There have been several new hunting laws here in Arizona, and with new laws always comes some confusion and mis-information. So in order to set things straight, I'm going to outline the changes here:
1) It is now legal to kill mountain lions with shotgun shooting shot.
2) Legislation has passed which will allow the use of suppressors during legal hunting, but this rule does not go into effect until 90 days after the end of session, which sets the date right around the beginning of August.
3) Legislation has passed which removes the restriction on magazine capacity for centerfire rifles and shotguns while hunting, but just as the suppressor law above, it will not go into effect until early August. It is important to note that this DOES NOT remove the restriction while hunting migratory game birds, such as Dove, due their Federal protection status.
4) Dogs can now be used as a legal method of take for coyotes.
5) Archery draw weight minimums have been reduced from 40lbs to 30lbs.
6) Mountain lion season is now a YEAR-ROUND season, for both daylight and daylong hours, and multiple bag limit areas have increased A LOT this year.
7) Night hunting is now legal for coyotes and mountain lions - but certain limitations apply. The Arizona Game and Fish Department calls this "Daylong Hours Hunting" which means night hunting.
- Coyotes - page 83 of the AZ Hunting regs:
- March 1 to May 31
- Only certain units and parts of certain units are open for hunting - this is NOT statewide. Check the AZ hunting regs for more information.
- You can ONLY use a shotgun while taking coyotes at night
- You can use any color light, any voltage, any size, any type (including thermal and night vision) but it CANNOT be operated from or connected to a motor vehicle. This includes running a big extension cord from your vehicle!
- Mountain Lions - page 61 of the AZ Hunting regs:
- Only certain units and parts of certain units are open for hunting - this is NOT statewide. Check the AZ hunting regs for more information.
- You can use a shotgun or a centerfire rifle for hunting mountain lions at night.
- Same light setup rules as Coyotes.
- Some units have a yearly bag limit of 3 lions for daylong hour hunting.
First lion killed at night in Arizona. Dave Martens of Wildlife Callers,
Dan Tone (pictured - he was the shooter), and Deuce the terrier.
- You must be 1/4 mile (440 yards) away from occupied structures.
- You cannot shoot from, onto, or across any road.
- You can only use shotgun shooting shot, archery tackle, or rimfire rifle.
- Certain state, county, and municipal parks may be closed to hunting persuant to AZGFD commission rules.
- Be careful with this new opportunity! Don't attract unnecessary attention to yourself or this law will have a short life.
That wraps up the main changes to the laws. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments section below. Don't worry about your comments not showing up immediately - I had to set them to "approval only" thanks to some silly spammers and anti-hunters.
And if you want to keep up with some of my other writing, check out the blogs for my training organization, Independence Training. They are Journal of a Sheepdog, which discusses training methods and the survival mindset, and our Equipment Reviews, which cover all kinds of gear related to self-reliance. Just an FYI - some of the entries are authored by John Pinnix, my primary assistant instructor.
Happy Hunting!
So does this now mean that I can carry my 9 round (currently blocked to hold 5) and or 30 round magazines while hunting coyotes? (not planning on using any of my beta mags as that would be stupid and heavy).
ReplyDeleteDoes 5 round max in the gun still apply?
Gene - the 5 round magazine limitation is still in effect here in Arizona. Looks like the date for the new magazine capacity and suppressor laws going into effect will be right around August 3rd, 2012.
ReplyDeleteI recommend the 20 round PMAGs, as they are durable, reliable, lightweight, and easy to maneuever in the brush with. I use them when I hunt in other states without the magazine capacity laws, such as Colorado, and they supply plenty of ammunition for a daylong hunt, especially if you carry a backup.
I have been unable to find the reference regarding the magazine capacity change. Would you please post the link the the AZ Game and Fish website that shows this undate to the law? Thank you so much! :)
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - you can find the full text of the legislative bills listed here: (Magazines) http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/50leg/2r/bills/hb2640h.pdf; (Suppressors) http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/50leg/2r/bills/hb2728p.pdf. Both were signed by Governor Brewer in late March 2012, which puts them in effect 90 days after the end of legisltaive session. As such, the effective date was August 2nd.
ReplyDeleteAs for AZGFD commission rules, since they were printed before the bills were approved, you won't find the new text anywhere in there. This can also be said in regards to their website, which I found to be outdated on several issues while I was searching for the answer to your question. After a call to the head law-enforcement manager at the AZGFD, here's what I was told: The labguage in the legislative bills are the primary reference point for the new laws, as well as ARS 17-251, which describes the legal use of sound suppressors while hunting. ARS 17-305 also lays out the new law concerning the possession of other weapons while hunting, which would allow for an archery hunter to carry a sidearm for self-defense, as an example. However, there is currently no ARS or AZGFD rule in print concerning the new magazine limitations. Rest assured, however, that it is law and that every AZGFD law-enforcement agent and anyone related to law-enforcement with the AZGFD has been fully informed on the new laws. That's the information that I was able to get my hands on - look for the updated information in the new print publication of the AZGFD Rules and Regulation for 2013-2014 released next year.