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Arizona wildlife area
Santa Rita Wildlife Area Hunter Guide, 2026-27
Wildlife area in Pima County, 52,653 acres in Unit 34A.
Photo: Bureau of Land Management (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Santa Rita Wildlife Area
The lay of the land at Santa Rita Wildlife Area
Wildlife areas such as Santa Rita Wildlife Area carry property-by-property limits; for this one, look up R12-4-802(A)(30) of the Commission rule. It covers 52,653 acres by the AZGFD GIS polygon, spread over Pima County. AZGFD handles it from AZGFD Region V (Tucson), whose territory includes the sky islands of southeastern Arizona, the Santa Rita, Huachuca, Chiricahua and Galiuro mountains, the San Pedro and Santa Cruz valleys and the Sulphur Springs Valley. For supplies, AZGFD points to Sahuarita.
From lands.json (primary source; acres: GIS area (equal-area) of the AZGFD Wildlife Areas layer (Wildlife_Areas, 2019) polygon), checked November 7, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Santa Rita Wildlife Area
Dos and don'ts on Santa Rita Wildlife Area
Santa Rita Wildlife Area carries 1 rule item in R12-4-802. The rule opens the area to all hunting in season with no extra method limit.
| Subject | Summary | R12-4-802 wording |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting | Open in season | Open to all hunting in season as permitted under R12-4-304 and R12-4-318. |
Posted notices count too: R12-4-801 lets AZGFD restrict an area for up to 90 days without changing the rule text.
Rule text: A.A.C. R12-4-802 (Cornell LII copy) and R12-4-801; checked November 7, 2026.
Santa Rita Wildlife Area draw options
What hunters here are after.
Drawn hunts covering these units add up to 18: 7 deer, 2 pronghorn, 6 javelina and 3 turkey. Together they offer 3,712 permit-tags. The tag is for the open area as a whole; Santa Rita Wildlife Area is one place to use it. Read the elk and pronghorn lines as 2026 hunts; AZGFD publishes the 2027 list in January. The spring 2027 draw closed on October 6, 2026; the fall 2026 draw closed June 2 and the 2026 pronghorn and elk draw on February 3.
| Game | Hunts | Permits | Season starts | Season ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | 7 | 2,210 | Oct 9, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Pronghorn (2026) | 2 | 6 | Aug 21, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 |
| Javelina | 6 | 1,490 | Oct 9, 2026 | Feb 25, 2027 |
| Turkey | 3 | 6 | Apr 16, 2027 | May 27, 2027 |
| No. | Game | Hunt type | Dates | Legal animal | Tags | Open area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1178 | Deer | Youth-only | Oct 9–15, 2026 | Antlered whitetail deer | 125 | 34A |
| 1124 | Deer | General | Oct 23–29, 2026 | Antlered whitetail deer | 675 | 34A |
| 1125 | Deer | General | Nov 6–12, 2026 | Antlered whitetail deer | 675 | 34A |
| 1181 | Deer | CHAMP deer (challenged hunter access mobility permit required, see r12-4-217) | Nov 13–19, 2026 | Antlered whitetail deer | 10 | 34A |
| 1195 | Deer | Muzzleloader | Nov 13–19, 2026 | Antlered whitetail deer | 25 | 34A |
| 1126 | Deer | General | Nov 27–Dec 6, 2026 | Antlered whitetail deer | 600 | 34A |
| 1127 | Deer | General | Dec 11–31, 2026 | Antlered whitetail deer | 100 | 34A |
| 2060 | Pronghorn (2026) | Archery-only | Aug 21–Sep 3, 2026 | Buck pronghorn | 3 | 34A |
| 2037 | Pronghorn (2026) | Muzzleloader | Sep 4–13, 2026 | Buck pronghorn | 3 | 34A |
| 5509 | Javelina | Youth-only | Oct 9–15, 2026 | Any javelina | 50 | 34A |
| 5510 | Javelina | Youth-only | Nov 20–26, 2026 | Any javelina | 50 | 34A |
| 5101 | Javelina | Archery-only | Jan 1–21, 2027 | Any javelina | 400 | 34A |
| 5046 | Javelina | Youth-only | Jan 22–31, 2027 | Any javelina | 40 | 34A |
| 5074 | Javelina | HAM | Feb 5–15, 2027 | Any javelina | 325 | 34A |
| 5024 | Javelina | General | Feb 19–25, 2027 | Any javelina | 625 | 34A |
| 4057 | Turkey | Shotgun-shot | Apr 16–22, 2027 +1 | Bearded turkey | 2 | 34A |
| 4058 | Turkey | Shotgun-shot | Apr 30–May 6, 2027 +1 | Bearded turkey | 2 | 34A |
| 4059 | Turkey | Shotgun-shot | May 7–27, 2027 | Bearded turkey | 2 | 34A |
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.
Santa Rita Wildlife Area: nonpermit-tag seasons
Over-the-counter hunting near Santa Rita Wildlife Area includes deer, black bear and mountain lion; buy the nonpermit-tag and go. Each archery deer unit has a harvest limit; once it is met, the unit closes at sundown the following Wednesday, and kills are reported within 48 hours. Expect bear closures by female limit, plus a 48-hour report and 10-day inspection. Mountain lion is open statewide from August 21, 2026 to May 31, 2027, one per year, with zone harvest thresholds.
| Game | Hunt | What you may take | Dates | Units | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery-only OTC tag deer | Antlered whitetail deer | Aug 21–Jan 31, 2027 | 34A | 195 |
| Black bear | Archery-only bear | Any bear except cubs with sows and sows… | Aug 21–Oct 1, 2026 | 34A | 3 |
| Black bear | General bear | Any bear except cubs with sows and sows… | Oct 2–Dec 31, 2026 | 34A | 3 |
| Black bear | General OTC tag spring bear | Any bear except cubs with sows and sows… | Mar 19–Apr 22, 2027 | 34A | 2 |
| Mountain lion | General mountain lion | Any lion except spotted kittens or… | Aug 21–May 31, 2027 | 34A | – |
| Mountain lion | Pursuit-only mountain lion | Pursuit of any lion except spotted… | Aug 21–May 31, 2027 | 34A | – |
Nonpermit-tag rows from the 2026-27 regulations and the 2027 spring booklet; reporting rules from the harvest reporting section; checked November 7, 2026.
Game units that cover Santa Rita Wildlife Area
For tags, Santa Rita Wildlife Area falls in Unit 34A. For the units here, the AZGFD layer shows black bear, javelina, mule deer, white-tailed deer, cottontail rabbit, dove and quail (a unit-wide list). Unit 34A carries these AZGFD labels: CWD priority.
| Unit | Region | Sq mi | County overlap | Forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 34A | Tucson | 690 | Santa Cruz, Pima | Coronado NF |
| Unit | Mountain lion zone | Bear limit 2026 | Archery buck cap | Labels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 34A | P (61) | 10 (34A) | 195 | CWD priority |
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 2025 hunts went around Santa Rita Wildlife Area
The 2025 numbers below are single-unit hunts in the units here, not a Santa Rita Wildlife Area count. Only hunts limited to one unit are summed per row; multi-unit hunts are left out to avoid double counting, and elk figures are preliminary.
| Unit | 2025 hunts | Hunters | Taken | Success rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 34A | OTC archery deer | 898 | 38 | 11% |
| Unit 34A | Draw deer, 7 hunts | 1,772 | 547 | 31% |
| Unit 34A | Spring javelina, 2 hunts | 626 | 219 | 35% |
| Unit 34A | Spring turkey, 3 hunts | 5 | 5 | 100% |
2025 AZGFD harvest summaries: OTC archery deer, deer, elk (preliminary), pronghorn, spring javelina, spring turkey, bighorn sheep; checked November 7, 2026.
Santa Rita Wildlife Area bird and rabbit dates
Small game and bird seasons around Santa Rita Wildlife Area follow the statewide calendar; the unit layer hints at cottontail rabbit, dove and quail.
| Species | Season | 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 |
| Cottontail rabbit | General cottontail rabbit | Jul 1–Jun 30, 2027 |
Statewide season rows from the 2026-27 Arizona Hunting Regulations and the waterfowl and dove leaflets; checked November 7, 2026.
Within driving range of Santa Rita Wildlife Area
Next nearest on the map: Las Cienegas NCA, 16 miles east. Pinned close by: 3 wildlife areas, 2 ranger districts and 1 national conservation area.
| Area | Kind | Acres | County | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Cienegas NCA | Conservation area | 42,000 | Pima | 16 miles | east |
| Coal Mine Spring | Wildlife area | 4,410 | Santa Cruz | 21 miles | south |
| Bog Hole | Wildlife area | 197 | Santa Cruz | 28 miles | southeast |
| Arivaca Lake | Wildlife area | 208 | Pima | 31 miles | southwest |
| Nogales Ranger District | Ranger district | 338,316 | Santa Cruz | 32 miles | southwest |
| Sierra Vista Ranger District | Ranger district | 298,205 | Santa Cruz | 32 miles | southeast |
Point: AZGFD Wildlife Areas layer (Wildlife_Areas, 2019) (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Off-limits land around Santa Rita Wildlife Area
Tribal land near Santa Rita Wildlife Area, such as Pascua Pueblo Yaqui Reservation, is closed to state-licensed hunting; each tribe sets its own rules and permits. The federal statute 18 USC 1165 applies to hunting tribal land without authority.
| Name | Status | Counties | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pascua Pueblo Yaqui Reservation | tribal land | Pima | 23 miles |
| Pascua Pueblo Yaqui trust land | tribal land | Pima | 29 miles |
Closed rows from lands.json: tribal land (18 USC 1165, Census TIGERweb), NPS units (36 CFR 2.2); checked November 7, 2026.
When the light is legal on Santa Rita Wildlife Area
Big game, quail and predator hunters near Santa Rita Wildlife Area work from sunrise to sunset; migratory bird hunters may start thirty minutes earlier.
| Day | Why | Sun up | Sun down | Most game | Ducks and doves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 2026 | Archery deer | 5:52 a.m. | 7:02 p.m. | 5:52 a.m. to 7:02 p.m. | 5:22 a.m. to 7:02 p.m. |
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 5:58 a.m. | 6:49 p.m. | 5:58 a.m. to 6:49 p.m. | 5:28 a.m. to 6:49 p.m. |
| Oct 16, 2026 | Quail opener | 6:26 a.m. | 5:51 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. | 5:56 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. |
| Oct 23, 2026 | General deer and waterfowl opener | 6:32 a.m. | 5:44 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 6:02 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:19 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Spring javelina | 7:23 a.m. | 5:29 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 5:29 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.
Fuel, food and processing near Santa Rita Wildlife Area
Measured straight, Green Valley sits 8 miles from Santa Rita Wildlife Area. For a bigger store run, try Tucson (554,013 people). For a Game and Fish office, Tucson is the shortest trip at 29 miles.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Valley | Pima | – | 8 miles | west |
| Sahuarita | Pima | 37,448 | 9 miles | northwest |
| Elephant Head | Pima | – | 9 miles | southwest |
| Tucson | Pima | 554,013 | 22 miles | north |
| Tucson Estates | Pima | – | 28 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.
Public and club benches before Santa Rita Wildlife Area
Three Points Public Shooting Range, 33 miles from Santa Rita Wildlife Area, is the nearest bench on AZGFD’s public list. Beside the department range sit the closest clubs, none past 30 miles.
From AZGFD’s Shooting Range Facilities page, operators’ own sites and directory listings, checked November 7, 2026.
Straight answers for Santa Rita Wildlife Area
Is there CWD in the Santa Rita Wildlife Area units?
Not detected in Arizona; free testing is available. Unit 34A is among AZGFD’s 16 priority surveillance units.
Does a hunting license get me onto Santa Rita Wildlife Area?
Yes. Rule R12-4-802(A)(30) opens it to hunting in season; its exact wording is: “Open to all hunting in season as permitted under R12-4-304 and R12-4-318.”
What should be in my pocket on Santa Rita Wildlife Area?
Arizona licenses apply: $37 resident hunting, $57 resident combination, $160 nonresident combination, plus tags.
What unit is Santa Rita Wildlife Area in?
It lies in Unit 34A; check the AZGFD unit maps for exact lines.
How many acres does Santa Rita Wildlife Area hold?
52,653 acres by the AZGFD GIS polygon.
Are there permit-tag hunts on Santa Rita Wildlife Area?
18 hunt numbers in the 2026-27 booklets cover its units (deer, pronghorn, javelina and turkey); elk and pronghorn are 2026 hunts.
Can I hunt Santa Rita Wildlife Area without the draw?
Deer, black bear and mountain lion can be hunted on nonpermit-tags.
Are there camping rules on Santa Rita Wildlife Area?
There is no camping item in the rule; posted notices govern.
Can I drive off road on Santa Rita Wildlife Area?
Vehicle rules were not published with this record.
Is blaze clothing required on Santa Rita Wildlife Area?
Not required by Arizona law.
What Game and Fish office serves Santa Rita Wildlife Area?
AZGFD Region V (Tucson); 520-628-5376.
Are there tribal or park lands near Santa Rita Wildlife Area?
Keep out of Pascua Pueblo Yaqui Reservation; it is tribal land, closed to state-licensed hunting without the tribe’s permission.
Pack up for Santa Rita Wildlife Area
Rules, closures and permits for Santa Rita Wildlife Area can change during the season; posted signs and the managing agency have the last word.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4 · source 5; seasons from the 2026-27 Arizona Hunting Regulations. Checked November 7, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Bureau of Land Management (CC BY 2.0); Chic Bee (CC BY 2.0).