Hunting

Game Management Unit 2C

Species within this unit:

Antelope, Mule Deer
Beginning at St. Johns on U.S. Hwy 191 (AZ Hwy 61); west on U.S. Hwy 180 (AZ Hwy 61) to Concho; southwest on AZ Hwy 61 to U.S. Hwy 60; east on U.S. Hwy 60 to U.S. Hwy 191 (U.S. Hwy 180); north on U.S. Hwy 191 (U.S. Hwy 180) to St. Johns.

St. Johns Elk Hunt Area
Over the past several years, there have been limited opportunity hunts in Units 2A and 2B (none in 2C). The goal has been to reduce the population that has been encroaching on private lands. These hunts have been fairly successful in reducing the resident elk population in 2AB but, have had little to no effect on the resident elk in northern 2C and around St. Johns. These resident elk cause a lot of damage to the agriculture and cause a negative human/wildlife interaction. The goal of the St. Johns area hunt is to address these issues during the growing season of the local crops.

St. Johns Hunt Area in Units 2A, 2B, and 2C – Beginning at the junction of U.S. Hwy 180/191 and Apache County Road 4165 (TEP Power Plant Road near Richville); east along County Road 4162 to TEP Power Plant; north around the TEP Power Plant property to the railroad tracks; north along the railroad tracks to the Zuni River (north of St. Johns); west along the Zuni River to the Little Colorado River; west along the Little Colorado River to U.S. Hwy 180 near mile post 340; east on U.S. Hwy 180 to AZ Hwy 180A; south on AZ Hwy 180A to AZ Hwy 61; south on AZ Hwy 61 to mile post 364; from mile post 364 east along Latitude N34.37648 on a line through Little Ortega Lake, Ortega Sink, and Hidden Spring then continuing east to U.S. Hwy 180/191 (milepost 379, north of Lyman Lake); south on U.S. Hwy 180/191 to County Road 4162.

Species Information

Antelope

Overview: The pronghorn population has remained stable over the past two years.  As always, scouting the unit before the hunt greatly increases your chances of success.  Please remember to keep your distance and avoid disturbing pronghorn while observing them.

Land Status: There is a strip of mostly State Trust land along the southern border of this unit.  Most of the remainder of the unit has a “checkerboard” land status.  That is, the land ownership status of alternating sections is different.  Some are private and State Trust (State) lands mixed, while others are private and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands mixed.  Legal hunting is allowed on all State Trust lands and BLM lands, however, access to these lands is not guaranteed.  You must have permission to cross private lands to get to these other lands.  Some ranches have been closed to hunting in the past. Some access points into this unit include Apache County Road (ACR) 4365 from Hwy 60 near mile post 383 and ACR 3000 from Hwy 61 near milepost 365.

It is always recommended that hunters obtain permission to hunt on or cross over private land.  This allows for good relationships to be built between the hunters and private landowners, and prevents the hunt from being interrupted by having a landowner ask the hunter to leave their property.

Various maps of the area can be purchased at map stores in Arizona.  The BLM has 1:100,000 scale land status maps that are good references when hunting in these units.  These maps can be purchased at BLM offices and some general map stores.

Bureau of Land Management Office – Phoenix
222 N. Central
Phoenix, AZ 85004-2208
(602) 417-9200

Bureau of Land Management Office – Safford
711 14th Ave.
Safford, AZ 85546
(928) 348-4400

Areas: Almost the entire unit is considered pronghorn habitat.  The southern half may have a little greater density of pronghorn, plus better access.  This unit has better access than either Units 2A or 2B.

The southern portion of the unit is also the most common area to be hunted.  Scouting other areas, before the hunt, may allow a person to hunt other areas of the unit without having to worry about other hunters.

There is more land being subdivided along the southwest and western portions of the unit.  This includes the area from the Vernon turn-off on Highway 60, west to Highway 61, and back northeasterly along Highway 61 to the Concho Lake area.  Hunters will have to watch out for new homes, remembering that you cannot shoot within 1/4 mile of an occupied building.

Concerns: The most common complaints from landowners deal with off-road driving.  It is illegal to drive off-road with any vehicle, including ATV’s, on State and BLM lands.  Also, criminal charges can be filed for damages to private land from off-road driving.  Please help us to keep all of these areas open to hunting by respecting both the land and the landowners. Remember, your OHV requires and OHV decal if it weighs under 1,800 pounds and will be ridden on State or Federal lands.

Mule Deer

Overview: The majority of this unit has very low-density mule deer habitat, with a few pockets of higher concentrations.  Pre-season scouting is very important.

Land Status: There is a strip of mostly State Trust land along the southern border of this unit.  Most of the remainder of the unit has a “checkerboard” land status.  That is, the land ownership status of alternating sections is different.  Some are a mix of private and State Trust (State) lands, while others are a mix of private and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands.  Legal hunting is allowed on all State lands and BLM lands, however, access to these lands is not guaranteed.  You must have permission to cross private lands to get to these other lands.  Some ranches have been closed to hunting in the past.  Some access points into this unit include Apache County Road (ACR) 4365 from Hwy 60 near mile post 383 and ACR 3000 from Hwy 61 near milepost 365.

It is always recommended that hunters obtain permission to hunt on or cross over private land.  This allows for good relationships to be built between hunters and private landowners, and prevents the hunt from being interrupted by having a landowner ask the hunter to leave their land.

Various maps of the area can be purchased at map stores in Arizona.  The BLM has 1:100,000 scale land status maps that are good to have when hunting in these units.  These maps can be purchased at BLM offices and some general map stores.

Bureau of Land Management Office – Phoenix
222 N Central
Phoenix, AZ 85004-2208
(602) 417-9200

Bureau of Land Management Office – Safford
711 14th Ave.
Safford, AZ 85546
(928) 348-4400

Areas: Most of this hunt unit is not mule deer habitat.  Some small pockets of deer occur in the TV Knoll area; along the southern border of Unit 2C; west of Hwy 191, between Lyman Lake and St. Johns (most of this deer habitat is on private land); and the Concho area (again, most of the deer habitat is on private land).

Concerns: The most common complaints from landowners deal with off-road driving.  It is illegal to drive off-road with any vehicle, including ATV’s, on State and BLM lands.  In addition, criminal charges can be filed for damages to private land from off-road driving.  Please help us to keep all of these areas open to hunting by respecting both the land and the landowners. Remember, your OHV requires and OHV decal if it weighs under 1,800 pounds and will be ridden on State or Federal lands.

Questions? Contact the Pinetop regional office @ 928-367-4281.

Unit Summary

Climate Information

Cities, Roads & Campgrounds

Major Cities and Towns in or Near Game Management Unit and Nearest Gas, Food, and Lodging
Springerville, St. Johns, Sanders

Major Highways and Roads Leading To
From the East: U.S. Hwy 60
From the West: U.S. Hwy 60, State Hwy 61
From the North: U.S. Hwy 191
From the South: U.S. Hwy 191

Developed Campgrounds

Lyman Lake State Park

Brief Description of Terrain, Elevation, and Vegetation

Elevation ranges from about 5,700′ – 6,500′ Pinyon-juniper communities – 70 percent Plains – Desert Grasslands communities – 20 percent Saltbrush & Sagebrush communities – 10 percent

Government Agencies and Phone Numbers

Arizona Game and Fish Department, Region I – (928) 367-4281
Lyman Lake State Park (928) 337-4441