Arizona Late Season Rifle

I was looking to get in to the points game for a late season AZ elk hunt, everything sounds great, but one hang up is the amount of tags issued. I understand this is what makes it feasible to get a tag in 5-7 years, but what are realistic expectations on seeing other hunters? I don’t mind bumping in to the occasional group, but if it is a sea of orange a race to the best glassing spot every morning, I’m not sure if this is what I would be looking for. I have no problem walking my rear off every morning, but it almost doesn’t seem doable with the road system in AZ as well. Thoughts?

As with anywhere you hunt on public land, most of the hunters are near the roads. even with the plethora of roads in AZ you can still getaway from people. Especially after opening weekend. It amazes me how many people go home Sunday morning. You almost have the woods to yourself

I did a late season elk hunt in Arizona last year. There were a lot of tags in my unit and I heard more shooting than I have ever heard opening day of general deer season in Idaho. I do think it is possible to get away from other hunters if you are willing to hike. In 7 days, I only saw two other hunters. I also didn't see a road in 7 days because I was camping a hour walk from the nearest road to avoid other hunters. Most of the areas I was hunting often didn't have visibility of more than 100-200 yards so I'm sure there were times other hunters were less than a half mile away but I didn't know they were there. Because of the extra hunting pressure I found glassing open meadows to not be very effective for finding bigger bulls. I found hunting the nastiest thickets holes were the best areas to find older bulls. If I hunted late season again in Arizona, my strategy would be similar to what I would do in other states in late October. Looking for bulls in blow down holes, mostly just feeding in early morning and late evening. It was a great hunt but don't plan on drawing the tag again for at least 10 years. I think there is going to be some significant point creep in Arizona the next few years because the change to only 50% of nonresident tags going to top point holders and the improving economy.

Thanks. What unit did you draw?

My experience with AZ late season is that you couldn't get away from people very easily because there were roads everywhere in the unit and despite most of them being "closed" per the MVUM map there were rarely marked as such or just blatantly ignored. You basically have a general unit level of hunting with trophy potential. The hunts are going to be harder with warmer weather and easier with colder weather.

The upside to AZ late rifle is you can draw it once or twice a decade and it isn't a physical hunt compared to a backcountry hunt in the high rockies. My average daily mileage was ~60% of what I've done on most other hunts but about 500% more glassing. If I did it again I would be there a week early and camp out on top of a bull for opening morning with only a few days to hunt.

Its a great hunt for older or less fit hunters or more experienced hunters looking for a 300+ inch bull. It isn't an opportunity/ high number of encounter type hunt. Arizona got its reputation based on early season hunts rather than late rifle hunts.