Unit 23 elk hunting: 2026 hunts, harvest and draw
AZGFD's 2026 Pronghorn and Elk booklet lists 10 elk hunts open in Unit 23, with 785 permits in all. The largest is hunt 3030, bull elk, November 27 to December 3, with 210 permits. On the 10 hunts held only in Unit 23 in 2025, AZGFD's harvest survey counts 645 hunters and 298 elk taken; AZGFD lists 150 of them as bulls and 146 as cows and calves.
Data updated October 2026. Hunts: AZGFD's 2026 Pronghorn and Elk booklet. Harvest: AZGFD harvest summaries, 2021 to 2025. Draw: AZGFD's 2025 report.
National forestAZGFD landTribal land (tribal permit)Unit 23Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 23 |
|---|---|
| AZGFD region | Region 6, Mesa |
| Elk hunts, 2026 | 10 (785 permits) |
| Hunt types | general and archery only |
| Earliest season | September 11 to September 24 (hunt 3148) |
| Elk taken on its own hunts, 2025 | 298 by 645 hunters |
| 2025 draw, first-choice applicants | 11,224 for 785 permits issued |
| Public land open to hunting | 98.1%, mostly national forest |
What elk hunts does Unit 23 have in 2026?
10 hunts: 6 general and 4 archery only. 10 are held only in Unit 23. Permits are AZGFD's numbers for the whole hunt.
| Hunt | Type | Season, 2026 | Legal animal | Permits | Open area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3008 | General | Sep 25 to Oct 1 | Bull elk | 25 | 23 North |
| 3009 | General | Sep 25 to Oct 1 | Bull elk | 10 | 23 South |
| 3030 | General | Nov 27 to Dec 3 | Bull elk | 210 | 23 |
| 3060 | General | Oct 16 to Oct 22 | Antlerless elk | 75 | 23 |
| 3061 | General | Dec 4 to Dec 10 | Antlerless elk | 100 | 23 |
| 3072 | General | Oct 9 to Oct 15 | Antlerless elk | 100 | 23 |
| 3148 | Archery only | Sep 11 to Sep 24 | Bull elk | 25 | 23 North |
| 3149 | Archery only | Sep 11 to Sep 24 | Bull elk | 15 | 23 South |
| 3166 | Archery only | Nov 13 to Nov 26 | Bull elk | 200 | 23 |
| 3187 | Archery only | Nov 13 to Nov 26 | Antlerless elk | 25 | 23 |
Source: AZGFD 2026 Pronghorn and Elk Hunt Draw Information, PDF pages 15, 16, 18 and 19. Note numbers refer to AZGFD's printed notes, which set boundaries and restrictions; read them before you apply.
How many elk are harvested in Unit 23?
Year by year, the hunts held only in Unit 23. Hunter and harvest totals are sums of AZGFD's figures for those hunts.
| Year | Hunts | Hunters | Hunter days | Bulls and spikes | Cows and calves | Elk taken | Elk per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | 645 | 3,132 | 150 | 146 | 298 | 46 |
| 2024 | 10 | 583 | 3,367 | 139 | 102 | 241 | 41 |
| 2023 | 10 | 661 | 3,235 | 171 | 134 | 305 | 46 |
| 2022 | 10 | 661 | 3,381 | 170 | 117 | 284 | 43 |
| 2021 | 10 | 635 | 3,009 | 125 | 137 | 265 | 42 |
Elk per 100 hunters is worked out from AZGFD's own hunter and harvest figures for the same hunts.
Every hunt that included Unit 23, as AZGFD reported it:
| Hunt | Type | Area | Permits issued | Hunters | Hunter days | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Harvest | Success (AZGFD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3148 | Archery only | 23 North | 26 | 25 | 246 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 52% |
| 3149 | Archery only | 23 South | 12 | 11 | 102 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 45% |
| 3166 | Archery only | 23 | 190 | 164 | 1,157 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 10% |
| 3187 | Archery only | 23 | 25 | 23 | 93 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9% |
| 3009 | General | 23 North | 25 | 25 | 80 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 92% |
| 3010 | General | 23 South | 9 | 8 | 31 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 75% |
| 3030 | General | 23 | 190 | 149 | 592 | 86 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 88 | 59% |
| 3060 | General | 23 | 73 | 63 | 237 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 28 | 44% |
| 3061 | General | 23 | 98 | 78 | 297 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 3 | 52 | 67% |
| 3072 | Youth only | 23 | 99 | 99 | 297 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 2 | 64 | 65% |
| Hunt | Type | Area | Permits issued | Hunters | Hunter days | Bulls | Spikes | Antlerless | Harvest | Success (AZGFD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3147 | Archery only | 23 North | 18 | 16 | 152 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 50% |
| 3148 | Archery only | 23 South | 13 | 10 | 106 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 70% |
| 3165 | Archery only | 23 | 198 | 156 | 1,467 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 28 | 18% |
| 3184 | Archery only | 23 | 25 | 23 | 125 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 13% |
| 3009 | General | 23 North | 20 | 15 | 63 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 87% |
| 3010 | General | 23 South | 10 | 10 | 44 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 60% |
| 3031 | General | 23 | 148 | 112 | 500 | 77 | 0 | 0 | 77 | 69% |
| 3061 | General | 23 | 75 | 66 | 248 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 28 | 42% |
| 3062 | General | 23 | 100 | 85 | 400 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 19 | 22% |
| 3073 | Youth only | 23 | 100 | 90 | 262 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 52 | 58% |
Earlier years: 2023, 2022, 2021
| Hunt | Type | Area | Permits issued | Hunters | Hunter days | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Harvest | Success (AZGFD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3161 | Archery only | 23 North | 20 | 18 | 131 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 78% |
| 3162 | Archery only | 23 South | 15 | 15 | 145 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 67% |
| 3179 | Archery only | 23 | 199 | 179 | 1,316 | 36 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 21% |
| 3198 | Archery only | 23 | 24 | 22 | 182 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9% |
| 3009 | General | 23 North | 20 | 20 | 60 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 95% |
| 3010 | General | 23 South | 9 | 9 | 32 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 89% |
| 3030 | General | 23 | 150 | 140 | 600 | 85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 85 | 62% |
| 3060 | General | 23 | 75 | 69 | 221 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 26 | 38% |
| 3061 | General | 23 | 100 | 89 | 255 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 2 | 55 | 62% |
| 3072 | Youth only | 23 | 100 | 100 | 293 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 2 | 51 | 51% |
| Hunt | Type | Area | Permits issued | Hunters | Hunter days | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Harvest | Success (AZGFD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3169 | Archery only | 23 North | 20 | 20 | 153 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 75% |
| 3170 | Archery only | 23 South | 15 | 15 | 133 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 33% |
| 3187 | Archery only | 23 | 200 | 183 | 1,339 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 17% |
| 3206 | Archery only | 23 | 25 | 25 | 144 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 36% |
| 3007 | General | 23 North | 20 | 20 | 38 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 100% |
| 3008 | General | 23 South | 10 | 8 | 30 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 75% |
| 3028 | General | 23 | 150 | 143 | 553 | 90 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 92 | 64% |
| 3057 | General | 23 | 75 | 63 | 242 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 21 | 33% |
| 3058 | General | 23 | 100 | 94 | 396 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 0 | 47 | 50% |
| 3069 | Youth only | 23 | 100 | 90 | 353 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 3 | 37 | 41% |
| Hunt | Type | Area | Permits issued | Hunters | Hunter days | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Harvest | Success (AZGFD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3152 | Archery only | 23N | 15 | 15 | 96 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 73% |
| 3153 | Archery only | 23S | 12 | 10 | 103 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 50% |
| 3170 | Archery only | 23 | 165 | 141 | 966 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 23% |
| 3189 | Archery only | 23 | 25 | 23 | 127 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 17% |
| 3007 | General | 23N | 15 | 12 | 53 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 100% |
| 3008 | General | 23S | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| 3028 | General | 23 | 110 | 101 | 419 | 67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67 | 66% |
| 3057 | General | 23 | 98 | 87 | 321 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 2 | 27 | 31% |
| 3058 | General | 23 | 173 | 154 | 636 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 7 | 53 | 34% |
| 3069 | Youth only | 23 | 99 | 92 | 288 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 5 | 54 | 35% |
Source: AZGFD 2025 Elk Harvest Summary, AZGFD 2024 Elk Harvest Summary, AZGFD 2023 Elk Harvest Summary, AZGFD 2022 Elk Harvest Summary, AZGFD 2021 Elk Harvest Summary. Success is AZGFD's printed figure, and AZGFD's parts (bulls, cows, species) do not always add up to its harvest total; both are shown as printed. Hunt numbers change from year to year; the area column says where each hunt was. Rows AZGFD printed with a blank middle cell are left out rather than guessed.
How many hunters applied in the 2025 draw?
AZGFD's 2025 draw report lists 10 elk hunts that included Unit 23: 11,224 first-choice applications for 785 permits issued. These are 2025 counts, not a forecast.
| Hunt, 2025 | Area | Hunt type | Season | First-choice applicants | Second-choice applicants | Permits issued |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3009 | 23N | Early Bull elk | 9/26 to 10/2 | 4,045 | 2,666 | 25 |
| 3010 | 23S | Early Bull elk | 9/26 to 10/2 | 1,422 | 1,367 | 10 |
| 3030 | 23 | Bull elk | 11/28 to 12/4 | 2,757 | 2,406 | 210 |
| 3060 | 23 | Antlerless elk | 10/17 to 10/23 | 481 | 618 | 75 |
| 3061 | 23 | Antlerless elk | 12/5 to 12/11 | 214 | 425 | 100 |
| 3072 | 23 | Antlerless elk | 10/10 to 10/16 | 237 | 324 | 100 |
| 3148 | 23N | Early Bull elk | 9/12 to 9/25 | 1,296 | 842 | 25 |
| 3149 | 23S | Early Bull elk | 9/12 to 9/25 | 488 | 391 | 15 |
| 3166 | 23 | Bull elk | 11/14 to 11/27 | 254 | 312 | 200 |
| 3187 | 23 | Antlerless elk | 11/14 to 11/27 | 30 | 60 | 25 |
Source: AZGFD 2025 Elk draw report. AZGFD's report also prints a percentage column whose basis it does not state, so it is not copied here.
What did AZGFD's 2025 survey count?
In Unit 23, AZGFD's 2025 elk survey classified 169 animals in 15 groups: 17 bulls and 9 young per 100 cows.
Source: AZGFD 2025 Elk Survey Summary.
How much public land is in Unit 23?
98.1% of Unit 23 is public land open to hunting: 743,832 of 758,423 acres, the largest share national forest (743,728 acres). The Unit 23 page has the full land table, towns and roads.
Measured by FilledTag inside AZGFD's unit boundaries from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee managers). Public land open to hunting here means national forest, BLM, state trust land, AZGFD land, national wildlife refuges, national recreation areas and Bureau of Reclamation land. Tribal land, military land and national parks are counted on their own rows and left out of that figure.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk permits does Unit 23 have in 2026?
785 permits across 10 hunts in AZGFD's 2026 booklet. The largest is hunt 3030 (bull elk).
When is elk season in Unit 23 in 2026?
The first elk hunt open here starts September 11 (hunt 3148, archery only) and the last ends December 10. Each hunt's dates are in the table on this page.
How many elk were harvested in Unit 23 in 2025?
AZGFD's 2025 harvest survey counts 298 elk taken by 645 hunters on the 10 hunts held only in Unit 23, against 241 in 2024. Hunts shared with other units are counted in AZGFD's table for each hunt, not added here.
How many hunters applied for Unit 23 elk in 2025?
AZGFD's 2025 draw report counts 11,224 first-choice applications for the 10 elk hunts that included Unit 23, and 785 permits issued. AZGFD publishes no forecast for 2026; these are 2025 counts.
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Where these numbers come from
- Hunts, seasons, legal animals and permits: AZGFD 2026 Pronghorn and Elk Hunt Draw Information.
- Harvest, hunters and days: AZGFD 2025 Elk Harvest Summary, AZGFD 2024 Elk Harvest Summary, AZGFD 2023 Elk Harvest Summary, AZGFD 2022 Elk Harvest Summary, AZGFD 2021 Elk Harvest Summary.
- Draw applicants and permits: AZGFD 2025 Elk draw report.
- Unit boundaries: AZGFD game management unit boundaries. Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee managers).
FilledTag is not part of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Numbers are copied from AZGFD's published reports or measured from AZGFD and USGS maps; nothing here is estimated by FilledTag. AZGFD's regulations are the final word on every rule.