Unit 32, Arizona

Terrain transitions dramatically across nearly 70 miles of north-south extent. The southern lowlands begin at approximately 2,800 ft at San Manuel and rise through gently sloping desert grasslands — Bonita, Allen Flat — and mid-elevation canyon benches cut into the Winchester Mountains west of Sulphur Springs Valley. The Galiuro Mountains occupy the central-north core, rising to 7,660 ft in the Galiuro Wilderness, featuring steep, roadless drainages (Rattlesnake Canyon, Redfield Canyon, Aravaipa Creek tributaries). Aravaipa Canyon in the far north is a sheer-walled riparian canyon. Four-wheel drive is required for most interior roads; Galiuro, Redfield Canyon, and Aravaipa Canyon wilderness areas are closed to all vehicles. The road to Powers Hill (FS Road 96 from Klondyke) is 4WD only with no trailers.

Public land (~76%) is managed by the Coronado National Forest (Safford Ranger District), BLM (Safford Field Office), Arizona State Land Department, and The Nature Conservancy (Muleshoe Ranch). Three designated wilderness areas restrict motorized access: Galiuro Wilderness (central Galiuros), Redfield Canyon Wilderness (south Galiuros), and Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness (north perimeter, BLM-managed, 19,410 acres — permit required, 50 persons/day limit). Private land (~24%) is interspersed throughout, particularly along the San Pedro River, upper Aravaipa Creek, Redington area, and Bonita area (heavily private/state trust mix). SPECIAL NOTICES (from AZGFD March 2025 profile): - Johnson Road off I-10: CLOSED on private property. No longer any access to the Little Dragoon Mountains or Tres Alamos Wash from Johnson Road. North side of Little Dragoon Mountains no longer accessible from Three Links Rd. - Long Hollow and Rattlesnake Mesa access point: No longer public access to State Trust or Forest Service lands. - Carlink Ranch (Redington area): Access to the north side of Redfield Canyon through private land on the Carlink Ranch is no longer available. - Mercer Ranch/Bunker Hill Road (Mammoth area): Public access through private lands on the Mercer Ranch is denied due to vandalism. Possible restrictions also on YLE Ranch and Tom Rhodes Ranch road. - East side of Winchester Mountains: Few to no public access routes. - Lower Deer Creek Road: Popular camping sites now closed to camping due to private property. Key access routes: From east: I-10/Fort Grant Rd. From west: I-10/Pomerene Rd. From north: State Hwy 77. From south: I-10. Interior routes include Three-Links Road off Pomerene Road (San Pedro River corridor); Airport Road north of Willcox then Muleshoe Road (Allen Flat, Winchester Mountains); Fort Grant Road or SR 266/SR 199 from Safford (Bonita area); Klondyke-Bonita-Willcox Road (Klondyke, Turkey Creek, Galiuro foothills); FS 659/660 (North/South Ash Creek); FS 159 (High Creek, North Oak Creek); FS 693 (Wood Canyon, Black Canyon, Paddy's River). The ZR Hereford Ranch (Sibyl Road off I-10) requires signing in before crossing. BLM operates the only developed campground in the unit at Klondyke. Dispersed camping allowed on all NF and BLM lands (2-week limit). Contact: Coronado NF Safford Ranger District 520-428-4150; BLM Safford Field Office 928-348-4400; AZGFD Region V 520-628-5376; AZ State Land Dept 520-628-5480.

Five broad cover types stack by elevation: (1) Sonoran desert scrub and prickly pear cactus in the lowest desert benches near San Manuel and Mammoth; (2) semi-desert grassland with scattered mesquite and yucca across Bonita, Allen Flat, and Steele Hills; (3) riparian cottonwood-willow gallery forest along Aravaipa Creek and the San Pedro River; (4) Madrean oak-juniper woodland at mid-elevations (roughly 4,500–6,000 ft) in the Galiuro and Winchester drainages; (5) Petran montane conifer forest (ponderosa pine and mixed conifers) on the highest Galiuro ridges and peaks. The unit sits within the Madrean Sky Islands bioregion, producing a biologically diverse sky-island habitat mosaic.

Coues white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus couesi) range throughout higher elevations of the Galiuro and Winchester Mountains. Post-hunt surveys average 275–300 deer, buck:doe ratio 18–20:100. AZGFD notes a continuing downward trend in whitetail numbers attributed to drought. Rut peaks late December–January. Best areas: Galiuro Wilderness drainages (Redfield, Rattlesnake, Paddy's River, High Creek, North/South Ash Creek), China Peak, Fourmile Peak, Horse Mountain, Turkey Creek; Muleshoe Ranch (Pride Ranch, Jackson Cabin area). Mule deer are distributed across the full unit. Post-hunt surveys average ~400 animals, buck:doe ratio 8–10:100, hunt success ~20%. Most productive areas: Ash Creek/High Creek/Sunset Loop mesas, Davis/Caruthers/Polecat/N-O Canyons (Allen Flat), Klondyke (Turkey Creek, lower Long Hollow, Rattlesnake Mesa), Mammoth (Dry Camp Canyon, Copper Creek, Clark/Scanlon Wash), Teran Basin and Ridge (Palomas, Teran Wash, Kelsey/Sierra Blanca Canyons), Little Dragoon Mountains (west side, upper flats). Pronghorn antelope occupy two discrete areas: Allen Flat/Steele Hills (open grassland, accessed via Three-Links Road/Airport Road) and Bonita area (northeast, accessed via Fort Grant Road/SR 266). Combined surveys average 125–150 animals; drought has suppressed the population, which was augmented with 30 GPS-collared animals in 2018. Bucks average 13–14 inch horns. Desert bighorn sheep inhabit two areas: (1) Aravaipa Canyon — north rim (Brandenberg Mountain, Painted Cave Canyon, Horse Camp, Deer Creek, Hell Hole) and south rim (Turkey Creek/Oak Grove Canyon confluence, upper Turkey Creek pinnacles). East-end access via Dry Camp Ranch; west-end via Langdon's Ranch. (2) West Galiuro escarpment — Redfield Canyon confluence with Swamp Springs Canyon north to Kielberg Canyon, Cherry Springs Canyon south to Wildcat Hills and Muleshoe Ranch escarpment. North Redfield Canyon access requires Car Link Ranch permission; south side open via State Trust land. Elk: Unit 32 is included in an OTC archery elk zone but AZGFD states there are very little to no elk. A few had been observed historically around North/South Ash Creek and mesas between the Winchester and Galiuro ranges; no reports in the last several years. Gould's turkey distribution is limited. Known areas: San Pedro River (largely inaccessible — private land throughout), Aravaipa Canyon east end (TNC private west of Turkey Creek mouth), interior Galiuro Mountain Wilderness, and Ash Creek-High Creek corridor off Sunset Loop Road (FS 159/660/659 on Coronado NF — best public-land opportunity). Javelina numbers are stable at 12–16 herds (8–10 animals/herd), primarily 3,000–5,000 ft elevation. Hunt success averages 15–20%. Best concentrations: Klondyke drainages (Rattlesnake, Squaw, Bottle Canyons, upper Turkey Creek), Winchester Mountains west side (Muleshoe Road, Caruthers/N-O Canyons), Teran Basin, Little Dragoon Mountains (Tres Alamos Wash), Soza Mesa (Hot Springs Canyon, Cherry Springs, Eureka Canyon), Mammoth area (east of San Pedro River — prickly pear flats). Black bear are found in most Galiuro drainages and to a lesser extent the Winchester Mountains. Higher concentrations on the east side during normal/above-normal forage years; bears shift to the west side during low forage production. During high fruit years try prickly pear areas and canyons on the west side of the Galiuros east of Mammoth. Key areas: North and South Ash Creek, High Creek, Paddy's River, Upper Four-Mile Canyon, Upper Turkey Creek, Rattlesnake Canyon, Redfield Canyon. Powers Garden (Rattlesnake Canyon) has high reported activity — backpack or horseback access only. All three Arizona quail species are present: Gambel's (widespread, most common), Scaled (lower elevations northwest of Willcox — Allen Flat, Steele Hills), and a few Mearns (limited, upper oak canyons at higher elevations). Sandhill cranes winter in the Sulphur Springs Valley and use Willcox Playa and Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area as roost sites. Aravaipa Creek supports seven native desert fish species. The area supports Mexican spotted owl, western yellow-billed cuckoo, Chiricahua leopard frog, and other sensitive species.