Hunt guideline changes will increase opportunities

By Rory Aikens, public information officer,

Arizona Game and Fish Department

There are some new changes on the hunting horizon in Arizona to increase opportunities to go hunting while also providing quality hunt opportunities at the same time.

After lengthy public testimony, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission on Aug. 11 approved the 2008-2009 hunt guidelines – including over-the-counter turkey tags for youth in good habitat units – that are intended to aid hunter retention and recruitment efforts in the future by increasing hunt opportunities.

“Big game management and our hunt guideline package have always been well within the biological limitations of the species we hunt. We are not compromising the biology in these recommendations,” Game Chief Leonard Ordway told the commission

These guidelines, he said, will provide more hunters with the opportunity to go hunting, while equitably distributing opportunity among the various seasons and also providing quality hunt opportunities.

Ordway emphasized that the hunt guidelines are not “liberal” in any sense. “These guidelines bring us in line with many other western states with things like buck-to-doe ratios.”

Ordway explained that biologically, the new guidelines won’t substantially change ungulate populations nor will they significantly reduce quality opportunities.

“These guidelines will allow us to put more hunters in the field, which is exactly what scientifically conducted surveys have shown that many Arizona hunters desire. The guidelines also provide for quality hunting opportunities that another segment of the hunting public desire as well,” Ordway said.

“These guidelines will be used by our field biologists when determining the individual, unit-by-unit hunt recommendations that will come before the commission during the next two years,” Ordway told the commission.

The first practical deployment of these guidelines will be for the 2008 elk-antelope hunt recommendations that will come before the commission at its Dec. 7-8 meeting in Casa Grande.

Archery season adjustments
The archery deer seasons in some units will be adjusted to limit archery take to about 20 percent of the total harvest in a hunt unit.

“The specific units are not spelled out in the guidelines, and this confuses some of the public,” explained Big Game Supervisor Brian Wakeling. “The information we shared at public meetings and with the commission was preliminary and probable, but could be adjusted based on collection of another year of data.”

Based on initial analysis of demand and harvest, these new guidelines could result in the following:

• Seven units will be placed in the draw for archery (Units 1, 3A/3C, 3B, 7, 12A, 13A, 13B). Unit 13B has never had an archery deer season, but will be added because archery harvest can be regulated by permitting the hunt.
  
• Another seven units are likely to have the December season eliminated for archery deer (17A, 20A, 22, 23, 35A, 37A, 42).
  
• Three units will likely add some January opportunity because they are currently below 10 percent of total take (4A/4B, 8, 9).

Ordway explained to the commission that the guidelines were constructed in such a way that when the archery harvest exceeds demand in a unit, then the archery in that unit will be restricted by shortening the season or limiting archers through the draw process. Prior to this, the only method the agency had to restrict harvest was to place increasing restriction on general season opportunities.

“It’s all about being equitable and fair about available hunting opportunities,” Ordway said.

The changes do not necessarily mean that archers will lose any overall hunting opportunities they have had in recent years, Ordway said, only that there is now a cap so that archery hunters will not affect the hunting opportunities of general season hunters.

Archers may purchase over-the-counter tags to hunt in open units and apply for those units offered through the draw. The one-deer-per-calendar-year bag limit still applies, but archers should not see any reduction in the overall number of days that they can hunt statewide.

“This all means that in certain units where archery demand and harvest is encroaching on general hunt opportunities, archers will have to compete on a level playing field in the draw process for the available opportunities,” Ordway explained.

Ordway also said that despite rumors to the contrary, the department has no immediate intent to put all archery deer hunts into the draw process. “Could this eventually happen many years down the road? I can’t tell you it won’t, but I honestly don’t think it will happen in the short term,” Ordway said.

This isn’t about forcing everyone into a more restrictive draw process, he said, but rather, creating equity and fairness in the process for everyone. “This is essentially the equitable allocation formula developed for the elk draw years ago, and most hunters have been generally comfortable with that system.”

In addition, archery bull elk permits will be offered in standard population management zones during November (25 bull tags each) if not already offered, or in September if not already offered.

White-tailed deer
Five percent of the white-tailed deer permits will be offered in December (rather than 10 percent during the last two years). This is similar in allocation to what was offered in the Region 5 white-tailed deer units until two years ago.

Units 6A, 23, 30B, 31, and 36C were added to alternative units (managed for quality) for white-tailed deer. Buck-to-doe ratios will be managed at 20-30 in these units, and 30-percent of the harvest will be targeted for the December season.

“Our guidelines will maintain some incredible quality hunt opportunities for white-tailed deer in some units, while at the same time creating more hunting opportunities in other units,” Ordway said.

Turkey (over-the-counter junior permits)
Fall turkey seasons will be limited weapon shotgun shooting shot. Surveys show that the vast majority of fall turkey hunters use shotguns, and this change brings the hunt in line with the common practice for turkey hunts throughout the west and the nation.

“Turkey hunting is already very safe, but this makes it even safer,” Wakeling said, adding that this change is supported by the National Wild Turkey Federation.

A significant change for the future will be juniors-only turkey. Units that score as an “A” (excellent) in the habitat-population status matrix will offer juniors over-the-counter permits for spring and fall turkey.

However, hunt units that score as a “B” (good) in the habitat-population status matrix will offer juniors over-the-counter permits for spring turkey.

“This way, if dad, mom, grandpa or whomever gets a turkey tag in the applicable units, they can take the young hunter with them. Or if nothing else, to just take a young hunter out turkey hunting. This really allows families to experience and pass along this valuable hunting legacy,” Wakeling said.

National surveys indicate that when youth can experience such positive hunts with their family, they are much more likely become life-long hunters.

Javelina
Fall javelina tags will be offered to juniors-only and occur during the juniors deer hunt time frame.

“This change will allow youth to hunt javelina and deer together during the fall, creating a valuable learning experience for the young hunters and a lot of fun for the family,” Ordway said.

This change in the fall javelina structure will help families maximize their time in the field “In these days of increasing gas prices and dwindling free time, it can be very important for families to better capitalize on their opportunities and recreational dollars,” Ordway said.

Other units in the state that have juniors deer hunts may offer juniors javelina seasons during the fall.

The guidelines also offer 10 percent of the total number of javelina tags authorized during a given year to junior hunters.

Finally, hunt success has been added as a management guideline for javelina, with a target of 20-25 percent.

Small game
Small game and fall turkey seasons will begin one week earlier (less chance of conflicting with the opening of deer seasons). Fall turkey seasons will remain one week long.

Squirrel season has been extended to run through year end, and in Units 31 and 33 in southeastern Arizona (sky island country), tassel-eared squirrel seasons will run yearlong.

“We really wanted to maximize the fun that small game hunting opportunities provide to our hunt public,” Ordway said.

National statistics show an overall decrease in small game hunters.

“With our abundant small game hunting opportunities in Arizona, we have a real opportunity to reverse that trend. We are even stepping up our efforts to conduct small game camps for new hunters, and those new to the state, so more people can learn to enjoy the tremendous small game opportunities across the state from quail and dove to squirrel and waterfowl,” Ordway said.

Other new guidelines

• Buck-to-doe management guidelines have been shifted to 10-20 for mule deer and 15-25 for white-tailed deer.
  
• Bull-to-cow management guidelines have been shifted to 15-25 for elk.
  
• Bighorn sheep management guidelines have been adjusted to target the harvest of 15-25 percent of the Class III and IV rams.
  
• Annual female harvest limits have been added to bear hunts and will be approved by the commission in the season-setting process of commission orders. These have already been established for spring 2008 and will appear in the spring hunt booklet.