Arizona Unit 20A Elk Hunting Guide

Arizona Unit 20A elk hunting draws attention from hunters looking at central Arizona's mix of accessible public ground and consistent, if unspectacular, harvest numbers. Spanning 384,217 acres with elevations ranging from 3,093 to 7,960 feet, this unit offers a broad cross-section of terrain — from lower desert transition country up into higher timbered ground — and with 86% public land, access is one of the stronger selling points for hunters planning a do-it-yourself trip.

Unit 20A sits in the mix of central Arizona elk units that see steady, if moderate, hunting pressure and produce harvest numbers that fluctuate year to year based on tag allocations and conditions. For hunters weighing whether to spend points or apply fresh in this unit, understanding the recent harvest trend, application costs, and what the trophy record shows for the surrounding counties is essential before committing an application to this zone.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 20A Worth Applying For?

Unit 20A presents a mixed but reasonable case depending on what a hunter is after. The unit's public land percentage — 86% — is a genuine asset. With no wilderness acreage in the unit, hunters won't run into Arizona-specific wilderness access restrictions, and the terrain is workable for vehicle-supported scouting and hunting rather than requiring extended pack-in trips.

On the harvest side, the data shows real variability. In 2024, 554 hunters harvested 212 elk for a 38% success rate, the strongest of the four recent years tracked. That dropped significantly in 2025, with 517 hunters and 166 harvested for a 32% success rate. Going back further, 2023 saw 594 hunters take 153 elk (26% success), while 2022 — a year with a much smaller pool of only 158 hunters — produced 51 harvested elk, also a 32% success rate. This bouncing between 26% and 38% success over four seasons suggests tag allocation and hunt structure changes are driving much of the variance rather than a simple population story, and it means hunters shouldn't assume any single year's success rate as a guarantee going forward.

Trophy potential in the counties overlapping Unit 20A is best described as moderate. The record book history tied to this area shows some trophy production over time, but it isn't among the standout, exceptional-tier units in the state. Hunters chasing a genuine record-class bull have better-documented options elsewhere; hunters looking for a solid, huntable unit with real public access and a fair shot at a mature bull will find Unit 20A a reasonable target. It's worth noting that record-book entries are logged at the county level, meaning any trophy history associated with this area is shared with neighboring units drawing from the same counties — the presence of trophy animals in the record book doesn't mean they came specifically from within Unit 20A's boundaries.

Overall, Unit 20A is worth applying for if a hunter's priority is public land access and reasonable odds at filling a tag, rather than chasing an elite trophy unit. The harvest data shows real opportunity, but success rates swing enough between years that hunters should check current HuntPilot draw odds and recent-season trends before banking on this specific unit as a top choice.

Access & Terrain

Unit 20A's terrain profile spans a wide elevation band, from 3,093 feet at the lower end up to 7,960 feet at its highest points. That range translates into varied habitat types across the unit — hunters can expect to move from lower, more open transitional country into higher, likely timbered terrain as elevation increases, giving elk multiple habitat options across seasons.

With 86% public land across 384,217 total acres, the vast majority of this unit is open to public access, which is a significant advantage for DIY hunters who don't want to negotiate private land permission or lease access. There is no wilderness designation within the unit (0% wilderness), which means hunters won't face the additional access complexity that wilderness boundaries can create elsewhere in the state — no special non-motorized restrictions tied to wilderness status apply here.

The scale of the unit — nearly 400,000 acres — means hunters have plenty of room to spread out and find pockets away from pressure, particularly given that annual hunter numbers have ranged from as low as 158 (2022) to as high as 594 (2023) in recent seasons. Hunters should use mapping tools, including HuntPilot's own map layers, to identify public land parcels and elevation bands worth scouting ahead of a hunt rather than relying on generic assumptions about where elk concentrate within a unit this size.

Harvest Success Rates

The four most recent harvest seasons for Unit 20A show a unit with moderate and variable success:

• 2025: 517 hunters, 166 harvested, 32% success
• 2024: 554 hunters, 212 harvested, 38% success
• 2023: 594 hunters, 153 harvested, 26% success
• 2022: 158 hunters, 51 harvested, 32% success

The jump in hunter numbers from 158 in 2022 to nearly 600 in 2023 stands out and likely reflects a change in the number of tags allocated for that season rather than a shift in elk density or huntability. Despite that surge in hunters, 2023 posted the lowest success rate of the four years at 26%, which suggests that adding hunters to the unit diluted success rather than improving it. The following year, 2024, saw a similar hunter count (554) but a considerably better outcome — 38% success — indicating that conditions, hunt timing, or elk distribution that season favored hunters more than in 2023.

The takeaway for anyone considering Unit 20A: success rates in the high-20s to high-30s percentage range are the realistic expectation, not the exception. Hunters should not assume the 38% mark from 2024 represents a new baseline, given that the very next year dropped back to 32%. This is a unit where preparation, scouting, and time in the field matter — it's not a unit defined by an unusually easy or unusually difficult draw-to-harvest pipeline.

Trophy Quality

Trophy potential in the counties surrounding Unit 20A is best characterized as moderate. There is a documented history of record-book entries tied to this general area, but it is not among Arizona's standout trophy-producing regions. Hunters should treat any trophy record tied to these counties as shared history across all neighboring units drawing from the same county lines — not evidence that trophy bulls are concentrated specifically within Unit 20A's boundaries.

For hunters whose primary goal is chasing a record-class bull, it's worth researching Arizona units with a stronger and more consistent trophy pedigree before committing points to this zone. For hunters who want a realistic chance at a mature, respectable bull on a unit with strong public access and workable terrain, Unit 20A's moderate trophy history combined with its harvest success data makes for a reasonable, if not spectacular, target.

How to Apply

Both resident and nonresident applicants must hold a qualifying license before they're eligible to apply — this is a separate cost from the application fee itself, and it's easy to overlook when budgeting for the draw.

For current draw odds specific to Unit 20A and other Arizona elk units, hunters should check HuntPilot's Arizona state page at /states/az, which tracks year-to-year application data as it's published.

Application dates and fees change every draw cycle. For the current deadlines, fees, and draw odds, see HuntPilot's Arizona page at /states/az.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Arizona Unit 20A?

Unit 20A covers a wide elevation range, from 3,093 feet up to 7,960 feet, across 384,217 total acres. That spread means hunters will encounter a mix of habitat types, from lower transitional country to higher-elevation terrain as they move across the unit. With 86% public land and no wilderness acreage, the unit is generally accessible for vehicle-supported scouting and hunting without the added logistical complexity that wilderness designations can bring.

What is harvest success like in Unit 20A?

Recent harvest success in Unit 20A has ranged between 26% and 38% over the last four tracked seasons (2022–2025). The most recent year, 2025, posted a 32% success rate with 517 hunters and 166 elk harvested. Success has fluctuated with hunter numbers — more hunters in the field in 2023 (594) coincided with the lowest success rate (26%) in the four-year window, while 2024 saw similar hunter numbers but the highest success rate (38%).

How big are the elk in Unit 20A?

Trophy potential in the counties overlapping Unit 20A is moderate — there's a documented trophy history in the area, but it isn't one of Arizona's premier trophy-producing zones. Hunters should expect a realistic chance at a mature bull rather than banking on record-class potential, and should remember that county-level record data is shared across all units overlapping those counties, not just Unit 20A.

Is Unit 20A worth applying for?

For hunters prioritizing public land access — 86% of this nearly 400,000-acre unit is public — and a reasonable, if variable, shot at filling a tag, Unit 20A is a solid consideration. It's less compelling for hunters solely chasing trophy-class bulls, given its moderate trophy history compared to Arizona's top-tier units. Check HuntPilot's Arizona unit pages for current draw odds before deciding how to prioritize this unit against others.

What does it cost to apply for elk in Unit 20A for 2026?

Fees and deadlines change every draw cycle, so the current figures live on HuntPilot's Arizona page at /states/az rather than here.