Unit 36A (Sierrita, Cerro Colorado and Las Guijas Mountains)
Arizona Hunting Guide — Mule Deer, Coues Whitetail Deer
GMU 36A is the desert and mountain country southwest of Tucson in Pima County — the Sierrita Mountains, Cerro Colorado, Las Guijas and the smaller ranges standing out of the flats between them, with Arivaca Road and Highway 286 as the ways in. It holds a fair number of desert mule deer and a good population of Coues whitetail, and the two overlap in the foothills and the ocotillo desert far more than hunters expect. Wrong-species kills are a real problem here. Land ownership is heavily private and State Trust, so the land-status question comes before the hunting plan.
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Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 36A
GMU 36A is the desert and mountain country southwest of Tucson in Pima County — the Sierrita Mountains, Cerro Colorado, Las Guijas and the smaller ranges standing out of the flats between them, with Arivaca Road and Highway 286 as the ways in. It holds a fair number of desert mule deer and a good population of Coues whitetail, and the two overlap in the foothills and the ocotillo desert far more than hunters expect. Wrong-species kills are a real problem here. Land ownership is heavily private and State Trust, so the land-status question comes before the hunting plan.
Where the mule deer are in 36A: the foothills, the lower hills and the central ravines
36A supports a fair number of desert mule deer, and the agency is unusually direct about where hunters find them — and where the hunters themselves will be.
Foothills, lower hills and the deep central canyons
Those three are where hunters have the most success, because they're the places you can get some elevation and a decent field of view. The guide then tells you the cost of that: these areas are where 80 percent of the hunters will most likely be. Decide knowingly. Either accept the company on good ground, or go find a view somewhere less obvious.
The ocotillo desert, where both deer live together
In the foothills and in some of the desert, mule deer and whitetail are found together. The agency gives a habitat cue for this overlap: those desert areas usually have ocotillo present, like the country between the Sierritas, Cerro Colorado and Las Guijas mountains. Whitetail at low elevation have increased over the past ten years, so this isn't a rare case any more.
The high ground to glass from
Inside the unit the Sierrita Mountains and Keystone Peak both reach 6,191 feet, with Samaniego Peak at 5,984, Red Boy Peak at 5,982, Placer Peak at 5,912, Horse Pasture Hill at 5,360, the Cerro Colorado Mountains at 5,312 and Ritchey Peak at 5,128. The canyons below them — Ox Frame, Tank, White Iron, Fresnal, Tascuela, Alamito and Durazno — are what you'll be glassing into.
Water in a dry unit
About 253 stock tanks and only seven springs across 618 square miles. In desert that dry, tanks with water organise everything, and finding the two or three holding water near your glassing knob is the most valuable thing a scouting trip can do.
Access and ownership
AZ 286 and I-19 are the paved frame; West Arivaca Road, the Arivaca–Sasabe Road, South Sierrita Mountain Road and T R Ranch Road are the graded gravel. Ownership here is roughly 8 percent State Trust and the rest private or other, so confirm the status of anything you plan to hunt and get permission where you need it.
Unit 36A terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 2,815–4,179 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 3,546 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 618.5 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
- 253 tanks
- 7 springs
- 463 stream segments
- 3 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: Sierrita Mountains (6,191 ft), Samaniego Peak (5,984 ft), Ritchey Peak (5,128 ft), Gunsight Mountain (4,668 ft)
Holding ground: Alamito Canyon (3,591 ft), Sheriffs Draw (3,371 ft), Escondido Well, Champurrado Well, Sierrita Well
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 36A mule deer: get elevation, glass the ocotillo flats, and identify first
Mule Deer Success Rates
Mule Deer Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts (n/p) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Late Rifle Nov bull/buck only (combined pool) | 200 | 226 | 67.3% | — |
| Rifle — Late Rifle Nov bull/buck only (combined pool) | 200 | 206 | 68.4% | — |
| Rifle — General Rifle Oct bull/buck only (combined pool) | 225 | 699 | 26.9% | — |
| Rifle — General Rifle Oct either sex (combined pool) | 225 | 699 | 26.9% | — |
| Rifle — Late Rifle Nov either sex (combined pool) | 225 | 377 | 40.6% | — |
| Rifle — Late Rifle Nov either sex (combined pool) | 200 | 226 | 67.3% | — |
| Muzzleloader — General Muzzleloader Oct bull/buck only (combined pool) | 25 | 8 | 62.5% | — |
| Muzzleloader — General Muzzleloader Oct either sex (combined pool) | 75 | 30 | 100.0% | — |
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 36A is an excellent opportunity unit with reasonable draw odds. Arizona's weighted bonus-point system applies — 20% of tags to max-point holders first, 80% via random weighted draw. With near-1:1 tag-to-applicant ratio over three years, residents often draw with 0–1 bonus points. Nonresidents face a 10% cap but can draw with similar low points.
Unit Logistics & Expectations
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Mexican border a concern for hunting Unit 36A?
Is Unit 36A better for mule deer or Coues deer?
What towns serve Unit 36A?
Is Unit 36A a good starter unit for hunters new to Coues whitetail?
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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.
- AZGFD Game Management Units — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Unit 36A boundaries, Patagonia Mountains, Coronado NF Nogales Ranger District, Mule deer and Coues deer present · accessed 2026-04-17
- AZGFD Draw Portal — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Unit 36A draw odds, Tag allocation, Bonus point rules · accessed 2026-04-17
- Coronado National Forest — Nogales Ranger District — USDA Forest Service · supports: Patagonia Mountains access, Forest road network, Dispersed camping · accessed 2026-04-17
- AZGFD Big Game Draw — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Applicant counts, Draw odds · accessed 2026-04-18