Arizona’s quail season is one of the longest in the country, and it runs well into winter. The 2026-27 season opens in mid-October and closes in early February, giving you nearly four months to chase birds across desert washes and oak-studded sky islands. If you are planning quail hunting season in Arizona this year, the dates, limits, and a few area-specific rules are what matter most.
The state also stands out for variety. According to an AZGFD small game biologist quoted by Quail Forever, Arizona is the only state with five native quail species. This guide walks you through each rule you need before you load a shotgun.
Important Note: Season dates and limits are set each year by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. A few third-party sites list slightly different opening days (October 16, 17, or 18), so confirm the final dates in the current AZGFD regulations before you head out.
Quail Hunting Season Dates in Arizona
The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) lists the 2026-27 quail season as October 16, 2026 through February 7, 2027 for Gambel’s, scaled, and California quail. Mearns’ (Montezuma) quail open later, running December 4, 2026 through February 7, 2027.
| Species | Season Opens | Season Closes |
|---|---|---|
| Gambel’s, Scaled, and California Quail | October 16, 2026 | February 7, 2027 |
| Mearns’ (Montezuma) Quail | December 4, 2026 | February 7, 2027 |
Arizona sets these dates by formula, so they shift slightly each year. Gambel’s and scaled seasons start on the third Friday of October, and Mearns’ starts on the first Friday of December, according to a Tucson-area guide service. Both end on the second Friday of February’s following weekend.
Many bird-dog hunters wait until later in the fall. Southern Arizona Quail Forever notes that most serious dog hunters hold off until late November, when rattlesnakes head underground, and recommends snake gaiters all season.
Pro Tip: AZGFD asked hunters in the 2025-26 season to voluntarily harvest fewer birds than the limit because of drought. Check the department’s quail outlook and your local rainfall before deciding how hard to hunt a covey.
If you also chase other Arizona game, our guides to dove hunting season in Arizona and turkey hunting season in Arizona help you plan a full calendar.
Quail Species You Can Hunt in Arizona
Arizona offers three main huntable species, plus a small California quail population. The Gambel’s quail (Callipepla gambelii) is the most numerous and widespread, with near-statewide distribution and a habitat range below 6,000 feet in Sonoran desert scrub, based on a research biologist’s presentation. Males show a black face and a curved topknot.
Scaled quail (Callipepla squamata), often called blue quail or “scalies,” prefer open semidesert grasslands and Chihuahuan desert plains in eastern Arizona, per Hunter-Ed’s Arizona study guide. They run more than they hold for a dog, so expect a lot of walking.
Mearns’ quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae), also called Montezuma quail, live in the oak woodlands of southeastern Arizona. Hunter-Ed describes them as the largest and most secretive of the hunted species, and they hold tight for a dog. California quail (Callipepla californica) are available only in limited areas, and the endangered masked bobwhite is protected and cannot be hunted.
- Gambel’s quail: desert washes, mesquite thickets, and foothills across central and southern Arizona.
- Scaled quail: southeastern grasslands near Willcox, Safford, Douglas, and Sierra Vista.
- Mearns’ quail: oak and juniper woodland above 4,000 feet in the southern sky islands.
Important Note: Hunters in Units 36A, 36B, and 36C are advised that endangered masked bobwhite quail live near Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, according to HuntingSeason.com. Identify your target carefully before you shoot in that area.
Quail Bag and Possession Limits in Arizona
The daily bag limit is 15 quail in the aggregate, of which no more than eight may be Mearns’ quail once that season opens. AZGFD publishes the details in its small game forecast, and no size limit applies.
The possession limit is 45 quail in the aggregate after opening day. Once Mearns’ season opens, that 45 may include up to 24 Mearns’ quail, with no more than eight taken in any one day.
| Limit Type | Total Quail | Mearns’ Quail Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Bag | 15 (aggregate) | 8 per day |
| Possession (after opening day) | 45 (aggregate) | 24 total, no more than 8 taken per day |
One rule catches new hunters: you cannot take or possess more than one daily bag limit in the field or while returning from the field, according to the 2026-27 small game recommendation presented to the Commission. Birds in your cooler at camp count toward possession, not the daily bag.
Licenses and Permits Required to Hunt Quail in Arizona
You need a valid Arizona hunting license, and no draw or tag is required for quail. A hunting regulations summary citing AZGFD confirms a general hunting license is all that’s needed. Arizona requires licenses for residents and nonresidents age 10 and older, per HuntingSeasons.org.
Quail are upland birds, so you do not need the special stamps that apply to doves and waterfowl. One Tucson guide service lists a $37 resident adult license, a $160 annual nonresident license, a $20 nonresident daily license, and a $5 youth license, but those figures were published years ago. Treat them as rough guides and check AZGFD’s current fee schedule.
You can buy a license online or at many Arizona sporting goods stores. If you are new to hunting, Arizona requires a hunter education course for hunters under 14 to hunt without supervision, so confirm your own status with AZGFD.
Legal Weapons and Methods for Quail Hunting in Arizona
Shotguns are the standard tool. AskHunting lists shotgun, archery, and falconry as legal methods for the 2026-27 quail season, and AZGFD sets a separate, longer falconry-only season.
Most hunters shoot a 20 or 28 gauge for the quick, close shots common in open desert, according to Dive Bomb Industries. Pointing dogs are essential for Mearns’ quail and useful for scaled quail and Gambel’s.
Tactics That Fit Each Species
- Gambel’s: Hunt washes and mesquite edges, and be ready to move. These birds run before they flush.
- Scaled: Break up coveys, mark singles, and move quickly to a dog on point.
- Mearns’: Work grassy oak savanna above 4,000 feet, trust your dog, and shoot on the covey rise.
Check shot-shell rules on any federal refuge you plan to hunt, since refuge-specific requirements can be stricter than statewide rules.
Shooting Hours and Sunday Hunting Rules for Quail in Arizona
Arizona does not prohibit Sunday hunting. The 2026-27 season closes on a Sunday, February 7, 2027, which confirms that Sunday is a legal hunting day for quail. Arizona’s quail season dates run continuously, with no Sunday closure listed in the Commission recommendation.
Shooting hours for small game are published in the AZGFD regulations rather than in the sources I reviewed, so confirm the exact daily window there. Early morning is the best time anyway, because birds are feeding and more likely to hold for pointing dogs, as Dive Bomb Industries advises.
Pro Tip: Warm winter days can spoil meat fast. Field dress birds promptly and keep them in a cooler with ice, especially in southern Arizona.
Quail Hunting on Public Land and Hunting Preserves in Arizona
Public land is plentiful. Roughly 60 percent of the state is public, according to a state small game biologist quoted by Quail Forever, and most Gambel’s and scaled quail appear on State Trust lands, while most Mearns’ occur on Coronado National Forest.
The state’s quail season excludes municipal parks, county parks and preserves, airports, golf courses, and posted areas. Several national wildlife refuges, including Kofa, Cabeza Prieta, Cibola, and Imperial, are open from October 16 through February 7, per HuntingSeason.com.
| Region | Public Land Option | Target Species |
|---|---|---|
| Southeastern Arizona | Coronado National Forest (Sonoita, Patagonia, Huachuca Mountains) | Mearns’ |
| Central Arizona | Tonto National Forest, Lower Verde River | Gambel’s and scaled |
| Western Arizona | Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, BLM land near Yuma | Gambel’s |
| Northern Arizona | Chino Valley and Prescott area | Scaled |
That regional breakdown comes from Upland Bird Hunter. If you want a guided hunt, outfitters such as Dave Brown Outfitters offer day hunts out of Patagonia, plus hunts on a 150,000-acre private ranch.
Whichever route you take, carry a map showing land ownership and get written permission before crossing private ground. Hunters who enjoy other Arizona game can also read our guides to deer hunting season in Arizona and bear hunting season in Arizona.
Plan your trip around the October 16 opener or the December 4 Mearns’ start, pack snake gaiters early in the season, and keep your harvest in line with local bird numbers. With a general license, a legal shotgun, and a good map, you can hunt three species in one state.