Hunt
Structure: Unit
23 is split into
two halves for
the black bear
hunt. The two
halves have
different hunt
starting dates,
so be sure to
check which half
you plan to hunt
and be sure of
the starting
date. See the
Hunt Regulations
for the
definitions of
the north and
south half
boundaries.
The season dates
are valid only
until the female
harvest
objective is
reached, after
which time the
season closes at
sundown on the
Wednesday
immediately
following.
Hunters are
responsible for
checking to see
if the hunt is
still ongoing
before they go
afield. Season
status must be
checked by
calling
1-800-970-BEAR
(2327). Hunters
are also
required to contact the
Arizona Game
& Fish
Department in
person or by
phone at the
same number
within 48 hours
after taking a
bear. In
addition, a
premolar tooth
from each bear
taken must be
received in the
Phoenix office
of the Arizona
Game & Fish
Department
within 20 days
after contacting
the Department.
Overview: Black
bears are
primarily
associated with
the chaparral,
pine-oak
woodlands, and
the pine/mixed
conifer habitat
types. During
some years,
black bears can
be located in
the desert scrub
habitat where
thick stands of
prickly pear
cactus are
found. Prickly
pear flats can
often provide
excellent
glassing and
stalking
opportunities
for bear hunters. Look
for prickly pear
flats that
extend up brushy
slopes. This
situation
provides bears
with good
feeding sites
adjacent to cove
to retire to.
Later in the
fall, Gambel oak
thickets (in
years with good
acorn
production) are
places to check.
Glassing oak
thickets is much
more difficult
and the use of
predator calls
can enhance your
probability of
success. Try hunting both high and low
elevation types
of habitat if
you are having
trouble-locating
bears in one or
the other.
Predator calling
in an area where
there is bear
sign can be
productive also.
Areas: The
entire Sierra
Ancha Mountain
range and its
drainages are
good bear
habitat. A few
spots to mention
are Cherry
Creek, Coon
Creek, Salome
Creek, Lambing
Creek and
Picture
Mountain. Bears
can be taken in
the pine/mixed
conifer areas in
the North Hunt
Unit along the
Naegelin Rim and
the Fort Apache
Indian
Reservation
Boundary.
Tips: Black
bears, more than
any other big
game species in
Arizona must be
hunted early in
the morning or
late afternoon
during the early
fall hunts, if
the hunter is to
have an
opportunity to
locate the
animals.
Scouting
prospective
areas helps
greatly and the
use of
binoculars
and/or a
spotting scope
is almost
mandatory. To
judge a bear, look at body
bulk and
relative size of
legs to the body
and the ear size
relative to the
head. A bear
with long -lanky
looking legs is
probably a young
smaller bear. A
bear with small
appearing ears
probably means a
larger bear
since bears'
ears (young and
old) are
generally about
5 inches long.
Hence the
smaller the ears
appear in
relation to the
head, the bigger
the bear's head, which probably
means a bigger
bear. |
Overview: Resident elk numbers in Unit 23 appear to be stable at this time. Last fall, 650 elk were surveyed showing a bull to cow ratio of 45:100. The calf crop was 45 calves per 100 cows. Normal precipitation in the fall and winter of 2008 seems to have helped the calf this year, but prolonged drought conditions are still a major concern in the unit. Portions of Unit 23 in the Canyon Creek area were burned in the Rodeo-Chediski Fire and will have an impact on elk populations there. Four Limited Opportunity hunts in the Canyon Creek area are still in effect to address the overutilization of regenerating willows and cottonwoods by elk along Canyon Creek.
The early bull hunt remains split into a Unit 23 North and Unit 23 South with 15 archery and 15 general permits in the north and 15 archery permits in the south. Antlerless elk tags are allocated between 23 North and 23 South as well with a general antlerless hunt in the North and a juniors only antlerless hunt in the South.
Elk activity is dictated by temperatures with elk being more mobile during the cooler times of the day. This is especially true during the early hunt when days are usually quite warm. Elk are very vocal animals so herds can be located at all hours using various calling techniques. During the warmer times of the day this allows the hunter to stalk animals which are bedded down. Being familiar with calls and studying various videotapes on elk hunting will help a hunter become more successful.
AREAS: Depending on which hunt you are hunting, areas differ. During the early bull hunt, if you have a north permit, your hunt will concentrate on the extreme northern portion of the unit. Areas to scout include Canyon Creek, Colcord Mountain, Naegelin Canyon, Turkey Peak, and Christopher Mountain. These areas all offer excellent elk hunting opportunities. If you have a south permit, your scouting will be centered on the Sierra Ancha Mountains. Areas to scout will include Workman Creek, Reynolds Creek, Armer Mountain, and Sawmill Flat.
During the general antlerless hunt in late October, you should concentrate on the same areas in both the north and south units, as the bulls will generally still be bugling, though to a lesser degree than in early October. Elk will be found from the Mogollon Rim south to Parker Creek. This is a large area, so scouting will be beneficial. Areas to scout will include Canyon Creek, Naegelin Rim/Canyon, Christopher Mountain, Bottle Springs, Aztec Peak, and Armer Mountain.
By the time the archery hunts arrive, the weather should have cooled considerably, and the elk (especially bulls) will be heading into the brushy cover of the south slopes of the Naegelin Rim, Christopher Mountain, Horse Mountain, Oxbow Mountain, and Armer Mountain. Antlerless archery hunters will find their quarry widely scattered and all the areas mentioned for the earlier hunts will apply as well as these locations.
During the archery antlerless hunt in November, hunters should scout the Christopher Mountain, Naegelin Rim, Canyon Creek, Young Airport, Buzzard Roost, and Armer Mountain areas.
The late bull hunt in November and December will have the bulls pushed into remote often rugged areas of the Unit. These areas include Armer Mountain, the south slopes of Naegelin Rim, Christopher Mountain, Horse Mountain, and the Mogollon Rim.
TIPS: Scouting for the earlier hunts should begin soon after being drawn. Scouting for the later hunts should wait until elk begin their seasonal shifts, which occur after the weather changes and things cool down significantly. There will be areas where elk are common in September, but are absent in December. Also, later hunts have seen an increase in the use of aircraft for scouting. There is a Game and Fish Commission Rule, as well as federal regulations, which prohibit the use of aircraft to take or pursue wildlife in Arizona. |
