ARIZONA GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT 2017-18 Arizona Hunting Regulations This booklet includes annual regulations for statewide hunting of deer, fall turkey, fall javelina, bighorn sheep, fall bison, fall bear, mountain lion, small game and other huntable wildlife.* Hunt permit application deadline is Tuesday, June 13, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. Arizona time. You may purchase Arizona hunting licenses and apply for the draw online. To report violators, call the Department’s Operation Game Thief line: 800-352-0700. * Two other annual hunt draw information booklets are published for spring big game hunts and elk and pronghorn antelope hunts covering season dates, open areas, permits and drawing/application information. SAVE TODAY ADVENTURE TOMORROW At GEICO, great rates and outstanding coverage doesn’t stop with your car. Whether you drive a motorcycle, boat or RV, we could help you save money on more than just car insurance. See how much you could save. Get a quote today. 1-800-947-AUTO JHLFRFRP_/RFDO2IĆFH Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or all GEICO companies. Motorcycle and ATV coverages are underwritten by GEICO Indemnity Company. Boat and PWC coverages are underwritten by GEICO Marine Insurance Company. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. © 2017 GEICO AdPages2017.indd 7 4/17/2017 12:49:53 PM From the Director’s Desk Welcome to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Hunting Regulations for 2017-18! Whether you hunt with a bow, a muzzle loader, a rifle or a shotgun, we are pleased to offer you so many hunting opportunities across our state. In this publication, you’ll find many of the great ways to enjoy hunting in Arizona. Unlike other states where private land ownership limits the places where hunting is allowed, Arizona is fortunate to have abundant public lands where hunting, camping and other uses are not only allowed but encouraged. Arizona’s private landowners also un- derstand the economic value of hunting, and the Game and Fish Department works with them to allow hunting on their land. Such agreements have opened up more than 4.3 million acres of pri- vate property to hunting. Combine all this hunting territory with nearly perfect weather year-round, and you’ll understand why Arizona is a hunter’s paradise. Arizona hunters aren’t just one-season wonders, they also take Many hunters find fulfillment and fun by joining hunting groups or advantage of our year-round opportunities to hunt. Even if you habitat partnership organizations. Volunteering their time, mem- miss getting a tag during the big-game draws in the spring and bers of hunting and wildlife organizations work side by side with fall, our plentiful small game, migratory waterfowl and over- AZGFD, providing the “boots-on-the-ground” labor needed to com- the-counter tag hunts provide the chance to get out into nature, plete these important projects spend time with close friends and maybe even bring some meat If picking up these regulations is your first step toward becoming home to the family table. a hunter, I want to offer congratulations… and some friendly ad- A recent survey by outdoor research firm Responsive Manage- vice. The Arizona Game and Fish Department is here to help you ment examined the reasons why people go hunting. While it’s get involved in hunting, or fishing, or pretty much anything associ- likely no secret to the hunting community, the researchers were ated with the Great Outdoors. Enroll in a Hunter Education course surprised at the number one reason people gave for hunting… to learn firearm safety, hunting regulations and more about the and it wasn’t to score a set of antlers for the rec-room wall. Most concept of “Fair Chase.” people say they hunt to provide good food for their families. And don’t forget to sign up for a free membership in the Arizona Think about that. More Americans are starting to question the Game and Fish Portal, your online gateway to all things wild. Once quality of the foods they eat, and rather than filling the freezer you have a Portal account (www.azgfd.gov), you’ll be able to access with store-bought meats laced with antibiotics, growth hormones, all our special maps, species information, hunting and fishing info, genetic modifications and other unnatural additives, health- and all the latest news from the Arizona Game and Fish Department. conscious Americans are embracing the idea of eating locally Finally, becoming a hunter means joining a time-honored tradition, harvested organic meat. and getting in touch with nature in more ways than you thought Hunting means much more than just bringing home the harvest. possible. We hope you’ll peruse every page of these regulations Ingrained in a hunter’s psyche is an inherent love of all wildlife, and make this the year you become a sportsman, a conservation- which is why we refer to hunters as the First Conservationists. ist… a hunter. Through their purchases of licenses and tags, and through extra taxes they pay on sporting equipment, Arizona hunters have con- tributed to the conservation and protection of all wildlife across the state. They’ve paid for reintroductions of species near extinc- tion, habitat improvements, wildlife surveys, water catchments and numerous other projects and services that give our state a wide array of healthy wildlife. Larry D. Voyles, Director 2017-18 Arizona Hunting Regulations 1 Elk, Antelope, Coues Deer ALL UNITS! Strip & Kaibab Experts Experience Matters! Over 300 References Available 140” Coues 218” Melissa Bachman - Kaibab 2016 92” Local Knowledge Matters! Dan Adler 520-730-8147 Trust Matters! Veteran Owned, Veteran Operated! www.DiamondOutfi tters.com 2 Arizona Game and Fish Department — www.azgfd.gov AdPages2017.indd 6 4/17/2017 12:50:35 PM Important Information for 2017-2018 This list is for informational purposes only and lists the major changes that have oc- curred since publication of the last regulations booklet. Individuals should thoroughly ARIZONA GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT MISSION read and understand the appropriate regulations prior to submitting an application To conserve Arizona’s diverse wildlife resources and or going afield. If you have questions, please call 602-942-3000. manage for safe, compatible outdoor recreation opportunities for current and future generations. Mountain Lion Hunters The Arizona Game and Fish Department no longer offers Daylong shooting hours for mountain lion seasons. All seasons are Daylight ARIZONA GAME AND FISH COMMISSION shooting hours only. Edward “Pat” Madden, Chair — Flagstaff James R. Ammons — Yuma James S. Zieler — St. Johns Keep Credit Card Information Updated Online applicants are encouraged to Eric S. Sparks — Tucson keep their credit card payment information current. If your payment is declined Kurt R. Davis — Phoenix at the time of the draw, your application will not be drawn. The Arizona Game and Fish Department will no longer call customers to obtain payment on drawn ap- ARIZONA GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT 5000 W. Carefree Highway plications where credit cards have failed. Deadline for updating your credit or debit Phoenix, Arizona 85086 card information online is 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Thursday, July 6, 2017. 602-942-3000 NOTE: If your credit/debit card has been used for multiple applications, www.azgfd.gov please notify your banking institution that multiple charges from Arizona Larry D. Voyles, Director Game and Fish could be processed simultaneously. Ty E. Gray, Deputy Director Drones Drones are considered aircraft and shall not be used to harass wildlife or REGIONAL OFFICES assist in the taking of wildlife. For more specific information, please review Com- REGION I mission Rules R12-4-301, R12-4-319 and R12-4-320 located in the back of this book. 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd., Pinetop 85935 Also, see Fair Chase information on page 56. 928-367-4281 REGION II International Border Suspicious Activity Homeland Security Issues along the 3500 S. Lake Mary Road, Flagstaff 86005 International Border may affect the quality of a person’s hunt (see page 71). Call 928-774-5045 800-BE-ALERT to report suspicious activity. REGION III 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road, Kingman 86409 928-692-7700 Resident Licenses Available for Military Spouses The Arizona Game and Fish Department now offers a resident license for the taking of wildlife by the spouse of REGION IV 9140 E. 28th Street, Yuma 85365 an active duty member of the U.S. Armed Forces who is permanently or temporar- 928-342-0091 ily stationed in Arizona. The license also will allow the spouse of an active duty REGION V member to apply for big game hunt permit-tags as a resident. 555 N. Greasewood Road, Tucson 85745 520-628-5376 PointGuard — Tag Surrender, R12-4-118 Hunters may now choose to surrender REGION VI their hunt permit-tag prior to the start of their hunt. Hunters must have a Depart- 7200 E. University Drive, Mesa 85207 ment Portal Account and purchase the Department’s PointGuard Membership for $5 480-981-9400 at the time of application for each species. Refer to page 13 for more information. The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, Hunter Harvest Questionnaire Completing your hunter questionnaire, honestly age, religion or disability in its programs and activities. If and accurately, is very important to the management of wildlife in Arizona. Watch anyone believes that they have been discriminated against for your questionnaire in the mail then submit your response online. in any of the AZGFD’s programs or activities, including its employment practices, the individual may file a complaint alleging discrimination directly with the Director’s Office, 5000 W.