Synopsis of federal regulations applicable
to migratory bird hunting
Federal regulations regarding bird hunting are described in
the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). These can be found at
www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/. The regulations below can be
found at 50 CFR 20.21 unless otherwise noted.
BAG & POSSESSION LIMIT — For hunts in Units 30A, 30B, 31,
and 32 – Three (3) sandhill cranes per calendar year.
WEAPON — Migratory game birds may be taken only with a
10 gauge or smaller shotgun capable of holding not more than
three shells. Birds may also be taken by falconry or by bow
and arrow, or crossbow.
MOTOR-VEHICLE RESTRICTIONS — No person may take
migratory game birds from any motor-driven vehicle, including
aircraft. Special regulations govern handicapped hunters.
WATERCRAFT RESTRICTIONS — Waterfowl may be hunted
from a watercraft (except a sinkbox) including those propelled
by motor, sail and wind, or both when the motor has been
completely shut off and/or the sails furled and its progress
therefrom has ceased. The watercraft may be drifting as a result of current or wind action on the hull, beached or moored,
resting at anchor, or may be propelled by paddle, oars or
pole. A watercraft under power may be used to retrieve dead
or criplled waterfowl but no shooting is permitted while the
watercraft is underway. It is illegal to drive or rally game birds
toward hunters by use of any motor-driven conveyance or sail
boat.
DECOYS, CALLS AND BAITING — Migratory birds may not
be taken with the aid of live decoys, recorded bird calls or
electronically amplified bird calls. It is illegal to take birds over
baited areas. An area is considered baited for 10 days after the
bait has been removed, and a hunter need not know an area
has been baited to be in violation.
RETRIEVAL AND TAGGING — All birds downed shall be retrieved if possible, and retained in the custody of the hunter in
the field. Crippled birds must be killed immediately. Any birds
given to or left with another person must be tagged by the
hunter with a tag showing his name, address and the number
and species of birds, and the dates they were killed. Packages
in which migratory game birds are shipped must show the
names of the sender and receiver, and the number and species
of birds contained in the parcel.

BAG LIMIT — No person may, during any one day take more
than one daily bag limit or possess more than one daily bag
limit in the field, or while returning to the car, hunting camp or
home. One feathered wing must be left attached to all migratory game birds until they reach their final destination.
IMPORTATION — For information regarding the importation
of migratory game birds killed in another country, hunters
should consult federal regulations (50CFR 20.61 through
20.66). One fully feathered wing must remain attached to all
migratory game birds being transported between the port of
entry and the hunter’s home or to a migratory bird preservation facility. No person shall import any migratory game birds
from any country except Canada unless such birds are dressed
(except as required above), drawn and the head and feet are
removed. No person shall import migratory game birds belonging to another person.

Arizona

Sandhill
Crane
Regulations
2009

SEASON AND HOURS — No person may take migratory game
birds during closed season. Migratory game birds may be
taken only during hours open to hunting.
CLOSED AREAS — Willcox Playa Wildlife Area (In Unit 30A):
Open to hunting and trapping in season, except that the posted
portion (SE 1/4 of Section 3 and SW 1/4 of Section 2 and the
NE 1/4 of Section 10, T15S, R25E) is closed to public entry from
the first day of the waterfowl season through February 28 of
the following year. The Willcox Playa Wildlife Area is closed to
off-road motor-powered vehicular entry and travel at all times.
ONE FEATHERED WING — Sportsmen should note that one
feathered wing (or head for sandhill crane only) must be left
attached to all migratory game birds until they reach their final
destination.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and
disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that
they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s
programs or activities, including its employment practices, the
individual may file a complaint alleging discrimination directly
with the Director’s Office, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix,
AZ 85086, (602) 942-3000 or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
4040 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 130, Arlington, VA 22203. If you
require this document in an alternative format, please contact
the Director’s Office as listed above or by calling TTY at 1-800367-8939.

Arizona Game and Fish Department
5000 W. Carefree Highway
Phoenix, Arizona 85086
(602) 942-3000
www.azgfd.gov

Sandhill Crane: Commission Order 24
General Sandhill Crane
Open Areas do not include any area closed to hunting under A.R.S. sections 17-303 and 17-304 or Commission Rules R12-4-301, R12-4-801, R12-4-802
and R12-4-803.
Hunt No.
Season Dates
Notes
Open Areas
Legal Wildlife
Permits
9001
Nov 21 - Nov 23, 2009
(1,2,3,4,5)
30A, 30B, 31 and 32
Any sandhill crane
85
9002
Nov 25 - Nov 27, 2009
(1,2,3,4,5)
30A, 30B, 31 and 32
Any sandhill crane
85
9003
Nov 29 - Dec 1, 2009
(1,2,3,4,5)
30A, 30B, 31 and 32
Any sandhill crane
85
9004
Dec 3 - Dec 5, 2009
(1,2,3,4,5)
30A, 30B, 31 and 32
Any sandhill crane
85
Total
340
LAWFUL TAKING DEVICES: Shotgun, crossbow or bow and arrow as prescribed in R12-4-304.
LICENSE REQUIRED: Any valid hunting license and Sandhill Crane Hunt Permit-tag.
SHOOTING HOURS: One-half hour before sunrise until sunset.

Juniors-Only Sandhill Crane
Open Areas do not include any area closed to hunting under A.R.S. sections 17-303 and 17-304 or Commission Rules R12-4-301, R12-4-801, R12-4-802
and R12-4-803.
Hunt No.
Season Dates
Notes
Open Areas
Legal Wildlife
Permits
9006
Dec 11 - Dec 13, 2009
(1,2,3,4,5)
30A, 30B, 31 and 32
Any sandhill crane
25
Total
25
LAWFUL TAKING DEVICES: Shotgun, crossbow or bow and arrow as prescribed in R12-4-304.
LICENSE REQUIRED: Any valid hunting license and Sandhill Crane Hunt Permit-tag.
ELIGIBLE HUNTERS: Pursuant to R12-4-318 persons are eligible to participate throughout the calendar year of their 17th birthday.

Archery-Only Sandhill Crane
Open Areas do not include any area closed to hunting under A.R.S. sections 17-303 and 17-304 or Commission Rules R12-4-301, R12-4-801, R12-4-802
and R12-4-803.
Hunt No.
Season Dates
Notes
Open Areas
Legal Wildlife
Permits
9005
Nov 13 - Nov 15, 2009
(2,3,4,5)
30A, 30B, 31 and 32
Any sandhill crane
25
Total
25
LAWFUL TAKING DEVICE: Bow and arrow as prescribed in R12-4-304.
LICENSE REQUIRED: Any valid hunting license and Sandhill Crane Hunt Permit-Tag.
SHOOTING HOURS: One-half hour before sunrise until sunset.

Sandhill Crane Notes:
1. There will not be a hunter check station for the 2009 seasons. All hunters,
successful and unsuccessful, are asked to return the harvest questionnaire
following the hunt to maintain the harvest database.
2. In accordance with R12-4-305 each sandhill crane possessed or being
transported shall have a permit-tag attached to its leg or neck and either
the fully feathered head or one fully feathered wing shall remain attached
until it arrives at the hunter’s permanent abode or the place where it is to
be consumed.
3. An area within the following described boundaries shall be closed to
sandhill crane hunting during the sandhill crane season dates: Beginning
at Willcox; southeast on AZ Hwy 186 to the Kansas Settlement Road;
south on the Kansas Settlement Road to Kimzey Road which runs
west from K-S Store (formerly Brown’s store) and the cotton gin at
the northeast corner of Section 11, Township 16 South, Range 25 East;
west along this road alignment to AZ Hwy 191; north on AZ Hwy 191 to
Interstate 10; northeast on Interstate 10 to Willcox.

4. The area within the following described boundaries shall be closed to
sandhill crane hunting. Beginning at the junction of Coffman and Davis
roads; south on Coffman road to Bagby road; west along the Bagby road
alignment to the intersection of Bagby and posted portions of the Alamo
Ranch; north to the boundary with that portion of Whitewater Draw
Wildlife Area in Section 30, Township 12 South, Range 26 East; west along
the posted portion of the Wildlife Area to Frontier road; north on Frontier
road to Davis road; east on Davis Road to the point of origin.
5. Units 30A, 30B, 31, and 32 Hunt Area - Sandhill crane hunt permit-tags
may be obtained only through application and drawing procedures
prescribed in R12-4-104 and the Hunt Permit-Tag Application Schedule.
Successful applicants will receive three (3) Sandhill crane hunt permittags.

Hunt permit-tag application process and schedule
Sandhill crane hunt permit-tags may be obtained only through
application and drawing procedures as prescribed in R12-4-104
and R12-4-114. Applications for hunt permit-tags shall be made
on Hunt Permit-Tag Application Forms. In order to participate
in the draw you must have or apply for a license. If you are not
licensed at the time you submit your Hunt Permit-Tag Application
Form, you must apply for a license by completing the license
form section and include payment with the application.
Hunt Permit-Tag Applications for Sandhill Crane will be accepted beginning Aug. 3, 2009, by mail only at the following
addresses: P.O. Box 74020, Phoenix, AZ 85087-1052; or 5000
W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000. Deadline for
the Department to receive applications is Sept. 1, 2009. No application will be accepted after this date regardless of postmark.
Hunt permit-tags will be mailed out by Sept. 21, 2009. Consult
the 2009-2010 Arizona Hunting and Trapping Regulations for
additional information.

Sunrise/Sunset 2009
(Times shown are for Willcox, Arizona)
DATE
RISE
Nov. 14
6:48
Nov. 15
6:49
Nov. 16
6:50
Nov. 17
6:51
Nov. 18
6:51
Nov. 19
6:52
Nov. 20
6:53
Nov. 21
6:54
Nov. 22
6:55
Nov. 23
6:56
Nov. 24
6:57
Nov. 25
6:58
Nov. 26
6:59
Nov. 27
6:59
Nov. 28
7:00
Nov. 29
7:01
Nov. 30
7:02
Dec. 1
7:03
Dec. 2
7:04
Dec. 3
7:04
Dec. 4
7:05
Dec. 5
7:06
Dec. 6
7:07
Dec. 7
7:08
Dec. 8
7:08
Dec. 9
7:09
Dec. 10
7:10
Dec. 11
7:10
Dec. 12
7:11
Dec. 13
7:12
Dec. 14
7:13

SET
5:19
5:19
5:18
5:18
5:17
5:17
5:17
5:16
5:16
5:16
5:15
5:15
5:15
5:15
5:14
5:14
5:14
5:14
5:14
5:14
5:14
5:14
5:14
5:14
5:14
5:15
5:15
5:15
5:15
5:15
5:16