Unit 42, Arizona

Elevations range from approximately 1,000 feet along the Hassayampa River bottomlands and the I-10 corridor to 4,018 feet in the White Tank Mountains, with the Big Horn Mountains topping around 3,600 feet and Sugarloaf Mountain (in Hummingbird Springs Wilderness) reaching 3,418 feet. The dominant landform is flat to gently rolling Sonoran Desert plain interrupted by several abruptly rising rocky desert mountain ranges. Washes and arroyos radiate out from the ranges; the Hassayampa River cuts across the northeastern edge of the unit. Rough, rocky, and steep terrain is common in the mountain areas; high-clearance or four-wheel-drive vehicles are standard on the access roads.

Approximately 71 percent public land: BLM roughly 41 percent (Hassayampa Field Office, 2020 E. Bell Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85022; 602-867-5400), Arizona State Trust roughly 24 percent, and wilderness roughly 6 percent. The eastern fringe — Peoria, Glendale, Surprise, and Goodyear suburbs — is predominantly private and largely unavailable. Two federally designated BLM wilderness areas are within the unit: Big Horn Mountains Wilderness (21,000 acres, Maricopa County, about 60 miles west of Phoenix) and Hummingbird Springs Wilderness (31,200 acres, Maricopa County, about 55 miles west of Phoenix); motorized vehicles, OHVs, and bicycles are prohibited in both. White Tank Mountains Regional Park (Maricopa County Parks) is largely closed to rifle hunting; archery is allowed with a park use declaration and fee. Skyline Regional Park allows limited hunting in its Back Country Section only. Key access corridors: US Highway 60 runs east-west through the northern portion; Interstate 10 forms the southern boundary. From I-10, Exit 81 (Salome-Hassayampa Rd.) and the Tonopah and Salome Road exits provide northern approach to the Big Horn and Hummingbird Springs areas via unmaintained dirt roads. Eagle Eye Road south of Aguila reaches the northern face of the Hummingbird Springs area. The Vulture Mountains are reached via AZ 60 west to Vulture Mine Road, then south to Vulture Peak Road. The Belmont Mountains are accessed from I-10 west to 339th Avenue, north to Indian School Road, west two miles, then north about 10 miles. The Big Horn Mountains are accessed via I-10 at Tonopah or Salome Road exits; motorized access ends at Hummingbird Springs trailhead — foot or horseback travel only beyond that point. Aguila Road provides backcountry stock-tank access in the northern portions of the unit. Camping is generally permitted on BLM and State Trust land; White Tank Mountains Regional Park offers developed camping with hookups.

Lowland and bajada areas are classic Sonoran Desert scrub dominated by creosote, ironwood, palo verde, ocotillo, saguaro, and cholla. Mid-elevation desert grasslands and mesquite bosques occur along washes and in the broader valleys, particularly near Sols Wash west of Wickenburg and along the Hassayampa riparian corridor. The mountain ranges support rockier desert uplands with brittlebush, desert willow, and sparse perennial grasses. There is no significant pinyon-juniper or ponderosa component; vegetation transitions sharply from desert scrub on slopes to rocky talus on peaks. Stock tanks and BLM water catchments are key water sources for wildlife.

Desert mule deer are the primary big game species; the population is distributed throughout the unit but numbers are relatively modest. Bucks concentrate in the mountain ranges and remote desert flats. Desert bighorn sheep occupy the Big Horn Mountains (primary herd, established through transplants in 2005, 2007, and 2010, with hunts reestablished in 2013), with secondary populations in the Belmont and Sugarloaf mountains; recent harvested rams have scored in the 170-point range. Javelina are present in scattered herds near permanent water sources, desert washes, and mesquite — Sols Wash west of Wickenburg and AZGFD water catchment sites are documented concentrations. Mountain lions maintain a resident population across the unit's mountain ranges; Zone I (Units 42/44A) carries an annual harvest threshold of 5 under the statewide general season. Gambel's quail are found throughout, with the best populations in the Vulture Mountains south of Wickenburg and along Jackrabbit Wash. Mourning dove and white-winged dove are widespread, particularly near agricultural areas. Waterfowl jump-shooting opportunities exist on stock tanks. No elk or pronghorn are documented or managed in this unit.

1. General rifle hunt for Unit 42 is Hunt 1070 (not 1071) per 2026-27 regulations; 275 permits, Nov 6-15, 2026. 2. Muzzleloader for Unit 42 only is Hunt 1177 (Nov 20-29, 2026, 75 permits); combo muzzleloader Units 39-42 is Hunt 1192 (Dec 11-31, 2026, 50 permits). 3. Bighorn sheep 2025 draw odds (Hunt 6036) confirmed: 523 first-choice applicants, 2 permits, 0.2% odds. For 2026-27 the hunt is renumbered 6040, same area and permit count. 4. Mountain lion: the draft claim of archery-only restriction and two-bag limit in specific mountain ranges is NOT supported by the 2026-27 regulations. Unit 42 is under Zone I statewide general season with a harvest threshold of 5. The archery-only restriction applies only to Units 11M/25M/26M/38M. 5. OTC archery deer harvest data confirmed: 309 hunters, 23 bucks, 4% success, 14.1 avg days (2024 mandatory harvest report). 6. Spring javelina Hunt 5033 confirmed in 2026 spring draw booklet: Feb 20-26, 2026, Units 42/44A, 50 permits. OTC archery Hunt 5084 confirmed Jan 1-22, 2026, multi-unit including 42, 450 permits total for that multi-unit hunt. 7. No elk or pronghorn in Unit 42 — confirmed absent from all applicable commission orders.