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Arizona Bighorn Sheep

Unit 44AE (Black Mountains East)

Arizona Hunting Guide — Bighorn Sheep

Unit 44AE covers the eastern Black Mountains north of Kingman in northwest Arizona — premier desert bighorn country along the Colorado River corridor. Per AZGFD's GMU 44AE page and the 2025–26 Arizona Hunting Regulations, the hunt issues a handful of once-in-a-lifetime desert ram tags annually. Our three-year tally shows about 391 applicants against roughly 3 permits — a functional max-point hunt with brutal odds and high trophy potential.

View Draw Odds Arizona Hunting Guide

Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 44AE

Unit 44AE covers the eastern Black Mountains north of Kingman in northwest Arizona — premier desert bighorn country along the Colorado River corridor. Per AZGFD's GMU 44AE page and the 2025–26 Arizona Hunting Regulations, the hunt issues a handful of once-in-a-lifetime desert ram tags annually. Our three-year tally shows about 391 applicants against roughly 3 permits — a functional max-point hunt with brutal odds and high trophy potential.

Where to Find Bighorn Sheep in Unit 44AE

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How to Hunt Bighorn Sheep in Unit 44AE

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Bighorn Sheep Success Rates

Rifle75%
Arizona desert bighorn runs near 95–100% success per AZGFD historical data. Unit 44AE produces rams in the 160–175 B&C range most years with occasional larger animals. Horn quality is consistently strong thanks to good escape terrain and managed populations.

Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds

SeasonTagsApplicantsDraw %Pts Req
Rifle— General Rifle22260.9% 0
Rifle— Late Rifle Dec11540.6% 0

Data from 2023 draw results. Resident odds shown.

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Unit 44AE is a desert bighorn once-in-a-lifetime hunt under Arizona's weighted bonus-point draw with 20% pass-through. It is effectively a max-point hunt — most drawn tags go to near-max point holders. Apply every year regardless of point total; the pass-through plus hunter-education bonus is the realistic path for most hunters.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Unit 44AE desert bighorn once-in-a-lifetime?
Yes. Desert bighorn is OIL in Arizona per the 2025–26 Arizona Hunting Regulations. A successful applicant cannot draw another Arizona desert bighorn tag in their lifetime.
How many bonus points for Unit 44AE?
Unit 44AE is effectively a max-point hunt. Most drawn tags go to near-maximum bonus-point holders, with occasional 0-point pass-through winners each year.

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Sources & Verification

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

  1. GMU 44A — Unit Landing Page — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Unit 44A subdivisions (44AE/44AW), Black Mountains habitat, BLM Kingman Field Office jurisdiction · accessed 2026-04-17
  2. 2025–26 Arizona Hunting Regulations — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Unit 44AE desert bighorn hunt, Once-in-a-lifetime rule, Season dates · accessed 2026-04-17
  3. BLM Kingman Field Office — Bureau of Land Management · supports: Black Mountains road and travel management, Wilderness boundaries, Dispersed camping · accessed 2026-04-17