Unit 24BS (Superstition Mountains south, unit 24B)
Arizona Hunting Guide — Bighorn Sheep
24BS is the southern bighorn hunt area of GMU 24B — the Superstition Mountains country east of Phoenix between Queen Valley, Superior and Apache Junction, on the Tonto National Forest and the State Trust land around it. AZGFD publishes one guide for the parent unit rather than one per half, so the area detail here is the 24B material and the north/south line comes from your tag's own description. Bighorn were restored to these ranges between the early 1980s and 2002 and are now managed for a harvest of 15 to 25 percent of estimated Class III and IV rams. The southern core areas are Hewitt and Millsite Canyons, Coffee Flat Mountain, and the State Trust land around Tule and Whitlow Canyons.
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Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 24BS
24BS is the southern bighorn hunt area of GMU 24B — the Superstition Mountains country east of Phoenix between Queen Valley, Superior and Apache Junction, on the Tonto National Forest and the State Trust land around it. AZGFD publishes one guide for the parent unit rather than one per half, so the area detail here is the 24B material and the north/south line comes from your tag's own description. Bighorn were restored to these ranges between the early 1980s and 2002 and are now managed for a harvest of 15 to 25 percent of estimated Class III and IV rams. The southern core areas are Hewitt and Millsite Canyons, Coffee Flat Mountain, and the State Trust land around Tule and Whitlow Canyons.
Where the rams are in 24B South: Hewitt Canyon, Coffee Flat and the Tule country
A point of order first: AZGFD publishes a single guide for GMU 24B and doesn't split its area notes north from south. Read this with your tag's hunt-area description in hand and put that boundary in your GPS.
Hewitt Canyon and Hewitt Ridge
Access to Hewitt Canyon runs along FR 172. Hewitt Ridge and Coffee Flat, both west of that road, are described as core areas for 24B's bighorn population. Hewitt Ridge shows at 4,264 feet on our terrain layer. This is the heart of the southern hunt.
Millsite Canyon and Coffee Flat Mountain
Both named among the places sheep are regularly observed. Coffee Flat Mountain sits in the same block west of FR 172.
The State Trust land at Tule and Whitlow Canyons
Sheep use the State Trust ground surrounding Tule and Whitlow Canyons. Different ownership means different rules from the forest — check what applies before you hunt there.
The restoration story
Bighorn had gone from the ranges around Phoenix by about 1900. Restoration began in the early 1980s and concluded in 2002, when the first desert bighorn hunt was offered here. The herd is now managed for a harvest of 15 to 25 percent of estimated Class III and IV rams, which is why tags are so few.
Access routes nearby
Popular routes through this part of the unit include the Hewitt Canyon / JF Ranch road (FS 172), Happy Camp (FS 650) and Silver King (FS 229), with many roads branching off them. FR 225, FR 1490 and FR 342 are high-clearance; US 60 and AZ 188 are the paved frame.
The maps you need
A Tonto National Forest map identifies roads, boundaries and land ownership; topographic maps give you the terrain. AZGFD's Recreational Access Arizona 2.0 tool is also worth using to sort out what you can legally cross.
Unit 24BS terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
Named features inside the unit
Glass from: Mound Mountain (6,241 ft), White Mountain (6,077 ft), Iron Mountain (6,040 ft), Webster Mountain (5,775 ft)
Holding ground: Juniper Flat (5,329 ft), Windy Pass (4,919 ft), Log Trough Canyon (4,902 ft), Horrell Spring, Mountain 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 24B South: glass the canyon ledges, then walk into Martinez country
Bighorn Sheep Success Rates
Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts (n/p) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — General Rifle bull/buck only (combined pool) | 2 | 502 | 0.4% | — |
| Rifle — Late Rifle Dec bull/buck only (combined pool) | 1 | 326 | 0.0% | — |
Data from 2023 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 24BS is a once-in-a-lifetime bighorn draw near Phoenix. With only ~4 tags over three years and 1,088 applicants, odds run around 0.4% per applicant. Arizona's weighted bonus-point system routes 20% to max-point holders first, 80% to a random weighted draw. Plan on 18–25+ bonus points for realistic competitiveness. Arizona residents who harvest any bighorn lose eligibility for future bighorn applications.
Unit Logistics & Expectations
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Unit 24BS one of the harder AZ sheep hunts physically?
Can I hunt 24BS as a day trip from Phoenix?
Do I need a guide for Unit 24BS?
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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 Desert Bighorn Sheep Management — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Four Peaks bighorn transplant history, Superstition Wilderness sheep habitat, Once-in-a-lifetime tag, Reintroduced herd from Kofa · accessed 2026-04-17
- AZGFD Draw Portal — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Unit 24BS bighorn draw, Historical odds, Tag caps · accessed 2026-04-17
- Tonto National Forest — Four Peaks Wilderness — USDA Forest Service · supports: Four Peaks Wilderness rules, Superstition Wilderness access, Foot/horseback travel only · accessed 2026-04-17