CouesWhitetail

Glad you are going. I won't be there, but I wanted to post the meeting schedule for those who might not have seen it. Basically AZGFD is holding a few meetings to gather input on how to solve the NR tag issue. Here is the meeting sched: Meeting Dates Time Location 8/3/04 6 pm ? 8 pm Region I Office ? 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd., 8/5/04 6 pm ? 8 pm Region II Office ? 3500 S. Lake Mary Road, Flagstaff 8/3/04 6 pm ? 8 pm Region III Office ? 5325 N. Stockton Hill Rd., Kingman 8/6/04 6 pm ? 8 pm Region IV Office ? 9140 E. 28th St., Yuma 8/3/04 6 pm ? 8 pm Region V Office ? 555 N. Greasewood, Tucson 8/3/04 6 pm ? 8 pm Region VI Office ? 7200 E. University, Mesa You can also submit your input online at the AGFD website. here is the link to page where you can leave comments. AGFD - NR comments Also, if you go to that link you can read a history of this court case. Amanda

I have posted a pdf of the complete transcript of the judge's ruling in the non-resident tag case (Montoya vs Shroufe). Here is the link if you want to read it: Judge's ruling Amanda

You can't tell who anyone is for sure I guess. It's the nature of the internet. Amanda

Ok, I think I may have figured out the settings now. Guests should be able to view the forum but not make a post until registered. Amanda

Great sighting! Too bad you didn't video tape it! It reminds me of a time I was hunting with some friends and after some rain moved through it seemed that this group of bucks was just playing. They would run around, not fighting, but just seemingly enjoying the cooler wet weather. And I have seen elk frolic in water holes like you saw. Amanda

The reason I haven't made it that way is that I can't find a way to make it so you can read topics without registering. Whenever I search the net and see a forum, I like to be able to read the kind of posts there are before joining. With this software, the only option I have is to make it so you have to login before reading or making a post. I will contact the software makers and see if maybe there is some way to make it possible for people to read without logging in and yet have to login to post. Amanda

The letter is real. I received a copy of a scan of it. And yes, it probably is related to the ranchers wanted to privatize elk tags to increase income for their operations. Also, some people from sportsmen's organizations have pointed out that several ranches on this list already do not allow access. The X-1 and Wagon Bow. And also the Cholla Land and Cattle company leases land the Boquillas from the Navajo Nation and I don't think the Navajo nation will support the closure. The Boquillas is one of the ranches where sportsmen have spent time helping to pick up trash in order to help with landowner relations. Amanda

Yes, those emails are the real deal. I have been getting copies of them as well. The sportsman's group AZ Hunters Who Care is campaigning hard to get people to email USO sponsors and it seems to be working very effectively. So far Primos and Realtree have pulled their sponsorship of USO. If you want more info on how to help contact: azhunterswhocare@hotmail.com Amanda

I love Josh's site. Love the hound dog sounds and the video clips. It's one of the cleanest designs and more interesting outfitter websites around. Also, Josh has been a supporter of this site since early on and is dedicated to Coues deer, so if you guys need a guide consider hiring him or some of the other CouesWhitetail.com sponsors. Amanda

Nice photos! What a cool shed. Amanda

Pretty good pics, but you are right you need to size them down. I find that about 400 pixels or less wide works well. Amanda

Muskrat, What they did was take all the NR's that were eliminated from the first draw due to the 10% cap. Then those people were issued the extra tags. A few residents put in with some NR's and therefore a small number of residents got some of those extra tags. Amanda

Happy B-day! And congrats on your tag. 30A is a tough one because alot of the land is private. Good luck! Amanda

Lark, I don't have the emails, but you can write to them care of AGFD main office. You can just address it to each commissioner's name c/o AGFD. Main Office - Phoenix 2221 W. Greenway Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85023-4399 602-942-3000 To get each commissioner's name, you can see it on this link on the AGFD page: Commission Members bios What the AGFD ended up doing was going ahead with the draw as if there was no court order and then allocated more elk and deer tags that would be above the normal amount. Those newly allocated tags are for non-residents. Here is a link to the latest info on the AGFD regarding that decision: New tags allocated by AGFD Also, there is a list of names of people who will receive additional tags, but I am unclear if they are all non-residents or what. Draw results for additional permits I am not sure they will release the info you are requesting Lark, but you can ask. Amanda

Well, I didn't get a deer tag, but I did draw an archery unit 6A north bull elk tag! First year I haven't had a deer tag. That is pretty sad....but hopefully I will get to go with some friends if they got drawn. What did you guys get?? Amanda

Hi Guys, I have been out in the field working for the last several days. I can see this thread is a bit out of hand and yes it sure does seem like Buster is CHD. I really appreciate those that have added their thoughts without resorting to name calling. What we need, as many of you have suggested in this thread, is some calm, rational way to figure out a solution to this problem. I really don't see why Arizonans shouldn't have the majority of AZ tags. If having a 10% cap is discriminatory, why isn't charging more for a non-resident tag? I don't see how that is different. So then we will have to move to having equal cost and equal access to tags. That means the average hunter in AZ gets fewer and fewer tags. Hunters from outside AZ come here because what we have is so special. One method which has been discussed by groups such as the Arizona Deer Association is to have a conservation bonus point. Hunters that put in say 40 hours of conservation work during the year get a bonus point to increase their odds in the lottery. That will tilt things in favor of AZ residents because they are the ones here and have more ability to attend work projects like water developments, thinning projects or whatever. I certainly encourage everyone who can to attend the AGFD meeting today. Amanda

Wildfires in AZ are generally excellent at improving deer habitat. The resprouting of vegetation they create is used heavily by deer. I have been hiking throughout much of the Mt Lemmon fire area the last three summers and see quite a bit of whitetail and they are feeding alot on the small green resprouting shoots of the maples and aspens. There are also a grasses and forbs that they are eating. The locust is coming back real thick and there is a lot of browsing on that. Some of the heavily used areas by elk and deer I have seen in AZ have been created by wildfires. I am very pro-fire in regards to how it improves wildlife habitat. Amanda

I think that video is hysterical!! The dog doesn't even look scared. What a riot! Amanda

Here are some photos of a buck I found in a drainage this weekend. I didn't have a tape with me, but I rough scored it with the ruler on my compass and it grosses about 102 (assuming that broken tine wasn't broken off and was equal to the opposite tine). Main beams are about 12 inches long and the inside spread about 14 inches. It's a 5x6 if you include eyeguards. One tine is completely broken off the left side. 2nds are about 6 inches long. Looking at his teeth this buck didn't seem to be very old, would of been a grand buck in older age. Amanda

San Carlos does have an excellent bear population. Probably one of the highest densities in the state. But this trip I only saw one bear, and actually it was only his leg. I saw movement about 100 m uphill from me and just caught site of the leg under a bushy oak. I went up there and found his bed, was a very large and very fresh pile of bear scat there. I must have spooked him out of his bed. Never saw him again. It was a nice cinnamon colored bear. Amanda

It was on the San Carlos, unit C. Unfortunately I have to leave whatever I find there since it's illegal to take it off the rez, but I thought you guys might enjoy the pics. This was up toward the Black River. I found another buck also, but he wasn't as big. Had some good mass but only a 2 pt. I wasn't looking for racks, but just stumbled upon them. I tend to find quite a few sheds and racks down in the bottom of drainages. Amanda

Thanks for the info TAM. I frequently see WT at water between 11 and 1 pm. And I think most hunters know that is true for Coues deer and plan accordingly. I also see WT at water in the early morning, late evening and at night. But I agree they have a strong tendency to water around noon. I don't blame them....who isn't thirsty at noon on a summer day in AZ Amanda

I saw a couple muley bucks this weekend that had about 12 inches of horn growth. They were branched out too. Amanda

I had a fun experience the other day while working in the Catalinas. I was walking up a trail and saw a WT coming down the same trail. So I stopped and tried to remain still. Eventually I saw 4 WT bucks and they came within about 12 feet of me before moving off the trail. Of course my camera was in my backpack and I couldn't get it out without spooking them. Anyway, the lead buck was the largest bodied and had the most antler development. Still, that wasn't a lot. It looked like he was just getting his brow tines going. On average I would say the 4 bucks had 4-5 inches of horn growth. This was in a good area with lots of browse and some green-up of forbs and grasses. However, it seemed the antler growth wasn't much farther along than bucks I saw on the San Carlos about 3 weeks earlier. But I think with the spring rains we have had, we should have good antler growth, like we did last year. While I was in the Catalinas we had rainstorms most everyday for about the last week. Not just sprinkles, some real rain that will do the mtn some good. Anyone else seeing rain where they are? Amanda

Here are some more pics of that world record Coues taken by a friend of Josh's at the Boone and Crockett convention. Thanks for sending them in Josh and thanks to your friend for taking them.