Quick Tips
- Sitting on or near water holes is effective in hot, dry weather
- Fall tree squirrel season
- Fall black bear season with harvest quota
- No rut activity during November elk seasons
- Great unit for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 140"-160" | 160"+ |
| Coues Deer | 75"-90" | 100"+ |
| Elk | 280"-320" | 330"+ |
| Antelope | 60"-75" | 80"+ |
| Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep | 165"-180" | 180"+ |
On The Ground
Roughly 20% of elk hunts in Arizona take place in this giant unit, which is nearly all public land. Featuring desert as well as pine and aspen forests, 6A has mule deer, Coues deer, pronghorn antelope and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep.
The state issues a lot of elk tags. Early archery elk season occurs during the rut. Late muzzleloader elk season can also be good. While this unit has a difficult mule deer hunt, the December rifle Coues deer season produces high quality bucks. This is one of Arizona's few units with Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep.
Terrain
Giant unit with mountains and canyons cutting through a huge ponderosa pine forest.
Roughly 1,139 square miles
94.7% public land
Elevations from 4,000-8,000 feet
Rough desert canyons in lower elevations
Vegetation
Ponderosa pine and oak forests at high elevations, pinyon/juniper forests with cliffrose and bitterbrush at middle elevations, junipers and grasslands with prickly pear cactus at low elevations.
Access
Dirt roads provide public access to the Coconino National Forest.
ATVs can be helpful, but game is wary of them
ATVs allowed only on roads
Four-wheel-drive vehicles recommended when the ground is wet
No vehicle traffic allowed in Pine Grove Quiet Area and Rattlesnake Quiet Area
Camping and Lodging
Lodging and services in Flagstaff, Pinewood, Camp Verde, Sedona, Mormon Lake, Strawberry and Clints Well. There are several campgrounds, but most hunters camp along dirt roads. Developed Campgrounds include:
Pine Grove Campground near Upper Lake Mary
Dairy Springs at Mormon Lake
Double Springs Campground at Mormon Lake
Pine Flat, Cave Springs and Manzanita campgrounds on Oak Creek
Beaver Creek Campground north of Rim Rock
Bull Pen Campground on West Clear Creek
Clints Well Campground at the intersection of Lake Mary Road and Highway 8
Undeveloped campgrounds include:
Childs Campground on the Verde River and Stehr Lake
Historical Temperatures
High
Low
Moon Phases
March 2025
23
24
25
26
27
28
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5