Predator and furbearer
Ringtail in Arizona: 2026-27 Seasons, Units and Tags
Every 2026-27 Arizona window for ringtails: dates, units, limits, draw or over-the-counter tags and the 2025 numbers where AZGFD has them.
Photo: PierreSelim (CC BY 3.0)
Arizona ringtails: the short version
Arizona lists 3 dated rows for ringtails this cycle, and the earliest windows are general predators on August 1, 2026, shotgun shot predators on August 1, 2026 and trapping on November 1, 2026. Statewide coverage is the rule for ringtails; what changes from row to row is the method and the excluded areas.
From 2026-27 hunting regulations and trapping leaflet (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
The ringtails bag in Arizona
Limits are quoted as AZGFD prints them, because a paraphrase of a bag rule for ringtails is how mistakes start.
| Rule | Booklet text |
|---|---|
| Hunting: bag limit | Unlimited. In the “pursuit-only” season an individual shall not kill or capture any mammal. |
| Hunting: possession limit | Unlimited. In the “pursuit-only” season an individual shall not kill or capture any mammal. |
| Trapping: bag limit | Unlimited. |
| Trapping: possession limit | Unlimited. |
From bag limit text and bag limit text (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Ringtail hunts in the AZGFD booklets
Read across: hunt type, legal animal, how the tag is issued, dates and the units where the row is valid.
| Hunt type | Legal wildlife | Tag | When | Units | Tags or cap | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General predators | Bobcat, foxes, ringtail, weasel and badger | License | Aug 1–Mar 31, 2027 | Statewide
| – | |
| Shotgun shot predators | Raccoon, bobcat, foxes, ringtail, weasel and badger | License | Aug 1–Mar 31, 2027 | Statewide | – | |
| Trapping | Coyote, bobcat, foxes, ringtail, badger, raccoon, skunks, and weasels | Trapping | Nov 1–Feb 28, 2027 | Statewide
| – |
From 2026-27 hunting regulations and trapping leaflet (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Getting a ringtail tag in Arizona
| Kind | Rows | Permits | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| License | 2 | – | License only |
| Trapping | 1 | – | Trapping license |
Licenses cover ringtails directly; the bonus point draw never applies to them.
From draw rules, 2026-27 regulations, nonpermit-tag rules, 2026-27 hunting regulations and trapping leaflet (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Where the ringtail rows apply
Units, not counties, define where a ringtail tag works. Below, each county shows how many rows have units inside it and which of its units carry ringtails.
| County | Rows | Draw | OTC | Units with rows | 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.
Arizona weapon rules for ringtails
Weapon rules for ringtails differ by season type; carrying an unlisted weapon is lawful only if it is not used to take wildlife.
| Season | Permitted | Prohibited |
|---|---|---|
| Limited weapon-shotgun shooting shot (turkey, small game, predators) |
|
|
| Trapping |
|
|
How each ringtail row reads
| 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.
Buying a ringtail license in Arizona
Licenses are sold online, at Department offices and by more than 150 dealers; they are not mailed.
| Item | Resident or not | Fee | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Arizona rules for ringtail hunters
Rules picked for ringtails from the regulations, the Commission rules and Title 17; the laws page covers the rest.
| Topic | Wording |
|---|---|
| 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). |
| 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. |
| 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. |
From tagging and reporting, Laws and Rules Book and common violations (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Where to hunt ringtails on public ground
Where to start looking for ringtails on public land, picked by unit overlap and size. Posted closures still apply inside every one of them.
Unit 7, Unit 9 and Unit 10 of the ringtail rows reach BLM Hassayampa Field Office.
For ringtails, Las Cienegas National Conservation Area covers Unit 34A, Unit 34B and Unit 35A.
BLM Tucson Field Office overlaps Unit 24A, Unit 30B and Unit 31 on the ringtail list.
BLM Lake Havasu Field Office takes in Unit 15D, Unit 16A and Unit 16B, where ringtails have rows.
Coal Mine Spring Wildlife Area takes in Unit 34A, where ringtails have rows.
White Mountain Grasslands Wildlife Area lies in Unit 1 of the ringtail rows.
Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area takes in Unit 28, where ringtails have rows.
Unit 21 of the ringtail rows reach Agua Fria National Monument.
From AZGFD and agency land layers (Arizona Game and Fish Department), checked November 7, 2026.
Ringtail opener sunrise and sunset
How much hunting light the ringtail openers give, east and west times differ by a few minutes.
From sunrise to sunset is the legal window for ringtails, read here for three county centres.
| Date | Maricopa County centre | Coconino County centre | Pima County centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2026 | 5:42 a.m.–7:31 p.m. | 5:34 a.m.–7:33 p.m. | 5:42 a.m.–7:26 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | 6:48 a.m.–5:39 p.m. | 6:48 a.m.–5:33 p.m. | 6:43 a.m.–5:38 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.
Ringtail questions
Are reservations open for ringtails?
Tribal governments set hunting rules on their own land, so the ringtail rows here never apply on a reservation.
Can ringtails be hunted on Sunday in Arizona?
Arizona never closes ringtails by day of the week; only the dates in each row matter.
Is trapping allowed for ringtails on public land?
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.
Which ringtail season opens first in Arizona?
AZGFD opens ringtails with general predators on August 1, 2026, shotgun shot predators on August 1, 2026 and trapping on November 1, 2026; later windows and the closing dates follow in the 3 rows above.
What is the bag limit for ringtails in Arizona?
Limit wording: Unlimited. In the “pursuit-only” season an individual shall not kill or capture any mammal.
What do I buy to hunt ringtails?
A hunting or combination license. Prices: $37 resident hunting, $57 resident combination, $160 nonresident combination, $5 youth.
Where are ringtails open in Arizona?
The main row reads “Statewide (excluding National Wildlife Refuges and Units 11M, 25M, 26M, and 38M)”. Tribal land stays closed unless the tribe allows hunting.
Which methods of take apply to ringtails?
Lawful under R12-4-304: Shotguns shooting shot, crossbow, bow and arrow; for small game also pneumatic weapons, slingshots and falconry. Archery-only and HAM rows restrict this further.
Is there a sunrise rule for ringtails?
Hunt ringtails between sunrise and sunset. The legal hours page works the clock times out for each county.
Do I have to wear orange while hunting ringtails?
There is no requirement. Orange in Arizona law refers to painted posts on posted land, not to what ringtail hunters wear.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Department of Agriculture (Public domain); Bureau of Land Management Arizona (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Bureau of Land Management (CC BY 2.0).