Quick Tips
- Temperatures are often warm in winter
- Various government agencies have ownership of lands in this unit; contact respective agencies to confirm best practices for access
- Carry plenty of water
- A four-wheel-drive vehicle with good ground clearance is recommended
- Bring a shotgun for great duck, quail and dove hunting
- Close to Mexico, you might encounter illegal immigrants
- Some hunters use boats along the Colorado River
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 130"-150" | 150"+ |
| Desert Bighorn Sheep | 150"-160" | 165"+ |
On The Ground
This unit, mostly on the Yuma Proving Grounds east of the Colorado River, has a stable herd of desert bighorn sheep and some mule deer. Reports show that over three years, all hunters have taken rams scoring an average of 160" B&C.
Hunters have an excellent opportunity to take a trophy desert bighorn. Mule deer numbers are low but slightly increasing with big, mature bucks residing in desert flatlands. There is also excellent wingshooting available for dove, quail and waterfowl.
Terrain
Large, rocky arroyos separate rugged mountains east of the Colorado River, the western boundary of the unit.
Roughly 860 square miles
96.2% public land
Elevations from 250-3,000 feet
Rocky desert mountains can be challenging to hike
Vegetation
Heavy vegetation grows along the Colorado River. Creosote brush, mesquite, palo verde and other desert trees and shrubs along with saguaro and other cacti grow on flats, hills and mountains.
Access
Some of the unit consists of BLM land, limited state ground and two national wildlife refuges where hunting is allowed, but most of the unit is in the U.S. Army’s Yuma Proving Ground (YPG). Much of the YPG is closed to hunting, but the Army allows hunting on part of the range and charges hunters a fee for an access permit.
A sliver of Cibola National Wildlife Refuge is in the northwestern part of the unit
Most of Imperial National Wildlife Refuge is in the unit
Both refuges are along the Colorado River and are open to hunting
Trigo Mountain Wilderness is closed to vehicles
4wd is required to access most sheep areas
Camping and Lodging
Most hunters camp along dirt roads. Hunters find lodging and other services are in Yuma, Quartzsite and Martinez Lake. Some hunters stay in developed campgrounds. These three each have a store, restaurant, gasoline pumps, boat ramps and docks:
Hidden Shores at Imperial Dam on the Arizona side of the Colorado River
Fisher's Landing on the Colorado River
Martinez Lake Resort
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