23N Early Archery Bull 2025

[Vincent_Spallino]

Hey Elk hunters,

my names Charlie and I drew an awesome tag with 8 points. Didn't think I would draw my first choice but luck had other plans. This is my first Archery elk tag in AZ. I've been saving my points up because I have been in an Electrical apprenticeship and wasn't confident I would be able to take the time off for 2 weeks of hunting. I've been hunting Coues since I was a young teenager. Elk hunting is still fairly new to me. Have been on 4 elk hunts helping family members and friends. 

I'm going to be running solo most of the time with some help from buddies here and there through out the hunt. 
I can't justify hiring a guide.

any advice for this unit would be greatly appreciated. 
I plan on making a few scouting trips before the hunt. 
 

The projected precipitation and current drought situation has me a little worried about rut action but that could just be my inexperience. Any input on that would be helpful. 
 

Thanks for reading my post. I'm super pumped about this Tag. 

 

[AZbowhntr]

Congrats on a great hunt.  I drew the late rifle tag in the same unit. I was up there last year during your hunt and heard bugles every night and morning and saw some incredible bulls. I met a guy with the tag and helped one evening when all of his help had to come back to the valley.  I will be up there most of the weekends during the rut and up to my hunt scouting.  Let me know where you are camping and I would be glad to give a hand or point you in a direction if I have seen anything. Obviously the hunts are a long ways away right now but it will sneak up on us. Good luck

[Vincent_Spallino]

13 minutes ago, AZbowhntr said:

Congrats on a great hunt.  I drew the late rifle tag in the same unit. I was up there last year during your hunt and heard bugles every night and morning and saw some incredible bulls. I met a guy with the tag and helped one evening when all of his help had to come back to the valley.  I will be up there most of the weekends during the rut and up to my hunt scouting.  Let me know where you are camping and I would be glad to give a hand or point you in a direction if I have seen anything. Obviously the hunts are a long ways away right now but it will sneak up on us. Good luck

Hey thanks man. Yeah I've been up there helping a friend on the late archery. I've not been there during the early archery hunt. Thanks for the offer and I'll definitely keep in touch.

[yotebuster]

It’s gonna be awesome either way.  This moisture pattern won’t bust a drought but it can green things up enough to pack some antler on.  Even if it dries back out you’re still in for the hunt of a lifetime. 

[Vincent_Spallino]

2 hours ago, yotebuster said:

It’s gonna be awesome either way.  This moisture pattern won’t bust a drought but it can green things up enough to pack some antler on.  Even if it dries back out you’re still in for the hunt of a lifetime. 

Alright sweet thanks for easing my worries man. Definitely going to hold out for a quality bull the first week, but it being my first archery elk tag here in Arizona I'm not expecting a 390-400 class bull. Thanks for the response!

[yotebuster]

2 hours ago, Vincent_Spallino said:

Alright sweet thanks for easing my worries man. Definitely going to hold out for a quality bull the first week, but it being my first archery elk tag here in Arizona I'm not expecting a 390-400 class bull. Thanks for the response!

It will be your last 23 archery almost certainly, so think of it that way instead of your first archery elk tag.  If you get hooked and want to go shoot rag horns you can do that every year for the rest of your life in other places.  I’d hold out for a big one.  

[Vincent_Spallino]

2 hours ago, yotebuster said:

It will be your last 23 archery almost certainly, so think of it that way instead of your first archery elk tag.  If you get hooked and want to go shoot rag horns you can do that every year for the rest of your life in other places.  I’d hold out for a big one.  

Good way to put it. Didn't think of it that way. Thanks for the perspective 

[CatfishKev]

Congrats on a primo tag.  We've done that youth hunt several times and they are still vocal going into october so they should be talking for you.  I would go up on weekends when you can and just drive all the roads and mark food glassing spots before the hunt.  I'd start exercising too, it will pay off.  

[Big or Bust]

The 23's are special for sure, especially during the rut.  Both rut hunts I've been on in there in the past few years it seems the bulls under 340" just hide when the dinosaurs come out to rut.  Take as much time as you can to hunt and shoot a big boy. The bull to cow ratio makes for epic rut hunts with monsters possible. 

I had the early rifle hunt a few years back in 23S, an extremely lucky draw and hunted the border of North and South. I passed 370's multiple times opening day.  It's a special hunt, I'd argue one of the top 3 rut hunts for giants in the country....

Good luck and post up your results here.....  

[Vincent_Spallino]

1 hour ago, CatfishKev said:

Congrats on a primo tag.  We've done that youth hunt several times and they are still vocal going into october so they should be talking for you.  I would go up on weekends when you can and just drive all the roads and mark food glassing spots before the hunt.  I'd start exercising too, it will pay off.  

Definitely started exercising haha I know there are a ton of nasty canyons in there. Thanks for the response!

[Vincent_Spallino]

59 minutes ago, Big or Bust said:

The 23's are special for sure, especially during the rut.  Both rut hunts I've been on in there in the past few years it seems the bulls under 340" just hide when the dinosaurs come out to rut.  Take as much time as you can to hunt and shoot a big boy. The bull to cow ratio makes for epic rut hunts with monsters possible. 

I had the early rifle hunt a few years back in 23S, an extremely lucky draw and hunted the border of North and South. I passed 370's multiple times opening day.  It's a special hunt, I'd argue one of the top 3 rut hunts for giants in the country....

Good luck and post up your results here.....  

I'm beyond pumped. Definitely holding out for a great bull but will be hard not to shoot a 350-360 bull if I have a great shot opportunity. On your rifle hunt did you end up shooting something bigger than 370?

[Chef]

Take up AZbowhntr on his offer as he knows the unit well.  23 is a special place during the rut.  

Archery hunts are no gimme with thermals moving and eyes everywhere, elk bust out.  It's way different than an early rifle hunt.

In addition to your workouts, train your lungs for higher altitudes.  This is tougher to do in Tucson, but there are ways to deplete your body of oxygen while training.

[bojangles]

16 hours ago, Vincent_Spallino said:

Hey Elk hunters,

my names Charlie and I drew an awesome tag with 8 points. Didn't think I would draw my first choice but luck had other plans. This is my first Archery elk tag in AZ. I've been saving my points up because I have been in an Electrical apprenticeship and wasn't confident I would be able to take the time off for 2 weeks of hunting. I've been hunting Coues since I was a young teenager. Elk hunting is still fairly new to me. Have been on 4 elk hunts helping family members and friends. 

I'm going to be running solo most of the time with some help from buddies here and there through out the hunt. 
I can't justify hiring a guide.

any advice for this unit would be greatly appreciated. 
I plan on making a few scouting trips before the hunt. 
 

The projected precipitation and current drought situation has me a little worried about rut action but that could just be my inexperience. Any input on that would be helpful. 
 

Thanks for reading my post. I'm super pumped about this Tag. 

 

If you’ve never shot an elk before, I would shoot every animal you possibly can before that hunt. Coyotes,deer, bear… Just so you can get used to shooting things in the wild. This will probably be the last tag you ever get in that unit, like the other guy said. So make it a great hunt. I would start scouting cow herds this spring and keep tabs on where they are and where the water is. The bulls will show up, during the rut. 

Even if you had to take out a loan, it might be worth it to get a Guide, like Ground And Pounders or something.

[Big or Bust]

9 hours ago, Vincent_Spallino said:

I'm beyond pumped. Definitely holding out for a great bull but will be hard not to shoot a 350-360 bull if I have a great shot opportunity. On your rifle hunt did you end up shooting something bigger than 370?

Yes.

[Chef]

2 hours ago, Big or Bust said:

Yes.

Share some photos!