Arizona Public Land Hunting: Complete Map
Arizona public land covers 43% of the state but the rules differ by agency. Here's the complete guide to hunting National Forest, BLM, and State Trust lands.
Arizona is 43% public land. That’s enough ground to support endless hunting, but the rules differ across agencies — National Forest, BLM, State Trust, and tribal land each operate under different regulations, fee structures, and access protocols. For nonresident hunters, understanding the distinctions between these land types is the difference between a productive scout and an embarrassing trespass violation.
This is the working guide to hunting Arizona public land.
Quick Facts: Arizona Public Land
| Land Type | Share of State | Access Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| National Forest | ~25% | Open to hunters with valid Arizona license |
| BLM | ~15% | Open to hunters with valid Arizona license |
| State Trust Land | ~10% | Requires Arizona recreational use permit |
| Tribal Lands | ~27% | Tribal permits required (if hunting allowed at all) |
| National Parks | ~5% | Hunting generally prohibited |
| Wildlife Refuges | Less than 1% | Varies; some open, some closed |
Disclaimer: Boundaries and access rules are updated periodically. Verify specific area access at azgfd.com, blm.gov, and fs.usda.gov before hunting.
National Forest Lands
Arizona has six national forests covering approximately 11 million acres: Apache-Sitgreaves, Coconino, Coronado, Kaibab, Prescott, and Tonto. These are the dominant hunting lands in the state and cover most of the productive big-game units.
Access: Open to any hunter with a valid Arizona hunting license and any required tags. No additional permits required for hunting.
Motorized access: Varies by forest and area. Travel management plans restrict vehicle use to designated roads and trails. Off-road travel is generally prohibited.
Camping: Dispersed camping widely permitted. Standard Forest Service rules apply (stay duration limits, fire restrictions during dry periods).
Roads: Extensive Forest Service road networks. MVUMs (Motor Vehicle Use Maps) show legal access routes and must be consulted before driving off pavement.
BLM Lands
The Bureau of Land Management administers approximately 12 million acres in Arizona, primarily in the western, southern, and northern desert country.
Access: Open to any hunter with valid Arizona hunting license. No separate permit required.
Character: BLM lands include the Arizona Strip, the Kofa Mountains, the Sonoran Desert National Monument, and extensive desert ranges. Often more remote and less road-accessible than National Forest lands.
Camping: Dispersed camping widely permitted with some wilderness restrictions.
Wilderness areas: BLM manages several wilderness-designated areas within Arizona where motorized access is prohibited.
State Trust Land
The Arizona State Land Department manages approximately 9.2 million acres as Trust Land. This is unique to state lands in the American West — the land exists to generate revenue for public schools and other trust beneficiaries, and recreational access is secondary to that purpose.
Access requirement: Arizona Recreational Use Permit required. ~$15 individual, ~$20 family. Available online at landsresource.az.gov.
What the permit covers: Non-motorized recreational access, including hunting, hiking, photography, bird watching, and similar activities.
What the permit doesn’t cover: Camping (not allowed on most State Trust land), wood gathering, off-road vehicle use.
Grazing leases: Most State Trust land is leased to ranchers for grazing. Lessees have priority use and may restrict access during specific operations (calving season, roundups). Hunters may encounter active ranching operations and must avoid interference.
State Trust Permits Are Mandatory
Hunting State Trust land without a recreational use permit is a citable offense. The permit process is simple and inexpensive, and AGFD officers do check for permits during hunting seasons. Get yours before you need it.
Tribal Lands
Approximately 27% of Arizona is tribal reservation land, including large reservations of the Navajo, Hopi, Tohono O’odham, San Carlos Apache, White Mountain Apache, and others.
Access varies dramatically by tribe:
- Navajo Nation: Limited hunting for tribal members primarily; very limited non-tribal permits.
- White Mountain Apache: Active hunting program with tribal permits for elk, deer, bear, and other species. Can be excellent hunting; permits typically $1,000+ plus tag fees.
- San Carlos Apache: Similar structured hunting program with tribal permits.
- Hualapai: Limited hunting opportunities.
- Tohono O’odham: Very limited non-tribal access.
For nonresident hunters, only the Apache tribes (White Mountain and San Carlos) offer meaningful commercial hunting access. These can be productive but operate outside the standard AGFD draw system entirely.
National Parks, Monuments, and Refuges
National Parks: Hunting prohibited. Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Saguaro.
National Monuments: Hunting typically prohibited. Specific exceptions may apply; verify.
National Wildlife Refuges: Varies. Some refuges (Kofa, Cabeza Prieta) allow permitted hunting. Others prohibit it entirely. Specific refuge rules mandatory.
Finding Public Land: The Map Question
GAIA GPS and OnX Hunt: The two most popular map services for identifying public land boundaries. Both offer Arizona-specific layers showing Forest Service, BLM, State Trust, and private boundaries.
Arizona Game and Fish Interactive Map: AGFD provides a web-based hunting map at azgfd.com. Useful for species distributions and hunt unit boundaries; less useful for granular land ownership.
BLM and Forest Service maps: Available online and at ranger stations. Official source for designated road access.
The Smart Zones Advantage
ProHunt’s Smart Zones feature integrates public land boundaries with species distributions, access routes, and historical draw data. For hunters planning Arizona hunts, Smart Zones reduces the scouting overhead by showing the highest-probability zones for your target species within accessible public land.
This is particularly valuable in Arizona where the patchwork of NF/BLM/State Trust/Private creates navigation complexity that simple map services don’t always resolve cleanly.
Access Best Practices
Before traveling: Download offline maps, identify boundaries for your hunt unit, note camping restrictions.
On the ground: Respect all posted signs, avoid crossing onto private land without permission, carry your Arizona hunting license + State Trust permit (if applicable) + any tags.
During your hunt: Leave gates as you find them (open or closed). Respect livestock operations. Don’t drive off-road.
Leaving: Pack out all waste including human waste in sensitive areas. Don’t cut standing trees for firewood without explicit permission.
Related Arizona Articles
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a separate permit for National Forest hunting? No. Your Arizona hunting license covers NF hunting.
Can I camp on State Trust land? Generally no. Most State Trust land prohibits camping; dispersed camping requires NF or BLM land.
How do I verify I’m on public land? Carry a mapping service (OnX, GAIA) that shows boundaries. Paper maps from BLM/FS are backup.
Is tribal hunting worth it? For nonresidents, White Mountain Apache offers exceptional elk hunting at premium pricing. San Carlos similar. Other tribes limited.
Can I hunt waterfowl on reservoirs? Depends on specific reservoir. State/federal reservoirs often allow it; some tribal/municipal waters don’t.
What’s the penalty for hunting private land without permission? Criminal trespass plus potential game violation. Don’t do it.
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