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Governor Ducey nominates Clay Hernandez to Arizona Game and Fish Commission Posted January 14, 2021 News release from the Office of Governor Doug Ducey PHOENIX — Governor Doug Ducey today announced the nomination of Clay Hernandez, a Tucson attorney and avid outdoorsman, to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. “Clay’s dedication to wildlife conservation and to his community make him a great fit for the Game and Fish Commission,” said Gov. Ducey. “I look forward to his service on the commission and know that he will serve Arizona well.” Hernandez is a longtime hunter and angler and has dedicated nearly 30 years to wildlife conservation. He is a member of Trout Unlimited, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Arizona Elk Society, the Arizona Antelope Foundation, and Project Healing Waters of Southern Arizona. He has served as president of the Old Pueblo (Tucson) chapter of Trout Unlimited and was on the board of the Tucson Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. He has volunteered as a fly fishing guide for Project Healing Waters in Arizona, Colorado and Alaska. He also volunteered for four years in an Outdoor Studies class for a Tucson High School. “I am humbled and honored to be able to serve the Game and Fish community of Arizona in such an impactful way and am ready to hit the ground running,” said Hernandez. “I look forward to working with my fellow commissioners, and I thank Governor Ducey for this opportunity.” Hernandez has called Arizona home for more than 40 years. He has been a practicing attorney in Tucson since 1986. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Arizona State University in 1981 and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Arizona in 1986. He is a licensed pilot and speaks Spanish. His nomination is pending confirmation by the Arizona Senate.

I ran into a WM this weekend in the field and we got to talking about the insane number of people hunting the OTC. He told me that one store in Flagstaff had an 800% increase in sales for the OTC tags this year.

Capital Police Officer died from injuries sustained in the riots wonder if Trump will be charged with Capital Murder.

GAME AND FISH NEWS Dec. 30, 2020 Arizona Game and Fish Department Commission proposes to amend rules to regulate the use of trail cameras Public comment period runs Jan. 1 through Feb. 1, 2021 PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Commission proposes to amend rules within Article 3, Taking and Handling of Wildlife, to regulate the use of trail cameras for the purpose of taking or aiding in the take of wildlife. Public comments about the proposed rulemaking can be submitted from Jan. 1 through Feb. 1, 2021, via either: Email: rulemaking@azgfd.gov U.S. Mail: Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn: Celeste Cook, Rules and Policy Manager, 5000 W. Carefree Hwy., Phoenix, AZ 85086. View more information about the proposed rule HERE. The final rule will be presented to the five-member commission for consideration at the March 19, 2021 commission meeting. To track the progress of this rule, view the regulatory agenda and all previous Five-Year Review Reports, and to learn about any other agency rulemaking matters, visit https://www.azgfd.com/agency/rulemaking/. The Arizona Game and Fish Department receives Federal assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and thus prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age and sex pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. To request an accommodation or informational material in an alternative format or to file a discrimination complaint please contact the Director’s Office at (602) 942-3000 or by mail at 5000 West Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086. Discrimination complaints can also be filed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Diversity and Inclusive Workforce, Attention: Public Civil Rights and Disability Coordinator, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. Arizona Game & Fish Dept. · 5000 W. Carefree Hwy, Phoenix, AZ 85086 (602) 942-3000 · www.azgfd.gov v

Pretty sure those areas are 35A

If it wasn't for some bad publicity headed the departments way from public opinion there would still be predator calling contests the decision to ban predator contests had nothing to do with conserving wildlife.

It didn't protect or preserve anything, still able to harvest predators.

So the banning of predator contests was to protect and preserve wildlife or because of popular opinion or should I say just opinion it wasn't even that popular.

PS NR don't have a cap once it goes to a leftover tag and that's what would happen if residents sat out of draw. Like I said how do you know the majority of license holders aren't for the ban of trail cams. When the department opens things up for public comment and they only here from maybe 500-1000 people they must figure the 299,000 license holders are happy with what's going on. It doesn't have to just be license holders either. Anyone can reply to the open public input.

You should have used that nice pistol instead of your arm to break that dog fight up

Again huge misconception. They aren't being banned on public ground, just banned for the take of wildlife, no loss of freedom.

This same thing happened years back when the department decided to ban baiting. Lots of people cried and complained, came up with every excuse in the book why baiting should be allowed and it was just big bad government encroaching on the way they choose to hunt, just another stupid regulation and unenforceable. Well here we are years later and most people don't even realize baiting was once legal and guess what hunting is still going strong I imagine the same will hold true with the banning of trail cams for the take of wildlife.

“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 are record applicants every year putting in for hunts, if every resident chose to sit out of the draw the NR who doesn't give 2 craps about trail cams in AZ will surely take those tags. The AZGFD sells 300,000 plus hunting licenses every year and I would venture to guess that 295,000 plus don't give two craps if trail cams are banned for the take of wildlife.

I would say get a good lawyer, if he harvests that lion 3 months later did that camera really aid in the taking of that lion.

I suggest you get go fund money for the retainment of a lawyer. Then run your cameras for FUN, now when you are helping a kid and he harvests his deer and the WM asks did you use trail cams to aid in the taking of this animal answer no. It now falls on the burden of the state. If the state can prove you had a trail camera and they prove that trail camera had that particular deer on it then you might be in trouble, on the other hand what if you never had a single picture of that particular deer? What if your trail cameras last picture of that deer was from 3 months ago and you can prove that you harvested that deer 2 miles from that location? I'm sure a good lawyer could probably make a good case that the trail camera didn't aid in the take of that deer. Let me ask you this? Did you have any trail cam pictures of that deer you recently helped Uggredbilly take?

Your reading comprehension must be way better than mine because no where here do I see the total ban of trail cameras or the ban of trail cameras for the freedom Loving Arizona recreational wildlife enthusiasts. I do however see a ban on the use of trail cameras for the take or in the aiding of take of wildlife. If you choose to run 500 trail cameras all summer long with your friends and family because your a wildlife enthusiast have at it, just don't use those cameras for the take of wildlife. As a freedom loving American make a choice are my cameras for fun or profit.

There will be no ban on trail cameras if all your using it for is to watch your gold claim. If you however decide to TAKE or use your camera in aiding of the take of wildlife there will be a problem.

This new rule will take 3 off the books.

I'm sure Shawn Wagner would love to put another Owens notch in his belt

If you watched the meeting Kurt Davis wasn't the one who initiated the call for the vote to start the ban. It was a commissioner that said he probably had more trail cams on one ridge than everyone else in the room and he felt it was time for regulation. There will be no break in the ranks this time they voted 5-0 and knew exactly what they were voting on.

I believe the commission is often the driving force of the policies being put forth by the department. Don't for one second believe that the idea was solely the departments idea.

It will pass and AZGFD will legally be able to run cameras as part of their official duties. They fly planes and helicopters during hunts for survey purposes, they use bait to trap turkeys for translocations, ect. ect.

Everyone said the same about the bait ban but you don't hear much about it being a problem. Larry Phoenix said they have about a 97% compliance rate and that their WM's are very good at what they do.

When they open it up to public comment they will provide a place where you can voice your opinion.