Arizona › Species › Northern Bobwhite
Other birds and mammals
Hunting Northern Bobwhite in Arizona (2026-27)
Arizona northern bobwhites in one place: 3 dated rows, the limits, the weapons allowed and where the units fall.
Photo: ilouque (CC BY 2.0)
Northern Bobwhite season snapshot, 2026-27
The AZGFD booklets hold 3 rows for northern bobwhites; going by first day, the calendar starts with falconry-only other birds & mammals on July 1, 2026, general other birds & mammals on July 1, 2026 and shotgun shot other birds & mammals on July 1, 2026. Each of those rows is statewide in reach, apart from the exclusions printed in the open-area column (refuges and metro units are the usual ones).
From 2026-27 hunting regulations (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
GearHeading out for small game season? Small game gear checklist →
Northern Bobwhite bag and possession limits
Below is the exact wording for northern bobwhites; where Arizona counts by calendar year or lifetime rather than by day, the text says so.
| Limit | AZGFD wording |
|---|---|
| Bag limit | Unlimited, except for coati which is one (1) per calendar year, and black-tailed or antelope jackrabbits, which have a bag limit of 2 per day in the aggregate. House (English) sparrows, European starlings and mammals of the Orders Rodentia (except beaver, black-tailed prairie dog, muskrat, porcupine or tree squirrel) and Insectivora may be taken alive and held in captivity pursuant to R12-4-404. |
| Possession limit | Unlimited, except for coati which is one (1) per calendar year and black-tailed or antelope jackrabbits, which have a possession limit of 6 in the aggregate. |
From bag limit text (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Every 2026-27 bobwhite season row
Sorted by opening day. Draw rows give the permit total; nonpermit rows give a unit harvest limit where AZGFD sets one.
| Window | Animal | How issued | Dates | Where | Permits or cap | Open? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falconry-only other birds & mammals | House (English) sparrow, European starling, Northern bobwhite | License | Jul 1–Jun 30, 2027 | Statewide | – | |
| General other birds & mammals | House (English) sparrow, European starling, Northern bobwhite | License | Jul 1–Jun 30, 2027 | Statewide
| – | |
| Shotgun shot other birds & mammals | House (English) sparrow, European starling, Northern bobwhite | License | Jul 1–Jun 30, 2027 | Statewide | – |
From 2026-27 hunting regulations (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Northern Bobwhite permits and deadlines
| Tag | Rows | Tags printed | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| License | 3 | – | License only |
Nothing is drawn and no tag is sold for northern bobwhites: the license (plus any stamp the table names) is the whole requirement.
From draw rules, 2026-27 regulations, nonpermit-tag rules and 2026-27 hunting regulations (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Northern Bobwhite units across Arizona
Because Arizona units follow ridges, roads and rivers, the counties below are reached by the units in the rows, sometimes only by a slice.
| County | Rows reaching it | Draw | OTC | Its units | AZGFD region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apache | 3 | 0 | 0 | I Pinetop | |
| Cochise | 3 | 0 | 0 | V Tucson | |
| Coconino | 3 | 0 | 0 | II Flagstaff | |
| Gila | 3 | 0 | 0 | VI Mesa | |
| Graham | 3 | 0 | 0 | V Tucson | |
| Greenlee | 3 | 0 | 0 | I Pinetop | |
| La Paz | 3 | 0 | 0 | IV Yuma | |
| Maricopa | 3 | 0 | 0 | IV Yuma | |
| Mohave | 3 | 0 | 0 | III Kingman | |
| Navajo | 3 | 0 | 0 | I Pinetop | |
| Pima | 3 | 0 | 0 | V Tucson | |
| Pinal | 3 | 0 | 0 | V Tucson | |
| Santa Cruz | 3 | 0 | 0 | V Tucson | |
| Yavapai | 3 | 0 | 0 | III Kingman | |
| Yuma | 3 | 0 | 0 | IV Yuma |
From unit maps, AZGFD unit layer and 2026-27 hunting regulations (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Lawful gear for northern bobwhites
Each season type has its own legal list. Smart devices, night vision and thermal sights are never lawful while taking wildlife in Arizona.
| Group | Legal methods | Not allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Limited weapon-shotgun shooting shot (turkey, small game, predators) |
|
|
Weapon lines in the bobwhite rows
| 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.
Northern Bobwhite license prices
Fees below are for 2026-27; nonresidents buy the combination license, the only general hunting license sold to them.
| License or tag | Who | Price | Valid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
From 2026 fee table (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Northern Bobwhite: tagging, reporting and conduct
These are the Arizona rules most likely to matter on a bobwhite hunt, quoted closely from AZGFD.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Other weapons | Possessing weapons not authorized for the season is allowed if they are not used to take wildlife; taking wildlife with them is a class 1 misdemeanor. |
| Vehicles | No taking wildlife or discharging a firearm or other device from a motor vehicle, aircraft, powerboat or sailboat except as the Commission permits; no shooting upon, from, across or into a road or railway. |
From tagging and reporting, Laws and Rules Book and common violations (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Northern Bobwhite country on public land
Each card is a public place in a unit with bobwhite rows; acreage is a GIS measure, not an official figure.
Agua Fria National Monument takes in Unit 21, where northern bobwhites have rows.
Coconino National Forest overlaps Unit 5A, Unit 5B and Unit 6A on the bobwhite list.
Unit 15A, Unit 15B and Unit 15C of the bobwhite rows reach BLM Kingman Field Office.
White Mountain Grasslands Wildlife Area: Unit 1 carry bobwhite rows.
San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area: Unit 30B, Unit 34B and Unit 35A carry bobwhite rows.
For northern bobwhites, Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area covers Unit 28.
Planet Ranch Conservation and Wildlife Area: Unit 16A and Unit 44A carry bobwhite rows.
BLM Lower Sonoran Field Office takes in Unit 24A, Unit 24B and Unit 25M, where northern bobwhites have rows.
From AZGFD and agency land layers (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Legal hours for bobwhite openers
Times for the first bobwhite days of the season at three county centres, computed with the NOAA formula.
Legal light for northern bobwhites begins at sunrise and ends at sunset, Mountain Standard Time.
| Date | Maricopa County centre | Coconino County centre | Pima County centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1, 2026 | 5:23 a.m.–7:43 p.m. | 5:14 a.m.–7:47 p.m. | 5:24 a.m.–7:37 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.
Questions about northern bobwhites in Arizona
How may northern bobwhites be taken?
Shotguns shooting shot, crossbow, bow and arrow; for small game also pneumatic weapons, slingshots and falconry. That is the limited weapon-shotgun shooting shot (turkey, small game, predators) list; check each row for archery or limited-weapon windows.
Does Arizona split northern bobwhites into zones?
Open area as printed: “Open areas Statewide (excluding National Wildlife Refuges, Units 11M, 25M, 26M, 38M, and portions of Units 20B and 42)”. Refuges and metro units are the usual exclusions.
Does Arizona have a clothing-color rule for bobwhite hunters?
None applies to northern bobwhites. Many hunters still wear some orange in units with a lot of rifle traffic.
How late can I hunt northern bobwhites?
No night hunting for northern bobwhites; legal light is sunrise to sunset under A.R.S. 17-301.
Are there day-of-week limits on northern bobwhites?
Yes, northern bobwhites may be hunted on Sundays. Arizona law sets no day-of-week rule.
Does my Arizona license cover northern bobwhites on a reservation?
Only with the tribe’s own permission and permit. Tribal land, 28 percent of Arizona, is closed to state-licensed hunting for northern bobwhites, and entering to hunt without permission is a federal offense (18 U.S.C. 1165).
How many northern bobwhites may one hunter take?
The Commission Order reads: Unlimited, except for coati which is one (1) per calendar year, and black-tailed or antelope jackrabbits, which have a bag limit of 2 per day in the aggregate. House (English) sparrows, European starlings and mammals of the Orders Rodentia (except beaver, black-tailed prairie dog, muskrat, porcupine or tree squirrel) and Insectivora may be taken alive and held in captivity pursuant to R12-4-404.
What dates does AZGFD set for northern bobwhites?
Earliest dates: falconry-only other birds & mammals on July 1, 2026, general other birds & mammals on July 1, 2026 and shotgun shot other birds & mammals on July 1, 2026. The other rows, sorted by first day, sit in the season table.
Which license does AZGFD require for northern bobwhites?
You need a hunting or combination license; there is no draw. Youth 10 to 17 buy the $5 youth combination license.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); Bureau of Land Management (CC BY 2.0); Bureau of Land Management Arizona (Public Domain Mark 1.0).