Understanding Laws To Trap And Hunt Squirrels In Arizona

In Arizona, a few types of squirrels can be a nuisance in and around buildings. When there are a lot of squirrels, they can cause structural damage by digging under patios, stairs, retention walls, or foundations. To get rid of squirrels in Arizona, you must learn the laws to trap and hunt squirrels in Arizona.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department manages wildlife and regulates hunting. This blog discusses Arizona’s regulations on hunting and trapping squirrels on state land.

Squirrel Types Found In Arizona

The following three distinct species of squirrels live in Arizona:

Rock Squirrel

The rock squirrel is the biggest squirrel in Arizona. It has a reddish-brown coat and a bushy tail and may weigh more than a pound. It lives in places with rocks. Rock squirrels eat many different things. Sometimes they eat seeds, mesquite legumes, insects, birds, eggs, and even snakes.

People say that a rock squirrel can pump more blood into its tail when it comes in contact with a rattlesnake. This makes the heat-seeking snake attack the squirrel’s tail instead of its body, where the blood is cooler.

Round-Tailed Squirrels

You’ve probably seen the small, round-tailed ground squirrels that live in and around Tucson. People know them for making complicated networks of tunnels and for trying hard to live off grass seeds and cactus pads. 

It goes into a state of hibernation in the winter, and in the summer, it often sleeps for a few weeks before the monsoons come.

Harris Antelope Squirrel

The Harris Antelope ground squirrel is a chipmunk-like species of ground squirrel distinguished by its bushy tail and white side stripe. They are from Arizona, in the United States. Although it likes to live at higher altitudes and consume mesquite beans and seeds for food, it will also consume rodents and other insects.

Which Types Of Squirrels Are Legal To Hunt In Arizona?

• Game Squirrel hunting is legal in Arizona.
• you can hunt tree squirrels during the regular hunting seasons with a valid license.
• Other species of squirrels are non-game animals in Arizona. Hence, it is legal to hunt them without a license.
• Homeowners have the legal authority to trap and hunt squirrels causing problems for their homes.
• If you want to go hunting in Arizona, you must get a hunting license from the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
• You should also ask about bag limits and other restrictions on when and where you’re going to hunt squirrels.

Squirrels Hunting Season In Arizona

The hunting seasons in Arizona are divided up by region, and a significant number of the state’s hunts require a permit that can only be obtained through a selection. Before going out on a quest in Arizona, it is crucial to make sure that you have read all of the information regarding hunting laws in Arizona:

• The minor game hunting season and the furbearer hunting season both begin in July and end on June 30 of the following year.
• Residents can hunt red squirrels, grey squirrels, and fox squirrels during this period.
• When it is hunting season in Arizona, every hunter must have the proper licenses and permits to hunt squirrels.
• Bag restrictions, special seasons, and other hunting laws for Arizona hunting seasons are subject to change based on the species and the time of year.
• Visit the website of the Arizona Game and Fish Department for further details regarding the acquisition of licenses, permits, and rules.

Laws Governing The Hunting Of Squirrels In Arizona

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is responsible for the management of Arizona’s wildlife and controlling hunting laws:

• A valid hunting license issued by the state of Arizona is required to hunt wildlife on any land in the state, including public and private land.
• Hunting tree squirrels require a license while hunting other types of squirrels doesn’t need one.  
• Squirrels that aren’t game don’t require a permit to hunt them.
• If you have a good fishing or hunting license, you have the legal authority to go tree squirrel hunting.
• It violates the law to hunt for tree squirrels outside the allotted time.

Laws Governing The Trapping Of Squirrels In Arizona

There are several different rules concerning the trapping of squirrels:

• An individual must have a valid trapping license to trap fur-bearing squirrels in the state of Arizona legally. 
• A person must have a valid trapping license to capture fur-bearing squirrels in the state of Arizona legally.
• When a person acquires a trapping license, the Department of Game and Fish must provide the individual with a registration number and write the number on the right.
• It is impossible to give another person your trapper registration number.
• It is against the law for anyone to interfere with another person’s trap unless they have the permission of the owner to do so.
• By the rules and regulations of the commission, every person who holds a trapping license is required to hunt on the dates specified by the commission.

How Can You Shoot And Hunt Squirrels In Arizona?

In Arizona, if you want to hunt or shoot squirrels, you will always require a license from the local authorities. Additionally, having a license is a safer notion than not having one. The following are some of the squirrel hunting methods available in Arizona:

• You can bring as many bags or other personal items as you want with you as you move around the area.
• For shotgun shooting, a firearm with a caliber of.22 is ideal because it quickly covers a distance between 35 and 40 yards.
• When it comes to hunting, you can use either a bow and arrow or a crossbow.
• You can only hunt squirrels in the state’s undeveloped wilderness areas.
• You are strictly prohibited from engaging in any sort of hunting within the boundaries of the National Wildlife Refuges unit.

Is It Legal To Shoot Squirrels With A Pellet Gun In Arizona?

Yes, you can use a pellet gun to kill squirrels in Arizona. Additionally, using an air gun to hunt squirrels in Arizona is legal. There is a possibility that certain local governments have air gun rules that are different from state legislation. 

The state of Arizona does not have any laws that regulate airsoft guns. Slingshots, pellet guns, and BB guns powered by air, springs, or carbon dioxide (CO2) are subject to the restrictions of certain municipalities. Within the city limits of Glendale, firing an air gun or BB gun is a Class 1 crime and is subject to a fine.

Is It Legal To Shoot Squirrels On Property In Arizona?

Squirrel hunting and shooting are legal in public and private areas of the state. As long as the landowners give their permission and follow the rules set by the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

It is against the law on private properties to fire a firearm within a quarter of a mile of any occupied structure, from or across a road or railroad, or from within a road or railway.

Conclusion

Hunting and trapping squirrels with a trap are both legal activities in Arizona. On the other hand, working with game animals requires specialized training in addition to acquiring a license. In Arizona, you need a permit from the Arizona Department of Game and Fish (AGFD) before you can hunt or trap any of these animals.

You always have the option of reporting any threat to the appropriate authorities. If you follow the steps they give, you will be able to get rid of squirrels in your area. It is preferable to behave according to the law to avoid any potential complications.

References

• Arizona Department of Game and Fish (AGFD)