Unit 30A (San Bernardino Valley and the Peloncillos)
Arizona Hunting Guide — Pronghorn, Mule Deer, Coues Whitetail Deer
GMU 30A is the far southeastern corner of Arizona around Douglas — the San Bernardino Valley running to the Mexican border, the Peloncillo Mountains on the New Mexico line, the Pedregosa Mountains northeast of town and the Dos Cabezas Mountains at the unit's north end. Pronghorn here live only in the San Bernardino Valley, mule deer are in all the ranges and lower valleys, and whitetail hold isolated populations in the Peloncillos, the south Dos Cabezas and the Pedregosas. Access is the dominant problem on every species: the valley is a mix of private ranch and State Trust land, several historic routes have been closed, and the agency's advice on all three hunts begins with securing permission before you apply.
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Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 30A
GMU 30A is the far southeastern corner of Arizona around Douglas — the San Bernardino Valley running to the Mexican border, the Peloncillo Mountains on the New Mexico line, the Pedregosa Mountains northeast of town and the Dos Cabezas Mountains at the unit's north end. Pronghorn here live only in the San Bernardino Valley, mule deer are in all the ranges and lower valleys, and whitetail hold isolated populations in the Peloncillos, the south Dos Cabezas and the Pedregosas. Access is the dominant problem on every species: the valley is a mix of private ranch and State Trust land, several historic routes have been closed, and the agency's advice on all three hunts begins with securing permission before you apply.
Where the pronghorn are in 30A: the San Bernardino Valley, and nowhere else
Be precise about this. Pronghorn in 30A are found only in the San Bernardino Valley — flat, open grassland south of Highway 80 and north of the Geronimo Trail. There is no second area.
The ranches that hold them
The valley is a mixture of private property and State Trust land, and the agency names the ranches where pronghorn are found: the Geronimo Ranch (formerly the Snure, Lazy J and Kimble ranches), the Ranch 10X (former IV Bar), the Krentz Ranch and the McDonald Ranch. Contact as many landowners as you can — that's the agency's instruction, not a suggestion.
What access exists, exactly
Read this carefully, because the picture has changed. Access into the north half of the valley is no longer allowed through the Skeleton Canyon Road. There are no public access routes off Highway 80, although you may walk in on foot onto State Trust land. Public access north off the Geronimo Trail is limited to the McDonald Ranch and the Snure Ranch Road.
Getting to the valley
Take I-10 to Highway 191 and run south to Douglas. Go east on 15th Street, which becomes the Geronimo Trail, and follow it into the valley.
The maps that answer the ownership question
BLM has good maps of this area with clear private-property boundaries. Get them before you scout. On a hunt where the animals occupy one valley and most of it is deeded, a boundary map is the difference between a hunt and a trespass.
Why scouting matters more here than anywhere
The guide says pre-scouting cannot be over-emphasised for this hunt, and gives the reason: scouting is how you talk to the landowners and learn which ground you can and cannot hunt. The animals are the easy part — they're standing in open grass.
Unit 30A terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 4,135–6,738 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 4,836 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 1,727.4 sq mi inside the boundary. Big enough that picking one drainage beats driving three.
Who owns the ground
- National Forest — 60%
- BLM — 15%
- State Trust — 8%
- Private / Other — 17%
Roughly 83% is public. Carry a land-status layer anyway — these are area percentages, not a map of where the boundaries fall.
Water on the ground
- 1,430 tanks
- 106 springs
- 208 stream segments
- 29 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: Dos Cabezas Mountains (8,300 ft), Cooper Peak (7,939 ft), Government Peak (7,548 ft), Howard Peak (7,519 ft)
Holding ground: Bruno Saddle (6,544 ft), Howard Canyon (5,511 ft), South Bruno Canyon (5,423 ft), Apache Spring, Ivanhoe 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 30A pronghorn: make the calls, then glass the valley from the State land
Pronghorn Success Rates
Pronghorn Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts (n/p) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Early Rifle bull/buck only (combined pool) | 6 | 398 | 1.3% | — |
| Early Archery — bull/buck only (combined pool) | 1 | 18 | 5.6% | — |
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 Logistics & Expectations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bonus points does Unit 30A pronghorn take to draw?
Can I hunt private ranch land in Unit 30A?
What's the best time to hunt Unit 30A pronghorn?
Are leftover tags available for Unit 30A?
Do I need a State Trust Land permit for Unit 30A?
What optics do I need for Coues hunting in the Chiricahua Mountains?
Is Cave Creek Canyon open to hunting in Unit 30A?
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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 2026-04-18.
- GMU 30A — Unit Landing Page — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Unit boundary, Pronghorn habitat notes, Access · accessed 2026-04-17
- 2026 Arizona Pronghorn and Elk Regulations — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Pronghorn season dates, Hunt codes, Tag allocations · accessed 2026-04-17
- BLM Safford Field Office — Sulphur Springs Valley — Bureau of Land Management · supports: Public land access, Grassland conservation areas, Road status · accessed 2026-04-17
- AZGFD Draw Portal — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Weighted-random bonus point system, 30A pronghorn draw odds · accessed 2026-04-17
- 2026 Arizona Hunting Regulations — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Deer season structure, Hunt codes, Tag allocations · accessed 2026-04-17
- BLM Tucson Field Office — Sulphur Springs Valley — Bureau of Land Management · supports: Public land access, Land ownership patchwork, Road status · accessed 2026-04-17
- AZGFD Big Game Draw — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Applicant counts, Draw odds, Tag quotas · accessed 2026-04-18
- AZGFD Big Game Hunting Regulations 2026 — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Season dates, Hunt area boundaries, Equipment regulations · accessed 2026-04-18
- Coronado National Forest — Chiricahua Mountains — USDA Forest Service — Coronado National Forest · supports: Forest boundaries, Road access, Wilderness areas · accessed 2026-04-18