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LAST EDITED ON Dec-07-07 AT 06:02AM (MST)[p]http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/highlights/HuntingHighlightsDec2007.html#3
Archery season adjustments
The archery deer seasons in some units will be adjusted to limit archery take to about 20 percent of the total harvest in a hunt unit.
?The specific units are not spelled out in the guidelines, and this confuses some of the public,? explained Big Game Supervisor Brian Wakeling. ?The information we shared at public meetings and with the commission was preliminary and probable, but could be adjusted based on collection of another year of data.?
Based on initial analysis of demand and harvest, these new guidelines could result in the following:
Seven units will be placed in the draw for archery (Units 1, 3A/3C, 3B, 7, 12A, 13A, 13B). Unit 13B has never had an archery deer season, but will be added because archery harvest can be regulated by permitting the hunt.
Another seven units are likely to have the December season eliminated for archery deer (17A, 20A, 22, 23, 35A, 37A, 42).
Three units will likely add some January opportunity because they are currently below 10 percent of total take (4A/4B, 8, 9).
Ordway explained to the commission that the guidelines were constructed in such a way that when the archery harvest exceeds demand in a unit, then the archery in that unit will be restricted by shortening the season or limiting archers through the draw process. Prior to this, the only method the agency had to restrict harvest was to place increasing restriction on general season opportunities.
?It's all about being equitable and fair about available hunting opportunities,? Ordway said.
The changes do not necessarily mean that archers will lose any overall hunting opportunities they have had in recent years, Ordway said, only that there is now a cap so that archery hunters will not affect the hunting opportunities of general season hunters.
Archers may purchase over-the-counter tags to hunt in open units and apply for those units offered through the draw. The one-deer-per-calendar-year bag limit still applies, but archers should not see any reduction in the overall number of days that they can hunt statewide.
?This all means that in certain units where archery demand and harvest is encroaching on general hunt opportunities, archers will have to compete on a level playing field in the draw process for the available opportunities,? Ordway explained.
Ordway also said that despite rumors to the contrary, the department has no immediate intent to put all archery deer hunts into the draw process. ?Could this eventually happen many years down the road? I can't tell you it won't, but I honestly don't think it will happen in the short term,? Ordway said.
This isn't about forcing everyone into a more restrictive draw process, he said, but rather, creating equity and fairness in the process for everyone. ?This is essentially the equitable allocation formula developed for the elk draw years ago, and most hunters have been generally comfortable with that system.?
In addition, archery bull elk permits will be offered in standard population management zones during November (25 bull tags each) if not already offered, or in September if not already offered.
Archery season adjustments
The archery deer seasons in some units will be adjusted to limit archery take to about 20 percent of the total harvest in a hunt unit.
?The specific units are not spelled out in the guidelines, and this confuses some of the public,? explained Big Game Supervisor Brian Wakeling. ?The information we shared at public meetings and with the commission was preliminary and probable, but could be adjusted based on collection of another year of data.?
Based on initial analysis of demand and harvest, these new guidelines could result in the following:
Seven units will be placed in the draw for archery (Units 1, 3A/3C, 3B, 7, 12A, 13A, 13B). Unit 13B has never had an archery deer season, but will be added because archery harvest can be regulated by permitting the hunt.
Another seven units are likely to have the December season eliminated for archery deer (17A, 20A, 22, 23, 35A, 37A, 42).
Three units will likely add some January opportunity because they are currently below 10 percent of total take (4A/4B, 8, 9).
Ordway explained to the commission that the guidelines were constructed in such a way that when the archery harvest exceeds demand in a unit, then the archery in that unit will be restricted by shortening the season or limiting archers through the draw process. Prior to this, the only method the agency had to restrict harvest was to place increasing restriction on general season opportunities.
?It's all about being equitable and fair about available hunting opportunities,? Ordway said.
The changes do not necessarily mean that archers will lose any overall hunting opportunities they have had in recent years, Ordway said, only that there is now a cap so that archery hunters will not affect the hunting opportunities of general season hunters.
Archers may purchase over-the-counter tags to hunt in open units and apply for those units offered through the draw. The one-deer-per-calendar-year bag limit still applies, but archers should not see any reduction in the overall number of days that they can hunt statewide.
?This all means that in certain units where archery demand and harvest is encroaching on general hunt opportunities, archers will have to compete on a level playing field in the draw process for the available opportunities,? Ordway explained.
Ordway also said that despite rumors to the contrary, the department has no immediate intent to put all archery deer hunts into the draw process. ?Could this eventually happen many years down the road? I can't tell you it won't, but I honestly don't think it will happen in the short term,? Ordway said.
This isn't about forcing everyone into a more restrictive draw process, he said, but rather, creating equity and fairness in the process for everyone. ?This is essentially the equitable allocation formula developed for the elk draw years ago, and most hunters have been generally comfortable with that system.?
In addition, archery bull elk permits will be offered in standard population management zones during November (25 bull tags each) if not already offered, or in September if not already offered.
