2015/2016 Hunt Recommendations

[firstcoueswas80]

I wish that they would reduce the amount of tags in the 36's.

[maximus]

24B has 1050 coues tags.and they created a couple of xtra hunts on 22 and 23, same amount of tags.

[Millhouse]

Glad to see unit 8 deer tags reduced.

[Flatlander]

Overall reduction in deer tags of 800 tags. Probably a good thing.

 

I am happy to see the WT hunts in a few units get moved back a week, I wonder exactly what the reason was. Someone emailed me about this a while back and I can't recall what they were thinking. Spreading the hunts out a little bit in 24b was long overdue, although as was stated before with 1,050 tags that herd is getting taxed big time. It kind of seems like they have it on the same plan as the 36's. That's 3x as many tags as 23 has, in about half the area and 2x what is in 22. That is just unbelievable. I used to love that unit.

[AZkiller]

Clearly the correct answer is to bring back leg hold trapping and reduce yotes and lions. Anything else is just pissin in the wind.

[mc68]

We need rain, rain, and then some more rain!!!

[prowlerMan]

Overall reduction in deer tags of 800 tags. Probably a good thing.

 

I am happy to see the WT hunts in a few units get moved back a week, I wonder exactly what the reason was. Someone emailed me about this a while back and I can't recall what they were thinking. Spreading the hunts out a little bit in 24b was long overdue, although as was stated before with 1,050 tags that herd is getting taxed big time. It kind of seems like they have it on the same plan as the 36's. That's 3x as many tags as 23 has, in about half the area and 2x what is in 22. That is just unbelievable. I used to love that unit.

24b is close to the big city. G&F is going to make their money on the weekend warriors that don't want to travel far from town. Look at the number of tags issued in 33 and the proximity to town for example. Hide and watch the increase in tags in 21 & 22 in the future.

[Flatlander]

Here is a question for you; Has anyone ever seen the survey data and compared it against the guidelines to see if what they are doing with tag numbers lines up?

 

I know the guidelines and the recommendations are public info, but I haven't ever seen the survey results.

[1uglydude]

Here is a question for you; Has anyone ever seen the survey data and compared it against the guidelines to see if what they are doing with tag numbers lines up?

 

I know the guidelines and the recommendations are public info, but I haven't ever seen the survey results.

 

Wait, you mean there's a formula they follow!? Shocking. Do they also have public open houses where they invite the public (including all these guys who question everything) to come and see the data and hear their explanations, because that would be amazing.

 

I've been to every open house in Region VI for the last four years, and none of these Phoenix area guys who are complaining have ever been there. I know that because it is nearly always just me, my buddy, and a couple animal activists who show up. But, it's easier for these guys to complain than it is to attend and be part of the process.

[couesmagnet]

I think spreading out the hunts in any unit such as 24b is a horrible idea. I would far rather have a 1000 tags in the field on one hunt than 4 hunts with 250 stacked one atop the other, week after week. I know they did this to spread everyone out on these whitetail hunts, but it's worse for the critters. Guys that know what they are doing don't care if there's a 1000 tags at once or 250 spread out over 4 hunts in a row. Having fresh dudes rolling in week after week with that opening day mentality is hard on the deer, more importantly the big bucks. Ya, the small bucks are going to get shot regardless of hunt structure being 1 hunt with a 1000 tags or 4 hunts with 250 tags. When it was the old structure of 1 heavily tagged hunt, you could have variables such as weather remove more than half the hunting days from a particular hunt. One well placed storm could do more for the next years crop of bucks than all the other factors combined just because of the reduction in hunters days in the field. Also, it's very hard on the deer that every week there's a fresh wave of new hunters rolling in ready to give it all they have. Before when it was 1 or 2 heavily tagged hunts, many hunters would go for just a couple days and even if there was a 1000 tags by the middle of the week there was only 250 left in the field anyway. To much consistent pressure is being placed on our deer due to the stratified hunt structures as of late. Stack the hunters in these units like cord wood and send them home for the year is the way i like it. Guys that know what they are doing don't care. Also with the current 4 or 5 hunt structure you have bucks found on the 1st hunt being passed to the friends with the second hunt, and the 2nd hunt guys passing their bucks to the 3rd hunt guys, and so on and so on. The gifting of bucks to future hunts starting week after week is and mark my words going to reduce the overall big buck population in any unit that uses this stratified structure. This will be the death pill for 22 and 23 over the long haul, with all the pressure it already receives. I guess it doesn't matter that 22 and 23 will become like 24b now which is sad to say the least. Everyone gets caught up in spreading out the tags but don't see the adverse issues that play against the deer because of it. I almost feel sorry for the deer after looking at the regs and seeing a juniors hunt in early october, then a slammer hunt tag numbers wise starting every week for the next 3 months. week after week getting slammed. The big bucks aren't that smart i promise you to sustain this type of pounding !!!!

[elkaholic]

I do not think they added extra hunts in 22 - 23 for whitetail anyway

 

if I read it correctly they are just changing the hunt dates to nov instead of oct.

 

which I think is a good idea

 

only pisser why not change 21 also ???????

[1uglydude]

I do not think they added extra hunts in 22 - 23 for whitetail anyway

 

if I read it correctly they are just changing the hunt dates to nov instead of oct.

 

which I think is a good idea

 

only pisser why not change 21 also ???????

 

No, they added a hunt, but instead of 800 tags (in 22) for one hunt, there are now two hunts with 400 tags each. Same deal for 23, but with different tag totals.

[JLW]

 

I do not think they added extra hunts in 22 - 23 for whitetail anyway

 

if I read it correctly they are just changing the hunt dates to nov instead of oct.

 

which I think is a good idea

 

only pisser why not change 21 also ???????

 

No, they added a hunt, but instead of 800 tags (in 22) for one hunt, there are now two hunts with 400 tags each. Same deal for 23, but with different tag totals.

 

NO they moved the hunt later

got rid of October and moved the to NOV

see where it says -285 for 23 and -400 for 22

and then it says +285 for 23 and + 400 for 22 with the date moved from oct to nov

 

James

[1uglydude]

 

 

I do not think they added extra hunts in 22 - 23 for whitetail anyway

 

if I read it correctly they are just changing the hunt dates to nov instead of oct.

 

which I think is a good idea

 

only pisser why not change 21 also ???????

 

No, they added a hunt, but instead of 800 tags (in 22) for one hunt, there are now two hunts with 400 tags each. Same deal for 23, but with different tag totals.

 

NO they moved the hunt later

got rid of October and moved the to NOV

see where it says -285 for 23 and -400 for 22

and then it says +285 for 23 and + 400 for 22 with the date moved from oct to nov

 

James

 

 

Sorry, James, but you're wrong. Look again. They moved 400 to the new hunt, leaving 400 in the October hunt. They took 285 from the old hunt, moving it to the later hunt. I was at the meeting and have been a part of the discussion for some time on this change.

 

[Viper]

Yup...I saw that they added a Nov hunt in 22 (and other units). Jack, I know you have had a voice in this for a while. Thanks for being involved. Time will tell how it works out. It should spread out the hunters a bit...I hope....unless they start increasing tags for each hunt. It will be a tough choice for me now...Oct as usual, or Nov when it might be cooler.