Your Ideas Sought Regarding

Elk Management Strategies

            The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking your ideas on elk management strategies and the possible Game and Fish Commission Rule changes that could be necessary to implement those strategies.

                The Elk Harvest Management Strategies and related information are posted on the department’s Internet Home Page at www.azgfd.com, and look under “What’s New.” Written comments on the proposals can be sent to: Dana Yost, Rule Writer, Arizona Game and Fish Department, 2221 W. Greenway Road, DORR, Phoenix, AZ 85023, or E-mail: rulemaking@gf.state.az.us.

        The top elk managers in the state were assembled into an Elk Harvest Management Strategy Team this past spring. Those experienced wildlife professionals were asked to be creative and come up with a range of elk management proposals and tools, including those that might be considered “unconventional.”

        The team developed short-term strategies within existing regulatory and hunt frameworks, and long-term strategies including those that would require some sort of regulatory changes in the future.

        Many of the short-term strategies were implemented by the Game and Fish Commission this year when setting the fall elk hunts. However, many of the long-term strategies need Commission Rule modifications to be implemented.

            The following public meetings are scheduled:

            The concept of creating a “hunter pool” would allow the department to conduct hunts on short notice when necessary to meet harvest objectives, or to respond to an unanticipated crisis.

            This  “hunter pool” could be used to provide hunters on short notice for emergency hunts. “Emergency hunts may be used in extreme drought conditions when land management agencies request elk removal, or in locations where traditional harvest objectives are not met during regular seasons and additional harvest is needed quickly to alleviate private or public resource issues,” states the Elk Harvest Management Strategy Team Report.

            The following rules are being considered for modification for the following objectives:

·         R12-4-101 is being opened to allow the department to address recommendations from the Elk Harvest Strategy Management Report that deals with the developing hunter pools, and issuing special nonpermit-tags through regional offices. These recommendations may require the revision of existing definitions or the addition of new definitions to facilitate future elk management.

·         R12-4-102 is being opened to allow the department to address recommendations from the Elk Harvest Strategy Management Report that will potentially impact prices for certain tags, such as hunt permit-tags that are not issued during the random draw, or nonpermit tags for limited opportunity  hunts, or hunter pool  hunts. The recommendation to adjust the price of these or other tags necessitates opening this rule.

·         R12-4-104 is being opened to allow the department to address recommendations from the Elk Harvest Strategy Management Report that may result in increasing bag limits for elk. The procedure for obtaining additional hunt permit-tags or nonpermit tags may require a change in the current application procedures.

·         Another recommendation from the Elk Harvest Management Strategy Report is the possible addition of a spring elk hunt season. If the commission adopts this strategy, R12-4-104 may need to be amended to allow for elk hunters to apply for more than one elk hunt permit-tag in a calendar year.

·         R12-4-107 is being opened to allow the department to address the issue of bonus points as it relates to the Elk Harvest Management Strategy Report recommendation that elk hunt permit-tags that are not issued during the random draw process be issued in a first-come first-serve drawing, or over the counter. This rule review process will also address how multiple bag limits for elk and multiple elk hunt permit-tags and nonpermit tags issued during a single calendar year will impact the bonus point system.

·         R12-4-114 is being opened to allow the department to address recommendations from the Elk Harvest Strategy Management Report for possible changes to the bag limit for elk and to the non-resident participation regulations in regards to the 10 percent rule.

                Opening the rule will also allow the department to address how “limited elk” permits could be made available and how they could be issued to meet the recommendations of the Elk Harvest Management Strategy Report concept of a “hunter pool."  (Note: The recommendation is that these be nonpermit tags and available only at regional offices  at specific times.)

·         R12-4-115 – Is being opened to allow the department to address recommendations for the Elk Harvest Strategy Management Report for using pre-established hunter pools for “unplanned” elk harvest opportunities. Opening the rule will also allow the department to address delegating commission authority to the department’s director for specifying when and where to use certain population reduction hunts and to establish nonpermit tag numbers or quotas and time frames for such hunts.

R12-4-609 – Is being opened to allow pre-established hunter pools and to delegate increased authority to the department’s director to specify where and when to use certain population reduction hunts. In essence, modifying this rule could allow the director to set an emergency season in situations requiring short notice for habitat management or private land issues.