Arizona › Hunting seasons › Units › Unit 43A
Game Management Unit · 944 sq mi
Unit 43A hunt guide for 2026-27
944 square miles across La Paz County and Yuma County, with 2 drawn hunt numbers and 79 season rows that name this unit.
Photo: Chris M Morris (CC BY 2.0)
Unit 43A at a glance
Unit 43A is one of the units in AZGFD Region IV (Yuma). It runs to 944 square miles, with La Paz County holding the biggest share at 94%.
Unit 43A straddles 2 county lines. The split by area is La Paz 94% and Yuma 6%.
| Where | Sq mi | Unit % | County % |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Paz County | 885.9 | 94% | 20% |
| Yuma County | 55.8 | 6% | 1% |
Unit 43A mixes BLM, Game & Fish, Military, Other, Private, State Trust Land, Tribal and Wildlife Refuge ground, per the land ownership field AZGFD keeps for each unit. 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 43A. Call the Yuma office about the military land in Unit 43A.
AZGFD's unit layer lists Bighorn Sheep, Mule Deer, Dove, Quail and Waterfowl for Unit 43A; 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 43A
- Bowhunters on an OTC deer tag share a unit limit here of any antlered deer 40; report a deer online within 48 hours.
- AZGFD prints no female bear limit for Unit 43A.
- Report any lion from Unit 43A within 48 hours; it counts toward zone L, threshold 3 plus a female threshold of 1.
- CWD has not been detected in Arizona, and Unit 43A is not one of the 16 priority border units; free testing is still available.
- Unit 43A is not on the AZGFD list of Mexican wolf units.
- Trapping in Unit 43A 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 43A season row
Unit 43A appears in 79 season rows. 5 of them sell over the counter and 2 run as population management hunts.
Population management tags go to hunters in the Supplemental Hunter Pool when AZGFD calls a hunt.
Draw tags (2)
| Species | Hunt | Legal animal | Dates | Hunt numbers here | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | General | Any antlered deer | Nov 6–15 | 1071 | |
| Desert bighorn | General | Any ram | Dec 1–31 | 6041 |
No draw needed (5)
| Species | Hunt | Legal animal | Area | Dates | Harvest limit | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery-only | Any antlered deer | 43A, 43B, 44A, and 44B | Dec 11–31 Jan 1–31 | 40 | |
| Javelina | General | Any javelina | 39 | Jan 1–Dec 31 | — | |
| Javelina | General spring | Any javelina | 39 | Jan 1–Dec 31 | — | |
| 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 (2)
| Species | Hunt | Legal animal | Area | Dates | Tags | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery-only | Designated deer | 43A | Jan 1–Dec 31 | 50 | |
| Deer | General | Designated deer | 43A | Jan 1–Dec 31 | 50 |
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 43A
2 drawn hunts include Unit 43A, with 453 permits between them; deer (mule deer and white-tailed deer) has the most (1). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1071 | General | Nov 6–15 | Any antlered deer | 450 | 43A, 43B, 44A, and 44B (Special Restrictions Apply – See Note 7) |
Desert bighorn, fall 2026 (1)
| Hunt no. | Hunt | Dates | Legal animal | Permits | Open area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6041 | General | Dec 1–31 | Any ram | 3 | 43A (Special Restrictions Apply – See Note 7) |
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 43A hunts
Across 2 drawn hunts touching Unit 43A in 2025, deer came out on top: 88 taken, 355 hunters.
Multi-unit hunts are shown whole; the last column gives the unit-level line AZGFD prints for this unit, as harvest of hunters.
| Species | Hunt | Units | Hunters | Taken | Success | This unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer (draw) | 1071 | 43A, 43B, 44A, and 44B | 355 | 88 | 25% | 17 of 88 |
| Bighorn sheep | 6037 | 43A | 2 | 2 | 100% | Single unit |
- Bowhunters on over-the-counter tags took 3 deer in Unit 43A in 2025 (74 hunters).
- Hunters reported 1 lions in zone L during 2025, by that year's zone lines.
AZGFD 2025 harvest summaries: 2025 bighorn sheep, 2025 deer, 2025 OTC archery deer, 2025 mountain lion; checked November 7, 2026.
Open land to hunt across Unit 43A
Unit 43A overlaps 6 mapped public lands, from wildlife areas (1) to national forest units (0). Add Arizona State Trust Land, Bureau of Land Management Arizona public lands and Bureau of Reclamation lands in Arizona to the list for Unit 43A.
BLM Lake Havasu Field Office
BLM Yuma Field Office
U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge
Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge
Cibola Valley Conservation and Wildlife Area
Only in Unit 43A
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 43A
4 towns are in or within 10 miles of Unit 43A.
- La Paz
- La Paz
- La Paz
- La Paz
Nearby units with a county in common:
| Unit | Shared counties | Sq mi | Hunt numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 43B | La Paz, Yuma | 861 | 8 |
| Unit 44B | La Paz | 639 | 10 |
| Unit 45A | La Paz, Yuma | 322 | 9 |
| Unit 45B | La Paz, Yuma | 417 | 9 |
| Unit 45C | Yuma | 302 | 9 |
| Unit 44A | La Paz | 2,360 | 11 |
| Unit 46B | Yuma | 713 | 8 |
| Unit 41 | La Paz, Yuma | 2,837 | 10 |
Towns and their units from Census places and the AZGFD unit layer; checked November 7, 2026.
Unit 43A hunting light by date
Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time all year, so the clock times for Unit 43A below do not jump in November or March.
| When | Marker | First light | Last light | Big and small game | Waterfowl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:11 a.m. | 7:05 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 7:05 p.m. | 5:41 a.m. to 7:05 p.m. |
| Oct 16, 2026 | Quail opener | 6:42 a.m. | 6:04 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 6:04 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 6:04 p.m. |
| Oct 23, 2026 | Waterfowl opener | 6:48 a.m. | 5:56 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 5:56 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. to 5:56 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | General deer | 7:00 a.m. | 5:43 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. |
| Dec 11, 2026 | Archery deer | 7:32 a.m. | 5:31 p.m. | 7:32 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:38 a.m. | 5:34 p.m. | 7:38 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Spring javelina | 7:42 a.m. | 5:40 p.m. | 7:42 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 5:40 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 43A answered
What towns lie within Unit 43A?
Cibola and La Paz Valley.
How did draw hunters fare in Unit 43A last season?
355 hunters took 88 deer.
May I use foothold traps in Unit 43A?
Not on public land.
Which counties split Unit 43A between them?
La Paz and Yuma; the biggest slice of the unit falls in La Paz.
Which AZGFD draw hunts are good in Unit 43A?
2 of them (1 deer and 1 desert bighorn); the hunt number table on this page gives dates and permits.
What big game can I buy over the counter for Unit 43A?
Deer, javelina and mountain lion; archery deer, bear and lion stop when their limits are met.
Which lion harvest zone takes in Unit 43A?
Zone L, with a threshold of 3, female threshold 1.
Where does Unit 43A stand on CWD surveillance?
Not a priority unit; testing is voluntary.
Does the AZGFD wolf note name Unit 43A?
No.
Where can I find public ground in Unit 43A?
6 land records reach it, led by BLM Lake Havasu Field Office, BLM Yuma Field Office and U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground.
Answers drawn from the AZGFD sources cited on this page; checked November 7, 2026.