Update on New G&F "Bait" Ban

[bowsniper]

The Public Input period started on January 2 and continues through January 30 on a new AZ G&F rule that would ban the use of Edible or Ingestible Substances, also known as bait. This would include the use of salt. Only public input received during this time will be considered. If you have already submitted your comments, please re-send them so G&F will actually consider your input.

 

This issue mostly effects bow hunters, but as hunters we all really need to stick together. So even if it does not directly affect you, please consider making some comments to G&F in support of your fellow hunters. If hunters stand up to G&F on this change, possibly G&F may be less likely in the future to ban a hunting tool that you use.

 

A few weeks ago while I was at a Mesa gunshop, I was casually introduced to a well fed, chain smoking AZ Game and Fish wildlife biologist named John Clifford. I played dumb (not hard for me!) about current G&F topics, and gradually steered the conversation around to the new bait rule. Mr. Clifford was having a good laugh about some of the public input that had already been received about the bait rule change. He told me that many of the letters had stated that baiting was not effective. He laughed and said to me, “well if baiting is not effective, why do they care about it being banned”. I was more than a little disappointed that Arizona Game and Fish was publicly mocking the public input that they had received. He also stated the CWT.com forum was very vocal and “hostile” towards G&F.

 

Here are a few thoughts about comments to G&F about the new bait “Edible or Ingestible Substance” rule:

 

1) Give a few reasons about your position. This is not a vote. If you just say yes or no, good or bad, G&F really doesn’t care. If you state reasons why you are against it, G&F must address those concerns.

 

2) Based on what Mr. Clifford told me, it’s probably not very effective to state that baiting does not work. I have found that baiting can (not is ) be about as effective as sitting a water hole. The benefit of the bait situation would be that you don’t have to try to share a water hole with other hunters. If bait were banned, the water holes could get much more crowded than they already are. It is complete a myth that using bait is a sure way to take an animal. While animals in AZ usually have a very limited choice of water sources, there can be a wide range of natural food sources. And with hunters starting new salt licks every season, an animal could have his choice of a lot of salt licks is a particular area.

 

3) Would this new rule be enforceable? What about existing salt licks? Long after (years?) the salt melts, the salt stays in the ground and attracts animals.

 

4) Is using bait ethical? What about using high power scopes to shoot 600 yards, using scents and calls to trick sex crazed animals, using dogs and radio collars to hunt lions and bears? Are these methods ethical? All are just different tools used depending on your type of weapon and animal. Using edible substances (bait) is sanctioned as fair chase by Boone & Crockett, Pope & Young, and the Safari Club.

 

Below are the email addresses to send your comments to. Also, please send your comments to each commissioner using the link below on the AZ G&F website. It is easy to cut and paste your comments in for each commissioner. The email comments will be filtered and then presented to the commissioners, so also submitting your comments directly to the commissioners could be very effective in getting their attention.

 

Brian Wakeling, email address: BWakeling@azgfd.gov

Amber Munig, email address: AMunig@azgfd.gov

Celeste Cook, email address: CCook@azgfd.gov

and rulemaking committee, email address: Rulemaking@azgfd.gov

 

Link to send commissioners a message:

http://www.azgfd.gov/inside_azgfd/commissi...rs.shtml#carter

 

 

Below is the new rule. You can also find it buried on the G&F website at:

http://www.azgfd.gov/inside_azgfd/rules/do...dRulemaking.pdf see page 12

 

R12-4-303. Unlawful Devices, Methods, and Ammunition

B. Except for the use of nutritional supplements, salt, or salt-based materials produced and manufactured for the livestock industry and placed by individuals raising livestock or the Department for the benefit of wildlife, the following uses of edible or ingestible substances to aid in taking big game are unlawful.

1. An individual shall not place edible or ingestible substances, including salt or salt based products, to attract big game for the purpose of taking big game.

2. An individual shall not take big game with the aid of edible or ingestible substances, including salt or salt based products, placed for the purpose of attracting a big game animal to a specific location.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Mark

[bowhunter4life]

I just tryed to send letters to the commissioners. but the system does not let me. anybody else have this problem?

[bowsniper]

It worked for me using firefox. It came back with a message saying "Thank You". Maybe try different browser? Any other suggestions?

 

Mark

[rimhunter]

I sent my coments Thanks for the heads up

Bruce

[jamaro]

Not to add fuel to the fire but... Can you imagine all of the drama that is going to happen at the water sources if this passes... There isn't going to be one tank out there that will not have a hunter on it... Those poor deer will never get a drink of water...

 

J

[muskrat]

Can anyone tell me how they arrived at their conclusions, or is this just a hunch on their part?

[4Falls]

Their (G&F) mind is pretty much made up on this issue. So our arguments in favor of it will have to be very convincing.

This will be nearly impossible to enforce on their behalf, but be prepared for a full on rectal assault if you happen to kill a huge deer with your bow from a treestand.

Water sources will probably be next, along with scents and other attractants. Guys in other states kill deer on specifically engineered food sources and cant put a dent in there local deer population. But some how archers in AZ are decimating the herd by sitting near a block of salt? Go figure.

[elpepe25]

done and done. I somehow managed to even stay civil about it

[SO I HUNT]

I'm guessing the ranchers are going to have imprinted salt so they are not in this mess or gave a ticket for salting? HUM

 

Kidding aside have they said what ranchers will need to do???? Also what will keep anyone from taking the ranchers salt

[4Falls]

It wont be illegal to put salt out just illegal to hunt over/near/around/in the vicinity of it.

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

It wont be illegal to put salt out just illegal to hunt over/near/around/in the vicinity of it.

 

Yeah.... so if you want to eliminate the competion in your "secret hot spot" just go around dumpin' bags of salt under other hunters treestands!!!

 

What a JOKE!!! This going to be funny to watch.....

 

[4Falls]

Yup, dont climb into your stand until you've thoroughlly canvassed the area for salt. And what will the parameters be? How dang far is a guy going to have to be from some old salt block.

 

I can just see G&F pulling some salt sting on some unsuspecting hunter.

 

Gino your partly right, Ill bet guys will put salt on tanks just to keep others away. Its going to get crazy. I cant wait.

[Coach]

It won't just be hunters putting salt around water holes to keep other guys away - when the antis get wind of this they'll be able to make every known water hole in the state illegal to hunt.

 

Sending my "input" again.

[4Falls]

Antis wont have to do it. They figured out long ago that we are our own worst enemy. Theyll just sit back and let us destroy ourselves. Then come in and leglislate the problem away.

[Red Rabbit]

I do not see this issue listed on the rule change /call for comments page on azgfd.com

http://www.azgfd.com/artman/publish/cat_index_7.shtml