Feeders in AZ

[BowFly]

OK... I just recently moved back to AZ after being gone for a few years. I understand that the counties of Pima and Marizopa have passed laws in 2006 that state you cannot feed wild animals on purpose. I called the AZGFD to inquire about other counties, and private land, and I was told, "The deer belong to us (the AZGFD) and we don't allow you to feed them".

 

Does this seem a little, I don't know, CRAZY to anyone else? Did the GFD buy the deer, and I didn't know about it?

 

Anyway... what is the real law? If I have private land outside of Pima, or Maricopa, I can legaly use a Moultree feeder to supliment?

 

Now before anyone gets upset, I am not wanting to hunt over the feeder. I have a self-employed rule that i don't hunt within 100 yards of a feeder. I want to take good pictures and try to catalogue some of the animals on the ranches I hunt. I don't think this is unreasonable.

 

I have hunted Texas for years (not saying how many...), among many other states, and we don't have any problems there with feeders. As a matter of fact, in areas we put new feeders at a rate of about 1 feeder per 10 acres or in some areas even 1 per 5 acres, the deer population doubled within 5 years. I have worked closely with GFD in several states where hunting over feeders are legal, and together (the GFD and me), have done some really good work and increased healthy poulations of animals, not just deer. I have also worked with GFDs in states where feeders are not legal, and I promise you, the states where feeders are legal, have more deer. Not just more, but bigger, stronger, healthier deer. If you think of a hunting state, where there are plenty of strong, healthy, deer, they either used feeders, food plots or the there is just a ton of agriculture.

 

I was told by the AZGFD that feeding deer doesn't help them with nutrition, I don't believe that for one second. After we put in feeders in Texas, we had 2 fawns for almost every doe that following year. So, common sense tells me that if you put out enough feeders, and don't hunt over them, your deer will eat, and you will have more, healthier deer. Especially if you mix the corn with mineral and vitamin suppliments, along with food plots, I promise you will have bigger, healthier, stronger, deer. And if you have strong, healthy deer, you will have less and less predation and disease. Enough Ranting... sorry I got off track.

 

Alright,, so feeders are not legal, what about food plots? What about deer management in general? (Which by the way, I was told by AZGFD that was there job, and they didn't want our help).

 

I can't find in the regs anywhere that it sayes feeders are illegal. Anyone else know where it is in the regs? And no, I am not asking about bears. Couse, Elk, Javalena, Mulies, birds, even Pronghorns... anything?

 

Is it just me, or is something wrong here in AZ? BTW, I am glad to be back... but it looks like I got here just in time to watch things go horribly wrong.

[Snapshot]

The AZG&F does not own the animals, they are the "Stewards" of those animals, and can make regulations to in the management of the game animals.

 

I do not know much about feeding animals, as it is something I do not believe in doing, but I think food plots are only allowed on private land.

[joeybari]

Come on with this post are you kidding me

Hunting over food is not hunting its target practice

 

And as far as other places having large population’s stronger bigger animals then AZ you need to check your facts

AZ has the biggest elk in the US we hit recorded books elk year in and year out

Mules may I say Kaibab Arizona not to mention there a very healthy population allover the state

Coues deer please only Mexico comes close

The list goes on and on from bear to turkey to big horn you name it

TX has animals that don’t even belong there they belong to Africa and on top of that more then half the state you cant even hunt without paying a rancher a fee so please don’t compare AZ hunting to other states because we have it all

As far as the game & fish there not doing a bad job.

 

[jakehaffey]

Come on with this post are you kidding me

Hunting over food is not hunting its target practice

 

And as far as other places having large population’s stronger bigger animals then AZ you need to check your facts

AZ has the biggest elk in the US we hit recorded books elk year in and year out

Mules may I say Kaibab Arizona not to mention there a very healthy population allover the state

Coues deer please only Mexico comes close

The list goes on and on from bear to turkey to big horn you name it

TX has animals that don’t even belong there they belong to Africa and on top of that more then half the state you cant even hunt without paying a rancher a fee so please don’t compare AZ hunting to other states because we have it all

As far as the game & fish there not doing a bad job.

 

+1 exactly right!

I would never move anywhere because AZ is the best state for hunting, diverse land and full of trophy's!

[BowFly]

Wow.. glad you read all of it before responding.

 

I appreciate the responses. But let me clarify this, I don't hunt over food, I thought I made that clear. Also, I only bowhunt, but I do guide for gun hunters, and I have been managing properties for game for the most part of my life.

 

The AZGFD said to me, that "we don't have the number of animals here as most other states". I didn't say that, they did. I am not going to explain the context because you won't read it anyway.

 

Also, I am not talking about the high fence ranches, nor am I talking about the african game ranches, those are a very small part of the hunting in Texas. We put the feeders out because we had a low population, and I specifically said we DID NOT HUNT OVER THEM. Which doesn't matter anyway, because it's LEGAL to hunt over them in texas, and they still have more animals. Yes, I said it that time. Texas has more whitetail, look it up.

 

Also, I didn't say the AZGFD is doing a bad job. I didn't say that at all. I am frustrated in the fact they don't want to work with land owners and guides and ranchers or anyone. They said they "OWN" the dang deer man... That's my issue. Like Snapshot said, "they are stewards". They should be interested in working with land owners and ranchers to do the best thing for the animals. Period.

 

Also, they said they are trying to model the AZGFD after the Colorado system. Under that system, you would be lucky to get a deer tag. I had to put in for the draw 3 years in a row before I got a deer tag, and I was a resident.

 

What I did say was, it's crazy that the AZGFD doesn't want to work with landowners to manage game, and I did say, that it's crazy for them to say they "OWN" the deer. But I did ask, what is the law and where can I find it written somewhere. I didn't see anything in regs other than don't feed bear.

[youngbuck]

I'm not gonna get into the "hater mode" like some have done lately, besides that i dont really have a problem with feeders for pics. If you want a different answer call again and talk to some one else, if you want another answer try a third time.

[Str8Shot]

Wow a 100 yard no hunting cushion from a feeder ..... that sound like it must help the deers chances a bunch..... I think it is all BS our wild Game not just in AZ but the entire country have everything they need in MOTHER NATURE .... baiting, using a feeder or dumping in a canyon is just MEN trying to gain more control over their own odds .... and in my OPINION it is the work of lazy hunters .... you metion twin fawns well in the last 2 years scouting a southern unit I Have seen well over 60 doe and more than 80% of them had twin fawns along side them .... So you can state that your doing it for one reason but the reality is that Feeders and people that use any type of food source that is not naturally occuring in that area is always for the benifit of the MAN .... WE ARE A GREEDY SPECIES .... WE WANT MORE .... WE WANT THEM BIGGER ....... AND WE WANT THEM TO COME TO US , CAUSE WE ARE WAY TO LAZY TO FIND THEM ON THEIR TERMS....

 

 

 

JUST MY 2 CENTS

[BowFly]

HA HA HA... Thanks Youngbuck.

 

That's seems to be the truth.

 

I lived up there in Flagg for about a year. Love it up there. It's alot like Colorado (but better), but not as cold. That's pretty close to where I saw that 7X7 Elk a few years ago. Unfortunately for me, I only had a deer tag.

[BowFly]

Yea 100 yards does help, expecially if its bowhunting only.

 

 

I don't know what I was thinking... you guys are right. AZ is perfect, we have more animals here than anywhere, and the GFD does own the deer.

 

AND We should keep everything natural. You're right. That totally makes sense.

 

As a matter of fact, I am going to charge the GFD because the deer are eating my cows salt licks, and drinking my cows water. You know what... no more water from my tanks for the deer. It's not natural, we put the tanks there.

 

So, they can't have it anymore. They have to drink whatever falls from the sky, because, down here in the country where I live, not in an appartment in chandler or mesa or a freaking large butt city, there is too much water for them.

 

You're absolutely right... thank you so much. I will make the 300,000 acres of ranches where I guide and hunt, anywhere that I have sole rights as the guide, including the private land where you guys also hunt couse deer, offlimits, and will post it and fence it so the deer will no longer get to drink my water, or lick my salt. It keeps out the illegals and the idiots.

 

Afterall it's not natural.

[BML]

Get in touch with a member here that goes by wardsoutfitters. He will more than likely be able to answer all your questions. From what I understand, he operates his entire operation (or most of it anyway) on private land. Don't know if he utilizes feeders, but I know they use food plots. I know those aren't your true inquiries, but I imagine he probably has plenty of interaction with the GFD and would be able to help??

 

 

[wardsoutfitters]

The animals belong to the stewards of the state. G&F dose not own them neither do the private land owners. Feeders are legal in the state of Arizona, the only animals you cannot bait in Arizona are migratory game birds and bears. If you are a hunter that thinks feeders and food plots are cheating then you better not hunt water holes or trick tanks because they are not natural. You all keep saying that mother nature provides all the animals need, well my friend your wrong. Without man made water holes and water catchments. Every animal in the state of Arizona would suffer. All I can say is if it is legal then let it be at that, don’t judge one another because of their hunting style. I don’t like fords or dodges but I don’t bash you because you drive one.

Steven Ward

 

[n777ea]

+1

[Str8Shot]

SO your saying that deer don't adapt and they all use man made water holes and trick tanks ..... The reason for the need of any water catchments in az and most other places is do to MEN changing the surrounding areas... divirting water, tapping springs and last time I looked water fell from the sky and bubbled from the ground.... Don't try to sell the fact that it is needed... nothing is needed ...The animals will adapt and have way before the practice of feeders and man made water sources ... water sources that most were never put in place with the thought of wild game in mind but to support the herds of cattle free grazing the lands througout Arizona .... AS HUMANS WE WANT IT and WE WANT TO CONTROL IT... AND AS LONG AS IT IS LEGAL IT IS RIGHT .... well remember one thing most of the actions taken by mortgage companies and the banking industry that screwed everyone in this country were legal .... SO DOES THAT MAKE IT RIGHT ....

 

 

 

[joeybari]

Let me explain my comment hunting over food is not hunting its target practice it’s my opinion that’s all it is

 

But to bash AZ hunting, animals and g&f is simple not true BowFly wrote and I quote “I was told by the AZGFD that feeding deer doesn't help them with nutrition, I don't believe that for one second. After we put in feeders in Texas, we had 2 fawns for almost every doe that following year. So, common sense tells me that if you put out enough feeders, and don't hunt over them, your deer will eat, and you will have more, healthier deer. Especially if you mix the corn with mineral and vitamin supplements, along with food plots, I promise you will have bigger, healthier, stronger, deer. And if you have strong, healthy deer, you will have less and less predation and disease."

Come on you can’t say that when the facts regarding AZ wild life show the contrary we have some of the best wild life in the US and the facts show it look at the record book.

 

 

[cpugsie]

Nicely said Steven!!

 

+100