Hunters shared valuable insights about Unit 7W in Arizona, emphasizing the importance of scouting due to its diverse terrain and the mobility of game across different elevations and vegetation areas. Many noted that understanding the seasonal behavior of elk and deer in the unit could greatly enhance success rates, with specific advice on timing hunts to align with peak activity periods. Additionally, the community highlighted the benefits of networking with fellow hunters to exchange information on game movement and location. Ultimately, strategic planning and adaptability were underscored as key to a successful hunting experience in Unit 7W.
This is the western half of Unit 7, which is managed separately for elk. The majority of the unit is ponderosa pine or transitional from pine to pinyon-juniper vegetation. This is a great elk unit for trophy quality and numbers. This is also a good place to hunt mule deer with a lot of tags, but not a lot of big bucks. There are trophy-quality antelope bucks in this unit, but they can be difficult to hunt.
This unit is located close to Flagstaff and Williams. There are plenty of high quality elk as well as mule deer and antelope. Early archery is better than late archery season with the biggest bulls taken during early seasons. During the rut, bulls from trophy units such as 9 and 10 may venture into Unit 7W in search of cows. A Unit 7 West elk tag is much harder to draw than a Unit 7 East elk tag.