Unit 16B (Needle Mountains and the Aubrey Hills)
Arizona Hunting Guide — Bighorn Sheep
GMU 16B is the Colorado River corridor at Lake Havasu, in Mohave County — the Needle Mountains in the north of the unit and the Aubrey Hills in the south. AZGFD issues the unit's sheep permit for both portions at once, and says both ranges are small enough to be covered thoroughly during the hunt. Class III and IV rams here normally score between 140 and 170 Boone and Crockett points, lower for their age than rams elsewhere because of low rainfall and harsh living conditions. The unit is tiny by Arizona standards at about 129 square miles, much of it river, refuge and private ground, and a boat is often the easiest way in.
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Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 16B
GMU 16B is the Colorado River corridor at Lake Havasu, in Mohave County — the Needle Mountains in the north of the unit and the Aubrey Hills in the south. AZGFD issues the unit's sheep permit for both portions at once, and says both ranges are small enough to be covered thoroughly during the hunt. Class III and IV rams here normally score between 140 and 170 Boone and Crockett points, lower for their age than rams elsewhere because of low rainfall and harsh living conditions. The unit is tiny by Arizona standards at about 129 square miles, much of it river, refuge and private ground, and a boat is often the easiest way in.
Where the sheep are in 16B: the Needles in the north, the Aubrey Hills in the south
One permit, two ranges. AZGFD issues the sheep permit for 16B over both the north and south portions of the unit, and the two are different hunts. The Needle Mountains sit in the north, the Aubrey Hills in the south, and the agency's own read is encouraging for a small unit: both ranges are relatively small and can be covered very thoroughly during the hunt.
What a ram here scores, and why
Class III and IV rams observed in this area normally score between 140 and 170 Boone and Crockett points. The agency is direct about the reason they come in lower for their age than rams elsewhere in Arizona — low rainfall and harsh living conditions. Go in wanting an old ram rather than a big number.
The Needle Mountains, north end
There's vehicle access to the base of the Needles at both the north and south ends of the range. For the north end, take Interstate 40 to the Needles Mountains exit, exit 2, about three miles from the Arizona-California border. Our terrain data puts The Needles themselves at 1,059 feet, with Powell Peak at 2,278 and Tumarion Peak at 2,041 the high ground of the unit.
The Needle Mountains, south end
Two-track designated dirt roads head west from State Route 95 — one at milepost 192 into Blankenship Wash, the other across from the intersection with Lone Tree Road near the power substation at about milepost 194. Both eventually end at the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge boundary. Motor vehicles are not allowed on the refuge, even on existing roads, and on BLM ground motorized access is on designated routes only. Get the designated-route maps from the Havasu BLM office before you plan a drive in.
The water approach, and the spots boaters see sheep
The agency's alternative is a boat. Launches at Lake Havasu City and Topock are both minutes from the Needle Mountains, and AZGFD names Devil's Elbow and Picture Rock as the places to work that way — sheep are frequently seen at both by boaters. Navigating the river at night is difficult and should be avoided if you're using a boat to reach hunting areas.
The Aubrey Hills, south portion
Also very small, and not as rugged as the Needles. Vehicle access is not permitted west of State Route 95, so boat access is the easiest way into the heart of the sheep country. The shoreline stretch sheep use most is from Pilot Rock to Steamboat Cove — Pilot Rock reads 454 feet and Steamboat Rock 595 on our terrain layer, which tells you how low and how close to the water this hunt is.
Land status, and why it matters more here than usual
Our mapping puts the unit at about 129 square miles with roughly 8 percent State Trust and the remaining 92 percent private, refuge or other. That is the opposite of most Arizona sheep units, so sort ownership and refuge boundaries before you pick a route, not after.
Unit 16B terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 450–1,602 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 775 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 129 sq mi inside the boundary.
Who owns the ground
- State Trust — 8%
- Private / Other — 92%
Roughly 8% is public. Carry a land-status layer anyway — these are area percentages, not a map of where the boundaries fall.
Water on the ground
- 58 tanks
- 2 springs
- 68 stream segments
- 17 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: Steamboat Rock (595 ft), Pilot Rock (454 ft), Red Rock (450 ft)
Holding ground: Jackpot 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 16B: cover both ranges, work from the water, and sort the refuge rules first
Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds
Draw odds data not available for this specific unit/species combination in our database.
Search Arizona Draw OddsFrequently Asked Questions
Does the 16B sheep permit cover both the Needle Mountains and the Aubrey Hills?
Can I drive into the sheep country in Unit 16B?
Do I need a boat to hunt Unit 16B?
What do rams score in Unit 16B?
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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 2026-10-20.
- GMU 16B — Expanded Hunt Information (May 29, 2026) — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Needle Mountains and Aubrey Hills sheep areas, Ram scores, Access routes, Refuge vehicle closure · accessed 2026-10-20
- GMU 16B — Unit Landing Page — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Unit boundary, Species present · accessed 2026-10-20
- Havasu National Wildlife Refuge — U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · supports: No motor vehicles on the refuge, Refuge boundary and rules · accessed 2026-10-20