Commission Decisions?

[.270]

more d is right, jackin' up the prices ain't gonna keep millionaires from applying. it may keep some folks, but very few. jackin' up the resident fees seems like a double slap in the face. although i've always felt that early rifle bull tags and sheep permits oughta be higher. but then i'm sorta wierd too. at least they're gonna do away with this internet application crap, for a year. they have to do something to bust up the "hunter pools". one of the posts said something about the governor having control over the azgfd. actually, that ain't really the case. the governor appoints the commission. the commission hires and fires the director and makes decisions about how the wildlife is managed. case in point, sabino canyon lions. the governor was pissed because she had no authority over what was done there. the azgfd coulda shot every lion in the a 100 mile radius and she couldn't stop it. but the commission bowed to politically correct pressure and called it off. she/it couldn't stop it through her own authority. only real control the governor has is in appointing the commission. they're appointed to 5 year terms. golightly is in his second 5 year term. can't remember for sure how he pulled it off, but he did. supposed to be the senior person is the chairman. but the "madam" they have now ain't senior. even tho she is old as hogan's goat. if she (napalitano) gets another term, she will get some real huggers on the commission and then things will really get bad. right now, we're better off having the same folks on the commission, until she/it gets voted outta office. what we need is a new governor who will appoint folks with backbone and who aren't swayed by whiners and huggers and birdwatchers and nonresidents and taulman, etc. we need a commission that will use sound, proven science to make decisions, and not stick a wet finger in the air and see which way the politcal breeze is blowing. we gotta get a governor who will appoint folks with spine, intelligence and some real knowledge about the state and wildlife. when the next election comes around, the hunters can swing the vote. if there is a candidate who will make a couple simple promises and keep em, we need to vote for whoever that is. i'm thinking romley is gonna run. hope so. he seems to be able to make the tough decision and stand up to the BS. Lark.

[az4life]

Unfortunately that is what we got cause we have no one on the board with a heartfelt interest in protecting anything but their own job. Take the safe way out is the proven choice of these commissioners.

[falls]

Call it doom and gloom or whatever, but I believe we at the begining of the end. Watch, USO will sue the state because nonresident fees are to exhorbinant. G&F will lower them and we will be right back where we were w/o a cap.

It was already stated that their lawyer was not happy with G&F's decision. Why doesnt G&F just cut to the chase and give Taulmann 500 tags right off the top. That'd shut him up. Of course next year hed sue for 600.

And what will be considered a Premium elk hunt, all hunts that take place before November or all bull tags? And what about premium deer hunts, just those north of the River or rut tags too?

ugh im going to be sick

[Redman]

No matter what the recommendations were going to be, it would be impossible to make everybody happy.

 

With that being said, most couse deer units never had a 10% cap so these ruling will have a limited impact on the gray ghost.

 

Of all the recomendations, I personally like requiring applicants to pay up front process the most. I know too many people who put in for an elk, sheep, or buffalo tag for the $5.00 fee with the state of mind of ?what if?. I am guilty of this and I can promise you, I won't be applying for buffalo anymore.

 

The increase in bonus points pass is good.

 

Increasing the fees and separating premium hunts is also a good idea, this will impact the coues deer December hunts, but I doubt the fee increase will really keep a resident from applying.

 

I would hate to manage the refunds and application process. Its going to take longer, I can guarantee it.

 

Redman

[donniedent]

I like that I'm not alone in the way I feel but it won't get any better. The amount of people that are moving to AZ everyday is staggering. And they bring thier politics with them. These newcomers mostly from the east and alot of whom are liberals will re-elect "Pat" Napolitano and she'll put together a board that will look for more ways to make money instead of looking out for the welfare of the hunters and the wildlife. My wife and I decided last night that we are moving to Wyoming (she's a native) and not only because of this issue but many others. I think they ought to rename the state Calizona. Get used to things like $35 fishing liceances and $350 elk tags. Look for liberals to capitalize on our wildlife and put more money toward the mountain lions so they can desimate Couse populations. All but 4 years in the Marine Corps I've lived here, 31 years, but its time for me to leave. Target date is sometime in May. Shoot if I make enough money I'll probably have a better chance of getting drawn here as a non-resident. Pretty sad!

 

Oh well, life is such!

 

Good luck to all of you.

 

Donnie

[DesertBull]

I hope they put the December hunts in the Premium catagory. I'd pay a little extra to get one.

[.270]

we all have our preferences for things. like all the different opinions about "premium" hunts and stuff. but one thing that we all have to keep in mind is that hunting is a privelege that all should be able to enjoy. the fees need to stay low enough that everyone can at least afford a deer tag. deer hunting needs to be a rite (not right) like it was in the past. kids need to be brought up hunting. folks that have never hunted need to become hunters. and anglers and campers, etc. the more people that enjoy the sport, the more support it gets. there in lies a problem, especially in Az., where primo habitat is sorta skinny and the number of folks wanting the tags increases yearly. we have some areas with huge numbers per acre with wildlife, but the areas ain't that big. i know i ain't a big practicer of this preaching, but we gotta have patience in drawing permits and then make the best of it when ya get a tag. when i was a kid, deer season was something that everyone looked forward too. our little town was a ghost town the first weekend. all the moms and daughters got together for little parties and stuff, because all the men folk were off shootin' bucks. really. there was never any school the first day of deer season. the highschool football games that week were all played on thursday night. you got 2 days excused to go deer hunting, plus the first day that we always had off. the next monday at school was big stuff, because the teachers always wanted to know who got a buck and how big it was. i still remember the smiles on the faces of the kids that got a deer. this is what we need to get back to. tradition and rite. get away from all the fighting and arguing and all line up together for the betterment of the whole cause. the casual hunters and the diehard groundpounders. the trophy chasers and the meat hunters. and everyone in between, man, i'm gettin' nostalgic now. but dangit, i like to hunt. hope this all works out for the best for all of us. Lark.

[az4life]

These new rules and regulations are getting tougher it is undeniable. Other states have complicated draw processes, but AZ had stayed pretty easy compared to them. The tougher it gets, the fewer new hunters will apply. That may be good in the short term for the long time hunters, but lets think about it. The way the system is going, it may be easier to do your income taxes than do a hunt application.

I might get into a business assisting hunters in filling out their apps. Guarantee no rejection due to form errors. Also it might take a fair amount of math to add up all the surcharges, and premium fees. Heck maybe the payday loan stores will be able to help the average guy float a loan for the application fees.

[KGAINES]

az4life,

Even though its kind of funny, huntloans.com etc., can you imagine getting a world record deer/elk etc. and having it taken due to non payment of a loan, I think it is pretty far fetched but it won't be if prices get out of hand.

On a different subject kind of, a guy I work with told me that uso/ taulman bought or owns a huge ranch in unit ten, if that is true hunting as we know it is headed down a very dangerous path, I won't mind paying a little more to hunt in AZ if it benifits residents and wildlife, but if we have to start paying trespass fees, and also have to deal with ranches that are there solely for the purpose of guided hunts, and I would bet plant crops to draw in the animals and grow trophy's by designating what animals to shoot. I just hope that that is not true and that the fees will not get out of hand.

[.270]

as i read these new regs, i'm starting to realize we got screwed even worse than we thought. anyone spend any time pondering what these jerks did with the bighorn permits? used to be no more than 10% could go to non residents. didn't say that even 10% had to go to em. depended on the luck o' the draw. well now, 15% go to nonresidents and it's a seperate drawing for non residents only. and this wasn't part of the uso crap. i think mr shroufe and commission are going to hear from me personally over this. why even change it? and why give em more permits? man, i'm gonna be sick. Lark.

[Diamondbackaz]

Looking at the the AGFD web page http://www.azgfd.com/artman/publish/article_179.shtml nothing is set in stone yet.