Unit 40B, Arizona

Terrain is predominantly flat, arid desert basin with scattered rugged, isolated mountain ranges. The Colorado River floodplain and agricultural valleys border the unit on the west. Elevations range from approximately 100 feet along the Colorado River near Yuma to about 3,156 feet at Sheep Mountain, the highest point in the Gila Mountains, and 2,766 feet at the summit of the Tinajas Altas Mountains. The lowlands between ranges consist of broad, gravelly bajadas and rocky desert flats. The mountain ranges themselves feature steep, rocky ridgelines, boulder-strewn canyons, and historic tinaja (natural rock tank) water sources, most notably at the Tinajas Altas — approximately eight to nine natural rock tanks perched on a steep granite slope that are a critical desert water source. The unit is bisected roughly by Cipriano Pass between the Gila Mountains to the north and the Tinajas Altas to the south.

The unit is approximately 91.8% public land managed by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps (BMGR-West under MCAS Yuma), Bureau of Land Management (Yuma Field Office), and Arizona State Land Department. The Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge (93% designated Wilderness, 860,000 acres) borders the southeastern unit boundary — hunters must obtain a free visitor permit from the refuge headquarters in Ajo (1611 N. Second Ave, Ajo, AZ 85321; phone: 520-843-6867; Mon-Fri 8am-4pm) to enter NWR lands; a BMGR access permit is also required to reach the refuge. Most of the unit's mountain ranges fall within the Barry M. Goldwater Range (BMGR), where hunters must sign a hold-harmless agreement and obtain a free annual access permit from the Yuma Range Department at MCAS Yuma, (928) 269-7150. All off-road vehicles must meet street-legal requirements (registration, insurance, and required equipment) to enter the BMGR. The eastern Mohawk Mountains area (40B East) is a restricted tactical range with no public hunting except for sheep hunters holding a special permit issued by Luke AFB — contact Luke AFB at 623-856-7216 or 623-856-1758; access managed via yuma.isportsman.net. Some areas are restricted to weekend hunting only due to military training operations. Key highway access: I-8 is the primary east-west corridor — take Exit 87 (Avenue 40E, Tacna) for the Mohawk/Copper Mountains and Exit 30 (Avenue 29E, Wellton) for the Gila and Tinajas Altas Mountains. Highway 85 (Gila Bend south to Ajo, approximately 40 miles) provides eastern unit access. Highway 80 and Avenue 25E connect to El Camino Del Diablo, the historic desert road running through the southern portion of the unit to the Tinajas Altas area. Four-wheel drive with high clearance is strongly recommended; water and emergency supplies are essential. Mittry Lake (Colorado River area) provides waterfowl access but closes November 15 through the second Monday of February for waterfowl refuge. The AZGFD Region IV office is at 9140 E. 28th St., Yuma, AZ.

Vegetation is classic Lower Sonoran Desert scrub dominated by creosote bush, white bursage, brittlebush, cholla, and prickly pear cactus. Canyon drainages and washes support desert riparian cover including palo verde, ironwood, desert willow, and salt cedar. The isolated mountain ranges contain saguaro cactus on rocky slopes and limited chaparral-like shrub cover in upper elevations. Limber bush appears in drainages — rams in the Tinajas Altas area are known to develop a distinctive red staining on their horns from rubbing against limber bush. The Yuma Valley sub-unit along the Colorado River includes agricultural lands (Bermuda grass fields, grain crops) important for dove and quail. There is no ponderosa pine or pinyon-juniper component — this is exclusively a lower-desert and xeric-scrub unit.

Desert bighorn sheep are the premier big-game species in this unit, with a population estimated at approximately 250 animals distributed across three hunt complexes: the Mohawk-Copper Mountains, the Gila Mountains (north of Cipriano Pass), and the Tinajas Altas Mountains (south of Cipriano Pass). Bighorn rams rut from mid-November through mid-December. Mule deer occur in low numbers, with the most consistent populations found along the western slopes of the Mohawk Mountains; habitat is marginal and arid throughout most of the unit. Javelina are present in very low numbers, observed mainly in the Tinajas Altas Mountains and Fortuna Wash on the Gila Mountains' west side. Gambel's quail populations fluctuate with annual rainfall but concentrate near agricultural areas and desert washes. Dove hunting — particularly mourning dove with seasonal white-winged dove — is described as some of the best in the state, supported by agricultural fields in the Yuma Valley sub-unit. A unique wild ring-necked pheasant population exists in the southwestern Yuma Valley; pheasant hunts run four consecutive week-long sessions beginning the second September weekend (two rooster-only tags for the general season; junior season allows two either-sex tags). Waterfowl use Mittry Lake and the Colorado River corridor seasonally. Mountain lion and coyote are present. No elk occur in this unit.