Beginning
at the south end of Cibola Lake; southerly
along the Arizona-California state line to
I-8; southeasterly on I-8 to U.S. Hwy 95;
easterly and northerly on U.S. Hwy 95 to
the Castle Dome road; northeast on this road
to the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge boundary;
north along the refuge boundary to the Stone
Cabin-King Valley road; west along this road
to U.S. Hwy 95; north on U.S. Hwy 95 to the
Cibola Lake road; west and south on this
road to the south end of Cibola Lake; except
those portions that are sovereign tribal
lands of the Quechan Tribe.
Overview:
The desert bighorn sheep population
in unit 43B is one of the most stable
populations in the state. Most of unit
43B has been exposed to very little
disturbance, and the Arizona Game and
Fish Department has been successful
in enhancing the habitat through numerous
sheep water developments over the years.
The population appears to have come
out of the drought in pretty good shape.
All of the hunters in the previous
five years were successful, and their
rams scored an average of 151 Boone
and Crockett points. The average of
the rams taken in the previous five
years is 170. Most of the sheep habitat
in unit 43B is on the U.S. Army Yuma
Proving Ground. Sheep hunters will
want to contact the proving ground
to receive a safety briefing and to
obtain their YPG permit. Sheep hunters
are reminded that a permit is necessary
to gain access to restricted areas
on YPG, not only during the hunt, but
also when scouting.
Areas: Hunters are encouraged to contact YPG early and often to receive
the safety briefing and to find out which areas and roads they can
and cannot hunt (contact phone number and address is in the hunting
regs). Of course, all sheep hunters will want to purchase a complete
set of topographic maps, and should use them as a reference for the
areas mentioned here. Hunters should keep in mind that very little
of the unit's sheep habitat can be directly accessed by vehicle,
rather, the available roads will only get one close. ATV's may be
useful, but check with YPG about where they can be used.
Highway 95 and the Cibola Lake Road form the unit's eastern and northern
boundary respectively. From Highway 95 one can access the east side
of the Chocolate Mountains which run generally south to north parallel
to the highway. The areas South of Cibola Lake Road, such as the
north end of the Trigo range, can be accessed through a multitude
of military roads and wash bottoms on YPG. Again, YPG should be consulted
along with the topo maps to figure out which routes can be used.
The Red Cloud Mine Road offers access to the South end of the Trigo
Mountains and areas on the interior of the range. Follow the signs
for the Imperial Refuge and then continue past the refuge headquarters.
The road continues for several miles through the mountains, and drops
into Clip Wash. Contrary to most maps, the Clip Wash road does not
go through to Cibola. The northwest end of the Trigo Mountains can
be accessed heading South from the town of Cibola. The area around
the Red Cloud Mine Road includes land managed by the Imperial Refuge,
YPG, and the BLM as a wilderness. These agencies should be consulted
prior to hunting to ensure that hunters are aware of any special
regulations that may be in effect.
Overview:
There has been some relief from the
droughts that effected unit 43B over
the last several years, but mule deer
populations are still down. However,
quality bucks can still be found in
the unit. Hunters generally concentrate
in and around desert washes where most
of the deer are found. This is a good
strategy, but hunters who are interested
in a challenging hunt and larger, older
bucks should try the broad, desert
flats near to the larger washes. Hunting
the flats is a challenge because vantage
points from which to glass are few,
but persistent hunters often find the
largest bucks here. Whichever strategy
one uses, it should involve scouting
for areas that show signs of deer usage,
and then concentrating the effort on
those areas during the season. Even
in November, temperatures in Unit 43B
can often be fairly warm, so deer will
be most active in the early morning
and late evening hours. Because several
areas within unit 43B are subject to
special regulations, including areas
closed to hunting, it is extremely
important for hunters to know where
they are, and what regulations apply
to that area. This might require a
little research prior to the season,
and most definitely a good set of maps.
Areas: Much of unit 43B lies within the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving
Ground (YPG), and most of YPG is restricted area and completely closed
to hunting. YPG has implemented a program to allow hunting in some
parts of their range, and require that an additional permit be purchased
from them.
The area bordered by Highway 95 on the West, the Kofa Wildlife Refuge
to the East, and the YPG restricted area to the South has produced
some quality bucks over the years. The area is crossed by numerous
large washes running west from the Kofa Mountains and contain some
of the best forage available in the unit. The area is accessed from
Highway 95 via numerous unmarked dirt roads and jeep trails, or from
a powerline road off of the King Valley Road to the North. Four-wheel
drive is recommended, and hunters need to be aware of unit boundaries
and observe signs in the area. Some parts of this area require a
YPG permit.
The area (at the northwest corner of the unit) bordered by Cibola
Lake Road to the West and North, YPG to the East, and the Trigo Wilderness
area to the South is a small area which has become a hot spot for
mule deer hunting in the last few years. This area also contains
large desert washes. Successful hunters glass into the washes in
the early morning and evenings from the high ridges between the washes.
Access into the area via marked BLM trails stemming from Cibola Lake
Road. Cibola Lake Road can be accessed from Highway 95 approximately
18 miles South of Quartzsite, from Ehrenberg, or from the Cibola
Refuge. Four-wheel drive is recommended.
The area around the Red Cloud Mine Road on the Imperial Wildlife
Refuge can provide a variety of different types of mule deer hunting.
Yuma Wash, Black Rock Wash, Red Cloud Wash, and Clip Wash all contain
good deer habitat. Each wash contains a variety of terrains from
broad, flat sections, to more narrow, canyon type terrain. All washes
in this area meander down to the Colorado River and to the dense
stands of vegetation and marshes associated with the river. To hunt
this area one should locate deer sign in a specific area, and then
spend time glassing into the washes and rolling hills. A YPG permit
is required to hunt some parts of this area. Four wheel drive is
recommended, and, as always, observe any regulatory signs.
Note: Unit 43B includes land managed by the Bureau of Land Management,
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Army. Each agency
has different regulations that are in effect; there are some wilderness
areas (Trigo Mountains, Imperial Refuge), and some areas closed to
hunting (Imperial Refuge, Yuma Proving Ground). Hunters should contact
the land management agency in charge of the area they wish to hunt.
Overview:
Unit 43B does not have the tremendous
dove populations that can be found
in other Yuma area units, because there
isn't nearly as much agriculture. Hunters
who wish to get away from the crowds
and still get a limit (though it will
probably take longer then 20 minutes),
can find a place in 43B.
Areas: The Gila Valley, North and East of Yuma along Highway 95,
does contain a fair amount of agricultural fields and dove. Hunters
will want to scout early to ensure they find a spot where they are
not hunting within a half mile of any buildings. Also while scouting,
hunters might want to think about obtaining permission from the farmers
who own the fields. Getting permission before a hunt not only does
great things for the image of hunters, but it is much better to find
out which areas are off limits before the season rather then as the
birds start flying on opening morning. Scouting can also prove beneficial
in locating grain fields, which usually provide the best dove hunting.
Hunters interested in a completely different dove hunt might try
locating water sources out in the desert areas to the North. Shooting
in these areas will be less frantic, and there will be fewer people.
Water sources near to roosting sights will prove to be the most fruitful.
Overview:
Unit 43B's quail populations, like
the rest of the state, fluctuate greatly
with the levels of precipitation received.
Unfortunately, unit 43B is generally
hit harder by droughts then the rest
of the state. Nonetheless, when conditions
are right, all parts of the unit can
provide very good quail hunting opportunities.
Although increased rain over the last
to years has allowed unit 43B quail
populations to recover from the previous
droughts, it will probably take at
least one more good year for quail
populations to really explode.
Areas: Unit 43B includes land managed as BLM wilderness, the Yuma
Proving Ground, and the Imperial Wildlife Refuge. Land managed by
each of these agencies has different land use regulations, including
areas closed to hunting. There are several areas in unit 43B that
require an U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground hunting permit.
The area between Highway 95 and the Kofa refuge often supports good
populations of quail. The area contains a multitude of large desert
washes heading west from the Castle Dome Mountains. During good conditions
one will easily find quail in these washes.
Quail populations are probably the densest on the Imperial refuge.
However, not all areas on the refuge are open to hunting, so check
with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service before hunting here. Additionally,
being so close to the Colorado River, quail in the area are often
found in very dense stands of salt cedar and mesquite. Look for the
birds further inland.
Other
Pertinent Climate Information Wintertime
temperatures can
get very cold, especially
at night. Summers
are extremely hot,
and thunderstorms
may occur with little
warning. Be careful
of flash flooding
in the washes. Bring
lots of water in
the summer and proper
clothing for protection
from the sun.
Cities,
Roads & Campgrounds
Major
Cities and Towns in or Near Game
Management Unit and Nearest Gas,
Food, and Lodging Yuma,
Quartzsite, Martinez Lake
Major
Highways and Roads Leading To From
the East: I-8 to U.S. Hwy 95 From
the West: I-8 to
U.S. Hwy 95
From the North: I-10 to U.S. Hwy 95
From the South: U.S. Hwy 95
Much of 43B is on the Yuma Proving Grounds and access to some
areas may be restricted. Check with YPG regarding access to
the unit’s interior.
Developed
Campgrounds Hidden
Shores is located
at Imperial Dam on
the Arizona side
of the Colorado River.
Fisher's Landing
and Martinez Lake
Resort are upriver
about 15 miles. All
three areas have
a store, restaurant,
gas, boat ramp, and
docks. Reservations
are recommended and
a must on holiday
weekends. On the
California side of
the river, Squaw
Lake and Picacho
recreational areas
both have potable
water, toilets, and
boat ramps. Squaw
Lake is at Imperial
Dam across the river
from Hidden Shores.
Picacho is upriver
about 30 miles, about
20 on a graded dirt
road. The campground
is primitive, but
the scenery is nice
and you can camp
on the water's edge.
Undeveloped
Campgrounds On
both banks of the
Colorado River, many
undeveloped camping
areas can be reached
only by boat.
Brief
Description of Terrain, Elevation,
and Vegetation
Terrain is very rocky with large washes separating rugged mountains.
The Colorado River is the unit's western boundary. Elevation
ranges form just above sea level to 3,000' on the higher peaks.
Vegetation ranges from riparian cottonwood-willow, salt cedar,
cattails, and bulrushes on the river to creosote flats, mesquite,
palo verde, saguaros, and other cacti as you head to and up
the mountains. The rugged terrain limits access to high clearance
four-wheel drive in many areas.
Government
Agencies and Phone Numbers Arizona
Game and Fish Department, Region
IV -(928) 342-0091
Yuma Proving Ground - (928) 328-2148
Imperial National Wildlife Refuge - (928) 783-3371
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge - BLM, Yuma - (928) 726-6300
