Getting outdoors is essential to perpetuating our outdoor heritage and having a citizenry that cares about and advocates for wildlife and the environment.
The Department and supporting organizations continually create outdoor programs for the beginner to seasoned sportsmen that teach families about traditional American pastimes.
These programs include hunting, fishing, shooting sports, wildlife viewing, boating, off-highway vehicle riding and wildlife conservation. Below is a listing of the many programs offered for your enjoyment, so Get Outside Arizona.
Hunting
Arizona
offers some of the best hunting experiences
in the nation. If you have hunted in Arizona
before, you know the diversity of wildlife
and habitat that provide extraordinary hunting
opportunities. If this is your first time
hunting in Arizona, you are in store for
a memorable experience. Regardless of whether
one chooses to actively participate in hunting
or angling, people interested in wildlife
and its future should understand the conservation
role sportsmen play. Did you know that the Arizona
Game and Fish Department does not receive
any monies from the states general tax fund
to operate? Operations are primarily funded
through the sale of hunting and fishing
licenses, federal use taxes, the Heritage Fund (Arizona Lottery) and the Wildlife Conservation Fund (Indian Gaming), just to name a few.
The
North American Model of Wildlife Conservation
(NAM)
Hunting and angling
are the cornerstones of the North American
Model of Wildlife Conservation. These activities
continue to be the primary source of funding
for conservation efforts in North America.
Through self-imposed excise tax on hunting,
angling and shooting sports equipment, hunters
and anglers have generated more than $10
billion toward wildlife conservation since
1939. [More]
Arizona's
7-Core Concepts of Conservation:
Wildlife is Held in the
Public Trust
Regulated Commerce in
Wildlife
Hunting and Angling Laws
are Created Through Public Process
Hunting and Angling Opportunity
for All
Hunters and Anglers Fund
Conservation
Wildlife is an International
Resource
Science is the Basis
for Wildlife Policy
Small
Game Hunting-
Arizona's small game species include cottontail
rabbits, tree squirrels, upland game birds
(quail, chukar, grouse, and pheasant), and
migratory game birds (ducks, geese, swan,
sandhill cranes, coot, gallinule, common snipe,
mourning and white-winged doves, and band-tailed
pigeon). One or more of these species occur
in virtually all vegetation types throughout
Arizona, from the highest mountains to the
lowest plains; forests, wetlands, deserts,
farmlands, cities, and wilderness. [More]
Big
Game Hunting - Arizona
is well known throughout the country and abroad
for it's quality big game hunting opportunities.
There are ten big game animals species in
this great state, all of them accessible through
public land pursuit. Game species include
antelope, black bear, buffalo, desert bighorn
sheep, elk, javalina, turkey (Merriam's and
Gould's), mountain lion, mule deer, and white-tailed
(Coues') deer. The country where these species
also runs the spectrum, from the dry rugged
Kofa Mountains to the world renowned Kaibab
Strip and all the country in between. Arizona
offers every variety of hunting conditions.
[More]
Predator
and Fur bearer Hunting - Predatory mammals are coyotes,
bobcats, foxes, and skunks. Fur-bearing mammals
are defined as muskrats, raccoons, otters,
weasels, bobcats, beavers, badgers, and ringtails.
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission recognizes
predation management to be a valuable and
legitimate wildlife management practice. Unmanaged
populations are susceptible to disease, over
harvest of prey species, and habitat damage.
[More]
The
"Draw" System for Hunt Permit-Tags - The big game draw is a lottery-style
process for allocating the limited number
of Arizona big game hunting permits and some
other species to applicants. Currently the
Draw is held three times a year, one in February
another in June and then again in October.
The department typically receives far more
applications than there are available hunting
permits based on wildlife populations and
resources. [More]
Where
to Hunt - The most common question, "Where
do I go?" is answered right here. The
department has six regional offices to in
order to manage the incredible diverse habitat
and wildlife in Arizona. Each region provides
an online resource on "where to start
hunting" by species and some general
ideas on how to pursue the game of interest.
[More]
Introduction
to Hunting: Camps - Hunting
Camps introduce hunting basics to individuals
who are interested in hunting but may not
know where to start. These hands-on workshops
teach the skills necessary to successfully
pursue the variety of small game found in
Arizona. Both adults and youths are invited
to participate. [More]
Fishing
Whether you prefer
lakes, streams, creeks or urban fishing, a
year-long season and a wide variety of sport
fish species provide Arizonans with plenty
of great fishing opportunities.
Urban
Fishing Program
- Arizona's
Urban Fishing Program is recognized nationally
as one of the best in the country. A partnership
exists with local parks and recreation agencies
to intensively stock and manage park lakes
for fishing recreation and to provide convenient,
affordable, accessible and fun fishing for
anglers of all ages and abilities. [More]
Fish
Arizona - Whether
you prefer lakes, streams, creeks or urban
fishing, a year long season and a wide variety
of sport fish species provide Arizonans with
plenty of great fishing opportunities. Arizona
is home to more than 85 species of fish. [More]
Crayfish
Fishing - Angling
for crayfish is a great outdoor family activity
with near guaranteed success. There are no
bag limits on crayfish and the season is year-round.
Crayfish are not native to Arizona. They negatively
impact sport-fishing opportunities, native
species, and aquatic ecosystems. Crayfish
tail and claw meat are delicious and can be
substituted in many seafood recipes. [PDF,
1.1mb]
Shooting
More than half
of all households now own firearms, yet
accidental fatalities are at an all-time
low--down 60 percent over the last 20 years.
For decades, the firearms industry has emphasized
education to ensure the safe and responsible
use of its products. This effort and those
by other organizations are why the shooting
sports and hunting are rated among the safest
forms of recreation. Some 40 million people
of all ages safely participate in these
activities.
(NSSF - http://www.nssf.org/safety/index.cfm?AoI=safety)
Forty million Americans enjoy the shooting
sports annually. But for newcomers the biggest
challenge is not knowing how to get started.
In fact, our research shows 48,000,000 men
and women are interested in shooting and
are simply waiting for an invitation.
(NSSF - http://www.firstshots.org/getstarted.html)
Target shooting improves fine motor skills,
hand-eye coordination, mental discipline,
personal responsibility, and character development.
Archery
in the Schools (AIS)
- Is a physical education curriculum designed
to teach international-style target archery
in grades 4-12. The core content covers archery,
history, safety, techniques, equipment, mental
concentration, and self-improvement. In addition,
the curriculum provides interesting and creative
possibilities for integration with core content
in social studies, mathematics, visual arts,
history, and English/language arts. [More]
Scholastic
Clay Target Program (SCTP)
- SCTP is a team-based youth development program
that uses the shotgun sports to instill discipline,
safety, teamwork, ethics, self-confidence
and other life values. Team members can participate
in any or all of three clay target disciplines:
trap, skeet and sporting clays. [More]
Introduction
to .22-rimfire shooting by ARSPA
- Arizona State Rifle and Pistol Association
offers a basic course on firearm safety
and how to shoot, including firing a .22
rifle. The free class is offered typically
every Thursday evening at the Ben Avery
Shooting Facility. [Link
to ASRPA's Web site]
Shooting
just for women:
Annie
Oakley Sure Shots - This program
was created by women and is hosted by women.
It i's held in the evening on the second
and fourth Thursday of every month. It's
free and it's fun. You do not need to have
a firearm to participate, nor do you need
any knowledge of firearms. Join us and learn!
[More]
Desert
Roses - Is a free program createed
to introduce women to three shotgun shooting
sports: sporting clays, trap, and skeet. It
will be held in the evening on the first and
third Thursday of every month. No prior experience
is necessary. In order to participate in this
program you must pre-register. [More]
Leagues:
Rimfire
Rifle - Join us for some friendly
competition, make some friends and introduce
someone new to match shooting. Scoped and
open sights are permitted and distances
are 25, 50 and/or 100 yards. Leagues run
for eight weeks and there is a nominal fee.
Loaner guns are available. Call for details.
[More]
Archery
- Join us for some friendly competition, make
some friends and introduce someone new to
match shooting. There are brackets for men's
and women's compound unlimited, compound bowhunter
and recurve/longbow. There is also a junior
class (ages 8-17). Leagues run for eight weeks
and there is a nominal fee. Loaner bows are
available. [More]
General
Target Shooting - Rifle, pistol, shotgun,
bow - you can find all your target shooting
needs at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility.
Located on 1,650 acres in north Phoenix, the
range is a Phoenix Point of Pride and one
of the largest public-operated shooting facilities
in the country. For more information, hours
and directions visit www.azgfd.gov/basf. [More]
Education
Hunter
Education - The Arizona Game and Fish
Department offers three programs that teach
hunter safety. An 8- 12-hour introductory
course is available in the classroom or online
via the Internet. There is a 20-hour basic
classroom course and an extended classroom
combination course which includes an archery
component. All courses require completion
of a field day. [More]
Sport
Fishing Education - The Sport Fishing
Educational Program is designed to help anyone
become more proficient in basic fishing techniques.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department supplies
all educational materials, rods, reels, bait
and instruction. All fishing programs are
offered free of charge. Currently scheduled
open to the public fishing programs can be
found online. [More]
Archery
Educational Outreach Program - This
course can be utilized for groups such as
HOA, Scouts, 4-H, and homeschool organizations
to participate in an introduction to target,
field, and 3D archery. Programs normally run
three sessions at one-and-a-half hours each
session. [More]
Focus
Wild Arizona - The Arizona Game and
Fish Department’s award-winning environmental
education program is available free to teachers
and homeschoolers. This program promotes awareness
and stewardship of the world around us, and
uses the environment as a context for learning
science, social studies, math, and language
arts. The program includes complete lesson
plans, books, posters, workshops and much
more. Many of these resources are available
for direct download. [More]
Boating
Education - This National Association
of State Boating Law Administrators’
(NASBLA) approved and Arizona certified course
includes instruction on general boating information,
different boat types, knot tying, anchoring,
waste and oil disposal, risk management, weather
emergencies, registration requirements, boating
laws and regulations, equipment requirements,
navigation rules, aids to navigation (buoys),
boating accidents, Operating Under the Influence
(OUI), trailering, and more. Most insurance
companies offer discounts on boat insurance
for completing the class. Take the course
online or in a classroom. [More]
OHV:
The ATV RiderCourse - Developed by
the ATV Safety Institute, the ATV RiderCourse
provides hands-on training in the basic techniques
for riding an all-terrain vehicle. The course
also covers protective gear, local laws, finding
places to ride, and environmental concerns.
If you bought your ATV after Dec. 30, 1986,
you may be eligible for free training. Those
not eligible for the free training may take
the course for a small fee. The ATV RiderCourse
is available nationwide. To sign up call:
1-800-887-2887. [More]
[Link
to ATV RiderCourse Web site]
Wildlife Awareness / Volunteer
Wildlife
Center - Our function is to educate
the public about wildlife native to Arizona
through the use of animals that have been
orphaned or injured. The center provides immediate
triage for orphaned, sick or injured wildlife
that will be provided ongoing care by a licensed
rehabilitator. If you have time to give, we
are looking for volunteers 18-years and older.
If you enjoy teaching, animal husbandry, maintenance
or office work, we have a spot for you. Visit
www.azwildlifecenter.net to apply. [More]
Watchable
Wildlife - Few places offer the diversity
of landscapes, plants, and animals as found
here in Arizona. In addition to game species,
the Arizona Game and Fish Department also
manages many non-game, threatened, and endangered
species. There are also many wildlife species
which benefit from the departments conservation
and management practices of game species.
[More]
Game
and Fish Volunteer Program - Our goal
is to provide you with a congenial and cooperative
atmosphere where you can build relationships
with staff and other volunteers, and gain
knowledge about Arizona wildlife and wildlife
management. Volunteer activities include wildilfe
care, facility maintenence, instructional
and education, habitat projects, office work
and others. [More]
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Get the latest news and information about wildlife and the outdoors from any of these Game and Fish sources
To learn more about future hunting, fishing events and other outdoor and wildlife-related activities, visit www.azgfd.gov/Outdoorskills.
for a calendar listing of events.
Did You Know?
Arizona Game and Fish Department is responsible for managing all wildlife (game and nongame species) in the state of Arizona and yet receives no money from the state's general tax or sales tax revenues.
New! WEB-BASED MAPPING TOOL A new tool that provides hunters, anglers, and other outdoor recreationists with access information to and through private lands.Azaccessmap.com
Hunting, Trapping & Fishing Regulations, Season Dates & Draw Information
Game
and Fish Volunteer Program
