Unit 16A (Kingman – Hualapai Mountains)
Arizona Hunting Guide — Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep, Elk
Unit 16A covers the Hualapai Mountains and surrounding BLM desert country southeast of Kingman. The Hualapais rise from roughly 3,500 feet up to 8,417 feet at Hualapai Peak, giving the unit an unusual elevation range for northwest Arizona. Mule deer use the pinyon-juniper and ponderosa zones on the upper slopes and shift to the chaparral and desert fringe at lower elevations. The unit is a solid opportunity hunt with moderate tag numbers and relatively light pressure.
Build your own PDF hunt guide for Unit 16A
Answer a few questions about your tag, your season and your rig, and the Field Intelligence Report builds a print-ready Arizona Unit 16A guide around your hunt: three ranked spots with morning, afternoon and evening plays, a day-by-day plan, topo maps with every pin numbered, a camp and access plan, the legal and retrieval rules for this unit, shot discipline, a meat-care and pack-out plan, and a pre-trip checklist. Every coordinate sits on land recorded as public.
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Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 16A
Unit 16A covers the Hualapai Mountains and surrounding BLM desert country southeast of Kingman. The Hualapais rise from roughly 3,500 feet up to 8,417 feet at Hualapai Peak, giving the unit an unusual elevation range for northwest Arizona. Mule deer use the pinyon-juniper and ponderosa zones on the upper slopes and shift to the chaparral and desert fringe at lower elevations. The unit is a solid opportunity hunt with moderate tag numbers and relatively light pressure.
Where the deer are in 16A: the Hualapais, the McCrackens and the Poachie Mountains
Good news first: the deer population and fawn production both increased last year in 16A, and the most recent survey estimated the highest population since 2016. Hunters reported seeing more does and fawns. The herd isn't back to historic levels, and management wants the trend to continue before adding tags.
The Hualapai Mountains, and the crowd
The Hualapais and the country around them hold the highest mule deer density in the unit — and therefore the most hunters, concentrated on the east side. That east side historically held high densities, but drought has cut the herd there. Areas worth considering are the foothills and ridges on the north and east sides, reached on Old Highway 93 and Blake Ranch Road.
The burns
At higher elevations BLM has run controlled burns in a few of the basins over the last couple of years. Those give you two things: better visibility than unburned country, and palatable new growth that pulls deer in. If you only take one tip from this guide, that's the one.
The drier west side
The west side of the Hualapais is drier than the east and deer densities are lower — which also means fewer hunters. Look in the major canyons from Walnut Canyon south, and key on water sources because it's dry. On the south end, deer run from Cane Springs Wash all the way south of Chicken Springs Road.
The McCracken Mountains
A small range west of Alamo Road holding a fair number of deer, with some older-age-class bucks surveyed through it. Small ranges with mature bucks and little pressure are exactly what a patient hunter wants.
The Poachie Mountains
In the southeast of 16A, taking in the Arrastra Mountain Wilderness Area — open grassy areas, prickly-pear flats and large canyons, with many springs nearby that attract deer. Access is People's Canyon Road or the smaller roads running west off Highway 93 between the Santa Maria River and Alamo Road.
Unit 16A terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 1,360–4,605 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 2,981 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 2,466.8 sq mi inside the boundary. Big enough that picking one drainage beats driving three.
Who owns the ground
- BLM — 15%
- State Trust — 8%
- Private / Other — 77%
Roughly 23% is public. Carry a land-status layer anyway — these are area percentages, not a map of where the boundaries fall.
Water on the ground
- 154 tanks
- 124 springs
- 3,131 stream segments
- 16 lakes
Counts from mapping data, so this is how many exist, not how many hold water in a dry year. Sitting water only pays where you find fresh tracks.
Named features inside the unit
Glass from: Hualapai Peak (8,383 ft), Dean Peak (7,948 ft), Wabayuma Peak (7,514 ft), Pine Peak (7,212 ft)
Holding ground: Hualapai Canyon (4,588 ft), Whiskey Basin (4,478 ft), Gilroy Canyon (4,172 ft), Jupiter Spring, Screwbean Spring
Every one of these was tested against the unit polygon before it went on the map. They are starting points, not agency recommendations.
How to hunt 16A deer: hunt the burns, the west side and the small ranges
Mule Deer Success Rates
Mule Deer Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts (n/p) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — General Rifle Oct bull/buck only (combined pool) | 225 | 539 | 36.0% | — |
| Rifle — Late Rifle Nov bull/buck only (combined pool) | 20 | 22 | 63.6% | — |
| Rifle — General Rifle Oct either sex (combined pool) | 225 | 539 | 36.0% | — |
| Rifle — Late Rifle Nov either sex (combined pool) | 20 | 22 | 63.6% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Late Muzzleloader Nov bull/buck only (combined pool) | 20 | 25 | 60.0% | — |
Data from 2025 draw results. Each row is one residency pool — read the label before the number. This agency publishes no point thresholds, so the Pts column stays blank and these are pool odds, not what a point total draws.
Open in Draw Odds EngineUnit 16A is a moderate-draw opportunity unit. Arizona's weighted bonus-point system routes 20% of tags to max-point holders first; 80% via random weighted draw. Residents typically draw with 1–3 bonus points for early hunts and 3–5 for late-season rut hunts. Nonresidents face a 10% cap.
Unit Logistics & Expectations
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hualapai Mountain Park closed to hunting?
How does Unit 16A compare to Unit 15 for mule deer?
What's the base town for Unit 16A?
How do I draw a Unit 16A bighorn tag?
Should I hire an outfitter for Unit 16A?
How many bonus points for a Unit 16A elk tag?
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Upgrade to Pro — $49/yrSources & Verification
Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-17.
- AZGFD Game Management Units — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Unit 16A boundaries, Hualapai Mountains habitat gradient, Mule deer seasons, BLM and Mohave County land mix · accessed 2026-04-17
- AZGFD Draw Portal — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Unit 16A historical draw odds, Tag allocation, Bonus points · accessed 2026-04-17
- BLM Kingman Field Office — Bureau of Land Management · supports: Hualapai Mountain fringe, Wild Cow Springs area, Travel management · accessed 2026-04-17
- GMU 16A — Unit Landing Page — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Black Mountains boundary, Desert bighorn habitat, River access · accessed 2026-04-17
- 2026 Arizona Hunting Regulations — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Bighorn season, Tag allocation, Hunt codes · accessed 2026-04-17
- AZGFD 2026 Elk Hunt Regulations — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Unit 16A elk hunt structure, Season dates, Tag quotas · accessed 2026-04-17
- Prescott National Forest — USDA Forest Service · supports: Bradshaw Mountains road network, Motor Vehicle Use Map, Dispersed camping rules · accessed 2026-04-17