New hunt regulations are now available online

Hunters will want to go online at azgfd.gov to get copies of the new hunt regulations: There are lots of changes this year to the big game hunt seasons, in large part to assist efforts to retain and recruit hunters.

The printed regulations should be available at license dealers throughout the state by mid-May. The fall hunt application deadline is 7 p.m. (MST) June 13. Hunters can applying online again this year for the big game hunts at azgfd.gov. The online process should be available starting early next week.

Here is a quick summary of changes this year:

The online application process will again be available this year.
There are fall javelina big game hunt permit tags available this year.
Bonus points and loyalty points now also apply to javelina, turkey and bear.
A 10-percent non-resident cap now applies to bighorn sheep, buffalo, all antlered deer, bull elk, javelina, antelope and turkey.
There is no longer a 15-percent bighorn sheep set-aside of hunt permit-tags for non-residents.
The $5 application fee per applicant will no longer be refunded on rejected applications.
Applicants must be 10 years old by deadline day (June 13) to apply for bonus points. However, if applying for a hunt, applicants must be 10 years old by the beginning date of any hunt they select.
Hunters are required to physically check-in for bear and mountain lion kills.
Archery deer hunters are still required to report their harvest; compliance for this requirement last year was low.
The 20-percent bonus point pass, meaning that 20-percent of tags in each hunt will be set aside for applicants with the highest number of bonus points, now applies to bighorn sheep, buffalo, antelope, bear, deer, elk, javelina and turkey.
Metro unit numbers and boundaries have changed. Units 4A and 5A also changed.