Arizona: Jump Into the ‘Pool’ for Population Management Hunts

Dale Hajek, Public Information Officer

623-236-7215, [email protected]

AZGFD aims to meet elk objectives beginning in January

PINETOP, Ariz. — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is seeking to bolster its pool of hunters who apply to be randomly selected throughout the year for specific population management hunts.

Population management hunts enhance the department’s ability to meet population and habitat management objectives when traditional harvest strategies are not meeting these objectives. At this time, a number of population management hunts for antlerless elk, and any elk, are planned for January and February in portions of Game Management Units 3A and 4B North, near Snowflake, Ariz. The proposed hunts will run for 10 days each between Jan. 6 and Feb. 19.

Only those hunters who have submitted a Hunter Pool Application for population management hunts will have a chance to be drawn. Applicants should note that if they choose to participate in a population management hunt, and fill their annual bag limit for that species, they cannot take part in a general season for that species even if selected through the standard draw process. A successful hunter is still eligible to purchase a bonus point for elk in the upcoming general draw, however.

AZGFD encourages all interested hunters to complete a “Hunter Pool Application,” which can be found — along with detailed information about population management hunts — on Page 51 of the “2022-2023 Arizona Hunting Regulations.” NOTE: Because of deadline considerations in the printing of regulation booklets, an expiration date of “Dec. 31, 2022” will appear in the upper left corner of the application. Applicants should simply cross out that date and write in “Dec. 31, 2023.”

Applicants should mail their completed application and nonrefundable application fee of $13 for residents, or $15 for nonresidents (do not send cash), to: Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn.: Drawer FAB, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, Ariz., 85086-5000.

A few points about population management hunts:

• AZGFD will purge the Hunter Pool Application list Dec. 31 each year. An application may be submitted at any time during the year (do not include the Hunter Pool Application with a hunt permit-tag application. Each application must be sent separately.).
• If selected during a random drawing for a population management hunt, the department will attempt to contact the applicant within a 24-hour period. If that applicant cannot be contacted, their application will be returned to the pool for inclusion in future population management hunts that year.
• If a successful applicant agrees to participate in a population management hunt, it is likely that person will be asked to arrive in the field to hunt within a few days of being contacted. The purchase of a restricted nonpermit-tag and applicable hunting license prior to hunting is required.
• An applicant will not gain or lose bonus points when applying for, or participating in, a population management hunt.

www.azgfd.gov