GMU 33 Unit 33 — Tucson
Dense Coues deer in the rugged sky islands right above Tucson
Southern sky islands — Coronado NF (Santa Catalina & Rincon Mountains) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,040
sq mi
Public land
65%
approx.
Elevation
2,500–9,157
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 33 is made up of the Santa Catalina and Rincon mountains just north and east of Tucson — steep, rugged sky islands that hold some of the densest Coues whitetail populations in Arizona. Deer live in the cactus, mesquite and palo verde at the base, oak, ocotillo and juniper through the mid-elevations, and pine near the tops around Mount Lemmon (9,157 ft) and Mica Mountain. Black bear roam the timbered high country, and desert mule deer show up in the lower-elevation fringes. Most of the mountain ground is public Coronado National Forest, but big blocks of it are wilderness or closed park land.
Terrain
Two rugged sky-island ranges rising abruptly from the Tucson basin — Mount Lemmon in the Santa Catalinas tops out at 9,157 ft and Mica Mountain in the Rincons at 8,664 ft, over desert floors near 2,500 ft.
Cover: Saguaro-palo verde-mesquite desert at the base, oak-ocotillo-juniper woodland through the mid-slopes, and ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir and mixed conifer near the summits.
Landmarks: Santa Catalina Mountains · Mount Lemmon · Rincon Mountains · Mica Mountain · Pusch Ridge Wilderness · Redington Pass · Saguaro National Park (Rincon Mountain District)
Access
Most of the mountain ground is public Coronado National Forest, but access is complicated by closures: the Rincon Mountain District of Saguaro National Park (NPS) is a large no-hunting block, and Pusch Ridge Wilderness on the Catalina front has its own bighorn-protection restrictions and some closed areas. Arizona State Trust parcels ring the ranges and require a recreation permit. The southwestern edge butts up against Tucson's urban development and private land. The Catalina Highway to Mount Lemmon provides paved high-elevation access; Redington Pass Road links the Catalina and Rincon country to the east.
Managers: USFS Coronado NF, NPS Saguaro National Park (closed to hunting), AZ State Trust, Private (Tucson urban fringe)
Access points: Catalina Highway (Mount Lemmon) · Redington Pass Road (FR 371) · Molino Basin / General Hitchcock · Italian Trap / Rincon east side · Sabino / Bear Canyon trailheads (front-country, restrictions apply)
Species notes
Whitetail Deer
abundant qualityCoues whitetail are the headline animal and reach high densities across both ranges, with the unit a well-known producer of mature bucks despite heavy Tucson-area interest. They stack the oak-brush and canyon mid-elevations.
- →Get high early and grid opposing oak-ocotillo slopes with 15x tripod binoculars
- →Hunt the December-January rut when bucks chase and hold still less
- →Push into the roadless Rincon and upper Catalina pockets to escape day-hunter pressure
- →Glass the pine-oak transition and shaded north slopes midday
Mule Deer
limited opportunityDesert mule deer occur in the lower-elevation desert fringes and washes below the Coues zone, benefiting from fire-recovery browse in burned sections.
- →Glass desert washes and bajadas at first light
- →Work lower-elevation burn regrowth for feeding deer
- →Watch the desert-to-foothill edge for bedded bucks in shade
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear use the timbered high country of Mount Lemmon and the upper Rincons and the acorn-rich mid-elevation oaks, with modest annual harvest.
- →Glass oak-mast slopes and prickly-pear flats during the fall feed
- →Work the pine-oak high country of the Catalinas and Rincons
- →Hunt canyon bottoms with berries and acorns
Pro tips
- →Density is high but so is pressure — hike into the roadless Rincon and upper Catalina pockets to find undisturbed bucks
- →High-power tripod glass is essential; you spot far more Coues than you'll ever walk up on
- →Time it to the December rut for the best shot at a mature buck
- →Know the Saguaro National Park and Pusch Ridge Wilderness boundaries cold — big chunks of the map are closed
- →Use the Catalina Highway to access high country fast, then get off the pavement and away from the crowd
- →Fire-recovery zones are drawing deer back — scout recent burns
Watch out for
- !Saguaro National Park (Rincon Mountain District) is NPS land and closed to hunting
- !Pusch Ridge Wilderness has bighorn-protection and area closures on the Catalina front
- !State Trust parcels require an Arizona recreation permit
- !Tucson's urban fringe and private land border the southwest side — verify boundaries and safe zones
- !Heavy hunter and recreational traffic near roads and trailheads
- !Water is scarce at lower elevations; high country can snow and turn cold late season
Logistics
Tucson wraps the southwest side of the unit, so full services, fuel and lodging are minutes away — unusual for a sky-island hunt. The Catalina Highway offers paved access to high elevation on Mount Lemmon, but much of the rest is rough forest road or hike-in wilderness. Dispersed camping is available on the Coronado NF; the Rincon backcountry is foot-access. Cell coverage is decent near town but drops off fast in the canyons.
Nearest towns: Tucson, Oro Valley, Catalina, Vail, Benson
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Arizona sources:
Research sources: AZGFD — GMU 33 · GoHunt — Arizona Unit 33 profile · Arizona DIY Hunts — Unit 33 Coues update · Coronado National Forest
FAQ
- How big is GMU 33 in Arizona?
- GMU 33 (Unit 33 — Tucson) covers about 1,040 square miles, ranging from roughly 2,500 to 9,157 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 33?
- Approximately 65% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Coronado NF, NPS Saguaro National Park (closed to hunting), AZ State Trust, Private (Tucson urban fringe). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 33?
- Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Arizona agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 33 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.