Arizona Elk Mule Deer Pronghorn Turkey

Unit 12A (North Kaibab)

Arizona Hunting Guide — Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Turkey

Unit 12A covers the North Kaibab — the Kaibab Plateau on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon within the Kaibab National Forest. This legendary unit features dense ponderosa pine, mixed conifer, spruce-fir forests, and open meadows from 7,000 to 9,200 feet. The Kaibab Plateau's isolation and exceptional habitat produce some of Arizona's finest elk, with 300+ class bulls taken consistently. Access is limited — Highway 67 closes in winter, making timing critical.

View Draw Odds Arizona Hunting Guide

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100%

Public Land

⛰️

4,025–9,116 ft

Sampled elevation

Build your own PDF hunt guide for Unit 12A

Answer a few questions about your tag, your season and your rig, and the Field Intelligence Report builds a print-ready Arizona Unit 12A guide around your hunt: three ranked spots with morning, afternoon and evening plays, a day-by-day plan, topo maps with every pin numbered, a camp and access plan, the legal and retrieval rules for this unit, shot discipline, a meat-care and pack-out plan, and a pre-trip checklist. Every coordinate sits on land recorded as public.

Elk guide Mule Deer guide Pronghorn guide Turkey guide

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Access roads, campgrounds, elevation, monthly weather, stock tanks, cell coverage, and nearest-town services for Unit 12A.

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Elk Hunting in Unit 12A

North Kaibab elk country: the 8,000-foot ridges, rim points and springs

Start with what the paperwork doesn't tell you. AZGFD's April 2025 guide for 12A doesn't break the unit into hunting areas. It has no overview and no area write-ups, and it names no drainage or park. We'll work from the terrain, the ownership and the map names instead. Treat the rest as a scouting plan, not gospel.

Telephone Hill, V T Hill and the 8,800-foot ridges

The unit tops out at 9,116 feet, and the highest named ground sits just below that. Telephone Hill is 8,852 feet, V T Hill 8,817, Cane Ridge 8,815, Two Springs Ridge 8,800 and Tater Ridge 8,733. Dry Park Apron, a slope at 8,742, sits in the same band. That's the spruce-fir and mixed-conifer high country the unit's reputation rests on, with open meadows cutting through it. It's where we'd put most of our early scouting days, because every one of those names is a natural glassing position.

Burnt Corral and the rim points

Drop to the 7,800 to 8,100-foot band and the map fills with named points: Tater Point, Lost Point, Oquer Point, Riggs Point, Road Hollow Point, Middle Oak Point, Moquitch Point and the North and South Oak Points. Burnt Corral Ridge (8,013), Burnt Corral Rim (7,904) and Burnt Corral Apron (7,878) cluster together, as do Fence Ridge (8,000), Cooper Ridge (7,928) and Buck Ridge (7,854). The points are classed as cliff, so expect edges you glass from rather than walk across. The aprons and ridges between them are where the ground eases enough to hold animals.

Springs and tanks

The packet counts 57 springs, 179 tanks, one lake and a lot of mapped stream segments. Named springs include Willow, Rock, Slide, Oak, White, Box Elder, Riggs, Sowats, Pigeon, Warm Springs, Wildband, Mourning Dove, Indian Hollow and Upper Cottonwood. We can't tell you which ones flow in your season, and the packet doesn't say. Plot them, then check each one in person. Riggs Spring and Riggs Point share a name, so that's one pairing worth a look.

Roads, ownership and country to skip

The unit is 696 square miles: 60 percent national forest, 15 percent BLM, 8 percent state trust and 17 percent private or other. That's a lot of non-forest ground, so confirm your boundary before you chase a bull downhill. AZ 67 runs 16.1 miles inside the unit and US 89A another 8.9, both paved. The graded gravel is NF-294 (7.3 miles), NF-248D (5.9), NF-214 (5.1) and NF-233 (5.0), all fine for a 2WD rig. The packet doesn't say which road reaches which point, so match them on your Motor Vehicle Use Map.

Elevation runs down to 4,025 feet, and the mean is only 7,008. A good share of 12A sits well below the plateau top. We'd skip that low country for elk and stay at 7,800 feet and up.

Unit 12A terrain and land status

Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up

The lay of it

4,025–9,116 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 7,008 ft ; peaks can run higher. That spread means you can hunt two seasons in one day — plan clothing for both ends.
696.2 sq mi inside the boundary.

Who owns the ground

National Forest — 60%
BLM — 15%
State Trust — 8%
Private / Other — 17%

Roughly 83% is public. Carry a land-status layer anyway — these are area percentages, not a map of where the boundaries fall.

Water on the ground

179 tanks
57 springs
1,621 stream segments
1 lakes

Counts from mapping data, so this is how many exist, not how many hold water in a dry year. Sitting water only pays where you find fresh tracks.

Named features inside the unit

Glass from: Telephone Hill (8,852 ft), V T Hill (8,817 ft), Cane Ridge (8,815 ft), Two Springs Ridge (8,800 ft)

Holding ground: Marble Sinkhole (8,923 ft), Crystal Spring Apron (8,868 ft), De Motte Park (8,745 ft), Wildband Spring, Indian Hollow Spring

Every one of these was tested against the unit polygon before it went on the map. They are starting points, not agency recommendations.

Glassing the Kaibab: working the points, the springs and the retrieval rules

Glass from the high ground

The packet tags every named summit, ridge and point here as a glassing role, and we'd take the hint. Pick one like Telephone Hill or Cane Ridge for the big view. Use the 8,000-foot points for the edges. Be on the glass before light, work the meadows and park edges first, then sweep the timber lines. Elk feed in the open at dawn and dusk and disappear into the conifers by mid-morning. Mark where they go in. That's your midday plan.

Wind matters on rim country. Morning thermals climb the slopes and evening air falls back down, so approach with the wind in your face and don't walk the open edge of a point in daylight. A bull that winds you in thick spruce-fir is gone.

Water or feed?

With 57 springs and 179 tanks, we'd treat water as a way to confirm what you've glassed. It shouldn't be your only plan. Pick a handful of named springs such as Willow, Rock or Oak, walk to them in the middle of the day and read the sign. Fresh tracks and wallows tell you more than a map does. Then glass the nearest meadow edge that evening.

Retrieval rules you must know

AZGFD's guide is specific here. On national forest land in 12A, only motorized retrieval of elk and bison is permitted. Motorized retrieval of any other big game isn't. Motorized use is also limited to roads, trails and areas shown on the Motor Vehicle Use Map, which is free from Kaibab National Forest offices. Get it before you go. Don't assume a two-track is legal. Even with the elk exemption, plan your kill sites with the pack out in mind, because an elk far from a designated route is still a long haul.

Timing and a realistic day

The unit summary notes that Highway 67 closes in winter, so timing is critical. If your tag runs late, check the road status before you commit, and have a fallback route in mind. We'd plan around US 89A for any late-season approach.

A realistic day: up at 4:00, on a glassing point by first light, spend the morning working edges and timber lines, rest through midday near a spring, then glass again until dark. Expect to see animals. Getting a shot at a 300-class bull, the kind the unit is known for, is another matter. Watch ownership lines as you pursue, since 40 percent of the unit isn't national forest.

Getting in and staying out: unit 12A

Named routes and what they need

AZ 67 — 16.1 mi · Paved (all rigs)
US 89A — 8.9 mi · Paved (all rigs)
NF-294 — 7.3 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
NF-248D — 5.9 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
NF-214 — 5.1 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
NF-233 — 5 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)

Ratings come from road data, not from a drive this season. Check current conditions with the managing office before you commit a trailer.

Nearest services

Fredonia — 26.1 mi · fuel, groceries, lodging
Kaibab — 30.4 mi · no services listed
Supai — 32.5 mi · no services listed
Kanab — 32.5 mi · fuel, groceries, lodging, gear
Bitter Springs — 37.3 mi · no services listed

Developed camps

Jacob Lake Campground
Demotte Campground · reservable
Kaibab National Forest Free Campsite
Indian Hollow Campground
Kaibab Camper Village at Jacob Lake

Season weather and signal

Jan45° / 22° · 2.2" precip
Aug86° / 56° · 1.8" precip
Sep79° / 49° · 1.5" precip
Oct67° / 38° · 1.4" precip
Nov54° / 28° · 1" precip
Dec44° / 21° · 1.4" precip

Best signal is Verizon at about 15% of the unit. Plan on being out of contact and tell someone your route.

Arizona rules that decide your day

Summarised from AZGFD regulations. They change — read the current regulations and your permit-tag before you hunt.

Legal shooting hours

Big game may be taken only during daylight hours — from sunrise to sunset. Check the sunrise and sunset times for your unit, not for Phoenix.

Motorized retrieval

Arizona permits motorized big-game retrieval only where the unit's travel-management decision allows it, and in several units only for elk. Where it is allowed it means one vehicle, one trip, within one mile of a road shown open on the Motor Vehicle Use Map — never inside a quiet area, a wilderness or a closed area. Pull the MVUM for your ranger district and confirm before you shoot somewhere you cannot carry an animal out of.

Tagging

Sign your tag before you go afield and attach it to the animal immediately after the kill. Hunters aged 10–13 must carry their Hunter Education card with the licence and tag.

Leaving meat

Leaving edible meat in the field is illegal. Edible meat means the four quarters and the loins at a minimum.

Where you may not shoot

Occupied structures — No shooting within a quarter mile of an occupied farmhouse, cabin, lodge or building without the owner's permission. That rules out shooting toward most lakeside cabin tracts.
Campsites and developed areas — Forest Service rules prohibit discharging a firearm within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area.
Roads and water — No shooting from a vehicle, and no shooting on, across or into a road. No shooting across a body of water adjacent to a Forest road.

Elk: where to put the shot

Broadside or quartering away, on the back edge of the front leg about a third of the way up the body. That is lungs, and on a quartering-away angle it picks up the far shoulder.

Shots to refuse

No straight-on and no straight-away shots. An elk's chest is deep and the margin is small.
Nothing standing behind or overlapping the animal you picked. A pass-through kills the elk behind it too.
Your maximum range is the farthest you have put three shots in a paper plate off the sticks you are actually carrying. Not the farthest you have ever hit anything.
Scope on 3–4x. A herd fills a 12x field of view and you lose the animal you picked.

Identification:On an antlerless tag, legal means no antler of any kind through the skin. A spike looks exactly like a cow until it turns its head. If you can't see the head, don't shoot.

Plan the carry: roughly 150– 220 lb of boned-out meat, before head and hide — two to four large coolers, plus bagged ice from town. ProHunt planning estimate, not an agency figure.

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Elk Success Rates

Unit 12A elk success rates average 30-45% for rifle and 12-22% for archery. The strong herd, limited tags, and quality habitat drive consistently high success. Bull quality is above average with 300+ class bulls taken each year. This is a premium Arizona elk unit by any measure.

Elk Draw Odds

Draw odds data not available for this specific unit/species combination in our database.

Search Arizona Draw Odds

Unit 12A elk tags are highly competitive. Expect to need 12-20+ bonus points for rifle. Arizona's bonus point system means maximum points improve odds but do not guarantee a draw. Apply every year and leverage the loyalty bonus from consecutive applications. This is a top-tier elk unit that demands a long-term application commitment.

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 12A

Unit 12A offers mule deer hunting on the legendary North Kaibab Plateau, one of the most storied mule deer destinations in North America. The Kaibab NF habitat from ponderosa parks to mixed conifer and aspen groves supports an exceptional mule deer herd. Bucks here grow wide, heavy antlers thanks to limited harvest, diverse browse, and ideal mountain habitat. This is a once-in-a-lifetime mule deer destination.

Where to find 12A mule deer: high plateau early, winter range late

AZGFD's own unit guide won't hand you a hot spot. It says the odds of running into an older buck are about equal almost anywhere on the plateau. So we pick country by season and snowfall, not by one honey hole. The unit runs from 4,025 to 9,116 feet with a mean of 7,008, and that spread decides where the deer are.

High ground: Telephone Hill, V T Hill and Cane Ridge

The top of the plateau is the early-season answer. Telephone Hill (8,852 feet), V T Hill (8,817), Cane Ridge (8,815), Two Springs Ridge (8,800), Dry Park Apron (8,742) and Tater Ridge (8,733) are all public land and all flagged as glassing spots in our terrain data. The guide calls this herd extremely migratory and says the deer stay high until significant snow pushes them off. Until then, skip the pinyon/juniper. It isn't worth your time unless it has snowed.

The Warm Fire burn in 12AW

The 58,000-acre Warm Fire of 2006 left an "incredible" aspen, forb and grass response, according to AZGFD. The guide names it as an excellent bet for archery and early general hunters. The flip side is the winter range. Drought has made the woody browse in 12AW less productive for several years running, so don't assume the low country is carrying what it used to.

Rim points and the drop to winter range

Red Point (8,633), Dog Point (8,442), Tater Point (8,152), Lost Point (8,105), Oquer Point (8,089), Riggs Point (7,975) and Moquitch Point (7,866) step you down the elevation ladder. So do the North, Middle and South Oak Points, all around 7,850 to 7,920 feet. On the late hunt, snow and forage quality push deer to the lower winter range. If frost has cured the summer forage and cold has settled in, the guide says to work pinyon/juniper and even farther out into sage and open canyon country. Mind the boundaries down there. Ownership is about 60% National Forest, 15% BLM, 8% State Trust and 17% private or other.

Springs, tanks and the roads to them

The packet lists 57 springs and 179 tanks. Named springs include Willow, Indian Hollow, Rock, Slide, Mourning Dove, Oak, White, Box Elder, Riggs, Sowats, Upper Cottonwood, Pigeon, Warm and Wildband. We can't tell you which are running. The guide warns the plateau is often dry during archery season, so scout before you commit. AZ 67 and US 89A are paved. NF-294, NF-248D, NF-214 and NF-233 are graded gravel that 2WD rigs can handle. AZ 67 closes in winter, so plan your late-hunt access around that. Fredonia and Kanab are the nearest towns.

Unit 12A terrain and land status

Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up

The lay of it

4,025–9,116 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 7,008 ft ; peaks can run higher. That spread means you can hunt two seasons in one day — plan clothing for both ends.
696.2 sq mi inside the boundary.

Who owns the ground

National Forest — 60%
BLM — 15%
State Trust — 8%
Private / Other — 17%

Roughly 83% is public. Carry a land-status layer anyway — these are area percentages, not a map of where the boundaries fall.

Water on the ground

179 tanks
57 springs
1,621 stream segments
1 lakes

Counts from mapping data, so this is how many exist, not how many hold water in a dry year. Sitting water only pays where you find fresh tracks.

Named features inside the unit

Glass from: Telephone Hill (8,852 ft), V T Hill (8,817 ft), Cane Ridge (8,815 ft), Two Springs Ridge (8,800 ft)

Holding ground: Marble Sinkhole (8,923 ft), Crystal Spring Apron (8,868 ft), De Motte Park (8,745 ft), Wildband Spring, Indian Hollow Spring

Every one of these was tested against the unit polygon before it went on the map. They are starting points, not agency recommendations.

How to hunt 12A mule deer: water for archery, glass for the late hunt

This is a three-season puzzle, and the guide treats it that way. The deer get more secretive as the fall goes on, and your plan has to follow them.

Archery: work the edges of the springs

Concentrate on areas with waterholes, but not necessarily right on the water. AZGFD suggests tree stands up or down canyon from a water source. That cuts down the territorial squabbles with other hunters over the waterhole itself. Salt licks work the same way. Get off the road and into the canyons, because that's where mature bucks show up. Bachelor herds are still together early, so a scouted group is a fair stalk target. Pressure pushes bucks toward thick aspen, mixed conifer and unroaded canyons, and they go more nocturnal. Archery hunters should know the nonpermit-tag rule: report your deer within 48 hours at www.azgfd.gov/ArcheryDeerReport or at 623-236-7961. Once the harvest limit is reported, the unit closes at sundown the following Wednesday. Check before you go out.

Early rifle: be there at first light

Big bucks are often bedded within minutes of sunrise, so being in position before shooting light matters. Frost starts supplying the deer's water, and they hit the springs in the dark. Hunt the travel corridors above and below water instead. By now the bachelor groups have broken up, so look for the most inaccessible country. It's thick, hard to glass and slow going. Pack for 80 degrees or snow.

Late hunt: glass big country and sit still

This is the classic western mule deer hunt. Practice with a flat-shooting rifle at long range. Find a spot overlooking a large open expanse and glass for hours. The guide says to expect to do the same for the next n

Getting in and staying out: unit 12A

Named routes and what they need

AZ 67 — 16.1 mi · Paved (all rigs)
US 89A — 8.9 mi · Paved (all rigs)
NF-294 — 7.3 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
NF-248D — 5.9 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
NF-214 — 5.1 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
NF-233 — 5 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)

Ratings come from road data, not from a drive this season. Check current conditions with the managing office before you commit a trailer.

Nearest services

Fredonia — 26.1 mi · fuel, groceries, lodging
Kaibab — 30.4 mi · no services listed
Supai — 32.5 mi · no services listed
Kanab — 32.5 mi · fuel, groceries, lodging, gear
Bitter Springs — 37.3 mi · no services listed

Developed camps

Jacob Lake Campground
Demotte Campground · reservable
Kaibab National Forest Free Campsite
Indian Hollow Campground
Kaibab Camper Village at Jacob Lake

Season weather and signal

Jan45° / 22° · 2.2" precip
Aug86° / 56° · 1.8" precip
Sep79° / 49° · 1.5" precip
Oct67° / 38° · 1.4" precip
Nov54° / 28° · 1" precip
Dec44° / 21° · 1.4" precip

Best signal is Verizon at about 15% of the unit. Plan on being out of contact and tell someone your route.

Arizona rules that decide your day

Summarised from AZGFD regulations. They change — read the current regulations and your permit-tag before you hunt.

Legal shooting hours

Big game may be taken only during daylight hours — from sunrise to sunset. Check the sunrise and sunset times for your unit, not for Phoenix.

Motorized retrieval

Tagging

Sign your tag before you go afield and attach it to the animal immediately after the kill. Hunters aged 10–13 must carry their Hunter Education card with the licence and tag.

Leaving meat

Leaving edible meat in the field is illegal. Edible meat means the four quarters and the loins at a minimum.

Where you may not shoot

Occupied structures — No shooting within a quarter mile of an occupied farmhouse, cabin, lodge or building without the owner's permission. That rules out shooting toward most lakeside cabin tracts.
Campsites and developed areas — Forest Service rules prohibit discharging a firearm within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area.
Roads and water — No shooting from a vehicle, and no shooting on, across or into a road. No shooting across a body of water adjacent to a Forest road.

Mule Deer: where to put the shot

Broadside or quartering away, on the back edge of the front leg about a third of the way up the body.

Shots to refuse

Nothing behind or overlapping the animal you picked.
Your maximum range is the farthest you have shot a three-shot group into a paper plate from the rest you are carrying.
Pass the shot you are talking yourself into.

Plan the carry: roughly 40– 120 lb of boned-out meat, before head and hide — two large coolers. ProHunt planning estimate, not an agency figure.

Pro Members Only

Unlock mule deer tactics for Unit 12A

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Archery15%

Rifle22%

Rifle success for mule deer in Unit 12A averages 50-70%, reflecting the outstanding buck density and limited hunter numbers on the Kaibab Plateau. Average buck quality is well above the Arizona statewide average, with Boone and Crockett class bucks taken regularly. The Kaibab's isolated plateau habitat and strict tag management produce exceptional results.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts (n/p)
Early Archery — bull/buck only (combined pool)	275	1,350	14.4%	—
Early Archery — either sex (combined pool)	275	1,438	13.8%	—
Rifle — Early Rifle bull/buck only (combined pool)	275	1,438	13.8%	—

Data from 2024 draw results. Each row is one residency pool — read the label before the number. This agency publishes no point thresholds, so the Pts column stays blank and these are pool odds, not what a point total draws.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Unit 12A mule deer tags are among the hardest to draw in Arizona. Expect to need 15-20+ bonus points for a reasonable chance. As with all Arizona draws, the bonus point system is random-weighted — maximum points improve odds significantly but do not guarantee selection. Apply consistently and build the loyalty bonus every year.

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 12A

Units 12A and 12B combined host Arizona's famed North Kaibab pronghorn hunt in the House Rock Valley and adjacent grasslands. This is a once-in-a-lifetime-caliber hunt producing some of the largest pronghorn bucks in the West. Tags are extraordinarily limited with typical allocations of under 10 permits annually. The country between the Kaibab Plateau and the Vermilion Cliffs offers classic pronghorn habitat with reliable water developments and minimal pressure. Expect dramatic scenery and exceptional buck quality.

Where to find pronghorn in 12A: start at the low edges, then work the plateau

Straight talk first. AZGFD's unit guide for 12A, dated April 5, 2025, doesn't break the unit down for pronghorn. Its species list shows blue grouse, Kaibab squirrel, Merriam's turkey and a trailing "Mountain" entry. It has no area descriptions at all. So we're working from terrain, land ownership and access, and we'll say so when a point is our read rather than the agency's.

The low end of the unit, near US 89A

This unit runs from 4,025 feet to 9,116 feet, with a mean of 7,008. The plateau itself is ponderosa, mixed conifer and spruce-fir broken by meadows. That's thin ground for a pronghorn hunt. We'd put your first scouting days at the bottom of that elevation range, where the BLM (15 percent) and State Trust (8 percent) ground sits. Nothing in the packet pins pronghorn to those parcels, so confirm them on your map before you commit.

US 89A runs 8.9 miles inside the unit and it's paved. Fredonia and Kanab are the nearest towns the packet names. Private or other land is 17 percent of the unit, so check boundaries before you glass a likely flat and start a stalk.

Plateau glassing points: Telephone Hill to Tater Ridge

The high country gives you views, not guaranteed animals. The packet lists these public-land glassing spots, all in Coconino County:

Telephone Hill, 8,852 feet
V T Hill, 8,817 feet
Cane Ridge, 8,815 feet
Two Springs Ridge, 8,800 feet
Dry Park Apron, a slope at 8,742 feet
Tater Ridge, 8,733 feet

Dry Park Apron is the one name that hints at open ground. We can't confirm pronghorn use there, so treat it as a place to look, not a promise. Lower, the Burnt Corral Apron (7,878), Burnt Corral Ridge (8,013) and Fence Ridge (8,000) give a mid-elevation look without the full climb.

Rim points and the country to skip

Red Point (8,633), Dog Point (8,442), Tater Point (8,152), Lost Point (8,105) and Oquer Point (8,089) are listed as cliff landforms. Use them to look out and down, not as places to hunt. The dense timber between the meadows is the country we'd skip.

Roads and water

Four graded gravel roads are rated for 2WD and a small trailer: NF-294 (7.3 miles), NF-248D (5.9), NF-214 (5.1) and NF-233 (5.0). AZ 67 adds 16.1 paved miles, but the unit summary says it closes in winter, so watch your timing.

The unit holds 179 tanks, 57 springs and one lake. Named springs include Willow, Rock, Riggs, Sowats, Indian Hollow and Warm Springs. The packet doesn't say where any of them sit, so pin each one on a map before you build a plan around it.

Unit 12A terrain and land status

Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up

The lay of it

4,025–9,116 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 7,008 ft ; peaks can run higher. That spread means you can hunt two seasons in one day — plan clothing for both ends.
696.2 sq mi inside the boundary.

Who owns the ground

National Forest — 60%
BLM — 15%
State Trust — 8%
Private / Other — 17%

Roughly 83% is public. Carry a land-status layer anyway — these are area percentages, not a map of where the boundaries fall.

Water on the ground

179 tanks
57 springs
1,621 stream segments
1 lakes

Counts from mapping data, so this is how many exist, not how many hold water in a dry year. Sitting water only pays where you find fresh tracks.

Named features inside the unit

Glass from: Telephone Hill (8,852 ft), V T Hill (8,817 ft), Cane Ridge (8,815 ft), Two Springs Ridge (8,800 ft)

Holding ground: Marble Sinkhole (8,923 ft), Crystal Spring Apron (8,868 ft), De Motte Park (8,745 ft), Wildband Spring, Indian Hollow Spring

Every one of these was tested against the unit polygon before it went on the map. They are starting points, not agency recommendations.

How to hunt 12A pronghorn: glass the edges, mind the retrieval rule

Expect a hunt built on looking, not walking. The agency guide doesn't give pronghorn tactics for this unit, so what follows is how we'd work the terrain and access facts the packet does give.

Glass first, drive second

Pick one high point, say Telephone Hill, Cane Ridge or Tater Ridge, and get there before first light. Glass the open ground and the lower country below you while the light is soft. Then glass again in the last couple of hours of the day. Between those windows, move by road to the next point instead of pushing through timber, where you'll see nothing.

The gravel roads (NF-294, NF-248D, NF-214 and NF-233) make this easy to do with a 2WD rig. Check the Motor Vehicle Use Map before you leave pavement. Motorized use is allowed only on designated roads, trails and areas.

The retrieval rule that changes your pack plan

This is the agency's own warning, and it matters here. In 12A, only elk and bison can be retrieved by motor. Motorized retrieval of every other big game species, pronghorn included, isn't permitted on national forest lands in the unit. With 60 percent of the unit in national forest, that's most of it.

So don't take a shot you can't pack out. Before you pull the trigger, ask yourself how far the animal is from where you'd park. Bring a game cart or pack frame and a partner. The rule doesn't spell out how it applies to BLM or State Trust ground, so call the Kaibab National Forest before you hunt there.

Rifle versus bow

The packet shows success rates of 82 percent for rifle and

Getting in and staying out: unit 12A

Named routes and what they need

AZ 67 — 16.1 mi · Paved (all rigs)
US 89A — 8.9 mi · Paved (all rigs)
NF-294 — 7.3 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
NF-248D — 5.9 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
NF-214 — 5.1 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
NF-233 — 5 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)

Ratings come from road data, not from a drive this season. Check current conditions with the managing office before you commit a trailer.

Nearest services

Fredonia — 26.1 mi · fuel, groceries, lodging
Kaibab — 30.4 mi · no services listed
Supai — 32.5 mi · no services listed
Kanab — 32.5 mi · fuel, groceries, lodging, gear
Bitter Springs — 37.3 mi · no services listed

Developed camps

Jacob Lake Campground
Demotte Campground · reservable
Kaibab National Forest Free Campsite
Indian Hollow Campground
Kaibab Camper Village at Jacob Lake

Season weather and signal

Jan45° / 22° · 2.2" precip
Aug86° / 56° · 1.8" precip
Sep79° / 49° · 1.5" precip
Oct67° / 38° · 1.4" precip
Nov54° / 28° · 1" precip
Dec44° / 21° · 1.4" precip

Best signal is Verizon at about 15% of the unit. Plan on being out of contact and tell someone your route.

Arizona rules that decide your day

Summarised from AZGFD regulations. They change — read the current regulations and your permit-tag before you hunt.

Legal shooting hours

Big game may be taken only during daylight hours — from sunrise to sunset. Check the sunrise and sunset times for your unit, not for Phoenix.

Motorized retrieval

Tagging

Sign your tag before you go afield and attach it to the animal immediately after the kill. Hunters aged 10–13 must carry their Hunter Education card with the licence and tag.

Leaving meat

Leaving edible meat in the field is illegal. Edible meat means the four quarters and the loins at a minimum.

Where you may not shoot

Occupied structures — No shooting within a quarter mile of an occupied farmhouse, cabin, lodge or building without the owner's permission. That rules out shooting toward most lakeside cabin tracts.
Campsites and developed areas — Forest Service rules prohibit discharging a firearm within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area.
Roads and water — No shooting from a vehicle, and no shooting on, across or into a road. No shooting across a body of water adjacent to a Forest road.

Pronghorn: where to put the shot

Broadside, straight up the front leg, a third of the way into the body. Pronghorn are shallow-chested and the lungs sit forward.

Shots to refuse

Range it, then range it again. Open country makes 400 yards look like 250.
Wait for the buck to stop. Nobody kills a running pronghorn cleanly on purpose.
Mind the backdrop. A miss carries a long way across a flat.

Plan the carry: roughly 30– 45 lb of boned-out meat, before head and hide — one large cooler with ice already in it. ProHunt planning estimate, not an agency figure.

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Pronghorn Success Rates

Rifle82%

Archery48%

Units 12A/12B pronghorn success typically runs 85–100% with exceptional buck quality. Bucks in the 80+ inch range are routinely taken, with occasional giants exceeding 85 inches. Review the Success chart for current data.

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts (n/p)
Rifle — Early Rifle bull/buck only (combined pool)	3	184	1.6%	—
Early Archery — bull/buck only (combined pool)	4	38	0.0%	—

Data from 2025 draw results. Each row is one residency pool — read the label before the number. This agency publishes no point thresholds, so the Pts column stays blank and these are pool odds, not what a point total draws.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

The 12A/12B pronghorn tag is one of the toughest draws in Arizona. Under AZGFD's weighted bonus-point system with Hunter Education bonus, successful residents typically hold 20–25+ bonus points. Even max-point applicants regularly miss in given years due to the random component. Non-resident odds are near-lottery. Apply every year.

Turkey Hunting in Unit 12A

Unit 12A is the storied Kaibab Plateau — the legendary mule deer unit also holding one of Arizona's best Merriam's turkey populations. Ponderosa pine, aspen-fir drainages, and big meadow parks cover the plateau between Jacob Lake and the Grand Canyon North Rim. With ~633 tags against 220 applicants over three years, Unit 12A turkey is essentially guaranteed in the main draw for residents and a strong bet for nonresidents. Birds are numerous and road access across the Kaibab NF is excellent.

Where the North Kaibab turkeys are: high spruce-fir, aspen and water

Start high: spruce, fir and aspen

AZGFD's own unit guide calls 12A one of the premier turkey populations in Arizona. Recruitment has been excellent, winter mortality low, and numbers are back near early-1990s levels. So the birds are here. The job is finding them.

The guide is blunt about where. Continued drought has made the higher-elevation spruce, fir and aspen forests the most productive country for several years running. The unit runs from 4,025 feet to 9,116, with a mean of 7,008. That means a lot of 12A sits well below the plateau top, and we'd spend our scouting days up high instead.

High ground worth working off the map

The guide doesn't name individual turkey spots. What the terrain data does give us is the highest named country on the plateau: Telephone Hill (8,852 feet), V T Hill (8,817), Cane Ridge (8,815), Two Springs Ridge (8,800), Dry Park Apron (8,742) and Tater Ridge (8,733). Treat them as places to start your map work, not promised roost sites. Look for the north-facing timber and aspen pockets around them, then confirm with tracks and scratch on the ground.

The rim points step down from there: Red Point (8,633), Dog Point (8,442), Tater Point (8,152) and Lost Point (8,105). They're good for seeing country. The guide doesn't tie turkeys to them, so don't plan a hunt around one.

Roads in: AZ 67 and the graded NF spurs

AZ 67 gives you 16.1 paved miles in the unit, and US 89A adds 8.9. Four graded-gravel national forest roads are listed as fine for 2WD and a small trailer: NF-294 (7.3 miles), NF-248D (5.9), NF-214 (5.1) and NF-233 (5.0). We can't tell you from the packet where each one ends up, so check the Motor Vehicle Use Map before you commit a day to any of them.

Spring snow decides a lot here. The guide says heavy winter snowfall can affect access and often dictates where you hunt. Have a second drainage in mind before you leave camp.

About 60 percent of the unit is national forest, 15 percent BLM, 8 percent State Trust and 17 percent private or other. Know which side of a line you're on before you follow a gobble.

Water for the fall hunt

The packet counts 179 tanks, 57 springs and one lake. Named springs include Willow, Rock, Oak, Riggs, White, Box Elder and Upper Cottonwood. The packet doesn't say which of them hold turkeys. The guide's advice is to find water with turkey sign around it. Fall is dry, and water is where you'll find birds.

Unit 12A terrain and land status

Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up

The lay of it

4,025–9,116 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 7,008 ft ; peaks can run higher. That spread means you can hunt two seasons in one day — plan clothing for both ends.
696.2 sq mi inside the boundary.

Who owns the ground

National Forest — 60%
BLM — 15%
State Trust — 8%
Private / Other — 17%

Roughly 83% is public. Carry a land-status layer anyway — these are area percentages, not a map of where the boundaries fall.

Water on the ground

179 tanks
57 springs
1,621 stream segments
1 lakes

Counts from mapping data, so this is how many exist, not how many hold water in a dry year. Sitting water only pays where you find fresh tracks.

Named features inside the unit

Glass from: Telephone Hill (8,852 ft), V T Hill (8,817 ft), Cane Ridge (8,815 ft), Two Springs Ridge (8,800 ft)

Holding ground: Marble Sinkhole (8,923 ft), Crystal Spring Apron (8,868 ft), De Motte Park (8,745 ft), Wildband Spring, Indian Hollow Spring

Every one of these was tested against the unit polygon before it went on the map. They are starting points, not agency recommendations.

How to hunt North Kaibab Merriam's: roost calls in spring, waterholes in fall

Spring: find them the night before

AZGFD's guide gives a specific routine. Drive the roads at night, stop now and then, get out and call. Roosting turkeys will often answer, and that gives you a spot to start at first light.

Before that, do your homework in the high spruce-fir and aspen country. Look for tracks in snow, mud or dust, especially near water. Look for scratch, the bare patches where a flock has torn up the litter on the forest floor.

Be in position hours before first light

The guide calls getting up hours before light critical. We agree. Birds flying off the roost in the early pre-dawn are often at their most active, and that's your best shot at a wary old longbeard. If you're still walking in when they pitch down, you've already lost the best part of the day.

Pack for cold. The guide warns of cold temperatures and even snow during the spring hunt. Amenities are scarce, with services only at Jacob Lake and in Fredonia, so plan on remote camping.

Fall: hunt it like a mule deer bowhunt

The guide says fall turkey hunting is a different game. Calling can work, but the most successful method is closer to archery hunting for mule deer. Sit on a waterhole with turkey sign around it. Keep movement to a minimum, scan constantly and listen for vocalizations.

That fits a dry season. Pick a spring or tank off the map, such as Willow Spring or Riggs Spring, scout it for tracks first, then set up with the wind and sun in mind. Expect warm to hot days and afternoon rains. Gas, food and lodging are in Fredonia, at Jacob Lake and near DeMotte Park.

Rules,
Getting in and staying out: unit 12A
Named routes and what they need
AZ 67 — 16.1 mi · Paved (all rigs)
US 89A — 8.9 mi · Paved (all rigs)
NF-294 — 7.3 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
NF-248D — 5.9 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
NF-214 — 5.1 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
NF-233 — 5 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
Ratings come from road data, not from a drive this season. Check current conditions with the managing office before you commit a trailer.
Nearest services
Fredonia — 26.1 mi · fuel, groceries, lodging
Kaibab — 30.4 mi · no services listed
Supai — 32.5 mi · no services listed
Kanab — 32.5 mi · fuel, groceries, lodging, gear
Bitter Springs — 37.3 mi · no services listed
Developed camps
Jacob Lake Campground
Demotte Campground · reservable
Kaibab National Forest Free Campsite
Indian Hollow Campground
Kaibab Camper Village at Jacob Lake
Season weather and signal
Jan45° / 22° · 2.2" precip
Aug86° / 56° · 1.8" precip
Sep79° / 49° · 1.5" precip
Oct67° / 38° · 1.4" precip
Nov54° / 28° · 1" precip
Dec44° / 21° · 1.4" precip
Best signal is Verizon at about 15% of the unit. Plan on being out of contact and tell someone your route.
Arizona rules that decide your day
Summarised from AZGFD regulations. They change — read the current regulations and your permit-tag before you hunt.
Legal shooting hours
Big game may be taken only during daylight hours — from sunrise to sunset. Check the sunrise and sunset times for your unit, not for Phoenix.
Motorized retrieval
Arizona permits motorized big-game retrieval only where the unit's travel-management decision allows it, and in several units only for elk. Where it is allowed it means one vehicle, one trip, within one mile of a road shown open on the Motor Vehicle Use Map — never inside a quiet area, a wilderness or a closed area. Pull the MVUM for your ranger district and confirm before you shoot somewhere you cannot carry an animal out of.
Tagging
Sign your tag before you go afield and attach it to the animal immediately after the kill. Hunters aged 10–13 must carry their Hunter Education card with the licence and tag.
Leaving meat
Leaving edible meat in the field is illegal. Edible meat means the four quarters and the loins at a minimum.
Where you may not shoot
Occupied structures — No shooting within a quarter mile of an occupied farmhouse, cabin, lodge or building without the owner's permission. That rules out shooting toward most lakeside cabin tracts.
Campsites and developed areas — Forest Service rules prohibit discharging a firearm within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area.
Roads and water — No shooting from a vehicle, and no shooting on, across or into a road. No shooting across a body of water adjacent to a Forest road.
Turkey: where to put the shot
Head and neck with shot, at 40 yards or less. On an archery bird, the wing butt broadside or the base of the neck.
Shots to refuse
Know the limit of your pattern. Pattern the gun on paper at 40 yards with the load you are carrying.
Never shoot at movement or sound in cover. Spring woods are full of other hunters stalking the same gobble.
In spring, legal is a bearded bird. Look for the beard, not the gobble.
Plan the carry: roughly 5– 9 lb of boned-out meat, before head and hide — a small cooler is enough. ProHunt planning estimate, not an agency figure.

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Turkey Success Rates

Shotgun35%

Unit 12A spring Merriam's success runs 35–50%. The plateau's bird density is excellent, though SR-67 closure in spring can limit access to the southern portion of the unit. Fall hunts (less common) run 15–25%.

Turkey Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts (n/p)
Shotgun — Spring bearded turkey (combined pool)	250	79	94.9%	—
Shotgun — Fall either sex (combined pool)	650	462	96.8%	—
Rifle — Fall either sex (combined pool)	650	709	79.8%	—
Rifle — Spring either sex (combined pool)	250	357	55.7%	—

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Unit 12A turkey is one of Arizona's easiest draws — tag supply vastly exceeds demand. Arizona uses a weighted bonus-point system with Hunter Education bonus, but with ~633 tags against only 220 applicants over three years, residents routinely draw with 0 bonus points, and leftover tags are often available after the main draw. An excellent unit for point-savers or first-time AZ turkey hunters.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

🚐

RV Sites

DeMotte Campground and Jacob Lake Campground along Highway 67. RV-friendly sites available with limited hookups.

⛺

Camp Sites

Extensive dispersed camping throughout Kaibab NF on the plateau. Numerous dirt roads provide access to flat camping areas off Highway 67.

🛻

Trailer Access

Highway 67 is paved and handles all rig sizes. Forest roads vary — many require high clearance but are passable for short trailers.

💧

Water

Carry all water. Natural water is scarce on the plateau outside of stock tanks and seasonal springs. Jacob Lake has a small store and fuel. Fredonia or Kanab, UT for full water resupply.

🛣️

Road Conditions

Highway 67 is well-maintained but CLOSES seasonally (typically mid-November through mid-May). Forest roads range from graded gravel to rough two-track. 4WD recommended for most access roads. Check road status before planning late-season hunts.

🥾

Terrain Difficulty

Moderate. Rolling plateau terrain with gentle grades through open forest and meadow systems. Not technically difficult but the unit is vast — be prepared to cover ground at 7,000-9,200 feet.

👥

Hunting Pressure

Low. Very limited tag allocation and seasonal road closures keep hunter density minimal on the Kaibab.

🌦️

Weather

Cold. Fall temps 15-50°F. Snow is common from October on at elevation. Highway 67 may close with early heavy snow. Prepare for winter conditions — the Kaibab is isolated.

📱

Cell Service

No service on most of the plateau. Spotty signal near Jacob Lake. Satellite communicator essential.

🏘️

Nearest Town

Jacob Lake (very limited — fuel and small store). Fredonia (45 min north) and Kanab, UT (60 min) for full services. Flagstaff is 3+ hours south.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Unit 12A a trophy elk unit?

Yes. Unit 12A on the North Kaibab is one of Arizona's premier elk units, consistently producing 300+ class bulls. The combination of isolated plateau habitat, limited tag allocation, and seasonal road closures that protect the herd grows exceptional animals.

How many bonus points for Unit 12A elk?

Most successful applicants hold 12-20+ bonus points. Arizona's random-weighted draw means points improve odds but do not guarantee a tag. Apply every year without exception to build bonus points and the loyalty bonus.

When does Highway 67 close and how does it affect hunting?

Highway 67 typically closes mid-November due to snow and does not reopen until mid-May. Late-season hunts must account for the potential road closure — check ADOT road conditions before departing. If the highway closes while you are on the plateau, you may need to wait for plowing.

Is the North Kaibab really that good for mule deer?

Yes. The Kaibab Plateau has produced more Boone and Crockett mule deer than almost any unit in the West. The combination of limited harvest, diverse browse species, isolated plateau habitat, and mild summer conditions grows exceptionally heavy-antlered bucks consistently.

What caliber should I bring for Kaibab mule deer?

A flat-shooting rifle in .270 Win, .280 AI, 6.5 PRC, or .300 Win Mag is ideal. Shots can range from 100 to 400+ yards across the open parks and meadows. Bring a solid rest and practice at distance before arriving.

How long does it take to draw a Unit 12A/12B pronghorn tag?

Most hunters wait 18–25+ years. Under Arizona's weighted bonus-point system with Hunter Education bonus, max-point applicants have the best odds but the random component means draws are not guaranteed. Non-residents face even longer waits.

Is Unit 12A/12B better than Unit 13A for pronghorn?

Both produce outstanding bucks. Unit 12A/12B is typically even more limited on tags than 13A, pushing trophy potential slightly higher. Apply for both and let the draw decide which you hunt first.

Is Unit 12A turkey a guaranteed draw?

Essentially, yes — for residents with 0 points. ~633 tags vs. 220 applicants over three years means leftover tags are commonly available after the main draw. Nonresidents face the 10% cap but still have strong odds.

Is SR-67 open for the spring turkey season?

Typically no — SR-67 closes mid-December and reopens mid-May, often after turkey season ends. Access to the southern plateau requires FR 22 and secondary forest roads.

Can I combine a Unit 12A turkey hunt with deer scouting?

Yes, and many AZ hunters do. Spring turkey hunting is an excellent chance to scout the Kaibab Plateau for the legendary mule deer hunts later in the year.

Free Hunt Planning Tools

🎰 Arizona Draw Odds Unit-level tag success rates 📅 Application Timeline Deadlines for all 9 states 🦌 Rut Forecast Peak rut timing by species 💰 Hunt Cost Calculator Budget your entire hunt

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-17.

GMU 12A — Expanded Hunt Information (August 2025) — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Unit boundaries and land ownership categories, Species present in the unit, Seasonal distribution and hunt areas, Habitat and access notes · accessed 2026-04-16
GMU 12A — Unit Landing Page — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Canonical unit info page · accessed 2026-04-16
2026 Arizona Pronghorn and Elk Regulations — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Season structure, Tag quotas, Hunt area boundaries · accessed 2026-04-16
2025-26 Arizona Hunting Regulations — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Season structure, Bag limits, Legal equipment · accessed 2026-04-16
AZGFD Draw Portal — Hunt Drawing Information — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Bonus point system, Draw application portal, Historical draw data · accessed 2026-04-16
AZGFD Pronghorn Species Page — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: North Kaibab pronghorn management, Trophy unit designation, Population history · accessed 2026-04-17
Kaibab National Forest — North Kaibab Ranger District — USDA Forest Service · supports: North Kaibab access, Forest roads, Dispersed camping · accessed 2026-04-17
AZGFD Turkey Hunting — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Merriam's turkey on the Kaibab Plateau, Unit 12A tag allocation, Spring and fall turkey seasons, Hunter-education bonus · accessed 2026-04-17

Unit 12A (North Kaibab)

Build your own PDF hunt guide for Unit 12A

Elk Hunting in Unit 12A

North Kaibab elk country: the 8,000-foot ridges, rim points and springs

Telephone Hill, V T Hill and the 8,800-foot ridges

Burnt Corral and the rim points

Springs and tanks

Roads, ownership and country to skip

Unit 12A terrain and land status

The lay of it

Who owns the ground

Water on the ground

Named features inside the unit

Glassing the Kaibab: working the points, the springs and the retrieval rules

Elk Success Rates

Elk Draw Odds

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 12A

Where to find 12A mule deer: high plateau early, winter range late

High ground: Telephone Hill, V T Hill and Cane Ridge

The Warm Fire burn in 12AW

Rim points and the drop to winter range

Springs, tanks and the roads to them

Unit 12A terrain and land status

The lay of it

Who owns the ground

Water on the ground

Named features inside the unit

How to hunt 12A mule deer: water for archery, glass for the late hunt

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 12A

Where to find pronghorn in 12A: start at the low edges, then work the plateau

The low end of the unit, near US 89A

Plateau glassing points: Telephone Hill to Tater Ridge

Rim points and the country to skip

Roads and water

Unit 12A terrain and land status

The lay of it

Who owns the ground

Water on the ground

Named features inside the unit

How to hunt 12A pronghorn: glass the edges, mind the retrieval rule

Pronghorn Success Rates

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Turkey Hunting in Unit 12A

Where the North Kaibab turkeys are: high spruce-fir, aspen and water

Start high: spruce, fir and aspen

High ground worth working off the map

Roads in: AZ 67 and the graded NF spurs

Water for the fall hunt

Unit 12A terrain and land status

The lay of it

Who owns the ground

Water on the ground

Named features inside the unit

How to hunt North Kaibab Merriam's: roost calls in spring, waterholes in fall

Turkey Success Rates

Turkey Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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