Where do I buy a Arizona hunting license?

Arizona hunting licenses and tags are sold by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) through its official licensing site. Buy direct from the agency rather than a reseller, and complete hunter education first if your birth year requires it.

When is Arizona hunting season?

Seasons differ by species, weapon and zone, and the Arizona season dates change every year. Our Arizona deer guide summarizes the 2025-26 deer season structure; for every other species, check the current Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) regulations before you plan a hunt.

What can you hunt in Arizona?

Besides mule deer, coues (whitetail) deer, our species guides single out Arizona for mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain lion, javelina. Each species guide explains tags, seasons and tactics.

Where is public hunting land in Arizona?

Good starting points include Kaibab National Forest (North Kaibab Ranger District), Arizona Strip BLM lands, Coronado National Forest. Confirm access rules, closures and special regulations with the managing agency before you go.

Hunting · State by State

Arizona Hunting Guide

What to hunt in Arizona, what it costs, the laws that matter and where the public land is — with the official Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) links.

From Kaibab Plateau mule deer to sky-island Coues whitetail, Arizona's points-based draw guards a genuinely unique two-species hunt.

Arizona's deer country splits sharply by species and geography: high-elevation ponderosa pine and pinyon-juniper plateaus in the north hold big-bodied mule deer, while rugged oak-grassland canyons and sky-island mountain ranges in the southeast hold small, gray Coues whitetail that demand a completely different hunting style.

Agency: Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD)
Region: Southwest
Deer rank: #37 of 50
Species guides: 6

Arizona hunting license and tag costs

Deer license and tag prices as last reviewed. Other species' permits are listed in the agency fee schedule.

License / tag	Price
Resident general hunting license	approx. $37
Resident deer tag	approx. $53
Nonresident general hunting license	approx. $160
Nonresident deer tag	approx. $365
Bonus point (nonresident, if not drawn)	approx. $35

Arizona hunting laws to know

Rules that catch hunters out most often. Not a substitute for the regulations book.

Topic	Rule
Blaze orange	Not legally required for deer hunters in Arizona, though hunter orange is recommended for visibility, especially during general rifle seasons.
Baiting	Baiting deer is illegal statewide in Arizona.
Crossbows	Legal for all hunters during archery seasons, no disability permit required, unlike many other Western states.
Sunday hunting	Allowed statewide; Arizona has no Sunday hunting restrictions.
Legal firearms	Centerfire rifles and handguns of legal caliber are permitted during general seasons; muzzleloader hunts restrict hunters to muzzleloading firearms only.
Water restrictions	Hunting is prohibited within a quarter-mile of certain man-made wildlife water developments during specific dates in some units to protect wildlife access to water.
Mandatory reporting	Successful and unsuccessful hunters may be required to complete a hunt survey via AZGFD's online system for harvest data collection.
Hunter education	Required for anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1988, before purchasing a hunting license.

Arizona deer season structure (2025-26)

Arizona sets exact season dates per hunt unit annually through its hunt draw process. Always confirm current dates and boundaries in the AZGFD hunt regulations for the specific unit you draw.

Season	Weapon	Typical window
Early archery	Bow / crossbow	Late Aug. – mid-Sept.
General/limited rifle	Rifle	Mid-Oct. – late Nov., varies by unit
Muzzleloader	Muzzleloader	Varies by unit, typically Oct.–Dec.
Late archery	Bow / crossbow	Dec. – mid-Jan.

What you can hunt in Arizona

Deer — Mule deer, Coues (whitetail) deer
Good · ranked #37 of 50 for deer.
Mule Deer
Strong desert mule deer and an early archery over-the-counter season
Access: Rifle by draw (February deadline); archery OTC in some units
Elk
The biggest bulls in North America on limited-entry units
Access: Pure draw; premium Arizona units take 10–20 bonus points, New Mexico is a random lottery
Bighorn Sheep
The premier desert bighorn states
Access: Bonus-point draws; Arizona's system squares points, so waits are extreme
Mountain Lion
Year-round or extended seasons in desert mountain ranges
Access: Over-the-counter with unit harvest limits
Javelina
The best javelina hunting in the country; abundant public land herds
Access: General winter rifle hunt by draw (inexpensive, decent odds); archery and HAM (handgun/muzzleloader) OTC in many units

Public hunting land in Arizona

Arizona's best deer hunting sits largely on public land — national forest, BLM, and state trust ground — spread across two very different regions depending on whether you're chasing mule deer or Coues whitetail.

Kaibab National Forest (North Kaibab Ranger District)
National forest · Arizona Strip / North Rim
Home to the legendary Kaibab Plateau mule deer herd, prized for heavy antler mass and body size; extremely long draw waits for nonresidents.
Official page
Arizona Strip BLM lands
BLM · Northwestern Arizona
Remote high desert and plateau country adjoining the Kaibab, holding some of the state's top trophy mule deer units.
Official page
Coronado National Forest
National forest · Southeastern Arizona
Sky-island mountain ranges and oak-grassland canyons that produce the state's best Coues whitetail hunting.
Official page
Prescott National Forest
National forest · Central Arizona
Chaparral and ponderosa transition country offering solid mule deer hunting closer to the Phoenix metro area.
Official page
Coconino National Forest
National forest · North-central Arizona
Mixed ponderosa pine and pinyon-juniper habitat supporting good mule deer numbers around Flagstaff and the Mogollon Rim.
Official page
Tonto National Forest
National forest · Central Arizona
Rugged desert-to-mountain terrain holding both mule deer and Coues whitetail depending on elevation and unit.
Official page

Official Arizona links

Last reviewed 2026-09.

Nearby state hunting guides

Questions

Frequently asked

Where do I buy a Arizona hunting license?: Arizona hunting licenses and tags are sold by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) through its official licensing site. Buy direct from the agency rather than a reseller, and complete hunter education first if your birth year requires it.
When is Arizona hunting season?: Seasons differ by species, weapon and zone, and the Arizona season dates change every year. Our Arizona deer guide summarizes the 2025-26 deer season structure; for every other species, check the current Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) regulations before you plan a hunt.
What can you hunt in Arizona?: Besides mule deer, coues (whitetail) deer, our species guides single out Arizona for mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain lion, javelina. Each species guide explains tags, seasons and tactics.
Where is public hunting land in Arizona?: Good starting points include Kaibab National Forest (North Kaibab Ranger District), Arizona Strip BLM lands, Coronado National Forest. Confirm access rules, closures and special regulations with the managing agency before you go.