LONG-TERM STAYS NOW AVAILABLE TO THE SHOOTING PUBLIC

Make your Reservation Online …or contact our Main Range Office at (623) 582.8313

**The monthly purchase of a BASF Main-Range (MR) 10-Day Shooting Pass for $70.00 is also required
(Allows 11-Daily Range Entry Fees = $77.00 VALUE at any BASF public firearm or archery range)

NEW BASF MAIN-RANGE SHOOTING OPPORTUNITIES:

• Your stay includes an introduction to the shooting sports of Archery or Air Gun in our newly renovated Indoor Range Facility – NEW SHOOTERS WELCOME!!

• Free Monthly Shooting Clinics Offered – Both Archery and Air Rifle & Pistol Shooting – Loaner Equipment Available for those attending the clinic and to use afterwards

• AZ Game and Fish Department OUTDOOR EXPO – Experience the Weekend March 27-28, 2010

NOTE: Weekly and Monthly Campground rates are offered year-round except during the following Major Events hosted at the BASF facility. During these events, Campsites must be vacated but displaced campers can be accommodated in other Dry-site camp locations throughout the facility. Shooters Campground Sites for these special events are booked 18-24 months in advance and take priority.

Major Events scheduled during 2010 are:

• National Muzzleloaders Association Match February 10 -15
• Winter Range – Cowboy Action Shooters Event February 20 – March 2
• CMP/Creedmoor National High Power Match  October 16 – 24

Make your Reservation Online …or contact our Main Range Office at (623) 582.8313

Step off the range and into the field and expand your archery skills in judging distances, terrain, and identifying the target zone on a variety of life-sized 3-D targets in a natural desert setting.

All ages and skill levels are welcome, so bring the entire family out to the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in north Phoenix to enjoy some cool fresh air and the Sonoran landscape. The 20-target course will add a new dimension to your archery skills.

“The course uses life-like animal targets (elk, turkey, bear, deer, etc.) set in the desert landscape and it makes for a fun and challenging shoot,” said Mike Raum, bowhunter education coordinator for Arizona Game and Fish. “On 3-D courses the distances are not marked. Targets could be on a hill or in a valley, and the scoring area varies on each target, much different from the target range. It’s a lot of fun.”

There are three shoots available this fall. No registration is required and the cost is minimal. For participants 17 and younger the course fee is only $3. The cost is $12 (includes $7 range fee) for shooters 18 and older. The scheduled shoots are:

• Saturday, Oct. 31, open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 14, open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Saturday, Dec 19, open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Additionally, the course is open to all Arizona Archery in the Schools shooters as part of the 3-D Regional Shoot. For Archery in the Schools 3-D information, please contact Tanja Washburn at (623) 236-7233 or twashburn@azgfd.gov

The Ben Avery Shooting Facility is located on the northwest corner of I-17 and Carefree Highway. Archers can enter the range at Archery Drive, which is the first light on Carefree Highway about 1.25 miles west of I-17. For a facility brochure and site map, visit www.azgfd.gov/basf.

To learn more about the outdoor programs like watchable wildlife, environmental education, fishing, shooting sports, hunting and others offered by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, visit www.azgfd.gov/getoutside.

Looking for a great activity the whole family can learn and enjoy?

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is offering a Family Archery Program at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix beginning Oct. 12. This introductory program is designed to give families a hands-on experience to learn more about archery and possibly start a new family tradition.

The program focuses on three specific archery disciplines: target, field, and 3D archery. Each participant is taught range rules, bow and arrow safety and handling, correct form and stance, and scoring for the different discipline venues.

The three-session program will be held:

• Oct. 31
• Nov. 7
• Nov. 14

Aall Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The first session is mandatory and pre-registration is required. Participants must be 8 years of age or older.

The cost for the entire program is $40 for individuals, $45 for teams (at least one child and one adult), and $50 for families (at least one child and two adults). Equipment will be provided, however archers may bring their own equipment.

The Ben Avery Shooting Facility is located along Carefree Highway just west of the I-17 in Phoenix.

To pre-register for this event, please contact Brett Moser at (623) 582-8313 or e-mail bmoser@azgfd.gov.

Recreational shooters are reminded that the Ben Avery Shooting Facility is operating on winter business hours as of Oct. 15.

In addition, shooters arriving near closing time are required to check-in 30 minutes before closing time to allow shooters and archers ample range time. Arriving with less than 30 minutes could leave customers in the middle of a cease-fire offering little to no opportunity to shoot.

Ben Avery Shooting Facility winter business hours are:

• Monday – CLOSED
• Tuesday – CLOSED
• Wednesday – 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (7:30 p.m. last check-in time)
• Thursday – 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (7:30 p.m. last check-in time)
• Friday – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (2:30 p.m. last check-in time)
• Saturday – 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (7:30 p.m. last check-in time)
• Sunday – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (2:30 p.m. last check-in time)

Winter hours are in effect until May 14, 2010.

To learn more about the Ben Avery Shooting Facility, shooting programs offered, upcoming events and location, visit www.azgfd.gov/basf.

My son, Rick II. struck out on his first two junior elk hunts, but each time learned some valuable lessons and came back wanting more. We were excited when he was drawn again this year for Unit 6A. We put in with our good friends and neighbors, the Smiths, so our hunting party consisted of Parker 13 and Kaler 12 (the Smith kids), Rick 14 and the dads (Brian Smith and me) as chief cooks, bottle washers and guides (probably in that order).

Brian and I put in some long hours on two consecutive weekends scouting before the hunt. The sign looked pretty good in the area, so we felt fairly confident someone would get a shot. Opening morning turned out to be unproductive, so to keep the kids’ spirits up, we went squirrel hunting midday. That was a good decision, because they harvested and had a great time doing it. The opportunity to shoot something small also gave young Kaler a needed confidence boost.

Friday evening, Parker, Kaler and Brian sat on a water tank. At about 5:30 P.M. several cow elk came in and Kaler dropped one at the water’s edge! The kids were naturally excited, but Brian held them quiet and had them wait. Sure enough, not five minutes later another cow walked in and Parker dropped it with a double-lung shot, right next to his sister’s elk! We had no luck at the tank we chose, so Rick and I helped the Smith’s load and transport their two elks to the processor.

We had no luck again on Saturday morning or afternoon, and by then I was starting to get worried that Rick might get his “third strike” on this hunt. Even though it seemed unlikely, we hoped maybe the elk hadn’t been spooked at the “Smith’s tank,” and so we finally decided to sit there. For good luck, the Smiths joined us in the homemade blind Brian had built. Like clockwork, a little before 5:30 P.M. two cows silently walked in. They were wary, and before Rick could take aim, they bolted and ran. That was a big disappointment, thinking it might have been our only chance. But, about 20 minutes later, Rick spotted a small herd of cows, feeding about 100 yards off. They milled around for a while, and then low and behold, they starting coming in single file! Rick waited until he had a good-sized cow broadside at 30 yards, and then took the shot. Bingo! Three-for-three, and for Rick, the third time was a charm after all!

PHOENIX — Arizona deer and elk hunters: The Arizona Game and Fish Department is requesting your assistance to monitor for the wildlife disease called chronic wasting disease (CWD). CWD is fatal to deer and elk, however, there is no evidence that it poses a risk to humans.

CWD has not yet been found in Arizona through regular annual testing since 1998. However, it is present in the neighboring states of Utah, Colorado and New Mexico.

“Thanks to the participation by hunters and taxidermists last season, we were able to nearly double our surveillance and collection of samples in areas of concern near neighboring states that have detected CWD,” said Clint Luedtke, wildlife disease biologist. “Continued assistance from elk and deer hunters in Game Management Unit 12B (which borders Utah) as well as GMUs 1 and 27 (which border New Mexico), are crucial in assuring CWD is not in Arizona in these potential corridors.”

For Kaibab and strip hunters, the Jacob Lake check station will open for collecting samples from Oct. 30 – Nov. 30 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the following exceptions: On Nov. 9 and 30, the station will close early at noon, and on Nov. 10-12 the station is closed.

In addition, from Nov. 6-8, department biologists will be working in the field in Unit 27. They will be seeking successful hunters to provide samples for the CWD monitoring effort.

However, all hunters can assist the monitoring effort by bringing in the head of their recently harvested deer or elk to any Game and Fish Department office between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Place the head in a heavy plastic garbage bag for delivery, and keep it cool and out of the sun. If the weather is warm, it is best to either bring in the head within a day of harvest or keep it on ice in a cooler before delivery.

To better assist the surveillance efforts, people will be asked to fill out a form with their drop-off. Please include the following information: county, game management unit in which the animal was harvested, hunt and permit number, and a contact address and phone number. If this information is not provided, the department will be unable to test the head.

Test results will be sent by postcard within six to eight weeks. There is no charge for the testing and notification.

Here are some guidelines for hunters when out in the field:

• Don’t harvest any animal that appears to be sick or behaves oddly. Call the Arizona Game and Fish Department at 1-800-352-0700 if you see an animal that is very thin, has a rough coat, drooping ears and is unafraid of humans.
• When field-dressing game, wear rubber gloves and minimize the use of a bone saw to cut through the brain or spinal cord (backbone). Bone out the meat. Minimize contact with and do not consume brain or spinal cord tissues, eyes, spleen, or lymph nodes.
• Always wash hands thoroughly after dressing and processing game meat.
• If you hunt in another state, don’t bring back the brain, intact skull or spinal column. It’s OK to bring back hides and skull plates that have been cleaned of all tissue and washed in bleach. Taxidermied heads, sawed-off antlers and ivory teeth are also OK to bring home.
• If you intend to hunt out of state, contact the wildlife agency in the area you intend to hunt. Several states have regulations on carcass movement.

The non-hunting public can also help prevent the potential spread of CWD. If you come across any deer fawn or elk calf in the wild, it should be left alone. Don’t assume it has been abandoned by the parent; in all likelihood, it hasn’t. Bing a “good Samaritan” and bringing these wild animals into captivity poses a risk to the state’s wildlife resources.

CWD is a neurodegenerative wildlife disease that is fatal to cervids, which include deer, elk and moose. Clinical symptoms include loss of body weight or emaciation, excessive salivation, increased drinking and urination, stumbling, trembling, and behavioral changes such as listlessness, lowering of the head, and repetitive walking in set patterns.

No evidence has been found to indicate that CWD affects humans, according to both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.

The department also has had rules in place since 2002 restricting the movement of captive deer and elk into or within the state, and subjecting those animals to marking and reporting requirements.

For more information about chronic wasting disease, visit www.azgfd.gov/cwd or www.cwd-info.org.

With deadline approaching, be certain your application is submitted on time by dropping it off to the nearest department office, along with one (or more) of your used outdoor-related magazines to any department office.

In an effort to bring the great outdoors and hunting heritage to U.S. military personnel overseas serving our country, the department has teamed up with the nonprofit organization, Outdoor Experience 4 All, by providing magazine collection points at all department offices through the spring draw deadline. Outdoor Experience 4 All has arranged to have all the donated magazines packed up and sent overseas to the troops while they are away. To learn more about the magazine drive, contact www.outdoorexperienceforall.org.

There are Arizona Game and Fish locations in Phoenix, Mesa, Flagstaff, Pinetop, Kingman, Tucson and Yuma. For addresses, visit www.azgfd.gov/offices.

For more information about hunting and the big game draw process, visit www.azgfd.gov/hunting.

Tuesday, Oct. 13 by 7 p.m. (MST) is the latest that the Arizona Game and Fish department will accept applications for the random drawing process for spring bear, turkey, javelina and buffalo.

Applications may be hand delivered to any of the seven department offices around the state, or sent by U.S. mail to Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn: Drawing Section, PO Box 74020, Phoenix, AZ 85087-1052. Postmarks don’t count and there is no online application process available.

The 2010 Spring Turkey, Javelina, Buffalo and Bear hunt draw information booklet and application forms are available at more than 300 license dealers statewide, at Game and Fish offices, or by downloading from www.azgfd.gov/draw.

Note: a previous news release incorrectly noted “all spring bear hunts are issued over-the-counter.” This is incorrect, some general hunts and archery-only spring bear hunts are allocated through the spring big game draw process and require an application submitted by the deadline.

The overall outlook for small game this year is ‘good’ — not great and not bad – but good. And, that’s good, because in Arizona we are blessed with an incredible array of wildlife species to hunt in the fall. Even if one species isn’t flourishing, there are others that offer challenging pursuit.

Squirrel and rabbit hunting offer the brightest lights in the forecast, with Gambel’s quail coming up a little short this year. With that said, dedicated and resourceful quail hunters will still find some areas where populations are doing well by keying in on seasonal rainfall information and be able to have productive hunts. Scaled quail should be fair to average, which is enough to make the trip south worthwhile.

Mearns’ quail this year won’t measure up to the back-to-back “very good” seasons we had. However, the rolling grasslands and drainages in southern Arizona should still offer some decent hunting for one of the most unique quail species. One thing for certain, a trip down south offers a mixed bag of opportunities for dove, rabbit, and possibly another species of quail – maybe all three.

Another potentially bright light is waterfowl season, which starts Oct. 9 (mountain zone). Duck numbers are up in the Pacific Flyway, and Utah has reported a strong local population. If an early cold winter hits the northern states, Arizona could see plenty of migrating ducks in our waters.

As the season progresses, late season dove opens on Nov. 20 and it should not disappoint. As the desert begins to green up from the fall moisture, desert water tanks should become productive hunting spots.

For hunting tips, seasonal outlooks, hunting dates and more, visit the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/huntingand choose “small game outlook.”

Happy hunting, and be safe.

Cooler temperatures signals that fall is finally here, and Friday, Oct. 2 marks the opening day for quail (Gambel’s and scaled) and tree squirrel hunting.

To add to the fun, rabbit season for cottontails and jackrabbits is open all year round.

All of these species offer affordable, healthy outdoor recreation, exciting hunting pursuits, and dandy table-fare.

Equipment needed to hunt this quarry is minimal, requiring a general hunting license, a shotgun (.410- to 12-gauge), plenty of No. 7 ½ or 6’s upland shot shells, and a good pair of boots. Young hunters 13 and under (when accompanied by a licensed adult) do not need a hunting license.

Each species is a challenging quarry and hunting them will take you to just about anywhere you would like to go in Arizona – a great excuse for exploring and enjoying the outdoors.

Quail and rabbit can be hunted in the open spaces of the lower desert up to the rolling hills of scrub oaks and manzanita bush of the mid-level desert. Squirrel hunting is your passport to the towering ponderosa pine forests of the mountain region, during a time when leaves are changing and the air is crisp.

For hunting tips, seasonal outlooks, hunting dates and more, visit the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/huntingand choose “small game outlook.”

Deer hunters: Increase your odds for success
Game and Fish hunting clinic open to the public and webcast online

User submitted photo to the AZGFD photo gallery at www.azgfd.net/photos.

PHOENIX — Hunters preparing for deer season this fall are encouraged to attend or go online to enjoy a free deer-hunting clinic on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 6 p.m.

Hosted by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the clinic will inform and educate young and first-time hunters about the characteristics of deer, their habits and behaviors. The clinic will also offer tips and techniques for hunting these incredible animals in different habitats and weather conditions. Audience participation is encouraged, and questions from both the attending audience and those submitted by e-mail (webcast@azgfd.gov) from online viewers will be addressed.

The event will be held at the department’s Phoenix office at 5000 W. Carefree Highway. To accommodate all interested hunters and constituents, the event will be webcast live on the Internet by visiting www.azgfd.gov/webcast.

“It’s important to us to provide young and first-time hunters with the basic knowledge and skills to make their pursuit for deer a positive and rewarding experience,” said Brian Wakeling, chief of game management. “For many new hunters that ‘positive experience’ doesn’t always equate to harvesting an animal. It’s the pursuit that is exciting, and this clinic will provide them with the knowledge to help avoid some of the pitfalls that could distract from the hunt itself – like planning for weather, knowing one’s physical capabilities, not getting lost, and others.”

To learn more about hunting in Arizona, visit www.azgfd.gov/hunting.

Don’t forget to gobble up the over-the-counter youth turkey tags – the fall season is Oct. 2-8.

Those youth who obtained turkey tags in the spring but did not harvest an animal during that hunt can use their turkey tag to hunt during the fall season – the bag limit is only one turkey per year.

Youth are eligible to participate up and throughout the calendar year of their 17th birthday, provided that those between the ages of 10 and 13 have satisfactorily completed an approved Arizona hunter education course.

Keep in mind, legal harvest for the fall season is any turkey (male or female) but is limited to shotguns shooting shot only.

Oil up those squirrel rifles and make sure you have enough shotgun shells for quail – the Oct. 2 opening of tree squirrel and general quail seasons is rapidly approaching, advise Arizona Game and Fish Department biologists.

“It’s shaping up to be a decent year for tree squirrels, especially in the spruce and mixed-conifer areas for both tassel-eared and red squirrels,” Ron Day, the department’s small game biologist. “Also try hunting the transition zone between the ponderosa pine forest and the mixed conifer one.”

Don’t forget that the squirrel season remains open until the Dec. 31, providing more opportunities to take the youngsters out during the holidays.

But on the quail side, the outlook is not as promising. “We had pretty good Gambel’s quail reproduction last spring, but the dry hot summer may have taken its toll,” Day said. “Hunters should still be able to find some pockets of decent quail hunting.”

Day added that there is also a good population of cottontail rabbits in the low and mid elevation habitats again this year. “It’s always a good idea to mix in a little rabbit hunting with your quail outing, but you might even want to grab the trusty .22 and discover the joys of rabbit hunting.”

The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Operation Game Thief program is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of the individual(s) responsible for illegally killing a doe.

Game and Fish personnel are investigating a case in which a doe was shot with an arrow and left to die during the deer opener on Aug. 21 at approximately 10:45 a.m. The incident took place in Game Management Unit 20A along Senator Highway between mileposts 6 and 7, just north of the 307 hiking trail. The location is six or seven miles south of downtown Prescott.

Virginia Gouldsbury, wildlife manager for unit 20A, explained the deer did not die quickly.

“After it was shot with the arrow, people witnessed this deer still walking around. This is a criminal act. Although it was the first day of the deer archery season, you aren’t allowed to take does,” Gouldsbury said. “However, this isn’t the act of a hunter; it’s the act of a poacher.

“This is theft from the residents of Arizona.”

The suspects were seen driving a relatively new dark blue, extended-cab pickup truck, possibly a Chevrolet. One suspect was described as balding, with short, graying hair. He is estimated to be between 35-45 years old, approximately 5-feet, 10-inches, and weighing between 255 and 265 pounds. He was wearing grayish camouflage pants and a green camouflage shirt.

The second suspect was seen only from behind and is estimated to be about 6 feet tall.
Gouldsbury explained the individuals responsible can be charged with take out of season and waste of game meat.

“We didn’t lose just the one deer,” Gouldsbury said, “we lost its future offspring as well. This is a solvable case, but we need a little help from the public.”

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact Operation Game Thief at (800) 352-0700. Calls can remain confidential upon request. Anyone with information is eligible for a reward of up to $1,500 upon arrest of the violator(s).

Gather up your shotgun, birdshot, retriever, and ice chest because Arizona’s dove season opens on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

“With the continued drying conditions throughout the state this summer, dove hunters will find birds concentrated around traditional agricultural areas due to the dependable food sources,” said Randy Babb, Arizona Game and Fish Department biologist and avid upland hunter. “This will provide some very good hunting opportunities for those that spend time scouting.”

Given that, hunters are encouraged to wear some hunter orange when taking to the field. Hunting doves doesn’t require full camouflage, and if you hold still before taking your shot, the dove won’t even notice, but other hunters will see you — even in pre-dawn light.

Babb added, “There are some desert areas that do have reliable water sources and good drainage that provide roosting cover, food, water and resting areas for doves that can be productive. Hunting a distant stock tank in the upper desert can provide an exciting and private hunting experience.”

The weather forecast for the opener is for dry and hot conditions. Expect morning temperatures to be in the 80s and ramp up 100 before you know it. Dove meat is fantastic when gathered and prepared properly. With high temperatures, be sure to get your harvest on ice quickly, or your taste buds will suffer severely.

The season runs from Sept. 1-15, with shooting hours starting one-half hour before sunrise. The sunrise time for central Arizona on Sept. 1 is 6:03 a.m. Adjust accordingly depending on if you are in the west or east ends of the state, up to nine minutes in some cases. Legal shooting hour ends at noon in the South Zone. However, all-day shooting hours are open to juniors statewide and all hunters in the North Zone (see regulations for details).

Bag limits are the same as previous years, with a 10-bird total of mourning and white-winged dove, of which only six may be white-winged doves. There is no limit on collared doves. Be sure to leave one feathered wing on each bird until you reach your final destination.

Before heading to the field, be sure to pick up plenty of shotgun shells. The unspoken average of shots per bird harvested is five to one – so make it three boxes of shells. Shot size No. 8 or 7 ½ bird shot will do.

A general hunting license is required for hunters ages 14 and up. The Arizona Migratory Bird Stamp is required for those 16 and older. However, for new and younger hunters there are two options. Young hunters under 14 may hunt without a license (2 maximum), when accompanied by a licensed adult – so take a youngster hunting. An apprentice license is available at no charge and valid for two days, allowing new hunters the chance to “try before you buy.” The license is valid for two consecutive days but must be issued to a licensed mentor. To hunt doves with the apprentice license a migratory bird stamp is required. To learn more about the new apprentice license, visit www.azgfd.govand select the license icon.

Ready? So where to go?

Arizona offers a plethora of public lands open to licensed hunters. The places to avoid are city limits (most have ordinances against discharging a firearm), and private property without written permission.

There are many agricultural areas in the central corridor of the state that border BLM or state trust land that will offer hunting opportunities.

Babb suggests, “Using Google Earth or the Delorme Gazetteer are great resources for identifying land ownership, topography (water holes, drainages, etc.) and other potential honey holes. Another great cross reference is to go online to http://rainlog.org(or similar site) and check out rainfall numbers to see up-to-date information for where the best crop and water sources may be.”

Lastly, to simplify learning how to dove hunt, the Arizona Game and Fish Department is hosting and teaming up with sportsmen’s groups to provide a number of designated hunts – some offering mentoring and equipment to help you get started. Schedule events are:

• Sept. 1-3: Habitat fundraiser dove hunt (fee required), Texas Hill Farms, Roll (east of Yuma). To register, contact getoutsideaz@gmail.com.

• Sept. 5-6: Juniors-only dove hunt, Robbins Butte Wildlife Area, near Buckeye (pancake and sausage breakfast provided by Chandler Rod and Gun Club). First-come, first-served, for details and directions, visit www.chandlerrodandgunclub.com.

• Sept. 5: Juniors-only dove hunt, Texas Hill Farms, Roll (east of Yuma). To register, contact getoutsideaz@gmail.com.

• Sept. 11-12: New hunters dove hunting seminar and hunt by AGFD and Chandler Rod and Gun Club. Seminar (required) on Sept. 11 at the AGFD Mesa Regional office, hunt on Sept. 12 in Queen Creek at Zimmerman Dairy. For additional information, contact David Carson (480) 987-4825 or Randy Babb (480) 324-3546.

Be sure to hunt in open areas, observe the ¼ mile rule when near a building (when in doubt, move further away), and always remove your trash from your hunting area (this includes your spent shotgun shells).

Of course, no matter where you go, remember to be safe. An easy lesson is the basic hunter’s safety rule T.A.B. +1:

• T=Treat every gun as if it were loaded;

• A=Always keep your muzzle pointed in a safe direction;

• B=Be sure of your target and beyond;

• +1=Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.

To learn more about the hunting opportunities offered by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, visit www.azgfd.gov/hunting.

Guidelines to be considered at Arizona Game and Fish Commission meeting Sept. 12

PHOENIX — The proposed hunt guidelines that will be used for developing the specific hunt recommendations and permit levels for the fall 2010 through spring 2013 hunting seasons are available for review on the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/huntguidelines.

“The hunt guidelines were formulated through an extensive collaborative effort between department biologists and the public,” said Brian Wakeling, the department’s chief of game management. “During many stages of this process we have asked the public to provide input to help shape these guidelines, using many venues including statewide public meetings, direct mailings, surveys (mailed and online), and general comments via mail or email.”

The department regularly reviews and revises the existing hunt guidelines according to the commission-approved schedule and recommends changes that address the current direction of the commission. The direction for the 2009 package is for standardization, simplification, and increasing hunter participation. The hunt guidelines set the framework, social and biological, that the department uses to develop specific hunt recommendations and permit level guides for commission orders (elk, deer, antelope, etc.).

Wakeling added, “The guidelines are based on sound science, but ultimately the social desires are also critical to crafting the document that will guide our hunt recommendations into the future.”

The proposed guidelines will be presented to the commission for approval at its Sept. 12 meeting at the Arizona Game and Fish Department headquarters on 5000 W. Carefree Highway in Phoenix. For a full agenda, visit www.azgfd.gov/commission under “Meeting Agenda.”

“Anyone still wishing to provide comment is encouraged to attend the Sept. 12 meeting when the commission considers the final package,” added Wakeling.

To learn more about the hunt guidelines process, visit www.azgfd.gov/huntguidelines.

Well, there are multiple opportunities to make your hunt dreams come true in Arizona.

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission awarded those Special Big Game License Tags, sometimes called Commissioners’ tags, to selected 501(c)(3) wildlife conservation organizations to raise funds for wildlife, so you should soon see information coming from those organizations on how you can participate.

The selected organizations will be marketing and selling the tags – some may already have started doing so.  Here’s the neat thing about this program — all revenues are returned to the Arizona Game and Fish Department to be directly used to benefit those species through wildlife and habitat management in coordination with the Arizona Habitat Partnership Committee. Administrative and marketing costs must be covered by the wildlife conservation organization.

As usual, it is you, the hunter conservationist, who generates the most revenue for wildlife conservation and management.

Tags are typically made available to the public through auctions or raffles. The uniqueness of these special tags is that the hunting season is year-round, but with the same wildlife conservation restrictions applied to other permit holders. These allow tag winners the time to pursue a trophy animal, many of which can only be found in the southwest and some only in Arizona – particularly, the Gould’s wild turkey, desert and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, Coues white-tailed deer, and the world-famous Kaibab mule deer.

The tags awarded in June are valid from Aug. 15, 2010 to Aug. 14, 2011.

Three tags for each of the following 10 Arizona big game species were allocated: pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, black bear, buffalo, elk, javelina, mountain lion, mule deer, Coues white-tailed deer and turkey. If you are interested in pursuing one of these tags, the following is a list of the organizations selected and how they will be making the tag(s) available to the public:

• Arizona Antelope Foundation (AAF) – Awarded three tags: two pronghorn antelope tags and one bear tag. One antelope and the bear tag are to be auctioned at the AAF banquet (date pending). One antelope tag is to be auctioned at the Arizona Elk Society Banquet in March 2010. Contact: www.azantelope.org .
• Arizona Bowhunter’s Association (ABA) – Awarded three tags: one each for bear, buffalo and javelina. All tags to be auctioned at the ABA 2010 annual banquet. Contact: www.arizonabowhunters.org.
• Arizona Big Game Super Raffle (AZBGSR) – Awarded 10 tags, one tag for each species. Raffle tickets sold all year, drawing to be held in summer 2010. Contact: www.arizonabiggamesuperraffle.com.
• Arizona Deer Association (ADA) – Awarded three tags, one each for mule deer, Coues white-tailed deer, and mountain lion. All tags to be auctioned at the ADA annual fundraiser. Contact: www.azdeer.org.
• Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society (ADBSS) – Awarded three tags, two bighorn sheep tags and one mountain lion tag. The Mexicana subspecies tag to be auctioned at the Wild Sheep Foundation (formally FNAWS) convention in Reno, Nev. in February 2010, the Rocky Mountain subspecies tag and the mountain lion tag will be auctioned at the ADBSS banquet in March 2010. Contact: www.adbss.org.
• Arizona Elk Society (AES) – Awarded two tags, one elk tag and one buffalo tag. Both tags to be auctioned at the AES fundraising banquet in March 2010. Contact: www.arizonaelksociety.org.
• Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) – Awarded three tags, one each for mule deer, Coues white-tailed deer and javelina. Both deer tags to be auctioned at the MDF 2010 National Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah in February 2010. The javelina tag is to be raffled at the Arizona chapter’s fundraiser and banquet (date pending). Contact: www.muledeer.org.
• National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF)  – A
  warded two turkey tags. One turkey tag to be auctioned at the NWTF 2010 Annual National Convention in Nashville, Tenn. in February 2010. One turkey tag to be raffled or auctioned by the Arizona Chapter of the NWTF (date pending). Contact: www.nwtf.org.
• Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) – Awarded one elk tag. Tag to be auctioned at the 26th Anniversary Elk Camp Convention in Reno, NV, March 2010. Contact: www.rmef.org.

And while nothing may match the excitement of having one of these coveted tags and the adventure they bring, the hunts pale in comparison to the projects put on the ground through the dollars raised.

Every dollar raised from each species tag goes directly to the management of that species and allows for a multitude of wildlife conservation projects. Management of the dollars and projects are in coordination with the Arizona Habitat Partnership Committee.

Projects range from water improvements, wildlife friendly fencing, wildlife studies, game surveys, translocations, habitat restorations, land acquisitions and more. Many of these projects are matched and further leveraged with other funding sources, labor, or supplied materials, stretching every dollar spent even further.

In the end, the real winners of the Special Big Game License Tag Program are the citizens of Arizona. Through the dedication of concerned hunters and sportsmen, Arizonans can continue to enjoy the state’s full complement of diverse wildlife for generations to come.

To learn more about the programs put on the ground by the Habitat Partnership Committee as a direct result of the Commission’s Special Big Game License Tag program, visit www.azgfd.gov/w_c/hpc.shtml.