716OutWest

Hello, I am new to the site, new to Elk hunting, and new to Arizona. I submitted into the draw this year and was drawn for the late rifle (11/26 - 12/2) bull hunt in 22N. Being somewhat newer to Arizona and new to Elk Hunting, I have been in contact with a few guides. However, after doing some research, I am not certain if I want to spend that kind of money for a not so elite hunt / unit. My concern is being new to Elk hunting, I recognize the learning curve and the difficulty of the Unit (from what I have read). ELk hunting is something that I hope to continue to pursue for years to come. I have been doing a lot of research on 22N and e-scouting some of the common spots and plan to spend a weekend doing some actual scouting sometime soon. I have looked at everything from fully outfitted down to scouting packages. Also, I understand the weather can get tough that time of the year. Are most DIY hunters back-packing / tenting it, campers, or cabins? Thank you in advance for any insight and advice!

Flatlander , thank you for the response. Working on the above checklist. I do have some buddy’s that are planning to join in! Any experience using “scouting packages” from some of the guides? If there’s that many hunters, I feel like that may not be the best use of my budget considering spots may be occupied regardless.

Thank you for the response and advice! Looking forward to getting out there and familiarizing myself with the area. Will add that to my list.