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Arizona Hunter's Guide to Three Bar Wildlife Area
Wildlife area in Gila County and Maricopa County, Unit 22, about 43,098 acres.
Photo: Patrick Finnegan (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Three Bar Wildlife Area
Fine print for hunters on Three Bar Wildlife Area
R12-4-802(A)(34) lists 2 restrictions for Three Bar Wildlife Area. Hunting here follows the normal Arizona seasons and legal methods, with no area-specific weapon limit. Motorized travel has limits here, so plan to walk from the road.
| Kind | Plain terms | Exact text |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicles | Designated routes only | Motorized vehicle travel: i. Is permitted on designated roads or areas only, except for big game retrieval as permitted under R12-4-110 (H). ii. Is prohibited within the Three Bar Wildlife and Habitat Study Area. iii. |
| Hunting | Open in season | Open to all hunting in season, as permitted under R12-4-304 and R12-4-318. |
AZGFD may also close or restrict all or part of any wildlife area for up to 90 days by posting (R12-4-801), so a sign at the gate can add limits not in the table.
Rule text: A.A.C. R12-4-802 (Cornell LII copy) and R12-4-801; checked November 7, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Three Bar Wildlife Area
Owner, size and setting of Three Bar Wildlife Area
The Commission names Three Bar Wildlife Area in R12-4-802(A)(34), so the area runs under Arizona wildlife area law rather than general public land rules. At 43,098 acres by the AZGFD GIS polygon, it reaches into Gila County and Maricopa County. Regionally it belongs to AZGFD Region VI (Mesa). AZGFD pairs it with Apache Junction on its wildlife area layer.
From lands.json (primary source; acres: GIS area (equal-area) of the AZGFD Wildlife Areas layer (Wildlife_Areas, 2019) polygon), checked November 7, 2026.
Permit-tag hunts covering Three Bar Wildlife Area
Wildlife hunted near Three Bar Wildlife Area.
AZGFD lists 30 drawn hunts whose open areas include the units of Three Bar Wildlife Area: 13 elk, 6 deer, 3 desert bighorn, 2 rocky mountain bighorn, 4 javelina and 2 turkey. The booklets authorize 4,239 tags for them. None of these hunts is limited to Three Bar Wildlife Area; each is valid throughout its listed open area. Elk and pronghorn rows are the 2026 hunts; the 2027 pronghorn and elk booklet comes out in January 2027 with its own hunt list. Fall 2026 draw applications closed June 2, 2026, spring 2027 applications closed October 6, 2026, and the 2026 pronghorn and elk deadline was February 3, 2026.
| Animal | Count | Permits | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk (2026) | 13 | 1,325 | Sep 11, 2026 | Dec 10, 2026 |
| Deer | 6 | 1,235 | Oct 9, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Desert bighorn | 3 | 5 | Nov 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Rocky Mountain bighorn | 2 | 4 | Nov 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Javelina | 4 | 1,650 | Jan 1, 2027 | Feb 25, 2027 |
| Turkey | 2 | 20 | Apr 23, 2027 | May 20, 2027 |
| Hunt | Species | Type | Dates | Legal wildlife | Permits | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3147 | Elk (2026) | Archery-only | Sep 11–24, 2026 | Bull elk | 45 | 22 |
| 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 |
| 3071 | Elk (2026) | Youth-only elk (arizona hunter education course required for youth ages 10–13) | Oct 9–15, 2026 | Antlerless elk | 100 | 22 |
| 3058 | Elk (2026) | General | Oct 16–22, 2026 | Antlerless elk | 75 | 22 |
| 3059 | Elk (2026) | General | Oct 16–22, 2026 | Antlerless elk | 50 | 22 |
| 1160 | Deer | Youth-only | Oct 9–15, 2026 | Any antlered deer | 150 | 22 |
| 1082 | Deer | General | Oct 23–29, 2026 | Antlered whitetail deer | 350 | 22 |
| 1036 | Deer | General | Oct 30–Nov 5, 2026 | Antlered mule deer | 325 | 22 |
| 1083 | Deer | General | Nov 6–12, 2026 | Antlered whitetail deer | 350 | 22 |
| 1037 | Deer | General | Dec 11–31, 2026 | Antlered mule deer | 10 | 22 |
| 1084 | Deer | General | Dec 11–31, 2026 | Antlered whitetail deer | 50 | 22 |
| 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 |
| 6506 | Rocky Mountain bighorn | General | Dec 1–31, 2026 | Any ram | 3 | 22 |
| 5093 | Javelina | Archery-only | Jan 1–21, 2027 | Any javelina | 450 | 22 |
| 5040 | Javelina | Youth-only | Jan 22–31, 2027 | Any javelina | 100 | 22 |
| 5062 | Javelina | HAM | Feb 5–15, 2027 | Any javelina | 475 | 22 |
| 5012 | Javelina | General | Feb 19–25, 2027 | Any javelina | 625 | 22 |
| 4038 | Turkey | Shotgun-shot | Apr 23–29, 2027 +1 | Bearded turkey | 10 | 22 |
| 4039 | Turkey | Shotgun-shot | Apr 30–May 20, 2027 | Bearded turkey | 10 | 22 |
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.
AZGFD units on Three Bar Wildlife Area
AZGFD sets seasons by unit, and Three Bar Wildlife Area lies in Unit 22. AZGFD's unit layer lists bighorn sheep, black bear, elk, javelina, Merriam's Turkey, mountain lion, mule deer and white-tailed deer and 2 more for these units, a unit-level hint rather than a promise for this exact ground. Unit 22 status: Mexican wolf area. Mexican wolves may be present in the wolf area units; they are protected and may not be shot.
| Unit | AZGFD office | Sq miles | Counties | Forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 22 | Mesa | 1,579 | Gila, Maricopa, Yavapai | Tonto NF |
| Unit | Lion zone | Female bear limit | Archery deer limit | AZGFD flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 22 | J (54) | 9 (22N) | 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.
Nonpermit-tag hunts in the Three Bar Wildlife Area units
For Three Bar Wildlife Area, the over-the-counter list covers deer, black bear and mountain lion. Watch the archery deer counts: a unit closes the Wednesday after it fills, and reporting is due within 48 hours. Bear seasons end early in a unit once enough females are taken; report within 48 hours. A lion tag is good statewide through May 31, 2027, starting August 21, 2026, with zone caps.
| Game | Season | Legal wildlife | Window | Units here | Harvest limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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… | Oct 30–Dec 31, 2026 | 22 | 4 |
| Black bear | General OTC tag spring bear | Any bear except cubs with sows and sows… | Mar 19–Apr 22, 2027 | 22 | 1 |
| Mountain lion | General mountain lion | Any lion except spotted kittens or… | Aug 21–May 31, 2027 | 22 | – |
| Mountain lion | Pursuit-only mountain lion | Pursuit of any lion except spotted… | Aug 21–May 31, 2027 | 22 | – |
Nonpermit-tag rows from the 2026-27 regulations and the 2027 spring booklet; reporting rules from the harvest reporting section; checked November 7, 2026.
Neighbouring public ground of Three Bar Wildlife Area
The closest other public land on this site is Roosevelt Lake, 6 miles to the northeast. Within reach on the map: 4 ranger districts, 1 wildlife area and 1 national forest.
| Place | Type | Acres | County | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roosevelt Lake | Wildlife area | 22,199 | Gila | 6 miles | northeast |
| Tonto Basin Ranger District | Ranger district | 531,212 | Gila | 9 miles | northeast |
| Mesa Ranger District | Ranger district | 438,114 | Maricopa | 10 miles | southwest |
| Tonto National Forest | National forest | 2,866,863 | Gila | 14 miles | north |
| Globe Ranger District | Ranger district | 446,122 | Gila | 26 miles | southeast |
| Pleasant Valley Ranger District | Ranger district | 427,428 | Gila | 30 miles | northeast |
Point: AZGFD Wildlife Areas layer (Wildlife_Areas, 2019) (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Places near Three Bar Wildlife Area you cannot hunt
Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Reservation lies close by, and hunting there needs tribal authorization, not a state tag. 18 USC 1165 covers trespass to hunt on Indian land.
| Name | Closure | County | How far |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation | tribal land | Maricopa | 24 miles |
| Salt River Reservation | tribal land | Maricopa | 33 miles |
Closed rows from lands.json: tribal land (18 USC 1165, Census TIGERweb), NPS units (36 CFR 2.2); checked November 7, 2026.
Quail, dove and small game at Three Bar Wildlife Area
Statewide seasons cover tree squirrel and quail on and around Three Bar Wildlife Area.
| Game | Season | Window |
|---|---|---|
| Gambel's, scaled and California quail | General quail | Oct 16–Feb 7, 2027 |
| Mearns' quail | General quail | Dec 4–Feb 7, 2027 |
| 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.
Recent results near Three Bar Wildlife Area
Harvest is counted per hunt and unit; no figure exists for Three Bar Wildlife Area alone. Hunts spanning several units are not included; AZGFD calls the elk data preliminary.
| Unit | Hunts in 2025 | Hunters | Harvest | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 22 | OTC archery deer | 1,486 | 56 | 7% |
| Unit 22 | Draw deer, 5 hunts | 1,006 | 310 | 31% |
| Unit 22 | Elk (prelim.), 12 hunts | 1,202 | 523 | 44% |
| Unit 22 | Spring javelina, 3 hunts | 902 | 365 | 40% |
| Unit 22 | Spring turkey, 2 hunts | 16 | 7 | 44% |
| 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.
Supplies and help near Three Bar Wildlife Area
The handiest town is Roosevelt, about 7 miles off. A larger stop is Mesa, population 517,151. Mesa hosts the AZGFD office nearest to Three Bar Wildlife Area, 30 miles out.
| Town | County | People (2024) | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roosevelt | Gila | – | 7 miles | east |
| Tonto Basin | Gila | – | 12 miles | north |
| Apache Junction | Pinal | 44,309 | 26 miles | southwest |
| Mesa | Maricopa | 517,151 | 33 miles | southwest |
| Scottsdale | Maricopa | 246,170 | 35 miles | west |
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.
Sunup and sundown at Three Bar Wildlife Area
Raccoon hunting runs around the clock statewide outside metro units and refuges, and coyote does in listed units from December 1; other game around Three Bar Wildlife Area stops at sunset.
| Day | Moment | Sunup | Sundown | Daylight window | Early bird window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 2026 | Archery deer | 5:51 a.m. | 7:06 p.m. | 5:51 a.m. to 7:06 p.m. | 5:21 a.m. to 7:06 p.m. |
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 5:58 a.m. | 6:53 p.m. | 5:58 a.m. to 6:53 p.m. | 5:28 a.m. to 6:53 p.m. |
| Oct 16, 2026 | Quail opener | 6:29 a.m. | 5:51 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. |
| Oct 23, 2026 | General deer and waterfowl opener | 6:35 a.m. | 5:43 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:25 a.m. | 5:20 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. |
| Jan 22, 2027 | Spring javelina | 7:27 a.m. | 5:45 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:45 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.
Sight in, then hunt Three Bar Wildlife Area
Of the AZGFD-listed ranges, Usery Mountain Shooting Range lies closest to Three Bar Wildlife Area, roughly 25 miles by straight line. Alongside the public bench: the nearest private lines within 30 miles of the land.
From AZGFD’s Shooting Range Facilities page, operators’ own sites and directory listings, checked November 7, 2026.
The Three Bar Wildlife Area question list
What size does the record give for Three Bar Wildlife Area?
43,098 acres is the listed figure (AZGFD GIS polygon).
What drawn hunts are valid on Three Bar Wildlife Area?
30 draw hunts reach it: elk, deer, desert bighorn, rocky mountain bighorn, javelina and turkey.
What nonpermit-tag hunts apply on Three Bar Wildlife Area?
Yes, for deer, black bear and mountain lion, with harvest limits by unit where they apply.
Camping limits on Three Bar Wildlife Area?
R12-4-802 says nothing about camping here; watch for postings.
Vehicle access on Three Bar Wildlife Area?
Motorized vehicle travel: i. Is permitted on designated roads or areas only, except for big game retrieval as permitted under R12-4-110 (H) . ii. Is prohibited within the Three Bar Wildlife and Habitat Study Area. iii.
Is orange clothing mandatory on Three Bar Wildlife Area?
No state rule requires orange in Arizona.
Which AZGFD region handles Three Bar Wildlife Area?
Call AZGFD Region VI (Mesa) at 480-981-9400.
Is there land near Three Bar Wildlife Area I cannot hunt?
Closest of them: Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Reservation, tribal land, closed to state-licensed hunting without the tribe’s permission.
Do I need CWD testing for deer from Three Bar Wildlife Area?
CWD has not been detected in Arizona; AZGFD offers free testing.
Is Three Bar Wildlife Area huntable ground?
Hunting is allowed. From R12-4-802(A)(34): “Open to all hunting in season, as permitted under R12-4-304 and R12-4-318.”
What license works on Three Bar Wildlife Area?
A valid Arizona hunting or combination license plus any tag the hunt needs (resident hunting $37, combination $57; nonresident combination $160).
Which AZGFD units include Three Bar Wildlife Area?
Game units: 22.
Other photos on this page: Domenico Convertini (CC BY-SA 2.0); Alan Levine (CC BY 2.0).