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Bayley from Cabela's drew the ticket today and Arvid is the winner of the 15 X 56 Swaro Binos. Thank you to all of the tickets buyers for your support to help the AES put water on the ground for Elk and other wildlife. Good luck to all in the elk draw.

UPDATE on the Boquillas 2016 Fee Fiasco sweeping the internet. Jim deVos, Assistant Director of Wildlife Management at the Arizona Game and Fish Department, provided the following information update regarding the Big Boquillas Hunt Program: As the deadline approaches to apply for 2016 pronghorn and elk hunt permit-tags, the Arizona Game and Fish Department has been made aware of website information indicating a substantial increase in the permit fee structure for high-demand hunts on the Boquillas Ranch in Game Management Unit 10. This information is on a web domain apparently associated with the ranch's lessee. The 750,000-acre ranch in northwest Arizona, which accounts for approximately 50 percent of the land in Unit 10, is owned by the Navajo Nation. Game and Fish continues negotiations to renew an access agreement with the Navajo Nation Department of Agriculture. Hunters might have noticed information on the lessee's website indicating that the permit fee rate has been raised to $500 on some hunts, according to: https://huntbigboranch.com/ranch-hunt-access-rates/ This recently posted increase is not consistent with the negotiations that the department has had with the Navajo Nation. The department and the Navajo Nation remain committed to establishing a lower permit fee structure, as well as reaching a long-term access agreement for the ranch. In December 2015, the Director of the Navajo Department of Agriculture made a presentation to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission indicating a strong commitment from the Navajo Nation to develop a collaborative approach to managing wildlife and hunter access on the Big Boquillas Ranch. In negotiations with the Navajo Nation, the Nation has agreed in principle that modest fee increases are important to preserve hunting and hunter access as part of the collaboration between the department and the Navajo Nation. In fall 2013, the parties reached an agreement ensuring public access in exchange for Game and Fish enforcement of ranch rules designed to increase respect for the Navajo Nation’s private property on the ranch. The department originally supported a $60 annual Recreational Access Impact fee charged to all people entering the ranch to offset the impacts of recreation. The department’s support of this fee, and the enforcement of the ranch rules, shows its willingness to find new solutions.

UPDATE on the Boquillas 2016 Fee Fiasco sweeping the internet. Jim deVos, Assistant Director of Wildlife Management at the Arizona Game and Fish Department, provided the following information update regarding the Big Boquillas Hunt Program: As the deadline approaches to apply for 2016 pronghorn and elk hunt permit-tags, the Arizona Game and Fish Department has been made aware of website information indicating a substantial increase in the permit fee structure for high-demand hunts on the Boquillas Ranch in Game Management Unit 10. This information is on a web domain apparently associated with the ranch's lessee. The 750,000-acre ranch in northwest Arizona, which accounts for approximately 50 percent of the land in Unit 10, is owned by the Navajo Nation. Game and Fish continues negotiations to renew an access agreement with the Navajo Nation Department of Agriculture. Hunters might have noticed information on the lessee's website indicating that the permit fee rate has been raised to $500 on some hunts, according to: https://huntbigboranch.com/ranch-hunt-access-rates/ This recently posted increase is not consistent with the negotiations that the department has had with the Navajo Nation. The department and the Navajo Nation remain committed to establishing a lower permit fee structure, as well as reaching a long-term access agreement for the ranch. In December 2015, the Director of the Navajo Department of Agriculture made a presentation to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission indicating a strong commitment from the Navajo Nation to develop a collaborative approach to managing wildlife and hunter access on the Big Boquillas Ranch. In negotiations with the Navajo Nation, the Nation has agreed in principle that modest fee increases are important to preserve hunting and hunter access as part of the collaboration between the department and the Navajo Nation. In fall 2013, the parties reached an agreement ensuring public access in exchange for Game and Fish enforcement of ranch rules designed to increase respect for the Navajo Nation’s private property on the ranch. The department originally supported a $60 annual Recreational Access Impact fee charged to all people entering the ranch to offset the impacts of recreation. The department’s support of this fee, and the enforcement of the ranch rules, shows its willingness to find new solutions.

TC Yellowhair won the Enlightened Equipment Quilt and Kathi Nixon won the cooler. Congratulations and thank you to all the Ticket buyers. Linda Dightman from Cabela's did the drawing for us. Linda wants to remind all the women out there that she helps run BOW, Becoming an Outdoors Woman. Great way to learn about the outdoors from expert teachers. Check out Enlightened Equipment on Facebook and give them a like, great products and good people. https://www.facebook.com/Enlightened-Equipment-187778297965130/?hc_location=ufi

We usually draw on the next business day after the raffle sells out. In this case it will be Monday. Everyone is hunting this weekend. Thanks to all the Ticket buyers and you really need to check out the Enlightened Equipment Quilts.

Become a member of the Arizona Elk Society, help the elk herds and other wildlife in Arizona. Check out our 2015 Year in Review to see all the good work AES is doing for the hunters and sportsmen of Arizona. MEMBERSHIP DRIVE - Join now, especially before you put in for the draw, and we will include the Steve Chappell...Arizona Application Strategies - Mastering the Draw DVD...FREE. Join today - https://www.arizonaelksociety.org/2016/types-of-membership 2015 Year in Review - https://www.arizonaelksociety.org/PDF%20Documents/2015-Year-in-Review.pdf Thank you in advance for your Support. Good Luck in the Draw!

I am in and waiting for a call. Will be away from the computer so call me.

Do you have time to help introduce new and novice hunters to Hunting? The Arizona Elk Society holds many annual Youth Hunting Camps, New Hunter Camps, Youth Outdoor Skills Days and Camps AND WE COULD USE YOUR HELP!!!!! In Jan.we have our Youth Javelina, small game camp in Unit 37B. In Feb. we will be helping on a Youth Javelina camp in Unit 21, 20b, 19. In April we have a Youth Turkey Camp in Unit 23,4, 5. In Feb we also have our Wild in the City kids Day at Lake Pleasant. we need mentors to take the kids out hunting and teach them and we need volunteers for education classes, cooking and camp logistics. This is a great way to help us pass on the Hunting Heritage. You can message here or go to www.arizonaelksociety.org and click on the volunteer tab or email stevec@arizonaelksociety.org Please reach out to us if you can help....... https://www.arizonaelksociety.org/youth-program/junior-javelina-small-game-camp

FREE JAVELINA SEMINAR...... http://www.desertchristianarchers.com/

21/20a ++ Rifle Junior Junior Javelina Camp, New Youth Hunters needed with tags. http://desertchristianarchers.org/pig-camp.html Please register for camp.

37B Youth Javelina Camp Hunt Flier; https://www.arizonaelksociety.org/2016/PDF%20Documents/Javelina-and-small_game_camp_2016-web.pdf

Thank you to all the Ticket buyers. Three guys owe Jenni from Sportsman's Warehouse a big Thank You. Winners are Lee Turner - Bruce Bingham - Jeff Lutjen We will be in touch on how to pick up our new Weatherby Rifles.

Be careful buying used. There was a design issue with the thermo piece that the pilot light hits and they have updated them. Mine was 2 yrs old and would not run very long. I bought a new one and it is different and works great.

Still for sale. These tires were manufactured in 2014. Lowered to $200.

I have 4 Goodyear Duratracs E-rated tires. No punctures, great tires. 2 have 6/32 2 have 9/32 (half tread) Lots of miles left. $200 for all 4

full pressure they are 34".

I am very close to Cabelas.

Too many on hand. 3 buckets $100 ea. 1400 rounds per bucket I am near Cabela's

Updated to read 1400 rounds per bucket.

There is a tremendous amount of information that goes into the hunt numbers. There are many agencies that have input, such as Arizona State land, USFS and more. There are numerous opportunities to be involved in the Hunt structure process. It does take time, but if you have specific concerns and can find biological/social findings to back it up you can make a difference. If it is the old "Who moved my cheese" personal-emotional change it probably won't make a difference. #1: Unit 10 tags were lowered because the surveys came back and the bull/cow ratios are close to guidelines. Many of us were unhappy with the increase in tags the last couple of years and pushed hard to set them lower. There are many private land issues in Unit 10 that is a constant issue with the numbers of elk overall. The Dept. is working very hard to better their surveys, things like forest canopy and the density of trees makes it harder every year to get good data. There are so many other factors it makes my head spin. #2; As far as the Boquillas I feel that there will be some type of agreement made that will keep it open to hunting. A few things happened at the Commission meeting that lead me to believe it. I am always disheartened when select negotiations happen in the public eye and we don't get to see or know about all the cards that are on the table. Some of the things said at the commission meeting are hard to swallow. But, I think there will be an agreement. #3; Unit 9 trophy quality - Unit 9 is being managed as an alternative elk unit. That being said the bull/cow ratios are higher and the percentage of 6 point bulls is higher than other units. THIS IS IN THE 2016-2018 GUIDELINES. It cannot be changed without changing guidelines and that will take years and tons of public input. There are many groups that watch these guidelines and you will know if there is a change. #4; Unit 8 is not managed as a trophy - alternate unit. Alternative Elk Hunt Objectives Units 1, 9, 10, and 23 will be managed under Alternate Elk Hunt Objectives. Each unit will have an early archery bull hunt, with an early general or early muzzleloader bull hunt which may be offered during alternate years.

It is a typo, G&F is aware of it. We will be there tomorrow to make sure but I have talked to them about it. Steve

Is this still available?

The Arizona Elk Society started a wounded warrior Arizona hunt program, Hunts for Heroes, 8 weeks ago. With help from many outfitters, guides and volunteers we have taken many Arizona Disabled Veterans on hunts here. We have been very successful in fulfilling many dreams and helping these warriors “Heal through Hunting”. The comments we have received from the warriors are very rewarding, the changes we see in these men from the time they spend with the guides and volunteers is priceless. Many of the pictures and letters from the warriors are on our website, www.arizonaelksociety.org/hunts-for-heroes. Dave Holbrook, longtime volunteer and donor to the AES is the Hunts for Heroes Program Director. Dave has been a godsend in helping us get this program off the ground. Helping wounded warriors has been a passion of Dave’s for many years. In Dave’s outfitting camps everyone if treated like family and goes away being best friends. Many of the warriors have returned to help with other hunts. We can’t thank Dave enough for all he is doing for Arizona’s Veterans. The Coueswhitetail.com community has been instrumental in helping the Program through the purchase of raffle tickets for the fundraising that goes towards helping with the hunts. Thank you for your support. If you would like to get involved in this program we always need volunteers for camps, guides and outfitters that are familiar with different Units in AZ. We have many hunts coming up and we are receiving new tags all the time. If you know wounded warriors that qualify for the tag transfers here in Arizona please have them go to the website and fill out our application. information about contacting Dave and signing up at - www.arizonaelksociety.org/hunts-for-heroes Thank you to all the raffle ticket buyers, volunteers, guides and especially Dave Holbrook for stepping up and helping us start his program. Here are a few comments from our past warriors: “My experience of being in the woods with a team of experts was more than humbling, and to me, an absolute vital step in becoming reacquainted with normal life.” “What can we do to thank you guys for what you have done?”……. A question I’ve been asked a few times and never can come up with a solid answer. After all, we all enlisted mostly knowing what we were getting ourselves into. However, the Arizona Elk Society and Hunts for Hero’s have the answer figured out. Whether you’re a first time hunter, or have been in the woods your entire life, taking us on hunts like these is an extraordinary gift.” “The hunt also got me out of my house and routine that keeps me to just myself. Met some good fellow veterans and other good men, that really care. And that by far speaks/shows respect that not a lot of people do.”

Here are the winners for this raffle. 125 - James Lynch, 75 - Mike Leonmi, 50 - Matthew Hancock, 50 - James Martinez, 35 - Eddie Nixon, 22 (5) Mitchell, Don, Travis, Michael and Wes. All have been contacted and the coolers will be ready for pickup this afternoon at Ross outdoors. Thank you to all the ticket buyers, proceeds will benefit wounded warriors through the Arizona Elk Society Hunts for Heroes program. We appreciate all the support.

The bull hunters are paying the fee but most of the cow hunters are avoiding the ranch. We are trying to go over the cost of maintenance, which is what they agreed they were covering with the fees, so we have a better picture. The fee has not fully covered what the costs are. Like I said lots of people involved, many moving parts. AZGFD is trying for a longer agreement than they are looking at. Not to anyone in particular - If you are of the mindset that there is no damage to infrastructure of ranches that we recreate and hunt on, you are mistaken. If you believe in the term welfare ranching and believe that ranchers only pay $1.35 per AUM, you are mistaken. Make friends with a rancher and learn about it. Read up on their allotment management plan and see what financial responsibilities the rancher has to maintain the allotment, including the wiidlife. Their are many allotments that are unused in Arizona and no one is maintaining the fences and stock tanks, this is detrimental to elk, deer and all wildlife. Just look at the numbers of horses coming across broken fences.