Arizona Elk Mule Deer Pronghorn Bighorn Sheep Turkey

Unit 9 (Coconino Plateau)

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

Unit 9 is a large unit west of Flagstaff covering the Coconino Plateau within the Kaibab National Forest, extending toward Seligman and Ashfork. The unit features pinyon-juniper woodland and open grassland parks from 5,000 to 7,000 feet, with Cataract Canyon cutting through the interior. Elk here use the PJ transition terrain and scattered ponderosa at higher elevations. Trophy quality is average but the unit produces consistent opportunity for hunters who understand the terrain.

View Draw Odds Arizona Hunting Guide

🏔️

48%

Public Land

⛰️

5,591–7,412 ft

Sampled elevation

Build your own PDF hunt guide for Unit 9

Answer a few questions about your tag, your season and your rig, and the Field Intelligence Report builds a print-ready Arizona Unit 9 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 Bighorn Sheep guide Turkey guide

Free accounts get one report a year with the top spot unlocked. ProHunt Pro includes unlimited reports, all three spots, the full camp plan, and GPX/KML downloads for onX and Google Earth. Prefer to see one first? Open the builder and pick any unit.

Logistics & Planning Guide →

Access roads, campgrounds, elevation, monthly weather, stock tanks, cell coverage, and nearest-town services for Unit 9.

📋

Elk Hunting in Unit 9

Where the Elk Live on the Coconino Plateau: Skinner Ridge, Red Butte and the Upper Basin

Skinner Ridge: start here

AZGFD's own unit guide calls Skinner Ridge a good place to start for antlered hunts, and we agree. It's a mix of ponderosa, Gambel oak, pinyon, juniper and scattered sagebrush pockets. The guide admits it gets thick, and says that's exactly why a lot of bulls like it. The ridge tops out around 7,250 feet. Elk density is highest in the ponderosa and Gambel oak on the Kaibab National Forest, so this is the country the guide points to first.

Red Butte and the Willaha Road country

Red Butte (about 7,324 feet) sits in pinyon-juniper with sagebrush openings. The guide rates it very good, especially for the late general hunts. For antlerless hunts it describes small groups scattered across the whole area, moving with weather, water and pressure. Learn the edges. The guide bounds it by the railroad tracks on the west, Forest Road 347 (Anita Road) on the north, Highway 64 on the east and Willaha Road on the south. Forest roads to watch inside are 320, 305, 776, 318, 319, 308, 347, 2623 and 2625. Part of this area is closed to OHVs, which matters for the pack-out (see the how-to section).

Upper Basin and the Coconino Rim

Upper Basin sits near 6,500 feet in pinyon-juniper with sagebrush openings, and it's one of the unit's three main elk wintering areas. Water decides everything here. If it's available, elk are present early in the fall. If it isn't, wait for the late general hunt, when elk start moving onto winter range. The main roads are 307, 682, 683, 2807 and 2815, and Highway 64 gets you close.

Just north, the Coconino Rim along FR 310 is ponderosa and Gambel oak. The guide says it's good for early and late hunts, but it's the highest country in the unit, at about 7,600 feet by the guide's reckoning. Our road data lists FR 310 as high-clearance. If snow arrives before or during the late hunt, most elk drop to lower country. Elk feed in the openings north of the rim and retreat up to it for bedding.

West, south and east

Moqui Stage Station to Lockwood Canyon (FR 301): mostly pinyon-juniper with lots of openings. The guide says it's been good in the past.
West of Tusayan on FR 328: sagebrush openings and a lot of country. The guide says wet years scatter the elk everywhere. In dry years, check the water holes for sign.
Tusayan to Grandview: ponderosa and summer elk habitat. Elk stay if fall stays mild.
Peterson Flat to Willows Camp: openings get bigger as you go east. This country borders the Navajo Reservation, and the guide warns the boundary fence isn't well marked.

The north end borders Grand Canyon National Park, where hunting isn't allowed. The boundary is fenced and signed, but some forest roads run alongside or into the park.

Roughly 60 percent of the unit is national forest, 8 percent state trust and 32 percent private or other. Our terrain data flags Double Knobs, Red Hill, Howard Hill, Antelope Flat, Molly Ann Draw and Little Harpo Canyon as not public land. Don't plan around them.

Unit 9 terrain and land status

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

The lay of it

5,591–7,412 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 6,320 ft ; peaks can run higher.
1,066.9 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

301 tanks
2 springs
1,957 stream segments
2 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: Red Butte (7,324 ft), Skinner Ridge (7,252 ft), Dog Knobs (6,936 ft), Double Top (6,823 ft)

Holding ground: Peterson Flat (6,815 ft), Long Jim Canyon (6,574 ft), Upper Basin (6,521 ft), Cataract Well, Little Well

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 9 Elk: Edges, Openings and Water

Walk the edges on Skinner Ridge

This unit is flat and thick, and the guide says so plainly: glassing is hard. So don't expect to sit one knob and pick apart a basin. On Skinner Ridge, AZGFD says successful hunters slowly walk the edges of the ridge tops and glass often. We'd do the same. Move a hundred yards, stop, look, and repeat. Bulls bed in the thick stuff, so your job is to catch the seams.

First and last light in the openings

Openings are where this unit gives elk up. The Moqui Stage Station to Lockwood Canyon area (FR 301) is called out for glassing at first and last light. The Upper Basin works the same way for late antlerless hunts. Elk feed in the openings north of the Coconino Rim, then slip back to the rim to bed. Be in position before shooting light, glass until the elk are gone, then still-hunt cover midday.

The Harbison Ranch to Lockwood Tank area is the last hunt of the year. The guide says these elk have been pushed and find cover quickly, and that the area draws plenty of hunters. Its advice: walk the edges of openings at first light, then slowly work the thicker areas during the day. Don't give up if you aren't seeing elk.

Water, weather and your weapon

The guide says elk can turn up around water during shooting hours in archery hunts. During late general hunts that rarely happens. An archery hunter can sit a tank or spring. Our data shows 301 tanks and two named springs, Cataract Well and Little Well. Scout them for fresh sign first. Rifle hunters shouldn't count on water late. Watch the weather and move to where elk are feeding and bedding.

Weather also moves elk. A wet year scatters them west of Tusayan. A dry year concentrates them at water. Snow pushes them off the Coconino Rim.

Reported success is 25 percent for rifle and 18 percent for archery. The guide notes good numbers of older bulls, since the unit is managed for a high bull-to-cow ratio. Expect work either way.

Rules that bite in Unit 9

Retrieval: only motorized retrieval of elk is permitted on national forest land in the unit. Motorized retrieval of any other big game isn't allowed.
Red Butte closure: the area is closed to OHVs. If you kill an elk inside it, you can't drive off-road to retrieve it.
Motor Vehicle Use Map: motorized travel is limited to designated routes. Get the free MVUM from Kaibab National Forest before you go.
Boundaries: know where Grand Canyon National Park and the Navajo Reservation lines are. The reservation fence near Peterson Flat isn't well marked.

A realistic day: up before light, glass an opening until the elk leave it, then walk slow through the cover. Keep an eye on the map.

Getting in and staying out: unit 9

Named routes and what they need

Forest Service Road 310 — 8.6 mi · High-clearance
Redlands Ranch Road — 6.1 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
Boundary Road — 6 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
US 180 — 4.9 mi · Paved (all rigs)
South Spruce Road — 4.5 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
Willaha Road — 4.3 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

Tusayan — 9.6 mi · no services listed
Valle — 12.9 mi · lodging
Grand Canyon Village — 15.3 mi · no services listed
Red Lake — 32.8 mi · fuel
Cameron — 38.3 mi · fuel, groceries, lodging

Developed camps

Unnamed camp site
Long Jim Loop Camping
Sage Valley Mobile Home Park
Wander Camp Grand Canyon · Fee
Unnamed camp site · Free

Season weather and signal

Jan44° / 18° · 1.3" precip
Aug83° / 51° · 2.1" precip
Sep77° / 43° · 1.4" precip
Oct66° / 32° · 1.3" precip
Nov54° / 23° · 0.7" precip
Dec44° / 16° · 0.9" 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.

Pro Members Only

Unlock elk tactics for Unit 9

Upgrade to Pro — $49/yr

Elk Success Rates

Rifle25%

Archery18%

Unit 9 elk success rates average 15-25% for rifle and 6-12% for archery. The lower-elevation terrain and moderate-to-high pressure keep success rates below premium units. However, the unit produces steady results for prepared hunters. Bull quality is average with occasional 270-290 class animals.

Elk Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts (n/p)
Rifle — Early Rifle bull/buck only (combined pool)	90	4,014	2.0%	—
Rifle — Late Rifle Nov bull/buck only (combined pool)	225	1,241	12.5%	—
Rifle — General Rifle Oct antlerless (combined pool)	350	916	25.9%	—
Rifle — Late Rifle Dec antlerless (combined pool)	350	332	59.9%	—
Rifle — General Rifle Oct antlerless (combined pool)	150	291	32.0%	—
Rifle — Late Rifle Dec bull/buck only (combined pool)	250	1,366	12.5%	—
Early Archery — bull/buck only (combined pool)	90	4,014	2.0%	—
Late Archery Nov — bull/buck only (combined pool)	40	75	20.0%	—
Muzzleloader — Early Muzzleloader bull/buck only (combined pool)	20	1,890	1.0%	—

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

Unit 9 elk tags require 5-10 bonus points for rifle. The unit is moderately competitive. The vast size of the Coconino Plateau means you can find elbow room even with moderate tag allocation. Archery tags are more accessible. A reasonable mid-tier application choice for Arizona elk.

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 9

Unit 9 offers mule deer hunting across the Coconino Plateau west of Flagstaff within the Kaibab NF. The pinyon-juniper woodland and grassland habitats between 5,000 and 7,000 feet support a healthy deer population. Bucks here thrive in the PJ and sage terrain near Seligman and Ashfork, using Cataract Canyon and other drainages for security cover.

Where to Find Unit 9 Mule Deer: Skinner Ridge, the Coconino Rim and the Sage Openings

AZGFD's unit guide says mule deer live across most of Unit 9, but the highest densities are in the ponderosa pine and pinyon-juniper woodlands. The unit covers about 1,067 square miles and runs from 5,591 to 7,412 feet. About 60 percent is national forest, 8 percent is State Trust, and 32 percent is private or other. Know which side of a boundary you're on. The deer permit is a combined hunt with Unit 7, so you can use it in either unit. We'd still stay put and learn this one.

Skinner Ridge: start here

Skinner Ridge tops out at 7,252 feet and mixes ponderosa, pinyon-juniper and scattered sagebrush. The guide calls deer density high along it, especially in years when the Gambel oaks drop acorns. No acorns? Look for cliffrose. That becomes an important deer food as fall wears on, and it's what we'd go find on a poor mast year.

Coconino Rim and the canyon pockets

The Coconino Rim is mostly ponderosa with scattered oaks and junipers, and the guide says it can hold lots of deer. It's full of big and small canyons. If acorns are present, work the oak thickets along the rim. The area is closed to OHVs, so only boots get you in and out.

Red Butte and the Anita country

Red Butte (7,324 feet) is pinyon-juniper and sagebrush with no roads except around the perimeter. That keeps out hunters who don't want to walk. The Anita area sits near forest roads 347 and 306 heading north toward the Grand Canyon National Park boundary. It's mostly pinyon-juniper and sagebrush, and AZGFD says it can hold good concentrations once cold or snowy weather pushes deer toward heavy browse. It also draws hunters. The guide treats that as a plus, since they move deer around.

West side and the walk-in corners

The west side is pinyon-juniper with big sagebrush openings. Some years it holds high densities. The main roads are 306, 328 and 335. Pressure is heavy on opening weekend and tapers by the end. It can also be dry, and the guide says to check the limited waterholes for sign.

For solitude, the Bucklar Ranch to Cabin Tank country is ponderosa with dense pinyon pockets. It sees little pressure after opening weekend. The Harbison Ranch to Peterson Flats country is thick, somewhat difficult to hunt, and has small openings that deer use at first and last light.

What to skip

Grand Canyon National Park is on the north end, and hunting isn't allowed there. The boundary is fenced and signed, but some forest roads run parallel to it and some enter the park. Check your map before you drive north.

Unit 9 terrain and land status

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

The lay of it

5,591–7,412 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 6,320 ft ; peaks can run higher.
1,066.9 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

301 tanks
2 springs
1,957 stream segments
2 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: Red Butte (7,324 ft), Skinner Ridge (7,252 ft), Dog Knobs (6,936 ft), Double Top (6,823 ft)

Holding ground: Peterson Flat (6,815 ft), Long Jim Canyon (6,574 ft), Upper Basin (6,521 ft), Cataract Well, Little Well

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 9 Mule Deer: Glass the Openings, Walk the Closures, Follow the Weather

Unit 9 rewards a split approach. Glass where the country opens, and still-hunt where it doesn't. Our data shows 22 percent rifle success, which tells us most hunters aren't doing either one well.

Glass the west-side sage openings

AZGFD's guide says the west side suits binoculars, because you can catch deer crossing the big sagebrush openings. Pick a vantage and let the country come to you. Our landform data lists Dog Knobs (6,936 feet) and Double Top (6,823 feet) as glassing summits on public land. Double Knobs, Red Hill and Howard Hill also look like good perches, but our data flags them as not public. Don't plan a sit on them. Roads 306, 328 and 335 get a crowd on opening weekend, so expect to share and plan your glassing around that.

Use first and last light in the thick stuff

Around Harbison Ranch and Peterson Flats the woodland is dense. The guide says deer use the small scattered openings at first and last light. Be at the edge of one before there's legal light, and stay until it's gone. Midday there is mostly a waste of boot leather.

Let mast and weather pick your spot

On Skinner Ridge and the Coconino Rim, check the Gambel oaks first. If acorns are down, hunt the oak thickets. If not, shift to cliffrose on Skinner. If a cold or snowy front shows up, we'd head toward the Anita country, where deer move toward heavy browse. Other hunters there will push deer around, so sit a good escape route and let them come to you. Water is thin some years on the west side, so check the limited waterholes for sign before committing to a sit.

Retrieval rules and reporting

Plan for a drag. Only motorized retrieval of elk is permitted in Unit 9, and motorized retrieval of deer isn't allowed on national forest land here. Red Butte and the Coconino Rim are also closed to OHVs, and you can't drive off-road to retrieve game there. Pack a game cart or a partner. Elk and pronghorn share this ground, so confirm what's in front of you before you shoot.

Archery nonpermit-tag hunters must report a deer online at www.azgfd.gov/ArcheryDeerReport or by phone at 623-236-7961 within 48 hours. When the harvest limit is reported, the unit closes at sundown the following Wednesday. Check before you hunt each day.

Getting in and staying out: unit 9

Named routes and what they need

Forest Service Road 310 — 8.6 mi · High-clearance
Redlands Ranch Road — 6.1 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
Boundary Road — 6 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
US 180 — 4.9 mi · Paved (all rigs)
South Spruce Road — 4.5 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
Willaha Road — 4.3 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

Tusayan — 9.6 mi · no services listed
Valle — 12.9 mi · lodging
Grand Canyon Village — 15.3 mi · no services listed
Red Lake — 32.8 mi · fuel
Cameron — 38.3 mi · fuel, groceries, lodging

Developed camps

Unnamed camp site
Long Jim Loop Camping
Sage Valley Mobile Home Park
Wander Camp Grand Canyon · Fee
Unnamed camp site · Free

Season weather and signal

Jan44° / 18° · 1.3" precip
Aug83° / 51° · 2.1" precip
Sep77° / 43° · 1.4" precip
Oct66° / 32° · 1.3" precip
Nov54° / 23° · 0.7" precip
Dec44° / 16° · 0.9" 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.

Pro Members Only

Unlock mule deer tactics for Unit 9

Upgrade to Pro — $49/yr

Mule Deer Success Rates

Rifle22%

Rifle success for mule deer in Unit 9 averages 20-30%. The vast PJ plateau and canyon terrain make locating deer challenging but reward skilled glassers. Buck quality is average with occasional 150-165 class bucks from the PJ country.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts (n/p)
Rifle — Late Rifle Nov bull/buck only (combined pool)	1100	2,615	30.1%	—
Rifle — General Rifle Oct bull/buck only (combined pool)	10	39	15.4%	—

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 9 mule deer tags require 3-7 bonus points for rifle. The unit is moderately accessible and offers a reasonable draw timeline for Arizona mule deer. Good option for hunters looking for public-land deer without waiting decades for a premium unit tag.

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 9

Unit 9 is a north-central Arizona pronghorn unit covering the country south of Flagstaff, managed under AZGFD hunt guidelines. Pronghorn tag quotas are tightly controlled and set annually based on population surveys. Draws use Arizona's weighted random bonus point system.

Where to find pronghorn in Unit 9: Dog Knobs east, plus the open grass west of Highway 64

Dog Knobs east to the Navajo Reservation

AZGFD's own unit guide says the most pronghorn habitat in Unit 9 runs from the Dog Knobs east to the Navajo Reservation. We'd start there. Dog Knobs tops out at 6,936 feet and sits on public land in our terrain data, which makes it a natural glassing perch. Red Butte (7,324 feet), Skinner Ridge (7,252) and Double Top (6,823) are also public-land high points we'd put optics on.

This is the east side of Highway 64, bordering Unit 7 to the south. It's pinyon-juniper with open grassland in between. The guide admits it's tougher to hunt than the west, but says the thicker habitat may give you better-quality bucks. That's the trade. More work, maybe a bigger animal.

Forest Road 320 and the Highway 180 side

The main way in off Highway 64 is Forest Road 320 at milepost 224. From Highway 180 there are several routes, mostly across state and private land that isn't numbered. Know exactly where the boundaries sit before you leave the pavement. Forest Service Road 310 (8.6 miles) is rated high-clearance, so don't plan on a low-slung truck.

Willaha Road and Anita Road on the west side

West of Highway 64 out to Cataract Canyon, the boundary with Unit 10, you get very open grassland. The guide calls it ideal for glassing wide-open country. Willaha Road leaves Highway 64 at milepost 221 and is the main access to the west part. Forest Road 347, the Anita Road, goes west at milepost 228. Willaha is graded gravel that a 2WD rig or small trailer can handle.

Where the animals hold

Our landform data flags Peterson Flat (6,815 feet), Long Jim Canyon (6,574), and Upper Basin (6,521) as public-land holding country. Blue Stem Wash (6,122) is a travel route. Glass those first. The data also lists Antelope Flat, Molly Ann Draw, Little Harpo Canyon and the hills called Double Knobs, Red Hill and Howard Hill, but it marks them as not public land. Don't walk into them without permission.

Country to skip

The guide says the southwest portion has access problems. The landowner there has many areas posted "No Trespassing," and you'll be cited for ignoring the signs. Access is also blocked in places east of Valle and north of Highway 180. The Babbitt Ranch sections in the southeast fall under the Landowner Compact. You must register online and get a ranch pass before you step on that ground.

The guide says pronghorn are scattered through the central and southern parts of the unit, and that most habitat is on state and private land. National Forest is about 60 percent of the unit on paper, so the animals often sit where the public-land boundary gets complicated.

Unit 9 terrain and land status

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

The lay of it

5,591–7,412 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 6,320 ft ; peaks can run higher.
1,066.9 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

301 tanks
2 springs
1,957 stream segments
2 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: Red Butte (7,324 ft), Skinner Ridge (7,252 ft), Dog Knobs (6,936 ft), Double Top (6,823 ft)

Holding ground: Peterson Flat (6,815 ft), Long Jim Canyon (6,574 ft), Upper Basin (6,521 ft), Cataract Well, Little Well

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 9 pronghorn: glass high, stalk the cover, mind the rules

The numbers favor you. Rifle success in our data is 82 percent, and AZGFD's guide says hunter success has been high and it expects that to continue. Archery sits at 48 percent. Still high for a bow, but it's the more demanding hunt, and you should plan for it.

Glass from Dog Knobs and the other high points

Get up early and put your optics on a high point like Dog Knobs, Red Butte or Skinner Ridge. Sit still. Pronghorn groups are usually does with one dominant buck, so look for the herd first, then pick the buck out of it. On the west side you can often do this from the Willaha or Anita road corridors, because the grassland is so open. On the east side, the pinyon-juniper breaks up your view, so glass the open parks between the trees and glass them slowly.

Stalking the east side

The thicker habitat east of Highway 64 helps a stalker. Use the juniper edges and drainages like Blue Stem Wash to close the distance. Go slow and keep terrain between you and the herd. Archery hunters should have the most luck here, since cover is what gets you inside bow range. Rifle hunters have the easier job on the west grass, but you'll have to make a longer shot.

Water

The unit has 301 tanks and two named springs, Cataract Well and Little Well. Watch the water, but don't camp within a quarter mile of a waterhole. AZGFD lists that as one of the common violations on pronghorn hunts.

Identify the buck, then check behind him

A legal buck has a black cheek patch and horns longer than his ear. Pronghorn often bunch up right before they run, so make sure no other animal is standing behind your target. The guide lists wounding other pronghorn through bad backgrounds as a common problem. Wait for the clean shot.

Retrieval and travel rules

This one catches people. On national forest land in Unit 9, only elk can be retrieved with a motor. For pronghorn, you pack or drag the animal out by hand. Stay on designated roads shown on the Kaibab National Forest Motor Vehicle Use Map, and don't drive cross-country. The guide lists that as another common violation.

A realistic day looks like this: glass at first light, spot a herd, work a stalk through the cover, and carry out the meat. Save a few hours for the walk back.

Getting in and staying out: unit 9

Named routes and what they need

Forest Service Road 310 — 8.6 mi · High-clearance
Redlands Ranch Road — 6.1 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
Boundary Road — 6 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
US 180 — 4.9 mi · Paved (all rigs)
South Spruce Road — 4.5 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
Willaha Road — 4.3 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

Tusayan — 9.6 mi · no services listed
Valle — 12.9 mi · lodging
Grand Canyon Village — 15.3 mi · no services listed
Red Lake — 32.8 mi · fuel
Cameron — 38.3 mi · fuel, groceries, lodging

Developed camps

Unnamed camp site
Long Jim Loop Camping
Sage Valley Mobile Home Park
Wander Camp Grand Canyon · Fee
Unnamed camp site · Free

Season weather and signal

Jan44° / 18° · 1.3" precip
Aug83° / 51° · 2.1" precip
Sep77° / 43° · 1.4" precip
Oct66° / 32° · 1.3" precip
Nov54° / 23° · 0.7" precip
Dec44° / 16° · 0.9" 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.

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.

Pro Members Only

Unlock Pro tactics

Upgrade to Pro — $49/yr

Pronghorn Success Rates

Rifle82%

Archery48%

Arizona pronghorn hunts typically produce strong rifle success. Review the AZGFD annual hunt arizona report for current Unit 9 harvest statistics.

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts (n/p)
Rifle — General Rifle Oct bull/buck only (combined pool)	25	1,703	1.2%	—
Early Archery — bull/buck only (combined pool)	5	109	0.9%	—

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Pronghorn tags in Unit 9 are limited and draws are competitive. The weighted random bonus point system rewards point accumulation. Residents receive 90 percent of tags.

Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 9

The 9/10 combined bighorn hunt covers the Kaibab Plateau rim country and Marble Gorge cliffs on the north side of the Grand Canyon — legendary desert bighorn country along the Colorado River. With only 1 tag per year against ~315 recent 3-year applicants, this is the deepest bighorn draw in Arizona. The terrain is extraordinary: 3,000-ft cliff systems, side canyons with permanent water, and classic shelf-and-ledge bighorn topography. Per AZGFD, this hunt typically produces a 175+ B&C ram thanks to minimal pressure and exceptional habitat.

Where to find bighorn on the Coconino Plateau

Here's the catch up front. AZGFD's unit 9 guide (April 8, 2025) doesn't break the unit down by area, and its species list shows pronghorn, elk, mule deer, Merriam's turkey and tree squirrel. Bighorn aren't on it. So we can't hand you a sheep honey hole from the agency's words. Call the Flagstaff regional office before you scout, and ask where sheep have actually been seen. What follows is built from terrain, ownership and access facts, and it's a scouting frame, not a promise.

Cataract Canyon and Long Jim Canyon

Cataract Canyon cuts through the interior of the unit. That's the kind of broken country we'd check first for sheep on a plateau that's otherwise pinyon-juniper and open parks. Long Jim Canyon sits at 6,574 feet on public ground, and we read it as holding country. Cataract Well and Little Well are the two named springs in our data. Start your glassing near them, because water on a dry plateau pulls everything in.

Red Butte, Skinner Ridge and the high points

The best vantage on public land is the high stuff. Red Butte tops out at 7,324 feet and Skinner Ridge at 7,252. Dog Knobs (6,936) and Double Top (6,823) are lower but still give you a view over the canyon edges. All four are on public land. Below them, Peterson Flat (6,815) and Upper Basin (6,521) look like holding ground. Blue Stem Wash, at 6,122, reads as a travel corridor. Glass the walls above these, not the flats themselves.

Country to skip, or at least verify

About 60 percent of the unit is national forest. State trust is 8 percent, and private or other is 32 percent. Several named features are not public land in our data: Double Knobs, Red Hill, Howard Hill, Antelope Flat, Molly Ann Draw and Little Harpo Canyon. Little Harpo, at 5,413 feet, is the low end of the range. Don't plan a stalk through any of them without confirmed access. Check ownership on a land map before you commit.

Roads in

US 180 and AZ 64 are the paved routes along the unit boundary. Redlands Ranch Road (6.1 miles), Boundary Road (6 miles), South Spruce Road (4.5) and Willaha Road (4.3) are graded gravel that a 2WD rig and small trailer can handle. Forest Service Road 310 runs 8.6 miles and needs high clearance. Elevation runs 5,591 to 7,412 feet. The packet has no season dates or weather, so we can't say where sheep sit early versus late. Scout both the high points and the canyon water before you lock in a plan.

Unit 9 terrain and land status

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

The lay of it

5,591–7,412 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 6,320 ft ; peaks can run higher.
1,066.9 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

301 tanks
2 springs
1,957 stream segments
2 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: Red Butte (7,324 ft), Skinner Ridge (7,252 ft), Dog Knobs (6,936 ft), Double Top (6,823 ft)

Holding ground: Peterson Flat (6,815 ft), Long Jim Canyon (6,574 ft), Upper Basin (6,521 ft), Cataract Well, Little Well

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 bighorn on unit 9

Plan this one as a glassing hunt. The plateau is big, 1,066.9 square miles, and the sheep country we can identify is a small piece of it.

Glass from Red Butte and Skinner Ridge

Get to a high point before light. Red Butte and Skinner Ridge both top 7,200 feet and are on public land. Dog Knobs and Double Top are good second-choice perches. Sit and glass the canyon edges and rim rock while the early light is low. Then move on. If you've covered one vantage for two mornings with nothing, shift to the next drainage. Don't grind on empty country.

Use the water, but don't trust it blindly

Cataract Well and Little Well are the only named springs in the data. The unit does show 301 mapped tanks, but we can't tell you which ones hold water or which ones sheep use. Treat the springs as places to watch from a distance and tanks as things to verify on the ground. Don't camp on water.

Retrieval is on foot

This is the agency's warning that matters most. The Kaibab National Forest travel rule allows motorized use only on designated routes shown on the Motor Vehicle Use Map. AZGFD's guide says only elk can be retrieved by motor in unit 9. Motorized retrieval of bighorn on national forest land isn't permitted. So whatever you shoot, you're packing it out on your back. Pick your stalk with the carry in mind. Get the MVUM free from a Forest Service office before you go.

Know what you're looking at

The guide lists elk, mule deer and pronghorn as the animals here. Be sure of your target before you squeeze. We'd rather you pass than guess.

What a realistic day looks like

Park off a graded road like Redlands Ranch Road or Boundary Road. FS 310 works if you've got the clearance. We can't say from the packet which road reaches which landform, so lay the MVUM over the ridges before you go. Hike to a high point in the dark and glass until midday. Then reposition toward Long Jim Canyon or one of the springs. The only success figure we have is 75 percent for rifle, and the packet gives no permit numbers or weapon splits. Don't read too much into it. Cover ground on foot, and know who owns it before you step onto it.

Getting in and staying out: unit 9

Named routes and what they need

Forest Service Road 310 — 8.6 mi · High-clearance
Redlands Ranch Road — 6.1 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
Boundary Road — 6 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
US 180 — 4.9 mi · Paved (all rigs)
South Spruce Road — 4.5 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
Willaha Road — 4.3 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

Tusayan — 9.6 mi · no services listed
Valle — 12.9 mi · lodging
Grand Canyon Village — 15.3 mi · no services listed
Red Lake — 32.8 mi · fuel
Cameron — 38.3 mi · fuel, groceries, lodging

Developed camps

Unnamed camp site
Long Jim Loop Camping
Sage Valley Mobile Home Park
Wander Camp Grand Canyon · Fee
Unnamed camp site · Free

Season weather and signal

Jan44° / 18° · 1.3" precip
Aug83° / 51° · 2.1" precip
Sep77° / 43° · 1.4" precip
Oct66° / 32° · 1.3" precip
Nov54° / 23° · 0.7" precip
Dec44° / 16° · 0.9" 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.

Bighorn Sheep: 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 9/10 bighorn tactics

Upgrade to Pro — $49/yr

Bighorn Sheep Success Rates

Rifle75%

Unit 9/10 bighorn hunts run near 100% success given the pre-hunt support and a 1-tag allocation. Ram quality is among the finest in North America — 175-190 B&C class rams are taken most years. A true once-in-a-lifetime hunt.

Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts (n/p)
Rifle — General Rifle Oct bull/buck only (combined pool)	1	323	0.3%	—
Rifle — General Rifle bull/buck only (combined pool)	1	306	0.3%	—
Rifle — Late Rifle Dec bull/buck only (combined pool)	1	288	0.0%	—

Open in Draw Odds Engine

The deepest Arizona bighorn draw. Only 1 tag against ~315 recent 3-year applicants via the weighted bonus-point system with Hunter Education bonus. Most successful applicants hold 25+ bonus points; the random component means a low-point hunter occasionally wins. Plan to apply every year for life.

Turkey Hunting in Unit 9

Unit 9 spans the southern Kaibab Plateau and surrounding House Rock Valley country north of the Grand Canyon, running from the Kaibab National Forest onto BLM grazing allotments. Merriam's turkeys occupy the ponderosa pine ridges and aspen-fir drainages along the South Kaibab, with spring gobblers roosting in the big yellow pines near Jacob Lake and along FR 22. With ~130 tags across three years against 289 applicants, Unit 9 turkey is a realistic mid-odds draw and one of the more scenic Merriam's hunts in the Southwest. We treat this unit as a classic ponderosa-roost hunt where scouting pays off.

Skinner Ridge, the tank country and the green-up line

Unit 9 covers 1,066.9 square miles, and AZGFD's own unit guide says turkey numbers have declined in recent years. Birds aren't spread evenly. They want ponderosa pine mixed with Gambel oak, and the guide calls water a critical factor in a unit that can get very dry. About 60 percent of the ground is national forest, so most of what follows is Kaibab public land.

Skinner Ridge first

AZGFD lists Skinner Ridge first, tied to FRs 688, 305A, 2732, 304 and 343. It tops out at 7,252 feet in a unit that averages 6,320 and maxes at 7,412. We'd start here, especially as spring wears on. The guide says turkeys slowly move to the high country, following the green up. Red Butte (7,324 feet) is also public and high. Use it to listen across a lot of country, not to hunt from.

Hull Tank, Grandview and the FR 310 corridor

The guide sends hunters to Grandview and Hull Tank off FRs 301, 310, 307 and 2719. It also names Red Horse Tank to Skousen Tank off FRs 339, 310, 311, 320 and 2752. FR 310 shows up in both lists. Our road data rates its 8.6 miles high-clearance, so plan the truck accordingly. The unit holds 301 mapped tanks, but only two named springs: Cataract Well and Little Well. Tanks are where you'll start your search for birds.

Camp 36 and Ten X

Camp 36 is tied to FRs 301, 301A, 317, 902 and 684. Ten X uses FRs 302, 303, 688 and 2709. The guide doesn't say how either one holds birds, so you'll have to scout them. Our landform data also shows public holding ground at Peterson Flat (6,815 feet), Long Jim Canyon (6,574) and Upper Basin (6,521). The guide doesn't tie those names to turkeys. We'd check them for green feed and water, not count on them.

Country to skip

About 32 percent of the unit is private or other land, and 8 percent is state trust. Our data flags Antelope Flat, Molly Ann Draw, Little Harpo Canyon, Double Knobs, Red Hill and Howard Hill as not public. Don't plan a hunt around them. Winter turkeys use pinyon-juniper with ponderosa stringers, but in spring we'd leave the lower juniper country, such as Blue Stem Wash at 6,122 feet, for later. The greener pine is the better bet.

Unit 9 terrain and land status

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

The lay of it

5,591–7,412 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 6,320 ft ; peaks can run higher.
1,066.9 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

301 tanks
2 springs
1,957 stream segments
2 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: Red Butte (7,324 ft), Skinner Ridge (7,252 ft), Dog Knobs (6,936 ft), Double Top (6,823 ft)

Holding ground: Peterson Flat (6,815 ft), Long Jim Canyon (6,574 ft), Upper Basin (6,521 ft), Cataract Well, Little Well

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

Roost, gobble, call: working Unit 9's spring toms

AZGFD's guide keeps the plan simple. The spring season is for bearded turkeys only, and the successful hunters scout roost areas and listen for toms gobbling from or near their roosts. Calling is the most effective method, because toms are actively seeking females to breed. We'd build the whole day around that.

Find the roost before the hunt

Don't burn your first morning wandering. Pick a ridge like Skinner Ridge, or a road corridor like FR 310 near Hull Tank, and listen at first light. Our landform data lists Red Butte (7,324 feet) and Skinner Ridge as high public points, so they should carry sound over a long way. Mark where birds gobble, then set up close to that spot. Since toms are looking for hens, a bird that answers will often come to you.

Follow the green, then the water

Early on, check the greenest ponderosa pockets you can reach. As the season goes on, push higher, because the guide says turkeys follow the green up. In dry stretches, water decides it. Work from Hull Tank, Red Horse Tank and Skousen Tank outward. We'd walk the pine edges around them before committing to one drainage. The guide covers fall hunts too. For those, look for Gambel oak acorns, because that's where the birds will be feeding.

Retrieval and road rules

Kaibab's Travel Management Rule allows motorized use only on designated roads, trails and areas shown on the Motor Vehicle Use Map. Get the free MVUM before you go. The guide says only elk may be retrieved by motor in Unit 9, and that other wildlife isn't covered on national forest land. For

Getting in and staying out: unit 9

Named routes and what they need

Forest Service Road 310 — 8.6 mi · High-clearance
Redlands Ranch Road — 6.1 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
Boundary Road — 6 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
US 180 — 4.9 mi · Paved (all rigs)
South Spruce Road — 4.5 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
Willaha Road — 4.3 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

Tusayan — 9.6 mi · no services listed
Valle — 12.9 mi · lodging
Grand Canyon Village — 15.3 mi · no services listed
Red Lake — 32.8 mi · fuel
Cameron — 38.3 mi · fuel, groceries, lodging

Developed camps

Unnamed camp site
Long Jim Loop Camping
Sage Valley Mobile Home Park
Wander Camp Grand Canyon · Fee
Unnamed camp site · Free

Season weather and signal

Jan44° / 18° · 1.3" precip
Aug83° / 51° · 2.1" precip
Sep77° / 43° · 1.4" precip
Oct66° / 32° · 1.3" precip
Nov54° / 23° · 0.7" precip
Dec44° / 16° · 0.9" 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.

Pro Members Only

Unlock Turkey tactics for Unit 9

Upgrade to Pro — $49/yr

Turkey Success Rates

Unit 9 spring Merriam's hunts typically post 30–45% success — slightly below the Flagstaff-area units because of lower road density and harsher weather at 7,500+ feet, but bird quality and solitude make it a premier Merriam's experience. Fall hunts (when offered) run 15–25% as flocks scatter.

Turkey Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts (n/p)
Shotgun — Spring bearded turkey (combined pool)	20	112	12.5%	—
Shotgun — Fall either sex (combined pool)	20	77	26.0%	—
Rifle — Spring either sex (combined pool)	20	112	12.5%	—

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Unit 9 turkey is a mid-odds draw. Arizona uses a weighted bonus-point system with Hunter Education bonus — 20% of tags go to max-point holders first, then 80% flow through a random weighted draw. With ~130 tags across three years against 289 applicants, residents typically draw with 1–3 bonus points. Nonresidents face a 10% tag cap and may need slightly more points. The hunter-ed bonus ticket adds a meaningful edge for first-time applicants.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

🚐

RV Sites

Limited developed sites. Dispersed camping on Kaibab NF land. Some pulloff sites along forest roads.

⛺

Camp Sites

Dispersed camping on Kaibab NF land across the Coconino Plateau. Flat, open sites in the PJ woodland are abundant.

🛻

Trailer Access

I-40 provides paved access along the north side. Forest roads vary — many require high clearance.

💧

Water

Carry all water. Seligman or Ashfork for resupply. This is dry plateau country.

🛣️

Road Conditions

I-40 provides paved access. Forest roads off the highway range from graded to rough two-track. Some require 4WD. The unit is vast with limited road networks in the interior.

🥾

Terrain Difficulty

Moderate. Gently rolling PJ plateau with steep canyon terrain around Cataract Canyon and other drainages.

👥

Hunting Pressure

Low to moderate. The unit is large enough that pressure disperses. Interior areas away from I-40 access see less traffic.

🌦️

Weather

Fall temps 25-65°F at 5,000-7,000 feet. Significant temperature swings between day and night. Wind can be persistent across the open plateau.

📱

Cell Service

Some coverage near I-40 corridor and Seligman/Ashfork. None in the interior plateau and canyons.

🏘️

Nearest Town

Seligman (very limited services). Ashfork (limited). Flagstaff (60 min east on I-40) for full services.

Pro Members Only

Unlock logistics for Unit 9

Upgrade to Pro — $49/yr

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Unit 9 good for a first Arizona elk hunt?

Unit 9 is a reasonable starting point with moderate draw requirements and accessible terrain. However, the high hunting pressure and lower-elevation conditions make it more challenging than some alternatives. Hunters should be prepared for warm weather and arid conditions.

How does hunting pressure affect elk in Unit 9?

Elk in Unit 9 are highly conditioned to pressure due to proximity to population centers. They move away from roads quickly and use canyon systems for security cover. Success improves dramatically for hunters who distance themselves from road corridors.

Is Unit 9 a trophy mule deer unit?

Unit 9 is not considered a trophy unit. It offers consistent opportunity for average-to-above-average bucks in the 140-165 class. The value is in reasonable draw odds and accessible public land rather than record-book potential.

What is the biggest challenge hunting deer in Unit 9?

The vast PJ woodland and canyon terrain make locating and approaching deer challenging. The unit is large and deer can be widely scattered across the Coconino Plateau. Patience with optics, willingness to cover ground, and focusing on water sources are key.

How hard is the Unit 9 pronghorn draw?

Unit 9 pronghorn draws are competitive and typically require multiple bonus points to have a realistic chance under the weighted random system.

When is the pronghorn season in Unit 9?

Arizona pronghorn seasons are typically held in September. Confirm exact dates in the current AZGFD pronghorn regulations.

Is the 9/10 bighorn hunt the hardest to draw in Arizona?

Among the hardest. With only 1 tag per year against ~315 applicants via the weighted bonus-point system with Hunter Education bonus, expected wait is effectively lifetime. Apply every year and protect the loyalty bonus.

Do I need a boat for the 9/10 hunt?

Not required, but a boat from Lee's Ferry gives access to the Colorado corridor that overland approaches can't match. Many successful 9/10 tag holders combine overland scouting with boat-based retrievals.

How many bonus points do I need for an AZ Unit 9 turkey tag?

Residents commonly draw Unit 9 turkey with 1–3 bonus points. Nonresidents may need 2–4 given the 10% cap. Arizona's hunter-education bonus ticket gives certified applicants an extra chance.

When is the best time to roost turkeys in Unit 9?

The evening before opening day. Drive FR 22 and the secondary spurs from an hour before sunset until dark, listening for wing-flap and gobble in the big ponderosa drainages.

Is SR-67 open for the spring turkey season?

SR-67 to the North Rim typically closes mid-December and reopens mid-May. Spring turkey hunters rely on US-89A and FR 22 to access the southern plateau.

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

Plan Your Hunt with ProHunt Pro

Unlock advanced tactics, the Tag-to-Trail Planner, AI hunt strategy assistant, and personalized camp and trip execution plans.

Upgrade to Pro — $49/yr

Sources & Verification

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

GMU 9 — 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 9 — 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 Hunt Guidelines — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Hunt structure, Pronghorn tag allocations · accessed 2026-04-17
AZGFD Hunt Regulations — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Season dates, Unit boundaries · accessed 2026-04-17
AZGFD Draw Results & Bonus Points — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Bonus point balances, Pronghorn draw outcomes · accessed 2026-04-17
2026 Arizona Hunting Regulations — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Combined bighorn hunt structure, Tag allocation, Season · accessed 2026-04-17
Grand Canyon National Park — Boundary and Access Info — National Park Service · supports: Park boundary (no hunting inside), Boat access via Lee's Ferry, North Rim access · accessed 2026-04-17
AZGFD Turkey Hunting — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Merriam's turkey distribution on the Kaibab Plateau, Spring and fall turkey seasons, Unit 9 tag allocation framework, Hunter-education bonus ticket · accessed 2026-04-17
Kaibab National Forest — North Kaibab Ranger District — USDA Forest Service · supports: South Kaibab road network, Dispersed camping rules, Motor Vehicle Use Map · accessed 2026-04-17