Arizona Elk Mule Deer Turkey Coues Whitetail Deer

Unit 23 (Payson)

Arizona Hunting Guide — Elk, Mule Deer, Turkey, Coues Whitetail Deer

Unit 23 covers the Sierra Anchas and Canyon Creek country in the Tonto National Forest, south of the Mogollon Rim in Region VI. The unit offers elk hunting in rugged mountain terrain mixing ponderosa, oak brush, PJ, and mixed conifer from 4,500 to 7,500 feet. The remote Sierra Anchas backcountry and steep Canyon Creek drainage hold a healthy elk herd with above-average opportunity for hunters willing to earn it in demanding terrain.

View Draw Odds Arizona Hunting Guide

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100%

Public Land

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2,723–7,283 ft

Sampled elevation

Build your own PDF hunt guide for Unit 23

Answer a few questions about your tag, your season and your rig, and the Field Intelligence Report builds a print-ready Arizona Unit 23 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 Turkey guide Coues Whitetail Deer guide

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Access roads, campgrounds, elevation, monthly weather, stock tanks, cell coverage, and nearest-town services for Unit 23.

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Elk Hunting in Unit 23

Where the Elk Are in Unit 23: Canyon Creek in the North, the Sierra Anchas in the South

Start with your permit: north or south

AZGFD's own unit guide splits the early bull hunt in two, and that split decides where you spend your scouting days. A north permit keeps you in the extreme northern end of the unit. A south permit puts you in the Sierra Ancha Mountains. Don't scout both. Pick your half and learn it.

Canyon Creek, Colcord Mountain and Naegelin Canyon (north)

The guide names Canyon Creek, Colcord Mountain, Naegelin Canyon, Turkey Peak and Christopher Mountain for north-permit hunters. Colcord tops out at 7,547 feet, Turkey Peak at 7,044 and Christopher Mountain at 6,953. Those are your glassing perches, and the canyon country between them is where you'll be working. Canyon Creek is steep. Plan on long, slow days.

AZ 260 touches the unit boundary on the north side and is paved. It's your gateway. From there, the packet doesn't give us a road-by-road route into these drainages, so you'll want a current Tonto National Forest map in hand.

Workman Creek, Armer Mountain and Sawmill Flat (south)

For the south permit, the guide lists Workman Creek, Reynolds Creek, Armer Mountain and Sawmill Flat. Armer Mountain is 7,311 feet. The Sierra Ancha range itself is mapped at 7,621 feet, and Aztec Peak, at 7,734 feet, is the highest named summit in our data. Aztec Peak is also on the guide's late-October antlerless list. Workman Creek Falls shows up among the named springs, so that drainage is a logical place to start.

AZ 288 runs about 18 miles through the unit, paved, and it's the main artery on this side. FR 1388 is a short 1.5-mile high-clearance road. Expect to walk from either one.

Where elk go as the season moves

The late-October antlerless hunt covers the same north and south ground. Bulls are still bugling then, just less than earlier in October. The guide also adds Bottle Springs and says elk range from the Mogollon Rim south to Parker Creek. It's a big area.

By archery season, bulls slide into the brushy south slopes of Naegelin Rim, Christopher Mountain, Horse Mountain, Oxbow Mountain and Armer Mountain. Cows scatter wider and stay out of the steep brush. The November antlerless archery hunt adds Young's Landing Strip and Buzzard Roost to the list.

The late bull hunt pushes bulls into remote, rugged country: Armer Mountain, the south slopes of Naegelin Rim, Christopher Mountain, Horse Mountain and the Mogollon Rim. The guide warns that some ground full of elk in September is empty by December. Don't scout a late hunt in summer heat. Wait for the weather to turn.

About 32 percent of the unit is private or other land, and 60 percent is National Forest. Stay on the forest, and check boundaries before you cross a fence.

Unit 23 terrain and land status

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

The lay of it

2,723–7,283 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 5,074 ft ; peaks can run higher. That spread means you can hunt two seasons in one day — plan clothing for both ends.
1,184.9 sq mi inside the boundary. Big enough that picking one drainage beats driving three.

Who owns the ground

National Forest — 60%
State Trust — 8%
Private / Other — 32%

Roughly 68% is public. Carry a land-status layer anyway — these are area percentages, not a map of where the boundaries fall.

Water on the ground

481 tanks
231 springs
2,991 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: Promontory Butte (7,915 ft), Aztec Peak (7,734 ft), Valentine Ridge (7,634 ft), Sierra Ancha (7,621 ft)

Holding ground: Valentine Canyon (6,263 ft), Juniper Flat (6,085 ft), Lost Salt Canyon (6,027 ft), Hale Spring, Tin House 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 Unit 23 Elk: Work the Temperature, Glass the Brush, Walk In

Let the temperature set your day

AZGFD says elk activity here follows temperature. They move more in the cool hours, and that matters most on the early hunt, when days run warm. So we'd be glassing at first light and again late. Midday isn't dead time, though. Bedded elk can be stalked, which is exactly what the guide suggests.

Bulls are very vocal in the early hunts. The guide says herds can be located at all hours with calling. Learn your calls before you go. Practice with videos, as the guide recommends.

Glass from the high points, then drop in

The landforms in this unit give you good vantage points: Colcord Mountain (7,547 feet), Turkey Peak (7,044) and Christopher Mountain (6,953) in the north, Armer Mountain (7,311) and Aztec Peak (7,734) in the south. Glass openings and canyon edges from them. In archery and late seasons, the bulls are in brush on south slopes, so you'll glass less open country and spend more time getting close. Think slow still-hunting on the Naegelin Rim and Christopher Mountain slopes rather than long-range spotting.

Water is plentiful on paper, with 481 tanks and 231 springs in our data. Named springs include Hale, Tin House, Rock and Tewksbury. The guide doesn't tie elk to any specific water source, so treat them as places to check, not guaranteed spots.

Beat the crowds by walking

The road network that's mapped is short on rough two-track. AZ 288 is paved, FR 1388 is high-clearance, and the rest of the named roads are paved. Most of the elk country is demanding terrain and you'll earn it on foot. Public land is 60 percent of the unit, and every hunter who sticks to the pavement edge is competing for the same ground. Get a mile or two deeper than they will.

Rules and realities

Aircraft are off the table. The guide says later hunts have seen more aircraft scouting, and both a Game and Fish Commission rule and federal regulations prohibit using aircraft to take or pursue wildlife. Don't do it, and don't hunt where you suspect someone is.

Unit 23 bulls are managed for older age classes, and AZGFD asks you to donate an incisor tooth from any harvested bull. The packet doesn't spell out retrieval or vehicle limits, so check the current regulations before you go.

Expect work. Our data shows 25 percent rifle and 18 percent archery success. A realistic day is an early climb, a long glass, a stalk into brush and a lot of walking back out in the dark.

Getting in and staying out: unit 23

Named routes and what they need

AZ 288 — 17.9 mi · Paved (all rigs)
MT-1194 — 4.8 mi · Paved (all rigs)
MT-894 — 3.3 mi · Paved (all rigs)
FR 1388 — 1.5 mi · High-clearance
MT-736 — 1.2 mi · Paved (all rigs)
MT-2875 — 1.1 mi · Paved (all rigs)

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

Star Valley — 24.3 mi · groceries
Roosevelt Estates — 25.4 mi · groceries
Payson — 25.9 mi · fuel, groceries, lodging
Mesa Del Caballo — 27.2 mi · fuel, groceries
Beaver Valley Estates — 30.2 mi · no services listed

Developed camps

Alderwood
Diversion Dam Dispersed
Falls
Haigler Canyon
Indian Point

Season weather and signal

Jan55° / 28° · 2.2" precip
Aug91° / 63° · 2.7" precip
Sep86° / 56° · 1.6" precip
Oct76° / 44° · 1.2" precip
Nov64° / 34° · 1.4" precip
Dec55° / 28° · 1.9" precip

Best signal is Verizon at about 21% 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

Rifle25%

Archery18%

Unit 23 elk success rates average 15-22% for rifle and 6-12% for archery. The rugged terrain of the Sierra Anchas and Canyon Creek makes this a physically demanding hunt. However, hunters who commit to the backcountry report solid results. Bull quality is average at 240-280 class.

Elk Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts (n/p)
Rifle — Late Rifle Dec bull/buck only (combined pool)	150	2,501	3.8%	—
Rifle — General Rifle Oct antlerless (combined pool)	75	481	9.1%	—
Rifle — Late Rifle Dec antlerless (combined pool)	100	214	24.3%	—
Rifle — General Rifle Oct antlerless (combined pool)	100	237	31.6%	—
Rifle — Late Rifle Nov bull/buck only (combined pool)	210	2,757	4.7%	—
Rifle — General Rifle Oct bull/buck only (combined pool)	35	380	5.0%	—
Late Archery Nov — bull/buck only (combined pool)	200	254	34.3%	—
Late Archery Nov — antlerless (combined pool)	25	30	43.3%	—

Data from 2023 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 23 elk tags require 5-10 bonus points for rifle. The unit's proximity to Phoenix keeps application numbers high, but draw odds are moderate. Archery is more accessible. A reasonable choice for hunters with modest point balances who are willing to work harder for their elk.

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 23

Unit 23 supports a healthy mule deer population across the Sierra Anchas and Canyon Creek country in the Tonto NF. The diverse terrain from PJ and oak brush through ponderosa to mixed conifer provides excellent deer habitat from 4,500 to 7,500 feet. The rugged terrain and remote access keep hunting pressure low, rewarding patient hunters who work the brush and canyon terrain.

Unit 23 mule deer: low roads in the south, rims and ridges in the north

AZGFD's own unit guide calls Unit 23 mule deer numbers stable and says the deer use virtually every habitat type in the unit. That's good news and bad news. Deer can be anywhere. The guide doesn't give a single honey hole, so we've built this around the places it does name.

A-Cross Road (FR 60) and Cherry Creek Road (FR 203)

The guide points to the southern, lower-elevation country for mule deer hunting along these two roads. The unit bottoms out around 2,700 feet and averages roughly 5,070, so the south is where you'll find the warmer, lower ground. Start here if you want the agency's pointer for lower country. Drive the roads to get oriented, then get out of the truck. Deer won't sit on the shoulder waiting for you.

Naegelin Rim/Canyon and Valentine Ridge/Canyon

For the higher, northern country, the guide tells hunters to scout the Naegelin Rim/Canyon area and the Valentine Ridge/Canyon area, both north of Young. Valentine Ridge tops out at about 7,634 feet on our landform data, which makes it a natural place to glass from. Rims and canyon edges give you the vantage to look into a lot of country at first and last light.

Our opinion: if you've got a late hunt, the high country is where we'd spend scouting time. That's judgment, not agency data. The guide only says to scout these areas.

Other high points worth a look on the map

Our landform data lists Aztec Peak (7,734 feet), Sierra Ancha (7,621), Carr Mountain (7,618) and Baker Mountain (7,602), along with a string of lower summits like Turkey Peak (7,044) and Pine Mountain (

Unit 23 terrain and land status

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

The lay of it

2,723–7,283 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 5,074 ft ; peaks can run higher. That spread means you can hunt two seasons in one day — plan clothing for both ends.
1,184.9 sq mi inside the boundary. Big enough that picking one drainage beats driving three.

Who owns the ground

National Forest — 60%
State Trust — 8%
Private / Other — 32%

Roughly 68% is public. Carry a land-status layer anyway — these are area percentages, not a map of where the boundaries fall.

Water on the ground

481 tanks
231 springs
2,991 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: Promontory Butte (7,915 ft), Aztec Peak (7,734 ft), Valentine Ridge (7,634 ft), Sierra Ancha (7,621 ft)

Holding ground: Valentine Canyon (6,263 ft), Juniper Flat (6,085 ft), Lost Salt Canyon (6,027 ft), Hale Spring, Tin House Spring

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

Hunting Unit 23 mule deer: glass hard, then walk

The agency's advice is simple, and we agree with it. Be in your area for the early morning and late evening peaks. Get away from the roads. Cover hillsides carefully with your binoculars before you move on.

Glass from the high points, hunt the folds below

Set up at first light on a rim or ridge like Valentine Ridge, or above Naegelin Rim and Canyon, and take your time. Pick a hillside, work it in strips, then go back over it. Deer in broken country hide in the shade and the folds. Don't rush to the next drainage. AZGFD says hunters who work on foot are usually more successful than those who stay close to roads, and we've seen that hold true in rough country like this.

Plan to be off the glass and moving once the evening light has faded, not before it. In the south, the same routine works from pullouts along FR 60 and FR 203. Glass from the road if you must, but then walk to the deer.

Know what the numbers say

The packet shows a rifle success rate of 22 percent for the unit. It doesn't show archery numbers. Roughly one in five rifle hunters fills a tag, so don't expect easy deer and don't plan a one-day hunt.

Weather by season

The guide says the early archery hunt is generally hot and summer-like, with moderate to cool nights. Late archery can bring rain, snow, or clear, cold weather. For the early hunt, that means water and shade matter to you and the deer. Our opinion is to spend your midday hours resting, then be in place well before the evening light. For late hunts, pack for a real change in weather, and watch for road closures in the north.

Roads, rigs and sign-in

AZ 288 is paved for nearly 18 miles in the unit, and the other named roads we have are mostly paved as well. The one named high-clearance road in our data is FR 1388, about 1.5 miles. The guide doesn't list any wrong-species warnings, motorised-retrieval limits or sign-in requirements for this unit, so check the current regulations and with Tonto National Forest before you go.

A realistic day

Be on a glassing point before light. Pick apart the nearest hillsides until the sun gets high, then still-hunt or move on foot through the country you've glassed. Rest through the heat. Be back on the optics for the evening, with a plan for hiking out in the dark and a hard look at those creek crossings if rain is in the forecast.

Getting in and staying out: unit 23

Named routes and what they need

AZ 288 — 17.9 mi · Paved (all rigs)
MT-1194 — 4.8 mi · Paved (all rigs)
MT-894 — 3.3 mi · Paved (all rigs)
FR 1388 — 1.5 mi · High-clearance
MT-736 — 1.2 mi · Paved (all rigs)
MT-2875 — 1.1 mi · Paved (all rigs)

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

Star Valley — 24.3 mi · groceries
Roosevelt Estates — 25.4 mi · groceries
Payson — 25.9 mi · fuel, groceries, lodging
Mesa Del Caballo — 27.2 mi · fuel, groceries
Beaver Valley Estates — 30.2 mi · no services listed

Developed camps

Alderwood
Diversion Dam Dispersed
Falls
Haigler Canyon
Indian Point

Season weather and signal

Jan55° / 28° · 2.2" precip
Aug91° / 63° · 2.7" precip
Sep86° / 56° · 1.6" precip
Oct76° / 44° · 1.2" precip
Nov64° / 34° · 1.4" precip
Dec55° / 28° · 1.9" precip

Best signal is Verizon at about 21% 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.

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Rifle22%

Rifle success for mule deer in Unit 23 averages 18-28%. The rugged Sierra Anchas terrain makes this a physical hunt. Buck quality is average with bucks in the 130-155 class being typical. Hunters who invest time working the Canyon Creek and Sierra Anchas backcountry outperform the average.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts (n/p)
Rifle — Late Rifle Nov bull/buck only (combined pool)	350	1,390	17.6%	—
Rifle — Late Rifle Dec bull/buck only (combined pool)	10	529	1.7%	—
Rifle — General Rifle Oct bull/buck only (combined pool)	150	467	25.3%	—
Rifle — General Rifle Oct bull/buck only (combined pool)	150	476	24.6%	—
Rifle — General Rifle Oct either sex (combined pool)	350	1,381	19.6%	—
Rifle — Late Rifle Nov either sex (combined pool)	175	345	29.6%	—
Rifle — General Rifle Oct either sex (combined pool)	150	476	24.6%	—

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 23 mule deer tags require 3-7 bonus points for rifle. One of the more accessible Arizona mule deer draws. Good option for hunters with moderate point balances who want accessible public-land deer hunting near the Phoenix metro.

Turkey Hunting in Unit 23

Unit 23 covers the Sierra Ancha Mountains and Canyon Creek country in Tonto National Forest, south of the Mogollon Rim. Elevations run from 4,500 feet along the Salt River to over 7,600 feet on Aztec Peak. Merriam's turkeys use the ponderosa, mixed conifer, and oak-pine transition zones across the unit. The Sierra Ancha Wilderness and Canyon Creek drainage offer backcountry turkey hunting rare in the Southwest.

Where to Find Merriam's Turkeys in Unit 23: Canyon Creek, Colcord and Turkey Peak

Start on Canyon Creek

AZGFD's own unit guide opens its scouting list with Canyon Creek, and we'd do the same. The guide says birds are found mainly in pine, pine/oak, mixed conifer and riparian country. Canyon Creek has the riparian part. It also has the droppings, tracks and dusting areas the agency tells you to look for, if you walk it before the season.

Water is plentiful here. The unit maps 2,991 stream segments, 481 tanks and 231 springs. The packet doesn't say where the named springs sit, so don't guess. Pull up Hale Spring, Tin House Spring, Rock Spring, Tewksbury Spring, Hunt Spring, Cienega Spring, DeVore Spring and Brewer Spring on your map and see which ones fall inside pine or oak. Those are your scouting stops.

Colcord, Christopher and Turkey Peak

The guide also names Colcord Mountain and Colcord Canyon, Christopher Mountain, Gentry Mountain, and Turkey Peak (the guide's own "Of Course!"). Colcord Mountain tops out at 7,547 feet, Turkey Peak at 7,044 and Christopher Mountain's ridge at 6,953. The unit's mean elevation is 5,074 feet, so these are the high, cool pieces of the unit, where pine and mixed conifer take over.

Naegelin Rim and Naegelin Canyon are on the same list. The guide doesn't say which of these places holds birds early in the season and which holds them late. We'd treat the high timber and the canyon bottoms as two separate beats and learn by scouting which one is holding birds. Look for small openings in the pine and oak. The guide says that's where turkeys prefer to feed, along with meadow edges and riparian strips.

Squaw Mesa, Buzzard Roost, Young Airport and Forest Road 609

Squaw Mesa, Buzzard Roost and Young Airport round out the agency list. The guide doesn't describe any of them beyond naming them as places to scout. Treat them as leads, not guarantees.

The Malicious Gap road, Forest Road 609, is the one road the guide calls out by name. It's a good way to cover ground and listen for gobblers or find sign before you commit to a walk.

For getting around, AZ 288 runs 17.9 paved miles through the unit, and you can reach the boundary from AZ 260 and FR 300. FR 1388 is only 1.5 miles and needs high clearance.

Know your boundaries, and which country to skip

Only 60 percent of Unit 23 is National Forest. State Trust is 8 percent, and the other 32 percent is private or otherwise not public. That's a lot of ground you can't hunt, so check ownership before you chase a gobbler across a fence line.

The unit drops to 2,723 feet at its lowest. The guide puts turkeys in the timber and riparian zones, so we'd skip the low country without pine or water. Shotgun hunters in the packet run about 35 percent success. The table lists 30 percent for rifle.

Unit 23 terrain and land status

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

The lay of it

2,723–7,283 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 5,074 ft ; peaks can run higher. That spread means you can hunt two seasons in one day — plan clothing for both ends.
1,184.9 sq mi inside the boundary. Big enough that picking one drainage beats driving three.

Who owns the ground

National Forest — 60%
State Trust — 8%
Private / Other — 32%

Roughly 68% is public. Carry a land-status layer anyway — these are area percentages, not a map of where the boundaries fall.

Water on the ground

481 tanks
231 springs
2,991 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: Promontory Butte (7,915 ft), Aztec Peak (7,734 ft), Valentine Ridge (7,634 ft), Sierra Ancha (7,621 ft)

Holding ground: Valentine Canyon (6,263 ft), Juniper Flat (6,085 ft), Lost Salt Canyon (6,027 ft), Hale Spring, Tin House Spring

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

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How to Hunt Merriam's Turkeys in Unit 23: Scout, Sit Tight, Call Them Back

Scout before the season

AZGFD says turkey numbers here swing from year to year, mostly with poult hatch and survival, and that birds are doing well in the unit right now. Still, the agency recommends scouting first, and we agree. Look for large, distinct tracks in soft dirt and mud. Look for feathers in dusting areas and under roosts. Scraped-up pine needles and oak leaves mean birds were hunting mast. Droppings in riparian zones and meadows show where they fed.

Food tells you where to look. The guide lists grasshoppers, grass seeds, pine seeds, acorns, grass and forbs. Find small openings in the pine and oak near Canyon Creek or on the Colcord and Christopher slopes, and you'll find the feed.

Fall: break the flock, then call

The agency puts fall turkey hunting simply. Find a flock and break it up. Then call the birds back to shotgun range. That usually happens within 5 to 10 minutes of the scatter, so be ready before you rush them. Pick your sit spot first. Don't wait until after.

A flock feeding in a small opening gives you that chance. Come in quietly along the edge of a meadow or the pine/oak transition, flush them, and set up where they scattered.

Spring: stay put and let the gobbler come

In spring, imitate a hen and listen for the gobble. The guide's advice is plain. Successful hunters tend to stay where they are when a turkey gobbles, then let it come to them. Stalking is very difficult, because a turkey's eyesight beats yours. It's also dangerous.

Drive Forest Road 609 or another open road, stop, call and listen. When a bird answers, pick a spot that works as a natural blind. Sit down. Don't chase.

Safety and what a day looks like

Wear camouflage, but never red, white or blue. Seen through brush, those colors can look like a gobbler's head, and another hunter could mistake you for the bird. The guide also warns that the camouflaged hunter you're stalking might be a person.

The agency suggests getting good with a diaphragm call before you go. It leaves your hands free.

A realistic day here is a morning of calling from one or two named spots, such as Canyon Creek, then a drive along AZ 288 or FR 609 to listen at the next. Plan your route around the 32 percent of the unit that isn't public. If a spot goes quiet, move to another. Roughly one

Getting in and staying out: unit 23

Named routes and what they need

AZ 288 — 17.9 mi · Paved (all rigs)
MT-1194 — 4.8 mi · Paved (all rigs)
MT-894 — 3.3 mi · Paved (all rigs)
FR 1388 — 1.5 mi · High-clearance
MT-736 — 1.2 mi · Paved (all rigs)
MT-2875 — 1.1 mi · Paved (all rigs)

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

Star Valley — 24.3 mi · groceries
Roosevelt Estates — 25.4 mi · groceries
Payson — 25.9 mi · fuel, groceries, lodging
Mesa Del Caballo — 27.2 mi · fuel, groceries
Beaver Valley Estates — 30.2 mi · no services listed

Developed camps

Alderwood
Diversion Dam Dispersed
Falls
Haigler Canyon
Indian Point

Season weather and signal

Jan55° / 28° · 2.2" precip
Aug91° / 63° · 2.7" precip
Sep86° / 56° · 1.6" precip
Oct76° / 44° · 1.2" precip
Nov64° / 34° · 1.4" precip
Dec55° / 28° · 1.9" precip

Best signal is Verizon at about 21% 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.

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%

Rifle30%

Unit 23 issues generous turkey tags (~523 across three recent years against ~719 applicants). Success rates on AZ Merriam's hunts run 25–40% depending on weather and pre-season scouting effort. Trophy quality (longbeard toms with spurs) is solid.

Turkey Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts (n/p)
Shotgun — Spring bearded turkey (combined pool)	150	107	32.7%	—
Shotgun — Spring bearded turkey (combined pool)	100	136	64.7%	—
Shotgun — Fall either sex (combined pool)	450	816	48.3%	—
Rifle — Spring bearded turkey (combined pool)	100	137	68.6%	—
Rifle — Spring bearded turkey (combined pool)	100	134	64.9%	—
Rifle — Fall either sex (combined pool)	450	1,058	39.7%	—
Rifle — Spring either sex (combined pool)	160	1,029	14.3%	—

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

Unit 23 is drawable at low bonus-point balances for most turkey hunt codes. Arizona's weighted bonus-point draw routes 20% of tags to max-point applicants first, then 80% via random weighted draw. A hunter-ed bonus point is available to applicants who complete AZGFD-recognized hunter education.

Coues Whitetail Deer Hunting in Unit 23

Unit 23 surrounds the Rincon and Santa Catalina Mountains northeast of Tucson, drawing over 5,000 cumulative Coues whitetail applicants. The Coronado National Forest sky island habitat produces large-antlered Coues bucks in rocky terrain with outstanding glassing visibility. Proximity to Tucson increases competition, but the Rincon Mountain Wilderness and the high Catalina ridges protect substantial numbers of mature, unpressured bucks.

Cherry Creek to Tonto Creek, the Sierra Ancha Drainages and the Wilderness Pockets

Cherry Creek to Tonto Creek, 3,500 to 6,000 feet

AZGFD's own unit guide names one stretch of country for high whitetail densities: between Cherry Creek and Tonto Creek, at 3,500 to 6,000 feet. Start there. Unit 23 runs from 2,723 feet up to 7,283, with a mean of 5,074, so that band covers most of the unit's usable vertical range. The guide says Coues deer live from semi-desert grassland up into mixed conifer, but it puts them mostly in that 3,500 to 6,000 foot belt. We'd spend our time inside it.

Every major drainage off the Sierra Ancha

The guide says all the major drainages running off the Sierra Ancha Mountains hold whitetails. It doesn't name individual canyons, and we won't pretend it does. You'll need a Tonto National Forest map to pick the drainages yourself. Look for ones that cross the 3,500 to 6,000 foot band and don't carry heavy cattle numbers, because the guide says these deer prefer country without heavy livestock density.

The range itself tops out at 7,621 feet. Sierra Ancha Peak (6,599), Asbestos Point (6,635) and Christopher Mountain (6,953) all sit at or above the top of the deer band. That makes them vantage points to look down from, not places to hunt.

Salome, Hells Gate and Sierra Ancha wilderness

For an undisturbed hunt, the guide recommends packing into one of three wilderness areas: Salome, Hells Gate or Sierra Ancha. That's the agency's advice for getting away from pressure, and we agree with it. The guide also says the north half of the unit produces good whitetail hunting. It gives no detail beyond that.

Water, access and ground to skip

The packet counts 481 tanks, 231 springs and a lot of stream miles. Named springs include Hale, Tin House, Tewksbury, Hunt, Cienega, DeVore and Brewer, plus Workman Creek Falls. The packet doesn't say where they sit or what elevation. Plot them on your forest map and see which ones fall inside the deer band.

About 60 percent of the unit is National Forest and 8 percent is State Trust. The other 32 percent is private or other, so confirm ownership before you cross any line. AZ 288 is paved for 17.9 miles inside the unit. FR 1388 is a short high-clearance road. Other boundary access comes off AZ 260, FR 300 and 512.

Skip anything below 3,500 feet and anything above 6,000 unless you're glassing from it. Skip heavily grazed country too.

Unit 23 terrain and land status

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

The lay of it

2,723–7,283 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 5,074 ft ; peaks can run higher. That spread means you can hunt two seasons in one day — plan clothing for both ends.
1,184.9 sq mi inside the boundary. Big enough that picking one drainage beats driving three.

Who owns the ground

National Forest — 60%
State Trust — 8%
Private / Other — 32%

Roughly 68% is public. Carry a land-status layer anyway — these are area percentages, not a map of where the boundaries fall.

Water on the ground

481 tanks
231 springs
2,991 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: Promontory Butte (7,915 ft), Aztec Peak (7,734 ft), Valentine Ridge (7,634 ft), Sierra Ancha (7,621 ft)

Holding ground: Valentine Canyon (6,263 ft), Juniper Flat (6,085 ft), Lost Salt Canyon (6,027 ft), Hale Spring, Tin House Spring

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

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Glass, Scout Away from Roads, and Hold Out for the December Hunt

Optics first, then patience

AZGFD's guide is blunt about gear: binoculars on a tripod, a spotting scope, or both. Coues deer are small and they blend in. Hand-holding glass across a steep canyon won't find them. We'd pick a high point, settle in and let the hillsides come to you.

The summits the packet lists, such as Asbestos Point, Sierra Ancha Peak and Christopher Mountain, sit near or above the top of the deer band. They suit that job. Check on your forest map how you'd reach each one before you commit to it.

Scout it before the season, away from the roads

The agency calls pre-season scouting very important, and it's specific. Find an area away from roads and glass it until you've located deer. The guide says whitetails are very localized and can turn up in the same canyon or on the same hillside several times. A buck you find in August or September is likely worth hunting later. Mark every sighting.

The December hunt for older bucks

Unit 23 is managed for older age class bucks, with higher buck to doe and fawn to doe ratios. The guide calls the December hunt a great chance at a mature buck, because bucks are actively seeking does. They move more and take more chances. If you've found a localized group of does in a drainage, we'd sit near them and wait. Also, AZGFD asks drawn hunters to donate an incisor tooth sample, which helps the department manage for those older bucks.

What a realistic day looks like

The packet shows an 18 percent rifle success rate. It has no figures for other weapons, so we can't make weapon-by-weapon calls. At 18 percent, a day is mostly glass time and not much shooting. Get on your point before first light, work the hillsides in the 3,500 to 6,000 foot band, and move only when the glass has shown you something worth moving toward. If you've packed into Salome, Hells Gate or Sierra Ancha, expect to carry everything out yourself.

Getting in and staying out: unit 23

Named routes and what they need

AZ 288 — 17.9 mi · Paved (all rigs)
MT-1194 — 4.8 mi · Paved (all rigs)
MT-894 — 3.3 mi · Paved (all rigs)
FR 1388 — 1.5 mi · High-clearance
MT-736 — 1.2 mi · Paved (all rigs)
MT-2875 — 1.1 mi · Paved (all rigs)

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

Star Valley — 24.3 mi · groceries
Roosevelt Estates — 25.4 mi · groceries
Payson — 25.9 mi · fuel, groceries, lodging
Mesa Del Caballo — 27.2 mi · fuel, groceries
Beaver Valley Estates — 30.2 mi · no services listed

Developed camps

Alderwood
Diversion Dam Dispersed
Falls
Haigler Canyon
Indian Point

Season weather and signal

Jan55° / 28° · 2.2" precip
Aug91° / 63° · 2.7" precip
Sep86° / 56° · 1.6" precip
Oct76° / 44° · 1.2" precip
Nov64° / 34° · 1.4" precip
Dec55° / 28° · 1.9" precip

Best signal is Verizon at about 21% 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.

Coues Whitetail 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.

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Coues Whitetail Deer Success Rates

Success rate data not yet available for this species in this unit.

Unit 23 Coues rifle success runs 40–60%. The wilderness areas produce the largest bucks but require the most effort. Road-accessible areas offer more consistent shot opportunities on younger-class bucks.

Coues Whitetail Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts (n/p)
Rifle — General Rifle Oct bull/buck only (combined pool)	175	421	27.1%	—
Rifle — Late Rifle Nov bull/buck only (combined pool)	175	345	29.6%	—
Rifle — Late Rifle Dec bull/buck only (combined pool)	75	928	6.7%	—

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Over 5,000 cumulative applicants make Unit 23 competitive. Expect 7–12 bonus points for rifle Coues tags in this unit. Proximity to Tucson drives demand.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

🚐

RV Sites

Limited developed sites near the unit. Young and Pleasant Valley offer some basic camping. Payson RV parks are 45-60 minutes away.

⛺

Camp Sites

Dispersed camping on Tonto NF land. Forest roads into the Sierra Anchas and Canyon Creek provide access to remote backcountry sites.

🛻

Trailer Access

Highway 288 (Young Road) provides the primary access but is steep, winding, and partly unpaved. Not recommended for large trailers.

💧

Water

Young has very limited services. Carry all water for backcountry camps. Payson (60 min) for full resupply.

🛣️

Road Conditions

Highway 288 to Young is the main access — partly paved, partly gravel, steep switchbacks. Interior forest roads are rough and require high-clearance 4WD. Some roads may be impassable after rain.

🥾

Terrain Difficulty

Strenuous. The Sierra Anchas and Canyon Creek country is steep, rugged mountain terrain. Expect significant elevation changes and demanding pack-outs. High fitness level recommended.

👥

Hunting Pressure

Low to moderate. The difficult access and rugged terrain deter casual hunters. Backcountry areas see very little pressure.

🌦️

Weather

Fall temps 20-55°F depending on elevation. Freezing nights at higher elevations. Snow possible in the Sierra Anchas from October on.

📱

Cell Service

None in most of the unit. Very limited near Young. Satellite communicator recommended.

🏘️

Nearest Town

Young (very limited services — fuel and small store). Payson (60 min) for full services.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Unit 23 good for backcountry elk hunting?

Yes. The Sierra Anchas and Canyon Creek drainage offer some of Arizona's most rugged and rewarding backcountry elk hunting. The difficult access keeps pressure low in the interior. Hunters who are physically prepared find quality elk with minimal competition.

How do I access Unit 23?

The primary access is Highway 288 (Young Road) from Highway 87 near Payson, or from Highway 260 to the north. The road to Young is steep and winding with unpaved sections. Interior forest roads require high-clearance 4WD. Plan your access route carefully.

How rugged is Unit 23 for mule deer hunting?

Very rugged. The Sierra Anchas and Canyon Creek country feature steep terrain with significant elevation changes. Expect demanding hiking and challenging pack-outs. The payoff is low hunting pressure and quality deer in remote country.

When is the rut in Unit 23?

Mule deer rut in Unit 23 peaks mid-to-late November. Bucks become active during daylight and cruise doe groups across transition terrain. Plan your hunt dates around this window if possible for the best buck encounters.

Is Unit 23 Merriam's or Gould's turkey?

Merriam's. Gould's turkey occupies southeastern Arizona sky islands; Unit 23's Sierra Ancha–Canyon Creek country is firmly Merriam's range.

When's the best spring season?

Mid-to-late April into early May typically brings peak gobbling activity in 23. Weather variance year-to-year shifts the peak by a week or two.

Where do I stage for a Unit 23 turkey hunt?

Payson for good access and full services (~60 min to central 23). Young is closer but extremely limited. Globe works for southern Cherry Creek access.

Can I hunt Unit 23 in Saguaro National Park?

No — Saguaro National Park (both east and west districts) is closed to hunting. The park trailheads provide access to the adjacent Rincon Mountain Wilderness where hunting is permitted. Coordinate with NPS for current trailhead access procedures.

Free Hunt Planning Tools

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-18.

GMU 23 — Expanded Hunt Information (February 2024) — 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 23 — 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 Turkey Hunting — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Merriam's turkey distribution in AZ, Unit 23 population, Season structure · accessed 2026-04-17
Tonto National Forest — Sierra Ancha Wilderness & Pleasant Valley RD — USDA Forest Service · supports: Sierra Ancha Wilderness, Cherry Creek Road, Dispersed camping · accessed 2026-04-17
AZGFD Big Game Draw — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Applicant counts, Draw odds · accessed 2026-04-18

Unit 23 (Payson)

Build your own PDF hunt guide for Unit 23

Elk Hunting in Unit 23

Where the Elk Are in Unit 23: Canyon Creek in the North, the Sierra Anchas in the South

Start with your permit: north or south

Canyon Creek, Colcord Mountain and Naegelin Canyon (north)

Workman Creek, Armer Mountain and Sawmill Flat (south)

Where elk go as the season moves

Unit 23 terrain and land status

The lay of it

Who owns the ground

Water on the ground

Named features inside the unit

How to Hunt Unit 23 Elk: Work the Temperature, Glass the Brush, Walk In

Elk Success Rates

Elk Draw Odds

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 23

Unit 23 mule deer: low roads in the south, rims and ridges in the north

A-Cross Road (FR 60) and Cherry Creek Road (FR 203)

Naegelin Rim/Canyon and Valentine Ridge/Canyon

Other high points worth a look on the map

Unit 23 terrain and land status

The lay of it

Who owns the ground

Water on the ground

Named features inside the unit

Hunting Unit 23 mule deer: glass hard, then walk

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Turkey Hunting in Unit 23

Where to Find Merriam's Turkeys in Unit 23: Canyon Creek, Colcord and Turkey Peak

How to Hunt Merriam's Turkeys in Unit 23: Scout, Sit Tight, Call Them Back

Turkey Success Rates

Turkey Draw Odds

Coues Whitetail Deer Hunting in Unit 23

Cherry Creek to Tonto Creek, the Sierra Ancha Drainages and the Wilderness Pockets

Glass, Scout Away from Roads, and Hold Out for the December Hunt

Coues Whitetail Deer Success Rates

Coues Whitetail Deer Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Explore Related Units

Unit 23 — Payson Mule Deer

Unit 22 — Tonto Basin Elk

Unit 9 — Coconino Plateau Elk

Frequently Asked Questions

Free Hunt Planning Tools

Plan Your Hunt with ProHunt Pro

Sources & Verification