Arizona Unit 40A Bighorn Sheep Hunting Guide

Arizona Unit 40A offers one of the state's more intriguing desert bighorn sheep hunting opportunities, set within a sprawling 693,128-acre unit where 98% of the land base is public. For hunters researching this specific unit, understanding what the harvest numbers, survey data, and trophy history actually mean — and don't mean — is critical before investing points and planning a hunt. This is a limited-quota draw unit through and through: there is no general season here, and every bighorn sheep hunt available in 40A is allocated through Arizona's draw system.

Unit 40A sits at low-to-moderate elevation for Arizona desert sheep country, ranging from 730 to 4,375 feet, which is squarely in the classic desert bighorn elevation band of rocky, broken terrain and sparse vegetation. With zero percent wilderness designation in the structured data for this unit, hunters won't be dealing with wilderness-area access restrictions here — though the terrain itself, typical of desert sheep habitat, still demands serious physical preparation and careful route planning regardless of land designation.

This article breaks down what the data shows for Unit 40A — harvest trends, survey results, and trophy potential — so hunters can make an informed decision about whether to spend precious bonus points here.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 40A Worth Applying For?

The honest answer depends heavily on what a hunter is looking for and how many points they're sitting on. Desert bighorn sheep hunting in Arizona is, categorically, one of the most difficult draws in North American big game hunting, and Unit 40A is no exception to that broader reality.

Looking at the harvest data compiled by HuntPilot across recent years, the picture is one of extremely limited opportunity punctuated by one statistical anomaly. In 2025, 2 hunters harvested 2 bighorn sheep for a 100% success rate. In 2024, 2 hunters harvested 1 animal for a 50% success rate. In 2023, a single hunter harvested a single animal, also 100% success. These numbers reflect what bighorn sheep hunting looks like in a well-managed, tightly controlled unit: very few tags issued, and the hunters who do draw tend to convert that opportunity into a harvest because they've waited years, scouted hard, and go into the field prepared.

The 2022 figure — 13 hunters and 100 harvested animals for a reported 769% success rate — is a clear data anomaly rather than a real reflection of hunt conditions. A success rate over 100% is mathematically impossible for a single hunt type and almost certainly reflects either a reporting error, a merged data set covering multiple hunt categories or years, or a conservation-related capture/translocation effort folded into harvest reporting rather than true taken-by-hunter figures. Hunters should not treat 2022 as representative of what to expect; the 2023–2025 figures, with 1-2 hunters per year, are far more indicative of this unit's actual hunt structure and scale.

What this tells hunters is straightforward: Unit 40A issues extremely few bighorn sheep tags per year. This is a true once-in-a-lifetime-style hunt for the overwhelming majority of applicants, consistent with Arizona's broader desert sheep management philosophy of conservative, quality-focused tag allocation.

On trophy potential, the counties overlapping Unit 40A carry a strong history of trophy-class bighorn production. That's a meaningful signal — it means rams capable of reaching record-book caliber have come from this general geography with some consistency, not as isolated flukes. Hunters should keep in mind that these records are logged at the county level and are shared across the unit and its neighbors, so this history speaks to the broader area's genetic and habitat quality rather than confirming that any specific ram in 40A itself hit that mark. Still, for a hunter fortunate enough to draw this tag, the data supports real optimism about encountering mature, quality rams.

The survey data adds useful context on herd composition. The 2023 survey recorded a buck:doe ratio of 69:100 (bighorn surveys typically track ram:ewe, and this figure should be read in that context) across a single survey year, with 69 animals observed total. Because this reflects only one survey year, it should be treated as a single data point rather than a confirmed long-term trend. A ratio in this range is a reasonably healthy indicator for a desert sheep population, but with just one year of data, HuntPilot cautions against drawing strong conclusions about herd trajectory. Hunters should watch for additional survey years to be published before weighting this figure too heavily into a draw decision.

Bottom line: Unit 40A is worth applying for if a hunter has accumulated meaningful points and is targeting a genuine trophy desert sheep experience, understanding that the tag itself may take many years to draw. This is not a unit for hunters hoping for a quick-turnaround opportunity — it's a long-game unit that rewards patience with a legitimate shot at a quality ram in good country.

Access & Terrain

Unit 40A spans 693,128 acres with 98% public land, among the highest public access percentages a hunter will find in any Arizona big game unit. This overwhelmingly public land base means DIY hunters have the freedom to scout and hunt the vast majority of the unit without needing to negotiate private land access, a significant advantage for sheep hunters who often need to cover large amounts of ground glassing for rams before committing to a stalk.

The elevation range of 730 to 4,375 feet places this unit in classic low-desert bighorn habitat — rugged, rocky mountain ranges rising out of desert flats and washes, the kind of broken, vertical terrain desert sheep favor for both feeding and escape cover. Hunters should expect extreme heat exposure depending on time of year, limited natural water sources, and physically demanding glassing-and-stalk hunting across loose rock and steep-sided drainages.

With 0% wilderness designation recorded for this unit, hunters won't face Arizona wilderness-specific access restrictions, though the general ruggedness of desert sheep country means mechanized travel is still limited once hunters leave established roads — most of the hunting here is done on foot after a vehicle-based approach to a glassing point. Hunters planning a trip to 40A should lean on HuntPilot's mapping tools to study the public land boundaries, elevation contours, and water features across the unit before ever setting a boot on the ground, since pre-season scouting time is precious on a tag this hard to draw.

Herd Health & Population Trends

The single available survey year, 2023, recorded an average ram:ewe ratio of 69:100 with 69 total animals observed. This is a solitary data point rather than a multi-year trend, which limits how much weight it should carry in a hunter's decision-making. A ratio in the high-60s to-100 range is not unusual or alarming for desert bighorn populations, and combined with the recent consistency of low-but-steady harvest (1-2 successful hunters most years), it suggests a population that continues to support a small, sustainable annual harvest.

Hunters should treat this as a snapshot rather than a verdict on herd health. As more survey years are published, a clearer trend will emerge. For now, the data neither confirms exceptional herd growth nor signals concern — it simply confirms a functioning, huntable population consistent with the unit's historically tight tag allocation.

Trophy Quality

Based on available trophy records, the counties overlapping Unit 40A show a strong history of producing record-book-caliber desert bighorn rams. This is a meaningful positive signal for hunters targeting trophy quality, as it reflects sustained production of mature, quality rams across the broader area over time rather than a single lucky outlier.

It's important to understand the context behind this data: trophy records are logged by county, and the counties that overlap Unit 40A also overlap neighboring units. That means this trophy history is shared geography — rams contributing to that record could have been taken anywhere across that broader county footprint, not necessarily within 40A's exact boundaries. Still, strong trophy history across the surrounding counties is a reasonable proxy for habitat quality and genetics in the area, and it supports real optimism for a hunter who draws this tag and puts in the scouting time to locate a mature ram.

How to Apply

Because Unit 40A has no general season, the only way to hunt bighorn sheep here is through Arizona's limited-quota draw system. Every tag — whether for an antlered ram or any other sheep hunt category offered in this unit — is allocated through the draw; there is no over-the-counter or general-season fallback option.

Arizona's draw structure distinguishes between resident and nonresident applicants, with separate allocation pools and bonus point accumulation for each category. Arizona's bonus point system means hunters who apply but don't draw accumulate points that improve their statistical odds relative to other applicants in future years, though — unlike some neighboring states — a high point total does not guarantee a draw in Arizona's system. Sheep tags in particular remain extraordinarily competitive even for hunters with substantial point totals, a reality echoed consistently across hunter forums discussing Arizona desert sheep strategy.

Hunters should also be aware that Arizona sheep tags are among the most sought-after big game tags in the country, drawing applications from resident and nonresident hunters alike who may apply for years or decades before drawing. Given that reality, a realistic application strategy means applying every year to build points, researching multiple units rather than fixating on just one, and using current data to decide where to spend points as totals grow.

Application structures, deadlines, and fees change every draw cycle, so rather than citing numbers that will go stale, hunters should check HuntPilot's Arizona state page at /states/AZ for the current application windows, fee structures, and point requirements before applying. HuntPilot's unit-specific pages also track draw odds data by point level, which is essential for deciding whether 40A or a neighboring unit makes more sense given a hunter's current point total.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Unit 40A? Unit 40A covers 693,128 acres of classic low desert bighorn habitat, ranging from 730 to 4,375 feet in elevation. Expect rugged, rocky mountain ranges rising from desert flats, steep broken terrain, and sparse vegetation typical of Sonoran desert sheep country. With 98% public land and no wilderness designation, hunters have wide-open access for scouting and hunting on foot, though the physical demands of glassing and stalking in this terrain should not be underestimated.

What is harvest success like in Unit 40A? Recent harvest data shows very low hunter numbers with strong conversion rates: 2 hunters harvested 2 sheep in 2025 (100% success), 2 hunters harvested 1 sheep in 2024 (50% success), and 1 hunter harvested 1 sheep in 2023 (100% success). These numbers reflect a tightly controlled, low-quota unit where the few hunters who draw tend to be well-prepared and successful. The 2022 figure showing 100 harvested animals among 13 hunters is a clear data anomaly and should not be used to estimate typical hunt outcomes.

How big are the bighorn sheep in Unit 40A? The counties overlapping Unit 40A have a strong history of producing record-book-caliber rams, suggesting good genetics and habitat quality across the broader area. Because trophy records are tracked at the county level and shared with neighboring units, this history can't be attributed exclusively to 40A's boundaries, but it's a positive indicator for hunters drawing a tag here.

Is Unit 40A worth applying for? For hunters with meaningful bonus point accumulation and patience for a long-term application strategy, yes — the combination of strong regional trophy history, a nearly all-public land base (98%), and consistent (if very limited) harvest success makes this a legitimate unit to target. It is not a unit suited to hunters seeking a quick-draw opportunity, given how few tags are issued annually.

What should hunters know about the sheep population in Unit 40A? The only available survey year (2023) showed a ram:ewe ratio of 69:100 with 69 total animals observed. This single-year snapshot suggests a stable, huntable population, but hunters should treat it as preliminary rather than a confirmed multi-year trend until more survey data is published.