OVERVIEW:
The Arizona Game and Fish
Department follows a multi-tiered
process for setting hunting
season structures, hunting
season dates, hunt permit
allocations, and other
controlling elements for
regulating hunting of
game animals.
The Department's
Game Branch is responsible
for this task and their
mission is to protect
and manage game wildlife
populations and their
habitats to maintain the
natural diversity of Arizona,
and to provide game wildlife
oriented recreation opportunities
for present and future
generations. This is done
by using science-based
methods to assure wildlife
is managed within the
biological limits of each
species, management strategies
are also developed to
consider social acceptability
and responsibilities.
That
process includes:
Hunt
Guidelines
- which are set every
two years;
Survey
& field data
- hunter harvest reporting
& game surveys
(collected annually);
Hunt
Recommendations
- which happens three
times annually;
Commission
Orders - approved
by the Commission
and published in the
hunting regulations.
While
this is no simple task,
a guiding principle requires
continually refining the
process through better
science-based management
and extensive public involvement.
The public
process used by the Department
to develop this system
contributed to a “Showcase
in Excellence Award in
2008” from the Arizona
Quality Alliance –
the organization that
recognizes total quality
management principles
and organizational excellence.
Public
involvement is critical
for two reasons. In North
America, wildlife is held
in the public’s
trust and belongs to all
citizens, unlike in other
countrries where access
is restricted by financial
or social class. Law regulates
hunting and that too is
a public process - both
are core principles of
the North American Wildlife
Conservation Model, founded
by hunters and conservationists
more than 100 years ago.
RECOMMENDATIONS
(annually):
With the guidelines in
place, and survey data
in hand, wildlife managers
and game specialists propose
the permit allocations
on a unit-by-unit basis
resulting in the proposed
Hunt Recommendations.
After the public comment
period and once approved
by the Commission, the
recommendations are incorporated
into the hunting regulations.
This is done three times
a year, starting with
the main fall Arizona
Hunting and Trapping regulations,
followed by the Spring
Turkey, Javelina, Buffalo
and Bear supplement and
then the Pronghorn Antelope
and Elk supplement. Each
of these regulations contains
all the information needed
for applying for a hunt
permit-tag through the
draw, what hunts are over-the-counter
nonpermit-tags, open areas
and season dates, and
youth hunting opportunities.
HUNT
RECOMMENDATIONS PROCESS
TIMELINE & PUBLIC
INVOLVEMENT (Annually
three times a year based
on the 3 hunting regulation
booklets - The main Arizona
Hunting and Trapping Regulations
in June; Spring turkey,
javelina, buffalo and
bear supplement in October;
and the pronghorn antelope
and elk supplement in
January)
FALL
HUNTING REGULATION
RECOMMENDATIONS (Set
at the April Commission
meeting) Deer, fall turkey,
fall javelina, bighorn
sheep, fall buffalo,
fall bear, mountain
lion
February
-
Department
regional staff begins
formulating recommendations
based on game surveys,
hunter questionnaire
data and the hunt
guideline package.
March
-
Regionally
hosted public meetings
to solicit public
comment, announced
by news release, Web
site and other department
communications.
Late March -
Release
final draft recommendations
to the public and
Commission for review.
Early
April -
Regionally
hosted public open
houses for public
review and hear reasoning
for recommendations
(not designed as public
input mechanism)
Mid-April
-
Final
recommendations presented
to the Commission
for approval - public
input is permitted
via blue slip.
Late
April -
Final
Commission approved
Recommendations are
incorporated into
the Arizona Hunting
and Trapping Regulations
and posted on the
Department's Web site.
Mid-May
-
Arizona
Hunting and Trapping
Regulations available
at Department offices
and license dealers
statewide.
June
-
Application
deadline is anticipated
second Tuesday of
June.
SPRING
HUNTING REGULATION
RECOMMENDATIONS (Set at the
August Commission
meeting) Spring
turkey, spring javelina,
spring buffalo and
spring bear
June
-
Department
regional staff begins
formulating recommendations
based on game surveys,
hunter questionnaire
data and the hunt
guideline package.
Late
July -
Release
final draft recommendations
to the public and
Commission for review.
Late
July/Early August
-
*Regionally
hosted public open
houses for public
review and hear reasoning
for recommendations
(not designed as public
input mechanism).
Early
August -
Final
recommendations presented
to the Commission
for approval - public
input is permitted
via blue slip.
Late
August -
Final
Commission approved
Recommendations are
incorporated into
the spring regulation
supplement and posted
on the Department's
Web site.
Mid-September
Spring
regulation hunt draw
information booklet
available at Department
offices and license
dealers statewide.
October
-
Application
deadline is anticipated
second Tuesday of
October.
*Note
- To date public meetings
have not been offered
for the spring recommendations.
PRONGHORN
ANTELOPE & ELK
HUNTING REGULATION
RECOMMENDATIONS (Set at the
December Commission
meeting) Pronghorn
antelope & Elk
Hunts
September
-
Department
regional staff begins
formulating recommendations
based on game surveys,
hunter questionnaire
data and the hunt
guideline package.
October
-
Regionally
hosted public meetings
to solicit public
comment, announced
by news release, Web
site and other department
communications.
November
-
Release
final draft recommendations
to the public and
Commission for review.
December
-
Regionally
hosted public open
houses for public
review and hear reasoning
for recommendations
(not designed as public
input mechanism)
Early
Dec. -
Final
recommendations presented
to the Commission
for approval - public
input is permitted
via blue slip.
Late December -
Final
Commission approved
Hunt Guidelines posted
on the Department's
Web site.
Mid-January
-
Pronghorn
and Elk regulation
hunt draw information
booklet available
at Department offices
and license dealers
statewide.
February
-
Application
deadline is anticipated
second Tuesday of
February.
GUIDELINES
(every two years): It all starts with
Hunt Guidelines. Every
two years, on odd numbered
years, the department
revises the guidelines
for the Commission to
approve. The public's
input is encouraged. The
Hunt Guidelines provide
social and biological
parameters that make up
the “recipes”
used by wildlife managers
to formulate the annual
hunt recommendations (season
dates, permits allocated,
etc.) in which sportsmen
participate. The Commission
approves the guidelines
at its public meetings.
Examples
of ideas from the guideline
process that have been
incorpated include:
"Have
the draw earlier for
antelope & elk hunts."
"Create
a bonus point system
for the draw."
"Increase juniors-only
hunting opportunities."
Current Hunt
Guidelines for fall
2008 through spring
2010 [PDF,
110kb]
Amended
Nov. 2009! Final
commission approved
Hunt Guidelines for
Fall 2010 through spring
2012 seasons. [PDF,
163kb]
Background
information on the 2009
review process:
After comments are compiled, the proposed
draft hunt recommendations will be posted here on Saturday, April 3 before being presented to the Commission at their April 16-17 meeting
in Phoenix.
