Mapping Potential Hunting Pressure in Southern Arizona’s Altar Valley

Santa Margarita Ranch, located in Southern Arizona’s Altar Valley watershed, is bordered by the Baboquivari Mountains and Tohono O’odham Nation Reservation to the West, Mexico to the South, and the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge to the East. The region is home to approximately 700 species, including the endangered black-footed ferret and the vulnerable southern long-nosed bat. Large predators including cougars, bobcats, and coyotes, as well as large game species such as javelina, mule deer, and white-tail deer, are present in the area. The region is open for recreational access under the landowner compact land rules (Arizona Game and Fish), and recreational hunting is used as a management tool to control populations of deer. Marsh Institute Researcher Florencia Sangermano (Geography) received funding from Santa Margarita Ranch, Inc. to assess potential hunting pressure on the ranch. The project will generate of accessibility maps considering access from motorized vehicles, on horseback, and foot. Preferred hunting habitats will be integrated to identify areas that hunters commonly frequent for peccary and deer hunting. Access with and without proposed closed access and commission-approved closures will be produced to identify the spatial impact of those measures.

For full project descriptions, see the Marsh Institute Research Projects web page.