Hunting

Game Management Unit 15C

Species within this unit:

Bighorn Sheep, Mule Deer, Quail

Unit Boundaries

Beginning at Hoover Dam; southerly along the Colorado River to AZ Hwy 68 and Davis Dam; easterly on AZ Hwy 68 to U.S. Hwy 93; northwesterly on U.S. Hwy 93 to Hoover Dam.

Species Information

Bighorn Sheep

Overview: 15C is split into two sub-units: 15C North and 15C South. Cottonwood Road is the boundary between 15C North and 15C South. When hunting any area it is important to know the boundaries of the unit. Consult the hunting regulations for exact boundaries.

15C North: In this unit, bighorn sheep is the premier species. Sheep can be found throughout the unit. For a successful hunt, a good set of binoculars and spotting scope are essential.

A large portion of this unit is in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LMNRA). Hunting is allowed in the LMNRA, except those areas posted as no hunting zones. Target shooting is prohibited throughout the LMNRA. Please obey all signs. Hunters and other visitors need to stay on the marked roads while driving. Off-road travel is prohibited. The Park Service has maps available that show the network of approved backcountry dirt roads. All approved roads are signed with a yellow arrow. The black number in the center designates the road number. Vehicle camping is permitted at designated backcountry campsites. Vehicle camping along the roads is not permitted. If hiking, you may camp anywhere in the backcountry. These campsites must be at least 500 feet off designated roads. A four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended to access these areas. These areas do not have a lot of roads, so be prepared to do a lot of hiking in rugged, remote terrain. As always, help keep these areas clean by packing out what you pack in.

Areas: Mount Perkins. Take Highway 93 to Cottonwood Road and turn west. At Golden Door Mine Road, turn north until you get to the hunter access sign. Follow the hunter access road until you find an area you want to hunt.

Fire Mountain off of Highway 93 at either milepost 28 or 31 and head west. MP 31 is the Eldorado power line road and MP 28 is Gold Bug Mine Road. These will both take you to Fire Mountain Road. Four-wheel drive is strongly recommended. Remember Fire Mountain is in the LMNRA, so camp and drive accordingly.

Malpais Flattop Mesa: Located off Highway 93. At the Willow Beach turn off, head west. When you reach the bottom of the hill turn south on Jumbo Wash Road. This road will give you several options. This area is also in the LMNRA.

White Rock Canyon: Located off of Highway 93. You can use Cranes Nest Road at Milepost 8 or at MP 4 use the White Rock Canyon parking lot. This area has lots of day hikers, so be extra careful if you chose this area to hunt. This part of the unit is very narrow with the river on one side and Highway 93 on the other. As always, be sure of what is behind your target. This area is all in the LMNRA.

15C South: Rugged canyons throughout the unit are excellent places to locate sheep. Access can be gained from the west side of the Black Mountains off Katherine Mine Road. Areas include: Union Pass, Cane Mountain, and Burns and Rhyolite springs.

Burns and Rhyolite springs can be accessed from the east side of the Blacks from Highway 68 west of Kingman (Golden Valley). Take Estrella Road north about four miles to Jurassic Road. Turn left on Jurassic Road and head west (USGS-Burns Springs).

Portland Mine is accessible from the east side of the Blacks from Highway 93 northwest of Kingman. Take Cottonwood Road west approximately eight miles, turn left on a good condition dirt road to the Lost Cabin Springs Well and continue down the road to the mine (USGS – Grasshopper Junction). The surrounding area from the Well to the mine is an excellent area for sheep due to lots of water catchments.

Tips: A good pair of optics (binoculars/spotting scope) is recommended for locating and classifying bighorn sheep. When glassing for sheep, concentrate your efforts around rim rock overlooking canyons, ridge tops, and benches among craggy rocks and areas of shade under cliffs where sheep may be bedded down after the morning feeding. Have a comfortable pair of hiking boots and extra water, as you will probably spend a fair amount of time hiking in this rugged country once you have spotted your ram.

Notes: Bighorn sheep often silhouette themselves on ridge tops. Remember, it’s not a safe shot unless you know your backstop. Most of the sheep in this unit are found on the western slopes of the Blacks from the top to the alluvial fans during the hunting season. There is little vehicle access to the western slopes, which can be translated into lots of hiking, but larger overall rams.

Mule Deer

Overview: Unit 15C (south) has a low-density mule deer population with relatively low use by hunters. This unit is part of a multi-unit muzzleloader hunt. Hunters (archers/muzzleloader) should concentrate their efforts around permanent water sources. Archery hunters have an excellent opportunity to harvest a buck in late August when the temperatures are still very warm and deer are concentrated around water sources (springs, stock tanks).

Areas: Locations can be found on United States Geological Survey (USGS) quadrangle maps. Union Pass, Burns Spring, Twin Wells, Cottonwood Spring, and Lost Cabin catchments.

Tips: Deer can be difficult to locate in this desert unit. Pre-season scouting and glassing is critical. Concentrate around waters and north facing slopes that have stands of junipers and oaks.

Quail

Overview: Scouting will help ensure that when you go hunting you will find quail. Be sure to pick up a copy of the hunting regulations to verify bag and possession limits, season dates, and legal shooting hours.

Some of the areas to hunt quail are in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LMNRA). While in the LMNRA, drive on approved roads only. These roads are signed with a yellow arrow with black numbers in the center indicating the road number. A map is available from the Park Service showing all of the backcountry-approved roads.

Areas: Detrital Valley area: Take Highway 93 until you come to Detrital Valley. Access can be gained at several gates. There is private property in this valley; obey all no trespassing signs and be aware of no shooting within 1/4-mile of an occupied structure.

Cottonwood Road: Take Highway 93 to Cottonwood Road. Follow Cottonwood Road until you find a wash area that you can walk. Wide wash areas are found in this area; they may take a while to find but it will be worth the effort.

Cottonwood Spring and Kemple Spring: These springs are both south of Highway 93 in the Black Mountains. Access is from Highway 93 at various spots.

There are many more areas that have quail. It may take a little exploring and perseverance to find them, but there are few people that use this area. Consider this area to get away from the crowds.

Climate Information

Other Pertinent Climate Information
Windy conditions are common throughout the year. Bring plenty of water if traveling during the summer months because air temperatures can exceed 120 degrees.

Cities, Roads & Campgrounds

Major Cities and Towns in or Near Game Management Unit and Nearest Gas, Food, and Lodging
Kingman and Bullhead City in Arizona, Boulder City and Laughlin in Nevada.

Major Highways and Roads Leading To
From the East: I-40, State Hwy 68
From the West: State Hwy 68
From the North: U.S. Hwy 93
From the South: U.S. Hwy 93

Developed Campgrounds

The National Park Service administers Katherine Landing Campground approximately five miles from State Hwy 68; Mohave County Parks administers Davis Camp off State Hwy 68 on the Colorado River between Davis Dam and the Laughlin bridge.

Undeveloped Campgrounds

Camping is allowed on Bureau of Land Management lands throughout the unit. Camping is allowed on National Park Service lands only at approved campsites. Contact NPS for a map showing approved campsites.

Brief Description of Terrain, Elevation, and Vegetation

Elevations range from less than 1,000′ in the Colorado River valley to approximately 5,460′ on Mt. Perkins. Mountainous areas are rugged and rocky. Vegetation consists of Mohave desertscrub and extensive creosote flats.

Government Agencies and Phone Numbers

Arizona Game and Fish Department, Region III – (928) 692-7700
Bureau of Land Management, Kingman Field Office – (928) 718-3700
National Park Service, Lake Mead National Recreation Area – (702) 293-8990
Mohave County Parks, Davis Camp – (928) 754-7250
Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery – (928) 767-3456