Arizona

Desert elk, trophy Coues deer, desert bighorn lottery, and prime late-season archery opportunities.

Arizona - High Desert Giants & Rimrock Canyons

Arizona is a state in the southwestern region of the United States that shares its Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is one of two U.S. states that does not observe Daylight Saving Time, the other being Hawaii. Arizona is known for its desert climate in its southern half, with scorching summers and mild winters. The state's northern half features forests of pine, Douglas fir, and spruce trees; the Colorado Plateau; some mountain ranges such as the San Francisco Mountains; and large, deep canyons, with much more moderate summer temperatures and significant winter snowfalls. Monsoon season is a beautiful time in Arizona, providing a spectacular display of lightning and thunderstorms at night.
Arizona Trophy Coues Deer in Madrean Sky Island Oak Scrub

Arizona Offers Everything for the Hunter

The geography of Arizona is diverse, encompassing several different regions. Arizona’s landforms and climate are most similar to the Deep South of the United States, excluding Arizona’s signature western desert. The state has a diverse landscape, including mountain ranges like the Santa Catalina Mountains and high mesas like the Sonoran Desert and Colorado Plateau regions. Arizona is a land of rugged and incredible terrain.
The topography of Arizona state can be split into two distinct parts: the Colorado Plateau and the Basin and Range Province. The Colorado Plateau refers to that part of Arizona state within the high desert and mountain regions and has a general elevation that exceeds 3,000 feet. It is characterized by the many river canyons that it contains. The Basin and Range Province refers to that part of Arizona state, which lies in the low desert and woodlands regions and is characterized by its high surface water.

Desert Bighorn Ram Glassed along Grand Canyon Rimrock

Arizona is a land of opportunity for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. There are numerous opportunities for hunting, fishing, camping, and other activities in Arizona. Whitetail Deer have been overpopulating in the state recently, so there are opportunities for those interested in hunting them as well. Cougars can be hunted throughout the year by those with a license. Small games such as rabbits and squirrels also abound if you are looking for something a little easier to hunt. The Catalina Mountains offer abundant small game such as rabbits and quail, while the White Mountains also provide good deer hunting opportunities. The main game animals in the state are deer, turkey, bear, and javelina. The state also offers excellent big game hunting opportunities throughout the year, including an outstanding elk hunt. In addition, the desert lands of Arizona provide good hunting opportunities for varmint games such as coyotes and badgers, where there are also excellent small game hunting opportunities.

Top Hunting Attractions in Arizona

Discover the premier wildlife management areas, big game habitats, and renowned wingshooting regions across Arizona.

The Arizona Strip & Kaibab Plateau Mule Deer

The Arizona Strip & Kaibab Plateau Mule Deer

World-famous Unit 13A, 13B, and Unit 12A North producing monster typical and non-typical mule deer bucks exceeding 200+ inches.
White Mountains & Coconino Elk Havens

White Mountains & Coconino Elk Havens

Units 1, 9, 10, and 23 offering premier early season archery and muzzleloader rut hunts for 350-to-400+ class Rocky Mountain bull elk.
Madrean Sky Island Coues Whitetail

Madrean Sky Island Coues Whitetail

The elusive 'Grey Ghost' of the Sonoran Desert, hunted across rugged oak chaparral and steep talus slopes via high-power tripod glassing.
Desert Bighorn Sheep & Javelina Badlands

Desert Bighorn Sheep & Javelina Badlands

Priceless once-in-a-lifetime bighorn tags in the Superstition and Kofa ranges, plus winter archery spot-and-stalk collared peccary.

Hunting Benefits

  • World-Class Bull Elk: Arizona produces some of North America's largest trophy bull elk in renowned limited-draw units.
  • Unique Desert Big Game: Rare opportunities to hunt Coues whitetail deer, desert bighorn sheep, and javelina.
  • Over-the-Counter Archery Deer: Extensive OTC non-permit tag options for late-season archery mule deer and Coues deer.
  • Vast Public Land Access: Over 30 million acres of public land across US Forest Service, BLM, and State Trust lands.
  • Abundant Upland & Varmint: Top-tier Gambel's quail, dove, predator calling, and year-round coyote hunting.
  • Bonus Point System: Fair, long-term bonus point draw system rewarding persistent sportspeople.

    • Hunter's Bottom Line

    Summary

    Arizona stands as the crown jewel of Western big game trophy hunting. With strict bonus point tag allocation and conservation management prioritizing trophy age structure over hunter density, tags in prime units require dedication in the draw or fortunate lottery luck.

    The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) conducts three main application windows: February for elk and pronghorn, June for deer and bighorn sheep, and October for spring javelina and bear. Non-residents are capped at a maximum of 10% of draw permits for high-demand hunts.

    Over-the-counter (OTC) archery non-resident deer permits remain available for designated seasons, though quotas and harvest reporting rules are closely monitored. The late December through January rut archery season in the southern desert basins allows hunters to pursue trophy mule deer and Coues deer while northern states are frozen over.

    Optics are paramount in Arizona. Elite 15x56 binoculars and 65mm+ spotting scopes mounted on stable carbon fiber tripods are non-negotiable for dissecting vast ocotillo canyons, juniper flats, and red rock rim country before initiating long spot-and-stalk stalks.