Going to try for a late season elk hunt in unit 27. I have 9 points and looks like theres a chance. I plan if we draw to have three days to scout but i have been reading about the Rim in that area what is this and why is it so hard to get into or get an elk out of. maybe i should be looking into a different unit with this many points but put in too many years to not try getting a good hunt with trophy potential \. Thanks for any input.
Arizona Unit 27 Elk hunting ( Rim ?)
- Thread starter streamer
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grandejuan
Active member
The rim is the mogollon rim (pronounced "muggy own"). It runs from west of Williams AZ into the mogollon mountains in NM. It is the southern border of the Bear Wallow Wilderness in unit 27. There is also the Blue Range Primitive area along the NM border. Both are pretty rough areas with 1500' cliffs or more. It's a big area with many perennial streams. The Gila Wilderness is just across the border in NM. Be sure to check it out with OnX. GJ
Unit 27 is a bit rough compared to other Arizona units but there are some big bulls in there. Plenty of places to get away from people in 27. The mogollon rim just runs across the a small portion of the unit, plenty public land below and above it. If you want a unit with a gentler terrain, look at unit 1 that is the northern border for 27.
Just my opinion, but with only 3 days to scout I would probably avoid 27. The top of the rim has plenty of roads mostly where it borders unit 1, not many roads/good access points below the rim where the elk typically spend the winter unless you have horses. The X factor is the weather on that hunt although most years, even with some snow, there is still plenty of access in the higher elevations. The quality is there but it's a large, rough unit and with only 3 days to scout it will be tough. I'd look into unit 10, 3a/3c, or wait another couple years for 1.
Much of 27 was burned in the 2011 Wallow fire. Many huge bulls were killed in the 1st two years after the fire. The burn area was aerial seeded with winter wheat to prevent erosion. This provided excellent nutrition and drew a lot on animals off the Rez. Sadly, most of the top end bulls were killed in these 1st two years. The burn is still an excellent place to look on the late hunt and good bulls are still in there. I've been to the Blue Range, I'd rather hunt the burn. Unit 1 is a great unit, 10 can be really tough on the late hunt. 3C bulls like to go to the Rez that time of year.
With 9 points I'd consider Unit 23, lots of nice bulls there, good success rates and elk from north almost all the way down to Roosevelt lake. Might be the only unit more rugged than 27 tho...
Lots of road hunters on the late hunt. If you just get a little ways off the road you should find bulls in any unit you hunt.
With 9 points I'd consider Unit 23, lots of nice bulls there, good success rates and elk from north almost all the way down to Roosevelt lake. Might be the only unit more rugged than 27 tho...
Lots of road hunters on the late hunt. If you just get a little ways off the road you should find bulls in any unit you hunt.
