Drew AZ Unit 8 Late season Rifle Bull--Help Please.

[Elk_oholic]

I got drawn for a Bull Elk Hunt in Unit 8 and plan to rifle hunt the Sycamore Canyon area during the first week of December. I've been hunting deer for 15 + years and elk for the past 5 years in Colorado. I am a meat hunter but for this hunt I will try to hold back for a 300+ inch bull, at least for the first few days. I moved to Colorado from Upstate New York earlier this year, but I had been planning to move to Arizona and plans changed at the last minute. Since I was planning on an Arizona move I had been accumulating points for the past 3 years. Since I ended up moving to Colorado instead, I decided to cash in my AZ points and this will likely be a once in lifetime hunt for me in AZ. I'll be in the Canyon scouting the area on 6/9, 6/10, 6/11. I'm looking for someone that knows the unit well and didn't get drawn this year that might like to join in on this expedition. Please respond if interested. Of course, any information or tips on this unit would be much appreciated. Thanks for all your help!

 

[PRDATR]

I've hunted Unit 10 but never 8. The weather will play a huge factor and in that hunt you could get rain or snow for a few days or it could be just cold and dry with night time temps in single digits.

Hopefully a few people will contact you and offer some assistance. BTW, welcome to the site.

[couesfreak]

sent you a PM

[HUNTnTAT2]

Better have horses or mules if you wanna shoot one down there. That canyon is RUGGED!

[Kaffer62]

Rugged is an understatement. Lots of elk in that unit though. I wouldn't overlook the lower pinyon juniper country either.

[Zeke-BE]

If you want to make it a once in a life time hunt and can't really make it down here just hire a guide

[wildwoody]

Scout and scout hard

[HUNTnTAT2]

I should be on that hunt helping out some guys. Feel free to PM me

[goinhuntn]

I will be there with my dad for the late rifle hunt pm me & i can give you some areas that hold elk.

[Pine Donkey]

Lots of good bulls, but not a lot of good locations for shooting. Often time it is the hunter that leaves the trail head at 2am that gets 'the spot'. A set of eyes on the rim can be helpful. Horses or mules are a big help, but a few strong friends can get the job done...it's a haul. Sometimes the hardest part is just getting from the kill to a trail. Packing through thick manzanita can be rough.

 

There are resident bulls in the canyon, but prolonged cold can push more down there. Of course, with cold weather comes bad road conditions. Some years the road is impasdible so have a backup location.

[Delw]

the key word is you said your a meat hunter. I am betting you dont make it past whitehorse lake and already taken a bull.

youll never make it into the canyon if we get snow not even with in 10 miles, and you dont need to.be there are elk everywhere in that unit even in the tall pines when its cold and snow on the ground. good luck. Ive hunted that canyon for the last 2 years for elk and 3 years for deer. its not that great and its a bitch even in sept. dont get me wrong theres some nice bulls in there but its a ton of hiking on some very nasty shoot.

unit 8 has a ton of places that carry elk all year from the pines to the sage/junipers and east to west north to south. heck they run across i-40 all the time in dec by garland prairie.

[goinhuntn]

Like Delw said above much easier places in the unit to find a nice bull besides Sycamore Canyon!!!

[257 STW]

Big old nasty deep wide Canyons if you're picky and want to kill a big bull could be a very tough hunt if you need a guide I sent you a p.m.

[azruger]

We have 4 late cow tags up there this year. My wife and my 10 year olds first elk hunt.

[JustinB]

Feel free to reach out to me... I live 20 minutes from the unit and that is my first choice always. I have killed multiple elk in the unit with my bow (so different time of year) I hunt deer in Sycamore. In my experience the elk don't start to move into the area until the beginning of the archery elk season. I have a spot I sit for deer and will never see an elk at that time of year. There are plenty of people that have shot a bull out of sycamore. Not sure how many of the people commenting have hunted this late hunt... but it can be a bitch. The idea that elk are everywhere at that point is a little misleading. Think about it, they have been shot at since September and been getting scouted since April. There are many big canyons in the unit and typically that is where I see the animals pulled from at that time of year. They have been pressured for 6 months. They move to a deep dark whole and hide out until spring. As far as getting it out... its just walking not a race. hang that meat and if it takes 4 days then oh well you will have some finely aged meat. Great unit to hunt snow or no snow. Last few years getting back in there in December has not been a problem at all.