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Ranger district · 2026-27
Alpine Ranger District, Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests: Tags, Rules and Ground
Ranger district in Greenlee County and Apache County: 432,315 acres, Units 1 and 27.
Photo: Denny Armstrong (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Alpine Ranger District, Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests
What kind of ground Alpine Ranger District is
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests manages Alpine Ranger District as one of its ranger districts. Figure it at 432,315 acres (USFS land statistics), within Greenlee County and Apache County. The AZGFD land ownership overlay measures 449,148 acres for the same place, a GIS figure. Game and Fish staff in Pinetop (Region I) look after this ground.
From lands.json (primary source; acres: USFS EDW Lands Area Statistics (NFS-owned acres in the district)), checked November 7, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Alpine Ranger District, Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests
AZGFD units on Alpine Ranger District
Unit lines put Alpine Ranger District in Units 1 and 27. Each unit is far larger than one property, and unit lines follow roads, rivers and ridges, so check the AZGFD unit maps to see which side you are on. The species AZGFD names for the units are black bear, elk, mule deer, Merriam's Turkey, pronghorn, tree squirrel, waterfowl and bighorn sheep and 6 more; that list belongs to the units, not to Alpine Ranger District alone. Unit 1 carries these AZGFD labels: CWD priority, Mexican wolf area. In Unit 27: CWD priority, Mexican wolf area. Wolves in the Mexican wolf area are protected; know the difference from a coyote before you shoot.
| Unit | AZGFD region | Square miles | Counties | National forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Pinetop | 844 | Apache | Apache-Sitgreaves NF |
| Unit 27 | Pinetop | 1,353 | Greenlee, Apache | Apache-Sitgreaves NF |
| Unit | Lion | Bear (2026) | Archery deer | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | K (24) | 62 (1, 2A, 2B, 2C, 27) | – | CWD priority, Mexican wolf area |
| Unit 27 | K (24) | 62 (1, 2A, 2B, 2C, 27) | 55 | CWD priority, Mexican wolf area |
Units from the AZGFD Game Management Unit layer overlay in lands.json; unit facts, lion zones, bear limits and archery deer limits from the 2026-27 Arizona Hunting Regulations (zones section, unit maps); checked November 7, 2026.
How the rules read on Alpine Ranger District
Shooting on Alpine Ranger District is off limits within 150 yards of buildings, camps and recreation sites. The rule also covers shooting on or across roads and water. Which roads and trails are open to vehicles on Alpine Ranger District is shown on the Motor Vehicle Use Maps. Call the district before the trip to confirm access.
There is no hunting text on the forest hunting page beyond alerts; AZGFD seasons decide what is open.
Forest Service hunting and shooting page; 36 CFR 261.10; checked November 7, 2026.
Over-the-counter hunts around Alpine Ranger District
Nonpermit-tags, sold over the counter with no draw, cover deer, turkey, javelina, black bear and mountain lion in the units of Alpine Ranger District. Archery deer units close at sundown on the Wednesday after their harvest limit is reached, and each deer must be reported online within 48 hours. Female bear counts close units; check before you go and report within 48 hours. Zone thresholds manage the August 21, 2026 to May 31, 2027 lion season.
| Species | Season | Legal wildlife | Dates | Units here | Harvest limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery-only OTC tag deer | Antlered whitetail deer | Dec 11–Jan 31, 2027 | 27 | 55 |
| Javelina | HAM OTC tag javelina | Any javelina | Jan 1–Dec 31, 2026 | 1 | – |
| Javelina | HAM OTC tag spring javelina | Any javelina | Jan 1–Dec 31, 2027 | 1 | – |
| Turkey | Archery-only OTC tag turkey | Any turkey | Aug 21–Sep 10, 2026 | 1, 27 | – |
| Turkey | Youth-only OTC tag (Shotgun shot) turkey | Any turkey | Oct 2–8, 2026 | 1, 27 | – |
| Turkey | Youth-only OTC tag (Shotgun shot)… | Bearded turkey | Apr 16–May 20, 2027 | 1, 27 | – |
| Turkey | Archery-only OTC tag spring turkey | Bearded turkey | May 7–20, 2027 | 1, 27 | – |
| Black bear | Archery-only bear | Any bear except cubs with sows and sows… | Aug 14–20, 2026 | 1, 27 | 10 |
| Black bear | Archery-only bear | Any bear except cubs with sows and sows… | Aug 21–Sep 10, 2026 | 1, 27 | 10 |
| Black bear | General bear | Any bear except cubs with sows and sows… | Oct 2–29, 2026 | 1, 27 | 20 |
| Black bear | General bear | Any bear except cubs with sows and sows… | Oct 30–Dec 31, 2026 | 1, 27 | 10 |
| Black bear | General OTC tag spring bear | Any bear except cubs with sows and sows… | Mar 19–Apr 22, 2027 | 1, 27 | 4 |
| Black bear | General OTC tag spring bear | Any bear except cubs with sows and sows… | May 7–Aug 13, 2027 | 1, 27 | 4 |
| Mountain lion | General mountain lion | Any lion except spotted kittens or… | Aug 21–May 31, 2027 | 1, 27 | – |
| Mountain lion | Pursuit-only mountain lion | Pursuit of any lion except spotted… | Aug 21–May 31, 2027 | 1, 27 | – |
Nonpermit-tag rows from the 2026-27 regulations and the 2027 spring booklet; reporting rules from the harvest reporting section; checked November 7, 2026.
Drawn hunts for the Alpine Ranger District units
One of the species drawn for here.
The 2026-27 booklets carry 56 hunt numbers valid in units that reach Alpine Ranger District (28 elk, 8 deer, 2 pronghorn, 8 rocky mountain bighorn, 4 javelina and 6 turkey). 8,030 permit-tags are on offer. Hunt numbers belong to units, and Alpine Ranger District is simply inside them. The elk and pronghorn hunts shown are 2026 hunts, because the 2027 booklet is not published until January 2027. Deadlines: June 2, 2026 for the fall draw, October 6, 2026 for spring 2027 hunts, and February 3, 2026 for 2026 pronghorn and elk.
| Species | Number of hunts | Tags | Earliest | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk (2026) | 28 | 2,805 | Jul 31, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Deer | 8 | 1,950 | Aug 21, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Pronghorn (2026) | 2 | 62 | Aug 21, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 |
| Rocky Mountain bighorn | 8 | 13 | Oct 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Javelina | 4 | 250 | Jan 1, 2027 | Feb 25, 2027 |
| Turkey | 6 | 2,950 | Oct 2, 2026 | May 20, 2027 |
| Number | Animal | Type | Season | Legal wildlife | Tags | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3169 | Elk (2026) | Archery-only | Jul 31–Aug 6, 2026 | Antlerless elk | 25 | 1, 27 |
| 3170 | Elk (2026) | Archery-only | Aug 7–13, 2026 | Antlerless elk | 25 | 1, 27 |
| 3087 | Elk (2026) | Limited opp. | Aug 7–20, 2026 | Antlerless elk | 25 | 27 |
| 3126 | Elk (2026) | Archery-only | Sep 11–24, 2026 | Bull elk | 225 | 1 |
| 3168 | Elk (2026) | Archery-only | Sep 11–24, 2026 | Antlerless elk | 75 | 1 |
| 3150 | Elk (2026) | Archery-only | Sep 11–24, 2026 | Bull elk | 225 | 27 |
| 1199 | Deer | Archery-only | Aug 21–Sep 10, 2026 | Any antlered deer | 160 | 1 |
| 1208 | Deer | Archery-only | Aug 21–Sep 10, 2026 | Antlered mule deer | 265 | 27 |
| 1162 | Deer | Youth-only | Oct 9–15, 2026 | Any antlered deer | 100 | 27 |
| 1001 | Deer | General | Oct 23–Nov 1, 2026 | Any antlered deer | 400 | 1 |
| 1041 | Deer | General | Oct 23–29, 2026 | Antlered mule deer | 500 | 27 |
| 1096 | Deer | General | Oct 30–Nov 5, 2026 | Antlered whitetail deer | 250 | 27 |
| 2038 | Pronghorn (2026) | Archery-only | Aug 21–Sep 3, 2026 | Buck pronghorn | 30 | 1 |
| 2001 | Pronghorn (2026) | General | Sep 4–13, 2026 | Buck pronghorn | 32 | 1 |
| 6502 | Rocky Mountain bighorn | General | Oct 1–31, 2026 | Any ram | 1 | 1 |
| 6501 | Rocky Mountain bighorn | General | Nov 1–30, 2026 | Any ram | 2 | 1, 27 |
| 6503 | Rocky Mountain bighorn | General | Nov 1–30, 2026 | Any ram | 1 | 1 |
| 6901 | Rocky Mountain bighorn | Pioneer one-horned bighorn sheep (pioneer license required, see r12-4-318) | Nov 1–Dec 31, 2026 | One-horned ram | 1 | 1, 27 |
| 6510 | Rocky Mountain bighorn | General | Nov 13–Dec 3, 2026 | Any ram | 3 | 27 |
| 6508 | Rocky Mountain bighorn | General | Dec 1–31, 2026 | Any ram | 1 | 27 |
| 5097 | Javelina | Archery-only | Jan 1–21, 2027 | Any javelina | 50 | 27 |
| 5042 | Javelina | Youth-only | Jan 22–31, 2027 | Any javelina | 25 | 27 |
| 5066 | Javelina | HAM | Feb 5–15, 2027 | Any javelina | 50 | 27 |
| 5016 | Javelina | General | Feb 19–25, 2027 | Any javelina | 125 | 27 |
| 4501 | Turkey | Shotgun-shot | Oct 2–8, 2026 | Any turkey | 500 | 1 |
| 4512 | Turkey | Shotgun-shot | Oct 2–8, 2026 | Any turkey | 450 | 27 |
| 4001 | Turkey | Shotgun-shot | Apr 23–29, 2027 +1 | Bearded turkey | 550 | 1 |
| 4044 | Turkey | Shotgun-shot | Apr 23–29, 2027 +1 | Bearded turkey | 450 | 27 |
| 4002 | Turkey | Shotgun-shot | Apr 30–May 20, 2027 | Bearded turkey | 550 | 1 |
| 4045 | Turkey | Shotgun-shot | Apr 30–May 20, 2027 | Bearded turkey | 450 | 27 |
Hunt numbers, dates, legal wildlife and permits from the 2026-27 Arizona Hunting Regulations, the 2027 spring booklet and the 2026 pronghorn and elk booklet; deadlines from the draw section; checked November 7, 2026.
Small game seasons for Alpine Ranger District
The small game list for these units, tree squirrel, waterfowl, blue (dusky) grouse, dove and quail, runs on statewide dates. Duck hunters add two stamps, Arizona and federal, to the license.
| Species | Hunt | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Gambel's, scaled and California quail | General quail | Oct 16–Feb 7, 2027 |
| Mearns' quail | General quail | Dec 4–Feb 7, 2027 |
| Doves | Statewide early dove season | Sep 1–15, 2026 |
| Doves | Statewide late dove season | Nov 20–Jan 3, 2027 |
| Ducks and mergansers | General waterfowl | Oct 23–Jan 31, 2027 |
| Ducks and mergansers | Youth-only waterfowl | Feb 6–7, 2027 |
| Tree squirrels | General tree squirrel | Oct 2–Jan 31, 2027 |
| Dusky (blue) grouse | General dusky grouse | Sep 1–Nov 8, 2026 |
Statewide season rows from the 2026-27 Arizona Hunting Regulations and the waterfowl and dove leaflets; checked November 7, 2026.
Lands linked to Alpine Ranger District
Look up Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests for the wider picture. Other parts of the parent are linked here.
Alpine Ranger District unit harvest, 2025
These are unit totals from the 2025 AZGFD summaries, covering more ground than Alpine Ranger District. Each row totals one-unit hunts of a kind; elk is a preliminary report.
| Unit | Hunt type (2025) | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 27 | OTC archery deer | 366 | 28 | 5% |
| Unit 1 | Draw deer, 2 hunts | 426 | 254 | 60% |
| Unit 27 | Draw deer, 3 hunts | 757 | 392 | 52% |
| Unit 1 | Elk (prelim.), 10 hunts | 139 | 74 | 53% |
| Unit 27 | Elk (prelim.), 10 hunts | 882 | 445 | 50% |
| Unit 1 | Pronghorn, 2 hunts | 58 | 38 | 66% |
| Unit 27 | Spring javelina, 4 hunts | 184 | 91 | 49% |
| Unit 1 | Spring turkey, 2 hunts | 784 | 346 | 44% |
| Unit 27 | Spring turkey, 2 hunts | 642 | 199 | 31% |
| Unit 27 | Bighorn sheep, 2 hunts | 2 | 2 | 100% |
2025 AZGFD harvest summaries: OTC archery deer, deer, elk (preliminary), pronghorn, spring javelina, spring turkey, bighorn sheep; checked November 7, 2026.
Towns serving Alpine Ranger District
For fuel and groceries, Alpine is closest at 9 miles. Pinetop-Lakeside tops the list at 4,148 people. The AZGFD staff nearest Alpine Ranger District sit in Pinetop, 48 miles off.
| Nearest towns | County | Population | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine | Apache | – | 9 miles | northeast |
| Nutrioso | Apache | – | 15 miles | north |
| Springerville | Apache | 1,723 | 30 miles | north |
| Clifton | Greenlee | 3,815 | 49 miles | south |
| Pinetop-Lakeside | Navajo | 4,148 | 51 miles | northwest |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); AZGFD offices from the AZGFD offices page; businesses from services.json listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 7, 2026.
Other places close to Alpine Ranger District
Luna Lake is the nearest neighbour, 10 miles northeast of the Alpine Ranger District point. The nearest six count as 5 wildlife areas and 1 ranger district.
| Nearby | Type | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luna Lake | Wildlife area | 116 | Apache | 10 miles | northeast |
| Sipe White Mountain | Wildlife area | 1,366 | Apache | 20 miles | north |
| Springerville Ranger District | Ranger district | 265,795 | Apache | 22 miles | northwest |
| Springerville Marsh | Wildlife area | 161 | Apache | 28 miles | north |
| Becker Lake | Wildlife area | 635 | Apache | 28 miles | north |
| White Mountain Grasslands | Wildlife area | 2,861 | Apache | 29 miles | north |
Point: AZGFD Land Ownership layer (US Forest Service) inside the USFS EDW Ranger Districts boundary (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Hunting hours computed for Alpine Ranger District
Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time all year, so the clock times for Alpine Ranger District below do not jump in November or March.
| Date | Season marker | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight hunting | Migratory birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 2026 | Archery deer | 5:43 a.m. | 6:58 p.m. | 5:43 a.m. to 6:58 p.m. | 5:13 a.m. to 6:58 p.m. |
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 5:50 a.m. | 6:44 p.m. | 5:50 a.m. to 6:44 p.m. | 5:20 a.m. to 6:44 p.m. |
| Oct 16, 2026 | Quail opener | 6:21 a.m. | 5:43 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 5:51 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. |
| Oct 23, 2026 | General deer and waterfowl opener | 6:27 a.m. | 5:35 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 5:57 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:17 a.m. | 5:12 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. |
| Jan 22, 2027 | Spring javelina | 7:19 a.m. | 5:36 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. |
Hours rules from the 2026-27 Arizona Hunting Regulations (A.R.S. 17-301); sunrise and sunset worked out for this location with the NOAA solar formula (Mountain Standard Time); the AZGFD Phoenix sunrise-sunset chart; checked November 7, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Alpine Ranger District (Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests): nearest AZGFD bench, then clubs
Hunters bound for Alpine Ranger District (Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests) can zero without club dues at Second Knoll Shooting Range, 54 miles away.
From AZGFD’s Shooting Range Facilities page, operators’ own sites and directory listings, checked November 7, 2026.
Asked and answered on Alpine Ranger District
Do I have to wear hunter orange on Alpine Ranger District?
There is no Arizona requirement.
Can I use an ATV on Alpine Ranger District?
Check the Motor Vehicle Use Map for open routes.
CWD near Alpine Ranger District?
No. Arizona has no CWD detection so far, and testing is free. Units 1, 27 are among AZGFD’s 16 priority surveillance units.
Which regional office do I call for Alpine Ranger District?
The Pinetop office, Region I: 928-367-4281.
Which Arizona license applies on Alpine Ranger District?
An Arizona hunting or combination license and the right tag: residents pay $37 or $57 for the combination, nonresidents $160 for the combination.
Is Alpine Ranger District legal ground for a licensed hunter?
Yes; national forest land is open to licensed hunting.
How large a piece of country is Alpine Ranger District?
432,315 acres, per the USFS land statistics.
Which hunt units take in Alpine Ranger District?
Units 1, 27. Hunts are valid by unit, so the whole unit, not only Alpine Ranger District, is open to the tag.
Any OTC options for Alpine Ranger District?
OTC tags cover deer, javelina, turkey, black bear and mountain lion here.
Draw hunts for Alpine Ranger District?
Yes: 56 hunts for elk, deer, pronghorn, rocky mountain bighorn, javelina and turkey; see the draw table on this page.
Can I pitch a tent on Alpine Ranger District?
Ask the ranger district; no camping rule was published with this record.
Checklist for the Alpine Ranger District trip
Saw a wildlife violation on Alpine Ranger District? Report it to Operation Game Thief, the AZGFD poaching hotline.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4; seasons from the 2026-27 Arizona Hunting Regulations. Checked November 7, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Cecelia Alexander (CC0 1.0); Henry (CC BY 2.0).