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BIG GAME GUIDING IN GILA COUNTY, ARIZONA

Arizona is well known throughout the country and abroad for it’s quality big game hunting opportunities. There are 9 big game animal species that reside in Gila County, all of them accessible through public land pursuit. Game species include antelope, black bear, desert bighorn sheep, elk, javelina, turkey (Merriam’s and Gould’s), mountain lion, mule deer, and white-tailed (Coues’) deer. The rugged country where these species can be found also runs the spectrum, from the San Carlos and White Mountain Apache Lands to the Tonto Basin and up to the wild Mogollon Rim Country. Gila County offers every variety of hunting condition.

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Finding these trophy game is not easy but with an experienced guide at your side it is possible to find the "Big one".

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If you have hunted big game in Arizona's Gila County for years or if this is your first time, rest assured you are in for a true adventure.  

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Many of the guiding businesses that are most successful in Gila County also call this region of Arizona home.  Many of them grew up in these areas and know the best places to find the best quality hunts.  There is not doubt having a professional and experienced guide by your side could mean the difference in a average hunt experience as compared to the hunt of a lifetime.

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Questions:


Here are some possible questions you may want to ask before you hire a guide for your next hunt:

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  • Are they licensed to guide in the State?

  • Are they insured

  • Are they accurately permitted for hunt guiding

  • Do they have experience in the hunt units that you are drawn for?

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The "Draw Process"

The draw is a lottery-style process for allocating the limited number of Arizona big game and other limited species hunt permit-tags to applicants. The Arizona Game and Fish Department typically receives far more applications than there are available permits. Permits available per species are determined and adjusted annually from the results of science based studies, surveys, and management goals for maintaining healthy, sustainable wildlife populations and habitats.  For more information click here.

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It is highly recommended that you seek out and find a guide that can help you through this entire process and also help you execute your big game hunt.  Click the button below to find your big game guide.

WORKING WITH A GUIDE 

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