Commission meeting live online today

[CouesWhitetail]

here is the link to the agfd commission meeting ongoing right now. Right now they are discussing the new hunting areas that are opening up within municipalities due to a change in laws. And I believe later they will discuss some of impact of the fire on hunting in units 1 and 27 at 2 pm.

 

http://www.azgfd.gov/inside_azgfd/CommissionCam.shtml

[youngbuck]

Thanks Amanda! There is a lot of info comparing the R/C fire to the Wallow fire for tag #s and success rates for deer and elk. Sounds like they are going to stick to their "no guarantee for success" disclamer, as far a reimbursement. They are also "discussing" other options, specifically bonus points being reinstated.

[CouesWhitetail]

I hope AGFD makes those fire severity maps available. It was interesting that they said about 89% of unit 1 had relatively low fire severity. I couldn't read the tables, or really read the maps they showed, but in comparison to Rodeo-Chediski, the Wallow fire burned a lot less severly, which is a good thing for wildlife. I can't wait to actually see the maps of fire severity.

 

I don't think they will be taken any action on this today, but they are worried about access to the forest service land. If the USFS closes a large portion of the forest then it will be a real problem for hunters. But based on the fire severity info Brian Wakeling presented, I doubt the USFS would really close that much land to hunting.

[Red Rabbit]

Was anything said about options after they came back from executive session?

[youngbuck]

Was anything said about options after they came back from executive session?

 

They said they had talked with the lawyers. That was pretty much the end of the fire talk. Then they started in on doves and cranes. I had it on in the background, and wasn't folowing as closely as before the executive session though.

 

I couldn't make out the map eiither. They said it may be available on their website early next week. From what I could see, it was really red around Reno look out. I thought it was pretty productive. They got a lot of options on the table as what could be considered. There was a lot of talk about access for hunters. It sounds like there are some AZGFD personnel on the BAER team, to assess the damage and discuss access. It also sounded like there was not any AZGFD personnel on the BAER team for the R/C fire.

[DesertBull]

They said they had talked with the lawyers.

 

What the **** do lawyers know about trees?

[youngbuck]

They said they had talked with the lawyers.

 

What the **** do lawyers know about trees?

 

I think it was for discussing the legality of reimburment options. One commisioner mentioned giving tag holders the option to turn in the tag for their bonus points. They did say money would not be refunded, but they were discussing the option of having a BP reimbursment deal. The lawyers, I assume, were discussing the legality of this. They weren't saying this is the way they would like to go, just putting the options on the table. Out of the 4 or so elk tag holders for 1 or 27 who either called in or attended, only one said he would return his tag for BP if given the chance. I do know the area I like to hunt elk in 27 looked torched from what I could see from the severity map Brian Wakeling provided. It would be a tough call for me.

 

If I had waited 10 or so years to draw the archery tag I wanted, it would be a tough call. I do feel for the guys that drew the early rifle/ML hunt. I don't know how many BP it would take to draw those tags.

 

On a side note the figures for the cost to AZGFD and surrounding areas were staggering. The draw elk, deer, and antelope tags in 1 and 27 provide somewhere around $400,000 to the department. They estimated a total cost to the state of AZ, including communities in and around to 1& 27 at arounf 3,000,000, IIRC.

 

The most encouraging news I got from the meeting was the push for access to the forest for hunters.

 

I don't have a tag in 1 or 27. I know one guy personally who has a 27 deer tag. Nobody I know got a 27 or 1 bull tag this year. I grew up hunting there since I could walk. For my 27 turkey hunt this year, I took the back way in. I drove by big lake and took FS roads all the way to Reno Look out. I'm glad I did. I saw a lot of elk, 2 bobcats, and a dozen Rocky Mountain Bighorns.

[bwakeling]

I'm glad to hear some people are taking advantage of our web casts. Amanda asked that I share the presentation with anyone that might be interested. It has now been posted on our web site at http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/fire_impacts_on_wildlife.shtml. On the right side of the page is a linik to the "Fire and Game" commission presentation. Hope some of the visuals are better this way than through our web cast.

 

As I mentioned when I presented this to the Commission, all of our data is based on preliminary analyses at this point in time.

 

Brian Wakeling

Game Branch Chief

[bwakeling]

OK, that link doesn't seem to work.

 

http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/fire_impacts_on_wildlife.shtml

 

If this one doesn't, I'll find another way to list this.

 

Brian Wakeling

[Coach]

This is interesting news. As a guy holding a bull archery tag for unit 1, I wouldn't want to just turn my tag in for bonus points and/or a refund - I only had 2 - one for loyalty and one for hunter's ed. I'd rather take my chances and hunt. My hope is that they can negotiate with the Forest Service and keep most of the unit open to access. Last I heard, only 20% was burned badly. 80% of unit 1 is still HUGE, and even with the increase in archery tags, I would still consider it a great hunting opportunity.

 

On the other hand, if they worked out an arrangement where current tag-holders could opt to hunt next year and reduce the tag allocation by that amount, I think it would be a win-win for hunters. To be honest, I'd probably still go and hunt this year, hoping some of the pressure in the un-burned areas would be reduced by those that opted to use their tags next year.

 

If they are only able to offer refunds and reinstate bonus points, no question, if optional, I would keep my tag and use it this fall, rather than hope to get lucky enough to draw again later.

 

It's now in the hands of our officials. I hope they can come up with a solution that is fair and reasonable.

[oz31p]

This is interesting news. As a guy holding a bull archery tag for unit 1, I wouldn't want to just turn my tag in for bonus points and/or a refund - I only had 2 - one for loyalty and one for hunter's ed. I'd rather take my chances and hunt. My hope is that they can negotiate with the Forest Service and keep most of the unit open to access. Last I heard, only 20% was burned badly. 80% of unit 1 is still HUGE, and even with the increase in archery tags, I would still consider it a great hunting opportunity.

 

On the other hand, if they worked out an arrangement where current tag-holders could opt to hunt next year and reduce the tag allocation by that amount, I think it would be a win-win for hunters. To be honest, I'd probably still go and hunt this year, hoping some of the pressure in the un-burned areas would be reduced by those that opted to use their tags next year.

 

If they are only able to offer refunds and reinstate bonus points, no question, if optional, I would keep my tag and use it this fall, rather than hope to get lucky enough to draw again later.

 

It's now in the hands of our officials. I hope they can come up with a solution that is fair and reasonable.

2pts!!dammit i did not draw with 9. lol.