Arizona's fall hunting seasons set by Game and Fish Commission
April 28, 2010
PHOENIX – The Arizona Game and Fish Commission on April 17 set the annual fall hunting seasons for the 2010-11 Arizona Hunting and Trapping Regulations. The regulations are anticipated to be available online by the end of April.
Once the regulations are available, hunters interested in a hunt permit-tag issued through the lottery draw process can begin submitting paper applications in person or by U.S. mail. There is no online application service.
The application deadline is Tuesday, June 8, 2010 by 7 p.m. MST. – postmarks do not count. Application forms and drawing information can be found at www.azgfd.gov/draw.
The species addressed by the commission included deer (mule and white-tailed), fall turkey (Merriam’s and Gould’s), juniors-only fall javelina, bighorn sheep (desert and Rocky Mountain), fall buffalo, fall bear, mountain lion, small game (quail, squirrel, rabbit, etc.) and other wildlife that may be hunted and trapped in Arizona.
Some of the most notable changes from last year are:
Archery-only deer hunts for Game Management Units 1, 3A, 3C and 7 are now included in the over-the-counter archery-only nonpermit-tag seasons. (Note: Units 12A and B, 13A, and 13B archery-only deer hunts are still issued through the draw.)
Some juniors-only deer hunts (general hunts in Units 28, 29, 30A, 30B, 31, 32, 33, 36A, 36B; and 16A muzzleloader hunt) now qualify for a javelina “companion tag” in the corresponding population management hunt area, via a restricted nonpermit-tag, available over-the-counter at department offices only.
Falconry-only quail season now has a statewide late hunt after the closing of the general quail season from Feb. 7 – March 10, 2011.
General mountain lion season starts a week earlier (Aug. 20, 2010) to correspond with the opening of archery-only deer season.
Three times each year, the department makes recommendations to the commission regarding the management of game species, which establish the seasons, dates, bag limits, open areas, and hunt permit-tag allocations. Fall hunts in the annual regulations are heard in April, spring hunts are heard in August, and the elk and pronghorn hunts are heard in December.
Printed copies of the regulations are anticipated to be available at license dealers and department offices statewide by third week of May. To learn more about hunting opportunities in Arizona, visit www.azgfd.gov/hunting.
The next Arizona Game and Fish Commission meeting is May 14-15. An agenda will be posted in advance of the meeting at www.azgfd.gov/commission.