GMU 3A Unit 3A — Pinetop
Open high-country grasslands and juniper near St. Johns — a solid pronghorn unit with elk and mule deer.
Eastern Arizona grasslands — Little Colorado / Apache-Sitgreaves NF edge · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
775
sq mi
Public land
30%
approx.
Elevation
5,000–7,000
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
Unit 3A covers the open, rolling grasslands and pinyon-juniper woodland of eastern Arizona around St. Johns and the Little Colorado River, brushing the northern Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest to the south. It is classic high-desert antelope country — largely open, moderate-elevation terrain that also holds a good elk resource that concentrates near agricultural fields, plus a mule deer herd that has strengthened in recent years (tags often valid in adjacent Unit 3C).
Terrain
Mostly open, gently rolling high-desert grassland and shallow drainages, broken by juniper-studded hills and mesas, with steeper timbered slopes toward the forest edge on the south.
Cover: Short-grass prairie and sagebrush flats grading into pinyon-juniper woodland; ponderosa pine on the higher forested southern fringe. Cottonwood and willow along the Little Colorado drainage.
Landmarks: Little Colorado River · St. Johns · Concho / agricultural farm country · pinyon-juniper mesas · northern Apache-Sitgreaves NF boundary
Access
Only about 30% public, arranged in a state-trust / private checkerboard, so access requires care — respect posted private ground and know your section lines. State Trust parcels need an Arizona State Land recreation permit. The southern edge opens onto Apache-Sitgreaves NF. Tribal lands (White Mountain Apache to the south, Zuni to the northeast) are closed to general AZGFD hunting.
Managers: AZ State Trust, Private (checkerboard ranch and farm land), USFS Apache-Sitgreaves NF (southern portion), BLM, Tribal — Fort Apache / White Mountain Apache & Zuni (closed)
Access points: US 191 and US 180 corridors through St. Johns · SR 61 toward Concho · county and ranch roads across the grasslands · Apache-Sitgreaves NF roads on the southern boundary
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityThe unit's standout — good numbers of pronghorn across the open grasslands make this a genuinely good antelope unit, with success around two-thirds of tag holders and quality bucks in the rolling prairie.
- →Glass the wide-open grassland flats from high points and vehicle at first and last light
- →Spot a good buck, then use terrain rolls and washes to close the stalk
- →Hunt water sources and the edges of ag fields in dry stretches
- →Pronghorn hold tight home ranges — pattern a specific buck rather than covering endless ground
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityA solid elk resource for an open unit — bulls concentrate around the agricultural farm country and juniper-grassland edges, and the unit consistently produces good harvest numbers despite the open terrain.
- →Locate elk near ag fields, water and the juniper-grassland transition
- →Glass the open country at dawn as elk move off feed toward cover
- →Set up on funnels and water in the pinyon-juniper
- →Hunt the forested southern fringe for elk holding in timber
Mule Deer
common opportunityDesert / high-desert mule deer numbers have rebounded in recent years; deer hold the juniper hills, drainages and sagebrush pockets, with tags frequently valid across Unit 3C as well.
- →Glass juniper hillsides, mesa edges and drainage heads at first light
- →Focus the pinyon-juniper transition and brushy washes for bedded bucks
- →Hunt water in dry country
- →Cover ground glassing — bucks are patchy in the open terrain
Pro tips
- →This is primarily a draw pronghorn unit and a good one — build points and glass hard.
- →Only ~30% public in a checkerboard — map state-trust vs private sections before you hunt.
- →Elk congregate around the ag/farm country; scout those edges for concentrations.
- →Deer tags often cover Unit 3C too — consider hunting the pair together.
- →Fine clay roads become impassable gumbo when wet; carry recovery gear.
Watch out for
- !Checkerboard access — respect posted private ranch land and know your section lines.
- !State Trust parcels require an Arizona State Land recreation permit.
- !White Mountain Apache (Fort Apache) and Zuni tribal lands are closed to general hunting.
- !Wet weather turns clay roads to impassable mud; dry washes flash flood.
- !Late-season cold, wind and snow at 5,000–7,000 ft.
Logistics
St. Johns is the local hub for fuel and basics; Show Low, Springerville and Snowflake offer fuller services and lodging. Most hunting is dispersed off ranch and forest roads. The open roads are easy in dry weather but the fine clay soils turn to impassable gumbo after rain or snow — carry recovery gear and watch the sky.
Nearest towns: St. Johns, Springerville, Show Low, Snowflake
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Arizona sources:
Research sources: AZGFD — GMU 3A / Region I unit information · GOHUNT — Arizona Unit 3A profile · Hunt Now Arizona — Unit 3C (adjacent)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 3A in Arizona?
- GMU 3A (Unit 3A — Pinetop) covers about 775 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,000 to 7,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 3A?
- Approximately 30% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: AZ State Trust, Private (checkerboard ranch and farm land), USFS Apache-Sitgreaves NF (southern portion), BLM, Tribal — Fort Apache / White Mountain Apache & Zuni (closed). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 3A?
- Pronghorn, Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Arizona agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 3A on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.