Arizona Game and Fish Department
Game Branch
5000 West Carefree Highway
Phoenix, AZ 85086
Contact: Amber Munig
623. 236.7355
Booth #1507
Arizona remains the premier state for Mexicana desert sheep and quality rams. Over the past decade Arizona has continued to produce an astonishing number of outstanding trophies. On average more than a dozen make the B&C book every year; at least one or more Score:s better than 180”. The previous 2011 season was another typically great year for Mexicana sheep hunters in Arizona with 17 rams scoring more than 170” and almost 40% of the overall harvest potentially making the book. Two of these majestic rams Score:d well over 180”, and one almost touched the magical 190” mark! Predictions for the 2012 and 2013 seasons are every bit as bright and there is no finer opportunity than Arizona for taking an exceptional Mexicana desert sheep. Last year, Mike Carpinito, the 2011 Arizona Auction Tag Buyer, harvested a tremendous ram in October 2011 which green Score:d 188-7/8”. The 2012 Arizona auction tag buyer, Gus Arvelo harvested another superb ram in August 2012 with and official B&C Score: of 185-1/8”.
Arizona’s desert sheep country is some of the most picturesque in the West, and an excellent back drop for the desert bighorn sheep hunt of your life. Bighorn sheep are managed very conservatively in Arizona and the winning bidder for this tag will have 365 days to pursue a desert bighorn sheep in Arizona’s best Mexicana sheep units. The units open for this hunt include: 16B, 22, 24B, 28 (south of US Hwy 70), 31, 32, 37A, 39 (west of Old Highway 80), 40B, 41, 43A, 43B, 44A (west of the Swansea Rd. and south of the Bill Williams River Rd.), 44B, 45A, 45B, 45C (including the Kofa NWR), 46A, and 46B (including the Cabeza Prieta NWR) as described in Commission Order 29.
Proceeds from the sale of this tag are used to fund on-the-ground bighorn sheep projects like water developments, surveys, habitat enhancements, and highway mitigation research. No administrative expenses incurred by either the Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society or the Wild Sheep Foundation come from this sale; it all goes on the mountain. Without the continued funding provided by these tag funds, Arizona’s bighorn sheep restoration program would be years behind its current success.
The Arizona Special Big Game License-Tag is valid for any desert bighorn sheep ram as prescribed in rule R12-4-120, for a 365-day season, August 15, 2013–August 14, 2014. Please contact the Arizona Game and Fish Department (azgfd.gov) or the Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society (adbss.org) for more information.