The Santa Rita Experimental Range: History and Annotated Bibliography (1903-1988) History of the Santa Rita Experimental Range The Range SRER consists of 53,159 acres about 35 miles south of Tucson in Pima County, Arizona (fig. velutina) is soil characteristics are provided in appendix A. From the South: State Hwy 82, Temporal Canyon Rd, Forest Rd 143, Hog Canyon Rd, Adobe Canyon Rd, Big Casablanca Canyon Rd, Patagonia Lake Rd. (520) 625-3243 Additionally, the Santa Rita serves as critical open space that supports threatened and endangered species in a region with a rapidly growing human population. southwestern arid conditions. Also, Josephine and Bond Canyons are good but be prepared for steep country.
The area is well signed, using a Forest Service or Topo map to navigate should be easy. The Santa Rita Experimental Range is a good place to look for mule deer. Once there you can take the 72A road into the Mansfield canyon area or continue north on 72 to Walker Basin. Therefore, look for wet areas and south exposures where young, green grasses may be found. The Santa Rita Experimental Range is a good place to look for mule deer. Prior to the station becoming a research facility in 1902, 2,500 to 3,000 cattle regularly grazed the site, said Mitch McClaran . Toggle between terrain, satellite, and topographic views, The ability to filter OTC units by residency and manner/sex, 1st choice license applications and licenses drawn, Draw odds for resident and nonresident applicants, Harvest stats by hunt_code, manner, season, sex, type, Average # of days between precip or snow event, Probability of other weather events (thunder, hail, etc) by by month. It lies at the foot of the We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples. Area: The best numbers are in the southern end of the mountains but you can also expect a lot of hunters. Littering can lead to the closure of private lands, access losses and be detrimental to livestock and wildlife, and is a revocable offense. Prior to the station becoming a research facility in 1902, 2,500 to 3,000 cattle regularly grazed the site, said Mitch McClaran, director for research at the range and University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences professor of range management. the lower parts. Elevation increases from about 900 to 1,400 m, and average annual precipitation increases along this gradient from 275 to 450 mm (fig. A diverse fauna characteristic of the semidesert habitats is Mesquite, burroweed Results of this research have direct applicability to over 20 million acres of semiarid rangelands in the United States and to another 20 million acres in northern Mexico. Heavy use of sites during the hunts and on holidays. To get to the 165 road you will need to take Highway 83 south to the Gardner canyon turnoff (forest road 92) and go west. 2023 The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of The University of Arizona. rothrockii), and bush muhly (Muhlenbergia porteri) are important Each watershed is instrumented with one recording raingage and one flume. Today, Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the Oodham and the Yaqui. For those wanting a little more level hunting, try the State land southwest of Josephine Canyon and F.S. See how weather varies by elevation within a unit by selecting an elevation range. The Santa Rita Experimental Range's50,000 acres south of Tucson have served as an important outdoor laboratory for more than a century for researchers investigating sustainable grazing practices. Santa Rita is the longest continuously active rangeland research facility and among the five oldest biological field stations in the United States. The possession or use of motorized vehicles off forest system roads and trails is prohibited. The range is home to 20 to 30 research projects at any time, McClaran said, with 100 scientists working throughout the site. What does the science say about the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic? 2023 The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of The University of Arizona. 520-621-7255. Send us an email at [emailprotected] to learn more. It attracts researchers from across the country, who want to explore its unique geology, landforms, soils, and vegetation. It is now hunting season on the SRER! Failure to report a harvest, as well as hunting in a closed unit, will be strictly enforced. species of threeawns (Aristida hamulosa, A. ternipes) are common There are some very good mature bucks in this area. The SRER is generally viewed as a world-class facility because of the long-term historical and biological data bases that have been maintained since its creation. There is an alternative for the archer. Such an historic image database lets researchers determine if conditions during a specific time period are unique, or have occurred before, he said. spinosior, and O. versicolor) attain highest densities between Remember, a little pre-season scouting will vastly improve your success in hunting. Or, stay in the loop using our Amazon Alexa skill. bcb@email.arizona.edu. The SWRC maintains a large-scale GIS database that is focused on the 8 small subwatersheds administered by SWRC staff. Santa Rita is the longest continuously active rangeland research facility and among the five oldest biological field stations in the United States. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Also, watch the roads for bear tracks. Overview: Whitetail deer are found throughout the unit. SRER. Not all weather elements are available within the unit. During this hunt bears are observed in the lower elevations foraging on prickly pear fruits and traveling in the creek bottoms, and along trails. 3,200 and 3,600 feet elevation (Martin and Reynolds 1973). To find some Scaled Quail hunt close to the hills on the east side of the Range. Also search canyon bottoms for fresh bear tracks and scat. that have good quail numbers. Go east past the Old Nogales Highway to Santa Rita Road (F.S. Create a free account to read the rest of this deer hunting note! elevations (<3,200 feet) are dominated by creosote bush (Larrea Target shooting is always prohibited on the SRER. 1). The unit rises from 2,000' on the north to 9,453' at the top of Mt. University Information Security and Privacy. Javelina can be found throughout the entire range. This arrangement is sustainable because changes in livestock numbers and duration in pastures are adjusted on a monthly basis to conform to availability of forage vegetation under an approach called adaptive management, McClaran said. For the best success go to any stock tank and hunt out from there. Pasture names or other general description of location (please indicate locations on map that is found at the end of this file): NAD 83 UTM Coordinates (only required for research projects): Study Area or Plot name UTM X-coordinate UTM Y-coordinate Mitch McClaran points out differences in vegetation seen in a series of images from photo station 231 taken between 1909 and 1947 at the Santa Rita Experimental Range. Get a free account to view the details! mimosa (Mimosa biuncifera, M. dysocarpa), and falsemesquite Unit 34A has Sonoran desert, Arizona chaparral, desert grassland, pine forest, and several riparian corridors. The SRER operates as part of the Arizona State Land system, as a result, hunting is permitted on the SRER with a valid Arizona hunting license and hunt permit pursuant to Arizona Game and Fish Department regulations and policy. University Information Security and Privacy. LockA locked padlock
SRER's longstanding research base includes an archive of repeat photography images taken beginning from 1902 to the present. Upper Fort and upper Hog Canyon areas are favorites of many hunters. The NEON project, funded by the National Science Foundation, is slated to be up and running at SRER in three years, he said. moderate density of perennial grasses and in areas where native James Bond novels being reworked to avoid offending readers. Respect landowners rights and use the alternative access through Gardner Canyon. "[2][3][4], The SRER makes available several spatial and time series data sets for research purposes including monthly resolution precipitation data from 1922 to present, long term vegetation response studies, and livestock grazing histories. Researchers believed the site could accommodate 1,200 cattle, but that was deemed excessive for sustainable grazing in the in the 1950s, he said. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples. Closure Update: As of Summer 2022, a large portion of the Santa Rita Mountains located in the Northwest corner, has now become privately owned property. If you want to get away from the majority of the hunters, try the higher elevations and steeper slopes. 1903). UArizona researcher discusses latest assessment. The area can be accessed from Highway 83. Therefore, it is important to be familiar with your hunting area before venturing afield. Get the latest University of Arizona news delivered in your inbox. leached of soluble salts. If you locate a group of javelina before the season, and the weather remains the same, there is a high probability they will be in the same place on opening day. Located south of Tucson in Pima County, Arizona, the 52,000 acre Santa Rita Experimental Range (SRER) was founded in 1903 and administered by the United States Forest Service until 1987, when the University of Arizona College of Agriculture took over administration of the site. Josephine Canyon is another area to explore when looking for bears. If you find an area with tracks and rooting, be patient, javelina are probably in the area. Its more work but the birds are there and the country is beautiful. Nogales, AZ 85621 (520) 281-2296. 1903). The Santa Rita Experimental Range (SRER) site is a terrestrial NEON field site located on the the Santa Rita Experimental Range and Wildlife Area, the oldest continuously utilized long-term agricultural research station in the U.S. Species composition of perennial grasses changes with The Santa Rita Experimental Range is currently administered by the University of Arizona, the SRER serves as a primary research location for members of the SWRC working in cooperation with the University. Four of the watersheds (#1 - 4) are in the shrub-dominated lower portion of the experimental range; the remaining four watersheds (#5 - 8) are located in the grass dominated upper portion of the experimental range. chondrosioides, B. hirsuta) are widely distributed at higher The Santa Rita Experimental Range (SRER), founded in 1902, is the oldest research area maintained by the USDA Forest Service and has been a principal site for pioneer range research on the improvement and management of semiarid grasslands in the Southwest. We also ask that all hunters do their part in keeping the SRER, clean, safe, and accessible for all. College debate competitions offer hope. Major vegetation changes have occurred since the early Follow this road to the west to Forest Road 795. RMRS-P-30. Erosion is most pronounced in the Scouting is important because javelina do not move far from a well-established home range. road 165 into Melendrez Pass and hunt down into Sawmill. Always take plenty of water and let someone know where you will be hunting and when to expect you home. The unit rises from 2,000 on the north to 9,453 at the top of Mt. Hunting has been largely restricted to Hunting for small game may occur throughout the year on the SRER, however, August-December receives the bulk of the hunting activity for permitted large gameseasons. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
alignment; west along the Sahuarita Rd. The Santa Rita Experimental Range and Wildlife Area[1] is the longest continuously active rangeland research facility and among the five oldest biological field stations in the United States. diminishes to about 100 feet/mile and drainages become relatively in Pima County, Arizona (fig. There are 1 OTC hunts in this unit. And since grass and plant growth takes place only during the short rainy period, cattle grazing during the dormant season is also carefully managed, he said. An official website of the United States government. It attracts researchers from across the country, who want to explore its unique geology, landforms, soils, and vegetation. Overview: GMU 34A is primarily a Mearns quail unit, but hunting for both Gambels and Scaled quail can be found in different areas of the unit. The Santa Rita Experimental Range's 50,000 acres south of Tucson have served as an important outdoor laboratory for more than a century for researchers investigating sustainable grazing practices. Careful grazing practices have been developed to protect the ground cover.