GMU 35B Unit 35B — Tucson
Border-country oak grassland where Coues whitetail hold on manzanita ridges
Southern sky islands — Coronado NF (Patagonia & Canelo Hills) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
334
sq mi
Public land
70%
approx.
Elevation
3,800–7,220
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 35B is a compact Coues whitetail unit tucked against the Mexican border between Nogales and the San Rafael Valley, built from the Patagonia Mountains and the western Canelo Hills. Most of the ground is Coronado National Forest oak-juniper woodland, with the grassy San Rafael Valley rolling out to the east. Deer is the marquee tag — mostly Coues whitetail with desert mule deer on the lower flats — and the forested high country holds a few black bear. Pronghorn are present but so sparse that AZGFD issues very few tags.
Terrain
Gently rising Canelo Hills drop into the rolling San Rafael Valley grassland, then climb into the rocky, canyon-cut Patagonia Mountains. High point is around Mount Washington in the Patagonias (~7,220').
Cover: Predominantly oak-juniper woodland with thick manzanata thickets on the ridges; native desert grassland across the San Rafael Valley; sycamore and cottonwood in the canyon drainages.
Landmarks: Patagonia Mountains · Canelo Hills · San Rafael Valley · Mount Washington · Harshaw Creek · Sonoita Creek
Access
Most of the unit is Coronado National Forest and freely accessible. The San Rafael Valley is a checkerboard of State Trust ranchland (a state land recreation permit is required to enter) and large private ranches — respect fence lines. This is a hard border unit; expect Border Patrol checkpoints and cross-border foot traffic.
Managers: USFS Coronado NF, AZ State Trust, Private ranch
Access points: AZ-82 (Patagonia–Sonoita) · AZ-83 (Canelo/Elgin) · Harshaw Road (FR 58) · San Rafael Valley Road · Lochiel/Duquesne Road
Species notes
Whitetail Deer
common qualityCoues whitetail are the primary draw, holding in the oak-grassland transition and canyon heads of the Patagonias and Canelo Hills. Around a quarter of deer hunters connect in a typical year.
- →Glass oak-covered north slopes and canyon heads at first and last light with a tripod-mounted binocular
- →Focus the oak-grassland ecotone between 4,500 and 6,500 feet
- →Hunt the rut in late fall when bucks abandon cover to chase does across open grassland
Mule Deer
limited opportunityDesert mule deer overlap the lower flats and valley margins, often sharing ground with Coues. Numbers are secondary to whitetail.
- →Work the mesquite flats and washes along the valley edges
- →Check water and open desert grassland in early morning
- →Expect Coues and mule deer to mix in the transition — confirm your target
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bear use the forested oak-juniper high country of the Patagonias, but densities are low and success is thin.
- →Glass oak flats and drainages when acorns and manzanita berries ripen
- →Check canyon bottoms with running water
- →Cover a lot of country — bears are scattered
Pronghorn
limited opportunityA small pronghorn population inhabits the San Rafael Valley and grasslands along Highway 82 and 83, but tag numbers are minimal.
- →Glass the open valley grassland at long range
- →Set up on rolling rises overlooking flats early
- →Treat any tag here as a rare draw
Pro tips
- →Buy a State Trust land recreation permit before hunting the San Rafael Valley checkerboard
- →Glass, don't walk — Coues country rewards a tripod and hours behind glass over covering miles on foot
- →Time the general rifle whitetail hunt to the rut for the best crack at a mature buck
- →Work the oak-grassland edge; that transition band holds the deer
- →Have a border plan — carry ID, expect checkpoints, and avoid setting up on obvious cross-border trails
Watch out for
- !State Trust land requires a recreation permit and adjoins private ranches — know your boundaries
- !Active international border: Border Patrol traffic and cross-border foot travel are common
- !Water is limited in the lower country — carry your own
- !Fall heat at low elevation can spoil meat fast
- !Fire restrictions are common in the dry pre-monsoon season
Logistics
Patagonia and Sonoita offer fuel, food and lodging; Nogales has full services. Forest roads are generally passable to high-clearance 2WD in dry weather but turn greasy after rain. Cell coverage is spotty off the highways.
Nearest towns: Patagonia, Sonoita, Nogales, Elgin
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Arizona sources:
Research sources: AZGFD GMU 35B · Hunt Now Arizona — Unit 35B · GOHUNT Arizona Unit 35B Profile
FAQ
- How big is GMU 35B in Arizona?
- GMU 35B (Unit 35B — Tucson) covers about 334 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,800 to 7,220 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 35B?
- Approximately 70% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Coronado NF, AZ State Trust, Private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 35B?
- Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Black Bear, Pronghorn. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Arizona agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 35B on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.