Arizona’s over-the-counter, nonpermit-tag archery deer hunting opportunity
Arizona’s over-the-counter (OTC), nonpermit-tag archery deer hunting opportunity now has harvest limits that have been set by unit and by species. The changes will enable AZGFD to better track hunter harvest and participation.
This approach is in accordance with hunt guidelines approved April 1, 2022, by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. Harvest limits were set at 20 percent of the estimated harvest for a unit and species. Failure to report a harvest, as well as hunting in a closed unit, will be strictly enforced.
View archery deer nonpermit-tag first-come schedule in the Arizona Hunting Regulations
harvest limits
When the number of deer equaling the archery deer harvest limit for a particular unit and species has been reported, that unit will be closed to further archery deer hunting at sundown the Wednesday immediately following.
Hunters will be responsible for checking online or by telephone, 623-236-7961 before hunting to determine if their desired unit is still open. The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) website will be updated continuously to reflect the number of deer harvested and whether a harvest limit has been reached and a unit is closed.
For more information, consult the Arizona Hunting Regulations. Printed versions are available at license dealers statewide.
valid license, nonpermit-tag required
To participate in Arizona’s over-the-counter, nonpermit-tag archery deer season, hunters must be in possession of a valid Arizona hunting license (or combination hunt and fish license) and an archery deer nonpermit-tag. An archery deer nonpermit-tag can be purchased from a license dealer or at any AZGFD office statewide. An archery deer nonpermit-tag will remain valid for a single calendar year.
bag limit
One deer per calendar year. If hunters harvest a deer during the over-the-counter, nonpermit-tag archery deer season, they may not harvest another deer (archery or general hunts) during that calendar year.
mandatory reporting
All over-the-counter, nonpermit-tag archery deer hunters are required to report their harvest either online or by telephone, 623-236-7961, within 48 hours of taking their deer. Failure to report a harvest, as well as hunting in a closed unit, will be strictly enforced.
All successful hunters will be required to provide their name, telephone number, hunting license number, nonpermit-tag number, email address, date of harvest, number of days hunted, additional units hunted (including days), type of weapon, deer species harvested, number of points on both the left and right antler, and loss of any wounded deer.
A physical inspection is not required of a harvested animal taken during the over-the-counter, nonpermit-tag archery deer season.
season dates
Season dates for over-the-counter, nonpermit-tag archery deer seasons vary by unit. Not all units will be open for all time frames; hunters should view the status of harvest limits online.
When the number of deer equaling the archery deer harvest limit for a particular unit and species has been reported, that unit will be closed to further archery deer hunting at sundown the Wednesday immediately following and remain closed until August of the next calendar year. For example, if the harvest limit is reached in Unit 27 on Saturday, Unit 27 would close to over-the-counter, nonpermit-tag archery deer hunting at sundown Wednesday immediately following and remain closed until next year’s over-the-counter archery deer season.
Attention: Non-residents
Changes were recently made to Arizona statutes and rules that govern the sale of over-the-counter archery deer hunting opportunities in Arizona. These changes affect the sale of archery deer nonpermit-tags (over-the-counter, OTC, tags) to nonresident hunters beginning with the 2023 calendar year.
- The number of archery deer nonpermit-tags available to nonresidents will be set annually at 10% of the average total sales of archery deer nonpermit-tags for the most recent 5 years, rounding down to the nearest increment of 5.
- The Commission, through the Archery Deer Nonpermit-tag First-Come Schedule published by the Department, shall designate the manner and method of purchasing a nonresident archery deer nonpermit-tag.
- Methods of selling nonresident archery deer nonpermit-tags will change. Nonresident over-the-counter archery deer nonpermit-tags will only be sold online. They will no longer be sold at our third-party license retailers.
- A valid over-the-counter archery deer nonpermit-tag is required to hunt all open seasons during the calendar year. Check online at https://harvest-tracking.azgfd.gov for open areas; open areas will close when harvest limits are met.
- This nonresident restriction will not apply to nonresidents possessing an Arizona Pioneer, Lifetime Hunt, Lifetime Combo, or Lifetime Benefactor license. Nonresidents with one of these licenses will be required to pay the nonresident archery deer nonpermit-tag fee but they will not count towards the 10% cap. When the sale of archery deer nonpermit-tags becomes available, nonresidents with a Pioneer, Lifetime, or Benefactor License will need to purchase their tag either from an Arizona Game and Fish Department Office or by mail: mail order form; they will not be available at licensed dealers or online (an online sales option will only be offered to those nonresident hunters affected by the 10% cap).
- The archery deer nonpermit-tags will only be sold online — on a first come, first served basis — at https://otcarchery.azgfd.com/. The archery deer nonpermit-tags for nonresidents are no longer sold at third-party license dealers.
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