May Memorial Wildlife Area
The May Memorial Wildlife Area is home to a wide variety of wildlife, making it a great place for the dedicated bird-watcher or general wildlife watcher to test their skills. Limited access to the area requires contact with the department's Region V Office for current access information (see "Location," below). Recreational Opportunities Wildlife attracted to the spring and vegetation of May Memorial offer unique recreational opportunities for wildlife viewing and appreciation. Management emphasis for May Memorial is currently to maintain the property as an unhunted wildlife "refuge," free from livestock grazing, with developed and undeveloped waters for wildlife. The property is not actively managed, with the exception of periodic maintenance of the spring and repair of fences.
Camping: Access is limited. Please contact the department's Region V Office for more information.
Historic interest: Clarence J., Clarence M. H., and Isabel H. M. May are buried on the property in a small fenced graveyard. A stone monument commemorating the property is located near the cemetery.
CAUTION: There are several species of rattlesnake on the property.
Restrictions
- Closed to discharge of all firearms
- Closed to hunting. Location The property, formerly known as the "Round Valley Ranch," consists of two adjacent parcels of 240 and 320 acres each, located on the east side of the Chiricahua Mountains about four miles northwest of Portal.
Access is limited, and must be coordinated with the Region V Office. May Memorial Wildlife Area is located in Game Management Unit 29.
Wildlife Game species
– Mule deer, and white-tailed deer
– Mountain lion, ringtail, and bobcat
– Javelina
– Badger
– Coyote and gray fox
– Desert cottontail
– Black bear
– Gambel's quail, scaled quail, and mourning dove
Nongame species
– Coati and woodrats
– Grassland rodents and birds
– Black-tailed jack rabbit
– Hoary bat, southwestern myotis, California myotis, and silver-haired bat
– Roadrunner
– Earless lizards, whiptail lizards, spiny lizards, and round-tailed horned lizard
– Western diamond-backed rattlesnake, black-tailed rattlesnake, northern green ratsnake, banded rock rattlesnake, and Mexican hog-nosed snake
Area Description
Plant Life: The primary habitat type is Chihuahuan desert scrub, interspersed with juniper and some oak. Some north exposures have dense catclaw stands. Mesquite and hackberry trees dominate wash bottoms. Springs and seeps support limited numbers of cottonwoods and willows. All of these habitat types are in good to excellent condition.
The May Memorial Wildlife Property includes the following acreages of habitat
– 350 acres of Chihuahuan desert scrub
– 150 acres of mesquite/hackberry
– 58 acres of catclaw
– 2 acres of cottonwood/willow
Management History, Objectives and Goals The Clarence May and C.M.H. May Memorial Wildlife Property was obtained by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission from Isabel H.M. May through a trust deed on June 4, 1941.
The goal of department management efforts at the May Memorial property is to ensure that deed restrictions are enforced, that the area remains free of livestock, and that there is a water source for wildlife. By deed, the property is for "the use and benefit of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission, forever." It is to be used as a game farm or game refuge with no hunting permitted, except for the management of predatory animals. No livestock grazing is permitted, except for the game warden's horses. No horses are currently being grazed.
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