Hunting ·
The short version
Spoonbill Lodge is in Happy Jack, Arizona, inside the Coconino National Forest on the Mogollon Rim. Elk country surrounds it. Hunting is not permitted on the property. A hunting party uses the lodge as a base camp and hunts the national forest around it.
This post covers the game units near the lodge, the season windows, and what a base camp here gives a party of 6 or 8.
The units around the lodge
The lodge is in Unit 5A. AZ-87 is the line between Unit 5A and Unit 5B, so Unit 5B is just west of the lodge, a short drive away.
Unit 4A is just east of the lodge. A short ride on the forest trails takes you into it, about midway between its north and south ends.
Unit 6A is about 15 to 20 minutes back down the road. That drive brings you to the south-east corner of the unit.
All four units hold elk, mule deer, and turkey.
Hunting is not permitted anywhere on the property. Hunt the national forest, and come back to the lodge at night.
Do not shoot a firearm or a muzzleloader on the property. You may set up targets for archery and crossbow practice.
Draws and season windows
Arizona Game and Fish runs a draw for elk, deer, and turkey tags. The elk draw results normally come out in February. The deer and turkey results normally come out in early summer.
Near the lodge, the season windows normally fall like this.
Archery bull elk: September.
Youth and antlerless elk: October.
Rifle bull elk: late November.
Deer and fall turkey: October and November.
Muzzleloader: not every unit has a muzzleloader elk hunt every year. Check the current regulations for your unit.
The dates change every year. Confirm your unit, your dates, and your tag in the current Arizona Game and Fish regulations. Book the lodge when you know your tag.
Why a whole lodge beats motel rooms
A party of 6 or 8 in Flagstaff needs three or four motel rooms, 45 minutes from the units. Here the whole party is under one roof, inside Unit 5A.
You book the whole property, so nobody else is on it. The kitchen is yours at 4:00 am. You plan the next day at one table, not across four motel rooms.
The lodge has five bedrooms and a study, with 11 beds. A party of 8 gets a bed each, with beds to spare. Four of the bedrooms have an ensuite bathroom, and there are six bathrooms in total.
The beds sleep 20 adults comfortably. Party size is up to 20 adults.
Meat, gear, and boots
The kitchen has two full-size refrigerators, each with a freezer. That is room for your food, not for a whole animal.
Bring ice chests for the meat, and keep them in the garage. Clints Well, about 15 minutes away, sells ice.
Plan to take your animal to a meat processor for hanging and cleaning. We cannot do that work for you.
We plan to build a simple game processing station: hooks that hold an animal by its rear legs. With it, you can skin and gut an animal at the lodge, so you do not have to field dress it. You remove and dispose of the carcass yourself.
Boots and wet gear stay outside, on the deck at the front or the back of the lodge. There is a lot of room for them. Two washers and two dryers, with detergent, take the wet clothes.
There is a walk-in safe on the property. It is the size of a room. Store anything you would rather not leave in a truck. Tell us when you book if you need it.
There is gravel parking by the lodge and the garage. A second level, graveled area near the gate takes trailers and side-by-sides, clear of the drive. Unload there without blocking anyone in.
If you bring a camper, there are RV sites with electric and water hookups, and a dump station. Tell us before you bring one.
Most off-highway vehicles need an Arizona OHV decal to ride on public land. Buy it online before you come. Get the Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Map, so you know which roads are open.
Dogs are welcome, for a $200 fee per stay. The dog run is screened on every side and has a water bowl that refills itself.
Four in the morning
The kitchen is open at any hour, because nobody else is on the property. There is a full-size range, a microwave, and a coffee bar with its own sink. The coffee bar has Keurig machines, and we keep coffee and tea there.
Quiet hours start at 10:00 pm, for noise and outdoor lights. A 4:00 am start does not break them, and there is no other party to wake.
Download your maps the night before. The Wi-Fi in the lodge is fast. Load your onX or GoHunt layers, your unit maps, and your tracks before you drive out.
Cell service in the forest is unreliable and depends on the carrier. Assume you have none once you leave the property. The Wi-Fi supports Wi-Fi calling, so calls and texts work from the lodge.
Fill your tank in Flagstaff or Payson on the way in. The last gas station before the lodge is at Clints Well.
At the end of the day, the family room has a wood-burning fireplace, and we provide the firewood. Harper’s Room and Jane’s Room each have a gas stove.
Weather and roads by season
September and October have the best weather of the year: warm days and cold nights. The temperature changes 30 to 40 degrees in a day. Dress for a cold start and carry layers for the afternoon.
Snow falls between November and March, so the late-November rifle hunt can meet snow and ice. From November through March, all-wheel or four-wheel drive is a real advantage. Carry chains and a small shovel.
The lodge is on a county road, and the county plows it. Between storms, the road can stay icy or packed with snow. Check AZ 511 and the forecast before you drive.
The forest roads are dirt. Many of them washboard, and high clearance helps. In spring, they take time to dry.
What to confirm before you book
Confirm these with Arizona Game and Fish: your unit, your tag, the season dates, and the rules for your hunt.
Confirm these with us: your dates and the number of people. Tell us how many trucks, trailers, and campers you bring. Tell us if you need the safe or bring a dog.
Midweek and shoulder season
A tag covers weekdays as well as weekends, and midweek dates are normally open. The calendar on our booking page shows what is open for your dates.
The minimum stay is two nights. Tell us your unit and your dates, and we will tell you what fits.