Arizona Unit 20A Mule Deer Hunting Guide

Arizona Unit 20A is a desert mule deer unit sprawling across 384,217 acres in the central part of the state, with an elevation range running from 3,093 feet up to 7,960 feet. That kind of vertical relief packs a lot of habitat diversity into one unit — from low desert flats to timbered high country — and gives mule deer plenty of room to move seasonally. With 86% of the unit in public ownership and no designated wilderness, Unit 20A is about as accessible as desert mule deer hunting gets in Arizona, making it a unit that draws steady interest from both resident and nonresident applicants researching their options on HuntPilot.

Harvest numbers, tag quotas, and survey data all tell a story worth understanding before hunters commit points or cash to an application. Below is a breakdown of what the numbers actually show for Unit 20A, along with an honest read on whether it belongs on a hunter's short list.

HuntPilot Analysis — Is Unit 20A Worth Applying For?

Unit 20A is a mixed bag, and the data makes that clear rather than glossing over it. On the positive side, harvest success has historically been solid. In 2023, 849 hunters harvested 452 deer for a 53% success rate — a strong number for any mule deer unit anywhere in the West. That same year had the largest hunter turnout in the four-year window provided, suggesting a bigger tag allocation that season. But the trend since then is worth flagging: success dropped to 45% in 2024 (531 hunters, 240 harvested) and fell further to 39% in 2025 (508 hunters, 198 harvested). That's a meaningful three-year slide in success rate, even as hunter numbers held relatively steady in the 500-hunter range for the last two years.

The wildlife survey data adds context to that decline. Across two survey years (2023-2025), the average buck:doe ratio came in at just 18:100, based on an average of 250 animals observed per survey. That's a low ratio compared to healthy mule deer herds, and combined with the shrinking harvest success rate, it points to a herd that may be under some pressure or experiencing a below-average buck class in recent years. This is a small sample size — only two survey years — so hunters shouldn't treat 18:100 as gospel, but it does align directionally with the falling success rates seen in the harvest data.

Tag quotas also swing wildly here. Hunt code 1031 saw its quota crash from 700 tags in 2023 down to just 15 in 2024, then rebound to 625 in 2025 — a jump of 4,067% year over year. That kind of volatility means hunters need to check current quotas every single year rather than assuming last year's numbers will hold. Hunt code 1154, by contrast, has been stable at 250 tags in both 2024 and 2025, which offers more predictability for planning purposes.

Trophy data for the counties overlapping Unit 20A shows a limited history of trophy-class entries. That doesn't mean big bucks don't come out of this country, but it does mean hunters chasing a record-caliber buck should treat 20A as an opportunity unit rather than a unit with a proven trophy pedigree. For hunters prioritizing a good chance at filling a tag over chasing inches, the historical success rates (particularly 2022-2023) make this a reasonable unit to consider. For hunters solely focused on trophy potential, the data doesn't support strong expectations here.

Overall: Unit 20A is worth applying for if the goal is a fillable tag with decent public access and reasonable odds of putting a deer on the ground, especially given the 86% public land base. It's a harder sell for hunters chasing a wall-hanger, given the limited trophy history and the declining buck:doe ratio trend.

Harvest Success Rates

The four-year harvest record for Unit 20A shows real variability, and hunters should plan around the trend rather than any single year:

• 2022: 862 hunters, 387 harvested — 45% success
• 2023: 849 hunters, 452 harvested — 53% success
• 2024: 531 hunters, 240 harvested — 45% success
• 2025: 508 hunters, 198 harvested — 39% success

Two things stand out. First, hunter numbers dropped significantly from 2023 to 2024 and again into 2025, likely tied to the quota volatility seen in hunt code 1031. Second, success rate has trended downward since the 2023 peak, falling 14 percentage points from 53% to 39% over two years. Hunters drawing a tag in 20A should not assume a coin-flip or better success rate based on the 2023 numbers alone — the more recent data points to tighter hunting.

Trophy Quality

Trophy records from the counties overlapping Unit 20A show a limited history of entries. This is not a unit with a deep or well-documented trophy pedigree, and hunters should calibrate expectations accordingly. That said, county-level trophy data is shared across all units overlapping those counties, so it reflects a broader area rather than 20A specifically, and a limited record-book history doesn't rule out mature bucks being present — it simply means the unit hasn't produced a notable volume of documented trophy-class deer in the data available. Hunters prioritizing raw trophy potential should look at this as a secondary consideration behind opportunity and access when deciding whether to apply here.

Herd Health & Population Trends

The wildlife survey data for Unit 20A is limited to two survey years between 2023 and 2025, with an average buck:doe ratio of 18:100 and an average of 250 animals observed per survey. That ratio is low, and when paired with the declining harvest success trend from 2023 through 2025, it suggests the buck segment of the herd may be facing pressure — whether from environmental factors, hunting pressure, or predation isn't something the data can isolate. Because this is based on only two survey years, hunters should treat it as an early signal rather than a definitive herd health verdict, but it's a data point worth weighing heavily given it lines up with the harvest trend rather than contradicting it.

Access & Terrain

Unit 20A's elevation band — from 3,093 feet to 7,960 feet — means hunters could be dealing with anything from low desert scrub to higher, cooler terrain depending on where they focus effort within the unit. With 86% of the unit in public ownership and 0% wilderness designation, this is a unit where DIY hunters can move freely without wilderness-specific access restrictions or the logistical hurdles that come with pack-in-only country. The high public land percentage also means hunters aren't boxed into small parcels or forced to negotiate private land access to reach huntable ground.

For scouting purposes, hunters should lean on mapping tools to identify elevation transitions, water sources, and access routes within the unit's public land base. HuntPilot's map overlays — including public land boundaries and land ownership layers — are a practical starting point for narrowing down where to focus pre-season scouting trips, since the unit's size (384,217 acres) and elevation range mean deer distribution can vary significantly by location and time of year.

How to Apply

Both resident and nonresident hunters must hold a qualifying license before applying — this is a separate cost from the application fee itself and is required up front, not just upon drawing a tag.

For current tag quotas by hunt code, and to track year-to-year changes like the swing seen in hunt code 1031, check the HuntPilot Arizona state page at /states/az for the latest updates.

Application dates and fees change every draw cycle. For the current deadlines, fees, and draw odds, see HuntPilot's Arizona page at /states/az.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is harvest success like in Arizona Unit 20A? Harvest success has ranged from 39% to 53% over the last four years of available data. The unit posted its best recent success rate in 2023 at 53% (849 hunters, 452 harvested), but that number has declined in each subsequent year, dropping to 45% in 2024 and 39% in 2025. Hunters should plan around the more recent, lower success rates rather than the 2023 peak.

How big are the mule deer in Unit 20A? Trophy records for the counties overlapping this unit show a limited history of trophy-class entries, meaning this isn't a unit with a strong documented trophy pedigree. Hunters should approach 20A as an opportunity-focused unit rather than one with proven potential for record-caliber bucks.

Is Unit 20A worth applying for? It depends on the goal. For hunters wanting a fillable tag on largely public land — 86% of the unit's 384,217 acres is public — with a reasonable historical success rate, it's a reasonable choice, particularly if drawing hunt code 1154, which has held a stable 250-tag quota in both 2024 and 2025. For hunters chasing trophy quality above all else, the limited trophy history and declining buck:doe ratio (18:100 average across two recent surveys) suggest looking elsewhere or tempering expectations.

What is the terrain like in Unit 20A? The unit spans a wide elevation range from 3,093 to 7,960 feet, indicating a mix of lower desert terrain and higher country within the same boundary. With no wilderness acreage and 86% public land, access is straightforward compared to units with wilderness restrictions, though hunters should use mapping tools to identify where elevation, water, and vegetation transitions concentrate deer activity across such a large unit.

How competitive is the draw for Unit 20A? Draw odds and current-year quota data change annually and are best checked directly on HuntPilot's Arizona unit page rather than relying on historical figures. What is clear from the tag quota trends is that allocations can swing dramatically — hunt code 1031 moved from 700 tags in 2023 down to 15 in 2024 before rebounding to 625 in 2025 — so hunters should verify the current year's quota before assuming past patterns will repeat.