A handful of hunt seasons are underway, with more to come

This is the time of year that Arizona’s small game and waterfowl hunters have been waiting for.

In addition to the start of the band-tailed pigeon season Sept. 26, followed by the season opener for tree squirrels Oct. 3, hunters can pursue dusky grouse through Nov. 9 and chukar until Feb. 8, 2026. The season for cottontail rabbit runs through June 30, 2026, and the start of the season for Gambel’s and scaled quail is just around the corner (Oct. 17).

Waterfowl and snipe hunters will get in on the action when their seasons begin Thursday, Oct. 23, and run through Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.

“Per federal regulations, the general season must end on Jan. 31, so counting back 101 days means that our general season will start Oct. 23 every year,” said Dr. Larisa Harding, small game program manager for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “Thus, the dates don’t change, but the days of the week will change year to year. That’s why this year’s season opens on a Thursday and not on a Friday, like a lot of hunts do.

“We get a lot of calls asking if there’s a misprint in the regulations. It’s not a misprint.”

Harding added: “For scaup, the federal regulations allow for an 86-day season because those birds are managed more conservatively, so that’s why their season starts later (Nov. 7) and still ends Jan. 31, 2026.”

All waterfowl hunters 18 and older must possess a valid Arizona hunting license and Arizona migratory bird stamp, as well as a federal migratory bird stamp (also known as the “Federal Duck Stamp”). All waterfowl hunters 16 and older must also possess a federal migratory bird stamp.

All hunting regulations can be viewed at https://www.azgfd.com/Hunting/Regulations/.

Need a license? Visit www.azgfd.gov/license/. Keep in mind that a combination hunt and fish license is only $20 more (for state residents) than the price of an individual hunting or fishing license. As a reminder, a youth combination hunt and fish license (ages 10 to 17) is only $5 and includes the privileges associated with the Arizona migratory bird stamp.

The first step in planning that next successful hunt might be to check out the trove of detailed information that’s just a few clicks away on the department’s website. Visit https://www.azgfd.com/hunting/where-to-hunt/. Once there, hunters can select the area they wish to hunt (AZGFD divides the state into six geographical regions), then drill down further by choosing any of several Game Management Units (GMUs) located within that region.

For more hunting information, visit www.azgfd.com/species-category/game/.

NOTE: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has expanded hunting opportunities on national wildlife refuges. These opportunities are authorized and provided on USFWS-managed lands in accordance with federal, state and tribal (where applicable) regulations and seasons. For questions on hunting opportunities, consult the latest refuge hunt regulations.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department receives no general fund tax dollars. The majority of funding to manage more than 800 native wildlife species comes from Arizona's hunters and anglers.