Legal to carry pistol during Archery only Hunts

[COUESAZ]

Now i will be able to shoot those water jugs off the fence with my pistol and not have to lose any more arrows . What are they doing there anyways all lined up nice on cross rails of the ranchers fence.

 

How do you give them water when they ask for it. When I hunt I have just enough water for me to make it out and back safe. If I was a drink vendor i would most likley be at a country club saling out of a golf cart.

 

A hand gun is not for inforcing the laws that the border patrole is paid to do, But to protect your self from being a victem as much as you can. I was shot at twice by the folks coming over here for work. They tried to still my truck. And ask my friend who was jumped by some desperate folks tired of walking and had his quad snagged from him. Had he had a side arm with him he may have been able to practice his right as an american to protect him self and his property. And it would have saved him his two day walk from the middle of no where.

[COUESAZ]

Maybe we do not need to pack water anymore we just need to look for the water holes right.

[mulie hunter]

I guess I'll be packing lead this Sept. thanks for the info. Last year on the North Kaibab heard some pretty hideous screams while I was sitting water, I wasn't all that comfortable as the sun was setting and I was armed with only my 100 grain broadheads and the truck was a ways off.

[rolkat]

I called the G&F office. The laws have not changed. They have just stopped enforcing it because they don't want to fight any law suits. Don't believe everything you read, just because it is printed does not make it legal. Be cautious as this may flip-flop if hunters start shooting each other over tree stands.

[Kevin]

Rolkat, did you read the directive from G&F? I'm not saying it won't revert, but for now it is legal! Seems silly that they would email this info and put it on their website if they didn't want people to believe it!

 

Straight from the AZGFD website:

 

"Archery-only hunters can now carry a non-hunting handgun for protection

The October issue of ?Hunting Highlights? reviewed the legality of carrying a handgun during an archery-only hunt. The rule at that time was that hunters participating in an archery-only hunt could not possess a firearm, even if they had a concealed weapons permit.

 

Since that time, the Arizona Game and Fish Department has issued a directive allowing hunters participating in an archery-only hunt to carry a non-hunting handgun for personal protection and safety. As a guideline, a non-hunting handgun shall be defined as a handgun with a barrel length of 6 inches or less that does not have a scope or any type of electronic device.

 

Handguns meeting this definition may be carried during an archery-only hunt for personal protection only. They may not be used to take any species of wildlife while participating in an archery-only hunt."

 

Argue all you want, but I'll believe what I read from the agency in charge of enforcing this directive instead of second hand from someone who "talked to G&F".

 

Kevin

[rolkat]

I hope you are right Kevin. Good luck!

[dave]

This petition for rule change was heard and voted on at the December 2005 Commission meeting. The Commission voted unanimously to direct the department to make this rule change when the rule making process for Article 3 opens this May. This process will take approximately 18 months before the rule is actually changed and final. The Commission also directed the Department to issue this enforcement directive to allow archers to carry until the final rule making process is complete.

 

Until this process is complete the Commission could change it. For now it is going as planned.