Unit 13B North includes desert bighorn populations in the Virgin Mountains and the Beaver Dam Mountains, with the majority of the population in the Virgin River Gorge area. Although most of the area occupied by bighorn is wilderness, the access to hunting and spotting areas is good.

13BN has become increasingly popular in recent years with the harvest of some very high quality rams. Hunters seem to be able to find a ram to harvest in a relatively short period of time. Average day/harvest over the past 5 years has been ~8 days.

With the majority of the population in the Virgin River Gorge area, some areas are under-hunted, and do hold some high quality rams. Bighorn do occupy the tree lines from Sullivan’s Canyon south to Hedrick’s Canyon. The steepness and remoteness of this terrain makes it very difficult to hunt, but high quality rams are found here.

Form 2005-2007, the AZGFD completed 3 bighorn captures in  13BN  to provide bighorn to 13A, and the Hells Half Acre area near Wikieup.  Data has shown a strong population with good lamb recruitment, and population structure. These operations focused on lambs and ewes, with a small number of young rams removed from 13BN. While these efforts certainly have reduced the overall population in 13BN, the availability of quality rams for harvest has not been affected, and the population still appears strong.

Areas for 13B North: The entire Virgin River Gorge along I 15 contains bighorn. The BLM campground and Cedar Pockets road are good locations to spot bighorn from. There are some pull offs along I-15 that can be used for glassing as well.

Focus attention on the tops of plateaus around Sullivan’s and Mountain Sheep Canyons, as well as the low lying areas below those plateaus. The Beaver Dam Mountains and the areas between the UT state Line, and I-15 also hold good numbers of Bighorn. There are some access points coming out of Bloomington UT that will allow hunters to glass this area from above.

Bighorn Sheep 13BS – Grand Wash Cliffs
The 13BS population really cannot be compared to the 13BN population. This is a very low density bighorn population, dispersed over a very large area. The unit is extremely remote and because of the low densities much of it remains underutilized by bighorn. Hunters must be prepared for difficult strenuous hiking and be willing to cover a lot of ground to locate a bighorn to harvest.

To note in this unit is that a ram has not been harvested in 3 years. Surveys however indicate that a good number of mature rams are available for harvest. The ability to harvest a ram in this unit appears to be tied to the ability of hunters to access the interior of the Grand Wash Cliffs and associated habitats, and not to a biological limitation. Hunters should attempt to spend considerable time on the interior of the Grand Wash Cliffs as most of the Bighorn are not found on the faces overlooking the pakoon basin. GPS, pack animals, spike camps, overnight backpacking, etc. are all hunting tools and techniques that will help hunters be successful in this unit. The hiking is also very strenuous and hunters may consider a conditioning program prior to the hunt

Access to the 13B South population is difficult. The easiest access is from the Mesquite, Nevada area to Whitney Pockets and through the Pakoon basin. This is approximately a 70+ mile trip. This route allows hunters to access the bottom of the Grand Wash Cliffs and the Lake Mead Area.

To access the unit from the top of the cliffs, travel out of St. George, UT to Pigeon Canyon and go west. This will allow you to hunt the unit from the “top” glassing down into much of the habitat. This is approximately a 90+ mile trip from St. George, UT.
Regardless of the route to take into the unit, this is a very remote area and hunters should bring shelter and plenty of food, fuel, and spare tires.
Areas for 13B South: The Grand Wash Cliffs from Cave Canyon south to the Grand Canyon National Park boundary. Squaw Canyon, Pigeon Canyon and Snap Canyon are areas where bighorn are frequently observed. Nevershine, a prominent butte below Snap Canyon, provides a good glassing point, and also tends to contain bighorn.

Notice: Archery deer hunters - Unit 13B is not an open area for over-the-counter tag holders as of April, 2008. To hunt Unit 13B you must now obtain a permit-tag through the big game draw process. Click here for more details.

Unit 13B, heralded as the “Arizona Strip”, is famous for producing large antlered "trophy" class mule deer bucks. The mule deer population is managed under alternative management guidelines which focus on the harvest of older age class, mature bucks. Mule deer exist at low densities throughout the unit in all habitat types and good numbers of deer can typically be found in the higher elevations, generally over 4,000 feet.

2009 is an excellent opportunity to harvest a trophy mule deer with a bow! Current population structure, and the fact that we have been able to meet or exceed current guidelines for several years makes an archery hunt in 13B a unique and appropriate opportunity. A permitted structure will allow the Game and Fish Department to better manage this type of hunt with the general deer hunt, and allow us to continue to meet alternative mule deer management guidelines. 

Demand for permits is high for both the archery and rifle hunts in 13B, and the odds of drawing a tag are increasingly difficult. Increased popularity and a quality hunting experience will continue to make rifle draw odds less than 2% in this unit. Those lucky enough to draw a permit/tag enjoy a general hunt success of nearly 70%, and typically harvest deer with antler spreads averaging 28 inches. The 2008 archery hunt success was approximately 38% with several 200” mule deer harvested!

The archery hunt does occur earlier in the year – during the monsoon – and if the rain patterns are consistent the deer will likely be dispersed. If this is the case a spot and stalk approach may be effective. If it is dry – which it could very well be - scouting water holes will likely be productive. Keep in mind this unit is over 90% public land and no reservation exists for a water hole or hunting area. Be courteous and remember, this is the chance of a lifetime. You could be stuck in an office somewhere but instead get the chance to hunt the Arizona Strip. Let respect our heritage.

Regarding specific areas for the Archery hunt, those listed below apply. The unit is very large and tends to be year round habitat in most of it. One advantage for the archery hunters is that a buck scouted in July will likely be in the general area in August during the hunt.

Regardless if you will be hunting with a bow or a rifle in the unit, keep in mind there are few access issues in this unit; over 90% of the lands are federally or state owned. The area is one of the most unpopulated in Arizona, and hunters should be prepared to camp in remote areas with no services available. Bring shelter and plenty of food, water, extra fuel, and extra spare tires. The closest full service communities to the unit are Mesquite, Nevada and St. George, Utah, both on Interstate 15.

Weather in the unit during the general deer hunt is unpredictable; it can be anything from relatively warm and dry to snowing. All hunters, archery or general, should be prepared for inclement weather. Many of the roads in the unit become extremely muddy if wet, and can only be negotiated with 4WD vehicles.
 
Scouting the unit prior to hunting is highly recommended. The vastness of this unit often makes this a daunting task and hunters can feel overwhelmed. Try a systematic approach starting in the southern portions of the unit, and working your way north. General hunters remember, the deer you find in September may not be where you find them in November, especially if it snows. In addition, one glassing spot will not give you a bird’s eye view of the unit. You need to stay mobile during the hunt; willing to move around to new areas if the area you are in isn’t producing.  Below are some areas to look:

• Black rock Mountain/Low Mountain
• Paiute Wilderness
• Seegmiller Mountain
• Wolf Hole Mountain
• Wolf Hole Valley
• Twist Hills/Salaratus Hills
• Mud Mountain
• Tweedie Points
• Poverty Knoll/Poverty Mountain
• Little Hurricane Rim
• Whitmore Point/Canyon
• Grassy Mountain
• Hidden Hills/ Hidden Lake
• Pigeon Canyon
• Grand Gulch Bench
• Snap Point
• Upper Snap Canyon
• Mt Dellenbaugh and associated habitat treatments in the area
• Penns Valley

Be aware of burn out in this unit. It is not uncommon to go many days without seeing deer, and it is easy to get discouraged. Finally, don’t try and hunt the entire unit. Pick 5 or so core areas you like and stick with them. The 30” Strip mule deer may not show himself for many days.

Notice: The fall hunting season is now a limited weapon-shotgun shooting shot season only.
Overview: Unit 13B has two separate populations of turkeys, both the result of transplants by the AGFD. The populations are present in the Mount Dellenbaugh area in 13BS, and the Black rock Mountain area in 13BN. They are managed separately with hunt seasons proposed on a yearly basis based on population structure.

Merriam’s Turkeys in 13B South occupy Ponderosa pine stringer habitat in the Mount Dellenbaugh area. Bird densities have rebounded in recent years, but the stringer habitat itself is limited. 35 spring permits (split hunt) and 5 fall permits are currently authorized for this hunt.

The Dellenbaugh area is very remote, with the nearest full service community being St. George, Utah which is approximately 80 miles away via dirt roads. Hunters should be prepared to bring shelter and plenty of water, fuel, and spare tires when participating in this hunt. Roads in the turkey areas get extremely muddy and slippery when wet and can only be negotiated by 4WD vehicles.

13BS Areas: All ponderosa pine stringer habitats in the vicinity of Mt. Dellenbaugh area. Includes Lake Flat, Twin Points road, Kelly Lake, Kelly Point road.

13B North: In January 2008 the Game and Fish Department translocated Rio Grande turkeys to the Black Rock Mountain area. This effort continued in 2009. The turkeys came from a UT source population that was occupying very similar habitat and this is the first time Rio Grandes have been used for translocation in AZ. Monitoring data indicates that the turkeys have responded positively to their new home.

Overview: Unit 13B supports a limited Gambel's quail population in the low desert areas, especially in the Mojave desert scrub plant communities. Quail populations in this unit are much more variable than those found further south in Arizona. Generally quail are associated with water sources in the hot desert environment and this is where hunters should begin their efforts to locate them. The populations are very dependent on the timing and the amounts of precipitation, especially winter precipitation.