Spring turkey, javelina, buffalo & bear hunts set

[Outdoor Writer]

The Game and Fish Commission set the spring hunts for turkey, javelina, buffalo and bear

 

The main changes from last year include:

 

* Juniors-only spring turkey seasons are stratified and shortened: The season opens for 7 days, then is closed for 14 days (during the opening of the standard season), and then reopens for 14 more days (simultaneously with standard season).

 

* Open areas for juniors-only spring turkey nonpermit-tag hunts altered: Game Management Units 1, 4A, 4B, 5B, 6B, 7, 8, 10, 12A and 27 are open areas for the 2011 season and may be hunted with the purchase of an over-the-counter tag. Units 3C, 6A, and 23 are now permitted through the draw and juniors-only hunters may apply to hunt in these units.

 

* Archery-only spring turkey nonpermit tags: Units 4A, 4B, 12A, and 27 will be open to archery-only spring turkey hunting with the purchase of an over-the-counter tag. The archery-only season will be for the last two weeks of the standard season.

 

* Open areas for archery-only javelina nonpermit-tag hunts increased: Game Management Units 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, 3A, 3B, 3C, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 7, 8, 9, and 11M, 25M, 26M, 38M, and 47M metro units are now open areas for the 2011 season. Units 1-5 and 7-9 were added to the open areas for over-the-counter hunts.

 

Game Branch Chief Brian Wakeling explained junior turkey hunters last year accounted for 35 percent of the total harvest in Hunt Units 3C, 6A, and 23, so according to the department’s hunt guidelines, those hunts need to come under the drawing system.

 

However, Wakeling pointed out, there are still over-the-counter spring turkey tags for Hunt Units 1, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6B, 7, 8, 10, 12A, and 27 so young hunters and their mentors still have plenty of choices remaining for the easier to obtain tags.

 

For waterfall, Arizona falls within the Pacific Flyway, along with 11 other western states. Waterfowl species occurring in the state include both resident and migratory populations.

 

Arizona's waterfowl hunting season opens on the first Friday in October and runs into January. Hunting seasons and bag limits were set by the Pacific Flyway with what is termed “liberal” frameworks this year and were adopted on Aug. 7 by the Game and Fish Commission.

 

Waterfowl migrating into or through Arizona generally come from the northern Rocky Mountain states as well as Alberta and Saskatchewan. All common species of both diving and puddle ducks as well as dark and white geese can be found in Arizona.

[Red Rabbit]

The OTC spring archery turkey tags are interesting.

I also read on AZGFD about the lifting of the slot limit at Roosevelt.

[Outdoor Writer]

I also read on AZGFD about the lifting of the slot limit at Roosevelt.

 

I posted that part in the Fishing section here.

 

[bowhunter4life]

Mr Wakeling,

 

I noticed for the over the counter youth turkey hunt that it does not show a 5a opportunity.

 

but in your comments you state that 5a is an over the counter tag.

 

Is this true?

 

Thank you Mike

[QCwtAddict]

If I draw a general spring javelina tag can I buy one of those otc archery only tags too? just like with deer?