Arizona Bighorn Sheep Mule Deer

Unit 37A (37A)

Arizona Hunting Guide — Bighorn Sheep, Mule Deer

Unit 37A is a southeast Arizona desert bighorn sheep hunt area, managed under AZGFD hunt guidelines. Sheep tag quotas are extremely limited and set annually based on population surveys. Draws use Arizona's weighted random bonus point system.

View Draw Odds Arizona Hunting Guide

Logistics & Planning Guide →

Access roads, campgrounds, elevation, monthly weather, stock tanks, cell coverage, and nearest-town services for Unit 37A.

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Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 37A

Where to Find Bighorn Sheep in Unit 37A

Desert bighorns in Unit 37A concentrate on steep, rocky ranges with escape terrain, forage, and seasonal water. Focus glassing on rim rock, south-facing slopes, and saddles between feeding and bedding areas.

How to Hunt Bighorn Sheep in Unit 37A

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Bighorn Sheep Success Rates

Rifle75%

Arizona desert sheep hunts typically produce very high success rates. Review the AZGFD annual hunt arizona report for current Unit 37A harvest statistics.

Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %
Rifle— General Rifle	2	785	0.3%
Rifle— Late Rifle Dec	2	800	0.0%
Rifle— Late Rifle Nov	2	463	0.0%

Data from 2023 draw results. Resident odds shown.

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Sheep tags in Unit 37A are among the hardest draws in Arizona. The weighted random bonus point system gives more points more random numbers. Residents receive 90 percent of sheep tags.

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 37A

Unit 37A covers the Galiuro Mountains foothills and the west slope of the Pinalenos southeast of Globe in Arizona's sky-island country. The unit is a mid-volume desert mule deer hunt with ~1,344 recent 3-year applicants for ~340 tags, placing it among the higher-opportunity 30-series units. Habitat runs from saguaro-ocotillo Sonoran desert on the valley floors to oak-chaparral and PJ on the mountain benches. Per AZGFD's GMU 37A page, the unit holds both resident desert bucks and migratory deer that push down from the Pinaleno high country as fall progresses.

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 37A

Unit 37A splits cleanly between the Galiuro foothills on the west side and the Pinaleno west slope on the east, each holding different deer pockets.

Galiuro Foothills (3,500–5,500 ft)

The broken country between Aravaipa Creek and the Galiuro Wilderness boundary concentrates resident desert bucks year-round. Focus the ridges above 4,000 ft where PJ meets oak-chaparral.

Pinaleno West Slope (5,000–7,500 ft)

The benches climbing out of the Aravaipa Valley toward Mt. Graham hold better-watered habitat and occasionally produce oversized mature bucks. Glass the north-facing canyons during the cooler parts of the day.

Desert Washes

Bucks move through the paloverde-mesquite washes at first and last light to water at stock tanks on the private and state-trust parcels. Scout water access and land-ownership boundaries before the hunt.

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Unit 37A

We hunt 37A as a classic spot-and-stalk desert deer unit — big optics, long sight lines, and patient ridge-to-ridge work.

Glassing Ridges

We pre-pick 3-4 glassing points per morning on the Galiuro side and rotate through them from first light. Tripod-mounted 15x binoculars are the single most important piece of gear in this unit.

Water-Source Sits

On dry Octobers, deer concentrate hard on working tanks. We check land-ownership first — much of the Aravaipa Valley is state-trust or private — then sit windward of fresh sign from mid-afternoon through last light.

Navigation

The Galiuro roads are rough and fade into two-track fast. We carry the current Coronado MVUM and a PLB. Service drops off the pavement immediately.

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Rifle22%

Unit 37A rifle hunters average 18-28% success across recent years, with archery running 10-15%. The unit produces the occasional trophy desert buck each season, but most filled tags are 120-140 class mature deer. Solid mid-volume opportunity for hunters willing to cover rough country.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %
Rifle— Late Rifle Nov	175	341	36.4%
Rifle— Late Rifle Dec	15	976	1.4%
Rifle— General Rifle Oct	175	464	28.0%

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

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Arizona draws Unit 37A tags via the weighted bonus-point system with Hunter Education bonus. With ~1,344 recent 3-year applicants against ~340 tags, low-to-mid-point applicants (2-5 bonus points) draw regularly, especially on the HAM and archery hunt codes. Never skip a year — loyalty bonus points compound for this unit.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Unit 37A bighorn sheep once-in-a-lifetime?

Arizona desert bighorn sheep is typically once-in-a-lifetime. Verify current rules in the AZGFD hunt regulations before applying.

How competitive is the Unit 37A sheep draw?

Extremely competitive. Plan on building bonus points for many years under the weighted random system to have a realistic chance.

What bonus point level draws Unit 37A mule deer?

Low-to-mid-point applicants (2-5 bonus points) draw 37A regularly, especially on HAM and archery codes. October general rifle typically requires a few more points depending on the year's tag allocation.

How hot is October in Unit 37A?

Expect daytime highs of 75-85°F during early October, cooling to the 60s by late month. Plan water and hydration accordingly — this is still desert country at 4,000-5,000 ft on the hunt-able ridges.

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-17.

AZGFD Hunt Guidelines — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Hunt structure, Sheep tag allocations · accessed 2026-04-17
AZGFD Hunt Regulations — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Season dates, Unit boundaries · accessed 2026-04-17
AZGFD Draw Results & Bonus Points — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Bonus point balances, Sheep draw outcomes · accessed 2026-04-17
GMU 37A — Unit Landing Page — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Unit boundary, Desert mule deer habitat, Access notes · accessed 2026-04-17
2026 Arizona Hunting Regulations — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Deer hunt structure, Tag allocations, Season dates · accessed 2026-04-17
Coronado National Forest — Safford Ranger District — USDA Forest Service · supports: Road status, MVUM, Dispersed camping regs · accessed 2026-04-17

Unit 37A (37A)

Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 37A

Where to Find Bighorn Sheep in Unit 37A

How to Hunt Bighorn Sheep in Unit 37A

Bighorn Sheep Success Rates

Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 37A

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 37A

Galiuro Foothills (3,500–5,500 ft)

Pinaleno West Slope (5,000–7,500 ft)

Desert Washes

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Unit 37A

Glassing Ridges

Water-Source Sits

Navigation

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

Road Conditions

Cell Service

Nearest Town

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources & Verification

Unit 37A (37A)

Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 37A

Where to Find Bighorn Sheep in Unit 37A

How to Hunt Bighorn Sheep in Unit 37A

Bighorn Sheep Success Rates

Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 37A

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 37A

Galiuro Foothills (3,500–5,500 ft)

Pinaleno West Slope (5,000–7,500 ft)

Desert Washes

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Unit 37A

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Explore Related Units

Unit 37B — Mule Deer

Unit 32 — Mule Deer

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources & Verification