Arizona over-the-counter nonpermit-tags available for nonresidents

PHOENIX — After completing its verification process, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) will make 102 over-the-counter nonpermit-tags available for purchase to nonresident archery deer hunters for the 2023 calendar year beginning at 8 a.m. (Arizona time) Friday, Dec. 16.

The archery deer nonpermit-tags will only be sold online — on a first come, first served basis — at OtcArcheryDeer.azgfd.gov. The archery deer nonpermit-tags for nonresidents are no longer sold at third-party license dealers. 

Nonresidents with a Pioneer, Lifetime, or Benefactor license must purchase their archery deer nonpermit-tag from any department office or by mail (mail order form). The nonpermit-tags will not be available at licensed dealers or online. 

As a reminder, a resident hunter may purchase an archery deer nonpermit-tag at any third-party license dealer or department office statewide. There are no restrictions on the total number of archery deer nonpermit-tags available to Arizona residents.

A few additional reminders affecting both nonresident and resident hunters:

A valid 2023 archery deer nonpermit-tag is required to hunt all open seasons during the 2023 calendar year. These seasons include Jan. 1-31, 2023; Aug. 18-Sept. 7, 2023; and Dec. 8-31, 2023. Check online at www.azgfd.gov/ArcheryDeerReport for open areas; open areas will close when harvest limits are met. Some units have already reached their harvest limit and are closed for the January 2023 season.

Harvest limits now apply to all archery deer hunts in Arizona. Harvest limits apply to hunts between August and January; they will reset each year in August. When the number of deer equaling the archery deer harvest limit for a unit and species has been reported, the unit will close to further archery deer hunting at sundown on the immediate Wednesday. The unit will remain closed until August of the next calendar year.

All over-the-counter archery deer hunters are required to report their harvest either online (www.azgfd.gov/ArcheryDeerReport) or by telephone (623-236-7961) within 48 hours of taking their deer.

Season dates for over-the-counter, nonpermit-tag archery deer seasons vary by unit and may be: Aug. 19-Sept. 8, 2022; Dec. 9-31, 2022; and/or Jan. 1-31, 2023. Not all units are open for all time frames; hunters should check the status of harvest limits online (www.azgfd.gov/ArcheryDeerReport). The harvest limits have been reached in some units and these units are closed until the August 2023 season. Archery deer hunters are responsible for checking if their desired hunt unit is still open prior to hunting.

The bag limit is one deer per calendar year. If a hunter harvests a deer during the over-the-counter archery season, that hunter may not take another deer (archery or general hunts) during that calendar year.

A physical inspection is not required of a harvested animal taken during the over-the-counter archery deer season.

AZGFD is strictly enforcing all changes, including failure to report a harvest and hunting in a closed unit.