arizona small game hunting

Snipe offer a great plus for duck hunters. Try a special between seasons rabbit hunt using a 22. Purchase a License. This may be done by sending an email to lharding@azgfd.gov or through regular mail to the Department’s main office: attention Terrestrial Branch-Small Game. With an expected high carry-over of juveniles from last year, birds should be plentiful in some areas and numbers will be more mediocre in other areas receiving less rainfall. Flushed birds are seldom where they land but rather 15-20 yards distant from the touch down point; typically up hill. Arizona Hunting Guides and Outfitters – Small to Big Game Hunting Arizona hunting guides and outfitters offer trips for a variety of animals. They are still rebounding from previous years, but squirrel numbers are turning around quickly in many areas. Gambel and Scaled quail are remarkably tough and can take a lot of punishment. Cottontail Dress bagged rabbits at the first opportunity and throw them on ice. On a typical duck hunt, shooting is usually over by 10 or 11 am. Predator Hunting and Trapping with Timberland Fur Harvesters. WorldCat Home About WorldCat Help. Weed crops, which are produced by summer rains, are also a favored food resource for doves. Decoys will prove useful on central Arizona lakes, rivers, and ponds. Scaled and Gambel’s quail both can hold very tightly and this is where a dog can come in handy to locate these close holding birds. Mid to late November is usually when waterfowl hunting in the desert areas really picks up. Purchase Hunting or Fishing Licenses online at www.azgfd.gov or at “The Tackle Shop” here in Alpine. If you do hunt some place with thick vegetation try to choose your shots so birds fall into open areas. Snipe prefer marshy habitats along rivers, lakes, and flooded agriculture areas. Walk ridge tops in the early mornings and late afternoon, using binoculars to search for rabbits in the washes below. Gray squirrels prefer riparian corridors of sycamore, walnut, and ash. Ducks will tend to move more in inclement weather so shooting often lasts longer on these days. If you are looking to hunt common game like quail, deer and turkey, Arizona can provide prosperous hunting. Try hunting areas that see lower hunter visitation this year and you’ll likely see success. Ideally rains should start in June or early July for good nesting conditions. The zig-zag flight of these birds makes for a challenging target. Once a squirrel is spotted it may be shot on the ground or rushed and run up the nearest tree. [Guy J Sagi] Home. However, with the outbreak and spread of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Type 2 (RHDV2) earlier this year, some areas of the state (particularly southern Arizona) may not have as many rabbits as expected. They are fast and powerful flies that can be difficult to bring to hand. On private lands, no shooting is allowed within ¼ mile of any occupied structure or from or across a road or railway. It is not uncommon to walk into an area, stop for a few seconds, and have a bird flush right behind you after you resume walking. Try using a 22 for squirrels instead of a shotgun, it’s a lot more fun and you don’t have to worry about shot at dinnertime. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. Abert’s squirrels spend a lot of time on the ground foraging for fungi in the fall and are more likely to be seen there. Check out Johnathan O’Dell’s video: How to clean quail. I recently obtained a new book written by Randall Babb titled An Introduction to Hunting Arizona’s Small Game.This book is a comprehensive look at the many small game species that we have in Arizona and includes detailed information about habitat, hunting opportunities, tactics, field care, and recipes. If you have hunted through the area where the scattered birds settled and have only gotten up half the number of the birds that were counted on the covey rise, you know that there are still more birds in the area and can work the surrounding cover accordingly. Ducks have excellent eyesight and color vision, keep this in mind when hunting them, camouflage is recommended. Mark downed birds and walk directly to them to minimize the chance of losing them. Attempt to read the cover and terrain to predict where birds may be hiding. Arizona has more different species of tree squirrels than any other state. If you prefer to jump shoot ducks, snipe are common visitors to stock tanks. Snipe are classified as an upland game bird and steel shot is not required for hunting them. If a hunter has a partner, develop a game plan and move through an area about 20 to 30 yards apart covering the area thoroughly. The Apache or Chiricahua fox squirrel also uses riparian corridors and adjacent pine woodlands in the Chiricahua Mountains of the southeastern part of our state. It is the place to go hunting for … When searching for singles work the area toughly letting your dog do the work. If we have a warm winter, our state’s high elevations will likely offer the best hunting. The canyons under the Mogollon Rim are a good place to try for gray squirrels and you’ll probably pick some Abert’s there up too. Cottontail numbers and harvest generally follow Gambel’s quail numbers and harvest because both species rely on many of the same environmental conditions. Hunting Small Game in Arizona by Guy Sagi (1993-05-03) 5.0 out of 5 stars 1. Set out your decoys and build your blind while it is still dark so you will be situated at legal shooting time. Most elk and antelope hunting can be found in northern and north central Arizona, near Flagstaff and the Mogollon Rim. Also consider using a quail call and listen for coveys to answer; this will save walking and time. To register: Arizona Small Game Challenge, Small Game Hunting Tips Squirrel hunting should definitely be better this year. Arizona's small game species include cottontail rabbits, tree squirrels, upland game birds (quails, chukar, grouse, and pheasants), and migratory game birds (ducks, geese, swan, sandhill cranes, coot, gallinule, common snipe, mourning and white-winged doves, and band-tailed pigeon). Work the bottoms and slopes of draws covered with abundant grass cover and a canopy of 30% or more love oak, pinion, juniper, or pine. Saguaro Lake. Arizona Hunting. One or more of these species occur in virtually all vegetation types throughout Arizona, from the highest mountains to the lowest plains; forests, wetlands, and deserts; and farmlands, cities, and wilderness. Buy your online license today. Occasionally rabbits are the host to the large grub of the bot fly. Small Game includes Cottontail Rabbit, Tree Squirrel, Migrating Game Birds, & Quail. With some scouting you will discover that though there may be several likely spots that are used by ducks, there is one or a few spots that they prefer. Harvest five of the seven small game species in Arizona while in season according to the AZGFD Hunting Regulations. Processing utensils (knives, blades, scissors), boots, gloves, and outer clothing worn while hunting and processing rabbits should be cleaned and disinfected (using a 1:10 dilution of household bleach to water works well) before returning to the field. All of these spots can often provide excellent shooting. Dove hunters should watch for rabbits along field edges while hunting. To retrieve downed birds from stock tanks try using a fishing rod rigged with a top water plug. The determining factor controlling small game numbers in Arizona is the quality and quantity of habitats, which in turn often reflects climatic variations. Yes. We recommend wearing rubber or disposable latex gloves while handling and cleaning rabbits. Coveys are typically smaller than our other quail; 6-8 birds. Re-print a License Both the Arizona gray and Mexican fox squirrel populations should also be improving due to the recent wet winter conditions. Start your hunt early in the morning when squirrels are most active. Wait to clean your birds until you reach home. Red squirrels are found in spruce/fir habitat and most easily found by listening for their “wurring” call. Hunting; Small Game Hunting; If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. After a reasonable winter, we anticipate that grouse numbers are up this year. Avoid shooting near thickly vegetated areas such as alfalfa or cotton fields to minimize the number of lost birds. Government Lands: 84%. The virus does not affect the quality of rabbit meat. Read on to find out more about hunting in Arizona. If you consider yourself a sportsman or outdoor enthusiast, Arizona Hunting Today is your place to discuss hunting (big and small game), archery, bird dogs and even fishing. Wintering geese are under hunted in Arizona outside of the national wildlife refuges. We have enjoyed two consecutive winters with above-average precipitation. They tend to travel along ridge lines, canyon edges, and often fly through saddles in mountain ranges. The State of Arizona provides more or less 10 big-game species and rich small-game selections, which includes waterfowl. Snipe flush similar to quail and usually make distinctive “scipe” call on take off. If birds are holding tightly it is not unusual to cover the same ground many times and still flush birds. If you do come across recently deceased rabbits in the field with no obvious signs of cause of death (e.g. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. Book your hunt today! Arizona gray squirrels are a bit harder to come by and can make for a challenging hunt. Next. So, as quail numbers increase, so do cottontail numbers. All of the breeding call count surveys this spring were up — way up. Montezuma or Mearn’s Quail:  Use a 12-410ga shotgun cylinder to modified chokes shooting shotshells with 7 ½ -9 sized shot. Here's a look at what I carry when I'm out small game hunting. A common problem we experience in Arizona, despite nesting success, is warm winter weather. Start your quail hunt early in the morning when it’s cooler and birds are more vocal and active. They may also be found in feeding in dense stands of gamble or other oak species. Learn more. The early part of the season offers the best opportunities for some of the early migrants like cinnamon and blue-wing teal. The four individual challenges recognize the diverse landscapes and rewards associated with small game hunting throughout Arizona. The meat is still safe for human consumption. Allows the taking of small game, fur-bearing animals, predatory animals, nongame animals, and upland game birds. By Randall D. Babb. Interested parties can submit their comments on opening and closing dates, bag/possession limits and other topics to AZHuntGuidelines@azgfd.gov. Small game hunters must wear a blaze orange hat while hunting on wildlife management areas with a firearm. Geese generally fly a little later than ducks but you’ll still want to be prepared by first light. Mornings after big winter storms and severe cold snaps are often an excellent time to check desert stock ponds for ducks. Quietly walk along logging roads and search for squirrels on the ground and in the trees. Cast over dead birds and reel them in. Once again a little scouting will be a big help in finding a productive shooting spot. Snipe are one of the most over looked game birds in the state. After a morning duck hunt, hunters should walk nearby marshy areas or other flooded vegetation. Mearn’s quail are a tropical species and rely on summer precipitation to for reproduction. ... General Hunting. Because of this habit, it is almost impossible to hunt them without a dog. Amazon Business: For business-only pricing, quantity discounts and FREE Shipping. This can be a problem in years of poor production as the hunter is faced with pursuing older “educated” birds. It is also very important to remain motionless while birds are working the decoys or coming in. Use a 12-410ga shotgun with improved to modified chokes shooting shotshells with 9-7 ½ sized shot. Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has teamed up with the Valley of the Sun Quail Forever Chapter to host the Arizona small game challenge. The AZFD (Arizona Game and Fish Department) designated regions for hunting. 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