Hunters need to make the most of remaining opportunities
 Jan. 8, 2026 Arizona’s waterfowl and quail seasons are flying by. Hunters need to make the most of remaining opportunities  PHOENIX — There’s still time for Arizona hunters to take aim at some of the best wing-shooting opportunities the state has to offer — but the clock is ticking. WaterfowlThe general seasons for waterfowl, snipe and scaup end Jan. 31, 2026. The challenge this year will be to find areas that hold waterfowl. Drought conditions have reduced available water in many areas, and warmer, drier conditions north of Arizona means fewer birds have yet to move south, so numbers may be reduced until the snow flies at higher latitudes.QuailCircle Feb 8, 2026, on the calendar. That’s when the season closes for the state’s three main species — Gambel’s, scaled and Mearns’. The general bag limit is 15 quail per day in the aggregate, of which no more than eight may be Mearns’ quail. The general possession limit is 45 quail in the aggregate, of which no more than 15 Gambel’s, scaled, Mearns’ or California quail in the aggregate may be taken in any one day. The 45-quail possession limit may include 24 Mearns’ quail, of which no more than eight may be taken in any one day. In addition, hunters can harvest tree squirrels through Jan. 31, 2026; chukar through Feb. 8, 2026; and jackrabbits and cottontail rabbits through June 30, 2026. As a reminder, all hunters 10 and older must possess a valid Arizona hunting or combination license. Those 18 and older also must possess an Arizona Migratory Bird Stamp ($5) to hunt waterfowl. Also, hunters 16 and older must possess a Federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp to hunt waterfowl.All hunters play an important role in conservation. Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) Program funds are excise taxes collected on the sale of hunting and fishing equipment (including 11 percent on ammunition), the benefit of which comes back to Arizona for habitat improvements, shooting ranges, boating access and more.For more information about hunting in Arizona, visit https://azgfdportal.az.gov/Hunting. |
| 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. The Arizona Game and Fish Department receives Federal assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and thus prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age and sex pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. To request an accommodation or informational material in an alternative format or to file a discrimination complaint please contact the Director’s Office at (602) 942-3000 or by mail at 5000 West Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086. Discrimination complaints can also be filed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Diversity and Inclusive Workforce, Attention: Public Civil Rights and Disability Coordinator, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041.Stay Connected with the Arizona Game and Fish Department: |
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