Arizona Bighorn Sheep Turkey

Unit 13BN (Kaibab – North Rim Bighorn (North))

Arizona Hunting Guide — Bighorn Sheep, Turkey

Unit 13BN is the bighorn-sheep-specific subdivision of Unit 13B, covering the North Rim country of the Grand Canyon. This area contains steep side canyons draining into Marble Canyon and the main Grand Canyon, and hosts a robust desert bighorn population that has expanded via natural dispersal and AZGFD transplant efforts. Access is from the Arizona Strip through BLM lands, Kaibab NF Jacob Lake District, and Grand Canyon National Park boundary zones. This is one of the premier bighorn destinations in the state.

View Draw Odds Arizona Hunting Guide

Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 13BN

Where to Find Bighorn Sheep in Unit 13BN

Unit 13BN rams live in the broken rim country above and within the Grand Canyon's north-side drainages.

Marble Canyon Rim

The cliff bands above Marble Canyon from House Rock Valley east toward Nankoweap hold strong ram groups. Glass the benches below the rim and the side canyons at first light.

Saddle Mountain Wilderness Fringe

The edge of the Saddle Mountain Wilderness and its associated canyon breaks produce sheep. Access via FR 445 off House Rock Valley Road.

North Rim Side Canyons

Nankoweap, Saddle, and associated drainages inside the Grand Canyon boundary hold rams, but access requires multi-day wilderness hikes.

How to Hunt Bighorn Sheep in Unit 13BN

Unit 13BN sheep hunts are all-in wilderness efforts.

Scout from the Rim

Spend weeks glassing from the rim benches. Mark ram groups, note patterns, and identify cliff-band escape routes. The rim offers the best spotting-scope terrain before committing to a descent.

Multi-Day Backpack Stalks

Once a target ram is located, plan a multi-day approach with backpack camp. The descent routes into the side canyons are steep, loose, and exposed — rope is sometimes useful, but a cautious hunter can navigate them on foot.

Use AZGFD Transplant Records

AZGFD maintains recent transplant and telemetry data for the Marble Canyon herd. Work with Region III biologists to identify current ram concentrations before opening day.

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Bighorn Sheep Success Rates

Rifle75%

Success rates for Unit 13BN run in the 90%+ range given the high ram density and careful scouting. With roughly 2–3 tags issued annually, every hunter typically takes a mature ram. Trophy quality is strong — 160–175 B&C class rams are regularly harvested, and occasional bruisers top 180.

Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %
Rifle— General Rifle	3	512	0.6%
Rifle— Late Rifle Nov	3	632	0.2%
Rifle— Late Rifle Dec	2	403	0.0%

Data from 2023 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Unit 13BN is one of Arizona's premier bighorn draws. With only ~8 tags over three years and 1,208 applicants, odds per applicant run around 0.7%. The weighted bonus-point system sends 20% of tags to max-point holders first; the remaining 80% come through a random weighted draw. Serious sheep chasers should plan on 18–25+ bonus points to be realistically competitive for this unit. Arizona residents who harvest a bighorn in any unit become ineligible to apply for bighorn again.

Turkey Hunting in Unit 13BN

Unit 13BN covers the northern portion of GMU 13B on the Arizona Strip, including the North Rim country and the upper Marble Canyon drainage north of the Grand Canyon. Merriam's turkeys in 13BN inhabit the ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer belt on the Kaibab Plateau's north end and the ponderosa-pinyon-juniper transition zones above the canyon rim. The unit receives very light hunter pressure due to extreme access difficulty and limited tags, making it a genuine trophy Merriam's destination for hunters willing to commit to the logistics.

Where to Find Turkey in Unit 13BN

Merriam's turkeys in Unit 13BN concentrate in the ponderosa pine belt on the North Kaibab Plateau and the pinyon-juniper-ponderosa transition above the canyon rim country. Access is from Fredonia or St. George, UT via US-89A through Jacob Lake.

Kaibab Plateau Ponderosa Belt (7,500–9,000 ft)

The North Kaibab NF ponderosa parklands hold the highest turkey densities. Birds roost in the large-diameter ponderosa near meadow edges and work the open parks for foraging. The DeMotte Park area and surrounding North Kaibab NF forest roads are primary scouting corridors.

Rim-Edge Transition Zone

Where ponderosa transitions to pinyon-juniper along the canyon-facing rim, turkeys use the edge habitat extensively. North-facing drainages provide moisture and acorn-producing Gambel oaks that attract birds throughout the day.

Ephemeral Water Sources

Snowmelt-fed stock ponds and seasonal water developments on the plateau are turkey magnets in dry spring conditions. Map these before your hunt — birds often circle water mid-morning after the roost fly-down.

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How to Hunt Turkey in Unit 13BN

Unit 13BN Merriam's hunting is a classic ponderosa park hunt. Low hunter pressure and relatively undisturbed birds mean gobblers respond aggressively to standard calling. Arrive early in the week to locate roosts before other hunters arrive — though in 13BN, competition is minimal.

Pre-Dawn Roost Location

Drive the NF road network the evening before your hunt, stopping at pullouts to owl-hoot or use locator calls. Mark every response. Set up within 100–150 yards of the roost tree before first light and be in position 30 minutes before fly-down time.

Aggressive Spring Calling

North Kaibab gobblers are often henned up early in the season but will break away mid-morning. Start with aggressive yelping and cutting to locate, then transition to soft clucks and purrs once a bird is responding. The open ponderosa parks carry sound well — stay patient at a set calling location.

Run-and-Gun After 9 a.m.

Once hens leave for nesting, lonely gobblers are aggressive to any calling. Work forest road edges and ridgelines with aggressive yelping every 200–300 yards. The unit's low pressure means birds haven't been educated by other hunters.

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Turkey Success Rates

Shotgun35%

Merriam's turkey success on the Kaibab Plateau runs high — hunters with tags for this area consistently report 40–60% success with gobblers responding well to calling in the open ponderosa parklands. The low hunting pressure in 13BN preserves bird behavior, making traditional roost-and-call tactics more productive than in pressure-educated units.

Turkey Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Shotgun— Early Shotgun	2	13	7.7%	0

Data from 2023 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Unit 13BN is a limited-tag turkey draw. Arizona's weighted bonus-point system provides incremental draw advantage, and 13BN turkey tags are competitive given the unit's reputation for quality Merriam's hunting in remote country. Most hunters draw within 0–4 bonus points; the Hunter Education bonus provides meaningful improvement in draw probability. Apply every year and complete Arizona Hunter Ed to maximize your chances.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

🛻

Trailer Access

US-89A is paved and handles any rig. House Rock Valley Road and FR 445 are graded dirt/gravel and friendly to short trailers in dry conditions. Wilderness areas require foot access only.

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Water

Limited. Fill at Jacob Lake, Marble Canyon, or Fredonia. Some seasonal springs inside side canyons, but do not rely on them.

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Road Conditions

US-89A paved. House Rock Valley Road and Kaibab NF roads (FR 445, FR 610) are graded dirt — passable 2WD when dry, 4WD when wet or snowed. Wilderness access is foot-only.

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Terrain Difficulty

Extreme. Cliff bands, exposed scrambles, loose talus, and multi-thousand-foot vertical descents into canyon drainages.

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Hunting Pressure

Minimal. 2–3 tags per year across thousands of square miles.

🌦️

Weather

Sheep season November–December. Days 40–65°F, nights 20–35°F. Late hunts may see snow on rim roads.

📱

Cell Service

None in most of the unit. Satellite communicator required. Cell only in Jacob Lake and along US-89A near Marble Canyon.

🏘️

Nearest Town

Jacob Lake (fuel, basic supplies, seasonal lodge). Fredonia (fuel, basic groceries). Kanab, UT or Page, AZ for full services and hospital (60–90 min).

📋

Permit Notes

Bighorn tag required. Grand Canyon National Park portions are closed to hunting — verify boundaries carefully. Arizona Strip travel management applies on BLM lands.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Unit 13BN better than Unit 15D or Unit 10 for bighorn?

Unit 13BN is one of the top desert bighorn units in Arizona, on par with the classic Black Mountains units. Ram quality and density are excellent. Trade-offs are extreme access and wilderness hunting conditions.

How long should I plan for a Unit 13BN hunt?

Plan a 10–14 day hunt minimum. Multi-day backpack stalks into side canyons are common, and weather or access issues can burn several days.

Does the Unit 13BN tag allow hunting in Grand Canyon National Park?

No. The National Park is closed to hunting. Rams that cross into the Park are off limits — know the boundary precisely before committing to a stalk.

What turkey subspecies is in Arizona Unit 13BN?

Unit 13BN holds Merriam's turkeys in the ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests of the North Kaibab Plateau. These are classic North Rim Kaibab Merriam's birds, among the most prized in the Southwest.

How hard is the Arizona Unit 13BN turkey draw?

Unit 13BN is a competitive limited-tag draw. Arizona's weighted bonus-point system helps, and the Hunter Education bonus provides a real advantage. Most hunters draw within 0–4 points with consistent annual applications.

How do I access Unit 13BN for turkey hunting?

Primary access is via US-89A from Fredonia, AZ to Jacob Lake, then north on the Kaibab NF forest road network. The North Rim country is 4–5 hours from Phoenix. Fuel in Fredonia or Kanab, UT before heading into the plateau.

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-18.

AZGFD Desert Bighorn Sheep Management — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Bighorn transplant history in Unit 13B, North Rim canyon habitat, Once-in-a-lifetime tag, Robust ram densities in Marble Canyon drainages · accessed 2026-04-17
AZGFD Draw Portal — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Bighorn draw rules, Historical 13BN draw results, Tag caps · accessed 2026-04-17
BLM Arizona Strip District — Bureau of Land Management · supports: House Rock Valley access, Road conditions, Camping rules · accessed 2026-04-17
Kaibab National Forest — North Kaibab Ranger District — USDA Forest Service · supports: North Rim road network, Saddle Mountain Wilderness, Travel management · accessed 2026-04-17
2025-2026 Arizona Hunting Regulations — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Unit 13BN turkey hunt codes, Spring season structure, Tag quotas and hunt regulations · accessed 2026-04-18
GMU 13B — Unit Landing Page — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Unit 13B boundary, Kaibab Plateau habitat, North Rim country access · accessed 2026-04-18