Elk-Rifle before Archery

[j3o1n6]

The AZGFD draft guidelines for the 2016 - 2018 hunting seasons includes allowing early general (rifle) bull seasons and early muzzleloader seasons to start the week before the early archery hunts. There is already a muzzleloader hunt before the archery season this year in unit 9 and it appears they want to expand that plus include some pre-archery rifle hunts too. They are taking public input on this right now and up to June 10th. Public input meetings have already started and the Phoenix area meeting is Friday, May 29th, 6:00 pm at the Mesa AZGFD office - 7200 E. University Drive. You can also e-mail comments to: azgamebranch@azgfd.gov

[azpredator@work]

Huh?

[bowhunter4life]

The 2016-2018 AZGFD recommendations want to move muzzy and early rifle bull elk tags before archery bull elk hunts. So if you apply for archery sept bull elk hunts, they will now have a rifle or muzzy hunt before the archery hunt. This will effect all archery elk hunters as the season will be moved back 1-2 weeks. This will lower hunter success due to bulls being harvested and chased with firearms before the archery hunt starts.

 

The public has an opportunity to cast their stance at the following public forum. Voice your opinion or AZGFD will follow the recommendations.

[murfys69law]

Where did you get this info? Do you have a link to it?

[mc68]

Why would this change? Has this been a topic they have been discussing?

[bowhunter4life]

They changed the unit 9 hunt this year, not sure why they are moving them? This is being proposed by them. The link will not let me post it, go to AZGFD website under hunting (hunt guideline and recommendation process) Looks like the final open public forum is June 8 in Payson.

[ctracingraptor]

I feel as if this has been a long time coming, and i felt it was going to happen sooner than later. Especially since they are already trying out in unit 9. Im a rifle hunter and a muzzleloader hunter, and i dont know how i feel about the subject of switching the dates. There is no way they will let 600 rifle hunters go before archery, it would ruin everything. Maybe they want to incorporate a low draw, high success rifle tag before archery, say maybe 10 premium tags. But i would like more info on what they are trying to acheive.

[el diablo]

Well is it cuz folks have been complaining for years that they want the archery hunt to be pushed back a coupla weeks cuz the rut seems to take place later the last few yrs? Doesnt make sense to let the rifle hunters get first crack cuz their success rate will be higher than the archery hunts. Especially gettin first crack at em. Except that they can give more archery tags due to lower success but it would all even out far as that's concerned.

[bowhunter4life]

The moto is opportunity, more hunters in the field. Let say they put 10 tags in every unit. Typically these tags will go to max point holders. If you look at the number of out of state bonus point holders. The chances of a resident obtaining one of these new tags will be a 15 year plus wait. By pushing the archery hunt back and having a rifle hunt before hand it will create a lower success and by doing so there is a chance that this will expand the archery November opportunity. Currently there are 25 archery November tags in most units. This could create the shift for opportunity and expand these November hunts. Just a few years ago, AZGFD planned to remove the majority of archery September hunts to create more opportunity by doubling the bull tags during November. Luckily the ABA and DCA fought to save the September bull hunts.

 

The good news is we all have a voice to let them know what we think. You have a few weeks to do so. Please see the email on the first post to send an email.

[Swivelhead]

Wonder what's really driving this proposed change. I say leave it alone.

[brian390]

Dumbest thing I have ever heard of.

[murfys69law]

It sounds like they have some sort of hidden agenda to this.

[Heat]

Any proposal of that nature is completely back asswards! I also agree with the point made above that this could be a result of the archery hunters complaining about the season starting too early. Often times their point isn't made well and the Department will use that wishy washyness to do whatever it is they've been trying to accomplish. In this case it seems like the Department has been heck Bent on putting some sort of Premium Hunt out there for elk. Looks like they're going after it through the backdoor!

 

I don't agree with any general elk hunts being held before archery or muzzleloader. Whatever happened to the notion of primitive weapons being at a disadvantage?

 

I'll be sure to make my comments to the Department and Commission when the time comes.

[azgutpile]

The archery being pushed back a week or two doesn't seem like a bad idea. I'm willing to bet that the archery success rate will actually go up. The only down side is that the archery hunters don't get the first shoot at the largest Bulls, but considering its a lot harder to get an early rifle bull tag, maybe they deserve it.

[murfys69law]

The only thing I can think is that when elk are rutting they tend to lose their minds a little cuz all they are thinking about is gettin' some booger from cows and fighting to keep them. If the rifles go before and they are not in full rut at that time, which seems to be the case more often than not, they may still be able to have a good archery hunt. I know when I have had archery tags it seemed both times the week right after my hunt the bulls were just getting into full swing and I had missed it and the early rifles did much better. If the rifles making all the noise doesn't effect them once they are done and the elk are in full rut after their hunt it might work. I still think there is something missing that we aren't aware of that G&F hasn't told us. JMO