AZGF will be back in to lawmaking in 2011

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

I think it is imoprtant that hunters (all hunters) stay informed and stick together about AZGF adding more laws, instead of enforcing laws that are in place and simply managing wildlife... rather than take opportunity.... Personally I don't care about the "Bait" rule as they word it now, but it will affect us all in their attempt to inforce it... This is Stupid.

 

I've spoken to one of the guys who is on the push for Prohibition of all "Baits" in AZ. It appears that in 2011 they may try to reopen the law making process here for a bill that will outlaw the placing of “Bait” for the purpose taking wildlife. How they will word what is included in the term “bait” remains to be seen. I am told that Salt will not be included nor will water be included… however, I look for them to go after these items next. One of their biggest pushes on this law is that they don’t like the success numbers of Archers who “may” have hunted over “bait” and that by “baiting” you are creating a “feedlot” environment that “could” spread CWD. Really? Spring boxes, steel troughs, stock tanks, and salt blocks don’t promote the spread of the saliva transferred disease? Okay… My point is this:

 

1st: We don’t need another unenforceable law… like the flying law. The flying law specifically targets methods that deteriorate the fiber of the sport here in AZ and they can’t enforce it or defend it a the Court of Law…. There is now Case law on that… Sad but True.

 

2nd: They (AZGF) are always talking a great game about hunter recruitment and hunter opportunity…. Then why would they outlaw the greatest method of introducing women and children to hunting and the opportunity for handicapped hunters to bow hunt?? WHY??? Because bow hunters should only hold 20% (or less) of the annual rifle harvest numbers. There are only a few units in the state that have this problem of exceeding that 20% from time to time, so why not institute a Harvest Objective for Archery deer hunts in these units?? I don’t know… We already have to report our harvest, so making the archery deer hunts just like that bear hunts would not require nearly as much effort as trying to enforce a law like this with our over stretched WM’s…. Shouldn’t they be out catching poachers and managing our wildlife instead of wasting their time trying to catch a few ”Master-Baiters”????

 

3rd: Baiting changes animal habits, according to AZGF. Really??? In the units where AZGF identify a “Baiting” as a problem there has been no research done to prove if a Coues deer will go “out of its way to go to bait”… nor that the high frequency of “bait” in some areas (AZGF ‘Problem’ areas) is so high that indeed it is no advantage at all… Similar to having a gas station on every corner. It is also public knowledge that in most of the deer numbers impacted by archery hunters are in habitats too thick to ever be impacted by rifle hunters.

 

4th: What of the benefits to wildlife across the board, blue jays, squirrels, turkeys, pigs, deer, and elk… all receiving a healthy boost during the hardest, leanest months of the year paid for by sportsman. It is a law that is anti-commerce, literally 10’s of thousands of sportsmen’s dollars being spent in this state for the wildlife in the state. Anything that is good for the health of our wildlife that the Gov. doesn’t have to pay for is a good thing! Look at water catchments, they have helped wildlife across this great state.

 

There is more but I have to go… Get educated… this law has far worse ramifications than benefits for our state and our wildlife. It is true there are Slobs among us who do things that are not right, legally or morally, in hunting and in life as a whole. Our very own USDA has laws in place that do prohibit littering, destruction of forestlands, and the importation of non-native species… Why doesn’t out State agency enforce Federal laws like these?? It may help take a few of the Slobs out of this issue…. This is just another instance of Big Government wanting more laws. Just My $.02…….

[Browning'sCustomMeat]

thanks for the info! AZGF needs to focus on bigger badder crimes...

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

to answer the first point, they dont need to enforce it for the most part. They know if they pass a law that 90% of hunters will obey it and they will achieve the objective.

 

You are absolutly correct! But then chasing around the other 10% will take up some time... Not to mention that for some, it will be a great way to "eliminate the competition"... Got to many guys in your spot? How about dumping a banned substance under their treestand or infront of their ground blind... then contacting the WM? Another waste of time and resource... it is a Bloody wreck, and for what?

For the record... From time to time I run across a Slob hunter that makes me want to push to support this law! However... then I realize that with the Federal laws already in place, if AZGF would inforce them it would be a non-issue. Lets just manage and enforce what we have... Why do we need more laws all the time??

[Red Rabbit]

Gino,

Do you have a link to the proposed wording? At what stage in the rule-making is this?

 

Doug

[DesertBull]

archery deer should be on the same system as bear. When "X" amount of deer have been killed, the season closes in that unit. Dead is dead.....no matter if by arrow or lead.

[youngbuck]

archery deer should be on the same system as bear. When "X" amount of deer have been killed, the season closes in that unit. Dead is dead.....no matter if by arrow or lead.

+1 I would rather see a harvest objective for archery deer, than some units going off and on the draw system.

[azgutpile]

archery deer should be on the same system as bear. When "X" amount of deer have been killed, the season closes in that unit. Dead is dead.....no matter if by arrow or lead.

+1 I would rather see a harvest objective for archery deer, than some units going off and on the draw system.

 

If you think its busy now during the first weekend of the archer hunt, i couldn't imagine what it would be like if they went with the same system they have with bear. It would be mandatory to plan your hunts during the first week of the season, or risk the season closing before you get a chance to hunt.

 

I hate to say it, but if I had to choose between the bear stye registration system or banning bait for deer I would choose to ban baiting.

[Codywhi]

Baning baiting won't bring the high % of deer killed during the Archery season.

[youngbuck]

They could have multipe archery seasons to avoid a massive rush, similar to the second bear hunt that most hunters forget about.

[pwrguy]

Gino, I agree. If harvest objectives are really needed (I don't buy it) then lets have harvest objectives. There is a bunch of "junk science" that goes into these proposals. I think using a bow is un-sportsmanlike...is that a word? Anyway to be fair to the deer I think you should have to jump out of a tree and take them down with a machette. Whadayathink

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

Thanks... for showing support and unity on this guys. I heard yesterday again from a different source that as soon as the Governor lifts the moratorium on law making that they will have their final wording on this new rule complete and ready to pound it through... they almost make it sound as though they will "rush" it through if they can... They know there is much opposition to this bill and are looking for a rubber stamp... Please stay informed and let’s make a showing in the rule making process, and lets state that we see them slowly pushing their agendas and that we don't want more laws! Thanks!

[Guest Lobo]

I think it's about time. Although many of my friends use bait and cameras - I think they should both be outlawed. If a "hunter" can't get his deer without them he might as well go buy one somewhere. Besides AzGFD has been managing our game for many years and have been hired to do their job - let them. It won't keep anybody from hunting.

[Codywhi]

Lol ban trailcams!!!

[Codywhi]

What next no optics over 12 power and no spoting scopes! that wouldn't stop anyone from hunting right!

[OpticNerd]

Besides AzGFD has been managing our game for many years and have been hired to do their job - let them. It won't keep anybody from hunting.

 

 

+1 on this part. I may not agree with everything they(G&F) do but for the most part I think they are doing a good job. We got some of the best hunting in the west so they got to be doing something right. On a side note where are all these new laws the G&F have just recently pasted that I keep reading about? Not trying to ruffle any feathers but it seems like a lot of people think that we don't need anymore new laws from the G&F. I just can't recall any new laws being passed in the last 10 or so years.