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Big game
Mountain Lion Seasons in Arizona, 2026-27
The Arizona mountain lion calendar: 3 rows from the Commission Orders, plus licenses, rules and public land in the units.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Mountain Lion hunting by the numbers
Counting every Commission Order line, mountain lions carry 3 season rows; the first to open are archery-only mountain lion on August 21, 2026, general mountain lion on August 21, 2026 and pursuit-only mountain lion on August 21, 2026. Beyond the statewide rows, 4 units carry rows of their own for mountain lions.
From 2026-27 hunting regulations (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
Arizona mountain lion limits, word for word
For mountain lions the Commission Order sets the numbers below; the possession line, when there is one, governs what you carry home.
| Limit type | Commission Order text |
|---|---|
| Bag limit | One (1) mountain lion per calendar year. |
| Genus rule | A person may buy hunt permit-tags up to the bag limit for a genus and may not apply for more once the bag limit for that genus is met in the calendar year (R12-4-114(D)). |
From bag limit text and Laws and Rules Book (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Mountain Lion season dates and units
Dates as printed by AZGFD for mountain lions; a row with two date ranges has a break in the middle.
| Season | Legal animal | Tag kind | Dates | Game units | Quota | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery-only mountain lion | Any lion except spotted kittens or females accompanied by spotted kittens | OTC tag | Aug 21–May 31, 2027 | – | ||
| General mountain lion | Any lion except spotted kittens or females accompanied by spotted kittens | OTC tag | Aug 21–May 31, 2027 | Statewide
| – | |
| Pursuit-only mountain lion | Pursuit of any lion except spotted kittens or females accompanied by spotted kittens | OTC tag | Aug 21–May 31, 2027 | Statewide
| – |
From 2026-27 hunting regulations (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Draw or over the counter for mountain lions
| Tag type | Count | Permits | Obtained by |
|---|---|---|---|
| OTC tag | 3 | – | Nonpermit-tag, buy direct |
Over the counter: 3 rows for mountain lions, bought from license dealers or Department offices, with 0 capped by a harvest limit.
From draw rules, 2026-27 regulations, nonpermit-tag rules and 2026-27 hunting regulations (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Mountain Lion by unit and county
| Unit | AZGFD region | Main counties | All rows | Draw rows | OTC rows | Pop. mgmt rows | Permits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11M | II Flagstaff | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 25M | VI Mesa | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 26M | VI Mesa | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 38M | V Tucson | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – |
A county appears here when at least one mountain lion row has a unit inside it. Tribal land within those counties stays closed to state-licensed hunting.
| County | Rows | Draw rows | OTC rows | Units here | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apache | 2 | 0 | 2 | I Pinetop | |
| Cochise | 2 | 0 | 2 | V Tucson | |
| Coconino | 3 | 0 | 3 | II Flagstaff | |
| Gila | 2 | 0 | 2 | VI Mesa | |
| Graham | 2 | 0 | 2 | V Tucson | |
| Greenlee | 2 | 0 | 2 | I Pinetop | |
| La Paz | 2 | 0 | 2 | IV Yuma | |
| Maricopa | 3 | 0 | 3 | IV Yuma | |
| Mohave | 2 | 0 | 2 | III Kingman | |
| Navajo | 2 | 0 | 2 | I Pinetop | |
| Pima | 3 | 0 | 3 | V Tucson | |
| Pinal | 3 | 0 | 3 | V Tucson | |
| Santa Cruz | 2 | 0 | 2 | V Tucson | |
| Yavapai | 2 | 0 | 2 | III Kingman | |
| Yuma | 2 | 0 | 2 | IV Yuma |
From unit maps, AZGFD unit layer and 2026-27 hunting regulations (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
2025 numbers for Arizona mountain lions
The best 2025 mountain lion rows by animals taken came from ; remember success also depends on permits and hunters.
2025 mountain lion harvest by zone, best by harvest
| Zone (2025) | Hunter harvest | With dogs | Males | Females | Other take |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 64 | 35 | 39 | 24 | – |
| J | 55 | 29 | 35 | 19 | 3 |
| M | 39 | 22 | 24 | 14 | 2 |
| F | 38 | 33 | 18 | 20 | 1 |
| K | 29 | 23 | 20 | 9 | – |
| E | 24 | 19 | 17 | 7 | – |
| G1 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 7 | 1 |
| G2 | 19 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 1 |
| D | 17 | 15 | 8 | 8 | – |
| B | 11 | 11 | 8 | 3 | – |
From 2025 mountain lion harvest by zone (AZGFD) (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Legal weapons for mountain lions
The weapon list depends on the row: general, archery-only, muzzleloader, HAM or limited weapon. The table gives the AZGFD summary for each type that applies to mountain lions.
| Method group | Allowed | Banned |
|---|---|---|
| General big game seasons |
|
|
| Archery-only |
|
|
Mountain Lion rows: method wording
| Method as printed | Rows |
|---|---|
| 1 |
| 1 |
| 1 |
From legal methods, 2026-27 regulations and Laws and Rules Book (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
What it costs to hunt mountain lions
Prices are the 2026 AZGFD fees; draw tag prices already include the $13 resident or $15 nonresident application fee.
| License | For | Fee | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Mountain Lion nonpermit-tag | Resident | $15 | Calendar year / season on the tag |
| Mountain Lion nonpermit-tag | Nonresident | $75 | Calendar year / season on the tag |
| Mountain Lion Pursuit-only Permit | Resident | $20 | Calendar year / season on the tag |
| Mountain Lion Pursuit-only Permit | Nonresident | $100 | Calendar year / season on the tag |
Required only for youth under 14 to hunt big game (they must carry the card and license in the field). Youth under 14 may enter the draw without it but must finish before the hunt. Out-of-state certifications are accepted.
From 2026 fee table (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Rules on the ground for mountain lions
What AZGFD expects of mountain lion hunters in the field, from tagging to reporting.
| Rule | Text |
|---|---|
| Baiting | Unlawful to use edible or ingestible substances to aid in taking big game (placing them or knowingly hunting over them); water, salt and livestock salt or supplements placed in normal livestock operations are allowed (R12-4-303(A)(7)-(8)). Unlawful to use any lure, attractant or cover scent containing cervid urine (R12-4-303(A)(3)(c)). |
| Tagging | Tag big game immediately (paper tag or E-Tag); a carcass of big game may not be possessed or transported without a valid tag attached; wildlife in possession must be identifiable as to species and legality. |
| Reporting | Report online at www.azgfd.gov/harvestreports (or in person) within 48 hours; within 10 days present the skull and hide with proof of sex, unfrozen, for inspection (premolar removed; lion teat measured). From fall 2026 reports are online only. |
| Dogs | Big game may not be taken with dogs except bear (August 1-December 31) and mountain lion; the hunter must be present for the whole hunt; pursuit-only seasons for lion and raccoon. |
| Daylong hours | Some seasons have daylong hours (the 24 hours midnight to midnight): raccoon August 1, 2026-March 31, 2027 statewide outside the metro units and refuges, and coyote December 1, 2026-May 31, 2027 in listed units. Artificial light may be used for raccoon, and for coyote and mountain lion during daylong seasons, if it is not attached to or operated from a vehicle or boat (R12-4-304). |
| Mexican wolf | Mexican wolves may be present in Units 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, 3A, 3B, 3C, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11M, 22N, 22S, 23N, 23S, 27, 29 and 30A or near the US-Mexico border. Unlawful killing is a violation of A.R.S. 17-309(A)(10) with a minimum $8,000 civil assessment and up to five years lost privileges, plus federal penalties. |
| Water holes | Unlawful to camp within 1/4 mile of a natural water hole or man-made watering facility containing water where wildlife or stock would be denied the only reasonably available water. |
| Accidents | Render assistance; report a fatality to the nearest law enforcement officer immediately; file a report with AZGFD within 10 days for any hunting accident. |
From tagging and reporting, Laws and Rules Book and common violations (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Open land inside the mountain lion units
Public land whose units appear in the mountain lion rows, largest first. Acreage is the GIS figure in the land record, and each place keeps its own closures.
Arizona State Trust Land lies in Unit 11M, Unit 25M and Unit 26M of the mountain lion rows.
BLM Lower Sonoran Field Office takes in Unit 25M and Unit 26M, where mountain lions have rows.
BLM Hassayampa Field Office: Unit 25M and Unit 26M carry mountain lion rows.
For mountain lions, Coconino National Forest covers Unit 11M.
For mountain lions, BLM Tucson Field Office covers Unit 38M.
Unit 38M of the mountain lion rows reach Tucson Mountain Wildlife Area.
For mountain lions, Robbins Butte Wildlife Area covers Unit 26M.
Base and Meridian Wildlife Area lies in Unit 26M of the mountain lion rows.
From AZGFD and agency land layers (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Shooting light on mountain lion openers
Arizona keeps Mountain Standard Time all year, so these mountain lion opener times never shift for daylight saving.
The sunrise-to-sunset rule covers mountain lions, so short December days shrink the window.
| Date | Maricopa County centre | Coconino County centre | Pima County centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 2026 | 5:56 a.m.–7:11 p.m. | 5:50 a.m.–7:11 p.m. | 5:55 a.m.–7:06 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | 7:30 a.m.–5:26 p.m. | 7:33 a.m.–5:17 p.m. | 7:24 a.m.–5:26 p.m. |
Hours rule from the 2026-27 Arizona Hunting Regulations; times worked out with the NOAA solar formula (Mountain Standard Time); AZGFD sunrise-sunset chart; checked November 7, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Common questions on mountain lions
Where are mountain lions reported?
Report online at www.azgfd.gov/harvestreports (or in person) within 48 hours; within 10 days present the skull and hide with proof of sex, unfrozen, for inspection (premolar removed; lion teat measured). From fall 2026 reports are online only.
Do any weekday rules apply to mountain lions?
Yes. Arizona has no Sunday restriction, so every mountain lion row runs straight through its dates.
Is there harvest data for Arizona mountain lions?
The AZGFD report (2025 mountain lion harvest by zone) adds up to 330.
What is the dog rule for mountain lions?
Big game may not be taken with dogs except bear (August 1-December 31) and mountain lion; the hunter must be present for the whole hunt; pursuit-only seasons for lion and raccoon.
What does AZGFD allow per hunter for mountain lions?
Per the booklet, one (1) mountain lion per calendar year.
When do mountain lions seasons open in Arizona?
The calendar begins with archery-only mountain lion on August 21, 2026, general mountain lion on August 21, 2026 and pursuit-only mountain lion on August 21, 2026, and the full set of 3 rows is above.
Are any units closed to mountain lions?
No zones. The open area is “Statewide (including Buenos Aires and Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuges; excluding all other National Wildlife Refuges, Mohave County Park Lands, and Units 11M, 25M, 26M, 38M)”.
Draw or OTC for mountain lions?
By row type: 3 otc tag. Draw rows need a hunt permit-tag from the AZGFD draw; OTC rows take a nonpermit-tag bought from a license dealer or Department office.
Can mountain lions be hunted at night in Arizona?
Mountain lions may be taken in daylight hours, which AZGFD reads from its sunrise and sunset chart, unless a Commission Order says otherwise.
Can I use a rifle on mountain lions in Arizona?
AZGFD weapon rules: Centerfire rifles and handguns, muzzleloading rifles and handguns, black-powder rifles, shotguns with slugs, pre-charged pneumatic weapons .35 caliber+ (.40 caliber+ and 500 foot-pounds for elk and bison), bows 30 lb+ (40 lb+ bison) and crossbows 125 lb+ with 7/8 inch broadheads; .22 and 5 mm rimfire magnum and atlatls also for javelina; shot also for lion and turkey. Night vision, thermal devices and visible lasers are never lawful while taking wildlife.
Is tribal land part of the mountain lion season?
Reservations are outside the AZGFD season for mountain lions; contact the tribe, which decides whether and how its land may be hunted.
What does Arizona say about orange clothing for mountain lions?
Not for mountain lions. The only orange the Arizona rule book mentions is paint on posts that mark private land closed to hunting.
Other photos on this page: Bureau of Land Management (CC BY 2.0); Bureau of Land Management Arizona (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Department of Agriculture (Public domain).