Hunting in Alaska is administered by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The Department's Board of Game sets regulations. Due to the large size of the state, it is divided into twenty-six Game Management Units (GMUs), each with the authority to set its own seasons in regard to various species of big game.

Alaska hunting law provides for two different kinds of hunting seasons. The first is a general season and thus run according to conventional procedure. Standard requirements for Alaska hunting include the purchase of a hunting permit, acquisition of tags or harvest tickets, and adherence to the limits set by bag limits and the season. General season permits are sold at at sporting good stores and ADF&G offices.

The second category for hunting in Alaska is a permit hunt. The Board of Game holds these to minimize the impact of the hunting season on game populations by restricting the number of hunters. The three basic kinds of permit hunts are drawing hunts, registration hunts, and subsistence hunts. A drawing hunt is open to residents and nonresidents upon payment of an application fee and is awarded by lottery, two of which are held annually, one in spring and the other in winter.

Registration hunts are for the most part made available to both residents and non-residents. Generally there are no limits to the number of permits which may be issued. The few exceptions are those which are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Subsistence hunts are classed under Alaska law on hunting as Tier I and Tier II events and are open only to Alaskan residents.

Other regulations pertaining to nonresidents interested in Alaska hunting involve the placement of tags on carcasses and the requirement for hiring a guide to be present for the entire hunt. While hunting in Alaska, nonresidents who are U.S. citizens must be accompanied by a guide when they are hunting brown bears, grizzly bears, Dall sheep, and mountain goats.

An acceptable guide may be either a licensed guide or an Alaskan resident over the age of 19 who falls within, in the language of Alaska hunting law, "the second degree of kindred," which refers to close family relations. Nonresident aliens (non-U.S. citizens) must have guides present for all big game hunting in Alaska. All nonresidents must have at hand the appropriate tags required for various species in big game hunting in Alaska, which must then be locked on to the hide of an animal just after it has been killed.

Authorization for general Alaska hunting is authorized through harvest tickets. These generally apply to sheep, caribou, deer and moose and can be obtained without charge from license vendors. They often are provided with harvest report postcards, which the ADF&G encourages hunters to return soon after a hunt so at to provide consistent information on hunting in Alaska.

Arizona hunting laws are passed and administered by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The Department issues collected information in the publication "Arizona Hunting Regulations" issued annually according to the fiscal year. The main guidelines for Arizona hunting laws come from game laws. For instance, game laws identify big game species. On a year to year basis, the Commission Rule provides procedures for implementation of game laws, such as defining hunting seasons and bag limits.

Arizona hunting does not require the orange hunting outfits often mandated by American state hunting law, though the Game and Fish Department recommends such outfits. Registration for Arizona hunting licenses is also unlike common American practice in not

requiring general license applicants to complete hunter education courses. Arizona residents as young as 10 years old can take part in big game hunts. The state's main age-based restriction is to require that hunters from the ages of 10 to 13 have documentation of hunting safety training, either from a state-certified program or course accepted by the state.

Arizona law is geared toward the popularity of Arizona elk hunting and other kinds of big game hunting. Hunt permit-tags are required for Arizona elk hunting and are secured through the lottery-like procedure called "the draw." The availability of hunt permit-tags is adjusted according to the current data on animal population rates. Arizona elk hunting generally takes place through these licenses and attracts far more applicants than is practical.

Beginning in 2008, the agency decided to increase Arizona elk hunting in order to decrease the animals' numbers in problem areas and thereby began offering over-the-counter hunt permit-tags. Arizona elk hunting will only increase to a limited degree through these hunt permit-tags. In addition to elks, other animals classed as big game and thereby subject to the availability of hunt permit-tags are buffaloes, bighorn sheep, javelins, mountain lions, white-tailed deer, mule deer, black bears, and antelopes.

The state considers applicants for Arizona hunting licenses residents after they have lived in the state for at least six months prior to the application. Arizona hunting licenses are offered though the website of the Arizona Game and Fish Department or at the toll-free number 1-855-462-0433, through which temporary licenses can be obtained immediately. Temporary licenses are then replaced by regular licenses sent by post. Applicants for hunt permit tags must have regular licenses.

Arkansas hunting law is passed and administered by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. It allows hunting licenses to applicants at or past the age of 16. Hunters must keep the license on their person while hunting. Arkansas hunting licenses are required for all Arkansas hunting activity except for hunting which takes place on "licensed game-bird shooting resorts that supply pen-raised birds."

In order to qualify for a residential hunting license, a person must demonstrate that she or he has lived within the state for at least sixty days preceding the license application and has declared herself or himself as a full-time resident of the state. Annual resident Arkansas hunting licenses can also be obtained by certain kinds of students in regard to their residence in Arkansas, including nonresidents enrolled full-time in state institutions, foreign exchange students either taking full-time courses or residing in Arkansas, and Arkansas residents in educational institutions outside of the state.

A person may not be considered an Arkansas resident only by lieu of owning property in the state. Resident Arkansas hunting licenses can be obtained annually or for individual trips by people stationed in the state as part of active military duty, as well as by Arkansas residents stationed elsewhere for active military duty.

Since 1968 state law has required that Arkansas residents born on or after that year have a card certifying completion of a "Hunter Education" course for hunting in Arkansas, unless they are under the age of 16 and are being directly supervised by a hunter with a Hunter Education card who is at least 21 years old. Hunter Education courses completed outside of the state will be acceptable for nonresidents engaged in Arkansas hunting.

Arkansas hunting leases can be secured through the offices of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The agency requires a payment of $20 for the permit to each of the Arkansas hunting leases, each of which must be covered by separate payments. The Arkansas hunting leases available for use through the state are divided into eight sections. Arkansas hunting leases cannot be secured by permit by people under the age of 16, and once issued they will be valid for a term of one year.

In order to be certified for paid guiding services during hunts, an Arkansas resident must obtain a Resident Guide License from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, which will require the payment of a $25 fee.

The exception to this rule exists in the case of guide services which are provided on Arkansas hunting leases provided by the Commission, which requires rather that the guide have a Resident Special Guide License. In order to obtain this license, the prospective guide must be able to show that he or she has been an Arkansas resident for at least a year and pay a $150 fee. Contact an Arkansas lawyer for legal advice and assistance.

Anyone 15 years of age or older is required to possess licenses to hunt and fish in the state of Massachusetts. However, anyone under the age of 15 may fish without a license keeping in mind all other fishing laws and regulations.

Trapping licenses are required for individuals 12 and older. Such licenses are valid for a calendar year. The minimum age for hunting is 12, provided they are accompanied by a licensed hunter of 18 years of age or older. In addition a single bag limit shall be shared as well as a single firearm or bow. Only one minor is allowed per adult.

There are numerous regulations connected to specific animals and firearm usage, so be advised. I will touch upon some here. In terms of usage of a handgun, you are prohibited from hunting deer, wild turkey, migratory game birds, or gray squirrel with this firearm. You may only use a .357 magnum revolver to hunt Black bear during the September portion of the open season.

Use of a handgun or any firearm for that matter is prohibited during the exclusive archery season for deer. When hunting fox, coyote, and bobcat, you must be aware of the following. The hunting hours for bobcat run from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset.

Slightly different are the hunting hours for fox and coyote, which run from a half hour before sunrise to midnight except for coyote during the shotgun deer season when the hunting hours close a half hour after sunset. Take special note, however, that during the pheasant and quail seasons on wildlife management areas stocked with these animals, the hunting hours for all species are from sunrise to sunset.

There are no bag limits for fox coyote or bobcat. While there are no harvest quotas for fox or coyote, the total is 50 for bobcats. No special hunting permit is required as long as you have your hunting license. It is illegal to hunt or pursue bobcat with dogs, or to train bobcat hounds on bobcat during the closed hunting season, except by special permit for authentic research or damage situations.

You are, however, allowed to hunt fox and coyote with hounds and bait as well as fox, coyote, and bobcat with electronic or manually operated calls. Aside from licenses, the following hunting permits may be purchased for the state of Massachusetts: Antlerless Deer, Black Bear, Wild Turkey, Migratory Game Birds, and Crossbow.

Remaining regulations that exist within wildlife management areas are as follows. Individuals are not allowed to partake in any target practice without permission from the director of the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. No one is permitted to use any means other than a shotgun or bow and arrow during the pheasant and quail season on areas stocked with them except for when hunting raccoons between 9 PM and 3 AM. Knowledge of these specifically tailored regulations is vital to hunter safety. Contact Massachusetts lawyers for legal advice and assistance.