mbiewer

news media sensationalizing way out of proportion. ""The cottontail season in Arizona is year-round. However, few cottontails are taken during the summer months due to hunter concerns regarding disease and parasites. Many myths exist among hunters (especially hunters from back East) concerning the “edibility” of summer rabbits. Cottontails (and the larger jackrabbits) are host to internal and external parasites (all year long, by the way). Hunters who improperly handle sick rabbits can be exposed to tularemia and the plague. This causes many hunters to look to other species as potential prey, particularly during the warmer months. Since cottontails are abundant and very tasty, I don’t let these concerns stop me from hunting summer rabbits. My strategy is this: Wear rubber gloves when dressing the beast; let the rabbit cool (to help reduce external parasites) before carrying it on your person; wash your hands following handling and cleaning; and cook the rabbit thoroughly. You can also skin and dress the cottontail immediately during the hunt, reducing the chance an external parasite will switch hosts. If you hunt rabbits below 3,500 feet in elevation during any portion of the year, you’ll greatly reduce your potential exposure to both plague and tularemia. Never harvest or handle a cottontail that appears to be ill."" the above was clipped from the 2006 AZGF article: http://www.azgfd.gov/i_e/pubs/CottontailHunting.shtml

credit card charges have started. I got drawn for deer and turkey. now the exciting part of finding out where!

checked first thing this morning, it i s back to the previous message. oh well. If it isnt up by friday, im throwing down some paper at them.

i checked first thing this morning, and it is back to being "no draw available" or whatever the crap said. Might just go paper to get it in and quit antagonizing over it.

i am pretty sure it is the same as before (four person limit). It is off the same card. I submitted my app for elk, and after it went in there was an option to add another hunter, but not an option to submit a different card. (i only submitted for me and my brother)

Ok gang, So my credit card got charged on 4-1 in he amount of 2 elk tags (I put me and my brother in for this, so that parts right). I know we got drawn since i was charged. We waited in aniticpation jus ike everyone else here for monday to come. The crashed website, the busy signal on the phone i couldnt get through. Yesterday, after the sigh was fixed i could enter my info and it would go to the "draw reusslts" page, but instead of giving any information it would come back with this: Draw Results and Bonus Points MATTHEW R BIEWER Department ID: *****XXXX {i blanked this part out, thanks guys} Address: 2637 E COMMONWEALTH CIR, CHANDLER, AZ 85225 6094 Birth Date: 07/02/1978 It wouldnt show me any previous bonus points or the chart that showed i was successfull. Last night at 11 before my head hit the pillow i called the hotline to check that way, and it kep telling me "results are no available". ------- My thought and wondering if anyone else had this happen: putting in online the credit card submission generated a new user id (instead of my SSN that i have used for the past 12 years). Did anyone else that put in (via online) run into this problem. I cant seem to get through off of my old number. Obviously it is still linked becaue it had my correct birthdate, address and trailing number of my ssn... but still no draw info. The suspense is killing me... especially since i got charged and my other buddies/coworkers did not. ha ha. Gotta check my bragging rights. Matty

well, not to kick a certain popular (and active) member under the bus. But i know one particular member who has been drawn 20+ consecutive times for elk... drawn, not drawn, successful, not successful... we would still be waiting every feb, june, and oct for the second tuesday year after year.

thanks everyone for checking in and the info. i did wind up calling g&f and that was exactly the probelm. the automatic id generated from online. The mesa office was extremely helpful in resolving the issue (and getting it switched back to my ssn, one less thing to remember). My brother did try, but it was the same situation because i entered him onto my tag, kept coming up with "no results" because technically we didnt exist. oh well. unit 8 cow, december btw.

Anyone have any decent catfish recipes? i would prefer something for the grill, perhaps in a taco variety? ha ha. I was routing through the freezer and came across quite a bit. (and nope, dont have a fryer)

Got this from game and fish last night in an email, and on their face book page they posted the same information. Time to start checking your credit cards.... good luck everybody: Elk/pronghorn draw results to be available in the next 1-2 weeks March 27, 2012 PHOENIX - It’s the time of year when many constituents ask the Arizona Game and Fish Department when the results for the pronghorn antelope and elk hunt draw will be released. The department anticipates that the 2012 results will be available sometime in the next one to two weeks, but there is no set date at this point. For those who applied using the online service, the process of charging the credit cards of successful applicants will begin tomorrow. This process will take several days to complete. Constituents are asked to please not call the department regarding draw results until the results are publicly posted. We will make an announcement of their availability on our website at www.azgfd.gov and through our e-news, Facebook and Twitter communications. To sign up for e-news, visit www.azgfd.gov/signup. The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Director's Office, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Director's

Sorry, didnt meant to sound like a jerk. I read the email that G&F sent out... to me it makes perfect sense of what the numbers are and how they compared to any other given year. It is easy for any individual to scream "look whats different"... just like it is also easy for the "anti-hunter" to scream that we are destroying nature. Justifiably so, game and fish has to consider population numbers and factors each year before issuing tags. (Hence the importance of the post season hunter survey.) Whch goes hand in hand that "hunting" is actually a form of population control that the individual species needs to maintain a healthy survival. All in all, G&F wants us to hunt, wants us to be succesful for those reasons. (call any game unit manager preseason for tips to find out if this is true). Over time, if everyone got drawn, there would be nothing to hunt. Like wise... without human intervention, the are would be overrun by overbreeding eventually leading to the decline in a "good stock base" for that species survival. (sorry, i copied and pasted the article but for some reason the other graphs didnt show up... For those of you that arent on the AZGFD email list, feel free to pm me your email and i can forward the page) Sorry to all about the soap box rant....

Don't sque the data...if you are going to print the graph, add the rest of the article.... Important information for sportsmen and other wildlife enthusiasts – Part 1 March 30, 2012 A great deal of discussion has occurred over the past few months on important issues related to hunting, fishing and wildlife management. As part of its promotion of the partial privatization or diversion of Arizona's wildlife resources, one constituent group recently circulated an “open letter” regarding problems, or challenges, facing sportsmen. One of the topics the open letter listed was loss of wildlife. To illustrate their point, the circulators of the letter included the data below, comparing the number of permits and harvest of six big game species in the years 1994 and 2010. While the numbers for each year are accurate, the comparison is still artificial. Quite simply, if this was 1994 Arizona, it would still look like 1994 Arizona. The same could be said of 1964. Or 1934. Or ...? Having healthy, viable wildlife populations is an important and enduring challenge for all who enjoy our wildlife resources, and that challenge is not something new. For example, if data were plucked from the year 1929, an examination of the minutes of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission meeting on Nov. 29-30, 1929, would show that the Commission voted to close the area south of the Gila River to the hunting of deer for an indefinite period of time. The choice of 1994 as a comparison point (as opposed to any other year) is interesting, and only the circulators of the data can explain their rationale for choosing that year. While the above figures may be accurate for each of the two chosen years, their use in a two-point comparison alone neglects information that might provide context and give people a better understanding of the situation. Our state was a very different place in 1994 than in 2010. Arizona had about 2 million fewer residents, the average price of gas nationally was around $1.11 per gallon, the Dow Jones industrial average had a high of about 3,900, and the state was still in the midst of a notable “wet period,”’ with above-average precipitation from the post-1976 period until approximately 1998. In the figures above, the two-point comparison of 1994 and 2010 suggests a strictly linear decline in permits during the 1994-2010 time period, which is not accurate. Here are some additional facts sportsmen/women and other wildlife enthusiasts should know. DEER. Although deer permits have declined since achieving a high-water milestone in 1986, the number of permits since 2003 has been increasing annually (from 61,432 to 68,078, at about 900 permits per year). PRONGHORN. Pronghorn permits have been highly variable through time, but a recent high point was in 1994 with 1,483 permits. and a recent low point was in 2004 with 861 permits. In 2010, 949 permits were authorized, which reflects a growing trend in permits for pronghorn. BIGHORN SHEEP. In 1994, bighorn sheep permits reached a milestone at the second greatest number of permits issued. Permit numbers declined to 82 in 2005, but have since increased to 99 in 2011. ELK. Elk permit numbers increased over time, peaking at 24,195 in 2002. Permit numbers have been reduced since, largely in response to hunter desires after that date. Still, the permit numbers continue to increase with time. STANDARDIZED SURVEY PROTOCOLS. It should be noted that with regard to deer surveys, the department established standardized survey protocols beginning in the mid-2000s. Surveyed animals per hour (Catch per Unit Effort) provide a standardized index as to population trajectory, similar to permit numbers. Survey data suggests that the population of deer in Arizona is growing. DROUGHT. Drought is a factor that has contributed to declines in wildlife populations: Decadal-scale Pacific Ocean circulation persistence can result in long-term drought in the Southwest, including Arizona, and may be reflected in wildlife productivity. These patterns resulted in extremely dry conditions between 1999 and 2005. During the past two decades, several La Niña episodes (1989-90, 1995-96, and 1998-2001) have initiated Arizona droughts. The La Niña of 2005-06 resulted in virtually no snowpack in Arizona until mid-March, with 29 of the 34 snow-measuring sites monitored by the NRCS reporting no snow as of March 1, 2006, the least amount recorded since measurements began in the late 1930s. While drought of the last decade may have similar precipitation conditions to the drought of the late 1940s and 1950s, temperatures during the last decade are almost two degrees higher. This warming trend may have affected the severity of drought conditions and productivity. The last notable ‘wet period’ with above-average precipitation was the post-1976 period which lasted until approximately 1998, which may have affected productivity during the period 1999 through 2006. DESIRED POPULATION STRUCTURE. Permit numbers are influenced by desired population structure. The Arizona Game and Fish Commission currently manages for 20-30 bucks per 100 does. There is a range in which the decision does not influence the biological capability of a population to reproduce. Research has demonstrated that with as few as 5-7 bucks per 100 does, reproduction and recruitment is not diminished. Alternatively, in many studies, when buck-to-doe ratios exceed 40:100, recruitment begins to diminish for reasons that may involve competition for limited resources. Based upon public input and Commission guidance, the Department manages within a conservative range for buck-to-doe ratios, but could increase permits for deer or elk, without any negative consequences to recruitment, if there is a desire to increase the numbers of permits. The Commission has chosen a conservative range because sportsmen have requested a more conservative hunt structure, often focusing on public desires to pursue older age class animals. Arizona’s guidelines for mule deer buck-to-doe ratios fall within the center of the ranges managed by other states. Selecting this conservative strategy reduced permit availability. We hope this information broadens constituents' understanding of the data that was circulated in the open letter on this topic and gives a better understanding of harvestable big game numbers and the factors that influence those numbers. We look forward to continuing to work with you on these challenges and opportunities.

I got the same thing, and it was on their face book posting....no like the previous hoaxs so many have tried.... keep your fingers crossed and good luck!

My brother just set up a trust, and his friend just did the same. Basically it comes down to is this (not sure what the fees are...): Creating a trust is something similar to setting up a corporation. Brian(my brothers friend) set up his after he had already made class3 purchases under his name. To which he had to again pay the fees and licensing to get the items tranferred under his trust. My brother set up his trust and Ben is basically the person in charge of that trust. Since the safe is at Ben's house, both Brian and ben have to be listed on each other's trust to keep "access to all items" legal. (A sneaky way around this would, per say in an unlisted resident, is have that person say "i cant open the safe, i dont have the key/combo". that person than can be on in the house. But any and all who have access to any of the items must be listed). On that note, Ben is "the chairman" of the living trust (it will never go away). the chairman can list other members of the turst (to have access with proper paperwork). He must alos list the next perosn in line. In Ben's case (and maybe he doesnt trust me, ha ha)... In order for me to take over the trust "due to an untimely accident" (what are little brothers for, plus he has cool sh!t in that box) it would take the signatures of me, my sister, and one other person he has listed out on his trust. Now here is where i think it gets sketchy... Officially, the trust created by him, is the actual "holder" of the Federal license. That being said, Ben can add or delete names from the trust as he sees fit... without the other individuals needing to file paperwork. Much to the same as a corporation. " trust:coroporation; Ben:CEO; items(weapons, or any other items): corporate property; other individuals: more employees" *he has had to explain this to me several times over, so if any of it is unclear...he isnt a member here but i could set you up with his personal email to ask him any questions about it.

Hey AirBus Driver.... """"If you DON'T get drawn, do they send you an email? How about if you DO get drawn; are you sent some sort of notice? This is my first attempt at getting drawn; I did it online. """" They typically send out a tag that lets you know if you got drawn. ha ha. Just kidding.

I'm betting 37b... me and my brother spent 4 days in there and could only find trace amounts of signage. Tag soup again

37b. Any pointers?

37b, HAM; for the second time in a row. Didnt seal the deal last year, but it was the week it was 20 degrees here in town. Thats my excuse. Pray for good weather this year

There is no "tag exchange". Once you draw a tag, that tag is yours. If it is used, not used, filled or not filled...is up to you. Regulations say "one species per calendar year". So thats why one can put in for fall turkey, if they didnt "harvest" one in the spring. Which i guess would be similar to wanting to buy a OTC tag for the same unit as your brother in law... (i just wouldnt broadcast that in certain circles, some people may want to lynch you, ha ha).

Im with Red Rabbit. Thats why they cash the check as soon as it hits their office. If it bounces, so does that application...right into the trash. Cant really do that with a CC though. So it was probably a painstaking process of "draw, charge: pass\fail, next". Which would explain why last week it took several members here to notice a charge on monday while others didnt get 'hit' until thursday, depending how close to the "top of the stack" they were, or so to speak. Which leads me to my next point of discussion... if they cant charge the cc for the application, how do they skim the processing fee for the unsuccesful, bad cc holders out there?

its either a quail, or late season dove opens friday... just incase the hysteria for the last ipod causes society to break on black friday... i'll be on the outreaches with a gun. jk

I actually got frustrated enough to call in today. First i called the autmated line to see if i got drawn. ha ha. still not there either. Then i called the mesa branch and the lady said "maybe today".... for a brief moment that bought me off. I got excited. I thought to myself "be patient"... and then 6 hours later i think to myself "maybe NOT" ha ha

My Gripe with the online system isnt the "paper vs 'stoopid puter tech-nahl-gee'", but obviously if some of us here (on the forum) are a representative group of the rest of the hunters participating in the process... the draw already happened. Its supposed to be a lottery. How can they hold it for over a week long of some getting drawn monday, others friday, points in between, and the simple fact of why dont they release the results if they have started.

every 12 hours? i check it at least once an hour (while at work, ha ha)... I think its crap... how the online system worked this year. Everyone who put it over the 'puter pretty much found out their results based off credit card charges while the old paper stylers (like me)... are being antagonized in suspense. ha ha

Im with "Standman". Are me and brian the only two people here that actually send in paper to g&f? its been a long week already trying to check