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Hunt Planning for Pleasant Valley Ranger District, Tonto National Forest
Ranger district in Gila County with 427,428 acres across Units 22 and 23.
Photo: Alan Levine (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Pleasant Valley Ranger District, Tonto National Forest
First facts about Pleasant Valley Ranger District
Pleasant Valley Ranger District belongs to Tonto National Forest and follows the same Arizona seasons and federal forest rules as the rest of it. USFS land statistics puts it at 427,428 acres; the land lies in Gila County. The Mesa regional office of AZGFD (Region VI) covers it.
The Forest Service hunting page says: Hunting Hunting is regulated by the state of Arizona and allowed on the Tonto National Forest during open seasons with applicable permits. Search for Hunting & Shooting Opportunities Search Status Any Open Closed Temporarily Closed Partially Closed Sort by – A-Z – – Z-A – Recreation Opportunities Recreational and Target Shooting (3) Showing: 1 – 3 of 3 results 404 OHV Trailhead Site Open This OHV trailhead provides access to the Desert Vista OHV Permit Zone along Bartlett Dam Road at MT-404.
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 Pleasant Valley Ranger District, Tonto National Forest
Which units Pleasant Valley Ranger District sits in
Hunts valid on Pleasant Valley Ranger District are those for Units 22 and 23. Unit boundaries run along roads, rivers and ridgelines; know which unit you stand in. AZGFD tags the units with bighorn sheep, black bear, elk, javelina, Merriam's Turkey, mountain lion, mule deer and white-tailed deer and 4 more; treat it as a guide to the wider area. In Unit 22: Mexican wolf area. In Unit 23: Mexican wolf area. Hunters in the wolf area must avoid shooting a protected Mexican wolf.
| Unit | Lion zone | Bear female limit 2026 | OTC archery deer cap | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 22 | J (54) | 9 (22N) | 20 | Mexican wolf area |
| Unit 23 | J (54) | 12 (23N) | 20 | 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.
Rule book for Pleasant Valley Ranger District
On Pleasant Valley Ranger District the Forest Service bars firing a gun within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area. Do not shoot across forest roads or over water on Pleasant Valley Ranger District. Use the Motor Vehicle Use Map to see which Pleasant Valley Ranger District roads are open. The district office can confirm closures on the day.
No forest-specific hunting rules were posted beyond alerts.
Forest Service hunting and shooting page; 36 CFR 261.10; checked November 7, 2026.
OTC tags valid on Pleasant Valley Ranger District
No application is needed for the deer, turkey, black bear and mountain lion hunts below. When an archery deer unit hits its limit, it shuts at sundown the next Wednesday; report your deer online within 48 hours. Female harvest limits close bear units, and each bear is reported within 48 hours. The statewide lion season, August 21, 2026 to May 31, 2027, is managed by zone thresholds.
| Animal | Hunt | Legal wildlife | Open | Units here | Harvest cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery-only OTC tag deer | Antlered mule deer | Aug 21–Jan 31, 2027 | 22 | 20 |
| Deer | Archery-only OTC tag deer | Antlered whitetail deer | Aug 21–Jan 31, 2027 | 22 | 65 |
| Deer | Archery-only OTC tag deer | Antlered mule deer | Aug 21–Jan 31, 2027 | 23 | 20 |
| Deer | Archery-only OTC tag deer | Antlered whitetail deer | Aug 21–Jan 31, 2027 | 23 | 35 |
| Turkey | Archery-only OTC tag turkey | Any turkey | Aug 21–Sep 10, 2026 | 23 | – |
| Turkey | Youth-only OTC tag (Shotgun shot)… | Bearded turkey | Apr 16–May 20, 2027 | 23 | – |
| Black bear | General bear | Any bear except cubs with sows and sows… | Aug 21–Sep 10, 2026 | 22 | 2 |
| Black bear | General bear | Any bear except cubs with sows and sows… | Aug 21–Sep 10, 2026 | 23 | 5 |
| Black bear | Archery-only bear | Any bear except cubs with sows and sows… | Aug 21–Sep 10, 2026 | 23 | 2 |
| Black bear | General bear | Any bear except cubs with sows and sows… | Oct 30–Dec 31, 2026 | 22 | 4 |
| Black bear | General bear | Any bear except cubs with sows and sows… | Oct 30–Dec 31, 2026 | 23 | 4 |
| Black bear | General OTC tag spring bear | Any bear except cubs with sows and sows… | Mar 19–Apr 22, 2027 | 22 | 1 |
| Black bear | General OTC tag spring bear | Any bear except cubs with sows and sows… | Mar 19–Apr 22, 2027 | 23 | 2 |
| Mountain lion | General mountain lion | Any lion except spotted kittens or… | Aug 21–May 31, 2027 | 22, 23 | – |
| Mountain lion | Pursuit-only mountain lion | Pursuit of any lion except spotted… | Aug 21–May 31, 2027 | 22, 23 | – |
Nonpermit-tag rows from the 2026-27 regulations and the 2027 spring booklet; reporting rules from the harvest reporting section; checked November 7, 2026.
Draw hunts that include Pleasant Valley Ranger District
Game in the units around Pleasant Valley Ranger District.
Counting every booklet, 52 hunt numbers apply in the units here: 23 elk, 11 deer, 3 desert bighorn, 3 rocky mountain bighorn, 7 javelina and 5 turkey. That is 7,426 permit-tags in all. A hunt covers its whole unit or open area, not just Pleasant Valley Ranger District, so a tag drawn here is good elsewhere in the unit too. For elk and pronghorn, this is the 2026 list; the next one is due in January 2027. AZGFD closed the fall draw June 2, 2026, the spring draw October 6, 2026 and the 2026 elk and pronghorn draw February 3, 2026.
| Game | Hunt numbers | Tags | Earliest start | Latest end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk (2026) | 23 | 2,110 | Sep 11, 2026 | Dec 10, 2026 |
| Deer | 11 | 2,035 | Oct 9, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Desert bighorn | 3 | 5 | Nov 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Rocky Mountain bighorn | 3 | 6 | Nov 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Javelina | 7 | 2,600 | Jan 1, 2027 | Feb 25, 2027 |
| Turkey | 5 | 670 | Oct 2, 2026 | May 20, 2027 |
| Number | Animal | Type | Season | Legal wildlife | Tags | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3147 | Elk (2026) | Archery-only | Sep 11–24, 2026 | Bull elk | 45 | 22 |
| 3148 | Elk (2026) | Archery-only | Sep 11–24, 2026 | Bull elk | 25 | 23 |
| 3149 | Elk (2026) | Archery-only | Sep 11–24, 2026 | Bull elk | 15 | 23 |
| 3007 | Elk (2026) | General | Sep 25–Oct 1, 2026 | Bull elk | 25 | 22 |
| 3104 | Elk (2026) | Muzzleloader | Sep 25–Oct 1, 2026 | Bull elk | 50 | 22 |
| 3008 | Elk (2026) | General | Sep 25–Oct 1, 2026 | Bull elk | 25 | 23 |
| 1160 | Deer | Youth-only | Oct 9–15, 2026 | Any antlered deer | 150 | 22 |
| 1161 | Deer | Youth-only | Oct 9–15, 2026 | Any antlered deer | 125 | 23 |
| 1082 | Deer | General | Oct 23–29, 2026 | Antlered whitetail deer | 350 | 22 |
| 1085 | Deer | General | Oct 23–29, 2026 | Antlered whitetail deer | 175 | 23 |
| 1036 | Deer | General | Oct 30–Nov 5, 2026 | Antlered mule deer | 325 | 22 |
| 1038 | Deer | General | Oct 30–Nov 5, 2026 | Antlered mule deer | 250 | 23 |
| 6802 | Desert bighorn | Pioneer one-horned bighorn sheep (pioneer license required, see r12-4-318) | Nov 1–Dec 31, 2026 | One-horned ram | 1 | 22 |
| 6015 | Desert bighorn | General | Nov 13–Dec 3, 2026 | Any ram | 2 | 22 |
| 6016 | Desert bighorn | General | Dec 4–31, 2026 | Any ram | 2 | 22 |
| 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 | 22, 23 |
| 6506 | Rocky Mountain bighorn | General | Dec 1–31, 2026 | Any ram | 3 | 22 |
| 6507 | Rocky Mountain bighorn | General | Dec 1–31, 2026 | Any ram | 2 | 23 |
| 5093 | Javelina | Archery-only | Jan 1–21, 2027 | Any javelina | 450 | 22 |
| 5094 | Javelina | Archery-only | Jan 1–21, 2027 | Any javelina | 300 | 23 |
| 5040 | Javelina | Youth-only | Jan 22–31, 2027 | Any javelina | 100 | 22, 23 |
| 5062 | Javelina | HAM | Feb 5–15, 2027 | Any javelina | 475 | 22 |
| 5063 | Javelina | HAM | Feb 5–15, 2027 | Any javelina | 275 | 23 |
| 5012 | Javelina | General | Feb 19–25, 2027 | Any javelina | 625 | 22 |
| 4511 | Turkey | Shotgun-shot | Oct 2–8, 2026 | Any turkey | 325 | 23 |
| 4038 | Turkey | Shotgun-shot | Apr 23–29, 2027 +1 | Bearded turkey | 10 | 22 |
| 4040 | Turkey | Shotgun-shot | Apr 23–29, 2027 +1 | Bearded turkey | 175 | 23 |
| 4039 | Turkey | Shotgun-shot | Apr 30–May 20, 2027 | Bearded turkey | 10 | 22 |
| 4041 | Turkey | Shotgun-shot | Apr 30–May 20, 2027 | Bearded turkey | 150 | 23 |
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.
Birds and small game near Pleasant Valley Ranger District
No draw is needed for tree squirrel, quail, band-tailed pigeon and dove; a hunting license and the statewide dates are enough.
| Species | Statewide season | When |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Band-tailed pigeon | Statewide band-tailed pigeon season (C | Sep 25–Oct 8, 2026 |
| Tree squirrels | General tree squirrel | Oct 2–Jan 31, 2027 |
Statewide season rows from the 2026-27 Arizona Hunting Regulations and the waterfowl and dove leaflets; checked November 7, 2026.
Not open to hunting near Pleasant Valley Ranger District
Do not cross into Tonto Apache Off-Reservation Trust Land to hunt on an Arizona tag; tribal permission is required. Federal law (18 USC 1165) makes it an offense to hunt tribal land without permission.
| Place | Closed because | County | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonto Apache trust land | tribal land | Gila | 24 miles |
| Tonto Apache Reservation | tribal land | Gila | 25 miles |
Closed rows from lands.json: tribal land (18 USC 1165, Census TIGERweb), NPS units (36 CFR 2.2); checked November 7, 2026.
Lands linked to Pleasant Valley Ranger District
Look up Tonto National Forest for the wider picture. Neighbours under the same parent: Cave Creek Ranger District, Globe Ranger District, Mesa Ranger District and Payson Ranger District and more.
2025 harvest in the Pleasant Valley Ranger District units
Unit-level 2025 harvest gives a feel for hunting near Pleasant Valley Ranger District. Multi-unit hunts are excluded so no hunter is counted twice; elk results remain preliminary.
| Unit | Hunt (2025) | Hunters afield | Harvest | % success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 22 | OTC archery deer | 1,486 | 56 | 7% |
| Unit 23 | OTC archery deer | 1,130 | 54 | 6% |
| Unit 22 | Draw deer, 5 hunts | 1,006 | 310 | 31% |
| Unit 23 | Draw deer, 5 hunts | 733 | 226 | 31% |
| Unit 22 | Elk (prelim.), 12 hunts | 1,202 | 523 | 44% |
| Unit 23 | Elk (prelim.), 10 hunts | 645 | 298 | 46% |
| Unit 22 | Spring javelina, 3 hunts | 902 | 365 | 40% |
| Unit 23 | Spring javelina, 3 hunts | 601 | 232 | 39% |
| Unit 22 | Spring turkey, 2 hunts | 16 | 7 | 44% |
| Unit 23 | Spring turkey, 3 hunts | 316 | 72 | 23% |
| Unit 22 | Bighorn sheep, 3 hunts | 7 | 7 | 100% |
2025 AZGFD harvest summaries: OTC archery deer, deer, elk (preliminary), pronghorn, spring javelina, spring turkey, bighorn sheep; checked November 7, 2026.
Services for hunters at Pleasant Valley Ranger District
Young is the nearest town with a page here, 7 miles from Pleasant Valley Ranger District in a straight line. Payson is the largest of the five, with 16,762 residents in 2024. Closest Game and Fish counter: Mesa, roughly 59 miles off.
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young | Gila | – | 7 miles | north |
| Tonto Basin | Gila | – | 23 miles | southwest |
| Payson | Gila | 16,762 | 25 miles | northwest |
| Roosevelt | Gila | – | 27 miles | south |
| Heber-Overgaard | Navajo | – | 35 miles | northeast |
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.
Next public land from Pleasant Valley Ranger District
Tonto Basin Ranger District is the nearest neighbour, 20 miles southwest of the Pleasant Valley Ranger District point. By type the six neighbours break down as 3 ranger districts and 3 wildlife areas.
| Nearby | Type | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tonto Basin Ranger District | Ranger district | 531,212 | Gila | 20 miles | southwest |
| Roosevelt Lake | Wildlife area | 22,199 | Gila | 24 miles | southwest |
| Payson Ranger District | Ranger district | 442,330 | Gila | 27 miles | northwest |
| Chevelon Canyon Ranches | Wildlife area | 137 | Coconino | 29 miles | north |
| Three Bar | Wildlife area | 43,098 | Gila | 30 miles | southwest |
| Black Mesa Ranger District | Ranger district | 595,146 | Navajo | 33 miles | northeast |
Point: AZGFD Land Ownership layer (US Forest Service) inside the USFS EDW Ranger Districts boundary (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Clock times on Pleasant Valley Ranger District by season date
Arizona allows hunting in daylight hours, which the AZGFD booklet ties to its sunrise and sunset chart; ducks, geese, doves, pigeons and cranes may be shot from half an hour before sunrise.
| When | Marker | First light | Last light | Big and small game | Waterfowl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 2026 | Archery deer | 5:49 a.m. | 7:06 p.m. | 5:49 a.m. to 7:06 p.m. | 5:19 a.m. to 7:06 p.m. |
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 5:57 a.m. | 6:52 p.m. | 5:57 a.m. to 6:52 p.m. | 5:27 a.m. to 6:52 p.m. |
| Oct 16, 2026 | Quail opener | 6:29 a.m. | 5:50 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. |
| Oct 23, 2026 | General deer and waterfowl opener | 6:34 a.m. | 5:42 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 5:42 p.m. | 6:04 a.m. to 5:42 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:25 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. |
| Jan 22, 2027 | Spring javelina | 7:27 a.m. | 5:43 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:43 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.
Pleasant Valley Ranger District (Tonto National Forest) hunters: an AZGFD range plus clubs
Hunters bound for Pleasant Valley Ranger District (Tonto National Forest) can zero without club dues at Usery Mountain Shooting Range, 53 miles away. The other cards are clubs or private benches inside a 30-mile radius.
From AZGFD’s Shooting Range Facilities page, operators’ own sites and directory listings, checked November 7, 2026.
FAQ for hunting Pleasant Valley Ranger District
Where can I drive on Pleasant Valley Ranger District?
Routes shown open on the Motor Vehicle Use Map only.
Hunter orange on Pleasant Valley Ranger District?
No. Arizona has no hunter orange rule; wearing it is up to you.
Which regional office do I call for Pleasant Valley Ranger District?
The Mesa office, Region VI: 480-981-9400.
Closed areas near Pleasant Valley Ranger District?
Tonto Apache Off-Reservation Trust Land, about 24 miles off, is tribal land, closed to state-licensed hunting without the tribe’s permission.
Is chronic wasting disease found around Pleasant Valley Ranger District?
No detection in Arizona to date.
Does the law allow hunting on Pleasant Valley Ranger District?
Yes, Pleasant Valley Ranger District is open to licensed hunters.
Which license and tags does Pleasant Valley Ranger District take?
Carry an Arizona hunting or combination license and the tag for your hunt; youth 10 to 17 pay $5 for a combination license.
Which hunt units take in Pleasant Valley Ranger District?
Units 22, 23, per the AZGFD unit layer.
Acres on Pleasant Valley Ranger District?
427,428 acres, per the USFS land statistics.
How many hunt numbers cover Pleasant Valley Ranger District?
The booklets list 52 hunts for elk, deer, desert bighorn, rocky mountain bighorn, javelina and turkey whose open areas include it.
Are there OTC hunts on Pleasant Valley Ranger District?
For deer, turkey, black bear and mountain lion, yes.
What does Pleasant Valley Ranger District allow for overnight stays?
Dispersed camping is common on national forests, but follow the forest’s fire restrictions and posted limits; this page has no forest-specific camping text.
Loose ends before driving to Pleasant Valley Ranger District
Tag your animal as soon as it is down and keep your license and tags on you while hunting Pleasant Valley Ranger District.
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: Alan Stark (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Department of Agriculture (Public Domain Mark 1.0).