GMU 4A Unit 4A — Pinetop
Premier White Mountains elk country above the Mogollon Rim.
White Mountains — Apache-Sitgreaves NF · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
756
sq mi
Public land
85%
approx.
Elevation
6,000–9,400
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
Unit 4A sits in the heart of Arizona's White Mountains around Pinetop-Lakeside and Show Low, a cool high-country island of ponderosa pine, aspen and mountain meadows on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. It is first and foremost a marquee Rocky Mountain elk unit — one of the most sought-after limited-entry elk draws in the state — with a healthy elk harvest each year. Pronghorn work the open grassland parks, mule deer and a few Coues whitetail hold the timber and oak edges, and black bear roam the pine and canyon country.
Terrain
High forested plateau country climbing off the Mogollon Rim into the White Mountains, with rolling pine ridges, meadow parks and drainages cut by seasonal creeks.
Cover: Ponderosa pine and mixed conifer with aspen stands up high; grassy meadows and parks; Gambel oak, pinyon-juniper and grassland on the lower and eastern edges.
Landmarks: Pinetop-Lakeside · Show Low · Mogollon Rim · Porter Mountain · Big Lake / Sunrise area (south edge)
Access
Overwhelmingly national forest, opened by a dense network of forest roads (FR 300 Rim Road corridor and its spurs). The Fort Apache Indian Reservation (White Mountain Apache Tribe) borders the unit to the south and west and is NOT open to general AZGFD hunting — the reservation runs its own separate tag system. Private inholdings and subdivisions cluster around Pinetop-Lakeside and Show Low; State Trust parcels require an Arizona State Land recreation permit.
Managers: USFS Apache-Sitgreaves NF (Lakeside RD), AZ State Trust, Private (Pinetop/Show Low subdivisions), Fort Apache Reservation — Tribal (closed)
Access points: Hwy 260 (Show Low–Pinetop–Springerville) · FR 300 Rim Road · Porter Mountain Road · Hwy 60 to Show Low
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common trophyThe headline hunt — a top-tier White Mountains limited-entry elk unit with strong bull numbers and dependable success (low-40% range) and genuine trophy potential in the timber and meadow country.
- →Work meadow edges and grassy parks at first and last light where bulls stage
- →During the rut, locate bugling bulls at dawn and close through the timber
- →Hunt water tanks and wallows in dry early hunts
- →Glass the transition between conifer and oak/pinyon on the lower breaks
Pronghorn
limited qualityA tightly managed pronghorn hunt on the open grassland parks and meadows, with good success (80%+) on a small number of tags and respectable bucks.
- →Glass the large open parks and grassland openings from high points
- →Spot-and-stalk in the flat, open terrain — use terrain folds to close
- →Waterholes and stock tanks concentrate animals in dry stretches
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer (with a sprinkling of Coues whitetail in the oak) hold the timber, meadow edges and lower breaks — steady general-season opportunity rather than a trophy draw.
- →Glass meadow and oak edges at dawn and dusk
- →Still-hunt pine ridges and drainage heads
- →Look for Coues in the thicker oak and canyon country on the lower elevations
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear are well distributed through the pine, oak and canyon country — a solid fall opportunity hunt keyed to food sources.
- →Glass oak-brush slopes and canyon bottoms when acorns and berries are on
- →Hunt near water and mast in early fall
- →Check drainages and north-facing timber in the heat of the day
Pro tips
- →Elk here is a coveted limited-entry draw — build bonus points; there is no OTC bull tag.
- →Learn exactly where the Fort Apache Reservation boundary runs on the south/west — it is closed to general hunting.
- →Water tanks and wallows are gold on dry early elk hunts.
- →Glass the open parks at first light — the classic White Mountains elk and pronghorn setup.
- →OTC archery deer is a genuine backdoor into this unit outside the elk draw.
Watch out for
- !Fort Apache Indian Reservation (White Mountain Apache) borders the unit and is closed to AZGFD hunting — a separate tribal tag system applies.
- !Private subdivisions around Pinetop-Lakeside and Show Low — respect posted boundaries.
- !State Trust parcels require an Arizona State Land recreation permit.
- !Monsoon lightning and flash flooding mid-summer to early fall; forest roads turn to mud.
- !Fire restrictions and closures are common on the Apache-Sitgreaves NF in dry years.
Logistics
Pinetop-Lakeside and Show Low are full-service hubs (fuel, lodging, groceries, meat processing) — this is one of Arizona's more developed hunting areas. Dispersed camping is easy on the Apache-Sitgreaves NF, and improved campgrounds are plentiful. Cell service is decent near the highway corridor and drops off on the back roads.
Nearest towns: Pinetop-Lakeside, Show Low, Springerville, Snowflake
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Arizona sources:
Research sources: AZGFD — Game Management Unit 4A · AZGFD — Hunt Arizona (harvest data & guidelines) · Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest · Arizona State Land Department — Recreation Permits
FAQ
- How big is GMU 4A in Arizona?
- GMU 4A (Unit 4A — Pinetop) covers about 756 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,000 to 9,400 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 4A?
- Approximately 85% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Apache-Sitgreaves NF (Lakeside RD), AZ State Trust, Private (Pinetop/Show Low subdivisions), Fort Apache Reservation — Tribal (closed). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 4A?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Pronghorn, 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 4A on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.