Closing units to December archery hunting

[naturegirl]

Either choose to report honestly or don't report at all, but lying about where the harvest occurred is very unethical.

 

MANDATORTY REPORTAING means you don't have a choice to not report. If an archery hunter refuses to report he will get cited. I agree with Traveler, mandatory reporting for everyone is needed. Rifle hunters don't understand this issue but when they have to report and then their hunts get taken away because of it they will.......

 

I agree, we must have mandatory reporting of all big game animals. I still do not understand how AZGFD manadate a 20% cap against archers when it is based on them only receiving, 40% return rate from their survey cards that they mail out? I think if they did mandate mandatory reporting it would change how they manage! It would reduce the number of tags they would sell. The facts would show are many more deer being harvested during all the rifle hunts that they currently do not have to account for.

 

I also agree with manditory reporting. Never said I didn't. I'm a firm believer in this. What I meant was with the system the way IT IS, it is completely WRONG to LIE about where you harvested. I've thought about this a lot more since I read this post and I believe what dissapoints me most is some of my fellow hunters is the anger, manipulativeness, and just plain selfishness that would lead someone to lie about where they reported. It has NOTHING to do about the deer and EVERYTHING to do about the hunter. Sorry guys/gals but I still believe in putting the animals first and you can call me niave or any name in the book, but I am not an expert in animal management and I will leave that up to G&F.

 

If you believe that archery will remain OTC forever in all units, I personally believe you've got another thing coming. Unless there is a drastic shift in hunter numbers or deer numbers, it's gonna happen at some point in some units. I hear there are reports of decreasing hunter numbers, but around my circle every year at least a couple (if not whole familes) of people are introduced to hunting (some by our help...some not) and so far the only people I know that quit hunting was people who have died.

 

If the unit I want to hunt in is closed, I will move units if I want to hunt December or I will wait til January to hunt my preferred unit. If I move units, then yes it will affect the next unit if I harvest a deer. It's a big ol domino effect. But really only time will tell.

[randyolson]

Thanks for the info!!

[naturegirl]

May I ask how many of you archer's have STUCK an animal and not recovered it?

 

I've hunted archery for about 4 years. I hunt easily 30+ days a year with at least that time spent scouting.

 

I've taken 2 shots with my bow. stuck my pig moving at 10 yards and went 10 yards.

 

took a shot this September after 11 days ( if I remember right) and I hit him broadside at 30 yards standing still. I never recovered him but looked for 9 hours.

 

None of this was for lack of opportunity but rather discipline and A LOT of self control.

 

And I'll ask you "What's your point?" or better yet are you in some way passing judgement on me since I'm an "archer?"

 

EDIT- forgot took a shot at a deer once at about 80+ yards and completely missed. I thought he was 50ish but after ranging boy was I way off. I was deceived.

[sandman38y]

I believe they close them during the December hunt to prevent hunters from shooting spikes and younger bucks just to fill thier tags at the end of the year, thats why they are open again in January, Hunters are more likely to be more selective in January because they have all year to hunt for a larger deer. just my two cents!

[huntlines]

May I ask how many of you archer's have STUCK an animal and not recovered it?

 

Comments like this really get my blood pressure up. Maybe this is why you made the comment just to stir things up or maybe it is an honest question from from a very small mind.

 

First of all I will state the obvious, no matter what weapon you choose to hunt with there will be animals you will not recover. Wounding animals and not being able to recover them isn't just an archery issue. There are just as many rifle hunters who wound deer and don't recover them and if you think differently you are as naive as the question you posted. You honestly think people who get their voluntarty card in the mail for their draw hunt actually are truthful with them when asked if they wounded a deer they didn't recover during a rifle hunt? So you think archery hunters are the only ones who are not truthful? Please... spare me your ignorance.

 

However I will humor you on this one to prove a point about most TRUE archery hunters. I have been hunting using archery gear for well over twenty years and in that time I can honestly tell you/everyone I have lost five total animals in that time. As for deer, in the twenty years I have harvested twelve deer over this time frame and lost one in 1996. Thats right I still remember the date, the day and all the details because it bothered me so much. My son lost one last year and because of it wouldn't hunt the rest of the year because he felt he had killed his deer and wouldn't shoot another.

 

I believe the information you are getting from somewhere is probably what I call "opportunity archery hunters". Game and Fish created them and now they want to take away archery hunts because of a problem they created. First let me start by defining an opportunity archery hunter. They are people who either get tired of not getting drawn for their rifle hunt or can't find a deer during their rifle hunt due to poor hunting from all the hunt pressure. So they say, "well I will just buy a bow(or borrow their buddies) and buy a tag over the counter". They see guys/gals harvesting deer on TV all the time with bows and it can't be that hard right? They are used to hunting with a rifle and therefore have no idea how to get close for a quality bow shot nor do they have any idea how to hunt with archery equipment. They usually only pick up a bow when it is hunting season and don't put in the hours of practice during the off season. These are the people who wound animals and most of the time never even look for them because the deer didn't just drop like it usually does when they shoot it with their 300 mag from 300 yards. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a rifle hunter hater. I still hunt with a rifle from time to time. I am just TIRED of archery hunters catching the blame for poor deer numbers when there are ten times(at least) more rifle hunters and deer killed by rifles. Look at the new hunt structure, literally there is a rifle hunt in most units going on from the beginning of October through the end of December! People wonder why they don't see deer while they are out hunting? REALLY?

 

I know my next statement will upset most of you but I strongly feel we need all hunts to go to the draw and MANDITORY reporting on ALL hunts!!!!!! I would have never said this ten years ago but Game and Fish has created this problem and it will only be fixed by making the playing field fair for both archery and general hunts. I know it will never happen because if mandatory reporting for general hunts was put into place the numbers would force them into a corner of their own making. They would be forced to admit their policies of the past were wrong and general hunt tags would be greatly decreased, thus lowering hunter opportunity(code word for money).

[WHALE]

First of all I will state the obvious, no matter what weapon you choose to hunt with there will be animals you will not recover. Wounding animals and not being able to recover them isn't just an archery issue. There are just as many rifle hunters who wound deer and don't recover them and if you think differently you are as naive as the question you posted. You honestly think people who get their voluntarty card in the mail for their draw hunt actually are truthful with them when asked if they wounded a deer they didn't recover during a rifle hunt? So you think archery hunters are the only ones who are not truthful? Please... spare me your ignorance.

 

 

Well Said

[Elkhunter1]

I believe I said it before the money is what they're after! Proven by them added 25 tags in 34A and taking the Dec. archery hunt. WELL SAID Huntlines!!!!!!!!!!!!1