AZ Unit 3c Elk

Scammie77 said:

Had not thought about using this time to learn the roads and trails. That's a great idea that way as we get closer to hunting time we can be more effective with our scouting. Helping a friend with unit 27 late elk hunt any ideas where the elk may be that late in the season?

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lilharcher said:

Helped my uncle last year who drew the early (rut) rifle tag and have some good intel if you drew a tag this year......shoot me a PM.

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nakneker said:

It's one of the better units for bigger bulls in Arizona, it's my backyard. The unit borders the Ft. Apache Reservation which holds some of the best free range elk hunting in the world. 3C is a hard tag to draw during the rut hunts, not easy to draw the late hunts for that matter. You'll find a lot of the bigger bulls along the reservation border along the rim road, between Heber and Show Low. You can drive that road and look for elk sign where bulls may be crossing off the Rez. If you're lucky enough to draw a bull tag during the rut I'd encourage you to take the whole hunt off, it's a great opportunity at a good bull. Great numbers and great genes. If you have an archery tag and have limited time, the rut heats up as the hunt goes on, I'd take the last half of the hunt off and not the first.

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nakneker said:

Try the area around Capps ranch, there's always a few resident bulls hanging out in that area. You can get on the knobs in that area, which are south of the ranch and east of the Show Low Heber highway. You can cover a lot of ground of those knobs with binos.

The old hay farm down around Zeniff always has a few bulls, so does the pine and fir country on the west side of the unit, we've shot a lot of bulls just glassing off the Heber Payson highway at the break of dawn. Shones dam has a couple of nice bulls hanging around too but they are tough to hunt in that flat cedar country..


I'm in Hawaii on work but I'm happy to help but that info right there should get you started. I know of four bulls taken this year in 3C that grossed over 400. Most of those really big bulls are safely back on the Rez hiding out now, those 350+ bulls are hard to connect with on the late hunt but it happens. These late hunts are tough though, we typically see them as meat hunts and shoot the first bull we find but big bulls get taken every year on the late bull tags.

My daughter and son in law have 4B tags at the same time and I'll be helping them in that unit during the same dates.

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azoutdoors17 said:

I think I know where you're talking with Capps Ranch and will check it out. Never been up in 3A unless you count Lone Pine Dam Road. But I have an idea of the places and the terrain you're speaking to in both those spots. I know there are some really big boys back there…..especially down on the Rez. Saw plenty when they used to have that raghorn hunt.
Appreciate any and all help/insight. Good luck to your family on their hunt, and thank you!

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azoutdoors17 said:

Afternoon!
Hope your hunt is going well! Do you have any other insight? Or seen any moving on your way out this am? Capps is filled with cattle right now, and the one by Shumway is gated with LDS land. Black Canyon area including Baca meadows is packed. Thank you for any help.

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