Arizona Unit 5A/5B Elk Guide: Anderson Mesa

Units 5A and 5B cover the country south of Flagstaff — Anderson Mesa, the eastern Mogollon Rim, and the high ponderosa country between Mormon Lake and the Little Colorado drainage. It’s accessible in a way that Unit 27 never is, with Flagstaff as a full-service base thirty minutes from prime hunting. The elk here aren’t the 380-inch headline bulls Unit 27 produces, but Units 5A and 5B deliver consistent 320-to-360-inch bulls with draw math that makes real hunting possible for hunters with six to ten bonus points.

Here’s the practical guide to what these units are, who they’re right for, and how to think about your 2026 application.

Quick Facts: Units 5A and 5B

Detail	Info
Location	Coconino County, south of Flagstaff to the Mogollon Rim edge
Core Habitat	Ponderosa pine, pinyon-juniper transition, high grass meadows
Elevation Range	6,500 to 8,000 feet
Primary Seasons	Archery (Sept), Muzzleloader (Oct), Rifle (late Oct / Nov)
Typical NR Points — Rifle	5–10 depending on hunt number
Typical NR Points — Archery	3–6
Public Land	Coconino NF dominates, with state trust pockets

Disclaimer: Unit 5A and 5B are distinct sub-units with separate hunt numbers. Quotas and point requirements can differ meaningfully between them — always check the specific hunt number you’re applying for. Verify at azgfd.com before the 2026 application window.

Geography at a Glance

Anderson Mesa runs roughly south from Flagstaff for forty miles, between the Mormon Lake country on the west and the Lake Mary / Walnut Canyon country on the east. It’s a high ponderosa plateau broken by shallow drainages, with occasional rock-rim country and a mix of closed-canopy pine and open meadows maintained by the Forest Service.

The Mogollon Rim forms the southern boundary of the unit. The rim edge itself drops sharply into lower country, and elk use the rim-edge ponderosa during warm months and the meadows on top of the mesa through the rest of the year. Roadless country exists in pockets, but most of Units 5A/5B is accessible via the extensive Coconino National Forest road system.

Why These Units Are Under-Hunted

Units 5A and 5B don’t have the marketing of 27 or the unique terrain of 9. They’re “just ponderosa” to casual nonresident eyes, which is exactly why the draw math works for moderate-point applicants. Hunters stacking toward Unit 27 for a decade often overlook that 5A/5B deliver consistent 330-inch bulls at a fraction of the point cost, and the hunts themselves are straightforward — good access, moderate terrain, supportive infrastructure.

Access

Flagstaff is the staging town and it’s a full-service base with plenty of lodging, outfitter options, and outdoor retail. I-17 runs south through the unit connecting to Forest Service road networks; FR-3 and FR-132 are the main east-west spines through Anderson Mesa.

Mormon Lake Lodge and Mormon Lake itself sit at the northwest corner of the unit, with accommodations that fill during elk season. Use the Tag-to-Trail Planner to map your camp and access routes into Anderson Mesa before the drive up. The area gets pressure from both Flagstaff locals and Phoenix-based hunters willing to drive two hours north for the weekend, which is the main downside of units this close to population centers.

The Elk

Rocky Mountain elk in Units 5A and 5B occupy mature ponderosa forest, the oak-mast transitions on the rim, and the high-grass meadows scattered through the plateau. Bull genetics are solid — this is the same strain of elk found across the Coconino country, and mature bulls regularly exceed 330 inches with good specimens pushing 360 in exceptional years.

The elk population density is high, which makes for productive hunting. Daily sightings of legal bulls during the right seasons aren’t unusual. The quality ceiling is lower than Unit 27 or the premium sub-hunts in Unit 1, but the floor is higher — a Unit 5A/5B hunt is extremely likely to put you on elk regularly, even if the biggest bull you see isn’t a record-book animal.

Season Breakdown

Archery (September): Pre-rut and peak rut in ponderosa country. Bulls bugle, respond to calling, and move between feeding meadows and timber bedding in patternable ways. Success rates 20% to 30% for DIY hunters.

Muzzleloader (October): Transitional season — bulls are less vocal but still patternable around food and water. Success rates 35% to 45%.

Rifle (late October / early November): Highest success. Weather-driven movement, exposed meadow edges, and mature bulls increasingly visible during daylight as cold pushes them. Success 55% to 65%.

Productive Areas

Mormon Lake and Lake Mary country — the meadow-timber interfaces around these lakes hold consistent elk populations. Morning glassing from the ridges east of Lake Mary and from the Anderson Mesa viewpoints accounts for many harvests.

Stoneman Lake area — northeast corner of Unit 5A, productive early-season archery country with timber-meadow transitions and reliable water.

East of Rogers Lake — oak transitions with good mast-year production. Fall bulls feed heavily on acorns here when production is good.

The rim edge south of Forest Road 132 — where the mesa drops toward the lower Mogollon country. Bulls hold in the rim ponderosa during warm weather and feed out onto the mesa in mornings and evenings.

Points and Application Strategy

Units 5A/5B are priced as mid-tier Arizona elk hunts. For 2026 applicants:

Three to five points: Archery becomes realistic. Apply for a hunt you want to actually do, expect to draw.

Six to eight points: Rifle becomes realistic, particularly in the less-premium hunt numbers.

Nine to twelve points: You’re over-pointing for most 5A/5B rifle hunts. Consider whether your points are better spent here with near-certain draw, or held toward Unit 27.

This is the point-burn math where the Point Burn Optimizer shines — modeling whether to take a certain 5A/5B rifle hunt this year versus continuing to build toward 27 depends on age, horizon, and whether you’re willing to wait three more years for a marginally bigger bull.

DIY Versus Outfitter

Units 5A/5B are strong DIY units. Road access is excellent, terrain is manageable, and Flagstaff provides logistics support. Local outfitters exist but most nonresident hunters here handle the hunt independently.

For a hunter who’s never hunted Arizona elk before, a three-day guided scout on your first hunt is worthwhile — guides can cover forty square miles of glassing country and identify where the current year’s bulls are, saving you three to four days of learning curve. Beyond that, DIY is entirely appropriate.

The Pragmatic Recommendation

Units 5A and 5B are the practical-hunter’s Arizona elk units. They’re where you go when you want to actually elk hunt in Arizona this fall rather than next decade. The bulls are legitimately good, the hunts are productive, and the access removes most of the logistical barriers that make hunts in more remote units hard to execute.

If you’re under ten Arizona elk points and want to hunt this year, put 5A or 5B on your application and don’t apologize for it. If you’re over ten points and holding for Unit 27, at least know that 5A/5B exists as an off-ramp if your horizon shifts.

Use the Hunt Unit Finder to compare 5A/5B against your other candidate units based on terrain preference, physical demand, and logistics.

Related Arizona Articles

• Unit 6A (adjacent Rim country)
• Unit 23 (central Rim)

Frequently Asked Questions

Are 5A and 5B the same draw? No — they’re distinct units with separate hunt numbers. They share geography and elk populations but have different quotas and point requirements.

Can I spike-camp in these units? Yes, Forest Service dispersed camping is widely permitted. Some restrictions near developed areas; check current regulations.

What about trophy potential vs Unit 27? Lower ceiling. Mature bulls 330-360 are normal; 380+ is rare. Unit 27 produces more 380+ bulls per season.

Is there wilderness in Units 5A/5B? Limited — the unit is primarily roaded national forest. Kendrick Mountain and other wilderness areas sit outside the unit.

Do meadows get hunted hard? Yes, particularly near Flagstaff access points. Pressure on the most accessible meadows pushes elk to timber edges during daylight within a few days of season opening.

Can I use outfitted horse support here? Yes, though it’s not the default. Some local outfitters offer horseback hunts, particularly for hunters who want to cover more ground than foot travel allows.