2012 ARIZONA ELK DRAW RESULTS

Well ladies and gentlemen, it’s just about that time of year again!

All of the waiting, anxiety, and hoping to see if we get to hunt Arizona elk in 2012 is about to come to a head.

The 2012 Arizona Elk Draw results are due to be released any day now and we are very excited to begin another year of scouting, locating, and successfully hunting these giant Arizona elk.

All of our hardworking and dedicated Arizona elk guides are chomping at the bit to begin working on our 2012 Arizona elk hunts and have already been hard at work out in the field shed hunting for giant Arizona elk sheds this spring.

2012 promises to be another great year for elk in Arizona and we have been keeping tabs on quite a few giant bull elk in several of the best Arizona elk units that survived the 2011 Arizona elk hunts.

We have just received a very substantial amount of much needed moisture in most of the premier elk units in Arizona and it looks like the Arizona bull elk are going to be off to a very good start for antler growth this year.

The 2012 Arizona elk draw results will most likely be posted up on the Arizona Game and Fish Department website ( www.azgfd.gov ) before the phone results are released.

Make sure you contact us right away if you are fortunate enough to receive an Arizona elk tag this year as our spots will begin to book up fast as soon as the elk draw results are released.

We are full time, year round, professional hunters and are your premier Arizona elk outfitters. We will help you fully maximize the incredible trophy elk potential that your Arizona elk tag offers you.

Be sure to check out our Arizona elk hunts page ( http://www.yavapaioutfitters.com/arizona-hunt-guides-and-outfitters/arizona-elk-guides-and-outfitters/ ) and view our Arizona elk photos!

EMAIL US: DAVEYRANCH@YAHOO.COM

ARIZONA LATE SEASON RIFLE ELK HUNTS

The late season rifle bull elk hunts in Arizona can be a very good option to apply for if you are looking to harvest a great trophy Arizona bull elk and you do not have a bunch of bonus points built up for the Arizona elk draw.

Non residents can draw these tags much more frequently and be able to hunt the best elk units in Arizona without having to wait for many years or even decades to draw a tag.
For a non resident hunter it usually takes about 15 years or more to draw a tag if you only apply for the early season rut hunts in the premier elk units in Arizona. Do you have that kind of time to wait if you are just starting to build bonus points for Arizona? Most of don’t and most of us would really like a chance to hunt big Arizona bulls a lot sooner than that.

I know what you’re all thinking right now as you are reading this, yeah these elk hunts are a lot easier to draw because it’s impossible to kill a big bull on these hunts right? WRONG. These late season elk hunts are definitely tougher hunting than the rut hunts but, these late rifle bull hunts produce giant bulls annually and you just never know what kind of bull you are going to glass up when you are hunting elk in Arizona. Some of the highest scoring bull elk that we have ever seen and produced here at Yavapai Outfitters have been taken during the late season general elk hunts.

The time frame that the late season rifle bull elk hunts take place in is the winter months during late November or early December. During this time of the year most of the bulls are usually going to be found off by themselves or they will be hanging around together in small groups of bachelor bulls.

The elks’ main concern during these cold winter months is to recuperate from the intense toll that all of the fighting and chasing from the rut season has taken on them and to rest and put on as much weight as possible for the upcoming winter months ahead.

An advantage that hunters have while hunting during these late season elk hunts is that usually when you find a big bull in the winter he is more than likely not going to be moving very far from where you get him located. Bull elk can cover some incredibly large distances during the rut as they search for cows that are in estrous and where you find them one day, they might be 10 miles away the next day as they travel to gather up their harem of cows. This is generally not the case in the winter. The bulls are going to want to rest and do not want to expend a lot of energy during this time so they will select an area to spend the entire winter in that offers them feed, water, and seclusion without having to move very far. This is great for trophy elk hunters because unless the bull gets blown out of the country by some sort of pressure, you have a very good chance of keeping your bull located within the same general vicinity of where you first found him.

Also, since the bulls are mainly by themselves or in small groups of bulls during these late elk hunts, it’s a heck of a lot easier to stalk up on them once you get a trophy bull located that you would like to harvest. It’s a lot easier when you only have to sneak past one set of eyeballs instead of twenty or thirty as can often be the case during the rut elk hunts when the elk are all grouped together.

Another very exciting opportunity that these late season bull elk hunts in Arizona offer is the chance to experience a true horseback wilderness elk hunt. Some of the Arizona units that offer these tags have very large wilderness areas in them that are totally closed to any motorized travel and are only accessible with horses and mules. These Arizona wilderness areas can offer some very high quality trophy elk hunting during the late season hunts and will eliminate about 95% percent of the hunter pressure and competition for bulls. We have an excellent string of horses and mules for packing into these wilderness areas and we set up a first class wilderness wall tent elk hunt.

With all of the above being said, here are a couple of things that all interested Arizona elk hunters need to consider when thinking about applying for one of these Arizona late season rifle elk hunts. The terrain that most of the bulls tend to be found in during these late elk hunts is generally rougher and steeper than the areas that the elk rut in during the early season hunts so please take some time to improve your physical condition before going on your elk hunt. Also, since the elk have been doing some fighting and sparring during the rut, there is a chance that you might encounter some antler breakage on some of the bull elk that you will be seeing during these late rifle elk hunts in Arizona. With plenty of pre season scouting though you will be able to locate plenty of great bulls that are still fully intact for your hunt.

Contact us at any time if you would like to discuss these late season Arizona elk hunts in detail. These hunts are a very exciting opportunity for you to come out and hunt Arizona’s giant elk with us without having to wait for years and years to draw your tag.  We have many years of experience guiding and outfitting these elk hunts annually and we can put together a great trophy elk hunt for you should you decide to apply for these tags.

EMAIL US: DAVEYRANCH@YAHOO.COM

Arizona Hunt Unit 5B North

Big Game species found in Arizona Hunt Unit 5B North

• Black Bear
• Elk
• Javelina
• Merriam’s Turkey
• Mountain Lion
• Mule Deer

Arizona Unit 5B North Big Game Hunts

Arizona Unit 5B North Elk: Located just to the west and south of the town of Flagstaff, unit 5B north is located right in the middle of some of Arizona’s best elk units and best elk country. Unit 5B north has a very good population of Rocky mountain elk that are pretty evenly distributed across all of the elevation, terrain, and vegetation types that are found throughout this Arizona elk unit. The trophy bull elk quality that is found in Unit 5B north can be very good as well. When most people think about hunting trophy bull elk in Arizona they usually do not think about applying for their Arizona elk tag in unit 5B north. Most trophy elk hunters, especially non residents, who are interested in Arizona elk hunts tend to concentrate on and end up applying for some of the more well known and famous Arizona trophy elk units such as Arizona Hunt Unit 10 - Arizona Hunt Unit 9 – Arizona Hunt unit 23 - Arizona Hunt Unit 8 – Arizona Hunt Unit 7 West – and so on and so forth. While these top 5 Arizona elk units are certainly incredible places to elk hunt and do produce trophy bull elk annually, they can be extremely difficult to draw a tag in unless you have 16 plus bonus points, and they are not the only elk units in Arizona that have trophy bulls in them. Every single unit that has elk in Arizona has the potential to produce 360 plus bull elk. Unit 5B north is one of them. True, this unit does not consistently produce the high numbers of giant Arizona bull elk that some of the other Arizona elk units do but there are some very good trophy bull elk in unit 5B north. You also have a much higher chance of drawing a top quality archery bull elk tag in Unit 5B north than in any of the previously mentioned Arizona elk units. Non residents do not have to wait for years and years or even decades to enjoy a fantastic Arizona rut archery elk hunt if you choose to apply for an archery bull elk hunt in unit 5b North. Are you tired of waiting for 10 years plus to go on a Arizona elk hunt? Do you want to go elk hunting for trophy bulls in Arizona sooner rather than later? Would you like to be able to draw a rut season non resident archery bull elk tag in Arizona? Do yourself a favor and seriously consider applying for an Arizona elk tag in unit 5b north.

Arizona Unit 5B North Black Bear: Unit 5B north has a very stable and huntable population of Arizona black bears. Trophy quality black bears can be found in unit 5B north and it is definitely a good unit to consider for your Arizona black bear hunts this year.

Arizona Unit 5B North Mule Deer: There are some absolute giant mule deer bucks that live in unit 5B north but the mule deer densities are not very high in this unit and the big bucks are few and far between. Think about hunting some other units for your Arizona mule deer hunts this year.

Arizona Unit 5B North Mountain Lion: Unit 5B north has a healthy population of mountain lions and is an excellent unit to think about when planning your Arizona mountain lion hunts this winter. Mountain lions can be hunted by glassing and varmint calling but far and away your best bet for success on a Arizona mountain lion is to hire a reputable and experienced houndsman. There are many avid hunters that haved lived and hunted in arizona their entire lives and have never even seen a mountain lion without the aid of a well trained pack of dogs.

Arizona Unit 5B North Guides and Outfitters: We have been successfully trophy hunting in Unit 5B north for many years now and have been able to acquire a vast amount of experience and knowledge in this unit. We can help you make the most of your unit 5B north hunt and ensure that you will be hunting some of the best trophy big game animals that this unit has to offer. Being a full time year round guide and outfitters service, we can spend unmatched time in the field preseason scouting and locating the highest caliber trophy animals for your hunt.

Contact us today to start planning your Unit 5B North trophy hunt

EMAIL US: DAVEYRANCH@YAHOO.COM

Arizona Hunt Unit 22

Big Game species found in Arizona Hunt Unit 22

• Black Bear
• Elk
• Javelina
• Merriam’s Turkey
• Mountain Lion
• Mule Deer
• Coues Deer

Arizona Unit 22 Big Game Hunts

Arizona Unit 22 Elk: Unit 22, which is located right in the very heart of the world famous and world reknowned Mogollon Rim Country of north central Arizona, has good elk densities, good trophy bull elk quality, and good elk numbers across most of the country that this unit encompasses. Unit 22 also has some very large and very remote wilderness areas that can provide serious trophy bull elk hunters with some very high quality, low hunter pressure, trophy bull elk hunting especially during the late season rifle bull elk hunt in this unit. Another attractive feature that some unit 22 elk hunts offer is that it is an Arizona elk unit that can be drawn by both non residents and residents alike without having a lot of elk bonus points built up. Thats right, you can go on a trophy wilderness rifle Arizona bull elk hunt in unit 22 a lot sooner than you think. Unit 22 is split up into two halves for some of the bull elk hunts that are offered here. The halves consist of unit 22 north and unit 22 south. The elk hunts in unit 22 north have considerably more elk tags offered due to the much higher elk numbers and densities that are found in the northern section of unit 22. The elk hunts in unit 22 south have much less elk tags available due to lower numbers and lower densities of elk being found in the southern portion of unit 22. Both the northern and southern halves of unit 22 contain quality bulls though. You will have hardly any hunt pressure or competition on most of the bull hunts in unit 22 south but the elk are a lot more scattered and are tougher to find than in unit 22 north. Elk hunters who apply for and end up drawing unit 22 north bull tags will have more competition for the bulls but elk numbers are much higher in the north and are easier to find. Hunting the wilderness area though will eliminate most of the hunter pressure for the unit 22 bull elk hunts and provide you with a much higher quality Arizona bull elk hunting experience. Prespective elk hunters need to be prepared to hunt the wilderness. The terrain here is remote and can be rugged making horses and mules a necessity for both getting yourself in and out of the country as well as packing your elk out of the wilderness also. Whether you are thinking of applying for an early rut archery bull tag, early rifle bull tag, late season archery bull tag, or late season rifle bull elk tag, keep unit 22 in mind when applying for your Arizona Elk Hunts.

Unit 22 Black Bear: Unit 22 offers excellent Arizona black bear hunts for hunters who would like to harvest a trophy color phase record book black bear. This unit supports a very good population of trophy color phased black bears and plenty of remote and rugged bear country where these arizona black bears can grow old and reach both Pope & Young and Boone & Crockett record book caliber size. Hunters who are looking to experience quality arizona black bear hunts will do well by choosing to hunt their trophy bear in unit 22.

Unit 22 Coues Deer: Unit 22 also has some high quality Arizona coues deer hunts available. These little gray ghosts of the desert grow to good sizes in this unit and deer numbers are good. Unit 22 also offers some excellent archery coues deer hunts that can be combined to include archery black bear and archery turkey as well. You will not see the very high numbers of coues deer in unit 22 as you would in the southern part of Arizona but with some hard work and pre season scouting you can find some very high quality coues deer bucks here.

Unit 22 Mountain Lion: Unit 22 is one of the best units for mountain lions in the state of Arizona. This unit usually produces some of the highest annual harvest numbers for mounatin lions and is an excellent choice for trophy Arizona mountain lion hunts. Your best chance for success on mountain lion hunts in Arizona is to acquire the professional services of an experienced and reputable houndsman. Mountain lions are very shy and secretive animals and trying to hunt them without hounds can be next to impossible.

Unit 22 Guides and Outfitters:  Call or email us right away if you have drawn a unit 22 tag and are looking to maximize the trophy potential of your hunt. We have many years of experience guiding trophy hunts for all of the big game species that are found in Arizona’s unit 22 and will provide you with a first class trophy hunting experience here from start to finish. We also have excellent horse and mules to access the remote wilderness areas in unit 22 for the trophy elk hunts as well for riding on our black bear and mountain lion hunts in this unit.

Contact us today if you would like to plan a world class trophy hunt in Unit 22

EMAIL US: DAVEYRANCH@YAHOO.COM

ARIZONA HUNT UNIT 6A

Big Game species found in Arizona Hunt Unit 6A

• Black Bear
• Elk
• Javelina
• Merriam’s Turkey
• Antelope
• Mountain Lion
• Mule Deer
• Coues Deer

Arizona Unit 6A Big Game Hunts

Arizona Unit 6A Elk: Unit 6A in north central Arizona is home to very good numbers of Rocky Mountain elk and is also home to some very extensive Arizona elk hunting opportunities regardless of your weapon or season choice. Elk are found in good numbers and densities throughout this entire unit and all of its different habitat types, terrain, and elevation levels. Approximately 20% of all of the elk hunting opportunities that are found in the state of Arizona are found in unit 6A. Unit 6A is not generally considered to be a highly sought after premier trophy Arizona elk unit but this unit does and will continue to produce some giant bulls. This is a great unit to apply for if you are a resident or a non resident elk hunter that does not have many bonus points built up for the Arizona elk draw and do not want to wait for years and years to experience a high quality Arizona elk hunt. Most of the bull elk that are found in Unit 6A are usually in the 300 to 340 range but hunters who are willing to work hard, put their scouting homework in, and hold out can often be rewarded with 350 to 360 plus bull elk in this unit. Hunters who are lucky enough to draw either a an early rut season archery tag or early rut season rifle or muzzleloader tag in Unit 6A will be rewarded with a very good hunt with plenty of bugling bulls and good rutting activity. Unit 6A is a good sized unit and there are plenty of good areas to be found here were hunters can experience low hunter pressure and trophy quality bulls. There are also some “Quiet” wilderness type areas in unit 6A where all vehicle travel is strictly prohibited even when recovering dead and down elk. These areas can offer some high quality Arizona elk hunting but hunters who are planning on hunting elk here need to be properly prepared to do so. Recovering your elk out of the field can be extremely difficult in these areas and having access to horses and mules is highly recommended to get your elk out the field.  Unit 6A also has some extremely rugged terrain that can provide hunters with great opportunities at trophy bulls especially during the late season rifle elk hunt in this unit but hunters also need to plan accordingly if they are thinking about hunting these rugged canyons. Horses and mules are also highly recommended if you are planning to hunt late season Arizona bull elk in the rugged canyon country of unit 6A. Any hunter who is thinking about hunting elk in Arizona is well advised to keep unit 6A in mind when applying for your Arizona Elk Hunts.

Arizona Unit 6A Black Bear: Unit 6A has an excellent population of trophy Arizona black bears and is one of our favorite black bear units in the state. This unit is loaded with thousands and thousands of acres of very high quality black bear habitat and supports healthy numbers of Arizona bears. Arizona black bears can be hunted with hounds or by spotting and stalking. Spotting and stalking these trophy Arizona color phased black bears is far and away our favorite and most used technique to succesfully hunt them. It is very exciting on these Arizona black bear hunts to be able to locate a food source or crop that multiple bears are feeding on and having the opportunity to be able to glass up and look over several different bears from one single location. Once a shooter bear is located the exciting stalk begins. Many of the black bears that live in Unit 6A are found in extremely rugged canyon terrain. Hunters are advised to be in the best physical shape possible if you are planning on hunting black bears in Unit 6A. It also pays to have help nearby in the form of extra people or horses and mules to recover your bear out of the field. Some Arizona bear hunts take place in warm weather and bears can spoil very quickly so be sure to have plenty of help available to get your bear out of the field as quickly as possible.

Arizona Unit 6A Coues Deer: Unit 6A has some excellent trophy coues deer bucks. While this unit does not have the high density and high coues deer populations of the southern Arizona coues deer units, it does have some very high quality trophy bucks that live here. The best coues deer hunt that is offered in unit 6A is the late December rifle hunt. The bucks are starting to rut during this hunt and the coues deer bucks can be very visible during this hunt as they are out rutting and chasing does. Unit 6A is definitely worth considering when deciding on where to apply for your Arizona coues deer hunts.

Arizona Unit 6A Mule Deer: Unit 6A has a huntable population of mule deer but there are very few trophy bucks and hunters can be very disappointed in a mule deer hunt here. Stay away from this unit if you want to do some high quality Arizona mule deer hunting.

Arizona Unit 6A Mountain Lion: Unit 6A supports good numbers of mountain lions and is an excellent place to consider for hunters who are wanting to do some Arizona mountain lion hunting. While mountain lions are taken annually by varmint calling and incidentally while hunting for other species, your best opportunity for success on a mountain lion is to hire the services of an experienced houndsman.

Arizona Unit 6A Guides and Outfitters: We are very experienced guiding trophy hunts in Unit 6A for all of the big game species found here. Whether you drew a 6A archery bull elk tag, a late season 6A rifle bull elk tag, a 6a coues deer tag, or would like to go on a trophy bear or mountain lion hunt, we will provide you with the trophy hunt of a lifetime in Unit 6A. We also have horses and mules to successfully hunt the most rugged country that is found in this unit.

Contact us right away if you would like to hunt Arizona’s Unit 6A

EMAIL US: DAVEYRANCH@YAHOO.COM

 ARIZONA HUNT UNIT 6B

Big Game species found in Arizona Hunt Unit 6B

• Black Bear
• Elk
• Javelina
• Merriam’s Turkey
• Antelope
• Mountain Lion
• Mule Deer
• Coues Whitetail Deer

Arizona Unit 6B Big Game Hunts

Arizona Unit 6B Elk: Unit 6B in Arizona is home to a great population of Rocky mountain elk with good elk densities occurring throughout most of the unit. The upper two thirds of this unit generally will hold the highest concentrations of elk and most hunters that hunt this unit for elk will tend to congregate and concentrate their efforts there. While this unit is not generally very well known as a premier trophy Arizona elk unit, it is nonetheless a unit that prospective elk hunters need to consider when you are thinking about applying for Arizona elk tags. Unit 6B offers great draw odds for non resident elk tags and can be drawn fairly regularly without having maximum bonus points. Hunters who draw an Arizona elk tag here will encounter good sized bulls and good numbers numbers of elk on both the early archery and rifle seasons as well as the late season winter elk hunts as well. There is a good sized wilderness area that is very rugged in Unit 6B that is only accessible by horseback or foot travel. This wilderness area can provide excellent trophy bull elk opportunities with low hunter pressure for hunters who are interested in hunting the late season rifle bull elk hunt in this unit. We have horses and mules here at Yavapai Outfitters and can provide you with a wilderness trophy rifle elk hunt in Unit 6B. Most of the bull elk that are found in Unit 6B are usually going to be in the 300 to 340 range score wise although this unit has produced a handful of absolute giant bulls over the years. Any time you are hunting elk in Arizona you have the potential of running into a giant bull elk in every unit that has elk in the state. There really is no such thing as a “bad” elk unit in Arizona. The entire state has incredible trophy elk genetics and giant bulls can turn up anywhere. Unit 6B is bordered on the north by Arizona Hunt Unit 7 West and the Camp Navajo Army Depot, and is bordered by unit 8 on the western side. If you are looking to go on a trophy Arizona bull elk hunt sooner rather than later and do not want to wait for years and years to draw a tag you would do well to consider applying for a Unit 6B elk tag.

Arizona Unit 6B Coues Deer: Unit 6B has a huntable population of Coues Deer and the hunt is usually combined to include the coues deer hunt in Arizona Hunt Unit 8 as well. Some giant Coues Deer bucks reside here but they live in very thick and rugged country that can be extremely difficult to hunt these little deer in. Look elsewhere for more enjoyable and successful Arizona Coues Deer hunting.

Arizona Unit 6B Mule Deer: There is also a huntable population of mule deer in unit 6B but densities are not high and big bucks are very few and far between. Look elsewhere for higher quality Arizona Mule Deer Hunting.

Arizona Unit 6B Black Bear: Unit 6B has a great population of Black Bears and can offer hunters who are interested in pursuing trophy Arizona Black Bears a good hunting experience. Arizona Black Bear Hunts are mainly done by 2 different techniques. Spot and stalk and bear hunting with hounds. Our favorite Arizona Black Bear hunting technique is to spot and stalk them as they are moving and feeding on canyon slopes. Most of the best black bear terrain in Unit 6B is very rugged and hunters are advised to be in the best physical shape possible before embarking on a trophy black bear hunt in this unit.

Arizona Unit 6B Guides and Outfitters: We are very experienced guiding trophy big game hunts in Unit 6B and have horses and mules to easily access the wilderness areas that are found in this unit. We will maximize the trophy potential of your 6B tag and provide you with a world class trophy hunting experience in this unit.

Contact us right away if you have drawn an Arizona Unit 6B tag.

EMAIL US: DAVEYRANCH@YAHOO.COM

THE BEST ELK UNITS IN ARIZONA

This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions that we get from hunters who are interested in hunting trophy bull elk in Arizona.

Since the 2012 Arizona elk application period is currently underway I thought I would address this question along with some of the more popular questions we receive from interested Arizona elk hunters.

What is the best elk unit in Arizona?

How long does it usually take to draw?

Are there any units that are easy to draw yet still offer a good opportunity at good bulls?

To start things off let’s take a look at what we feel are the top 5 elk units in Arizona.

Our number one choice: Arizona Hunt Unit 10

Unit 10 is currently our top choice for the best elk unit in Arizona. Unit 10 has incredible genetics and always produces 400 class bull elk annually. Besides the incredible genetics found in Unit 10, two of the biggest factors for choosing this unit as our number one pick is how consistent this unit always is and how huntable this unit is. Even in the worst drought years Unit 10 always grows world class bull elk. Unit 10′s huntability though is what places it at the top of our list for the best elk units in Arizona. This unit has a ton of terrain that is perfectly suited for glassing and spot and stalk style hunting. Unit 10 has a multitude of hills, peaks , ridges, and lots of other topographical relief which makes it very glassing friendly. Even if it is a bad rut year and the elk are not really being vocal you can always glass up elk to go hunt in Unit 10. The terrain found here is also what makes this unit one of the best late elk hunts in the state.

Our number two choice: Arizona Hunt Unit 9

Although Unit 9 is our second choice on our list, this unit can also be the finest public land elk hunting on the planet. The trophy elk genetics that are found here are incredible. Unit 9 is surrounded by two indian reservations, a national park, and by unit 10. There are no finer trophy elk genetics available anywhere on public land. What made us place this unit as number 2 is that it can be inconsistent at times and very difficult to hunt. Most of unit 9 is extremely thick and very flat terrain which makes glassing absolutely impossible throughout most of the unit. This thick and flat terrain makes for very difficult late season hunts in this unit. If you have drawn a rut tag for Unit 9 and the elk are not rutting hard and being very vocal you may be in for a very long and very disappointing experience. If you happen to draw unit 9 on a good rut year though you will experience the finest public land elk hunting to be found on the face of the earth.

Our number 3 choice: Arizona Hunt Unit 23

While this unit might not always produce giant bulls in the numbers that Unit 9 and 10 do, hunters can’t go wrong by applying for an elk tag in unit 23. This unit has great genetics and usually has great rutting activity which makes for a very fun and enjoyable hunt. The late season hunt in Unit 23 is also one of the best late elk hunts in Arizona.

Our number 4 choice: Arizona Hunt Unit 8

Unit 8 has produced some of the highest scoring public land bull elk ever taken in the world. The current P&Y non typical bull elk hails from unit 8 at a whopping 444 P&Y net. The SCI world record non typical archery elk also was harvested in unit 8 scoring a mind blowing 460 plus SCI. The top 2 bull elk that we have ever produced here at Yavapai Outfitters have also come out of unit 8 and scored 424 B&C and 435 B&C. Unit 8 can be very tough to hunt though and the bulls here get pressured heavily due to most of this unit being a very popular recreation spot. Most of the bulls here are in the 300 to 340 range but it does produce some absolute monsters as mentioned above. The late season hunt in this unit can also be very good.

Our number 5 choice: Arizona Hunt Unit 7 West

Although it’s at number 5 on our list, hunters can’t go wrong applying for a tag unit 7 west. Good genetics, good elk densities, and huntable terrain make this unit a solid choice for anyone thinking about applying for an Arizona elk tag. Unit 7 west was home to the P&Y world record typical bull elk for many years scoring an awesome 400 net P&Y inches.

How long does it usually take to draw?

If you are a non resident and want to draw a rut season tag for ony of the above mentioned units you are in for a long wait unless you have 10 plus bonus points. If you are a resident you might be able to draw on of these tags the very first time so apply, apply, apply!

Are there any Arizona Elk units or Arizona Elk hunts that are easy to draw yet still offer a good opportunity at good bulls?

YES THERE IS! There are quite a few archery and rifle Arizona Elk hunts that offer hunters the chance to hunt good bulls and offer great draw odds for non residents. If you are an archery hunter there are archery bull elk hunts in Arizona that you can draw every year even as a non resident! Would you like to hunt 320 to 340 class or even better bulls nearly every year? If so, contact us right away and we will get you set up to apply for these easier to draw Arizona elk hunts.

EMAIL US: DAVEYRANCH@YAHOO.COM

2012 ARIZONA ELK REGULATIONS ARE AVAILABLE

The application period for the 2012 Arizona Elk tags is currently underway.

The 2012 Arizona Elk and Antelope regulations are available online by logging onto http://www.azgfd.gov

The Arizona Game and Fish Department has brought back the online application system this year and interested applicants no longer have to front the money to apply.

The 2012 Arizona Elk forecast looks excellent as we have received good moisture so far this winter.

We have been keeping tabs on numerous trophy bulls that survived last years hunts and we are very excited to see what the 2012 Arizona Elk season has in store for us here at Yavapai Outfitters.

Please feel free to contact us at any time if you would like to discuss unit choices or would like free assistance on your 2012 Arizona Elk Applications.

We love to talk Arizona Elk hunting so contact us right away to discuss choices for the best Arizona Elk units whether it’s a rifle or archery hunt that you are interested in.

Also, if you do not have a lot of bonus points or are a first time Arizona elk applicant, be sure to ask us about some of the elk hunts and elk units we have here in Arizona that are fairly easy to draw and still offer hunters a chance at some great Arizona trophy elk.

We look forward to hearing from you and be sure to check out our trophy elk photos on our elk page:  http://www.yavapaioutfitters.com/arizona-hunt-guides-and-outfitters/arizona-elk-guides-and-outfitters/

EMAIL US: DAVEYRANCH@YAHOO.COM

2011 ARIZONA MULE DEER #6

As I type this post about another great buck from the 2011 Arizona mule deer season, I would like to take a moment to thank our Lord and Creator for blessing us with such a wonderful year. Without Him we are absolutely nothing and all Glory goes to GOD!

I would also like to thank all of our clients for trusting us to assist them with their once in a lifetime Arizona mule deer hunts. You make us living our dream a reality. Thank you!

With the mule deer bucks now being in the full rut, this final rifle hunt of the year treated us to some great deer activity with lots and lots of deer being seen.

We were being extremely choosy as we had plenty of time to hunt and knew that if we were patient it would only be a matter of time before the mule deer buck of a lifetime would present us with an opportunity.

After passing up numerous bucks daily we were finally able to locate the monster mule deer buck that we had been waiting so patiently to appear.

He was three quarters of a mile away rutting his harem of does right at daylight.

One look through the Zeiss spotting scope was all that was needed to immediately determine that this was truly a world class mule deer buck and was definitely the buck that we had been looking for.

The buck began to follow his group of does which amazingly began to feed through the sage in a direct path to the hill we were glassing from.

All we had to do was sit still and wait and this awesome Arizona mule deer would come right to us.

Usually a lengthy and difficult stalk is usually in order on most hunts but this buck was coming right to us as if we were pulling him in on a string.

One perfectly placed shot and this magnificent mule deer was all ours.

A prayer of thanks was said and it was hard to choke back the emotional rush that came over us as we admired this great buck and reflected upon the great season we had.

All Glory goes to you Lord!

EMAIL US: DAVEYRANCH@YAHOO.COM

2011 ARIZONA MULE DEER #5

With 4 super Arizona mule deer bucks already on the ground our anticipation was at an all time high as we waited to see what our remaining trophy Arizona mule deer hunts held in store for us here at Yavapai Outfitters.

The mule deer bucks were finally beginning to enter the rut and opening morning found us eagerly awaiting daylight to start glassing.

We couldn’t to see what kind of bucks would begin to appear with the many groups of does that were in our predetermined hunt area.

That first morning was pretty slow with very few deer being spotted.

Evidently, we weren’t the only hunters chasing this particular non typical buck we found during our scouting as there were several other hunters surrounding our chosen glassing locale all looking for the same buck.

After glassing up more hunters than deer we decided to hunt another area that we had been seeing good bucks in for the afternoon hunt.

We ate a quick lunch and headed back out to see what the afternoon hunt held for us.

After being set up behind our tripod mounted glass for no more than 5 minutes we spotted the great buck pictured above as he worked his way down a ridge in hot pursuit of a doe that was obviously in estrus.

We briefly discussed this buck and decided that he was worthy of pursuit.

The love sick buck finally caught up to her and herded her over to his group of does that he had gathered under a small rocky bluff.

He nosed his hot doe around for a few more minutes before bedding down in some tall sage with only his rack sticking out.

Our stalk was underway and after about a half hour we were within 200 yards of the group of deer which were now beginning to get up from their afternoon beds to feed.

This buck followed his does as they walked through a small opening right in front of us and the shot rang true.

The Lord blessed with another trophy Arizona mule deer buck!

We would like to give a big thank you to TRAVIS MCCLENDON of MCCLENDON’S GUIDE SERVICE for all of his help and assistance on this fantastic hunt.

Stay tuned for our next post and another giant Arizona mule deer buck!

EMAIL US: DAVEYRANCH@YAHOO.COM