AZGFD Host Forums On Elk/Pronghorn Hunt Recommendations

The Arizona Game And Fish Department will host three remaining public forums to meet with constituents about developing the 2015 hunt recommendations for pronghorn antelope, elk, and population management seasons. (The first forum was held Oct. 16 in the Flagstaff regional office.)

The remaining meetings will be held at these Game and Fish regional offices:

• Monday, Oct. 20, from 6-8 p.m. at the Kingman regional office, 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road,

• Thursday, Oct. 23, from 6-8 p.m. at the Mesa regional office, 7200 E. University Drive, and

• Thursday, Oct. 23, from 6-8 p.m. at the Pinetop regional office, 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd.

Constituents who are interested in particular game management units within those regions will have the opportunity to discuss management direction.

"The meetings allow us to meet with sportsmen and other members of the public and discuss the direction for the recommendations based on survey data, harvest rates and the hunt guidelines," said Big Game Management Supervisor Amber Munig.

"We won't be proposing permit numbers at this point, but we will generally discuss where permit numbers might be headed. It's a great way for people to stay informed and provide input into development of the recommendations."

After the public forums have been completed, the final proposed draft hunt recommendations will be made available for public review at several regional open houses and posted on the department's Web site at http://www.azgfd.gov/huntguidelines by Nov. 21.

Each year, the department makes recommendations to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission regarding the management of game species for the annual hunting and trapping regulations, which establish the seasons, dates, bag limits, open areas, and hunt permit-tag allocations based on the framework of the hunt guidelines set by the commission every two years.

The final pronghorn antelope and elk hunt recommendations will be presented to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission for consideration during its Dec. 6 meeting in Phoenix.