Ariz. Admin. Code § R12-4-114 - Issuance of Nonpermit-tags and Hunt Permit-tags

A. The Department provides numbered tags for sale to the public. The Department shall ensure each tag:

1. Includes a transportation and shipping permit as prescribed under A.R.S. §§ 17-332 and 17-371, and

2. Clearly identifies the wildlife for which the tag is valid.

B. If the Commission establishes a big game season for which a hunt number is not assigned, the Department or its authorized agent, or both, shall sell nonpermit-tags.

1. A person purchasing a nonpermit-tag shall provide all of the following information to a Department office or license dealer at the time of purchase; the applicant's:

a. Name,

b. Mailing address, and

c. Department identification number.

2. An applicant shall not obtain nonpermit-tags in excess of the bag limit established by Commission Order when it established the season for which the nonpermit-tags are valid.

C. If the number of hunt permits for a species in a particular hunt area must be limited, a Commission Order establishes a hunt number for that hunt area and a hunt permit-tag is required to take the species in that hunt area.

1. A person applying for a hunt permit-tag shall submit an application as described under R12-4-104.

2. The Department shall determine whether a hunt permit-tag will be issued to an applicant as follows:

a. The Department shall reserve a maximum of 20% of the hunt permit-tags for each hunt number, except as established under subsection (C)(2)(b), for bear, deer, elk, javelina, pronghorn, Sandhill crane, and turkey and reserve a maximum of 20% of the hunt permit-tags for all hunt numbers combined statewide for bighorn sheep and bison to issue to persons who have bonus points and shall issue the hunt permit-tags as established under subsection (C)(2)(c).

b. For bear, deer, elk, javelina, pronghorn, Sandhill crane, and turkey, the Department shall reserve one hunt permit-tag for any hunt number with fewer than five, but more than one, hunt permit-tags and shall issue the tag as established under subsection (C)(2)(c). When this occurs, the Department shall adjust the number of available hunt permit-tags in order to ensure the total number of hunt permit-tags available does not exceed the 20% maximum specified in subsection (C)(2)(a).

c. The Department shall issue the reserved hunt permit-tags for hunt numbers that eligible applicants designate as their first or second choices. The Department shall issue the reserved hunt permit-tags by random selection:

i. First, to eligible applicants with the highest number of bonus points for that genus;

ii. Next, if there are reserved hunt permit-tags remaining, to eligible applicants with the next highest number of bonus points for that genus; and

iii. If there are still tags remaining, to the next eligible applicants with the next highest number of bonus points; continuing in the same manner until all of the reserved tags have been issued or until there are no more applicants for that hunt number who have bonus points.

d. The Department shall ensure that all unreserved hunt permit-tags are issued by random selection:

i. First, to hunt numbers designated by eligible applicants as their first or second choices; and

ii. Next, to hunt numbers designated by eligible applicants as their third, fourth, or fifth choices.

e. Before each of the three passes listed under (C)(2)(c)(i), (ii), and (iii), each application is processed through the Department's random number generator program. A random number is assigned to each application; an additional random number is assigned to each application for each group bonus point, including the Education and Loyalty bonus points. Only the lowest random number generated for an application is used in the computer draw process. A new random number is generated for each application for each pass of the computer draw.

f. If the bag limit is more than one per calendar year, or if there are unissued hunt permit-tags remaining after the random computer draw, the Department shall ensure these hunt permit-tags are available on a first-come, first-served basis as specified in the annual hunt permit-tag application schedule.

D. A person may purchase hunt permit-tags equal to the bag limit for a genus.

1. A person shall not exceed the established bag limit for that genus.

2. A person shall not apply for any additional hunt-permit-tags if the person has reached the bag limit for that genus during the same calendar year.

3. A person who surrenders a tag in compliance with R12-4-118 is eligible to apply for another hunt permit-tag for the same genus during the same calendar year, provided the person has not reached the bag limit for that genus.

E. The Department shall make available to nonresidents:

1. For bighorn sheep and bison, no more than one hunt permit-tag or 10% of the total hunt permit-tags, whichever is greater, for bighorn sheep or bison in any computer draw. The Department shall not make available more than 50% nor more than two bighorn sheep or bison hunt permit-tags of the total in any hunt number.

2. For antlered deer, bull elk, pronghorn, Sandhill crane, or turkey, no more than 10%, rounded down to the next lowest number, of the total hunt permit-tags in any hunt number. If a hunt number for antlered deer, bull elk, pronghorn, Sandhill crane, or turkey has 10 or fewer hunt permit-tags, no more than one hunt permit-tag will be made available unless the hunt number has only one hunt permit-tag, then that tag shall only be available to a resident.

F. The Commission may, at a public meeting, increase the number of hunt permit-tags issued to nonresidents in a computer draw when necessary to meet management objectives.

G. The Department shall not issue under subsection (C)(2)(c), more than half of the hunt permit-tags made available to nonresidents under subsection (E).

H. A nonresident cap established under this Section applies to:

1. Hunt permit-tags issued by computer draw under subsections (C)(2)(c) and (d), and

2. Archery deer nonpermit-tags.

a. The number of archery deer nonpermit-tags made available to nonresidents shall be set annually at 10% of the average total archery deer nonpermit-tag sales for the preceding five years, rounded down to the nearest increment of five.

b. The Commission, through the nonpermit-tag first-come schedule published by the Department, shall designate the manner and method of purchasing a nonresident archery deer nonpermit-tag, which may require an applicant to apply online only.

c. If the Commission requires applicants to use the online method, the Department shall accept paper applications only in the event of a Department systems failure. The Director has the authority to extend the nonpermit-tag first-come schedule if a problem occurs that prevents the public from purchasing a nonpermit-tag within the deadlines set by the Commission.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R12-4-114

Adopted effective March 1, 1991; filed February 28, 1991 (Supp. 91-1). Amended effective January 1, 1993; filed December 18, 1992 (Supp. 92-4). Amended effective January 1, 1996; filed in the Office of the Secretary of State December 18, 1995 (Supp. 95-4). Amended effective January 1, 1997; filed with the Office of the Secretary of State November 7, 1996 (Supp. 96-4). Amended by final rulemaking at 9 A.A.R. 610, effective April 6, 2003 (Supp. 03-1). Amended by final rulemaking at 11 A.A.R. 1183, effective May 2, 2005 (Supp. 05-1). Amended by final rulemaking at 12 A.A.R. 291, effective March 11, 2006 (Supp. 06-1). Amended by final rulemaking at 21 A.A.R. 3025, effective 1/2/2016. Amended by final rulemaking at 27 A.A.R. 283, effective 7/1/2021. Amended by final exempt rulemaking at 28 A.A.R. 3360, effective 11/26/2022.