Arizona › Hunting seasons › Units › Unit 2A
Game Management Unit · 1,423 sq mi
Unit 2A hunt guide for 2026-27
1,423 square miles across Apache County and Navajo County, with 8 drawn hunt numbers and 95 season rows that name this unit.
Photo: Ken Lund (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Unit 2A at a glance
Unit 2A is one of the units in AZGFD Region I (Pinetop). It runs to 1,423 square miles, with Apache County holding the biggest share at 76%.
Unit 2A straddles 2 county lines. The split by area is Apache 76% and Navajo 24%.
| Where | Sq mi | Unit % | County % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apache County | 1,087.8 | 76% | 10% |
| Navajo County | 335.8 | 24% | 3% |
Unit 2A mixes BLM, National Park, Private, State Trust Land and Tribal ground, per the land ownership field AZGFD keeps for each unit. National Park and Tribal land inside the unit is closed to state-licensed hunting unless the tribe or park says otherwise. AZGFD names no national forest in Unit 2A. No military land is noted for Unit 2A.
AZGFD's unit layer lists Pronghorn Antelope, Elk and Mule Deer for Unit 2A; that is a unit-wide hint, and the season tables below decide what is open.
Area, region, ownership, species list, forest and military fields from the AZGFD Game Management Unit layer (overlay with Census county lines); unit maps in the 2026-27 Arizona Hunting Regulations; checked November 7, 2026.
Limits and closures in Unit 2A
- Bowhunters on an OTC deer tag share a unit limit here of any antlered deer 5; report a deer online within 48 hours.
- Black bear: a female limit of 62 (1, 2A, 2B, 2C, 27) applies in 2026 and again in 2027.
- Report any lion from Unit 2A within 48 hours; it counts toward zone H, threshold 7.
- Free CWD testing is encouraged statewide and especially in priority units such as Unit 2A.
- Wolves may be seen in Unit 2A; report sightings and never shoot one.
- Trapping in Unit 2A follows the statewide season and the public land trap rule.
Archery deer limits, bear female limits, lion zones, crane zones, metro units, CWD, Mexican wolf and trapping pages of the Arizona Game and Fish Department booklets; checked November 7, 2026.
Every Unit 2A season row
Unit 2A appears in 95 season rows. 12 of them sell over the counter and 5 run as population management hunts. Elk and pronghorn dates here are 2026 hunts, since the 2027 pronghorn and elk booklet is not out until January 2027.
Population management tags go to hunters in the Supplemental Hunter Pool when AZGFD calls a hunt.
Draw tags (8)
| Species | Hunt | Legal animal | Dates | Hunt numbers here | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | General | Any antlered deer | Oct 23–Nov 1 | 1002 | |
| Elk | Limited (general) | Antlerless elk | Sep 11–20 | 3077 | |
| Elk | Limited (general) | Any elk | Sep 11–20 | 3088 | |
| Elk | Limited (general) | Antlerless elk | Sep 25–Oct 4 | 3078 | |
| Elk | Limited (general) | Any elk | Sep 25–Oct 4 | 3089 | |
| Elk | Limited (general) | Antlerless elk | Oct 9–18 | 3079 | |
| Elk | Limited (general) | Any elk | Oct 9–18 | 3090 | |
| Pronghorn | General | Buck pronghorn | Sep 4–13 | 2002 |
No draw needed (12)
| Species | Hunt | Legal animal | Area | Dates | Harvest limit | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery-only | Any antlered deer | 2A, 2B, and 2C | Aug 21–Sep 10 | 5 | |
| Elk | General | Any elk | Winslow-Holbrook Hunt Area | Jan 1–Mar 31 Aug 1–Dec 31 | — | |
| Elk | General | Bull elk | Winslow-Holbrook Hunt Area | Apr 1–Jul 31 | — | |
| Javelina | HAM | Any javelina | 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, 3A, 3B, 3C, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A North, 7, and 9 | Jan 1–Dec 31 | — | |
| Javelina | HAM spring | Any javelina | 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, 3A, 3B, 3C, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A North, 7, and 9 | Jan 1–Dec 31 | — | |
| Black bear | Archery-only | Any bear except cubs with sows, sows with cubs | 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, and 27 | Aug 14–20 | 10 | |
| Black bear | Archery-only | Any bear except cubs with sows, sows with cubs | 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, and 27 | Aug 21–Sep 10 | 10 | |
| Black bear | General | Any bear except cubs with sows, sows with cubs | 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, and 27 | Oct 2–29 | 20 | |
| Black bear | General | Any bear except cubs with sows, sows with cubs | 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, and 27 | Oct 30–Dec 31 | 10 | |
| Black bear | General spring | Any bear except cubs with sows, sows with cubs | 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, and 27 | Mar 19–Apr 22 | 4 | |
| Mountain lion | General | Any lion except spotted kittens or females accompanied by spotted kittens | Statewide | Aug 21–May 31 | — | |
| Mountain lion | Pursuit-only | Pursuit only Any lion except spotted kittens or females accompanied by spotted kittens | Statewide | Aug 21–May 31 | — |
Commission Order 26 hunts (5)
| Species | Hunt | Legal animal | Area | Dates | Tags | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery-only | Designated deer | 1, 2A, 2B, 2C | Jan 1–Dec 31 | 100 | |
| Deer | General | Designated deer | 2A | Jan 1–Dec 31 | 75 | |
| Elk | HAM | Designated elk | 1, 2A, 2B, and 2C | Jan 1–Dec 31 | 200 | |
| Elk | Archery-only | Designated elk | 1, 2A, 2B, and 2C | Jan 1–Dec 31 | 200 | |
| Elk | General | Designated elk | 1, 2A, 2B, and 2C | Jan 1–Dec 31 | 300 |
General license (70)
| Species | Hunt | Area | Dates | License | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quail | Falconry-only | Statewide | Sep 1–Mar 4 | Hunting license | |
| Quail | General | Statewide | Oct 16–Feb 7 | Hunting license | |
| Mearns' quail | General | Statewide | Dec 4–Feb 7 | Hunting license | |
| Chukar partridge | General | Statewide | Sep 1–Feb 7 | Hunting license | |
| Dusky grouse | General | Statewide | Sep 1–Nov 8 | Hunting license | |
| Pheasant | Falconry-only | Statewide | Sep 7–Feb 7 | Hunting license | |
| Pheasant | Archery-only | Statewide | Oct 16–Feb 7 | Hunting license | |
| Tree squirrels | Archery-only | Statewide | Aug 21–Oct 1 | Hunting license | |
| Tree squirrels | Falconry-only | Statewide | Aug 21–Jan 31 | Hunting license | |
| Tree squirrels | General | Statewide | Oct 2–Jan 31 | Hunting license | |
| Cottontail rabbit | Falconry-only | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| Cottontail rabbit | General | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| Cottontail rabbit | Shotgun shot | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| Doves | Early | Statewide | Sep 1–15 | License, bird stamp | |
| Doves | Falconry-only | Statewide | Sep 16–Nov 1 | License, bird stamp | |
| Doves | Late | Statewide | Nov 20–Jan 3 | License, bird stamp | |
| Eurasian collared-dove | General | Statewide | Sep 1–Aug 31 | License, bird stamp | |
| Band-tailed pigeon | General | Statewide | Sep 25–Oct 8 | License, bird stamp | |
| Ducks | General | Statewide | Oct 23–Jan 31 | License, both stamps | |
| Ducks | General (scaup) | Statewide | Nov 7–Jan 31 | License, both stamps | |
| Ducks | Falconry-only | Statewide | Feb 1–4 | License, both stamps | |
| Ducks | Youth-only | Statewide | Feb 6–7 | License, both stamps | |
| Geese | General | Statewide | Oct 23–Jan 31 | License, both stamps | |
| Geese | Youth-only | Statewide | Feb 6–7 | License, both stamps | |
| Coots and gallinules | General | Statewide | Oct 23–Jan 31 | License, both stamps | |
| Coots and gallinules | Falconry-only | Statewide | Feb 1–4 | License, both stamps | |
| Coots and gallinules | Youth-only | Statewide | Feb 6–7 | License, both stamps | |
| Common snipe | General | Statewide | Oct 23–Jan 31 | License, both stamps | |
| Badger | General | Statewide | Aug 1–Mar 31 | Hunting license | |
| Badger | Shotgun shot | Statewide | Aug 1–Mar 31 | Hunting license | |
| Badger | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 1–Feb 28 | Trapping license | |
| Beaver | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 1–Feb 28 | Trapping license | |
| Bobcat | General | Statewide | Aug 1–Mar 31 | Hunting license | |
| Bobcat | Shotgun shot | Statewide | Aug 1–Mar 31 | Hunting license | |
| Bobcat | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 1–Feb 28 | Trapping license | |
| Coati | Falconry-only | Statewide | Sep 1–Mar 31 | Hunting license | |
| Coati | General | Statewide | Sep 1–Mar 31 | Hunting license | |
| Coyote | General | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| Coyote | Shotgun shot | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| Coyote | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 1–Feb 28 | Trapping license | |
| European starling | Falconry-only | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| European starling | General | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| European starling | Shotgun shot | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| Foxes | General | Statewide | Aug 1–Mar 31 | Hunting license | |
| Foxes | Shotgun shot | Statewide | Aug 1–Mar 31 | Hunting license | |
| Foxes | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 1–Feb 28 | Trapping license | |
| House sparrow | Falconry-only | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| House sparrow | General | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| House sparrow | Shotgun shot | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| Jackrabbits | General | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| Muskrat | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 1–Feb 28 | Trapping license | |
| Nongame mammals | Falconry-only | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| Nongame mammals | General | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| Nongame mammals | Shotgun shot | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| Northern bobwhite | Falconry-only | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| Northern bobwhite | General | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| Northern bobwhite | Shotgun shot | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| Raccoon | Pursuit-only | Statewide | Jul 1–31 Apr 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| Raccoon | General | Statewide | Aug 1–Mar 31 | Hunting license | |
| Raccoon | Shotgun shot | Statewide | Aug 1–Mar 31 | Hunting license | |
| Raccoon | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 1–Feb 28 | Trapping license | |
| Ringtail | General | Statewide | Aug 1–Mar 31 | Hunting license | |
| Ringtail | Shotgun shot | Statewide | Aug 1–Mar 31 | Hunting license | |
| Ringtail | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 1–Feb 28 | Trapping license | |
| Skunks | General | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| Skunks | Shotgun shot | Statewide | Jul 1–Jun 30 | Hunting license | |
| Skunks | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 1–Feb 28 | Trapping license | |
| Weasel | General | Statewide | Aug 1–Mar 31 | Hunting license | |
| Weasel | Shotgun shot | Statewide | Aug 1–Mar 31 | Hunting license | |
| Weasel | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 1–Feb 28 | Trapping license |
Season rows from the 2026-27 Arizona Hunting Regulations, the 2027 spring booklet, the 2026 pronghorn and elk booklet, and the waterfowl, dove and trapping leaflets; population management on pages 49-50; checked November 7, 2026.
Hunt numbers that include Unit 2A
8 drawn hunts include Unit 2A, with 315 permits between them; elk has the most (6). Nonresidents can draw no more than 10% of the tags in a deer, elk, javelina, pronghorn, crane or turkey hunt number.
Deer, fall 2026 (1)
| Hunt no. | Hunt | Dates | Legal animal | Permits | Open area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1002 | General | Oct 23–Nov 1 | Any antlered deer | 40 | 2A, 2B, and 2C |
Elk, 2026 hunts, 2026 booklet (6)
| Hunt no. | Hunt | Dates | Legal animal | Permits | Open area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3077 | Limited (general) | Sep 11–20 | Antlerless elk | 65 | 2A and 2B |
| 3078 | Limited (general) | Sep 25–Oct 4 | Antlerless elk | 60 | 2A and 2B |
| 3079 | Limited (general) | Oct 9–18 | Antlerless elk | 40 | 2A and 2B |
| 3088 | Limited (general) | Sep 11–20 | Any elk | 35 | 2A and 2B |
| 3089 | Limited (general) | Sep 25–Oct 4 | Any elk | 35 | 2A and 2B |
| 3090 | Limited (general) | Oct 9–18 | Any elk | 25 | 2A and 2B |
Pronghorn, 2026 hunts, 2026 booklet (1)
| Hunt no. | Hunt | Dates | Legal animal | Permits | Open area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | General | Sep 4–13 | Buck pronghorn | 15 | 2A |
Raptor capture, spring 2027 (13)
| Hunt no. | Hunt | Dates | Legal animal | Permits | Open area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20002 | Nonresidents only | Jan 1–Dec 31 | Eyas northern goshawk | 3 | Statewide except all Units south of the Gila River |
| 21001 | Residents only | Apr 1–Aug 31 | Eyas peregrine falcon | 5 | Statewide |
| 21002 | Nonresidents only | Apr 1–Aug 31 | Eyas peregrine falcon | 2 | Statewide |
| 22002 | Nonresidents only | Jan 1–31 May 1–Dec 31 | Passage Harris's hawk | 10 | Statewide (excluding Yuma and La Paz counties) |
| 23001 | Residents only | Jan 1–Dec 31 | Eyas or passage gray hawk | 1 | Statewide |
| Unnumbered | Residents, nonresidents | Jan 1–Dec 31 | Eyas American Kestrel, Cooper's hawk, great horned owl, prairie falcon, and western screech owl. Eyas or passage red-tailed hawk, and sharp-shinned hawk | — | Statewide |
| Unnumbered | Residents, nonresidents | Jan 1–31 May 1–Dec 31 | Passage Cooper's hawk and prairie falcon | — | Statewide |
| Unnumbered | Residents, nonresidents | Jan 1–31 Sep 15–Dec 31 | Passage and adult American kestrel, great horned owl, and western screech owl | — | Statewide |
| Unnumbered | Residents, nonresidents | Jan 1–Dec 31 | Passage merlin | — | Statewide |
| Unnumbered | Residents, nonresidents | Jan 1–Dec 31 | Passage ferruginous hawk | — | Statewide (excluding all Units north of the Gila River, excluding Units 25M and 42) |
| Unnumbered | Residents only | Jan 1–Dec 31 | Eyas Harris's hawk | 30 | Statewide (excluding Yuma and La Paz counties) |
| Unnumbered | Residents only | Jan 1–Dec 31 | Eyas northern goshawk | — | Statewide except all Units south of the Gila River |
| Unnumbered | Residents only | Jan 1–Feb 28 Jun 1–Dec 31 | Passage northern goshawk | — | Statewide except all Units south of the Gila River |
Hunt numbers, dates, legal wildlife and permits from the fall 2026 Commission Orders, the spring 2027 booklet and the 2026 pronghorn and elk booklet; draw rules on pages 22-23; checked November 7, 2026.
2025 results for Unit 2A hunts
Across 8 drawn hunts touching Unit 2A in 2025, elk came out on top: 84 taken, 206 hunters.
Multi-unit hunts are shown whole; the last column gives the unit-level line AZGFD prints for this unit, as harvest of hunters.
The 2025 elk report is labelled preliminary.
| Species | Hunt | Units | Hunters | Taken | Success | This unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer (draw) | 1002 | 2A, 2B, and 2C | 35 | 18 | 51% | 4 of 20 |
| Elk (preliminary) | 3077 | 2A and 2B | 54 | 21 | 39% | 11 of 33 |
| Elk (preliminary) | 3078 | 2A and 2B | 50 | 12 | 24% | 5 of 23 |
| Elk (preliminary) | 3079 | 2A and 2B | 31 | 11 | 35% | 2 of 20 |
| Elk (preliminary) | 3088 | 2A and 2B | 30 | 16 | 53% | 4 of 18 |
| Elk (preliminary) | 3089 | 2A and 2B | 18 | 14 | 78% | 8 of 16 |
| Elk (preliminary) | 3090 | 2A and 2B | 23 | 10 | 43% | 6 of 15 |
| Pronghorn | 2002 | 2A | 13 | 10 | 77% | Single unit |
- Bowhunters on over-the-counter tags took 3 deer in Unit 2A in 2025 (9 hunters).
- Bears reported from area 01, 02A, 02B, 02C in 2025: 17 (12 female).
- Hunters reported 6 lions in zone H during 2025, by that year's zone lines.
AZGFD 2025 harvest summaries: 2025 black bear, 2025 deer, 2025 OTC archery deer, 2025 elk (preliminary), 2025 mountain lion, 2025 pronghorn; checked November 7, 2026.
Open land to hunt across Unit 2A
Unit 2A overlaps 1 mapped public lands, from wildlife areas (0) to national forest units (0). Add Arizona State Trust Land and Bureau of Land Management Arizona public lands to the list for Unit 2A.
BLM Safford Field Office
Land records and unit overlaps from AZGFD, USFS, BLM, FWS and NPS layers (see each land page); State Trust Land needs a valid hunting license under the license rules; checked November 7, 2026.
Bases and nearby units for Unit 2A
2 towns are in or within 10 miles of Unit 2A.
- Navajo
- Apache
Nearby units with a county in common:
| Unit | Shared counties | Sq mi | Hunt numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 3A | Apache, Navajo | 772 | 16 |
| Unit 2C | Apache | 315 | 15 |
| Unit 4B | Navajo | 1,334 | 18 |
| Unit 3C | Navajo | 555 | 24 |
| Unit 3B | Apache, Navajo | 579 | 24 |
| Unit 2B | Apache | 824 | 23 |
| Unit 4A | Navajo | 753 | 19 |
| Unit 1 | Apache | 844 | 36 |
Towns and their units from Census places and the AZGFD unit layer; checked November 7, 2026.
Unit 2A hunting light by date
Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time all year, so the clock times for Unit 2A below do not jump in November or March.
| When | Marker | First light | Last light | Big and small game | Waterfowl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 2026 | Archery deer | 5:42 a.m. | 7:02 p.m. | 5:42 a.m. to 7:02 p.m. | 5:12 a.m. to 7:02 p.m. |
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 5:50 a.m. | 6:48 p.m. | 5:50 a.m. to 6:48 p.m. | 5:20 a.m. to 6:48 p.m. |
| Oct 16, 2026 | Quail opener | 6:25 a.m. | 5:44 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 5:55 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. |
| Oct 23, 2026 | General deer and waterfowl opener | 6:31 a.m. | 5:35 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:24 a.m. | 5:10 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. |
| Jan 22, 2027 | Spring javelina | 7:25 a.m. | 5:35 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. |
Hours rules from the 2026-27 Arizona Hunting Regulations (A.R.S. 17-301); sunrise and sunset worked out for this location with the NOAA solar formula (Mountain Standard Time); the AZGFD Phoenix sunrise-sunset chart; checked November 7, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Unit 2A answered
Where does Unit 2A stand on CWD surveillance?
Priority border unit with free, voluntary testing.
Does the AZGFD wolf note name Unit 2A?
Yes.
Which land pages on this site touch Unit 2A?
1 of them: BLM Safford Field Office.
What towns lie within Unit 2A?
None, but Holbrook and St. Johns lie within 10 miles.
How did draw hunters fare in Unit 2A last season?
206 hunters took 84 elk (preliminary figures).
Which trapping rules cover Unit 2A?
The statewide season, with no foothold, body-gripping or snare traps on public land.
Which counties split Unit 2A between them?
Apache and Navajo; the biggest slice of the unit falls in Apache.
Which AZGFD draw hunts are good in Unit 2A?
8 of them (1 deer, 6 elk and 1 pronghorn); the hunt number table on this page gives dates and permits.
What big game can I buy over the counter for Unit 2A?
Deer, elk, javelina, black bear and mountain lion; archery deer, bear and lion stop when their limits are met.
When does bear hunting stop in Unit 2A?
At the season end, or sooner once the female limit of 62 (1, 2A, 2B, 2C, 27) is reported.
Which lion harvest zone takes in Unit 2A?
Zone H, with a threshold of 7.
Answers drawn from the AZGFD sources cited on this page; checked November 7, 2026.