Public Can Still Provide Comment On Proposed Revisions To Hunt Guidelines

The public still has the opportunity to provide comment on the revised draft of the hunt guidelines for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 hunting seasons.

The revised draft can be viewed at http://www.azgfd.gov/huntguidelines. Comment can be submitted through July 31 by e-mail to azgamebranch@azgfd.gov, or by mail to Hunt Guidelines, Arizona Game And Fish Department, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086.

The draft was developed based on prior input from the public this year and was shared with the Arizona Game and Fish Commission on June 15. The department would like to hear from constituents on how this revision may be further improved.

The hunt guidelines provide the biological and social parameters (or "the recipe") used by wildlife managers to formulate annual hunt recommendations (season structures, season lengths, season dates, permits allocated) and results in the hunts that we offer to hunters.

While hunting opportunity is important, wildlife is held in the public trust, and using science-based principles in shaping the guideline process remains paramount to assure healthy, sustainable and diverse wildlife populations for future generations.

The commission will take final action on the hunt guidelines at its Sept. 6-7, 2013 meeting in Show Low. A commission meeting agenda will be posted at http://www.azgfd.gov/commission in advance of the meeting.

For more information on the hunt guidelines process, visit http://www.azgfd.gov/huntguidelines.