capoeirajosh Report post Posted January 12, 2014 After chasing mulies for most of this archery season, I have decided to try and find a new spot to hunt. I wanted to chase whitetails to begin with, but ended up getting sucked into these desert mulies, haha. I prefer to ambush hunt, sitting in blinds/treestands. I have heard good things about unit 22 and 23. I also looked at the game and fish website before making this post to look at the recommended areas. Having trouble finding them on google maps though, espeacially for unit 23. Tried typing in the FS rds. that are on the website, but they aren't popping up. I realize that this is pretty late in the season, but I figure maybe I will get lucky. If not, then it will be a great opportunity to learn a new area for next season. Can anyone help me out? Not asking for the gps coordinates of the deer, just maybe some starting points. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1shot Report post Posted January 12, 2014 Unit 23 is a great unit for whitetail but also a rough unit to hunt. i started hunting 23 in the mid 80s and have done well. so well that we built a cabin there in the early 2000s. there are roads everywhere. go into young(pleasant valley)and start driving the forest service roads and you will find tanks to sit because the idiots that hunt there and the ranchers have driven to almost every water hole in the unit and made roads to them. if your looking to ambush deer hunting from blinds on water get there early because every tank has trailcams on them and they get a lot of pressure from the outfitters. there are some good tanks that are still hidden but you will need to put in your time to find them. Dont take that wrong--not all hunters are idiots(just a lot of them out there) PM me and i can get you started in the right direction Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkaholic Report post Posted January 12, 2014 All I can say is 23 is a huge unit - there are whitetails from Roosevelt lake - to the rim . thousands of square miles that rarely see anybody - most of the real pressure is areas in and around young up to the rim take a trip on google earth and I'm sure you'll find a happy medium where few venture - lots of creeks with springs on edges / bottoms of huge canyons / mtns that never really get any pressure! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DUG Report post Posted January 12, 2014 We are going to 23 next Friday morning, you are welcome to camp with us or I can get you into some areas to try. It is a big unit and some spots do get crowded. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
capoeirajosh Report post Posted January 12, 2014 />We are going to 23 next Friday morning, you are welcome to camp with us or I can get you into some areas to try. It is a big unit and some spots do get crowded. Thanks for the offer!! I have work though until Sunday. That is the next time I will be able to get out. My ears are wide open for areas to try out though! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkaholic Report post Posted January 12, 2014 if you want an idea of 23 just take a trip on the 288 road from below Roosevelt to young make a day of it - as it'll take you that long to make the loop and come home thru payson figure a tank of gas cuz its over 300 miles - if you've never traveled 288 its worth it ! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
capoeirajosh Report post Posted January 12, 2014 />if you want an idea of 23 just take a trip on the 288 road from below Roosevelt to young make a day of it - as it'll take you that long to make the loop and come home thru payson figure a tank of gas cuz its over 300 miles - if you've never traveled 288 its worth it ! Does that eventually run into the 260?? On the game and fish website, it looks like it stops like 3/4 of the way up towards the 260. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZbowhntr Report post Posted January 12, 2014 It goes all the way through. I started hunting 23 about 15 years ago and find new areas every year. Like others have said you can find coues all the way through the unit along with muleys and elk. But there are areas that get pounded with other hunting pressure. And for the most part they are the areas on the G and F website. I don't think anyone is going to give names of mountains or roads on the site but take the 288 and try taking the roads off to the east and the west as you go. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
capoeirajosh Report post Posted January 28, 2014 Thanks everyone! Really looking forward to learning this unit. I spent some time up there the past few weeks and am really liking how the country looks. So far, I have only really seen mulies. A lot of mulies, hahaha. I am sure the coues are in there. I wanted to try and focus on the northern part of the unit in the pines, so I can hunt from a treestand. I do plan on checking out more southern areas as well though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BackwoodsHunter Report post Posted January 30, 2014 Capoeroijosh are on the way to 23 right now it's a little late to give a rut repot with one day left though haha Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
capoeirajosh Report post Posted January 31, 2014 Had a blast out there today with BackwoodsHunter! Got a bit of a late start to glassing, but we still picked up some coues. One was a pretty good buck. Wasn't able to get on them. Found a pretty good looking spot for next year though! Can't wait! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BackwoodsHunter Report post Posted January 31, 2014 Good time today! I'll tell you what, the terrain did everything it could to keep us from killing that buck. It was thick haha Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
