Public meetings on hunt guidelines set for June

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

The Arizona Game and Fish Department has scheduled public meetings to gather input on proposed hunt guidelines that will be used the next two years to guide biologists when setting their unit-by-unit hunts.

This is the first year the hunt guidelines meetings are being conducted in June. The draft guidelines will be brought before the Arizona Game and Fish Commission for consideration during its Aug. 10-11 meeting in Flagstaff.

The hunt guideline meetings will all be from 6-8 p.m. at the following dates and locations:

• Pinetop, June 5, Arizona Game and Fish Department Pinetop regional office, 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd.
• Flagstaff, June 5, Arizona Game and Fish Department Flagstaff regional office, 3500 S. Lake Mary Road.
• Prescott, June 6, Yavapai County Supervisors Office, 1015 Fair Street.
• Tucson, June 6, Arizona Game and Fish Department Tucson regional office, 555 N. Greasewood Road.
• Safford, June 7, Safford City Hall Annex, 808 8th Ave.
• Sierra Vista, June 7, Buena High School, 5225 Buena School Blvd.
• Mesa, June 18, Arizona Game and Fish Department Mesa regional office, 7200 E. University Drive.
• Phoenix, June 18, Wildlife Building at the Arizona State Fairgrounds, 1826 W. McDowell Road.
• Yuma, June 20, Arizona Game and Fish Department Yuma regional office, 9140 E. 28th St.
• Kingman, June 20, Arizona Game and Fish Department Kingman regional office, 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road.
• Payson, June 21, Payson Inn, 801 N. Beeline Highway (Highway 87).
• Page, June 21, National Park Service Headquarters conference room, 691 Scenic View Drive (just off Highway 89 between the Denny’s and the Maverick).

The hunt guidelines provide the social and biological parameters to use in setting permit levels and season structures. Some examples of existing guidelines in effect include:

• Offering at least two percent of the general deer hunting opportunity in the form of juniors-only permits.
• Managing mule deer for 15 to 25 bucks for every 100 does.
• Offering juniors-only deer hunts so that the season overlaps a school holiday.
• Managing elk for 20 to 30 bulls for every 100 cows.
• Managing spring turkey for 10-percent to 15-percent hunt success.

The department’s internal hunt guideline team is busy crafting additional guidelines for consideration.