Arizona Unit 8 Early Archery Elk
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: IowaHawkeye
10-Mar-23
My credit card got charged!! Apparently I drew Unit 8 early archery hunt. This is probably a one and done hunt for me. I have never stepped foot in Arizona. Deep and steep is not a problem for me. Any information anyone is willing to provide would be greatly appreciated.
From: Charlie Rehor
10-Mar-23
Congrats. My advice is block off the entire season. The first AZ elk tag I had I only did a week because I had to go back to work. Never again. Good luck. C
From: StickFlicker
10-Mar-23
Unit 8 isn't all that steep, and most areas of AZ don't allow you to get deeply away from roads. Arrive a few days early, if you can, to get the lay of the land. Tall pines in the North, juniper (cedar) trees in the west and south. Elk scattered throughout. There are a LOT of people camping in the unit in the months before the hunt, which likely affects where the elk hang out, but they'll disappear just before the hunt as school starts. I would offer you more info, but it is not a unit that I have mastered. Good luck!
From: IowaHawkeye
10-Mar-23
Thank you guys. I can use all the help I can get. Appreciate the info.
From: Shrewski
10-Mar-23
You only put in one choice?
From: KHunter
11-Mar-23
fun hunt. killed on 6th day stayed till end helping another hunter I met cuz it got better everyday and was so fun. Found this bull scouting and couldn’t resist when called in to 17 yards. 8x6 before busted up right side. neet extra tine off the main.
From: IowaHawkeye
11-Mar-23
Cool bull K. Shrewski, 15 poShrewsbury, in for 1 first, 8 second. Odds of getting a unit 1 tag are about 0, but I guess you never know. Would have had to not draw 8 in the first pass, then been a lucky sob
From: IowaHawkeye
11-Mar-23
Oops. Don't know why my phone put Shrewsbury in there. Had 15 points
From: Shrewski
11-Mar-23
You will know for sure soon! I had a similar strategy-either way it will be awesome.
From: Huntcell
11-Mar-23
Didn't Big Dan take a 400 inches in 8? And at one time WR was from 8? So potential is there!
From: Knothead
11-Mar-23
"Didn't Big Dan take a 400 inches in 8? And at one time WR was from 8? So potential is there!"
Yes
From: IowaHawkeye
11-Mar-23
I knew big Dan. He always told me to let him know when I draw 8 and he would send me all his waypoints. He was a good man.
From: KHunter
14-Mar-23
B igDan gave me some intel when I had the 8 tag. He had hunted it a year or two prior.
From: MQQSE
14-Mar-23
Danny helped me too, back in 2011 on 8. My arrow didn’t fly true though.
From: Rmdykeman
14-Mar-23
Pm sent. Way better hunt than most people think.
From: Lewis
15-Mar-23
I’m pretty sure this is the elk Dan killed in unit 8 sorry for the picture quality as it’s off a fax I think that Dan sent me.That year in a few weeks he killed elk in Nevada,Az,and Montana they totaled 987 inches with the Az.netting 385.This was in 2005 M.R.James mentioned this in his book Unforgettable Bowhunters if you haven’t read it it’s a very interesting read.Yep unit 8 holds some nice animals.Good Luck. Lewis
From: midwest
15-Mar-23
This is Bigdan's AZ Unit 8 elk.
From: midwest
15-Mar-23
His NV and Montana bulls from the same year. 2005 hat trick!
From: Lewis
15-Mar-23
Thanks midwest for posting those I could only find that one picture and I thought it was that elk cool seeing Maggie in the picture. Lewis
From: pav
15-Mar-23
I was blessed to spend two weeks with Dan, Maggie and his new pup (I don't recall the name?) during the 2017 MT archery elk season...same year Dan almost lost his cabin to a forest fire. Next saw him at the 2019 P&Y Convention in Omaha. He insisted (over and over...for years) that I try bowhunting black bear in Alaska. I was at the airport in August, headed to Alaska for my first black bear hunt, when I learned of Dan's passing. We lost a fine man and a notorious elk slayer that day...
From: Z Barebow
15-Mar-23
It is looking better and better that I quit worrying about drawing multiple tags in a year. No love from AZ.
RE Dan. Never got to hunt with him, but he shared everything he knew about a unit he had hunted and I drew in 2017. Sorely missed.
From: Pat Lefemine
15-Mar-23
Damn I miss BigDan. He was arguably the best elk bowhunter that ever lived. I think about him every time I see an elk thread or hear some guy cow-calling on the outdoor channel!
From: Lewis
15-Mar-23
X2 Pat plus I lost a great friend of over 30 something years and I agree about the cow calling theories lol Lewis
From: Straight Shooter
15-Mar-23
Dan was a great elk hunter and even a better person. Have some fond memories of him when we were setting stands while traveling up and down the river in his jet boat. At least he’s hunting with his son up in heaven.
From: Charlie Rehor
15-Mar-23
Dan gave me all his intel on a New Mexico elk unit in 2009. He was spot on and totally enjoyed serving it up to me. I was then able to pass some of that on to OtcWill when he drew the unit a few years ago. He taught us a lot about more than just elk hunting.
PS: He was also good friends with Lou (Cityhunter) who also passed a few years ago.
From: Willieboat
15-Mar-23
Sure miss the guy, he was a straight up nightmare for a bull elk.
From: Old School
15-Mar-23
As I was going through some word documents in my elk hunting folder on my pc, I came across a PM that Big Dan had sent me about an old Idaho elk spot he had. He wanted me to go kill an elk there. A gracious man he was. One day I plan on getting to that spot in Idaho…and hopefully killing a bull. Would be the makings of an epic recap in Big Dans memory.
