Unit 37B (Tortilla Mountains, Black Mountain and the 96 Hills)
Arizona Hunting Guide — Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep
GMU 37B is the Sonoran Desert country of Pinal County between Florence, Superior, Kearny and Oracle — palo verde and saguaro flats, the Tortilla Mountains, Black Mountain, the Black Hills north of Oracle and the 96 Hills, with Picketpost Mountain and the White Canyon Wilderness along its northern edge. Mule deer numbers are slowly increasing but densities stay low, and the accepted method here is glassing from high points. The unit also carries a desert bighorn population restored to the Mineral Mountains between 2003 and roughly 2013, with the first sheep tag offered in 2013. Land ownership is mixed and heavily interrupted by private parcels, so knowing which ground is posted is part of hunting it.
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Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 37B
GMU 37B is the Sonoran Desert country of Pinal County between Florence, Superior, Kearny and Oracle — palo verde and saguaro flats, the Tortilla Mountains, Black Mountain, the Black Hills north of Oracle and the 96 Hills, with Picketpost Mountain and the White Canyon Wilderness along its northern edge. Mule deer numbers are slowly increasing but densities stay low, and the accepted method here is glassing from high points. The unit also carries a desert bighorn population restored to the Mineral Mountains between 2003 and roughly 2013, with the first sheep tag offered in 2013. Land ownership is mixed and heavily interrupted by private parcels, so knowing which ground is posted is part of hunting it.
Where the deer are in 37B: the Tortillas, the desert west of Black Mountain, and Falcon Valley
Deer numbers in 37B are slowly increasing, but the agency is straight about the density: there are deer out there and it's common to glass all day and see only a few. That sets the expectation for everything below.
Where the crowd goes
Worth knowing so you can avoid it. The highest hunter densities fall in the Black Hills north of Oracle and west of Mammoth, near the Willow Springs Ranch — which takes in Star Flat and the Bloodsucker and Camp Grant washes — and around the 96 Hills. The 96 Hills in particular haven't produced many deer for several years because of drought, so the crowd there is hunting a thin herd.
Where to go instead
The guide names four alternatives: the Tortilla Mountains west of Kearny, the palo verde and saguaro desert west of Black Mountain, the palo verde and saguaro desert northeast of Florence, and the flatter country throughout the unit — which it describes as very difficult to hunt effectively yet holding good deer numbers. That last one is the opportunity most hunters drive past.
Falcon Valley, for hunters on foot
North of Oracle Junction. Access is limited to foot travel on several parcels of State Land, which keeps the motorized crowd out entirely. The agency suggests it as a place to make a stand on a water hole or a well-travelled game trail. Close gates behind you, don't damage or cut fences, and stay out of the few posted areas in that part of the unit.
Private ground you need to know about
Roughly 19,000 acres of private land surround Black Mountain. Some is posted closed to hunting and some is open — you can't tell by looking. There are also private, posted parcels near the Haydon and Flying UW ranches along the Freeman road. Landowners will usually grant access to hunters who take the time to ask, and they can withdraw it at any time.
Water and access
The unit carries about 250 stock tanks and a dozen springs across 1,180 square miles of desert, so water concentrates deer. AZ 77, AZ 177, AZ 79 and US 60 are the paved frame; East 96 Ranch Road and East Freeman Road are the graded gravel that gets you into the interior.
Unit 37B terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 1,478–4,088 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 2,865 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 1,181.7 sq mi inside the boundary. Big enough that picking one drainage beats driving three.
Who owns the ground
- Private / Other — 100%
Roughly 0% is public. Carry a land-status layer anyway — these are area percentages, not a map of where the boundaries fall.
Water on the ground
- 250 tanks
- 12 springs
- 2,013 stream segments
- 5 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: Black Mountain (5,565 ft), Antelope Peak (4,508 ft), Cottonwood Hill (4,402 ft), Picketpost Mountain (4,347 ft)
Holding ground: Star Flat (3,819 ft), Haystack Valley (3,747 ft), Patterson Ravine (3,599 ft), Beehive Well, Deep 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 37B deer: glass from high points, early and late, and expect slow days
Mule Deer Success Rates
Mule Deer Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts (n/p) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Late Rifle Nov bull/buck only (combined pool) | 225 | 521 | 24.6% | — |
| Rifle — General Rifle Oct bull/buck only (combined pool) | 100 | 207 | 34.3% | — |
| Rifle — General Rifle Oct bull/buck only (combined pool) | 225 | 810 | 22.7% | — |
| Rifle — Late Rifle Dec bull/buck only (combined pool) | 15 | 1,117 | 1.3% | — |
| Rifle — General Rifle Oct either sex (combined pool) | 225 | 810 | 22.7% | — |
| Rifle — Late Rifle Nov either sex (combined pool) | 225 | 521 | 24.6% | — |
| Rifle — General Rifle Oct either sex (combined pool) | 100 | 207 | 34.3% | — |
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 37B is an opportunity unit with reasonable draw odds. Arizona's weighted bonus-point draw sends 20% of tags to max-point holders first; the remaining 80% go to a random weighted draw with one entry per bonus point plus loyalty and hunter-education bonuses. Residents with 1–3 bonus points can often draw early-season hunts; the coveted late December rut hunt may require 5–7+ points. Nonresidents face a 10% cap and typically need a couple more points.
Unit Logistics & Expectations
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Unit 37B compare to 37A for mule deer?
Is the December rut hunt in Unit 37B worth the points?
What should I base out of for Unit 37B?
How do I draw a Unit 37B bighorn tag?
Do I need an outfitter for Unit 37B?
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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 Game Management Units — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Unit 37B boundaries and ownership, Coronado NF, BLM, State Trust mix, Mule deer and Coues deer present, Winchester Mountains and Galiuro foothills · accessed 2026-04-17
- AZGFD Draw Portal — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Unit 37B historical draw odds, Tag allocation, Bonus points · accessed 2026-04-17
- BLM Tucson Field Office — Bureau of Land Management · supports: Sulphur Springs Valley public lands, Travel management, Dispersed camping · accessed 2026-04-17
- Coronado National Forest — Safford Ranger District — USDA Forest Service · supports: Winchester Mountains access, Forest road network, Wilderness regulations · accessed 2026-04-17
- GMU 37B — Unit Landing Page — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Galiuro unit boundary, Desert bighorn habitat, Wilderness access · accessed 2026-04-17
- 2026 Arizona Hunting Regulations — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Bighorn season structure, Tag allocation, Hunt codes · accessed 2026-04-17