Arizona’s Hunt 3096 Unit 3A

[Louie Olivas]

I drew a Unit 3A Elk Tag/ Hunt 3096 that starts 12/8/23. Never Hunted the Unit. I booked a Condo in Heber- Overgaard as my starting point. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

[Couesdeer]

In Unit 3A, glassing with binoculars can be a very effective technique for locating elk in the open areas. Once elk are spotted, a stalk can be made. Be aware that it is not legal to locate animals, and then use a vehicle to make a pursuit; this is considered hunting from a motor vehicle. In the juniper-woodlands, successful hunting techniques include calling, still-hunting, and hunting near watering areas.

As with all hunting, pre-season scouting to locate animals prior to the hunt is important. An Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest map can be purchased at any National Forest District office (the closest ones to this area are in Lakeside and Overgaard), or at the Arizona Game and Fish Department Region I office in Pinetop. Dispersed camping is allowed on National Forest land in the southwestern corner of the unit. Although the weather in this unit is moderate, be prepared for snow and cold temperatures on late hunts. There is also the potential for inclement weather during the earlier hunts, but precipitation here is generally lighter at higher elevations to the south.

The area around the cultivated land of the Dry Lake Farm off State Route 377 is posted and closed to hunting. Successful hunters will usually find elk somewhere between the fields and adjacent bedding areas, so getting onto the farm is not necessary. Access to this area is either by State Route 277 or 377 and two-track roads off the highways or the Zeniff road. The Zeniff road runs between the two highways and is the route used by most hunters. This road is a well-maintained dirt road, driveable under most weather conditions. Access to the 3A east area is through the Hay Hollow road that runs north from the Snowflake-Concho road, and by the Woodruff-Hay Hollow road that goes east from the south end of Woodruff.

[yotebuster]

^ I see what ya did there. 

[WHT_MTNMAN]

I don't think there is a elk out there on public land anymore, due to the OTC hunts and landowners locking gates.  Good luck scouting  Your prime time to scout will be 2 weeks before the hunt. 

[AZJR]

Couesdeer,

is your post taken from info published on the current azgfd website? I am trying to find that published information.

Thanks 

[PRDATR]

17 minutes ago, AZJR said:

Couesdeer,

is your post taken from info published on the current azgfd website? I am trying to find that published information.

Thanks 

https://www.azgfd.com/hunting/

https://live-azgfd-main.pantheonsite.io/hunting/where-to-hunt/

https://azgfd-portal-wordpress-pantheon.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/01103216/GMU3A.pdf

[Northern Pintail]

On 3/30/2023 at 12:28 PM, WHT_MTNMAN said:

I don't think there is an elk out there on public land anymore, due to the OTC hunts and landowners locking gates.  Good luck scouting  Your prime time to scout will be 2 weeks before the hunt. 

The otc hunt wasn’t on forest.   There are some elk still on state and primarily on private but they are there 

[AZJR]

PRDATR,

Thank you for those links, I had already found and read those. What I am specifically looking for is published wording on the AZGFD website in the where / how to hunt section that states this specific wording from Couesdeer’s post: “Once elk are spotted, a stalk can be made. Be aware that it is not legal to locate animals, and then use a vehicle to make a pursuit; this is considered hunting from a motor vehicle.” 
Was that copied and pasted into that post or was the wording created by Couesdeer?

Thank you

[PRDATR]

11 minutes ago, AZJR said:

PRDATR,

Thank you for those links, I had already found and read those. What I am specifically looking for is published wording on the AZGFD website in the where / how to hunt section that states this specific wording from Couesdeer’s post: “Once elk are spotted, a stalk can be made. Be aware that it is not legal to locate animals, and then use a vehicle to make a pursuit; this is considered hunting from a motor vehicle.” 
Was that copied and pasted into that post or was the wording created by Couesdeer?

Thank you

Not sure but that is correct.

[NOTAGS]

 It  came from  the AZGF,website, under the unit description in where to hunt. Usually info from a WM for the unit, who it appears will site you for hunting with the aid of a vehicle. 

[Savageman2506]

https://azgfd-portal-wordpress-pantheon.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/01103216/GMU3A.pdf

[yotebuster]

This took an interesting and unexpected turn to the literal.  

[WHT_MTNMAN]

On 4/9/2023 at 9:21 AM, Northern Pintail said:

The otc hunt wasn’t on forest.   There are some elk still on state and primarily on private but they are there 

3a doesn't have forest.  3a is the unit in the title of the thread. 3a is the unit I commented on.  

[Northern Pintail]

24 minutes ago, WHT_MTNMAN said:

3a doesn't have forest.  3a is the unit in the title of the thread. 3a is the unit I commented on.  

3a does have forest in it.   It’s in the south west corner. 

[WHT_MTNMAN]

3 minutes ago, Northern Pintail said:

3a does have forest in it.   It’s in the south west corner. 

literally speaking you are correct I stand corrected, I still stand by my stance that there are very few to no elk on that piece of "forest" after the OTC hunts. Every elk I've seen have been moving over to private property to the east past the bio mass plant. Carlisle has recently locked all of his land that used to be open. He has allowed access to certain people for a price but I'm not sure if that is the case this year or not.