Trapped furbearer
Muskrat in Arizona: 2026-27 Seasons, Units and Tags
1 AZGFD season row for muskrats, with bag limits, tag type, units, legal methods and license costs for 2026-27.
Photo: Bureau of Land Management (CC BY 2.0)
Muskrat in Arizona at a glance
Read across the Arizona booklets, muskrats have 1 row, and the opening dates run trapping on November 1, 2026. Arizona sets these muskrat rows statewide, and the only geography to learn is the short list of excluded places in the open-area text.
From trapping leaflet (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Muskrat limits from the Commission Orders
These are the muskrat limits in AZGFD's own words; read the counting period before you plan a second hunt.
| Limit | Exact wording |
|---|---|
| Trapping: bag limit | Unlimited. |
| Trapping: possession limit | Unlimited. |
From bag limit text (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
The full muskrat calendar for 2026-27
Each line is one Commission Order row for muskrats, earliest first, with the tag type and the units it covers.
| Season | What is legal | Tag type | Dates | Open area | Permits | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trapping | Beaver and muskrat | Trapping | Nov 1–Feb 28, 2027 | Statewide
| – |
From trapping leaflet (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Muskrat tags: draw, OTC or license
| Tag type | Rows | Permits | How you get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trapping | 1 | – | Trapping license |
The only paperwork for muskrats is the license and, where listed, a stamp; AZGFD caps nothing by permit.
From draw rules, 2026-27 regulations, nonpermit-tag rules and trapping leaflet (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Units and counties for muskrats
County lines mean little to AZGFD: a muskrat row is valid in its units, and a unit can straddle two or three counties. The county table counts rows whose units reach each county.
| County | Rows | Draw | OTC tag | Game units | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apache | 1 | 0 | 0 | I Pinetop | |
| Cochise | 1 | 0 | 0 | V Tucson | |
| Coconino | 1 | 0 | 0 | II Flagstaff | |
| Gila | 1 | 0 | 0 | VI Mesa | |
| Graham | 1 | 0 | 0 | V Tucson | |
| Greenlee | 1 | 0 | 0 | I Pinetop | |
| La Paz | 1 | 0 | 0 | IV Yuma | |
| Maricopa | 1 | 0 | 0 | IV Yuma | |
| Mohave | 1 | 0 | 0 | III Kingman | |
| Navajo | 1 | 0 | 0 | I Pinetop | |
| Pima | 1 | 0 | 0 | V Tucson | |
| Pinal | 1 | 0 | 0 | V Tucson | |
| Santa Cruz | 1 | 0 | 0 | V Tucson | |
| Yavapai | 1 | 0 | 0 | III Kingman | |
| Yuma | 1 | 0 | 0 | IV Yuma |
From unit maps, AZGFD unit layer and trapping leaflet (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Muskrat methods of take
Check the season type on your muskrat row first, then the matching line below.
| Weapon rule | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Trapping |
|
|
Row methods for muskrats
| Method as printed | Rows |
|---|---|
| 1 |
From legal methods, 2026-27 regulations and Laws and Rules Book (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Arizona muskrat fees for 2026-27
From the AZGFD fee table: the license comes first, then any tag or stamp the muskrat rows call for.
| License or stamp | Who | 2026 price | Lasts |
|---|---|---|---|
| General hunting license | Resident | $37 | 365 days from purchase |
| Combination hunt and fish | Resident | $57 | 365 days from purchase |
| Combination hunt and fish | Nonresident | $160 | 365 days from purchase |
| Youth combination (10-17) | Either | $5 | 365 days from purchase |
| Short-term combination | Resident | $15 per day | Days chosen at purchase |
| Short-term combination | Nonresident | $20 per day | Days chosen at purchase |
| Trapping License | Resident | $30 | Calendar year |
| Trapping License | Nonresident | $275 | Calendar year |
| Youth trapping (10-17) | Either | $10 | Calendar year |
From 2026 fee table (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Field rules that matter for muskrats
Read these before a muskrat hunt; violations are class 2 misdemeanors unless a heavier penalty applies.
| Area | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Contests | Organizing or taking part in contests with prizes for killing predatory or fur-bearing animals is unlawful. |
| Traps | No live animals, edible parts of small or big game or game fish, or any part of a game or nongame bird as bait in confinement traps; no foothold trap within 30 feet of sight-exposed bait (R12-4-307). |
| Private land | Landowners may close land to hunting with signs (8×11 inch, 1 inch letters) at access points, corners and every 1/4 mile, or orange-painted posts between signs; entry to take wildlife is criminal trespass only where signs say "no trespassing" or after a request to leave. |
| Lead | AZGFD encourages a voluntary switch to lead-free ammunition (lead fragments poison scavengers; effects documented in California condors). |
From tagging and reporting, Laws and Rules Book and common violations (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Public land in the muskrat units
Big blocks of public ground inside the muskrat units: national forest, BLM land, wildlife areas and State Trust Land. Open each page for access rules.
Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument overlaps Unit 12A, Unit 12B and Unit 13A on the muskrat list.
Raymond Wildlife Area lies in Unit 5B of the muskrat rows.
For muskrats, Santa Rita Wildlife Area covers Unit 34A.
Unit 39 of the muskrat rows reach Arlington Wildlife Area.
Unit 13A, Unit 13B and Unit 15A of the muskrat rows reach Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area: Unit 12B carry muskrat rows.
Unit 1, Unit 2A and Unit 2B of the muskrat rows reach Arizona State Trust Land.
BLM Lower Sonoran Field Office overlaps Unit 24A, Unit 24B and Unit 25M on the muskrat list.
From AZGFD and agency land layers (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Common questions on muskrats
What limit applies to muskrats this season?
From the Commission Order text: Unlimited.
When can I start hunting muskrats in Arizona?
Going by first day: trapping on November 1, 2026. The table on this page lists every row with its units and closing date.
Is the muskrat season statewide?
The key row covers “Statewide (including Walnut Canyon Enclosure in Unit 22; excluding National Wildlife Refuges, Mohave County Park Lands, and Units 11M, 25M, 26M, 34B, and 38M)”. Check private land posting before entering.
Is a tag required for muskrats?
No tag: a trapping license is enough for these rows. Resident hunting is $37, resident combination $57, nonresident combination $160.
When does shooting light start for muskrats?
The daylight rule covers muskrats: no shooting before sunrise or after sunset, Mountain Standard Time all year.
Which methods of take apply to muskrats?
For trapping, AZGFD allows traps under R12-4-307 (padded, offset or enclosed foothold traps on private land; confinement traps anywhere), checked daily. The method column of each row narrows it.
Can I hunt muskrats on tribal land?
A state license does not open tribal land to muskrat hunting. Tribal permits, where offered, come from the tribe.
Is hunter orange required for muskrats in Arizona?
Arizona leaves clothing color to muskrat hunters. No blaze or orange requirement exists anywhere in the AZGFD rules.
When is trapping open for muskrats?
Leghold, instant-kill body-gripping traps, snares and poison on any public land (A.R.S. 17-301(D)); traps with teeth; oversize jaws. Traps under R12-4-307 (padded, offset or enclosed foothold traps on private land; confinement traps anywhere), checked daily.
Sunday hunting for muskrats?
No weekday limits apply to muskrats. A season open on Saturday is open on Sunday too.
Other photos on this page: Bureau of Land Management Arizona (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Department of Agriculture (Public domain); Bureau of Land Management (CC BY 2.0).