Seems Mr. Talman and friends are still have some influence in Arizona. I recieved notification last week that the game and fish commission are holding a public hearing on certain items that will have a huge effect on hunting in Arizona. In unit 10, the Navajo are closing Big Boquillas. There appear to be two options available. 1. The ranch closes to public access via the roads entirely. No hunting other than walk in hunts on public sections of the ranch and only then if you stay on the leased portions during your hike in. 2. There will be an access fee charged to the tune of $60 per person either hunting or not hunting. The ranch will open two weeks before the archery deer hunt and close immediately after the cow elk hunt. The rest of the year, access will be denied. The only exception will be to Outfitters who will pay a $300 fee to the ranch for pernission to work on ranch property. Other units being affected by this intersting development include the Bar N (?) ranch in unit 27 where a $300 per person fee will have to be paid to an outfitter in Alpine before permission in writing, to hunt, will be granted. There are currently two other ranches working the same issues.
Seems several of these ranches have access agreements with AZGF that expire about the same time. The outfitters have gotten with the ranchers and convinced them that most folks can't afford to pay access fees but the outfitters can still get well paying clients to cover the costs. The outfitters will add the cost of the access fee to their normal fee and the rancher will profit. I guess if they can't get you one way, they'll get you another way. Check out the AZGF site for more information.
Seems several of these ranches have access agreements with AZGF that expire about the same time. The outfitters have gotten with the ranchers and convinced them that most folks can't afford to pay access fees but the outfitters can still get well paying clients to cover the costs. The outfitters will add the cost of the access fee to their normal fee and the rancher will profit. I guess if they can't get you one way, they'll get you another way. Check out the AZGF site for more information.
