Mountain Lion Hunting – Night Hunting Rules Update

[Healy Arms]

 

Having taken a few questions from readers, we’d like to update everyone on the following issues & questions:

 

 

What type of lights can be used for nighttime hunting in AZ for mountain lions:  The regulations only state that “artificial light” can be used so long as it is NOT affixed or tethered to any motor vehicle.  Therefore you can use a white light, a red lens cover, a green lens cover,  or whatever color of light you believe best.

 

Can night vision equipment be used?  Yes.  Ron Day from the AZ Game and Fish said the department is currently “neutral” on night vision, there’s no specific regulation covering it, and it is okay to use for night hunting mountain lions and coyotes.  Mr. Day added that the use of such equipment would be evaluated as time goes by and more data comes in from the field and other game management agencies that allow its use.

 

Are you sure that centerfire rifles CAN be used for hunting mountain lions after dark?  Yes. I reconfirmed with Ron Day that the shotgun restriction is ONLY for nighttime coyote hunting.  Lions can be taken at night with any legal firearm listed in the regulations including centerfire rifles.

 

Does a multiple bag area close to nighttime lion hunting once the multi-bag quota has been reached?  No.  If the area is listed as a “Daylong Hours” hunting area it can still be hunted at night.  The only change is that bag limit returns to one lion per calendar year in that area/unit.

 

Where can I hunt once I tag a lion in a multiple bag unit?  That depends.  Mr. Day explained it this way:

 

• If you killed a lion in a multiple bag area that HAD NOT closed & reverted back to one per calendar year, that lion DOES NOT count toward your one lion per calendar year.  So, you can still hunt lions anywhere in AZ that’s open to lion hunting including the areas that are one per calendar year.

• However, once you have killed a lion in an area that only allows one lion per calendar year (including a kill in a multi-bag area that reverted back to one per calendar year), you can only hunt in areas that are multiple bag and have not yet closed.  Ron Day said that this is where a hunter could get into trouble and the hunter MUST call the Mt Lion hotline at 877-438-0447 BEFORE they head out so they are certain the area is still open.

So far in AZ there have been a total of 2 lions taken after dark.  Both were called in.  Both were killed with a shotgun.  One of the lions was called & killed by Wildlife Callers’ Field Pro Dave Martens and his shooter Dan Tone.  The other successful lion callers are unknown to us.

 

As always, thank you for reading.  If you have any questions or comments please put them in the comments section below.

 

Mark Healy

 

info@wildlifecallers.com

 

 

 

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[billrquimby]

Any chance of any of the units in the White Mountains opening for night-time lion hunting?

 

Bill Quimby

[CouesWhitetail]

Great info, thanks Mark!

[Healy Arms]

Any chance of any of the units in the White Mountains opening for night-time lion hunting?

 

Bill Quimby

 

Hi Bill - don't count on it unless you get some bighorn in the area you'd like to hunt. This whole change is about saving them.

[billrquimby]

Thanks.

 

Bill Quimby

[HEADACHE]

Thanks for that info!

[trophyhnter]

Thanks for the info. Im sure that there are a lot of people like me that are somewhat intiminated by the new regulations as hunting after darks has always been a big no no! Would you suggest that you contact the game warden before you go out and tell him the general area you will be night hunting? My family and I were spot lighting on the rim (with a cocktail in hand) while camping just for the fun of it and saw a G&F so we stopped. He seemed somewhat suspicious of us becuase some poaching that taken place nearby. We talked for a while and I asked if it would be better if we called and left a message before hand that we would be spot lighting. He didnt see it being much help as a lot of people spot light during the camping season. Since no one is camping in the desert areas during this time, calling ahead may help them in case someone uninformed reports you. Or not?

[JLW]

I talked to a gent a few years ago that hunted racoons at night and he said he would call the game warden personally so when he got a call in the middle of the night that someone was shooting he wouldn't be alarmed. you may want to get a phone # of the warden in the area you'll be hunting to give him a heads up.

 

James

[Edge]

Have the rules on using nv/ir when hunting lions in daylong units changed in the 2 1/2 years since this blog started?

[portas.d.ace]

Yes you can make use of night vision its a better way to go than the lights

[bowhunter4life]

Thanks for bringing up this topic. My question, "the use of shotguns during the nighttime for coyotes." Is this open statewide and is there any other restrictions for hunting coyotes during the night?

ThX!

Mike

[Edge]

Yes you can make use of night vision its a better way to go than the lights

That's not how I read the regs.

[Edge]

Thanks for bringing up this topic. My question, "the use of shotguns during the nighttime for coyotes." Is this open statewide and is there any other restrictions for hunting coyotes during the night?

ThX!

Mike

 

Day long shooting hours are in specific units and not all of them mandate the use of shotguns.

[demack]

I want to bring back this old post from 2012 to open discussion regarding the new proposed AZGFD Hunt Guidelines for 2018 thru 2023. They have posted a draft on AZGFD site with language that makes BIG changes to mountain lion hunting in AZ:

 

(If I am reading it correctly, these are the major points)

 

- No more Daylong hunting (night hunting)

- No more multiple bag limits

- Season limited to Sept. 15 to June 15

- No longer managing Mountain Lion by Units, they are creating new Mtn. Lion "Management Zones" that supposedly allow them to regulate populations in a more biological manner.

 

This is a huge shift in only five years and I think Arizona hunters need to take note. In an email exchange I had with Amber Munig, wildlife manager, she said the main two reasons for eliminating Daylong hours was: concerns for fair chase and secondly not many people were doing it.

 

Personally, I think these big changes in only a few years, raise some questions. If not many people are doing it, than why get rid of it for the few who do? Why not allow Daylong hours in multiple bag limit areas like 16A? (Well, previously multiple bag limit units). Are Mtn Lion populations in a big decline statewide?

 

I'm curious what others think and respectfully welcome other view points to better understand the big changes.

 

[GJMauro12]

I brought up the day long issue when the regs came out this year and never got a response. It looks like it has already been taken away as I don't see anything stating daylong in the current regs.

 

I haven't read the proposed guidelines yet but I wonder how much the senator from Tucson (Steve Farley) had to do with this after his meeting with G$F this year about ending all mountain lion and bobcat hunting.