Arizona Hunting Calendar October 2019

Compiled By Margie Anderson

October is a great month for hunters, with opportunities for many species even if you didn't draw a tag. Visit the Game and Fish website at http://www.azgfd.com for more info on hunts as well as where and how to hunt different species.

2019 Fees:

General Hunting, resident: $37 Non-resident: not available see combination

Combination Hunt and fish, resident: $57 Non-resident: $160

Youth combination hunt and fish (ages 10-17), resident: $5 Non-resident: $5

Short-term combination license, resident: $15/day, Non-resident: $20/day

There are also fees for permit-tags and nonpermit-tags. See the 2019-2020 Hunting Regulations at http://www.azgfd.com for details.

Be sure to check the hunting regulations carefully before you hunt. Many of the following hunts have notes and legal requirements listed. You must check the regulations. Pick up a paper copy at outdoor stores, Game and Fish offices, or go online at http://www.azgfd.com and click on regulations to download the booklet. "Open areas" have restrictions beyond what is listed here. ALL HUNTS require a valid hunting license or combination license. Hunters under 10 need a license or they must be accompanied by an adult who possesses a valid license.

Falconry-only hunts require a Sport Falconry License. See regulations for daily limits and bag limits. This calendar is for convenience only. You must read and follow the hunting regulations found in the booklets and pamphlets available at http://www.azgfd.com and at retailers where licenses are sold.

Mountain Lion: Aug 23, 2019 – May 31, 2020 This hunt is held by zone, with zones having annual harvest limits. Seasons vary by zone. When the limit is reached, the hunt is over in that zone. You must call to report kills or check hunts before going hunting. There are also archery and pursuit-only tags available. See regulations for details on weapons, fees, zones, etc.

Small Game

Any tree squirrel except Mt. Graham red squirrel: Oct 4- Dec 31, 2019 Open areas statewide.

Tassel-eared tree squirrel Unit 31: July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2019 (these were the dates for 2018-2019 as well, so season is open year-round.

Tassel-eared tree squirrel Unit 33: Sept 1, 2019 – May 31, 2020.

Limited weapon tree squirrel, 11M: Oct 4 – Dec 31, 2019 see regulations

Archery-only tree squirrel: Aug 23 – Oct 3, 2019 Open areas state wide except 12A, 12B, 13A, 13B and National Wildlife Refuges, any tree squirrel except Mt. Graham red squirrel.

Archery-only tree squirrel : Aug 23 – Sept 13, 2019 12A, 12B, 13A, 13BAny tree squirrel

Cottontail rabbit: July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020 (same dates last years, so season is year-round) Open areas statewide except National Wildlife Refuges, and 11M, 25M, 26M, and 38M. Any cottontail.

Cottontail rabbit in Bill Williams River, Buenos Aires, Cibola, Havasu, Imperial and San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuges: Sep 1, 2019 – Feb 9, 2020 any cottontail rabbit.

Cottontail rabbit in Kofa Wildlife Refuge: Oct 18, 2019 – Feb 9, 2020 any cottontail rabbit.

Cottontail rabbit limited weapon (shotgun shooting shot): July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020 (same dates last year, so season is year-round) Open areas except National Wildlife Refuges) any cottontail rabbit.

Falconry-only cottontail rabbit: July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020 (year-round) Open areas except National Wildlife Refuges any cottontail rabbit.

Predatory And Fur-Bearing Mammals

Coyote and skunk: Jul 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020 (year-round) Open areas statewide except National Wildlife Refuges.

Coyote and skunk Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge: July 1 – June 30 (year-round)

Coyote and skunk Kofa and Imperial Wildlife Refuges: Oct 18 2019 – Feb 9, 2020.

Raccoon, bobcat, foxes, ringtail, weasel, and badger: Aug 1, 2019 – March 31, 2020.

Coyote and skunk limited weapon (shotgun shooting shot): July 1 – June 30 (year-round) Open areas statewide except National Wildlife Refuges.

Raccoon, bobcat, foxes, ringtail, weasel, and badgerlimited weapon (shotgun shooting shot): Aug 1, 2019 – March 31, 2020 Open areas statewide except National Wildlife Refuges.

Other Birds, Mammals

House sparrow and European starling: July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020 (year-round) Open areas statewide except National Wildlife Refuges.

Crow 1, 2C, 3A, 3B, 3C, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11M, 17A, 17B, 18A, 18B, 19B (excluding National Wildlife Refuges): Sept 1, 2019 – Dec 31, 2019

Coati: Sep 1, 2019 - Mar 31, 2020 Open areas statewide except National Wildlife Refuges.

Gunnison's prairie dog: July 1, 2019 – Mar 31, 2020 Open areas Statewide (excluding National Wildlife Refuges, White Mountain Grasslands Wildlife Area in Unit 1, and Units 11M, 25M, 26M, and 38M)

All mammals except game mammals, fur-bearing mammals, predatory mammals, bats, coati, black-footed ferret, New Mexico jumping mouse, Gunnison's prairie dog, black-tailed prairie dog, jaguar, jaguarundi, ocelot, otter, porcupine and wolves: year-round. Open areas Statewide (excluding National Wildlife Refuges, Units 11M, 25M, 26M, and 38M)

Jackrabbit Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge: Sept 1, 2019 – Mar 31, 2020.

Limited weapon (shotgun shooting shot) English house sparrows and European starling: year-round. Open areas statewide except National Wildlife Refuges.

Limited weapon (shotgun shooting shot) Gunnison's prairie dog Unit 11M: year-round.

Limited weapon (shotgun shooting shot) All mammals EXCEPT game mammals, furbearing mammals, predatory mammals, bats, coati, black-footed

ferret, New Mexico jumping mouse, Gunnison's prairie dog, black-tailed prairie dog, jaguar, jaguarundi, ocelot, otter, porcupine and wolves: year-round. Open areas statewide except National Wildlife Refuges.

Falconry-only seasons: See regulations.

Pheasant Hunting (See azgfd.gov for info on where to hunt pheasants in AZ and limits.)

Archery-only pheasant: Oct 18, 2019 – Feb 9, 2020 Open areas statewide except National Wildlife Refuges. Any pheasant.

Falconry-only pheasant: Sept 16, 2019 – Feb 9, 2020 Open areas statewide except National Wildlife Refuges. Any pheasant.

Quail Hunting (See regulations for limits.)

Gambels, Scaled, and California quail: Oct 18, 2019 – Feb 9, 2020. Open areas statewide except National Wildlife Refuges.

Gambels, Scaled, and California quail:Oct 18, 2019 – Feb 9, 2020. Bill Williams River, Cibola, Havasu, Imperial, Kofa and San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuges.

Falconry-only quail: Sept 1, 2019 – March 10, 2020 Open areas Statewide (excluding National Wildlife Refuges and Units 11M, 25M, 26M, and 38M) Any quail

Falconry-only quail 25M, 26M, and 38M: Jul 1, 2019 – Mar 31, 2020 Any quail.

Dove Hunting

(Dove hunters are required to have an Arizona Migratory Bird Stamp in addition to their hunting license.)

Eurasian collared doves may be hunted year round with no daily bag or possession limits.

Band-tailed pigeon: October 4 – 17, 2019. Daily bag limit 2. Possession limit 6.

(Restrictions apply to open and closed areas for doves. See regulations for details.)

Chukar Hunting

(See regulations for limits and where to find chukar.)Sept 1, 2019 – Feb 9, 2020. Any chukar. Open areas statewide except National Wildlife Refuges.

Blue Grouse Hunting

(See regulations for limits and where to find blue grouse.)

Sep 1 – Nov 10, 2019. Open areas Statewide (excluding National Wildlife Refuges and Unit 31).

Attention Grouse Hunters: The Department would like to better survey blue grouse hunter participation and success. To do this they are asking grouse hunters to provide an address or email to the Department's small game biologist so that they can be surveyed directly after the end of the season. This may be done by sending an email to: jodell@azgfd.gov or through regular mail to the Department's main office: Attention Terrestrial Wildlife Branch.

Turkey:Fall turkey season is in October. Apply online by June 11, 2019. Archery-only non-permit tags are available and the hunts are in late August to mid-September. See regulations.

Spring Turkey applications are generally accepted in September and early October. Hunts vary by unit and occur in April and May.See the spring regulations for details.

Waterfowl, Snipe

Waterfowl and Snipe Hunters are required to have an Arizona Migratory Bird Stamp and a Federal Duck Stamp in addition to their hunting license. You can get an Arizona stamp where you buy your license. The Federal Duck Stamp is available at outdoor retailers, many national wildlife refuges, the Post Office, and online through Amplex at http://www.duckstamp.com. Call stores and post offices to make sure they sell them before you go.

Ducks including mergansers, coots, common moorhens, including white geese (snow, blue, and Ross') and dark geese (Canada and white-fronted), excluding scaup:

General Waterfowl:

Oct 18, 2019 – Jan 26, 2020, Desert Zone: Those portions of Units 6 and 8 within Yavapai County and Units 10 and 12B through 46B.

Oct 4, 2019 – Jan 12, 2020, Mountain Zone: units 1-5, 7, 9, 11M, 12A, and the portions of units 6 and 8 within Coconino County.

Scaup: Mountain Zone Oct 19, 2019 – Jan 12, 2020.

Falconry-only waterfowl:

Mountain Zone: Sept 30, 2019 – Oct 3, 2019.

Snipe: (See waterfowl for definitions of Desert and Mountain zones.)

Desert Zone: Oct 18, 2019 – Jan 26, 2020.

Mountain Zone: Oct 4, 2019 – Jan 12, 2020

Big Game Hunting

(See regulations for information on hunts and dates. Big game hunting is by permit only. To see draw odds go to http://www.azgfd.com/Hunting/surveydata/.)

Deer Hunting – (There will be hunters out all over the state during October, so please be considerate and careful. Wear blaze orange and put some orange on your dog as well.)

We have two kinds of deer: Coues' whitetail and mule deer. Hunting is by permit only. Resident permit tags are $58, non-resident $315. Apply online by June 11, 2019. Hunts vary in length and are in October, November, and December. Specialty hunts include archery, muzzleloader, CHAMP (Challenged Hunter Access Mobility Permit), and youth hunts. There are also archery-only non-permit tags that can be bought over the counter. See the regulations for information about those permits.

Archery-only non permit-tag deer seasons are in January. See the spring regulations for details.

Bighorn Sheep:Sheep tags are notoriously hard to get. Apply online by June 11, 2019. Season dates vary and fall in October through December. See regulations.

Bear:You can buy a non-permit tag for bear over the counter. Seasons vary by unit and units close when the quota is reached. You are responsible to call and report kills and also call before hunting to make sure the unit is still open. See regulations for details. Seasons are in Aug – Dec. There are also archery-only non-permit tags.

Spring bear hunts are during March – May. Archery is May – July. See the spring regulations for details.

Javelina:Fall javelina season is in October – December. Apply online by June 11, 2019. See regulations for info. There are also general non permit-tag javelina hunts in the Lower Gila River Hunt Area in unit 41 year-round. See the regulations.

Spring javelina hunts occur in January and February. Archery-only hunts are almost the entire month of January. See the spring regulations for details. Applications are generally accepted in September and early October.

Elk:Seasons vary by unit and are in September – December. Non-permit tags are also available and applications are generally in January.

Bison:Seasons vary in length and are in December. There are also limited opportunity permits for general, muzzleloader, and archery. Those hunts also vary in length and are in late August – December. See regulations.

Spring bison hunts are in January, April-June, July, and August, depending on unit. See the spring regulations for details.

Non-Permit Tags (Purchase over the counter.)

• Archery Turkey

• Youth-only turkey

• Bear

• Mountain lion

• Javelina

• Elk

• Archery deer

• Bobcat seal (for sale or export)

(See the regulations for information on these non-permit tags and prices.)

Population Management Hunts:To be put in the hunter pool for population management hunts, fill out the form found in the regulations.

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