Antelope

The pronghorn population in Unit 3A has stabilized the past few years. The unit is comprised almost entirely of habitat suitable for antelope, and finding a place to hunt is not difficult. The animals are well dispersed in open country, but, due to the checkerboard land ownership patterns, hunters should scout prior to the hunt to find access roads. Because of the open nature of much of the unit, archers may have difficulty stalking within shooting range, but rifle hunters using optics should have no problems.

Expect temperatures to be hot during the archery hunt, and warm to moderate during the general hunt. Either hunt may have strong winds. Snow is unlikely at this time of the year, but rain and wet roads are possible. Four-wheel drive is not required in most areas.

Elk

Open flats, juniper-woodland, and agricultural areas characterize the elk habitat in this unit. Most hunts are combined with those in 3C, with the exception of Limited Opportunity and/or Population Management hunts. All of Unit 3A has been classified as either a Limited Population area or as elk winter range. Subsequently, a series of Limited Opportunity hunts have been conducted over the last few years to reduce the year-round resident elk population. Unit 3A includes two distinct resident elk herds. One herd is in the southwest corner, concentrated around agricultural fields associated with the Abitibi Paper Mill. The second herd lives in the Little Colorado River bottom and adjacent agricultural fields east of Woodruff.

Because elk may be found close to highways in this area, safety should be strongly considered when hunting. It is not only illegal to shoot from, onto, across, or along a road maintained for public use, but it is also very dangerous. Also be aware of farm workers, equipment, and livestock when hunting this unit. Almost 2,000 acres of elk range is under cultivation. Be very careful when hunting elk in Unit 3A, because hunter densities may be high around the agricultural areas, especially close to Hwy. 377.

In Unit 3A, glassing with binoculars can be a very effective technique for locating elk in the open areas. Once elk are spotted, a stalk can be made. Be aware that it is not legal to locate animals, and then use a vehicle to make a pursuit; this is considered hunting from a motor vehicle. In the juniper-woodlands, successful hunting techniques include calling, still-hunting, and hunting near watering areas.

Mule Deer

Unit 3A has a scattered, sparse deer population. While it can produce some quality bucks, hunting this unit is not for the novice deer hunter due to low population densities. Because of the sparse population, it can be difficult to find any deer at all. There are no white-tailed deer in this unit, although the hunt permits are valid for any antlered deer. The general firearms deer hunt is held in conjunction with Unit 3C, and permits are valid for both units.

The elevation ranges from 5,000 to 6,000 feet. The habitat in the unit is comprised of grassland and juniper-woodland/savannah.

Hunters should concentrate on areas located west of Hwy. 77. While there are deer to the east, they are few and extremely scattered and difficult to locate. The only reason to hunt the east side of the unit is if you have located a pocket of deer or an individual buck by scouting. Access is via Hwys. 277, 377, and 77. There are numerous unimproved roads in this area and also a few improved dirt roads in the unit.

The key to locating deer is finding cover and food sources in close proximity. This is usually found in the open juniper-woodlands that contain cliffrose and other browse species. Deer are most often concentrated in areas with cover and some topographic relief. In other words, look for cover and broken, hilly, or rocky terrain.