Unit 33

Read this first. You're after Merriam's turkey on this page, but AZGFD's Unit 33 guide (dated May 16, 2022) describes a small, stable population of Gould's turkey. They're a reintroduced desert bird, released starting in the mid-2000s. The guide never mentions Merriam's. Check your tag and the current regulations for the species and season before you plan anything. Everything below follows what the agency says about the birds that are actually here.

Catalinas above 7,000 feet

This is the strongest country. AZGFD says the most consistently locatable birds in the north and west half of the unit sit above the 7,000-foot line in the Santa Catalinas. Our elevation data puts the unit's high point at 7,061 feet, so that line is close to the top of the unit's own ground. The big named summits in the range data, like Mount Lemmon at 9,125 feet, are Catalina features. Don't assume they're inside your boundary. Check a map.

Birds concentrate on the tops of the highest peaks above Rose Canyon Lake. Start there.

Catalina Highway and the Control Road

The guide gives two ways in. Catalina Highway climbs out of Tucson. The Control Road, Forest Service Rd. 38, comes in from Oracle. About 60 percent of the unit is National Forest, so most of this high country is public. Expect company near the top. The guide says many birds live close to development, including the cabins on Mt. Lemmon.

East side of the Rincons (Unit 33S)

South and east of Redington Road, the guide calls the east side of the Rincons the most consistently locatable Gould's population. You reach it by the major roads running north near Benson. This half is archery only. About 32 percent of the unit is private or other land, and the guide tells you to get landowner permission before hunting any private ground. Don't skip that step.

Low country and stragglers

Small groups of turkeys turn up in the major drainages and riparian areas, all the way down toward the San Pedro River valley. They're occasional, and we wouldn't build a hunt around them. Treat the low country as a bonus if you're passing through. The 174 mapped tanks and 159 springs in the unit are scattered across a lot of ground, and the guide doesn't tie any of them to turkeys. Don't count on water alone to find birds.

The guide says turkeys can be found in any part of the unit. It also says the Catalina tops and the Rincons' east side are where you'll most reliably find them.

Species caveat again: the agency guide covers Gould's turkey here, not Merriam's. Confirm what your tag authorizes before the season opens. The tactics below come straight from AZGFD's guidance for this unit.

Scout before opening day

AZGFD says successful hunters spend time scouting before the season. Birds are gobbling before the first hunt opens, so you can find concentrations by calling. The guide also says these turkeys pattern fairly easily and are often in the same general areas. Find them once and you've probably found them for the week.

Put your scouting time above Rose Canyon Lake and along the Catalina high country. Drive in on Catalina Highway or the Control Road (FR 38).

Know when calling dies off

The seasons are timed to protect nest success. They aren't timed to peak gobbling. As the hunts roll into May, gobbler vocalizations tend to drop. AZGFD warns that hunters with the third spring hunt may struggle to find and take a bird if calling is the whole plan.

If you drew that late hunt, we'd lean on your scouting. Go back to the spots where you already located birds and sit on them. Don't count on a bird answering from a distance.

Shotgun north, archery south

Redington Road splits the unit. North and west of it, the Catalina side, you can hunt under the regular spring structure. South and east of it, Unit 33S, it's archery only. The success rates in the packet show the difference: 35 for shotgun and 15 for archery. If you drew the archery half, plan on fewer shots and more stalking.

The quarter-mile rule

Since 2018, a statewide quarter-mile archery restriction has mirrored the existing quarter-mile firearms rule. AZGFD says this hits turkey hunts especially hard here. Plenty of birds live near development, like the cabins on top of Mt. Lemmon. Learn the current regulations and measure before you set up. A bird strutting beside a cabin may be off limits.

Private ground

Almost a third of the unit is private or other land. Get landowner permission before you hunt it, especially around Benson on the Rincons side.

A realistic day

Get up high before light and listen. Work toward any gobble you hear. If it's the late hunt and the woods are quiet, go back to your scouted spots and be patient. Expect to put in the time. With a 35 percent shotgun rate, this isn't a gimme.

Redington Pass, Pushed Well East

AZGFD's own unit guide calls Redington Pass a well-known deer spot, and we'd start here. Take Tanque Verde Road in Tucson as far east as it goes. The pavement ends and the road becomes the Redington Pass road, FS 371. Close to town you'll share the country with OHV riders, target shooters and other hunters. The guide is blunt that the further east you drive, the better your odds at a quality hunt.

Timing matters. If you drew the early hunt, stay high, around Bellota Ranch Headquarters. For the December hunt, the guide points you east into the ocotillo stands.

Bellota Ranch Road, Chimney Rock and Woods Tank

The Bellota Ranch Headquarters road is clearly marked just past milepost 10. Go north past Laguna tank and the AZ trail for about a mile, and you'll hit a gate at the turn-off. That road runs past Chimney Rock, and you can park and walk anywhere there. Or skip the turn-off and continue toward the ranch. Right before it, turn right toward Woods Tank. The deer are in the thick, brushy ravines.

Three Feathers, Italian Trap and the Rincon Foothills

Near milepost 8 is the Three Feathers parking area, across from a corral. It opens up the Chiva Falls country. The road is extremely rough, and the guide says 4WD is definitely required. The low country at the base of the Rincons holds both deer species, so once you're in there, climb and look for whitetails.

Italian Trap sits at milepost 12.5 and is marked FS 4417 on the forest map. The driveable road ends and a trail carries on to Park Tank. Work south, then swing back west toward Chiva Falls. Saguaro National Park lies only a few miles south of Park Tank and runs north along the Rincons. It's closed to hunting. Know where that line is.

Edgar Canyon, Davis Mesa and the Catalina Side

The guide recommends reaching Edgar Canyon and Davis Mesa from Benson or San Manuel, not over the rough Redington Road from Tucson. Turn off the Cascabel/San Manuel Road and head west on Redington. Edgar Canyon is your first right at MP 27, about a mile in. Evans Mountain, up the canyon trail, has grassy oak habitat and burned in the Bullock fire. From the top of Davis Mesa, look back east onto the flats.

On the Catalina side, every oak-covered finger holds whitetails. Good starting points:

• Mt. Lemmon Control Road to the closed gate. The Aspen and Bullock fires opened the hillsides, but unburned pockets may still pay off.
• Peppersauce Canyon, via Oracle and FR 38 south to the foothills. Expect thick manzanita and oak.
• Molino and Sycamore Basins, off Catalina Highway. Park between MP 1 and MP 5 and take Soldier Trail or Babat Duag Trail.

Roughly 60 percent of the unit is National Forest and 32 percent is private or other, so keep a map handy.

Glass the Burns and the Ocotillo

The guide says optics play a major role here because the terrain is rough. It specifically tells you to glass ocotillo stands carefully, and that's your December play east on Redington. In the Catalinas, the 2002-2003 fires and the Aspen and Bullock burns opened hillsides that used to be hard to glass. Set up on those, then hike into unburned pockets. We'd spend far more time behind glass than behind the wheel.

Get Away From the Truck

This unit has a high whitetail population and high hunter numbers. The guide says your success likely climbs with the distance you put between yourself and your vehicle and the roads. Hunters have to be willing to do a lot of hiking. Edgar Canyon up to Evans Mountain, the trail beyond Italian Trap to Park Tank, and the basin trails off Catalina Highway all give you that separation. Don't expect to drive up and find a buck.

Charouleau Gap: Sign In First

Take Golder Ranch Road east in Catalina, then Lago del Oro Parkway north. About half a mile past Edwin Road, you'll find the AZGFD access road. Sign in at the kiosk. If you reach Saddlebrooke, you've gone too far. The road is rough and needs a 4WD or quad, and it's closed to hunting until you cross Canada del Oro wash and clear all the houses. Whitetails are present the whole way to the gap, and the side roads are worth a few minutes of glassing.

Know What You're Shooting

Redington Pass and Happy Valley both hold mule deer and whitetails, sometimes side by side. The guide calls species identification imperative. Both areas get heavy pressure, so safety comes first. Happy Valley is reached from I-10 at the Mescal exit, #297, then north on Mescal Road (FS 35). The guide names the Miller Creek and Turkey Creek areas as promising there.

A Realistic Day

AZGFD lists success at 18 percent for rifle and 14 percent for mu