Our Mission is to Conserve & Protect

See how Arizona Game and Fish Department's on-the-ground work makes a difference for our wildlife.

For us. For them. For generations to come.

Our Funding Might Surprise You

$0 general tax dollars

You read that right—Arizona Game and Fish Department doesn’t receive a single penny of Arizona general fund tax dollars.

A lot of our funding comes from public spending on things like fishing and hunting licenses, tags or stamps, and via a federal excise tax on firearms and ammunition. The excise tax is returned to states in the form of grants, which fish and wildlife agencies use to carry out projects to conserve and protect wild birds and mammals and their habitats. Those on-the-ground conservation projects benefit not only wildlife, but all Arizonans who recreate in this beautiful state. You can learn more about the Wildlife Restoration Program by clicking here.

Unfortunately, those funds are stretched thin as we work to safeguard over 800 wildlife species. We need all the help we can get—and so do Arizona’s critters.

A True Model of Conservation

Guiding Generations of Wildlife Enthusiasts

To ensure Arizona’s wildlife will be around for future generations to enjoy, we follow the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation—developed, in large part, by the forward-thinking conservationists in the early 1900s. These wildlife heroes understood that without laws protecting wildlife and their habitats, there would be a devastating toll on animal populations. This model continues to be the world's most successful guide, helping to sustain wildlife species and habitats through well-founded science and active management.

The Department continues to embrace the core concepts of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. We recognize the role sportsmen play in conserving and protecting Arizona's more than 800 native species, which is why also we proudly support the principles of Fair Chase and use those guidelines to educate new hunters and anglers. Together these guide the Department and our communities to respect wildlife and their habitats.

Every time you see Arizona wildlife, you get a glimpse of the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s true purpose in action.

Our passion is conserving and protecting all Arizona wildlife species—from four legs to four fins and everything in between. Our work takes us all over the state, monitoring wildlife populations, restoring habitats, and reestablishing threatened and endangered species.

With your support, we can continue to conserve and protect Arizona's 800+ species for generations to come.

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