What is going on with the amount of tags for the 2009 season? Can't speak for the entire state, but in my neck of the woods the 2009 numbers seem to be in excess. Having battled for decades with the game and fish about numbers, I don't think anyone can do anything about it but whine, so here's a giant whine from me... I have hunted my favorite unit for several decades, and have watched the elk numbers explode, deer numbers drop to seriously low levels. The game and fish fought to keep permit numbers low when the elk population exceeded the habitat, yet now that the numbers are down the push keeps on. I luckly get to hunt elk most every year in the same unit, either with friends or family, and have kept count on the number of bulls we see from year to year. I do have decades of experience in my favorite unit, so being told I'm not looking in the right area doesn't hold much water. The 2008 season reached levels of bulls sighted that we haven't seen since the 1960's. In 2008 with four guys hunting for 6 days, collectively we saw 3 muley does and 1 whitetail buck. The 2009 hunt numbers climbed significantly, I wonder what this was based on?
I would like to think we maintain our elk numbers at a level that provides for a quality hunt. Arizona is and has been known for a quality elk population, but with the increase of tags authorized for the 2009 season I wonder how long that will last. Is money more important than the states wildlife? (sorry I asked I know the answer).
Like I said just whining but I do have concerns and was wondering if anyone else shared the same views, and has concerns about where we are headed.
