AZ Scouting Trip

[huntertx]

I drew an AZ Unit 8 late rifle tag. This is my best tag to date so I want to maximize it. I’m planning to make a scouting trip prior to season plus arriving to the unit several days before hunting.

what is the best time to make my scouting trip? I assume it will mainly be getting familiar with roads, checking water, and finding vantage points. If so, are really all months same? I’m currently looking at August.

 

[.270]

You are on the right track with your scouting plan. I would scout as close to November as you can for checking water sources. Water in unit 8 and most of AZ, can depend on how good or bad the monsoon season is and that usually ends in September. Scouting in August or anytime is a great time to get familiar with the roads like you stated but water in tanks can change depending on the weather.
With a late rifle tag, I would concentrate on finding good glassing knobs and nasty canyons for bulls to hang out it.
Williams is a cool town to check out as well.

 

[huntertx]

You are on the right track with your scouting plan. I would scout as close to November as you can for checking water sources. Water in unit 8 and most of AZ, can depend on how good or bad the monsoon season is and that usually ends in September. Scouting in August or anytime is a great time to get familiar with the roads like you stated but water in tanks can change depending on the weather.
With a late rifle tag, I would concentrate on finding good glassing knobs and nasty canyons for bulls to hang out it.
Williams is a cool town to check out as well.

Thanks. Definitely have plans to explore Williams.
Might bring the wife on the scouting trip and get a hotel in Flagstaff. I see it’s 35min or so from Flagstaff to Williams. About how long of a drive is it to SE part of the unit from Williams?

 

[RoughCountry]

In August bulls will just be starting to look for cows and be in places they usually aren’t in. In November bulls will be over the rut and finding places to lay low in, usually rough, out of the way canyons. Good luck.

 

[JFlem]

I also drew Unit 8 late rifle tag. I am hoping for a summer scouting trip with the family and arriving a few days before the hunt as well. I am excited to be hunting Arizona elk !

 

[huntertx]

I also drew Unit 8 late rifle tag. I am hoping for a summer scouting trip with the family and arriving a few days before the hunt as well. I am excited to be hunting Arizona elk !

Good luck!

 

[pjhunt]

Congrats on your tag. My dad and I drew late rifle bull tags in unit 6A. I grew up in Arizona and was fortunate enough to get drawn almost every year, but I haven't elk hunted there in almost 20 years. And we never hunted unit 6A. Anyone have any pointers or info for that unit? Last late rifle tag I had was for 6B. Had a blizzard come in and dump 3ft of snow. Saw one calf and a couple cows. Afterwords we headed back down the rim and every truck we saw had a rack sticking out the back. Asked a couple guys where they were hunting and they said unit 22. They said it was a pick your bull kind of hunt. All the elk were funneling off the rim after the storm.

 

[rustednuts]

I drew an AZ Unit 8 late rifle tag. This is my best tag to date so I want to maximize it. I’m planning to make a scouting trip prior to season plus arriving to the unit several days before hunting.

what is the best time to make my scouting trip? I assume it will mainly be getting familiar with roads, checking water, and finding vantage points. If so, are really all months same? I’m currently looking at August.

Unit 8 is full of roads, water is pretty common throughout the unit. I wouldn’t make an extra trip, come 2-3 days early and you’ll be fine. I’d have a plan for snow. The last hunts can 80 degrees and dry or 20 and 2’ of snow.

 

[Bailer]

I got the early archery in 8. Plan to spend a lot of time up there through the summer. They’ll move a lot between my hunt and yours, but feel free to message me after my hunt and I’ll share.

 

[huntertx]

I got the early archery in 8. Plan to spend a lot of time up there through the summer. They’ll move a lot between my hunt and yours, but feel free to message me after my hunt and I’ll share.

Congrats on the tag! What a hunt! I’ll definitely reach out

 

[FlatlanderAZ]

Where those elk are right now is probably about where they will be in November. There are some big canyons, steep and deep for the bulls to get into at that time of the year. Expect company, there are a lot of tags for that hunt, and be prepared to glass from a tripod. You should have a great time, AZ is usually beautiful that time of year compared to the rest of the country. But bring chains just in case.

 

[junior88]

Pray for good monsoon moisture. Stock tanks that always held water were bone dry last fall. my advice to you is to skip the summer scouting trip. You've already bought your hunting license. Apply for the fall turkey hunt. You can hunt turkeys for a week while getting to know the unit. It takes place in early October

 

[CAV67]

If you're a Veteran, look at staying in the BOQ's on post (Camp Navajo)...Nice accomodations, hot shower and Mc'D's across the exit ramp. We stayed there in Dec. 2020 and had a great hunt in 8 and it only took us 20 minutes to be in the field. Late hunt, you'll need a 4x 4... Roads are swampy. We used UTV's so no problem, but a truck, that'd be "IFFY"

 

[huntertx]

If you're a Veteran, look at staying in the BOQ's on post (Camp Navajo)...Nice accomodations, hot shower and Mc'D's across the exit ramp. We stayed there in Dec. 2020 and had a great hunt in 8 and it only took us 20 minutes to be in the field. Late hunt, you'll need a 4x 4... Roads are swampy. We used UTV's so no problem, but a truck, that'd be "IFFY"

Good info. I’m not a veteran but one member of my party is.

we’ll have UTV’s as well. Good to know the roads can be swampy. We’ll plan to rely on the UTV.

Any word on the Rafael fire? Looks like it burned 80k acres, with a lot of it being in Sycamore canyon.

 

[CAV67]

If he's a veteran, have him set up the accommodations... It's nice and cheap and close to the unit. As far as the fire, it burned a hell of alot of the unit. I don't keep too close a tabs on the fires, as its a usual issue in AZ, but will definitely change the hunt this year. If you can, SCOUT, SCOUT and SCOUT!
I'll check out more if I can and update you!

 

[CAV67]

Oh BTW, if you guys stay on Camp Navajo...remember to UNLOAD FIREARMS before rolling through the gate! Oh and also if he sets up the rooms, even though you are not a veteran, you can stay as well. Just to clarify...

 

[rustednuts]

Good info. I’m not a veteran but one member of my party is.

we’ll have UTV’s as well. Good to know the roads can be swampy. We’ll plan to rely on the UTV.

Any word on the Rafael fire? Looks like it burned 80k acres, with a lot of it being in Sycamore canyon.

It burned a lot with a lot of it being backing fire. That area also got a lot of rain. Coconino is actually reopening.