Arizona

Tall Saguaro cactus that stand like guardians of the desert landscape, old, almost forgotten memories of outlaws and lawmen shooting their way into the history books, the silent majesty of the Grand canyon, a monument to change and nature. There is a sense of wild grandeur to this state that promises a sense of adventure to those that live and visit here. A sense that is sure to make its point heard to those that choose to hunt in its grand wilderness.

The sixth largest state in the nation and one of the four corner states, Arizona is composed of 113,998 square miles (295,00 km²) divided into 15 counties, more than half of which is composed of mountains and plateaus. Though more famous for its desert landscape, much less known is the fact that 27% of Arizona is composed of forests.

Of the many species of wildlife that are known to inhabit the state, 120 species are available for hunting.

Arizona's terrain can be divided into two distinct regions, the Colorado Plateau and the Basin and Range province. The stretches of land where these two regions meet are the transition zone. The Colorado plateau is a stretch of flat – lying, semi-arid region in an elevation ranging from 5,000 to 8,00 feet above sea level. Nicknamed the red rock country for the brightly colored rocks in this region, it is composed of large areas of desert with the occasional forest scattered in between the arid landscape. The Grand Canyon is located in this part of Arizona.

The Basin and Range province occupies the southern part of the state and is composed of mountain ranges and flat arid valleys. This area is also where the state gets one of its nicknames, the copper state, as the basin and range province provides all the copper mined in Arizona. The mountain ranges in this area can rise up to 9,000 feet. The average elevation of the state is about 4,000 feet above sea level.

The transition zone has geographical characteristics of the two separate regions and thus subject to more localized climate due to the differences in terrain and elevation. Though the state is mostly arid and semi-arid in climate, the northern part of the state, due to its higher elevation is mostly cooler and the southern part tends to have warmer temperatures. Because of its desert characteristics, the temperatures can vary very dramatically from day and night. The average daytime temperatures can range from 43° to 67°F (6° to 19°C) during spring and 81° to 106°F (27° to 41°C) during summer months in Yuma at the southwestern corner of the state and spring average daily temperatures of 14° to 41°F (–10° to 5°C) and 50° to 81°F (10° to 27°C) in summer at Flagstaff in the state's interior.  It is advisable to pack appropriate gear when you venture out into Arizona's wilderness areas and consult local guides about weather patterns.

Please head this warning because Arizona can be a very harsh land. However, don’t let that be a deterrent. Hunters that want to challenge themselves and be exposed to what life could have been like in the old West will not find a better destination. Come roam the land of Doc Holiday and Wyatt Earp and discover what drew them here. 

This article is a part of an ongoing series describing all of the 50 states from a hunter's perspective. These will be continually updated to supply readers with accurate and knowledgeable information.