Unit 38M, Arizona

Low Sonoran Desert terrain dominated by flat plains, bajadas (alluvial fans), and washes cut by dry streambeds, rising to rocky, volcanic mountain foothills. Elevation ranges from approximately 2,200 feet on the desert floor to 4,687 feet at Wasson Peak in the Tucson Mountains. Terrain is generally open and accessible on foot, though rocky slopes and dense cactus make off-trail travel slow.

Access and land ownership are highly fragmented due to the urban setting. Approximately 34–37% of the unit is public land; private land accounts for ~62–66% (HuntScore: private ~66%, public ~34%, BLM ~1%, NPS ~4%). No National Forest land lies within the core unit; Coronado National Forest forms parts of the eastern boundary. The San Xavier Indian Reservation (Tohono O'odham) borders the unit to the south and west and is closed to public hunting without tribal permission. Saguaro National Park West (Tucson Mountain District) is closed to all hunting. Key public hunting areas: Tucson Mountain Park (~20,000 acres, Pima County) and the Tucson Mountain Wildlife Area (AZGFD-managed). Per Note 25 of the 2026-27 AZGFD Hunting Regulations, the Tucson Mountain Wildlife Area is closed to the discharge of all firearms; the Wildlife Area and Tucson Mountain Park are open to archery hunting except portions within 1/4 mile of any occupied residence or building, developed picnic area, developed campground, shooting range, boat ramp, or golf course. Archery hunters planning to hunt the Tucson Mountain Wildlife Area must check in online at www.azgfd.gov/tmhregistration prior to going afield. Major access roads include Kinney Road, Sandario Road, and Picture Rocks Road along the west side, and Gates Pass Road through the Tucson Mountains. State Trust Land parcels in the southern portion offer additional archery opportunities.

Predominantly Lower Sonoran Desert scrub and desert grassland biotic communities. Characteristic vegetation includes saguaro, barrel cactus, cholla, ocotillo, prickly pear, creosote bush, mesquite, palo verde, and yucca. Riparian washes support denser mesquite bosques and desert willow. At higher elevations in the Tucson Mountains, desert grassland transitions from open scrub. No pinyon-juniper, ponderosa pine, or chaparral zones are present within the unit.

Mule deer (desert subspecies) are the primary big game; bucks in the Tucson Mountains are often acclimated to human presence. Javelina (collared peccary) are abundant throughout the desert scrub and washes, including nuisance animals that move through residential areas. Mountain lion are present but at very low densities due to habitat fragmentation from urban expansion. Small game includes Gambel's quail and white-winged and mourning dove. Coyote, bobcat, and desert cottontail are common throughout. The rut for mule deer typically begins in late October and can extend through late December, with peak activity in December–January. Desert mule deer concentrate around washes, palo verde corridors, and the rocky foothills of Tucson Mountain Park during the December–January archery window.