Our magazine, which is available in print and online, has everything in one location - application info, draw details and odds, fees, hunter requirements, point structure, age restrictions, youth information, weapon restrictions,  other tag opportunites, hunt planning, and much more. If you would like access to all of our research, join today!

Arizona is good with the youth hunters and typically gives them first crack at the deer in some units. They allow them to take a mule deer or Coues deer except in unit 34A which is Coues deer only. Some great Coues and mule deer dates are available for junior hunters with little to no points. All youth-only deer tags are $25 for non-residents and residents alike. The youth cost of a 365-day hunting license is just $5. All juniors are eligible to participate up to their 18th birthday, provided that youths between the ages of 10 and 13 have completed an approved hunter education course. A youth hunter whose 18th birthday occurs during a youth-only deer hunt may continue to participate for the duration of the hunt dates.

While most of these hunts are not conducted in trophy mule deer units, they often are the first hunts of the season and offer the youth first crack at bucks that are just coming out of velvet. Units that have October 10th start dates will most likely capitalize on bucks in their summer patterns. The beauty of these permits is that in most cases they are either species, meaning you can harvest either a mule deer or a Coues deer buck. Most of the best Coues deer units have a youth hunt available. All of these units have good potential for a mature buck. The youth hunt in area 7/9 was taken out of the mix this year and replaced with unit 8.

If you are interested in hiring an outfitter for a youth hunt, give us a call and we can help figure out which areas to apply for and put you in touch with the right outfitter. The outfitters we work with love taking kids on these hunts and run very high success.

Another great option for these hunts are the Youth Deer Hunting Camps put on by various chapters of the Arizona Mule Deer Organization, Mule Deer Foundation, Arizona Chapter of Safari Club International, and Arizona Deer Association. These camps get put on in a variety of units, run three to four days, and are geared toward giving kids of all ages a terrific camping/hunting atmosphere. Most events have clinics on biology and habitat, glassing techniques, stalking techniques, game care, and so much more to teach kids a host of different skills that will make them better and more confident hunters. Most of these camps also have campfire activities in the evening where dinner will be provided and raffles are held for prizes. There is a complete list of all youth camps in the 2025/2026 Fall Hunting Regulations booklet that will also have contact information for each of the camps. All of these events are free of charge, but some have limited space available.

ARIZONA 2027 OVER-THE-COUNTER ARCHERY DEER ALERT

THE SALE DATE FOR OTC NON-PERMIT ARCHERY DEER TAGS IS NOV. 2 AT 8 A.M. MST (ARIZONA TIME).

For non-resident, over-the-counter archery deer tags in Arizona, there are two key things to watch. The first is this year’s sale date, which is only a single day different from last year’s. The second is the mule deer quota and how quickly it fills once hunts begin. Northern Arizona mule deer unit quotas fill before the end of the first archery season in September. At the time of print, 7 hunts have been closed so far in 2026. Coues deer quotas stay open a lot longer and, in most cases, will remain open into the January season. If you want to hunt mule deer, remember that there will not be much available in the January season for filling a 2027 OTC, non-permit archery deer tag. You will want to target the August/September and December seasons. If you only want to target Coues deer, you have plenty of options.

UPCOMING
ARCHERY DEER
HUNT DATES

December 11–31, 2026
2026 tag required
(subject to 2026/2027 harvest quotas)

January 1–31, 2027
2027 tag required
(subject to 2026/2027 harvest quotas)

August 20–Sept 9, 2027
2027 tag required
(subject to 2027/2028 harvest quotas)

December 10–31, 2027
2027 tag required
(subject to 2027/2028 harvest quotas)