Opening Weekend

The area that we hunt was low on water, lowers we have seen in years

Not a lot of ducks come are way, but what did was Surprise Pintail in Oct.

Havasa NWR Reservations

The Havasu National Wildlife Refuge will be accepting reservations for the 2009-10 Pintail Slough Waterfowl Hunt at 8 a.m. Oct. 5.

Hunters may receive a blind by calling 760-326-3853, ext. 21. Hunters must have their Arizona hunting license number available when calling. Hunters wishing to reserve dates in 2010 need to have their 2010 hunting license number available.

This year the refuge will continue to hunt on Saturday, Sunday and the following Wednesday, and will include a goose hunt on Sunday only.

A reservation is needed for the blinds at Pintail Slough, while the Sunday goose hunt will be based on a random drawing process.

Two of the refuge's agricultural fields will for open for hunting.
Hunting brochures are available by calling refuge headquarters or go to www.fws.gov/southwest.

2009-2010 CIBOLA NWR UNIT II GOOSE HUNT

Cibola National Wildlife Refuge will be accepting hunt applications for a lottery-based reservation system.

2009-2010 CIBOLA NWR UNIT II GOOSE HUNT click link for more info

Dominic BarrettWildlife BiologistCibola National Wildlife Refuge

66600 Cibola Lake RdRR 2, Box 9

Cibola, AZ 85328-9002

Phone: 928-857-3253 ext.102

New! 2009-2010 Waterfowl & Snipe Regulations

New! 2009-2010 Waterfowl & Snipe Regulations [PDF, 1.45mb]

Arizona seasons set for waterfowl and spring hunts

Arizona seasons set for waterfowl and spring hunts

This may be summer, but there is an interesting way to have autumn and spring on your mind.
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission on Aug. 1 approved the hunting regulations for the upcoming waterfowl season and the spring hunts for 2010. So fire up your computers on Aug. 21, which is when both regulations should be available online at http://www.azgfd.gov/. Although it is always possible that the regulations could be posted a few days early if the stars and ducks align.Waterfowl and snipeFor general waterfowl and snipe, the overall general season will be a liberal season, 101 days in each of the state’s two zones.
The season begins Oct. 9 in the mountain zone and Oct. 23 in the desert zone. The mountain zone season ends Jan. 17 while the desert zone ends Jan. 31. However, for scaup ducks, the season is only 86 days, with a delayed start but ending at the same time in each of the zones.
There are two other changes, canvasback ducks are legal to take this year (last year was closed) and the bag for pintail has been increased from one to two.
Included in the regulations are two juniors-only hunts. There is an early season junior hunt Oct. 3-4 in the mountain zone, and then a late season junior hunt Feb. 6-7, 2010 in the desert zone. Both hunts are great opportunities for kids, 17 and under, to have the field to themselves.While it may come as a surprise, Arizona offers a number of good duck hunting opportunities across the state from jumping stock tanks in the desert to decoying and calling ducks over lakes, streams, and marshes.
Water conditions throughout the state are good to average, which is the key to holding ducks that migrate from the northwest. As the season progresses, keep your eye on the weather forecasts for Idaho and Utah. When those states experience freezing weather and cold fronts, Arizona will typically see new ducks arriving shortly after. To get started in duck hunting all you need is a shotgun and some non-toxic shot. However, hip waders are a great asset. After that, it is just plain addictive. There is nothing like sitting on the edge of a marsh, while the sun rises and listening to the whistling wings of ducks coming into your decoy spread.
All waterfowl hunters 14 and older need a general hunting license (those younger must be accompanied by a licensed adult). Additionally, a state waterfowl stamp and a federal duck are required for those 16 and older. For those hunting snipe, coots and moorhens a state migratory bird stamp is required for those 16 and older. New this year is an alternate duck stamp using a youngster’s artwork from the federal duck stamp contest; however, it is only available at the Phoenix Game and Fish office. Regular Arizona duck stamps are available at most retailers who sell licenses.
To learn more about waterfowl hunting, visit www.azgfd.gov/hunting and select “Waterfowl Hunting.”2010 Spring Turkey, Javelina, Buffalo and BearSpring HuntsIt might be easier than you think to wrap your mind around spring even though the heat of summer is still making you sweat. It won’t be long before the 2010 spring hunt regulations are posted and you can begin applying.
Many of these hunts require a hunt permit-tag allocated through the drawing process. Hunters can submit an application as soon as the regulations are posted on the department’s Web site.
Applications must be received by U.S. mail or hand delivered by Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. (MST) and postmarks do not count. There is no online application system. For more details about applying for a tag through the draw, visit www.azgfd.gov/draw.
The good news is the commission continues to offer hunts not tied to the lottery process. There are many nonpermit-tags for direct purchase over-the-counter at any license dealer, including the juniors-only spring turkey season, the archery-only javelina hunts in metro units, as well as general and archery-only spring bear seasons.
First introduced in the spring of 2009, the over-the-counter juniors-only turkey hunt is a big success, with excellent participation and an overwhelming support from the sportsmen’s community.
To facilitate the new program, the department partnered with many organizations and hosted a couple of mentored hunting camps to encourage beginning young hunters to get involved. These camps were so successful that there will be three camps during the opening weekend in the spring of 2010.
If you’re a new hunter, you can find out more about these event and more like them at www.azgfd.gov/hunting and check out the “Mentored Hunting & Juniors-only Events 2009-10 Season” feature on the right side of the page.
Kids 14 and under interested in getting started in hunting big game, such as javelina, turkey, deer, and are required to take an Arizona certified hunter education course.
The department offers a variety of courses from the introductory course, combo course to the latest online self-paced course. Each offers plenty of lessons in addition to hunter and firearm safety.
If you are planning a hunt in the spring, now is the time to get your hunter education completed. To find a class near you that suits your schedule, visit www.azgfd.gov/education and select “Hunter Education.”

Attend commission meetings via the Web

Attend commission meetings via the Web

The 2009-10 waterfowl will be set at this meeting on Line

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission and Department are initiating a pilot program that will enable the public to view commission meetings via live video streaming over the Internet.
The trial run for this program will begin with the commission meeting in Phoenix this Friday and Saturday, Aug. 7-8.
“We’re instituting this service to allow more of our constituents to view the commission meeting proceedings,” said Assistant Director Ty Gray. “The equipment has been installed and tested, and the August meeting will give us a chance to see if any technical issues arise so we can resolve them for a full rollout in September.”
The meetings will also be streamed live at the regional Game and Fish offices statewide. Members of the public who wish to submit “blue slips” to present oral comment during the “call for comment” portions of the agenda can do so either by attending the meeting at the Arizona Game and Fish Department headquarters in Phoenix (5000 W. Carefree Highway) or by viewing the proceedings at the regional Game and Fish offices. For a list of office addresses, visit www.azgfd.gov/offices.
To view the commission meeting over the Web this Friday and Saturday, visit www.azgfd.gov/commissioncam. For a copy of the commission agenda, visit www.azgfd.gov/pdfs/inside_azgfd/agenda/2009/Aug7-8.pdf.

2009-10 waterfowl recommendations

Oct 9, 2009 - Jan 17, 2010

Mountain Zone: Units 1-5, 7, 9, 11M, 12A and those
portions of Units 6 and 8 within Coconino County



Oct 23, 2009 - Jan 31, 2010

Desert Zone: those portions of Units 6 and 8 within
Yavapai County and Units 10 and 12B through 45

EXCEPT Units 22, 23 and 27


POSSESSION LIMIT: The possession limit of ducks including mergansers: Fourteen (14) after opening day, only seven (7) of which may
be taken any one day, but no more than:
a. four (4) redheads
b. four (4) female mallards or Mexican-like ducks
c. two (2) pintails
d. four (4) scaup
e. two (2) canvasbacks
Coots and common moorhens (gallinules): Twenty-five (25) singly or in the aggregate.
Geese: Twelve (12) white geese (snow, including blue and Ross’ geese) and six (6) dark geese (Canada and white-fronted).
FALCONRY POSSESSION LIMIT: See Falconry-Only section.

New! 2009 Waterfowl and Snipe Recommendations


New! Commission Memo Waterfowl/Snipe Hunts



New! 2010 Spring Hunt Recommendations

New! Commission Memo Spring Hunts