Arizona
Desert elk, trophy Coues deer, desert bighorn lottery, and prime late-season archery opportunities.
State Field Guide
Small Game & Upland Hunting in Arizona
Official Regulatory Authority
Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD)
Sonoran Desert Quail Mecca
Gambel's Quail
Arizona is the world capital of Gambel's quail hunting. Saguaro cactus flats, wash channels, and mesquite bottoms across central and southern Arizona hold explosive coveys.
Desert Grassland Runners
Scaled & Mearns' Quail
The southeastern oak savannas hold the elusive Mearns' (Montezuma) quail that hold tight for bird dogs, alongside fast-running scaled quail in arid flats.
#1 Desert Wingshooting Tradition
Mourning & White-winged Dove
The opening of dove season in early September around Yuma and Phoenix is one of the largest wingshooting events in the Southwest.
Desert Scrub Small Game
Desert Cottontail & Jackrabbit
Abundant in desert washes, providing year-round or long-season small game opportunity under bright desert skies.