general coues hunting questions

[macknnc]

Finally got my hands on Duwane Adams Coues book, (tried to order through here but my computer is ailing and I wasn't able to..since I had fairly respectable order going through Amazon anyway, I got it through there..paid a lot more for it though) Got it yesterday though, and flipped through it before settling down with it..and a couple of things struck me..

 

The book seems to deal primarily with Arizona, no problem there since the Coues is primarily, in the US at least, a 'Arizona deer'...but I was surprised that Arizona has two (and sometimes three) hunts in their management areas, and while I have no doubt whatsoever, that the AZ fish and wildlife management is full of people much much smarter than me, I was wondering what the exact point of that was...I doubt like heck they do this just because they can...so there must be a reason...anyone know what it is?

 

And a couple of of other things have struck me in the past week so I'll be back...

[kwp]

Game and fish has changed the hunt structure since that book was written. Most units have 4 general Coues hunts, 1 juniors hunt, pre and post season archery, and mule deer hunt.

 

This is a highly debated subject. G&f manages for hunter opportunity. They have a harvest objective for each unit and the more people they cram into each hunt the lower the success rate is. More people get the opportunity to hunt with the same rough # of deer harvested. Unfortunately hunt quality and animal quality tends to suffer.

 

Also, more hunters equals more tag and license fees.

 

I over simplified this but that's it in a nutshell.

[johnnie blaze]

Not to mention all the pig hunts crammed in between.

[gotcoues]

It is my understanding that the success ratio for hunters in a "general" rifle deer hunt (non-trophy) is managed for about 20%. Is that information correct? I certainly think the questions applies to this thread and helps explain "too many seasons/too much opportunity".

 

I find it hard to believe the success formula is at 20%, could you imagine if new hunters were only successful once in five years? Doesn't seem like a good formula for retention or recruitment to me.

 

When my kids first started hunting the jrs hunt, it would seem we could chase a mediocre buck any day of the week. Now after many yrs of the extra adult rifle hunt, you'd be luck to find bigger than a spike in the very same areas we used to glass. We have since moved on from the old stomping ground and found out the hard way with the new hunts structures that have been in place for some time now, the only way to overcome it is A LOT of hard work.

[johnnie blaze]

I'd say 20% sounds bout right. I think most "hunters" think their odds of success increase dramatically just getting drawn, which I guess is true. Lol

[PRDATR]

I think I counted 8 separate hunts in Unit 33 last year if you include the three archery hunts.

[johnnie blaze]

Like I said, add in pig hunts and the unit doesn't get a break , litteral 20 weeks of solid hunting.