Arizona Big Game Super Raffle Nets Record $673,600 For Wildlife

Winners of the 12th annual Arizona Big Game Super Raffle were announced recently at Arizona Game And Fish Department headquarters in Phoenix.

The prizes included a total of 10 Special Big Game Tags, one for each of the state's big game species – bighorn sheep, elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, pronghorn, bison, turkey, bear, javelina and mountain lion. The permit-tags were awarded by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. Raffle tickets ranged from $5 to $25, depending on the species. A New Mexico elk hunt and Swarovski optics package also were raffled.

In the 12-year history of the raffle, more than $6.1 million has been raised for wildlife and wildlife management in Arizona. This year's event generated a record $673,600, topping $633,750 in 2016.

The 2017 winners are the following:

• Bighorn sheep: John Donovan, Phoenix, Ariz.

• Black bear: Peter Migale, Novato, Calif.

• Bison: Larry Lunsford, Carlsbad, N.M.

• Elk: Martin Lindstrand, Damascus, Ore.

• Javelina: Norman Unruh, Saragosa, Texas.

• Mountain lion: Stephen Todd, Chandler, Ariz.

• Mule deer: Roy Crouch, Artesia, N.M.

• Pronghorn: Robert Sherer, Great Falls, Mont.

• Turkey: Kent McClelland, Phoenix, Ariz.

• White-tailed deer: Ryan Jackson, Kingsburg, Calif.

• New Mexico elk hunt: David Knox, Lakeside, Ariz.

• Swarovski optics package: Brett Zeis, Langdon, N.D.

The raffle is conducted by a nonprofit entity to raise money for wildlife conservation efforts. A volunteer board of directors, comprised of representatives from sponsoring organizations, oversees the operation of the raffle.

Every dollar raised for each species through the raffle is returned to the department and managed by the Arizona Habitat Partnership Committee (AHPC) for that particular species. With input from local habitat partners across the state and sponsoring organizations involved in the fundraising, project priorities are determined that will provide the most benefit to each species.

For more information, visit http://www.arizonabiggamesuperraffle.com.