See Arizona’s unique wildlife and reconnect with nature

PHOENIX —  Javelina, turkey and sandhill cranes – oh my! It may not be exactly like the famous Wizard of Oz quote, “lions and tigers and bears” – but to many it still invokes a sense of mystery and adventure.

In an effort to get kids into a natural environment and to increase their awareness of the importance of hunting as a wildlife management tool, the Arizona Game and Fish Department has created a number of youth programs to introduce kids to the outdoors. Participating in hunting and fishing is America’s original outdoor challenge.

Starting this fall there are three hunts available to young hunters ages 10-17, including:

• Juniors-only fall javelina big game hunt. There are two hunts to choose from, Oct. 10-16 and Nov. 21-30. There are a number of hunting areas to choose from. However, tags are limited and must be obtained by submitting an application by mail; for details, visit www.azgfd.gov/draw. Javelina are unique to the Southwest, with a wide distribution in Arizona. Javelina offer an excellent introduction to the skills needed for other big game hunting like deer and elk. As for edibility, they make very good chorizo breakfast sausage, Italian and bratwurst sausages, as well as roasts and stews.
• Juniors-only fall turkey big game hunt. There is one hunt Oct. 3-9. Tags are unlimited and can be purchased over-the-counter for $10 at any department office. There are a number of open hunting areas, including some areas around Flagstaff, the White Mountains and the North Kaibab. Wild turkeys inhabit the forested highlands of our state. Wild turkeys are similar to domestic birds, but leaner, so don’t overcook, and you’ll be treated to a Thanksgiving family feast to be proud of.
• Juniors-only sandhill crane hunt. There is one hunt Dec. 12-14 in the southeastern part of the state. Tags are limited and must be obtained by submitting an application by mail; for details, visit www.azgfd.gov/draw. Sandhill cranes are large (5-foot wingspan), spectacular birds, which closely resemble a terradactyl. They migrate to the state and winter in wetland areas. They are very wary birds and are challenging to decoy within shooting range, making for an amazing hunting experience. Most surprising is they provide incredible table fare, often referred to as “the flying rib-eye steak.” The department will have check stations with mentors and guides to offer help.

For instructions on applying for javelina or sandhill crane tags, visit www.azgfd.gov/draw and find the hunt number of the area you wish to hunt from the list of left-over fall hunts and/or the left-over list for sandhill cranes. Fill out the “Hunt Permit/Tag Application Form” per the instructions and mail it to: Arizona Game and Fish Department, P.O. Box 52002, Phoenix, AZ 85072-2002.

Young hunters ages 10-13 are required to have completed a certified hunter education course to hunt big game (javelina and turkey). All youth hunting big game are also required to have a general hunting license.

There is no hunter education requirement to hunt sandhill cranes, although it is encouraged. Additionally, youth hunters 10-13 do not need a general hunting license when accompanied by a licensed adult when hunting sandhill cranes.

Many families that have relocated to Arizona came from rural families who used to hunt. But now in Arizona, they are in unfamiliar country and not sure how to – nor do they have the network of friends and other family members they did in their hometowns. To change that, the department is reaching out to the public to introduce them to hunting in the Southwest through workshops, clinics, check stations and online information.

For more information about hunter education, licenses and hunting in Arizona, visit the Game and Fish Department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov

These informative workshops are taught by knowledgeable wildlife biologists and fellow javelina hunters. Their goal is to teach new and youth hunters how to get started and increase their odds for success. Those interested are encouraged to attend one of the following free workshops:

• Tucson, Sept. 10 from 6:30-8 p.m., International Wildlife Museum, 4800 Gates Pass Road, (520) 628-5376.
• Mesa, Sept. 26 from 7-9 p.m., Mesa Regional Game and Fish office, 7200 E. University Drive, (480) 981-9400.
• Phoenix, Sept. 26 from 7-9 p.m., Arizona Game and Fish Department headquarters, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, (602) 942-3000.

Each workshop will include a PowerPoint presentation and discussions about the biology and management of the animals, to the nuts and bolts about how to hunt them. Other key areas to be covered include identifying the signs of where they eat and sleep, and how to use binoculars to locate animals.

To hunt javelina, youth must be at least 10 years old and have passed a certified hunter education course. Youth over 14 are encouraged to take a hunter safety course, but it is not mandatory. Regardless of age, a general hunting license is required, as well as a javelina hunt permit-tag.

Currently, there are plenty of juniors-only fall javelina hunt permit-tags available on a first-come, first-serve basis by submitting an application via U.S. Mail. The majority of the hunts are in beautiful southern Arizona. The season dates are either Oct. 10-16 or Nov. 21-27, depending on choice of hunting area. For details on applying for a tag and a list of hunting area choices, visit www.azgfd.gov/draw.

Javelina resource links:

• History, hunting and behavior of javelina
  
• Video of javelina
• Urban javelina

Note: Javelina occupy habitats from the Sonoran desert to ponderosa pine, ranging from Nogales to Flagstaff and Kingman to Safford.  Javelina are common in remote areas and are often also found in urban settings. Adult javelina generally weigh 35-60 pounds, and are also known as the collared peccary, named for the white band or collar which runs across the shoulders. They are classified as a big game species and there are two regulated hunting seasons available. Hunting and harvest are managed to maintain healthy and sustainable populations.

Doug Burt, Public Information Officer, AGFD, dburt(remove)@azgfd.gov.

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Looking for a fun activity to unglue your son or daughter from the TV or computer?

Successful junior javelina hunter - photo from azgfd.net/photos.

Do you know a young hunter that would like to go big game hunting? Here is the perfect hunting trip for a youngster fresh out of hunter education class.

There are almost 2,000 fall javelina tags available for junior hunters. The permits are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The majority of the hunts are in units in beautiful southern Arizona. The season dates are either Oct. 10-16 or Nov. 21-27, depending on hunt choice. For details on applying for a tag, visit www.azgfd.gov/draw.

Note: The harvest limit is one javelina per calendar year. If you harvested a javelina this past spring of 2008, you cannot hunt javelina this fall.

Javelina hunting is fun, exciting, challenging and a great way to test your skills of locating game, glassing, stalking, shooting and hopefully, processing your harvest.

Hunting javelina during the fall, as opposed to the spring, is fairly new. However, temperate fall weather and mixed bag opportunities for rabbit and quail, makes this a desirable hunt. The department is hosting a couple of javelina hunting workshops in September. These informative workshops are taught by knowledgeable wildlife biologists and fellow javelina hunters. Their goal is to teach new hunters how to get started and increase their odds for success. For locations and times of the javelina workshops, visit www.azgfd.gov under the “what’s new” section.

In the meantime, while you are waiting for your tag to come in the mail, the following tips will provide you with plenty to learn about how to find, hunt and harvest a javelina this fall.

Stereotyped for their lack of intelligence, the javelina is not any less intelligent than our other native wildlife. Their eyesight is very poor at distances greater than 100 yards. This is understandable for an animal that evolved in the thick brush where food, water, shelter, and predators could only be seen at very short distances. Their sense of smell and hearing abilities, however, are very well developed.

Javelina travel in large groups, or herds; on average there are 8-12 animals in a herd. These herds occupy a territory of about 1-2 square miles that is defended from other adjacent herds. In good javelina habitat, each territorial boundary abuts the boundary of adjacent herds. This makes it somewhat difficult to answer the question, “Where are the javelina in this area?” Answer: Find good habitat, you’ll likely find javelina.

Although javelina are “everywhere,” they never seem to be where you are (even when you’ve seemingly been everywhere). Knowing how javelina feed and what signs they leave behind is the key to successful javelina hunting.

Javelina eating prickly-pear cactus. Photo AGFD

Feeding javelina concentrate heavily on succulents such as prickly pear, hedgehog, barrel cactus, lechuguilla, and cholla. The fruits and fleshy parts provide not only nutritious feed, but water as well. When javelina feed on prickly pear pads they grasp the pad and pull, which shreds the pad and leaves the stringy interior fibers visible.

Hedgehog cactus after javelina feeding. Photo AGFD

Small cacti such as hedgehogs are knocked over with a front hoof and the insides are eaten out so that only the tough outer skin and spines remain. Lechuguilla leaves are pulled apart and left scattered as the javelina eats the fleshy heart out of the plant. Roots and tubers are also dug or “rooted” up by javelina in search of nutrition. All of which give indication if there are javelina in the area.

Typical javelina bedding ground area - photo AGFD.

Javelina spend their time resting and feeding. Resting occurs primarily in traditional bedding grounds which are located in low areas of thick brush or caves throughout their territory. Bedding grounds offer soft soil to lie on and protection from predators and the weather.

Javelina meat is considered, by some, to be less than palatable. However, if properly cared for in the field, javelina provide good eating. The key is to field dress the animal immediately and skin it at your first opportunity. Don’t worry about the scent gland above the tail; it is attached to the skin and will come off when you skin the animal. The hairs of the javelina are covered with this scent; make sure you do not touch the meat with the hand that has been holding the hide.

Tips for finding pigs:
Hunting is 100-percent luck, and the other half is hard work, but there are things you can do to greatly improve your chance of being in the right place at the right time. Here are our “Lucky 7” tips for finding game.

1. Be prepared: Spend a significant amount of time scouting/researching before the season. You can locate herds of javelina and start to understand their distribution and movement patterns.
   

   Javelina under typical cover - photo AGFD.

2. Take your game sitting down: The old adage that a good hunter wears out the seat of his or her pants before the soles of their boots describes perfectly what glassing is all about. At least 90 percent of your time should be sitting down behind your optics.
3. Look on the bright side: You always want to have the sun to your back. Not only does this prevent you from looking into the sun, but more importantly, you will be looking at canyons and hillsides illuminated brightly.
4. Get high and lay low: When glassing you should climb as high as possible to get the best view and set up in the shade of a tree, bush or other structure. It is always tempting to stop short, but for every 50 feet in elevation, more and more country down below opens up for your inspection.
5. Concentrate on the details: Natural-colored big game animals are not going to be standing out like a neon sign on the other side of the canyon. If you are not concentrating, you will miss javelina right in the middle of your field of view.
6. No room for random: Glassing does not entail looking around willy-nilly hoping to spot something. Glassing efficiently and effectively means you search your visible area in a systematic way. A tripod is a must if you are serious.
7. Come early, stay late: If you want to be successful you have to make sure you are active during the same time periods as your game. Take advantage of the “Golden Hours” — the first hour after the sun up and the last hour of sun in the evening. Pack a lunch and stay afield all day.

By Jim Heffelfinger, Tucson regional game specialist, and Doug Burt, public information officer, AGFD

Jim Heffelfinger has worked with the department for more than 16 years. He is well known in the wildlife community, is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Arizona, and is the author of “Deer of the Southwest, A Complete Guide to the Natural History, Biology, and Management of Southwestern Mule Deer and White-Tailed Deer.”

Photo courtesy of AZBGSR – 2006 elk winner Gary Chiurazzi

Elk and antelope tags are taking on the stature of the Holy Grail. Many hunters go years between receiving a tag, and some go even longer for a trophy hunt. If you need another shot at one of these highly sought after tags – you are in luck.

The Arizona Big Game Super Raffle organization was awarded nine special big game tags by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission for 2008. The organization is hosting the state’s largest hunt tag raffle, and for as little as $5 – $25 (depending on species), you will have a chance at a hunt of a lifetime.

Big game species include: pronghorn antelope, black bear, buffalo, Coues whitetail, desert bighorn sheep, elk, javelina, mule deer, and turkey – Gould’s or Merriam’s. In addition, there will be an incredible Swarovski optics package raffled.

Why are these tags so special?
The season dates for each hunt will be 365 days starting August 15. There are very few limitations on hunting areas, and the prices for each ticket have been set to give every hunter in the world an opportunity to win a true hunt of a lifetime. Arizona offers some of the best trophy opportunities in North America for each of these species.

What is the raffle for?
The Super Raffle was launched in 2006 as a way to raise substantial money for wildlife habitat work in Arizona. After a decade of prolonged drought, exploding human population, and funding needs, landscape-wide project work is critical to the future of all big game species. Every dollar raised through ticket sales of each species will go directly toward that species. All costs associated with the raffle are covered through optics raffle ticket sales and contributions from our sponsors.

Time is short, July 13 is the deadline to buy tickets.

Get your tickets online today at:
www.arizonabiggamesuperraffle.com/online_orders_2008.html

If you miss the Super Raffle this year, don’t worry, there are other chances to get a special tag. The Super Raffle will be in operation again next year – this time with 10 tags, as they added mountain lion to the package.

In addition to the Super Raffle, two more special tags for each species were allocated for 2009 by the commission per A.R.S. 17-346 and R12-4-120 to support wildlife conservation. Proceeds from the sale of these tags are used for wildlife management of the species of each particular tag.

The commission’s 2009 special big game tag allocations are as follows:

• Arizona Big Game Super Raffle – one each for 10 big game species
  Raffle tickets sold all year, drawing to be held in summer 2009.

• Arizona Antelope Foundation – two pronghorn
  Auction one permit at Antelope Foundation banquet, likely in summer 2009.
  Auction one permit at Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society Banquet, likely in March 2009.

• Arizona Bowhunters Association – one each: bear, buffalo & javelina
  Combination of auction and raffle awards at March 2009 banquet.
• Arizona Deer Association – one mule deer, two white-tailed deer, & one mountain lion
  Auction one mule deer and one white-tailed deer permit at annual banquet in spring 2009.
  Raffle one white-tailed deer permit.
  Raffle or auction one mountain lion permit.

• Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society – two bighorn sheep & 1 mountain lion
  Auction one desert bighorn sheep permit at Wild Sheep Foundation convention in Salt Lake City during February 4-7, 2009.
  Auction one Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep permit at ADBSS banquet on March 7, 2009.

• Arizona Elk Society – one elk
  Auction one elk permit at annual banquet in March 2009.

• Arizona Wildlife Federation – One bear and one javelina
  Auction or raffle both permits at annual trophy banquet in late spring 2009.

• Mule Deer Foundation– One mule deer
  Auction one permit at National Convention in Salt Lake City during February 5-8, 2009.

• National Wild Turkey Federation – two turkey
  Auction one permit at annual convention in Nashville during February 2009.
  Raffle one permit through Arizona Chapter to be awarded during summer 2009.

• Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation – one elk
  Auction permit at annual elk camp in Fort Worth during March 5-8, 2009.

• Phoenix Chapter, Safari Club International– one buffalo
  Auction one permit at 2009 banquet.

Habitat Fund

By Sal Palazzolo, landowner relations program manager, Arizona Game and Fish Department

Sportsmen are given the opportunity on their big game hunt applications to make a donation to the Big Game Habitat Fund. The generous sportsmen who contribute to this fund help support wildlife habitat improvement projects for all of Arizona’s big game species.

You can contribute to Arizona’s conservation success story by donating a portion of your refund (if you are eligible for a refund) to big game habitat projects. These projects are implemented on federal, state trust and deeded property.

Some of the projects accomplished with these funds during 2006-2007 are:

• Utilized $10,000 in Big Game Habitat donation funds to match against a $90,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, to install a water delivery system in Game Management Unit 32. This project will benefit mule deer, pronghorn antelope, javelina and upland game birds.

• Matched $10,000 in Big Game Habitat donation funds against a $140,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to conduct mesquite clearing on historic grasslands and add two new water sources in Game Management Unit 30A. This project will benefit mule deer, javelina and upland game birds, notably scaled quail.

• Installed a wildlife drinker in Game Management Unit 3C. This project will benefit elk, mule deer and various nongame species.

• Cleaned out and repaired a dirt tank in Game Management Unit 19A. This tank is an important watering area for pronghorn antelope.

• Matched $5,000 of Big Game Habitat donation funds against $55,000 of outside funding sources to install covers on water storage tanks in Game Management Unit 13B. This project will greatly reduce the evaporation of water for drinkers that supply water for mule deer and bighorn sheep.

• Provided $5,000 of Big Game Habitat donation funds to match against a $92,000 Arizona Department of Agriculture grant to clear 1,920 acres of juniper off of former grassland habitats in Game Management Unit 10. This project will benefit elk, mule deer and pronghorn antelope.

• Cleaned out and repaired a dirt tank in Game Management Unit 4B. This tank is an important watering area for elk, mule deer and numerous nongame species.

• Purchased and installed a solar pumping station for a well in Game Management Unit 5A. This project will primarily benefit elk and mule deer.

• Purchased and installed a solar pumping station for a well in Game Management Unit 35A. This project will primarily benefit mule deer and pronghorn antelope.
  

Sportsmen interested in contributing toward projects like this are asked to consider making a donation during this big game hunt application period. For more information about the Big Game Habitat Fund, visit azgfd.gov/landowner.

It’s time to apply for the remaining fall big game hunts.

Arizona big game hunters can now download a copy of the 2007-2008 Hunting and Trapping Regulations and apply online at azgfd.gov for the available fall big game hunts, such as deer, javelina, turkey and bighorn sheep, or they can apply manually by mail.

The hunt application deadline is June 12 at 7 p.m. (MST). Applications must be received by the department by that time; postmarks don’t count.

Keep in mind that the draw has already taken place for elk and antelope. Now hunters already know whether or not they have been drawn for those two species prior to applying for other fall hunts.

The printed copies of the regulations will be mailed to license dealers throughout the state on May 16 and should be available at stores by that weekend.

Those applying via the paper hunt permit-tag application form have a grace period; if a submitted paper application contains an error and is received by May 30, the department will make three attempts within a 24-hour period to notify the applicant by telephone, if a telephone number is provided on the application.

No grace period is needed for the online process, which allows hunters the assurance of entering a correct and complete application when submission occurs.

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission approved the fall big game hunts for deer, turkey, javelina, bighorn sheep, buffalo, bear and mountain lion on Saturday, April 21.

Hunters this year will see a slight increase in deer permits and a continuation of fall javelina seasons.

Something new for the fall are juniors-only archery and muzzleloader javelina hunts in Unit 39. The commission also set a 400-permit juniors-only antlerless hunt in Unit 12A on the North Kaibab.

Although an early archery deer season starting on Aug. 31 had been directed for this upcoming fall season, the commission opted to move that season a week earlier to start on Aug. 24, thus preventing an overlap with early archery elk seasons that were previously set by the commission in December 2006.

Don’t forget that the small game seasons were set by the commission last year for a two-year period. However, the commission did make a slight modification to the season for blue grouse due to a planned grouse transplant effort.

My son, Josh Boak, 14, has enjoyed the outdoors since an early age. My family has long enjoyed camping together, and hunting comes along with it. I learned to hunt at an early age from my dad and wanted to pass that tradition on to my son. I began teaching Josh firearm safety with a BB gun, and a few years ago we went through the hunter education class so we could apply for big game hunts together.

Josh drew a tag for the youth hunt in Game Management Unit 6A last fall. We enjoyed the barbecue dinner at Happy Jack the night before the hunt, and Josh joined the Arizona Elk Society that evening. The anticipation of the hunt began to build.

We took the field the next day and did a fair amount of hiking. At one point, we stopped for a break, and four bulls soon strolled to within 30 yards of where we were sitting. My son was very excited and breathing loudly. As the bulls turned and walked by us, we noticed another elk at the end of the group—it was a cow! I moved to the side and Josh carefully assessed his target before firing.

Josh was using a .308 that my father bought for my first elk hunt, when I was in high school. I was unsuccessful on that hunt, but my father, who passed away three years ago, was with us in spirit on this hunt. Josh fired the 38-year-old Mossberg and made his shot count, taking a fine animal.

Now the work began. We didn’t realize we were two miles away (and part-way up a mountain) from the truck and the ATV. Thank God for the radio and our hunting buddies—they came to help us quarter and carry the elk down the mountain to the ATV.

It was a long day, but I will never forget the excitement on my son’s face as he stood over what we came so far to get. I was a very proud (and tired) dad that day. Two days later our hunting buddies took their elk. This time the boys had better knowledge of how to use their knives when field dressing a game animal. Now my son wants to be the meat cutter on every hunt.

This was Josh’s first elk, as well as his first big game animal, and we are hooked! He wants to put in for every youth hunt he can before he gets too old. All in all, the junior hunt experience was a very good time for everyone.

By Rory Aikens, public information officer, Arizona Game and Fish Department

Bear and mountain lion hunters must contact the Arizona Game and Fish Department within 48 hours of taking a bear or a mountain lion, and you must also physically check-in the harvested animal within 10 days with the Department.

Successful bear hunters must contact an Arizona Game and Fish Department office in person or by telephone at 1-800-970-BEAR (2327) within 48 hours of taking a bear. Successful mountain lion hunters must contact an Arizona Game and Fish office in person or by telephone at 1-877-438-0447 within 48 hours of taking a lion.  The report for both bears and mountain lions shall include the hunter’s name, hunting license number, tag number, sex of the lion or bear taken, management unit where the lion or bear was taken, and telephone number at which the hunter can be reached to obtain additional information.

Also, within 10 days of taking a mountain lion or a bear, the hunter shall present the animal’s skull, hide, and attached proof of sex for inspection. If the skull is to be frozen before inspection by the department, the mouth should be propped open so a tooth can be extracted for age determination. Hunters are encouraged to contact a department office by telephone to coordinate the inspection.

Hunters have an opportunity this year to win a unique year-round big game hunt while helping wildlife conservation efforts at the same time, thanks to Arizona’s Big Game Super Raffle. Here is how it works:

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission set aside special tags for each of the nine big game species to be used in a super raffle to raise money for wildlife conservation. A consortium of conservation groups banded together to raffle these special tags. Every cent raised goes to the Arizona Game and Fish Department to benefit the big game species for which the raffle is held.

Special tags are available for bighorn sheep, elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, antelope, buffalo, turkey, bear and javelina. The public drawing this year will be held on July 8. The season dates associated with these special tags are 365 days, starting Aug. 1, and the tags include a few restrictions on hunting areas.

Raffle tickets must be purchased by July 3, and prices are very reasonable. If you want to learn more, visit arizonabiggamesuperraffle.com for all the details.

By Rory Aikens, public information officer, Arizona Game and Fish Department

Hunters will want to get copies of this year’s hunt regulations when they are available online and via hunting license sales dealers: There are lots of changes this year to the big game hunt seasons, in large part to assist efforts to retain and recruit hunters.

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission on April 22 set the commission orders for deer, elk, pronghorn, turkey, javelina, bighorn sheep, buffalo, bear, and mountain lion, along with the small game hunting seasons, predator/furbearer seasons, and trapping seasons.

The newly adopted hunt regulations will be available online at the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web site at azgfd.gov by the first week of May. The printed regulations should be available at license dealers throughout the state by mid-May. The fall hunt application deadline is 7 p.m. (MST) June 13. Hunters can again apply online for the big game hunts this year at azgfd.gov .

Here is a quick summary of changes this year:

• The online application process is again available this year.
• There are fall javelina big game hunt permit tags available this year.
• Bonus points and loyalty points now also apply to javelina, turkey and bear.
• A 10-percent non-resident cap now applies to bighorn sheep, buffalo, all antlered deer, bull elk, javelina, antelope and turkey. There is no longer a 15-percent bighorn sheep set-aside of hunt permit-tags for non-residents.
• The $5 application fee per applicant will no longer be refunded on rejected applications.
• Applicants must be 10 years old by deadline day (June 13) to apply for bonus points. However, if applying for a hunt, applicants must be 10 years old by the beginning date of any hunt they select.
• Hunters are required to physically check-in for bear and mountain lion kills.
• Archery deer hunters are still required to report their harvest; compliance for this requirement last year was low.
• The 20-percent bonus point pass, meaning that 20-percent of tags in each hunt will be set aside for applicants with the highest number of bonus points, now applies to bighorn sheep, buffalo, antelope, bear, deer, elk, javelina and turkey.
• Metro unit numbers and boundaries have changed. Units 4A and 5A also changed.

Game Branch Chief Leonard Ordway said the department conducted an exhaustive effort to come up with strategies and efforts to increase hunter retention and recruitment, including maximizing hunting opportunities where feasible. Those recommendations resulted in a lot of small structure modifications this year, and even some significant changes, such as establishing some limited fall hunting for javelina.

Other proposed changes, such as having an earlier draw for elk and pronghorn antelope, will be implemented next year (some require rule changes before being implemented).

Saturday’s commission meeting wasn’t the only time public input has been gathered during the hunt-regulation process. During January and February, the Arizona Game and Fish Department conducted 11 public meetings throughout the state that were attended by approximately 600 people. The department also received approximately 350 written comments, mostly via e-mail.

“Because of all the proposed changes this year, we received what may be a record amount of public comment, which shows we have a robust process in place,” Ordway said.

One area of ongoing concern, Ordway said, is the lack of reporting this past year by archery deer hunters. He explained that as of last year, successful archery deer hunters were required to contact the Game and Fish Department by person or via phone within 10 days of harvesting a deer. Unfortunately, department analysis indicates that only 25 to 30 percent of the successful archers complied with the new requirement last year.

The archery report-in process was put in place to gather data on archery harvest rather than going to a full draw system for archery.

Ordway noted that both mountain lion and bear hunters have mandatory check-ins within 48 hours of harvesting an animal. “The mountain lion check-in requirement is new this year,” he said.

A piece of good news, Ordway said, comes from the small game arena: the Gambel’s and scaled quail harvest was almost 1.5 million birds this past season, which is the best quail harvest since the early 1980s.

Coues white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus couesi) are found in scattered populations throughout southeastern and central Arizona. They occur primarily in partially isolated mountains above 4,000 feet.

Cooz or cows?
Early naturalist and army surgeon Elliot Coues never actually collected a whitetail in the Southwest. However, in 1874 another army surgeon, Dr. Joseph Rothrock, collected and saved two from the Santa Rita Mountains in Arizona and noted (correctly) that these were merely a smaller version of the common eastern whitetail. He suggested that they be referred to as Coues white-tailed deer, in honor of that pioneering naturalist. The Coues family pronounces their name “cows,” like the bovine. Just please do not talk loudly in public about the big “cows” you shot last year.

Distribution and habitat preference
Coues white-tailed deer occupy relatively rough, wooded terrain with steep canyons. Typical whitetail habitat is mixed oak woodland, but they can be found anywhere from ponderosa pine/mixed conifer at 10,000 feet down to the upper limits of semi-desert grassland. Although elevations with the highest deer densities vary among different mountain ranges, most Coues whitetails are found between 4,000 and 7,000 feet.

At lower elevations, there is considerable overlap in habitat use with desert mule deer. In these areas of overlap, hybridization between the two species happens, but is extremely rare. Most hunters who shoot “hybrids” find that they have the right tag on the wrong species. There is a lot of variation in tails, ears and antlers of both species; it is almost impossible to discern a true hybrid through binoculars.

The Sonoran Fantail
Within the range of Coues white-tailed deer, there is a common misconception that several different local types exist, the most common of which is the notion that there is an extra-small whitetail (Rock, Sinaloan, Sonoran Fantail, Dwarf) that occurs in localized areas of the Southwest. Young deer, with small 3×3 racks, are often the cause of such rumors because observers mistake them for unusually small, mature bucks. Another contributing factor is the wide variation in the color of the back side of the tail of Coues whitetails. The back surface of the tail may appear gray/brown (same as the animal’s back), reddish, blond, very dark brown, or black. These are not different types of deer, but instead are color variations found in some individuals.

Take your whitetail sitting down
Hunting is 100 percent luck, but there are things you can do to increase your chances of getting lucky. Many hunters do not want to hear this, but the point is you have no control over, and cannot forecast, where your quarry will be each day. However, there are things you can do to greatly improve your chance of being in the right place at the right time.

The most important is to spend most of the time sitting down. “Glassing” is the act of searching for game with binoculars and then sneaking within range for a shot. This is also called “spot and stalk” for obvious reasons. Many people hunt with binoculars, but do not really glass for game. Glassing has become much more common in recent years as hunters learn how effective this method is.

The old adage that good hunters wear out the seats of their pants before the soles of their boots describes perfectly what glassing is all about. At least 90 percent of your time should be sitting down behind your optics. I talk to hunters every year who say they “walked and walked and walked” and saw no deer. I tell them the reason they didn’t see any deer is because they “walked and walked and walked.”

Here are six tips to make your deer hunt more successful and enjoyable this year.

1) Be prepared
Scouting is vital to a successful hunt, yet it is difficult to get time to scout adequately. These trips allow you to find locations from which to glass, and to verify what roads are open to the public, what the turnoffs look like (especially in the dark!), and how you will get to your preselected glassing locations. Access to public land can change from year to year as private landowners lock gates where the access crosses their private land. Maps are an important part of your preparation. Even if you know the area and have been hunting it for years, a topographic map helps you plan where you will glass from and what areas you can cover.

2) Look on the bright side
When planning where you will glass from and what direction to cover, consider the direction of the sun. Always have the sun to your back. Not only does this prevent you from looking into the sun, but it assures that the deer will be. You will also be looking at canyons and hillsides illuminated brightly by the rising or setting sun behind you. Study your maps before going afield and select a few potential sites that allow you to look to the west or northwest in the morning and east or northeast in the afternoon.

3) Climb high and lay low
When glassing, climb as high as possible to get the best view. It is always tempting to convince yourself you can see a lot of country and don’t need to climb any higher, but for every 50 feet in elevation, more and more country opens up for your inspection. Climbing higher may make your stalk longer (back down to the bottom), but would you rather have a longer stalk after spotting a deer, or never see the deer in the first place? However, do not set up and glass from the crest of a hill or ridge where you will be silhouetted against the sky. Always come down the slope enough that you have a solid background.

4) Come early and stay late
To be successful, make sure you are active during the early morning periods because deer certainly are. The first hour after the sun breaks is the “golden hour,” not only because everything glows in the early golden light, but because this is when I see most of the deer in any given day. You have to plan so you are in your glassing location before it gets light. Be there until it is too late to initiate a stalk before dark.

5) Concentrate!
Cryptically-colored big game animals are not going to be standing out like a neon sign on the other side of the canyon. If you are not concentrating, you will miss deer right in the middle of your field of view. Remember: the deer you glass up are not going to be moving in many cases. Ideally you become one with the binoculars and forget you are looking through them.

6) No room for random
Glassing does not entail looking around willy-nilly hoping to spot something. Glassing efficiently and effectively means you search your visible area in a systematic way. A tripod is a must if you are serious. When I first saw binoculars mounted on a tripod, I thought that was going a little overboard. Then I tried it. Wow, what a difference! The tripod allows you to search the area systematically, while stabilizing the field of view. A stable background is important if you are trying to detect a subtle ear flick or tail wag.

For this issue of Hunting Highlights, we invited some of the women here at the Arizona Game and Fish Department who hunt deer to share their stories with readers, as a way of encouraging other women to get out hunting this fall. Sherry Crouch and Dee Pfleger responded to the call. We think their words express quite clearly that women who hunt are not much different from men who hunt. They have the same excitement and concerns—and about the same luck. ~The editors

Sherry Crouch
Growing up in Arizona, I spent a lot of time exploring the outdoors. My dad hunted small game, and I’d watch fascinated as he cleaned each animal. At that time, I didn’t hunt, but did enjoy target shooting with handguns.

In college I met my future husband, Pat. Through him, my interest in hunting grew. Pat went with me through a hunter education course and spent hours helping me hone my shooting skills. I drew life-sized silhouettes, and then Pat would have me practice shooting. With his help, I was soon shooting accurately. It was the next year before I drew my first antlered deer tag.

On an October morning we started hiking, looking for deer. Even though we had good binoculars, we hiked instead of glassing. I spooked a mule deer buck but had no chance to shoot. To make a long story short, we went home with no deer, but vowed to use binoculars on the next hunt.

Pat was able to hunt midweek and got a nice mule deer. On the last day of the hunt, I got to go again. This time, instead of hike and hope, we decided to sit and glass. We glassed a lot of country, but saw no deer in the morning, so we waited for late afternoon when the deer would again be active. Glassing across a draw, we spotted seven whitetail bucks.

We built a rest using jackets and settled on a small buck offering a broadside shot. At the sound of my shot, the buck stood alone. The other deer scattered like a broken quail covey. The buck I shot at didn’t flinch. We watched the buck for several minutes, and he didn’t move. We decided something wasn’t right, and moved closer. At about 30 yards, I could see my buck, still on his feet, but barely. My shot had resulted in a low hit. With a final shot, I was able to tag my first deer, a fork-horned whitetail. Elation, honor, humility, delight in having meat in the freezer, relief that this one would be easy to pack out, and awe describe only a few of the emotions running through my mind.

I learned a couple of valuable lessons during that hunt. You can cover more ground with binoculars than with hiking boots, and always stick with the ammo you used in practice. In packing for the day’s hunt, I grabbed a box of .270 shells that were a different brand and different bullet than I had used in practice. Their trajectory was different—thus the low hit. Lessons learned, and mistakes never to be repeated.

Dee Pfleger
On one memorable hunt, three of us had tags in Unit 36C, in the Baboquivari Mountains. I was fortunate enough to get drawn with Tice Supplee, who was chief of the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Game Branch at the time. Tice taught me patience, which was required for the hours of glassing for deer from ridge tops. Buns of steel helped too, for sitting on the hard ground. From Tice I also learned the meaning of a “death march.” Tice always believed in getting out, stretching the legs, and taking extended hikes up ridges and around mountains.

On one such ridge, we ran into another group of hunters. I guess the guys were not used to seeing women hunters, because while we were out in the middle of nowhere, on top of a windy ridge, dressed in camo and carrying guns, they had to ask us what we were doing. One of the quicker-thinking gals in our group responded, “Taking our guns for a walk.”

My biggest lesson of that hunt was: Never walk anywhere without your firearm or bow. After sitting on a ridge for several hours (that seemed like days) and not seeing much of anything moving, I left my gun with my backpack and walked over the back side to relieve myself of some early morning coffee. I don’t know who was more startled, me or the young buck that had bedded down just behind where we were glassing. I must have awakened him from his mid-morning nap. I stood there gaping as he bounded off down the hill to some other napping place.