The Top Elk Units in Arizona

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THE TOP ELK UNITS IN ARIZONA

This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions that we get from elk hunters who are interested in hunting the world-class trophy bull elk that are found in the great state of Arizona.

Arizona Elk Outfitters LLC thought that we should address this question along with some of the more popular questions we receive from interested Arizona elk hunters every year.

What are the top elk units in Arizona?

How long does it usually take to draw an elk tag in that Arizona elk unit?

Are there any Arizona elk units that are easy to draw a tag in yet still offer a good opportunity for a trophy-sized elk?

The following list of elk units is our own personal opinion of Arizona Elk Outfitters LLC and keep in mind that weather and moisture conditions can drastically alter and change the conditions in each Arizona elk unit from year to year. This list of Arizona elk units might be completely different next year so make sure that you contact Arizona Elk Outfitters LLC to discuss current conditions in each Arizona elk unit before you apply for your Arizona elk tags this year. Let’s take a look now at what we currently feel are the top 5 elk units in Arizona.

ARIZONA UNIT 9 ELK OUTFITTERS

Our number one choice: Arizona Hunt Unit 9

Unit 9 is currently our first choice on our list of the top elk units in Arizona. The Arizona Elk Outfitters Team of trophy elk hunting professionals has been very fortunate to have been able to harvest several giant bulls scoring over 400 inches in Arizona Unit 9. On a good moisture year Unit 9 can offer the lucky Arizona elk hunters who draw a rut season tag some of the finest public land elk hunting available anywhere on the planet. The trophy elk genetics that are found in Arizona’s unit 9 are incredible to say the very least and are tough to top anywhere else in the world. There is a very good reason why many of Arizona’s Governors Tag bulls that score over 400 inches have been harvested in Arizona Unit 9. Unit 9 is surrounded by the Havasupai Indian Reservation, the Navajo Indian Reservation, the Grand Canyon National park, and Arizona’s world-famous Unit 10. There is no finer trophy elk genetics available anywhere in the world on public land. The one drawback that Unit 9 has is that it can be inconsistent at times and very difficult to hunt depending upon the weather and moisture levels that unit 9 has received on the year that you draw your elk tag there. Most of unit 9 is extremely thick and very flat terrain which makes glassing absolutely impossible throughout most of this trophy elk unit but, in turn, offers an ocean of cover to hide and protect the many enormous bull elk that live in Arizona Unit 9. This very thick and flat terrain makes for very difficult late season rifle or late season archery elk hunts in unit 9. If you have drawn a rut tag for Unit 9 and the elk are not rutting hard or being very vocal you may be in for a very long and very tough elk hunt. If you do happen to draw a unit 9 elk tag on a good rut year though you will experience some of the finest public land elk hunting to be found on the face of the earth.

ARIZONA UNIT 10 ELK OUTFITTERS

Our number two choice: Arizona Hunt Unit 10

Arizona Unit 10 used to be our number one choice for the top elk unit in Arizona but it has dropped down one notch for us due to the Arizona Game and Fish Department adding what we feel is way too many elk tags for Unit 10 to handle for very long. Unit 10 does have some incredible elk hunting though despite a slight decline in what the elk hunting quality used to be like in this unit. Arizona Elk Outfitters LLC has also been very fortunate to have been able to harvest several giant bulls scoring over 400 inches from Arizona Unit 10. Arizona Elk Outfitters LLC is very proud to have produced the current Pope and Young World Record Typical bull elk (pictured above) in Unit 10 that was harvested by our client Shawn Patterson and guided by Levi McClendon of Team AEO. Unit 10 has incredible trophy elk genetics and usually produces 400 class bull elk annually. Besides the incredible trophy elk genetics found in Unit 10, two of the biggest factors for choosing this unit as one of our top picks is how huntable and glasser friendly this Arizona trophy elk unit is. Even in the worst of drought years Unit 10 always grows world-class bull elk that can be glassed by from one of the numerous glassing points that are found throughout Unit 10. Unit 10′s hunt ability is what places it near the top of our list for the best elk units in Arizona. Unit 10 has a ton of terrain that is perfectly suited for glassing and spot and stalk elk hunting. Unit 10 has a multitude of hills, peaks, ridges, and lots of other topographical relief which makes it very glassing friendly. Even if it is a bad rut year and the elk are not really being vocal you can always glass up trophy elk to go hunt in Arizona Unit 10. The hunter friendly terrain that is found here is also what makes Unit 10 one of our top picks for the best late-season rifle elk hunts in Arizona.

ARIZONA UNIT 23 ELK OUTFITTERS

Our number 3 choice: Arizona Hunt Unit 23

Arizona Unit 23 might not always produce giant bull elk in the numbers that Arizona Unit 9 and Arizona Unit 10 do but, trophy elk hunters can’t go wrong by applying for a trophy elk tag in unit 23. This unit is currently in a slight decline but Unit 23 always has great trophy elk genetics and trophy elk potential since it is bordered by the White Mountain Apache Reservation. Arizona Unit 23 usually has great rutting activity also which makes for a very fun and enjoyable trophy elk hunt if you are lucky enough to draw one of the early rut season elk tags in Unit 23. The late-season rifle elk hunt in Unit 23 is also one of our top picks for the best late-season rifle elk hunts in the state of Arizona.

ARIZONA UNIT 8 ELK OUTFITTERS

Our number 4 choice: Arizona Hunt Unit 8

Arizona Unit 8 has produced some of the highest-scoring public land trophy elk ever taken in the world. The current Pope and Young World Record non-typical bull elk proudly hails from unit 8 at a whopping 444 P&Y net. The SCI world record non-typical archery elk also was harvested in Arizona unit 8 scoring a mind-blowing 460 plus SCI. Two of the top-scoring trophy elk that we have ever produced here at Arizona Elk Outfitters LLC have also come out of unit 8 and scored 424 B&C and 435 B&C. The 435 B&C bull that we produced in Unit 8 (pictured above) is the current #3 non-typical Muzzleloader bull elk in the world. Unit 8 can be very tough to hunt though and the elk here get pressured heavily due to most of Unit 8 being a very popular recreation spot for weekenders and campers. Most of the bulls in Arizona Unit 8 are in the 300 to 340 range but it does produce some absolute monster bull elk as mentioned above. The late-season rifle elk hunt in unit 8 can also be a very good choice if you do not have a lot of bonus points built up for Arizona elk.

ARIZONA UNIT 7 WEST ELK OUTFITTERS

Our number 5 choice: Arizona Hunt Unit 7 West

Although it’s at number 5 on our list of the top elk units in Arizona, elk hunters can’t go wrong applying for a rut season elk tag in Arizona’s unit 7 west. The Arizona Elk Outfitters Team of professional Arizona elk guides have produced some fantastic bull elk in Arizona Unit 7 west including the gigantic 417 inches Boone and Crockett monster bull elk that is pictured above. Good trophy elk genetics, good elk densities, and very huntable elk terrain make this unit a very solid choice for anyone that is thinking about applying for an Arizona elk tag this year. Arizona Unit 7 west was also home to the Pope and Young world record typical bull elk for many years scoring an awesome 400 net P&Y inches.

How long does it usually take to draw?

If you are a non-resident elk hunter and want to draw a rut season elk tag for one of the above mentioned Arizona elk units you are in for a long wait unless you have 12 plus bonus points built up for elk in Arizona. If you are a resident Arizona elk hunter you might be able to draw one of these tags the very first time so apply, apply, apply.

Are there any Arizona Elk units or Arizona Elk hunts that are really easy to draw yet still offer trophy elk hunters a decent opportunity for harvesting a trophy Arizona bull elk?

YES, THERE IS. There is quite a few late-season Arizona archery elk hunts and late-season rifle Arizona Elk hunts that offer trophy elk hunters the chance to hunt trophy bull elk in Arizona more often and offer great draw odds for non-resident elk hunters that do not have a lot of bonus points built up. If you are an archery elk hunter there are several late-season archery bull elk hunts in Arizona that you can draw every year even as a non-resident elk hunter with zero bonus points. These late-season archery and rifle elk hunts are much more difficult than the rut season Arizona elk hunts but anytime that you are hunting elk in Arizona there is always the distinct possibility of you harvesting a great bull elk. Would you like to hunt 300 to 330 class or even better late-season trophy elk nearly every single year on some very challenging but very rewarding elk hunts in the great state of Arizona? If so, make sure that you contact the Arizona Elk Outfitters Team of trophy elk hunting professionals right away and we can get you set up to apply for these easy to draw late season Arizona elk hunts.

EMAIL US: ARIZONAELKOUTFITTERS@GMAIL.COM

928-300-6755 – TRAVIS MCCLENDON