Beginning at Seligman; westerly on AZ Hwy 66 to the Hualapai Indian Reservation; southwest and west along the reservation boundary to AZ Hwy 66; southwest on AZ Hwy 66 to Hackberry Road; south on Hackberry Road to U.S. Hwy 93; south on U.S. Hwy 93 to Cane Springs Wash; easterly along Cane Springs Wash to the Big Sandy River; northerly along the Big Sandy River to Trout Creek; northeast along Trout Creek to the Davis Dam-Prescott power line; southeasterly along the power line to the west boundary of the Prescott National Forest; north and east along the forest boundary to Seligman-Prescott Road (Williamson Valley Road – instead of FR 6); northerly on this road to Seligman and AZ Hwy 66; except those portions that are sovereign tribal lands of the Hualapai Indian Tribe.
Overview: The Unit 18A antelope population has a history of rising and falling depending on precipitation levels and range conditions. Remote real estate subdivision development is taking a significant bite out of available hunting area. The Mormon Peaks, Chino Wash, Markham Well Flat, Echeverrias Flat, Aubrey Valley, and Antelope Valley subdivision areas are all being negatively affected. Most areas are still huntable, but extreme caution and knowledge of your location are mandatory.
The most productive hunting strategies are generally glassing and stalking. Preseason scouting is important to serious antelope hunters. Hunters will learn where to hunt, maybe even for a specific trophy buck, and where not to hunt to avoid potential conflicts with subdivision holdings or restricted private lands.
Areas: The Mormon Peaks/Chino Wash areas near Seligman have always been decent hunting areas in the past. Hunting will soon be more limited here even if antelope numbers improve due to an increase in subdivision activity. Markham Well and Echeverrias Flats, collectively known as the 74 Plains on USGS topographical maps, have traditionally been hotspots for big bucks. Some are still here, but numbers are down like elsewhere across the unit. Subdivision development has been increasing. Watch out for houses or other developments. Truxton Flat has typically contained good bucks. This is public land (BLM), where hunting is open to all. As always, know where you are hunting and respect private property developments.
Overview: Black bears are not common in Unit 18A, but they do either live here or travel through on a regular basis. This is not a hot bear unit, but there is an opportunity to harvest a bear most years.
Areas: Check water holes or creek bed areas in the west half of the unit. The Willow Ranch area along Knight Creek and the edge of Truxton Flat along Wright Creek are two of the best places to look. Isolated waterholes in the central part of the unit should be checked to see if tracks are present.
Overview: Unit 18A is presently being hunted for elk in combination with Units 15A, 15B, 17A, 17B, 18B, 19B, 20A, and 20C. Please check the annual hunting regulations for the correct unit combinations by season. Archery, early rifle, and late rifle hunts are included. Tags are issued for "any elk" or for "antlerless elk." "Any elk" tags are legal for the taking of cows, calves, and bulls while "antlerless" tags are legal only for taking cows or calves. Many hunters use "any elk" tags as if they were issued for bulls only and refuse to take cows or calves while hunting for trophy bulls. "Any elk" tags are intended to allow hunters to harvest a cow or calf even if they can't find a bull while at the same time helping to control the elk population. "Antlerless elk" tags are intended to affect population control while allowing hunting opportunity.
Scouting is very important to locate elk in this unit because elk are not evenly distributed. Hilltop glassing and checking waterholes are prime methods for scouting and hunting. Elk may be called during the early seasons.
Areas: Anvil Rock Road, Black Mountain, Denny Ranch, Willow Ranch, the State Land portion of the X-1 Ranch, and Truxton Flat areas all hold elk. Fort Rock Ranch and the private land portion of the X Bar One Ranch also hold elk, but are closed to public access. Guided hunts are offered on the X Bar One.
Remote real estate subdivisions are common all across Unit 18A. Extreme caution is necessary when choosing a location to hunt. Be respectful of private land developments and the wishes of remote area residents.
As stated above, scouting is mandatory. Elk are located in pockets across the unit and do move from year-to-year. Hunt hard where you find elk or elk sign and be persistent.
Overview: Javelina are relatively plentiful across Unit 18A, but can be difficult to actually get a look at during the general season. They are much easier to find during the archery hunt. Many of the herds observed during winter wildlife surveys are located in the higher elevations, frequently in relatively dense Pinyon-Juniper country. Hunters need to preseason scout areas to learn where javelina are present. Check as many water holes as you can. You will likely find sign around them even in the winter. Set up and hunt nearby. Depending on the vegetation type in the areas you hunt, glassing can be vital to success. Tracking javalina is another method that can get you close to a herd. Sitting on a water hole with plentiful sign can also be productive. Random calling with a predator or javelina call will sometimes produce a shot. If you don't find sign in any particular area, just keep looking.
Areas: Javelina are spread all across Unit 18A from the lower desert country on the west end to the higher Pinyon-Juniper country and grassland fringe on the east side. The Knight Creek drainage is usually good as are the Trout Creek, the Big Sandy, and Wright Creek areas. The Willow Creek drainage contains many herds, some in higher Pinyon-Juniper country as well as along I-40. There are javelina throughout the Cottonwood Cliffs. Cross Mountain, the Juniper and Black mountains are all good for javelina. The Denny Ranch area holds many javelina as well. Extreme care should be exercised in picking hunting locations as much of this unit is subdivided and remote housing is common.
Overview: Unit 18A has a healthy mountain lion population. The mule deer population in this unit is in a real slump partly due to a high level of predation by lions, coyotes, and other factors. Any lion harvest here will help reduce mortality to the deer population. It is best to hunt lions on a fresh snow, but those hunters with good dogs can hunt on dry ground as well. Good snow conditions are more rare here than some other areas, especially in the lower elevations. Hunters calling for coyotes and bobcats will occasionally call in lions. Callers who want to call specifically for lions should call from one location for at least 30 minutes to one hour or more. Many lion tracks around a water hole may indicate a nearby kill and the lion may still be near. Call near the site. It would not be uncommon for a hunt for another species to turn into a lion hunt with the location of a heavy amount of fresh lion sign.
Areas: The Truxton Flat/Walkover Mine area, Jolly Road and Juniper Mountains are all worth checking out. Watch out for remote real estate developments.
Overview: Mule deer are found all across Unit 18A with the exception of wide-open grassland areas. Population densities are relatively low. Hunt success is poor. Much of the unit is in remote real estate subdivision with areas in this category increasing yearly. Most of the unit is still huntable, but care must be exercised where one is hunting. The Fort Rock and the private land portion of the X bar One ranches is closed to public access.
Much of Unit 18A is covered with dense stands of pinyon and juniper trees. Glassing is possible in some of the country, but still-hunting (creeping through ‘the cedars’) and sitting at waterholes can also be productive. Mule deer bucks rivaling the Kaibab or the Strip occasionally come out of Unit 18A, but they are few and far between.
Areas: The Truxton Flat-Walkover Mine area in the northwest corner of Unit 18A is mostly public (BLM) land. Deer densities are low, but the area is huntable and a number of bucks come out of this area yearly. State Land sections and undeveloped private lands across Unit 18A are generally open to hunters who are careful and mindful of private land developments and ranching operations. The Juniper Mountains, the Nelson area, Mormon Peaks, Black Mountain, Cross Mountain, Willow Ranch, and the Cottonwood Cliffs areas all have been good areas to hunt mule deer in the past. Real estate development in these areas has reduced available hunting acreage. Scouting for areas to hunt is almost as important as looking for deer.
Other
Pertinent Climate Information Monsoon
usually arrives by
mid-July. Snow frequent
from December through
March. Freak storms
October through May
not unusual. October
through December
can be short sleeve
weather but bring
clothes for cold
weather, it can change
quickly.
Cities,
Roads & Campgrounds
Major
Cities and Towns in or Near Game
Management Unit and Nearest Gas,
Food, and Lodging Seligman,
Valentine, Truxton, Kingman
Major
Highways and Roads Leading To From
the East: I-40, Hwy 66 From
the West: I-40, Hwy
66
From the North: None
From the South: State Hwy 93
Developed
Campgrounds None.
Undeveloped
Campgrounds Camping
allowed while hunting
on state lands and
BLM land (northwest
corner of unit -
Truxton/Valentine
vicinity) and on
private ranch land
with permission from
landowner/lessee.
Brief
Description of Terrain, Elevation,
and Vegetation
Elevation 4,500' - 6,000' cottonwood cliffs on west edge of
unit. Rest of unit is a combination of mountains, valleys,
mesas, plateaus, and canyons. Vegetation ranges from desert
scrub and desert grassland to pinyon-juniper to chaparral to
grassland. (one tiny patch of aspen located on Black Mountain
just west of Seligman.)
Government
Agencies and Phone Numbers Bureau
of Land Management, Kingman Area
- (928) 718-3700
Arizona State Land Department/Prescott
- (928) 778-9567
Department/Region III Office -
(928) 692-7700
Note: Much of the unit is subdivided.
Caution to hunters regarding remote
housing scattered across unit.
Much of unit is private land -
research and contact landowners/lessee
for access permission
