Unit 44BN (Plomosa Mountains)
Arizona Hunting Guide — Desert Bighorn Sheep
44BN is the northern bighorn hunt area of GMU 44B — the Plomosa Mountains between Interstate 10 and the Plomosa Road in La Paz County, with Quartzsite, Brenda and Bouse as the nearest towns. Recent surveys put this population at its highest level since the mid-1980s, including a large number of adult rams, and harvested rams have averaged above 170 points. Herds concentrate in the greener parts of the range following summer rains, which makes late-summer rainfall patterns the single most useful thing to study before you scout. Glassing access is unusually good off I-10 at Gold Nugget Road and off Highway 60 at Brenda, with an off-road trail network running into the heart of the range.
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Desert Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 44BN
44BN is the northern bighorn hunt area of GMU 44B — the Plomosa Mountains between Interstate 10 and the Plomosa Road in La Paz County, with Quartzsite, Brenda and Bouse as the nearest towns. Recent surveys put this population at its highest level since the mid-1980s, including a large number of adult rams, and harvested rams have averaged above 170 points. Herds concentrate in the greener parts of the range following summer rains, which makes late-summer rainfall patterns the single most useful thing to study before you scout. Glassing access is unusually good off I-10 at Gold Nugget Road and off Highway 60 at Brenda, with an off-road trail network running into the heart of the range.
Where the rams are in 44B North: between I-10 and the Plomosa Road
This is the strongest half of unit 44B right now. Recent surveys suggest the population is at its highest level since the mid-1980s, with a large number of adult rams, and harvested rams have averaged above 170. Surveys here run about every three years.
The core country
Most of the sheep sit between Interstate 10 and the Plomosa Road. The Plomosa Mountains reach 3,636 feet with Black Mesa at 3,640 above them, and Ibex Peak at 2,775, Dos Picachos at 2,666, Elephant Back Mountain at 2,664, Guadalupe Mountain at 2,547 and Scaddan Mountain at 2,474 fill in the range.
Follow the summer rain
The most actionable line in the guide: a lot of the herds concentrate in the greener areas following summer rains. Desert sheep go where the feed greened up this year, not where it did three years ago. Look at where the monsoon actually fell — late-summer satellite imagery will show you — and start your glassing there.
Glassing access that is genuinely good
Two places the agency names: off I-10 at Gold Nugget Road, and off Highway 60 at Brenda. Both give you real glassing from near a vehicle, which is unusual on a sheep tag and makes a first morning productive. A network of off-road trails then runs into the heart of the Plomosa range.
The low crossings
Gunsight Notch at 1,806 feet and Plomosa Pass at 1,659 are the saddles sheep use, with the Ranegras Plain at 1,167 and the La Posa Plain at 1,125 spreading out below. Watch a pass at first light before you commit a day to a mountain.
The sand dunes most people drive past
At the northwest corner of 44B there's a complex of sand dunes in the Plomosas that many hunters overlook but which can hold deer — and the same country holds sheep moving between the range and the flats. It's worth a look precisely because nobody looks.
Unit 44BN terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
Named features inside the unit
Glass from: Black Mesa (3,640 ft), Ibex Peak (2,775 ft), New Water Mountains (2,763 ft), Twin Peaks (2,728 ft)
Holding ground: Gunsight Notch (1,806 ft), Plomosa Pass (1,659 ft), Ranegras Plain (1,167 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 44B North: glass from the road, then work the trail network in
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 OddsTags in Unit 44BN are issued through Arizona's weighted-random bonus-point draw. Very few tags are allocated annually. This is a once-in-a-lifetime tag for Arizona residents. Apply every year — the loyalty bonus and compounding points improve your long-term draw odds significantly. Check AZGFD draw results for current odds.
Unit Logistics & Expectations
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hunt bighorn sheep on Tohono O'odham Nation land in Unit 44BN?
How close to the Mexico border is Unit 44BN?
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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 44BN bighorn population, Baboquivari range sheep habitat, Management program · accessed 2026-04-18
- AZGFD Big Game Hunting Regulations 2026 — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Season dates, Tag quotas, Hunt area legal description · accessed 2026-04-18
- AZGFD Draw Portal — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Draw statistics, Bonus point system · accessed 2026-04-18