Unit 39W (Gila Bend Mountains)
Arizona Hunting Guide — Desert Bighorn Sheep
39W is the western bighorn hunt area of GMU 39 — the Gila Bend Mountains between Gila Bend, Sentinel and Arlington, with the Buckeye Hills excluded from the hunt area. Past rams from 39W have scored 150 to over 170 and the population is believed stable. Access runs along the Agua Caliente Road between Sentinel and Arlington, Old US Highway 80 between Gila Bend and Arlington, and the north side of Interstate 8 between Sentinel and Gila Bend. This is low, hot, dry desert with very little water, so the hunt turns on finding the wildlife waters and glassing them properly.
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Desert Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 39W
39W is the western bighorn hunt area of GMU 39 — the Gila Bend Mountains between Gila Bend, Sentinel and Arlington, with the Buckeye Hills excluded from the hunt area. Past rams from 39W have scored 150 to over 170 and the population is believed stable. Access runs along the Agua Caliente Road between Sentinel and Arlington, Old US Highway 80 between Gila Bend and Arlington, and the north side of Interstate 8 between Sentinel and Gila Bend. This is low, hot, dry desert with very little water, so the hunt turns on finding the wildlife waters and glassing them properly.
Where the rams are in 39W: throughout the Gila Bend Mountains
Desert bighorn are found throughout the Gila Bend Mountains. Past rams from 39W have scored 150 to over 170, and the population is currently believed stable. One boundary detail that matters: the Buckeye Hills are excluded from this hunt area.
The three ways in
The Agua Caliente Road between Sentinel and Arlington. Old US Highway 80 between Gila Bend and Arlington. And the north side of Interstate 8 between Sentinel and Gila Bend. Those three routes frame the range.
The small hills count
The guide's instruction for all of unit 39 applies here: mature rams roam in small bachelor groups or alone, so don't overlook the small hills next to a large mountain as your hunt approaches. In the Gila Bend Mountains the outliers and the low saddles are exactly where a solitary ram sits out the season.
Water is the map
Our water layer shows three springs in the whole of unit 39 against 280 stock and wildlife tanks. In desert this arid, developed wildlife waters hold the herd through summer and make the single best glassing targets. Find them before you leave home.
Scout in the rut
Late August into September is the rut and the best window to see several rams in a small area. Temperatures run over 100°F then — stay hydrated and treat desert survival as part of the plan. And accept that rams seen in September will not necessarily be there in December.
Who to call about the wilderness
Contact BLM on 623-580-5500 for wilderness information about access and activity constraints in this country. It's worth a call before you rely on a track shown on a map.
Unit 39W terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
Named features inside the unit
Glass from: Butterfly Mountain (4,043 ft), Woolsey Peak (3,164 ft), Maricopa Mountains (3,148 ft), Sevenmile Mountain (2,921 ft)
Holding ground: Butterfield Pass (1,731 ft), Margies Cove (1,087 ft), Rainbow Valley (1,053 ft)
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 39W: e-scout the waters, bring friends, glass from the base
Desert Bighorn Sheep Success Rates
Desert Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds
Draw odds data not available for this specific unit/species combination in our database.
Search Arizona Draw OddsUnit 39W desert bighorn is an Arizona weighted-random bonus-point draw with very limited tag allocations. This is a once-in-a-lifetime tag for Arizona residents. Apply every year to build bonus points and qualify for the consecutive-application loyalty bonus. AZGFD's draw results page provides current unit-specific odds and tag numbers.
Unit Logistics & Expectations
Frequently Asked Questions
What desert mountain ranges are in Unit 39W for bighorn sheep?
How do I access the Harquahala Mountains for sheep hunting?
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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 Desert Bighorn Sheep Management — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Unit 39W population data, Harquahala/Harcuvar range sheep, Water development program · accessed 2026-04-18
- AZGFD Big Game Hunting Regulations 2026 — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Season dates, Tag quotas, Hunt area boundaries · accessed 2026-04-18
- AZGFD Draw Portal — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Draw statistics, Bonus point system · accessed 2026-04-18