654321

From what I've heard and seen there are still 6-8 foot drifts everywhere. I've heard they plan on plowing the road to the Big Lake turnoff, but that is as far as you'll be able to get.

It's going to be interesting to see how the jr hunts in unit 1 & 27 turn out. From what I've heard access is going to be super tough.

My house has had 3 tags in 35A/B and we went and did the surveys every time. I don't know if they still do it the same way but when we did the survey the fort Huachuca chapter provided dinner on Saturday night. We were also able to sit down and look at all the survey data from the routes they check. Really good people from that chapter and very helpful.

I'm not sure how a WM might interrupt A.R.S. 17-101 and the definition of. “Take” means pursuing, shooting, hunting, fishing, trapping, killing, capturing, snaring or netting wildlife or placing or using any net or other device or trap in a manner that may result in capturing or killing wildlife. There is definitely a season on upland game birds so if a WM came across you out in the field with your bird dogs "pursuing" any of the game birds out of season I guess he could try and write you a citation for the "take" of such wildlife out of season. I think it would be a very far stretch especially if you didn't have a weapon like a shotgun with you.

They have gotten rid of auction tags but raffle tags aren't the only option. Last year they did a competition and used one of the deer tags. Between the deer tag and an elk hunt in NM they raised over 900,000.

This is discretionary. The objective is to generate revenue in order to maintain current operations and limit or eliminate the need to increase license and hunt permit-tag fees.

AZGFD Limited-Entry Permit-Tag Seasons Open: 4/3/2024 8:00:00 AM Closes: 4/9/2024 5:00:00 PM Check back here on Wednesday, April 03 2024 8:00 AM (AZ time) when the application portal opens. The application portal will close Tuesday, April 09 2024 5:00 PM (AZ time). For more information about the Limited-Entry Permit-Tag Seasons program

I don't know where your father fishes in the valley but according to the AZGFD website they have done plenty of stocking in the valley since December and the places that were scheduled and didn't get stocked the reason was given, mostly Golden Algae and access issues. Catfish stockings don't start until April and it looks like there are plenty planned. If you're talking the Urban fish those are purchased from an outside vendor and the ones I've seen stocked seem to be pretty decent size. As for the cormorants eating fish I guess that's just the cost of doing business, they are protected federally so nothing the AZGFD can do about that.

There isn't a wildlife agency in this country that manages the wildlife strictly for trophy opportunities. If you want an agency that cares a little more for the animals let the humane society manage AZ's wildlife.

If you’re that worried about it do some digging and find out. The info is there.

I'm guessing it was the public that had enough of the same 3 guys buying their way into some of the best tags this country has to offer. It seems like the commission heard the public loud and clear.

Pretty sure there was a group that tried that already and it went over like a turd in a punch bowl.

The AZGFD won't be switching to many more raffle tags, that was already tried once and it was a real chit storm for the Representative Weir when he tried that with a house bill. There will still just be 3 tags allocated for each species for a total of 30 tags. If you're referring to the limited entry tags I'm sure they will continue but I doubt they will ever get to crazy with the number of those that are allowed.

I've heard the trout fishing at L. Lake Mary is pretty good right now.

There were 24,350 total permits issued for the elk and antelope draw and there were 230,626 people who either applied for those tags or bought a point. Might as well get used to the OTC hunts getting hammered.