Unit 23 occupies a unique position in Arizona’s Coues deer landscape that most hunters outside the dedicated grey ghost community do not fully appreciate. The Sierra Ancha Mountains and Canyon Creek country south of the Mogollon Rim are not the first place most hunters think of when they picture trophy Coues deer. That instinct points hunters toward the southern sky islands — the Chiricahuas, the Huachucas, the Santa Ritas. It is a reasonable instinct based on geography and reputation, and it is exactly why unit 23 consistently produces mature bucks that the hunting pressure of the more famous southern units does not.
Guides and outfitters who have hunted unit 23 across multiple decades describe it as a trophy unit for all three rifle Coues seasons with a better than average chance at a mature buck scoring 100 inches or better. The unit produces multiple 110 to 120 inch-plus deer every year. That places it in a different category from the high-density but lower-quality-average units of southeastern Arizona and makes it one of the more significant underrated trophy Coues destinations in the state.
Why Unit 23 Produces Trophy Bucks
The answer is simple and consistent with the pattern that produces trophy deer in any Arizona unit: rugged and remote habitat with enough cover to keep deer hidden from most hunters and enough isolation to let bucks reach old age. The Sierra Ancha Mountains and the Canyon Creek drainage provide exactly this environment. The terrain from 4,500 to 7,700 feet on Aztec Peak is steep, brushy, and deeply canyoned. The Tonto National Forest covers most of the unit and the road network is limited — State Routes 260 and 288 provide the primary access and the complex of Forest Service roads branching from them ranges from maintained to genuinely rough.
Deer densities in unit 23 are moderate rather than the high numbers that the southeastern sky island units produce. But moderate density in terrain that keeps mature bucks alive into old age produces a better trophy-hunting outcome for patient hunters than high density terrain where hunting pressure consistently prevents bucks from reaching maturity. Unit 23 Coues bucks that die of old age in the deep canyons of the Sierra Anchas are there because most hunters never reach them. The hunters who do the work to get into that country find animals that most Arizona Coues hunters never encounter.
Two Species in Unit 23
Like unit 22 to the west, unit 23 holds both mule deer and Coues whitetail across its elevation range. The species identification responsibility applies in this unit as well — both deer are present and both can be encountered in the transition terrain between their primary habitat zones.
Mule deer numbers in unit 23 are at low levels compared to long term historical averages reflecting the statewide drought and recruitment challenges that have affected Arizona mule deer populations across most of the state. The mule deer in the unit use the PJ and brush terrain at middle elevations and the rugged canyon terrain throughout. Mule deer hunting in 23 requires serious effort and realistic expectations given the depressed population compared to historical levels.
The Coues deer story is a more optimistic one. The rugged and remote character of the unit has protected a quality Coues population and the terrain keeps hunting pressure sufficiently low that mature bucks survive to the age classes that produce the trophy quality unit 23 has earned its reputation for.
The Draw
Unit 23 Coues deer tags are coveted enough that draw odds are meaningfully tighter than the southeastern high-density opportunity units like 36A and 36B. This is a unit that hunters who understand its trophy potential apply for deliberately with bonus point accumulation as a strategy rather than drawing on a zero-point application in most years. The three rifle seasons for Coues in the unit each carry different draw odds with the December rut season being the most competitive.
The mule deer tags in the unit carry better draw odds reflecting the lower population and reduced tag numbers compared to peak historical levels.
Always verify current draw odds at azgfd.com before applying. The 2026 fall deer draw deadline is June 2nd.
Terrain and Habitat
The Sierra Ancha Mountains
The Sierra Anchas are the dominant geographic feature of unit 23 and the core of the Coues deer trophy hunting potential the unit carries. These mountains push to approximately 7,700 feet on Aztec Peak and create the kind of isolated high-country terrain that both protects deer from hunting pressure and provides the diverse browse needed to grow exceptional antlers. The terrain is steep with 80 percent of the public land having slopes exceeding 25 degrees — genuinely strenuous country that filters most casual hunters before they reach the best deer terrain.
The chaparral and oak brush zones at middle elevations in the Sierra Anchas are the primary Coues habitat. The dense brush cover gives mature bucks exceptional concealment and security from the elevated glassing positions that Coues hunting typically relies on. The Canyon Creek drainage provides permanent water that concentrates deer in predictable patterns during dry periods.
Canyon Creek
Canyon Creek itself is one of the more significant geographic features of the unit from a hunting perspective. The permanent water in Canyon Creek creates a linear concentration of deer habitat and movement throughout the drainage. The creek and its associated riparian vegetation provide water, travel corridors, and shelter that deer use reliably across seasons. Understanding the Canyon Creek drainage and the canyon systems draining into it is foundational knowledge for effective unit 23 hunting.
The area around Colcord Mountain and Canyon Creek is specifically identified as producing quality elk alongside the deer population — this is one of those central Arizona units where hunters drawing one species tag can simultaneously scout for another.
The Roosevelt Lake Country
The elevation range in unit 23 drops to approximately 2,200 feet at Roosevelt Lake on the unit’s southern edge. The lower elevation terrain provides a transition zone between the unit’s mountain Coues habitat and the adjacent units. Roosevelt Lake itself creates a recreation corridor that sees significant human traffic — hunters targeting Coues deer in the Sierra Anchas should focus effort in the higher elevation terrain away from the lake activity.
The Trophy Coues Approach: What Unit 23 Demands
Unit 23 is not a unit where you glass from a roadside turnout and find a mature buck on the hill across the highway. The terrain demands genuine effort and the hunting demands the patience to pass on smaller animals in a unit where a hunter confident in the country and willing to wait for the right buck has a legitimate shot at a 100-plus inch Coues deer.
The dense brushy habitat of the Sierra Anchas requires more committed glassing methodology than the open sky island terrain. Deer in the thick chaparral are invisible to walking hunters and largely invisible to glassing hunters who do not take the time to systematically pick apart each brush patch and shadow from an elevated position with quality optics. The hunters who kill trophy bucks in unit 23 glass longer and harder than most hunters are willing to sustain and they hunt terrain that requires physical investment to reach.
Reaching the High Country
The consistent advice for unit 23 is identical to the advice that applies in any central Arizona Coues unit with quality potential: the deer worth hunting are above and beyond where most hunters are willing to go. The Sierra Ancha terrain that produces mature bucks is not accessible from a roadside turnout. Getting to productive glassing positions requires significant elevation gain on trails and routes that test physical fitness.
Pre-season scouting that identifies specific productive glassing vantage points before opening day converts time on target into deer found rather than time spent figuring out the terrain during your hunt. Hunters who arrive with specific glassing locations already mapped from summer scouting trips consistently outperform those who show up cold.
Trophy Rock mineral sites placed on active game trails and near reliable water sources in the weeks before the season give deer time to find and pattern to specific locations.
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The December Rut
The December Coues season in unit 23 overlaps the peak rut and produces the best mature buck movement of the year. In the dense cover terrain of the Sierra Anchas the rut creates opportunities that the pre-rut seasons simply do not provide — bucks that have been invisible in the chaparral begin moving more frequently during daylight as they search for receptive does. December tags in unit 23 are the most coveted and hardest to draw in the unit and the hunting quality reflects the investment required to draw them.
Species Identification in the Transition Terrain
Both mule deer and Coues whitetail are present in unit 23. In the transition terrain between their primary habitats positive species identification before shooting is essential. Study the species differences thoroughly before your hunt.
Gear for GMU 23
The Sierra Ancha terrain demands serious physical preparation. This is strenuous country with steep slopes and dense brush that makes every approach harder than it looks on a map. Physical fitness appropriate for sustained steep hiking in heavy brush is the baseline requirement for hunting the best Coues terrain in the unit.
Quality optics are the most important investment for unit 23’s dense brushy terrain where patient systematic glassing is the only method that consistently finds mature deer.
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For hunters pursuing the trophy class bucks that unit 23 is capable of producing the Zeiss Conquest spotting scope delivers the image quality that lets you confidently evaluate antler mass, tine length, and symmetry at the distances the Sierra Ancha terrain presents.
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Snake awareness is essential for the lower and middle elevation terrain during early season periods.
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A quality pack for the multi-day backcountry approaches into the Sierra Ancha mountain terrain is essential for hunters targeting the lowest pressure country.
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Use our free ballistics calculator to prepare your rifle for unit 23 elevation and terrain.
Meat Care in Unit 23
The remote backcountry character of the best Sierra Ancha hunting means planning your pack-out strategy before your hunt is essential. A quality cooler that holds ice for days is a necessity once you get meat back to camp. The Yeti Tundra 65 handles the job from the canyon floor to your processor.
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Use our wild game meat yield calculator to estimate your Coues deer or mule deer meat yield from your unit 23 harvest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is unit 23 a good Coues deer unit?
Unit 23 is one of Arizona’s genuinely underrated trophy Coues units. Guides and outfitters who have hunted it across multiple decades consider it a trophy unit for all three rifle seasons with a legitimate chance at a buck scoring 100 inches or better. The unit consistently produces 110 to 120 inch-plus deer for hunters willing to work the remote Sierra Ancha terrain. It is not a high-density unit but the quality potential is exceptional relative to its draw difficulty.
How hard is it to draw a unit 23 Coues tag?
Unit 23 tags are meaningfully more competitive than the southeastern opportunity units given the trophy reputation the unit carries. Zero-point draws happen but the unit rewards hunters who have accumulated bonus points. The December rut season carries the tightest draw odds. Verify current odds at azgfd.com before applying.
Does unit 23 have both mule deer and Coues deer?
Yes. Both species are present with separate tag allocations. Mule deer numbers are at low levels compared to historical averages due to drought and recruitment challenges. Coues deer are the stronger hunting opportunity in the current population environment. Positive species identification in the transition terrain is essential.
What other species can I pursue in unit 23?
The unit holds elk near Colcord Mountain and Canyon Creek, desert bighorn sheep in rugged canyon areas, black bear, mountain lion, and Merriam’s turkey. Canyon Creek itself provides excellent fishing for rainbow and brown trout making combination hunt and fish trips a genuinely attractive option.
Apply for your unit 23 tag at azgfd.com before the June 2nd 2026 deadline.
Use our wild game meat yield calculator to plan your harvest: https://rockyoutdoorsman.com/wild-game-meat-yield-calculator/
Use our free ballistics calculator to prepare your rifle before your hunt: https://rockyoutdoorsman.com/free-ballistic-calculator/
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase through these links I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. All gear mentioned is personally used or carefully researched and recommended.