Unit 2C, Arizona

Gently rolling to flat high-plains topography with minimal relief, lying at roughly 5,700–6,500 feet elevation. Terrain requires little physical exertion and is characteristic of the Colorado Plateau grassland/shrubland transition zone. No significant mountain ranges or canyons are present within the unit boundaries.

The unit is accessed from St. Johns via US Hwy 191/180 along the eastern edge, from Concho via AZ Hwy 61 along the northern/western edge, and from the south/west via US Hwy 60. Interior access roads include Apache County Road 4365 from Hwy 60 near milepost 383 and Apache County Road 3000 from AZ Hwy 61 near milepost 365. Land ownership is a classic checkerboard: a strip of mostly State Trust land runs along the southern border, while the remainder alternates between private/State Trust and private/BLM sections. No national forest is present. BLM jurisdiction falls under the Safford Field Office (711 14th Ave., Safford, AZ 85546; 928-348-4400). Hunting is legal on all State Trust and BLM parcels, but access to many public parcels requires permission to cross adjacent private land — this is the unit's primary access challenge. The AZGFD Pinetop regional office (928-367-4281) covers this unit. Off-highway vehicles under 1,800 lbs require an OHV decal on public lands; off-road driving on State/BLM lands is prohibited. No wilderness areas are present. Seasonal road closures after heavy snow can limit interior access. Note 73 in the official regulations confirms AZ Hwy 261/273 closures to Big Lake affect Unit 1 access, not core 2C roads. The St. Johns Hunt Area special restriction boundary (Note 77 in AZGFD Commission Order) encompasses portions of units 2A, 2B, and 2C near the Little Colorado River north of St. Johns. Mexican wolves may be present in GMU 2C per AZGFD wolf recovery notice. Nearest services: St. Johns, Springerville/Eagar (~25 mi north), and Sanders (~30 mi northwest).

Dominant cover is open sagebrush scrub and semi-desert grassland transitioning to scattered pinyon-juniper woodland. AZGFD describes the unit as 'almost entirely pronghorn habitat.' Greater vegetation density and slightly higher deer use occur in the TV Knoll area and along the southern border near Concho. Riparian corridors associated with the Little Colorado River touch the unit's eastern boundary near St. Johns.

Pronghorn antelope are the principal game species; the population is stable with greatest density in the southern half of the unit. Mule deer occupy the unit at very low density overall; most reliable concentrations are in the TV Knoll area, along the southern border, and around the Concho area, though the most productive mule deer habitat is on private land. Elk use the unit primarily as winter range — GMU 2C falls within the Winter-Range Elk Management Zone; resident elk numbers are low and management targets reduction of spring-through-fall elk presence. Both bull and antlerless elk hunts are offered; the general rifle hunt (Nov–Dec) includes bull permits for the combined 1/2B/2C area. Black bear are present at low density and are open to nonpermit harvest in fall and spring seasons. Javelina occur in the unit under a year-round HAM nonpermit-tag. No turkey hunts are offered, consistent with the open-plains character and absence of montane forest. Mountain lion are present at low density. Mexican gray wolves may be present and are federally protected.

1. Pronghorn hunt number corrected to 2003 (not 2002, which is Unit 2A). 2. Permit quotas for elk and deer are combined totals for multi-unit groups — no AZGFD document separately publishes per-unit quotas for GMU 2C alone. 3. Mule deer OTC archery season for 2C is Aug 21–Sep 10 only; no Dec–Jan archery window exists for this unit. 4. Bear fall seasons corrected: Oct 2–Oct 29 and Oct 30–Dec 31 (units 1/2A/2B/2C and 27); spring season Mar 20–Apr 23 (units 1/2A/2B/2C). 5. Elk general rifle hunt 3011 is Bull elk (225 permits, Nov 27–Dec 3); antlerless hunts 3034/3035 are Dec 4–Dec 31. The draft's characterization of all elk as antlerless/any-elk was partially incorrect. 6. Hunter success rates for deer and elk are not available from public AZGFD harvest summaries for this low-draw-volume unit; the pronghorn historical success rate (86%) is from Hunt Arizona 2017 and may not reflect current conditions. 7. Public land percentage (59%) is sourced from GoHunt unit profile; actual accessible hunting acreage is substantially lower due to landlocked parcels. 8. Mexican wolves may be present per AZGFD wolf recovery notice covering GMU 2C. 9. No bighorn sheep, turkey, or archery-only javelina draw hunts exist for this unit.