Preview Arizona’s 2012 Elk and Pronghorn Hunt Recommendations at Open Houses
OutdoorHub 11.16.11
The proposed hunt recommendations for Arizona’s 2012 elk, pronghorn antelope, and population management seasons are anticipated to be available for public review beginning Nov. 19 at the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s website at www.azgfd.gov/huntguidelines, followed by six open houses at regional offices statewide.
The annual hunt recommendations establish season dates, open areas, permit levels, and legal method of take to meet management objectives based on the hunt guidelines.
Although no formal presentation will be made at the open houses, a knowledgeable staff person will be available to discuss regional hunt recommendations.
Open house dates, times and locations are:
- Tuesday, Nov. 22, 3-5 p.m. – Pinetop regional office, 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd.
- Monday, Nov. 28, 3-5 p.m., Tucson regional office, 555 N. Greasewood Road.
- Tuesday, Nov. 29, 3-5 p.m., Kingman regional office, 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road.
- Tuesday, Nov. 29, 3-5 p.m. – Yuma regional office, 9140 E. 28th St.
- Tuesday, Nov. 29, 3-5 p.m. – Mesa regional office, 7200 E. University Drive.
- Thursday, Dec. 1, 3-5 p.m. – Flagstaff regional office, 3500 S. Lake Mary Road.
The proposed hunt recommendations will be presented to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission for consideration during the Saturday, Dec. 3 portion of the commission’s regular meeting in Phoenix at the Game and Fish headquarters at 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix.
The public has three options for viewing the meeting:
- Attend the meeting in person in Phoenix;
- View it via video stream at one of six Game and Fish regional offices (Pinetop, Flagstaff, Kingman, Yuma, Tucson and Mesa; addresses are available at www.azgfd.gov/offices);
- View it over the Web at www.azgfd.gov/commissioncam.
Those wishing to submit “blue slips” to present oral comment during the meeting must do so either in person at the Phoenix meeting or at one of the six Game and Fish regional offices showing the video stream.
Once the commission sets the hunt orders, the final regulations are typically available online by the third week of December, which triggers when hunters can begin submitting their applications for the drawing process.
The anticipated application deadline for elk and pronghorn, which is also set at the December Commission meeting, is the second Tuesday of February, pending commission approval. Printed copies of the regulations are typically available in mid to late January.
The big game draw is a lottery-style process for allocating the limited number of Arizona big game hunting permits to applicants. The department typically receives far more applications than the number of permits allocated for elk and pronghorn hunts.
