 4, I watched a couple of cows for a while hoping a bull would show up, and then a few ridges over, right at noon, I busted a small herd of about 6, but only got a good look at 3 of them, and those were all cows.

Day 5 I woke up excited to get back onto that herd, but someone had busted my window and stolen my pack and gear out of my truck in the motel parking lot in Payson. I filed the police report and drove home empty handed.

Another pack stolen from Payson? Someone else just posted about a stolen Kifaru pack from Payson this month? Its sad. My folks are originally from there 25 years ago and you used to be able to leave your houses unlocked and your keys in the ignition.

Edit: Nevermind, i'm an idiot. Went back to see the previous post and saw that it was you. Sorry about your pack.

 

[Wildatheart]

I hunted there this year too. My first AZ elk hunt, and it is VERY different than a Colorado hunt! I was amazed at how people hunted down there in all camo (I walked in on a guy in a full Ghillie suit) during rifle season.

I hunted a day before my buddy had to leave for a family emergency, then 3 days solo, and didn't get into elk until that 4th day. There was sign everywhere, but I just wasn't finding the elk.

On day 4, I watched a couple of cows for a while hoping a bull would show up, and then a few ridges over, right at noon, I busted a small herd of about 6, but only got a good look at 3 of them, and those were all cows.

Day 5 I woke up excited to get back onto that herd, but someone had busted my window and stolen my pack and gear out of my truck in the motel parking lot in Payson. I filed the police report and drove home empty handed.

Dang man... where are you from? And did you hunt it this year ? We hiked all the way in on the Arizona trail the last day... talking about tough

 

[Gunnersdad49]

Dang man... where are you from? And did you hunt it this year ? We hiked all the way in on the Arizona trail the last day... talking about tough

I'm from Colorado, but I put in for my tags with a friend in Queen Creek, AZ. I drew as a non resident, but he didn't draw as a resident.

 

[TacoHunter]

Def a tough hunt. I was up there with a buddy for 4 days last weekend. Saw a couple decent bulls and a shitload of cows. Our issue is the country we found them in was too thick to get closer than where we glassed them from.


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[.270]

I drew my first elk tag in that unit when I lived in AZ. I was successful opening day but I was able to scout. There is a reason why that unit is one of the easiest to draw. Pretty thick unit, lots of tags and the fun begins when you get one down. I haven't applied in that unit since.

 

[MattB355]

This year was my second attempt at Unit 22N. Last year was a late season bull archery tag in Nov- I only had 4 days, no pre-scouting, cameras, etc. but I was able to get within 20 yards of a herd of elk before they were scared off by cattle coming into the area. I saw elk everyday but only 1 bull and was unsuccessful. This year I drew a Sep bull tag. There was no bugling but I saw a monster bull with a herd of 40 or so elk, numerous smaller rough elk, but was unable to close the gap to get within archery range. I was able to find a nice lone 5x5 to stalk and stalked him for over 5 hours before getting to within 35 yards and getting a shot. He went 100 yards and dropped. My first archery kill and one to remember. The unit does have elk but you have to be mobile at all times. I only quickly glass in this unit and spend most of my time looking for signs/tracks/bedding areas. The super dry hot summer had an effect on the animals this year. Everyone I talked to said the elk hunts are much tougher this year and abnormal.

 

[Wildatheart]

This year was my second attempt at Unit 22N. Last year was a late season bull archery tag in Nov- I only had 4 days, no pre-scouting, cameras, etc. but I was able to get within 20 yards of a herd of elk before they were scared off by cattle coming into the area. I saw elk everyday but only 1 bull and was unsuccessful. This year I drew a Sep bull tag. There was no bugling but I saw a monster bull with a herd of 40 or so elk, numerous smaller rough elk, but was unable to close the gap to get within archery range. I was able to find a nice lone 5x5 to stalk and stalked him for over 5 hours before getting to within 35 yards and getting a shot. He went 100 yards and dropped. My first archery kill and one to remember. The unit does have elk but you have to be mobile at all times. I only quickly glass in this unit and spend most of my time looking for signs/tracks/bedding areas. The super dry hot summer had an effect on the animals this year. Everyone I talked to said the elk hunts are much tougher this year and abnormal.

That’s awesome man. Some of that country is rough to hike in no doubt.