Unit 27, Arizona

Elevation ranges from approximately 3,400 feet near Clifton in the south to 9,355 feet along the Mogollon Rim in the north. The Mogollon Rim divides the unit; terrain south of the Rim is characterized by steep, rugged canyons and drainages of the Blue River and Eagle Creek watersheds with very limited vehicle access; terrain north of the Rim is more accessible high plateau with numerous two-track roads. The unit encompasses the Blue Range Primitive Area (approximately 174,000 acres) and the Bear Wallow Wilderness (approximately 11,000 acres). Total area approximately 1,352 square miles.

Nearly all of unit 27 lies within the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest (Alpine Ranger District: 928-339-4384; Clifton Ranger District: 928-687-8600); small private in-holdings exist in the Blue River and Eagle Creek bottomlands, and Freeport-McMoRan holds mining-related acreage in Lower Eagle Creek. The southern tier includes BLM and Arizona State Trust lands. US Highway 191 (Coronado Trail) runs north-south through the unit as the primary spine. Key forest roads include FR 281 (Alpine to Lower Blue River, approximately 31 miles of maintained dirt), FR 475/Juan Miller Road (from US 191 east to the Blue River), FR 217 (from US 191 west toward Eagle Creek and Honeymoon Campground), and FR 515 (4WD-only via Black Mountain). North of the Rim, numerous FR 26, 25, 25B, 25D, 54, 58, and 567 corridors provide fair two-track access. Vehicle access south of the Rim is limited to the paved highway and three maintained dirt roads; the Bear Wallow Wilderness and Blue Range Primitive Area are closed to motorized vehicles. ATVs are permitted on designated roads only. Four-wheel-drive is recommended on dirt roads, especially after monsoon rains. Developed campgrounds include Honeymoon, Upper and Lower Blue, Diamond Rock, Aspen, Buffalo Crossing, Hannagan, KP Cienega, Stray Horse, and Juan Miller. The Alpine Valley area in Sections 1-3, 7, 10-14, and 16-20 of T5N R30-31E is closed to firearms and muzzleloader elk hunting during those seasons.

Vegetation transitions dramatically with elevation: semi-desert scrub and chaparral near Clifton (3,400 ft); pinyon-juniper woodland through mid-elevation slopes; ponderosa pine forest on mid-to-upper slopes; mixed conifer (ponderosa, Douglas fir, white fir) below the Rim; and spruce-fir forest with alpine meadows at the highest elevations. Riparian corridors along the Blue River and Eagle Creek support cottonwood, willow, and alder. The 2011 Wallow Fire burned approximately 30 percent of the unit; post-fire regrowth of oaks, aspen, and browse species has produced dense early-successional habitat that now concentrates elk and deer. Gambel oak stands scattered throughout mid-elevations are critical fall mast producers for bear, turkey, and deer.

Elk are widely distributed across the northern half of the unit, summering above the Mogollon Rim and wintering in the Blue River and Eagle Creek drainages below. Unit 27 is recognized as one of Arizona's premier trophy bull elk units, producing bulls scoring 370 inches and above. Rocky Mountain mule deer occupy the unit throughout, with the highest concentrations south of the Rim at Four Bar Mesa and Foote Creek Mesa; both mule deer and Coues white-tailed deer are present, with Coues deer centered on the Mitchell Peak/Grey's Peak area and southern Rim face (Strayhorse Canyon, Raspberry Canyon, Robinson Mesa). Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep inhabit four distinct population areas: Upper Blue River (estimated 200 animals), Lower Blue River, Lower Eagle Creek (managed jointly with Unit 28 as hunt area 27 South/28 North), and the Black River corridor along the northern boundary (managed jointly with Unit 1). State record Rocky Mountain bighorn ram (194 3/8 B&C) taken in the Foote Creek area in 2007; average harvest scores in the mid-170s. Merriam's turkey occupy the northern two-thirds of the unit and are recovering well post-Wallow Fire. Black bear population is stable; average annual harvest approximately 30 animals. Mountain lion present throughout. Javelina are present at lower densities in the Blue River and Eagle Creek areas but no dedicated javelina season is offered for unit 27. Dusky (blue) grouse occupy high-elevation mixed-conifer and spruce-fir ridges. Mexican gray wolves are present in the unit. Game fish in the Blue River and its tributaries include the native Apache trout (recovering), rainbow, brown, brook, and cutthroat trout.