Outdoor Writer

They have been using the same "skewed" data for as long as I can remember. And that is a VERY long time. Amazingly, it all remains pretty consistent throughout all the years, i.e. the percentage of returned cards and the success rates in each unit from year to year. That's the way statistical analysis works, as Bill mentioned. It's all based on probabilities and margins of error. Does it produce completely accurate data to the exact numbers? Nope, and no system -- including mandatory reporting -- will unless a game warden is required to accompany every hunter in the field and file the reports. And of course, one part of the system is only as good the rest of it. So it is with predicting the deer population and how many deer can be harvested in any particulatr unit. The data for this, also based on statistical anaysis, then too is "skewd." Maybe we should also demand that G&F do an exact head count of deer in every unit rather than hit and miss aerial surveys?? Sounds like a good weekend project for the ADA to take on. Gather all the members each weekend in a different hunt unit and walk a grid to count deer. That way G&F can set accurate harvest goals from accurate population stats rather than using "skewed' data all the time. Here are the deer survey card figures for 2007: Number mailed: 42,543 Number returned: 19,177 Return rate: 45.1% Previous year's rate: 44.2% Elk returns average slightly higher: Number mailed: 19,235 Number returned: 10,249 Return rate: 53.3% Previous year's rate: 53.3% -TONY

Okay, here's the scoop on the "Cap & Trade" email. The AZ G&FD is a member of the Teaming with Wildlife Coalition via its membership in the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. As such, it receives periodic updates on issues, funding, etc. and often forwards them along as FYI emails, as was the case with this one. Unfortunately, the template being used makes it appear that the content is something AZ G&F endorses, which it can't legally do when it comes to political issues such as that provided in this particular email. The game commision has no such constraints in this regards, however. That said, my contact at G&F said they will probably be revamping the template and will better explain the purposes in the future. They will also keep a closer watch on forwarded contents so as not get into the middle of any politcal issues. In other words, this one was a bit of a screw-up that shouldn't happen again. -TONY

What's a bit strange to me is that I receive about every email sent out from G&F, but I didn't get this one. Even the formatting of it seems a bit strange, but I'll be checking it out. Also note the "This update from the Teaming with Wildlife Coalition is provided courtesy of the Arizona Game and Fish Department Commission." As Bill mentioned, the game DEPARTMENT is precluded from getting involved in political lobbying and such. That's why it could not do anything when the trapping referendum was on the ballot. -TONY

Another good way to protest the survey cards is too attend a commission meeting. Then get down on the floor, stomp your feet and fists on the floor and throw a hissy fit. A lot of 5 and 6-yr. olds get their way using this technique. -TONY

Where did you get that copy, Mike? Was it an email to you directly? If so, what was the SENDER'S email address? -TONY

TJ, You're dead on. The ORIGINAL AZ Big Ten was around long before the RM sheep became a resident here. Same for the Gould's turkey. Actually, with those two species, we might say there's now an AZ Big 12. I lack a desert sheep and a bison for my original Big Ten, and I'll probably never get to hunt RM sheep in AZ IF I ever draw my desert permit. I've killed a Gould's in Mexico but never applied for one of the few permits here. -TONY

They just received the copies at the Glendale libraries last week. All 3 copies are checked out. I had put a "hold" in a couple weeks ago but was 6th on the list. It will probably be a week or two before my name hits the top. -TONY

Well, Gino, we coulda told you to go fish and find out for yourself the way the rest of us have. It's more rewarding that way, ya know. -TONY

As of right now, you don't need a passport for return to the U.S. from Mexico IF you are driving! You DO need a passport to return if you are flying, however. Here are the MOST current riles from the State Dept.: AIR TRAVEL ALL PERSONS traveling by air outside of the United States are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States. LAND AND SEA TRAVEL The following summarizes information available on the Department of Homeland Security’s website. CURRENTLY: U.S. citizens need to present either (a) a passport, passport card (available in spring 2008), or WHTI-compliant document; or ( a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. LATER: On June 1, 2009, the U.S. government will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of WHTI. The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have a passport, passport card, or WHTI-compliant document. Note: The passport requirement does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from a U.S. territory. U.S. PASSPORT AND WHTI COMPLIANT DOCUMENTS: U.S. Passport: U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport when traveling via air, land or sea between the U.S. and the aforementioned Western Hemisphere countries. The Passport Card: Passport card applications are currently being accepted in anticipation of land border travel document requirements. Based on current projections, we expect to begin production of the passport card in June, and be in full production in July. We will provide additional updates as available. Once in production, the passport card it will only be valid for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region, and Bermuda.

Went up to Lake Pleasant yesterday to shoot some pix of the new Hook Up Oufitters tackle shop at the Pleasant Bay marina for an article I'm doing in this week's Thurs. AZ Repulsive. While my fishing partner and I were there, we went out on the lake with one of the guides and got into a good striper bite. After a few hours, we had caught 50 or so fish in the 2-4 pound range. It was great fun because we were using light spinning gear. All the fish were similar to the one in the photo of Bruce Fritz and one of his fish. -TONY

This is the only mention of the Three Bar study that I recall on the G&F web site. -TONY The effect of fire, predation and vegetation quality on mule deer habitat use and fawn survival

And the 10-13 thing is for ONLY big game. -TONY

I was sitting in my office Sat. when I heard this loud bang. My lab even started barking. At first I thought my wife had dropped something in another room. BUT..she immediately came in and said, "What was that loud bang?" We both walked about the house, looking to see if something that was hanging on a wall had fallen down. My early concern was that one of my heavy game mounts came crashing down to the floor. We found nothing, so I went out in the backyard to check there. Again, nothing. Then I looked out the living room window and saw my the truck sitting in the driveway with the left front severely out of level. The driver side front tire had literally exploded, blowing the side wall and a very large chunk of the tread. Of course, I knew the Goodrich ATs were due for replacement. Although the 6-yr. old tires still had some miles left, they had become dry-rotted from our heat. I had actually started shopping for new ones a couple weeks ago, but I didn't replace them yet because I had no trips coming up. So the big bang was no longer a mystery. I'm just thankful it happened in the driveway and not while I was tooling down the road at 80 mph. I have both a compressor and impact wrench, so I'm heading out in a few minutes to remove the tire, take it to the tire shop and have a new one mounted. Then I'll bring it home, put it on and take the truck to the shop for the other three tires. That way I won't have to lower my spare from under the back end of the truck, which is a job in itself. The four new ATs will cost me $770 out the door at Big O, which is only a mile from my house. -TONY

Yep. I just got home from the tire shop. Pappa has a brand new set of shoes!! I did have an almost-new tire on my boat trailer blow to smithereens on the 101 about a year ago. The steel belt really mangled the boat fender, too. That was the 4th Goodyear Marathon trailer tire to blow. The other three, including two just sitting in the spare carrier, exploded the tread in my driveway just like the truck tire did, and none of them even had the little rubber tits wore off yet. -TONY

Jim, And those little 3 pounders do fight on light gear. That's why it was a blast. There were times where I had to let a fish run against the drag, which I had set fairly heavy. This is one just over 5 pounds that we caught earlier in the year for an article I did on Pleasant for Cabela's Outfitter Journal. -TONY

Yeah, a lighter gene pool will indeed result. I just returned from dropping off the single tire. Now I'm waiting on them to return it to me so I can take the truck there for the other three. I had a bear of time removing one of the lug nuts. Whoever last put it on must have had the impact wrench set to 300 psi. I had to use a 3' breaker bar on all of them, but also had to add a 2' pipe for the stubborn one. Even at that, I wound up putting a slight bend in the 3/4" diameter breaker bar. -TONY

Doug, I think Pleasant will eventually put out a few 40-50 pound stripers. Right now, a lot of the larger ones are probably up thr river end. We caught most of our fish in two areas -- to the right side of the dam off the point not too far from the buoy line, and at the end of Waddel Point, the first one north of the Pleasant Bay Marina. We set up about 50 yards just west of the last white and black buoy over a relatively flat area. The key to catching them is using a good fishfinder and knowing how to read it! -TONY

Doug, All the fish were deep over structure like in 30-40 ft. of water. So we used mostly anchovies, but did catch a few on maribou jigs, too. I'd tell you where but I would be chastised here for giving out a secret spot. And I don't want to have to kill you. Only one largemouth -- a teeny 1/2 pounder. -TONY

Casey, Should we look forward to a TV infomercial from you perhaps titled "How NOT to Make Money on the Internet by Buying, Bartering and Trading?" -TONY

Aaahhh. I had a similar incident occur but fortunately didn't have to kill the trapped critter. I was deer hunting on a plantation in Alabama. As I walked up one of the two-tracks just after sunrise, I noticed a commotion on the ground a couple hundred yards away. When I finally got close enough, I saw it was a huge Great horned owl with its foot caught in a trap that was nailed to a wooden post stuck in the ground. In the south, although wholly ILLEGAL, many of the landowners make "pole sets" to catch hawks and owls that prey on their precious bobwhite quail. They set the trap atop a single pole in the open, knowing raptors like to land on top of them. And so here I am trying to make a decision of whether to release the owl or leave it for the owner to sort out. I decided to release it, but this thing was ferocious. Every time I got close to it, it would spread its wings, raise its only free talon and open what looked like a very, very sharp beak. Fortunately it could move only as far as the trap chain let it. Finally, my ever brilliant mind remembered what I had done to remove a fishing lure from a seagull I hooked while surf casting in Mexico. So I removed my jacket and moved in as close as I dare before throwing it over the owl and pinning it to the ground. I eventually worked the trap off, and the owl just kinda sat there when I removed the jacket and backed off. I then went about my hunting. A few hours later, I returned and the owl was gone. Naturally, when the plantation owner picked me up at the designated meeting site a while later, I never mentioned the incident. Casey, Yup, making the decision might be tough, especially if gauging the seriousness of the injury isn't too easy. Often, what we might think is serious really isn't, and the animal might live to a ripe ol' age. -TONY

H4L, I was wondering when someone would touch upon the wild card in all this "within your limitations" stuff. That wild card is the LIVE critter at the other end of "distance." Regardless of how efficiently someone can shoot at the gun or archery range at a non-moving target, it will never be the same in the field. Like happened with your elk, a friend of mind who shall go unnamed took a very long broadside shot at a pronghorn. If I recall, it was somewhere between 80 and 100 yards. By the time the arrow arrived, the buck had turned from broadside to directly facing my friend. He was fortunate the arrow entered the brisket just between the shoulders. If the buck had turned the other way, the arrow would have gone into the buck's butt, and my friend might still be looking for it. So until someone can actually predict what the "limitations" of live critters are when being shot at, saying extra long-distance shots are a sure thing for the accomplished gun or bow shooter is a nonstarter, IMO. I'm not even gonna mention someone's ability to dope the wind speed and direction between them and the target. Oh wait, I just did. -TONY

Tj, Actually I'm a bit familiar with the illegal ethical action. When I lived at Vallecito Lake near Durango, CO in the mid-70s, I had just returned home from guiding on the last deer/elk combo season in the Weminuche Wilderness. I decided to hunt the lower country not too far from home the next day to see if I could fill my own deer tag. The area I would hunt was open for a deer only, however. Anyway, about an hour into my hunt, I came upon a fairly fresh blood trail and noted elk tracks rather than deer. This is mostly P-J country and fairly open. As I followed the blood, I eventually kicked up a bedded cow elk. She tried to flee uphill but her right rear leg was basically hanging by a little bit of hide between her hip and knee. As she ran, she would continously fall, get up and fall again. Sooo....I leveled my .264 on the back of her neck and put her down for good. Now...I KNEW before I did that what I would follow up with, and I also knew I might get cited. Why? Because even though the local game warden was my friend, he was also a tough nut. Yet I had known him for several years, and I taught the local HE class -- the only one in our area. I also often rode horseback with him on his high-country patrols. Thus, I was pretty sure he would believe what I told him. I field-dressed the cow, headed to my truck and went home, where I immediately called Gene and told him what I had done. He said he would bring out a couple horses the next day and we would go pack out the elk and drop it off at the local school. The latter is what he usually did with fresh road kills or confiscated game. There was no mention of a citation. In fact, after we packed out the elk and loaded it in the back of his truck, he cut out the loins, put them in a sack and said, "Here. Take these home for your trouble." Would I have done the same thing if I didn't know the game warden? Probably. But I would have thought about it a lot more. -TONY

TJ, The scenario you just laid out comes under ILLEGALLY ethical, not legally ethical. Big diff. Despite killing the animal being illegal, you do it anyway. Of course, one has to be prepared to face the consequences of the decision to break the law. -TONY

If it's legal, it's ethical. -TONY Tony, I think the point you are not addressing with that statement is that there is a difference between Morally Ethical and Legally Ethical. There is a difference to me, anyhow, and if we all chose the high road more often then we (hunters) would look less the bad guy in the eyes of those folks that are on the fence.... Knowing and Staying within your (and your equipment's) limitations can & will make you a better and more Morally Ethical hunter. IMO. And that I believe is what most of the guys are saying as well. The only point I'm addressing is the one several members consistently state here. The words speak for themselves -- "if it's legal, it's ethical." I can't recall who first coined that phrase . Besides, there is NO such thing as "Legally Ethical." If something is illegal, ethics do not come into the picture, lawful conduct does. Ethics involve issues OUTSIDE of those proscribed by law -- a self-regulating system of proper conduct. TJ, It was SARCASM, thus the . -TONY

If it's legal, it's ethical. -TONY