KGAINES

Did this bill pass, and was it included in the budget. From what I can pull up on the AZ legislature website it looks like it passed, but I don't know how any of that stuff works. http://www.azleg.state.az.us/DocumentsForB...x=26&image.y=4# While I was searching for it I pulled up a link to the sierra club and they opposed it because they said it had strings attached for pet projects. Hopefully it passed and the azgfd got the money for our habitat improvements. http://arizona.sierraclub.org/political_ac...6_update_21.asp

Thanks I heard they approved the budget and I was hoping that bill was part of it.

Has anyone had any rain in Arizona or New Mexico that actually wet the ground, I got some sprinkles tonight, but I would like to see some measurable rain around the state and lift these forest closures.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=...aw_060619133246 I just read this and thought some of you might be interested.

Happy Birthday, Good Luck in the draw and God Bless.

How long before they have the minutes for the last couple of meetings up on the azgfd website, I kind of want to know what I missed.

Have fun and be safe. Good Luck and God Bless

I wonder if anyone from these groups has talked to her in depth on her feelings about hunting and fishing, I wonder if she has been closed mouth about her feelings, or just not willing to cooperate with Arizona's hunting groups. I understand that these groups had several more qualified candidates and were 100% behind them, but we are stuck with Ms. Martin for a year and we might want to figure out a way to get her on our side until then. Isn't the old saying keep your friends close and your enemies closer, well at this time we have no idea where she stands so we should keep track of her and try to at least let her know how we feel and see what she does.

http://www.coueswhitetail.com/forums/index...360entry31360 That is the link to the thread on her earlier this year, it doesn't look like there was much in state support from hunters and hunting groups. I hope she proves us all wrong and does a great job for us and for our state.

This is the info about Ms. Martin from the azgfd website. http://www.azgfd.gov/artman/publish/article_552.shtml Thanks Keven I remember her mentioning the waterfowl and ducks and just couldn't remember what else was said. As for the OHV use, that is something I don't think the azgfd needs to worry about, they already talked about being shorthanded and now they have to patrol the forest roads also. I might be wrong, but if you were on a quad in a wilderness area or an area closed to motorized traffic couldn't they already write you a ticket. The way they made it sound they want to take total control of the way OHV,s can be used, and they mentioned the entire state, they even mentioned the dunes near Yuma ( I wonder if they know most of the riding down there takes place in CA ). I hope they can find the alternate funding for that or I can see another license and tag increase.

I was wondering the same thing especially with Ms. Martin having a vote, but early on in the meeting she did say something that was in support of waterfowl and the duck hunters, I can't remember what that was exactly, but that could be a good sign for the short time that she is on the commission. I know there were members from each hunting group there maybe one of those guys can update us or at least let one of us know and we can post some input, otherwise we will have to wait for the meeting minutes or spring regs.

Garth you are sure right about that, how many people vote for stuff that they have no idea about, they just pick a candidate by political party, man or woman, they like the name, somebody told me to, or eenie meenie miney mo, and that doesn't include the antis or the tree huggers, I don't think we need that risk All they need is three out of five to mess everything up and two would cause a lot of problems. At least the governor understands that the azgfd has a job to do and there is a large constituent of voters that are hunters, at least I hope she does.

I went to the commission meeting this morning and was able to stay until the break for lunch, nice seeing you there peloncillo, was anyone else there from here. I wanted to be there for the approval of the dove, sandhill crane, and band tailed pigeon seasons and limits and also for the talk on pick ups and possession of wildlife parts, but had to leave beforehand. They changed the schedule during the meeting and moved those items to last, I would like to know how that turned out, I seen there were 5 or more people from the earth first group there also. This is the second meeting I have been to and I am very concerned with the way they operate, they will motion and second with little or no discussion and simply vote, they disregard all that was said and go forward with what they think and seemingly all fall right in with them, except for chairman Melton who seemed frustrated that it kept happening. In the time I was there Ms. Martin did nothing for me to say anything against her, she actually did very little, commissioner Hernbrode and Mclean seemed to me to be the ones making most of the motions and proposals and I do not know if that is a good thing. We need an average sportsman with in my opinion very little political background on the commission to give us a voice. Lark I don't know what you would have to do to get on the commission, but I would be behind you also. I would just like to say there is someone up there who is one of us, and us being an AZ native or someone who has grown up here who hunts and fishes this state and has its best interest at heart. I would appreciate an update on what went on after the lunch break if at all possible. Please get involved it is real frustrating seeing these earth first people there and knowing that the commission could go in their direction on any issue simply because we are not showing up.

That freaking sucks, I wonder if they will go back in there to hunt after they look at your pictures. I hope you catch the losers by some miracle and get to teach them the error of their ways.

http://www.gf.state.az.us/inside_azgfd/doc...nalAgenda06.pdf This is the next commission meeting, I am planning on being there as of right now is anyone else going. Saturday, June 24, 2006, Arizona Game and Fish Commission at Embassy Suites 2577 W. Greenway Rd. Phoenix, Arizona, 85023 Meeting begins at 8:00 a.m.

With all of these guys needing input on New Mexico you ought to have a great year crazyaboutcoues with your service, welcome to the site Colorado Archer, here is a link that might help. http://www.gilawildernesshunting.com/

Very well said wetmule To me it is sort of like voting, if you don't vote don't complain about the outcome, if you are not allowed to vote then you have a gripe. As far as being taken out of context I don't know, but I do know that it happens and the press or media love to give certain things a spin to make them more enticing to readers or viewers. I am not trying to defend anyone here, I think that she surely could have done the job and taken care of her family, her qualifications and her background are what should have been the issue as to whether she got the job, and I for one think there were several more qualified people out there and that is what makes her appointment even more questionable. I will also say that that meeting was held in march and we are only now hearing about the young family comment, leave it to the az republic to bring it up, if it was said in such a derogatory way we would have heard about it then, ms. martin or the gov. would have been all over that, so I also question why now and not then.

DesertBull I don't think that is as elusive as you think.

NAVAJO MOUNTAIN #1 (3,350 A., 65% contained) is in Utah just north of the Arizona line 35 miles WNW of Page. Navajo Mountain remains closed to the public. Crews are monitoring the W flank, which is unlined due to inaccessible terrain. Dan Oltrogge's Southwest Area Type 1 Incident Management Team will transfer command of the fire back to Navajo Nation this evening. Resources assigned: 1 Type 1 crew, 3 Type 2 crews, 5 helicopters, 4 engines, 11 water tenders, 180 overhead, 3 camp crews, 341 total personnel. http://inciweb.org/incident/248/ WEST WILDLAND FIRE USE (1,925 acres) is burning in Kaibab National Forest about 8 miles SE of Tusayan. Minimal spread is anticipated. WEST has reached the maximum established parameters set for its growth and shows little potential to increase in size. Crews will continue monitoring. For more information, call Jackie Denk at (928)-635-5607. http://gacc.nifc.gov/swcc/information/azfi...information.htm This is the info from the website.

downthebarrel17 most of them have already told you, but welcome to the site. You are where we all should have been when we were seventeen, I was ignorant about all the politics behind hunting, if we allow it to continue it will only be about politics and money when it should be about family the outdoors and our heritage. Joining the ADA and other groups is a good thing, but do like az4life said and go to some meetings and get involved, I would bet that a lot of groups would love to hear some input and ideas from someone so young. http://www.azdeer.org/ This is the link to the ADA and their site. Good Luck and God Bless

I have to agre with COOSEFAN, all of your pictures are great. I am praying for rain for all of us, we need it.

Do you guys have the list of who is up for the annual Elmer Fudd biggest wabbit award.

Happy Fathers day to all the dads out there.

http://www.coueswhitetail.com/forums/index...highlite=rattle

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE 1930's 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's !! First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes. Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking. As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat. We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this. We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because...... WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!! We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K. We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem. We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms..........WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them! We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever. We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them! Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law! This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever! The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!