Santa Rita Wildlife Area: hunting rules and access
Santa Rita Wildlife Area is 52,614 acres, measured from AZGFD's boundary, in game management unit 34A, Pima County, AZGFD Region 5. AZGFD's rule for hunting here: "Open to all hunting as permitted under R12-4-304 and R12-4-318, except that the take of wildlife with firearms is prohibited from March 1 through August 31."
Data updated October 2026. Rules: AZGFD's wildlife area layer. Boundary: AZGFD. Hunts: AZGFD's 2026 booklets.
National forestBLMState trust landTribal land (tribal permit)City, county and otherSanta Rita Wildlife AreaUnit lineLake or riverHighway
| Size | 52,614 acres (measured from AZGFD's boundary) |
|---|---|
| Units | Unit 34A |
| AZGFD region | Region 5, Tucson |
| County | Pima |
| Hunting | Open to all hunting as permitted under R12-4-304 and R12-4-318, except that the take of wildlife with firearms is prohibited from March 1 through August 31. |
| Nearest towns | Green Valley (next to it), Sahuarita (3 mi) and Elephant Head (3 mi) |
What are the rules on Santa Rita Wildlife Area?
AZGFD lists 3 rules for the area:
- Motorized vehicle travel permitted on designated roads as permitted under R12-5-533(D).
- Open to all hunting as permitted under R12-4-304 and R12-4-318, except that the take of wildlife with firearms is prohibited from March 1 through August 31.
- All other uses of state land will be according to the provisions of the Arizona State Land Department's Recreational Permit.
From AZGFD's wildlife area layer. R12-4-304 and R12-4-318, named in the rules, are the Commission's rules on lawful methods and seasons. Posted signs on the ground and AZGFD's current regulations come first.
Which hunts include Santa Rita Wildlife Area's unit?
Unit 34A: AZGFD's 2026 lists have 0 elk hunts, 7 deer hunts and 2 pronghorn hunts that include it, each for the whole hunt area, not the wildlife area alone.
| Unit | Area acres in the unit | Elk hunts | Deer hunts | Pronghorn hunts | Public land in the unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 34A | 52,614 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 59.3% |
How do you get to Santa Rita Wildlife Area?
Highways within 8 miles: I-19 and AZ 83. Nearest towns: Green Valley (next to it), Sahuarita (3 miles), Elephant Head (3 miles) and Corona de Tucson (3 miles). AZGFD names Sahuarita as the nearby city. Vehicles: Motorized vehicle travel permitted on designated roads as permitted under R12-5-533(D).
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Santa Rita Wildlife Area?
Open to all hunting as permitted under R12-4-304 and R12-4-318, except that the take of wildlife with firearms is prohibited from March 1 through August 31. That is AZGFD's rule for the area; seasons and permits follow the regulations for Unit 34A.
Can you camp on Santa Rita Wildlife Area?
AZGFD's rules for Santa Rita Wildlife Area say nothing about camping.
Which unit is Santa Rita Wildlife Area in?
All of it is in Unit 34A.
What town is near Santa Rita Wildlife Area?
Green Valley (next to it), Sahuarita (3 miles) and Elephant Head (3 miles), by straight-line distance from the area's boundary.
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Where these facts come from
- Rules and boundary: AZGFD wildlife areas; description and nearby city: AZGFD wildlife area details (2016).
- Hunts: AZGFD's 2026 booklets. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee managers).
- Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Numbers are copied from AZGFD's published reports or measured from AZGFD and USGS maps; nothing here is estimated by FilledTag. AZGFD's regulations are the final word on every rule.