National Wildlife Refuge · Arizona · FWS Region 2

Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge is located in Pima County, Arizona, with about 117,685 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 2 mapped hunt units: 1 open under general rules and 1 closed, covering about 104,975 huntable acres.

1 open unit1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
2hunt units
105Khuntable acres
118KFWS-owned acres
5game categories

Buenos Aires NWR hunt unit map

Hunt units are colored by 2026–2027 status. Toggle layers for FWS-owned land, the approved refuge boundary and private easements. Use satellite imagery to scout marshes, timber edges and access points.

Loading interactive map…
OpenSpecial regulationsClosedFWS-owned landWPA (public)Refuge boundaryEasement (private) Tip: switch to Satellite or USGS Topo in the layer menu · click the map for GPS coordinates
Take it into the field: KML (Google Earth / onX) GPX waypoints GeoJSON

Hunting at Buenos Aires NWR

Permitted hunting categories are big game, waterfowl, migratory birds, small game, and feral & exotic, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules.

Among the many game species roaming the rippling grasslands of Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge is the javelina, a small-hoofed mammal that travels in large herds throughout the refuge. Javelina resemble pigs, but are not in the pig family.

Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsWaterfowlDucks, geese, brant, swans (where legal) and cootsMigratory BirdsMourning dove, woodcock, snipe, rails, gallinules and sandhill craneSmall GameSquirrel, rabbit, hare, raccoon, opossum and other small mammalsFeral & ExoticFeral hogs and other non-native species where refuge rules allow

Categories are those listed by USFWS for this station; exact species, seasons and bag limits follow Arizona regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (2)

Acreage by status
Open: 104,975 (89%)Closed: 12,710 (11%)105Khuntable acres
  • Open104,975 ac 89%
  • Closed12,710 ac 11%
Units by size (acres)
Hunt Zone
104,975 ac
No Hunt Zone
12,710 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Hunt Zone
Show on map · Directions		 Open 104,975 —
No Hunt Zone
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 12,710 —

Buenos Aires NWR by the numbers

With about 104,975 huntable acres, Buenos Aires NWR ranks #3 of 9 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Arizona and #29 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 89% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Hunt Zone (104,975 acres).

1 unit totaling 12,710 acres is closed to hunting (No Hunt Zone). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

When to hunt Buenos Aires NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Arizona sets the exact dates, and refuges often open fewer days than the statewide season — use this to plan scouting, then confirm the 2026–2027 dates in the state regulations and the refuge hunt brochure.

Typical season windows — Big Game, Waterfowl, Migratory Birds, Small Game, Feral & Exotic
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose
🕊️ Migratory Birds
Dove (Sept. 1 opener)Woodcock & snipeLate dove split
🐇 Small Game
Squirrel & rabbit
🐗 Feral & Exotic
Feral hog (often year-round)

Permits & licenses

Refuge permit

Not listed

USFWS does not list a separate refuge permit for this station. Specific units or hunts (e.g. quota deer hunts) may still require one — check the hunt brochure.

You'll also need

  • A valid Arizona hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Arizona Game and Fish Department
  • Federal Duck Stamp (waterfowl hunters 16+) and HIP certification for migratory birds
  • Non-toxic shot for waterfowl (federal requirement)
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Buenos Aires NWR

USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Buenos Aires NWR.

How to get to Buenos Aires NWR

Navigate

Destination: Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
31.63953, -111.45922
DMS
31°38′22.3″N 111°27′33.2″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Tucson, AZ49 mi SW of town
  • Sierra Vista, AZ69 mi W of town
  • Ajo, AZ96 mi SE of town
  • Phoenix, AZ130 mi S of town

Closest airports

  • TUS Tucson Intl45 mi
  • PHX Phoenix Sky Harbor128 mi

Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.

The navigation point is the station reference location published by USFWS — often the headquarters or main entrance. For a specific hunt unit, open its page or click it on the map for coordinates and parking planning.

Sunrise, sunset & shooting hours

Today at Buenos Aires NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Phoenix local time.

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20265:30 AM6:00 AM6:51 PM12h 51m
Tue, Sep 15, 20265:39 AM6:09 AM6:33 PM12h 24m
Thu, Oct 1, 20265:48 AM6:18 AM6:12 PM11h 54m
Thu, Oct 15, 20265:57 AM6:27 AM5:54 PM11h 27m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:11 AM6:41 AM5:37 PM10h 56m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:23 AM6:53 AM5:27 PM10h 34m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:37 AM7:07 AM5:22 PM10h 15m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:47 AM7:17 AM5:24 PM10h 06m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:55 AM7:25 AM5:32 PM10h 07m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:55 AM7:25 AM5:43 PM10h 18m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:49 AM7:19 AM5:58 PM10h 40m

Computed for 31.640, -111.459 (MST / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day hunting weather

Loading National Weather Service forecast…

Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Guides for hunting Buenos Aires NWR

Deer Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Quota Hunts, Archery Units and Stand Rules

How refuge deer hunts work — lotteries and quota permits, archery-only and muzzleloader units, tree-stand rules…

Public-Land Duck Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Tactics That Work

How to find ducks, beat the crowds and set up on refuge marshes and WPAs — scouting, timing, small decoy spreads for…

Federal Duck Stamp Explained: Who Needs One, Where to Buy It and Where the Money Goes

Everything waterfowl hunters need to know about the Federal Duck Stamp — who must carry it, signing rules, the…

Nontoxic Shot Guide for Refuge and WPA Hunters

Why lead shot is banned for waterfowl, which nontoxic loads are approved, how steel, bismuth and tungsten compare, and…

Dove Hunting on Wildlife Refuges: Managed Fields, Openers and Rules

How dove hunting works on National Wildlife Refuges — managed fields and draw days, HIP and plugged-gun rules…

HIP Certification Explained: The Harvest Information Program for Migratory Bird Hunters

What HIP is, who needs it, how to get certified in each state you hunt, and why your answers help set duck, goose and…

Buenos Aires NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Buenos Aires NWR?

Yes. Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 1 unit (104,975 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, migratory birds, small game, and feral & exotic. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Buenos Aires NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Buenos Aires NWR. You still need a valid state license, any required state tags or stamps, and (for waterfowl hunters 16+) a Federal Duck Stamp.

Where is Buenos Aires NWR located?

Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge is in Pima County, Arizona, about 49 miles SW of Tucson, AZ (straight-line). GPS: 31.63953, -111.45922.

What are legal shooting hours at Buenos Aires NWR?

Migratory game bird shooting hours are generally one-half hour before sunrise to sunset; big game and other seasons follow state rules. See the sunrise/sunset table on this page and confirm in the refuge hunt brochure.

Nearby refuges & public land

Cabeza Prieta NWR

Pima County, AZ · 98 mi NW

1 open4 special1 closed
🦌🐦🕊️🐇

850K huntable acres

Leslie Canyon NWR

Cochise County, AZ · 116 mi E

1 special1 closed
🦌🐦🕊️🐇

813 huntable acres

San Bernardino NWR

Cochise County, AZ · 131 mi E

1 special1 closed
🐦🕊️🐇

1.3K huntable acres

Kofa NWR

Yuma County, AZ · 181 mi NW

3 special1 closed
🦌🐦🐇

663K huntable acres

Imperial NWR

La Paz County, AZ · 211 mi NW

2 special2 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🐇🎣

22.4K huntable acres

Cibola NWR

La Paz County, AZ · 221 mi NW

5 special4 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🐇🎣

12.2K huntable acres

All refuges in Arizona →

Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated October 28, 2026.