Tracker Summer 2010

S u m m e r 2 0 10

AES Wapiti Weekend 2010

Our idea of aweekend stroll.

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20218_AZ_ElkSociety_Fall.indd 1 8/24/10 4:10 PM

Arizona Elk Society 3

A r i z o n A e l k s o c i e t y

l i f e m e m b e r s o f Ken Alexander • Michael Anderson • John Anton • Ernest Apodaca, Jr. • Pete Baldwin • James Ballard • Leo Balthazor •

David Baril • Ron Batz • Randy Beck • F.K. Benbow • David Bennett • Keith Berger • Janet Bowman • Tom Bowman •

Dan Bradford • Tish Bradford • Richard Briskin • Stephen Brown, MD • Kurt Buckwald • Mike Burr • Esther Cadzow •

John Cadzow • Harry Carlson • Lupe Carlson • Kenneth Carney • Steve Casterton • Joe & Marisa Cerreta • Randy Cherington

• Pete Cimellaro • DeAnne Clark • Steve Clark • Bob Cockrill, Jr. • Todd Coleman • Frank Cooper • Russell Coover •

Lonnie Crabtree • William Cullins • Richard Currie • Patrick Curry • Don Davidson • Kay Davidson • Bill Davis • William

Davis • Larry Day • Jim deVos • Steven Dodds • Ron Eichelberger • Sharon Eichelberger • Peter Ekholm • Daron Evans •

Tim Evans • David Forbes • Tom Franklin • Douglas Fritz • Will Garrison • Walt Godbehere • Richard Goettel • Carl Hargis

• Dan Hellman • R. Todd Henderson • Terry Herndon • Ed Hightower • Paul Hodges III • Mel Holsinger • Scott Horn

• Michael Horstman • Timothy Hosford • Bryan House • Wayne Jacobs • Brian Johnsen • Earl Johnson • Edward

Johnson • Gary Johnson • James Johnson • Richard Johnson • Jim Jones** • Mitchell Jones • Bruce Judson • Sandra

Kauffman • Richard Kauffman, Sr. • Jim Kavanaugh • Bill Kelley • Denise Kennedy • Chuck Kerr • Bill Kiefer • Brian Kimball •

David Kinman • Peter Klocki • John Koleszar • Charles Koons • Joseph Krejci • Otto Kuczynski • James Lara • Michael

Lechter • Jorge Leon • Ruben Lerma • Tim Littleton • James Lynch, Jr. • Bob Mallory • Don Martin • Gary Matchinsky •

Karl Matchinsky • Russ McDowell • Steve McGaughey • Angela McHaney • Kelly McMillan • William Meredith •

James Mingus • Matt Minshall • James Mullins • James Mullins • Matt Mullins • Robert Murry DVM • Gregory

Naff • Mark Nicholas • Anthony Nichols • Brandon Nichols • Fletcher Nichols • Logan Nichols • Cookie Nicoson •

Paige Nicoson • Walt Nicoson** • Kathi Nixon • Mark Nixon • David Nygaard • Donna Obert • Douglas Obert, Sr. •

Bob Olds • Martin Paez • Pete Page • Sallie Page • Duane Palmer • Marlin Parker • Don Parks Jr. • Shawn Patterson

• Art Pearce • Paul Piker • Forrest Purdy • Jan Purdy • Jim Renkema • Keith Riefkohl • Mel Risch • Travis Roberts •

Mike Sanders • Rick Schmidt • Tom Schorr • Scott Schuff • Terry Schupp • Bill Shaffer • Howard Shaffer • Steven

Shaffer • William Shaffer, Jr. • Lonzo Shields • Terrence Simons • Charlene Sipe • Robert Spurny • Connor Stainton •

Gregory Stainton • Randy Stalcup • Douglas Stancill • Mark Stephenson • James Stewart • Shane Stewart • Vashti

“Tice” Supplee • Al Swapp • Debbie Swapp • Dan Taylor • Pete Thomas • John Toner • Corey Tunnell • Bill VenRooy

• Rick Vincent, Sr. • Don Walters, Jr. • Bill Wasbotten • Dale Watkins • Jerry Weiers • Dee White • Larry White • Richard

Williams • Matt Windle • Cory Worischeck • Joseph Worischeck • Mark Worischeck • Chuck Youngker • Scott Ziebarth

Wow, summer is almost over and the Arizona Elk Society event calendar is giving the volunteers a break. AES has been very busy this summer with some very successful work projects and our annual Wapiti Weekend kids camp. Look through this issue and see how much we have accomplished this summer. I can’t thank the event volunteers enough, your support is what make this organization strong. Thank You!!

Hunting season has started and the rain is keeping the water tanks full and the grass green. This means wildlife will be doing well. Good luck on your hunts and if you didn’t get drawn please read the article on upping your draw odds.

For the last three years, the AES has been attending meetings about the Mexican Gray Wolf reintroduction – and the news for hunters and wildlife conservationist is getting grim. Groups with anti-hunting agendas are spending large amounts of money suing to open the reintroduction area spread across the state in all the areas that hold elk and mule deer. The Arizona Elk Society will be ramping up its involvement in the fight to protect our elk herds and hunting heritage across the state. We will start having articles in the Tracker to keep you informed about the Wolf issue and a few other issues that are affecting our state, our wildlife and hunting.

Some of the other issues we are

involved in are the new areas slated to become Wilderness: 800,000 acres, the Wild Horse and Burro Act that is trying to let horses and burros herds run free and unmanaged in the west, the threatened banning of lead bullets and sinkers for fishing and the new solar and wind power plants that are slated to be built in wildlife areas disrupting migrations and travel corridors for wildlife.

On this years’ ballot is Propostion 109. This is the state constitutional amendment to give Arizonan’s the Right to Hunt and Fish. Please check out the website www.outdoorheritagearizona.com for information and vote on November 2. Many states have passed similar amendments and the same issue is up for vote in various other states.

Please take a minute and visit our website at www.arizonaelksociety.org to sign up for our email newsletter. There are going to be times that we need all concerned members and sportsmen to respond to these issues and send emails, make phone calls and mail letters. For too long, the sportsmen have been silent and have let the anti-hunting, anti-everything groups run over us because we

didn’t want to get involved.

Help the Arizona Elk Society by becoming a member and mak-ing your voice heard to protect our hunting heritage and elk herds here in Arizona.

4 The Tracker - Summer 2010

presidents’ messAge by Steve Clark

executive boArdPresident ...........................................Steve ClarkVice President ..................................Carl HargisTreasurer................................. Cookie Nicoson Secretary ........................................ Kathi NixonPast President ..............Sharon Eichelberger

You may send a message for any officers, board members or committee chairs to

[email protected]

boArd of directorsTom Schorr

Jim Mullins

Richard Kauffman

Matt Mullins

Greg Naff

Steve McGaughy

Gary Maschner

Mike Norburg

Rick Schmidt

Ken Alexander

committee chAirsBanquet ........................... Sharon Eichelberger

& Cookie Nicoson

Grant Writer ................................Lin Maschner

Membership.........................................Dee Clark

Projects ............................................... Carl Hargis

Newsletter ............................ Maria DelVecchio

Website ..........................................Leo Balthazor

Wapiti Weekend.........................Shelly Hargis

Scholarship ..............................Wendy Norburg


In the Crosshairs: The Hunters Have Become the Hunted

by John Koleszar .................................................................... 7

Slate Lake Grassland Restoration Work Project

by Steve Clark .....................................................................8-9

AES Elk Push Project by Jim Mullins .................................10-11

Steve Clark Named Outstanding Citizen Wildlife Contributor

by Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies

by John Koleszar .............................................................12-13

Increase Your Odds for the Fall Draw

by Johnathan O’Dell, Wildlife Specialist, AZGFD ................14-15

Wapiti Weekend 2010 by Steve Clark ...............................16-19

BB’s Column: “BB” The Philosopher by John Koleszar .......20-21

Patience Pays Off by Will Garrison ...................................22-25

Membership Information ..................................................... 26

Burro Creek Project and 26 Bar Ranch Project

by Steve Clark .................................................................27-28

Braggin’Board ..................................................................... 29

Habitat Partners of Arizona Information .............................. 30

Upcoming Events .................................................................. 32

in this issueAes mission stAtement

The Arizona Elk Society is a non-profit 501(c)(3) wildlife

organization. Our mission is to raise funds to benefit

elk and other wildlife through habitat conservation

and restoration and to preserve our hunting heritage

for present and future generations.

Aes Website

www.arizonaelksociety.org

Azgfd Website

www.azgfd.gov

nAtionAl forest Websites

Tonto - www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto

Apache/Sitgreaves - www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf

Kaibab - www.fs.fed.us/r3/kai/

Coronado - http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coronado

Az sportsmen for Wildlife Website

www.arizonasportsmenforwildlife.org

Most Wapiti Weekend photos by AES photographer Gary Maschner


Netta Gordon Susan K. Vriesekoop

By making a donation to AES in memory of a loved one or friend,

you will help ensure that their memory lives on in helping Arizona’s wildlife and hunting heritage.

In memoriam donations will be recorded in our Tracker newsletter and on the AES website. In memoriam

donations can be made as a special tribute for a birthday, anniversary or in memory of a friend or relative.

In Memory Of:


in the crosshAirs:

the hunters hAve become the hunted

Over the past 25 years, conservation groups have done a tremendous job of raising funds and placing those funds “On the ground”. We have been able to create habitat that is beneficial to not only our specific species but also to all wildlife. For a while, we were able to feel good about what we had done. I too fell into that glow of thinking that we had truly made a difference. Reality, however, is another story. While we were busting our butts for banquets or work projects, another set of folks were going for our throats. The enviro-litigants, with kudos to Mr. DeVos for the term, were planning a course of action much like we do when we set out for a hunt.

Starting with the Center for Biological Diversity, the Defenders of Wildlife, The Sierra Club and many others, we hunters were right in their crosshairs and we never saw them coming. In Arizona, we had the re-introduction of the Mexican Gray wolf. The basis was termed “experimental” and it was to be only 100 Mexican Gray wolves that would be introduced into Arizona. We, the hunting community, did not scream in protest. We did not drag anyone through a court system. We actually participated in being a part of the process, watching what would happen. That same attitude was taken by our northern states, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.

Montana, Wyoming and Idaho are now officially under siege. The Yellowstone elk herd, which had risen to over 19,000 elk in 1996, has now been decimated down to less than 6,500 animals. They had bought in to the re-introduction of the Canadian wolf, but theirs was under the ESA (Endangered Species Act). The enviro-litigants claimed that they wanted to have 300 wolves roaming through those three states. It sounded wonderfully romantic to the naive, hearing the howling of a wolf pack. The hunting community and many of the conservation groups held their breath and took the attitude of “share and share alike” of our wildlife. After all, 300 wolves would never destroy our hunting heritage.

Last year the state of Idaho held their first wolf hunt and official results indicated that by bagging the number of animals that they did, the growth rate of wolves would be at roughly 5%. The trap was finally sprung when the enviro-litigants filed suit again and the wonderful 9th Circuit Court upheld the suit and there will be no hunts in any of those 3 states this year. The latest tally is that there are over 1700 wolves in those three states. That figure is bound to grow

exponentially within the next 3 years. Based on the current decline in elk herds in those three states, it does not take a rocket scientist to understand that big game hunting by man is fast approaching its own extinction.

How does that affect Arizona? Well, the Center For Biological Diversity has approached the USFWS (United States Fish and Wildlife Service) and has petitioned that the Mexican Gray wolf be released into all of its historic range. That would include ALL of Arizona. It would include the whole Rim area as well as the lands north of the Colorado into Utah.

In the meantime, the horse lovers of America have been trying mightily to get the range of the wild mustangs increased so that no horse would ever have to be put down. Thousands of horses have been captured and placed in holding pens. They want them released. They want round-ups that are “gentle”, with no helicopters, no massive herding and no horse destroyed. The House of Representatives passed a bill to that effect last year and it currently sits in the Senate where our last hope of lunacy is on watch.

The National Forests in Arizona are proposing thousands of acres that are currently being utilized by cattle, hunters and other recreation groups be set aside as “wilderness”. The term “wilderness” should strike fear into all of our hearts. While it may sound pristine and magical, it really means that “no trespassing, no conservation work and no utilizing shall occur”.

I hope that you all can see the pattern here. The forces that view hunters as slobs, pathetic and losers have sprung traps all across the country. We are woefully behind in our efforts to uphold the hunting heritage and the future of hunting. If we allow wolves all across the state of Arizona, it will be the absolute death knell of hunting. Sadly, the uninformed public that does not hunt will not become aware of our contributions until it is too late. A long time ago PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) stated that they would not rest until no animal was ever hunted for pleasure. It appears that they may get their wish unless we do something. Again, our opposition knows that we love to hunt, we love to fish, we love to be outdoors. Our opposition loves to hunt as well. They are hunting us to drive us to extinction.

by John Koleszar


slAte lAke grAsslAnd restorAtion

Work projectby Steve Clark


the area in Unit 7E and upper parts of 7W were historically grasslands. In the last 50+ years much of the land has changed to juniper-covered areas that aren’t conducive to wildlife. The land won’t support the type of vegetation that grassland animals such as elk, antelope and deer need to survive, so they leave. The connectivity of the grassland meadows is lost since all the landscape is covered with juniper and jack pines.

This year the Arizona Elk Society planned a work project on May 22 & 23 to clear juniper and jack pine trees from 200 acres and restore the acres back to grassland. We partnered with the Arizona Game and Fish, the Arizona Wildlife Conservationist Committee and the U.S. Forest Service to use this work project as an opportunity to bring many diverse environmental groups together with many AZGFD employees and work together for Conservation.

In the last few years the Babbitt Ranches have mapped many of the meadows and developed a plan to open the grasslands back up and create corridors that had been overgrown. The area we were working in had been identified as an important meadow that had travel and migration corridors at each end. Over the years the junipers and jack pines have taken over. CREC crews were brought in to fell the junipers and small pine trees and the work project crews went through the 200 acres lopping and scattering all the downed trees to restore the grassland. Many grassland species won’t return if the cut trees stayed together on the ground. Also, antelope won’t use the meadows if there is a barrier to their vision. When the project was done you couldn’t tell that there had ever been trees on the 200 acres.

The weather was a hindrance to a nice weekend. We had signed up over 135 volunteers and ended up with 85 hearty souls. Many called in and didn’t come up because of the severity of the wind and possible storms that the wind could have brought. Friday brought 25-35 mph winds, Saturday brought 40-50 mph winds and Sunday brought 50-60 mph winds. The wind didn’t

help with the canopies and it definitely didn’t help in the open meadow where we were working but

the volunteers pulled through and we got the job done.

Thank you to all the volunteers and crew that helped complete this project. The AES

supplied some great meals and took care of all the volunteers. There were many new faces in the AES support staff and the volunteers and we thank you for your dedication and time you put in to help restore meadowlands for Arizona wildlife.


On behalf of the Arizona Elk Society, I was asked to help put together a project to help a ranch owner who had a problem with elk on his property. These elk were overstaying their welcome on the winter range where his ranch and alfalfa fields are located. The rancher had been contacting the AZGFD and their efforts in solving the problem were not very successful. The AES was then asked to help and we proudly stepped up! Matt Windle and I headed up to meet with the rancher and the game warden, Mike Godwin, to familiarize ourselves with the problem, the layout of the land and to formulate an effective plan. Initially, we were told that there were between 400-800 elk in the area but a push conducted by AZGFD with a plane the day before had successfully moved a large portion of the elk to their summer range higher in elevation. We still had close to 200 elk using this lower winter range and the rancher’s fields so the problem

remained and our plan was set. I notified Steve Clark of the plan,

the funds were approved by the board, and Ken Alexander, Mel Kincaid, and Ron Eichelberger

were on their way to help with the project.

Mel and Ron were bringing

several mules and the game warden gave us plenty of non-lethal 12 gauge rounds consisting of bean bags, rubber shot and rubber rockets to help get the job done. My initial plan was to have 5 guys – 2 on mules, 1 on a high glassing point, and 2 on foot for the first 7 days – then it would be just 2 guys on foot for an additional 7 days thereafter. My hope was that the first 7 days would be effective enough that the additional 7 days wouldn’t be necessary and might only be used to make sure the elk had left the area.

The first evening of our project found Matt and I stalking a large herd of about 30 elk. These elk were headed directly at the alfalfa fields but we successfully snuck in position to catch the lead cow. I hit this lead cow with a rubber round just as Matt fired on the 2nd and 3rd cow in line and they took the whole herd West, which was exactly how we wanted it! We chased this herd as far as we could on foot and then sat and watched as the whole herd covered several miles heading towards the higher summer range. Shortly after that, while in the truck and heading back to the ranch we intercepted a small group of bulls that were heading to the fields as well. With the rancher watching from the barn, I jumped out and chased these bulls off. These bulls appeared to have no fear until I peppered them with rubber shot from my 12 gauge. We never did see that herd of bulls again for the next 10 days! I did leave out the

by Jim Mullins


part where while chasing these bulls, I tried to jump over a stream in full stride and only made it half way across. Luckily the rancher didn’t see that part but Matt got a good laugh out of it!

For the next week, our days consisted of Matt and Ken covering the north side of the property, Mel and Ron on the mules riding out from the fields, and me on the highest peak directing the guys by radio. We would push at least one large herd over 4 miles to the west away from the ranch daily. In the evenings we would then line up on the western border of the ranch and hold the elk back that were trying to head east back to the ranch. This constant pressure was effective and we immediately noticed a difference in the number of elk near the ranch. By the end of the first week we realized that we were pushing the same few small groups of elk daily which then would always make it back to the ranch for us to push again the following day. It was around this time that the rancher told us there are usually 100 head of elk that are residents and will spend the entire year on his property. With this new information, I realized we had successfully pushed the elk that had overstayed their welcome but were left with only these resident elk that had no desire to leave their traditional home. It was a losing battle to try and push this residual resident herd and although by the end we only had an average of 20-30 elk within a 2-mile range around the ranch, I felt we had reached the limits of what we could do.

It was on our 10th day, which was Sunday the 23rd, that I decided we’d done all we could do and with the pride of having done a good job, we packed our bags and headed home. The rancher and the game warden were both appreciative – the game warden knowing all too well what challenges we faced and overcame during this project. In the end, it was a great thing for the Arizona Elk Society to step up and help the ranch owner and the AZGFD with this problem. I don’t think this was a permanent fix by any means but it was a good thing to show as an organization we care and want to help out as much as we can with these issues. Thanks to Matt Windle, Mel Kincaid,

Ron Eichelberger and Ken Alexander, you guys are some elk pushin’ machines!


steve clArk nAmed outstAnding

citizen Wildlife contributor by

Western AssociAtion of fish & Wildlife

Agenciesby John Koleszar


This past July, The Arizona Elk Society and specifically Steve Clark, were honored by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA). This group of Wildlife Agencies from 23 western states and Canadian provinces meets on an annual basis. The meeting participants share ideas for the development of programs within all of the agencies and develop new programs for the benefit of wildlife and the hunting heritage. At the meeting’s banquet, a single individual is honored for his or her efforts in wildlife conservation for the previous year. Considering that there are 23 different states and provinces who can all submit names, it is indeed an honor that Steve Clark, President of the Arizona Elk Society was awarded this years’ honor as the Outstanding Citizen Wildlife Contributor. For all of us who have been able to work with Steve over the years, the award is certainly an honor, but also one that is very deserved. I had a chance to catch up with Steve at the annual AES Elk Hunting Seminar and asked his thoughts on the meeting and the award. Steve said, “It was a great honor to receive and I was amazed to walk into the banquet and see the name of the Arizona Elk Society up there on the screen. It told me that we as an organization have come a long way and that the Arizona Elk Society is truly made up of individuals who give of their

time to benefit elk and wildlife. The people were very friendly and made an effort to find out about our group and how we do what we do. The trip to Alaska was of course an awesome part of it and I finally caught my first trout while fly fishing, but the banquet was really great and the way everyone wanted to talk to me was truly a huge honor.” He also commented about something that should strike a chord with all the individuals who work in conservation groups throughout the state. He said, “It is clearly evident that the Arizona Game and Fish Department and Arizona sportsmen’s organizations are taking a lead role in the western United States for hunter retention and recruitment.”

Steve was able to sit in on a roundtable meeting about Hunter Retention and Recruitment efforts and was proud that the AES Wapiti Weekend Event was part of the discussions. As a member of the Board of Directors of the Arizona Elk Society and someone who has sat at many meetings with Steve, I can honestly say that we all thank Steve for his efforts and that this honor is one that he has earned through years of hard work. Congratulations Steve!


Too many times in Arizona we hear “I didn’t get drawn again this year.” There are many things you can do in preparation before you submit your application that can help your odds of being drawn and possibly take an animal. Here are a few things you might consider before you put in this year.

AppLICATIOn REjECTIOn

Many times, people are not drawn and lose all of their bonus points because their application is rejected. A rejection occurs for many reasons. The most common is that the application is not filled out completely. You must ensure that each portion is filled out entirely. Most mistakes involve discrepancies between your Social Security Number and the Department I.D. Number. For some these numbers are the same, but others have chosen for them to be different. In either case, it doesn’t hurt to fill in both numbers even if they are the same. Also be sure to check the correct box for either Non-resident or Resident depending upon your status. Most importantly be absolutely sure you sign your completed application before submitting it.

Another rejection issue that happens quite a bit is incorrect funds. You must have a license in order to be eligible for the draw you’re applying for. On the application there is a section to purchase a license for the draw. Some people forget to add the fee for the correct license when

submitting the application. Be sure to include the correct fee for each hunter needing a license in addition to the total permit fees for the application. If you are putting in for multiple species on different applications the license fee needs to be added to each one and license section filled out every time. You will only be charged once for the license fee then issued a refund for your additional license fees when the draw it processed. This is cumbersome and costly, but it will keep you from being rejected. To make it easier on you and everyone else involved, buy your license before you apply. They can be purchased at any department office, major sporting goods retailers, and now online at our website: http://www.azgfd.gov/eservices/licenses.shtml

One more rejection issue that comes up is insufficient funds when you check is cashed. It can take several days to weeks from the time you submit your application until you check is cashed. Sometimes, you may forget to keep enough available funds in your account to cover your fees. The best way to deal with this is to send your application in with a money order instead of a check. The funds will be guaranteed to be there and out of your account so there will be no worries about how much money is kept in your account.

The best advice I can give you about the application process is to submit your application before the Correction

increAse your odds for the fAll drAW By Johnathan O’Dell

Wildlife Specialist, AZGFD


for me, this noW becomes A bAlAncing Act. do i WAnt to hAve A high

chAnce of getting drAWn And A loW chAnce of get-

ting An AnimAl or A loWer chAnce of getting drAWn

With A good chAnce of tAking An AnimAl?

Period Deadline. This is a fail safe for you in case any of the aforementioned issues are wrong with your application. If something is wrong, a Draw Section employee will attempt to call you 3 times within 24 hours of finding the issue so you can correct the problem and have a valid application in the draw. Sometimes it pays not to procrastinate.

WELCOME TO LAS VEGAS

So you’re ready to play the odds to try and get drawn for a hunt in Arizona? Now is the time for you to do your homework to put some of the odds in your favor before you select you hunt choices. You are going to need a few things to get you started: a copy of the Regulations, a copy (hard copy or electronic version) of Hunt Arizona, some paper, and a pencil.

This next bit of advice is geared more towards the hunter who just wants to get drawn and have a good chance at getting an animal. This won’t help you score the best Unit to hunt in or get a new Boone & Crocket World Record, but it will help improve your odds of getting in the field and possibly filling your freezer.

START by looking up the species you want to chase in the Hunt Arizona book. Specifically what you want to look at is the section with the 5-Year Harvest Data for that species. Unless you’re an accountant or statistician, don’t get overwhelmed by the volume of numbers you see on the page. Start by looking at the column labeled “Draw Odds.” This is the percent of 1st Choice applicants who applied for this hunt as their 1st choice and were drawn for it.

Depending upon the hunt or Unit this can range from less than 1% to 100%. The closer it is to 100%, the better the chances were for getting drawn for this hunt. Highlight all of the hunts with the highest odds that you feel comfortable taking if you apply for it. Since there is up to 5 years of data for each hunt in each unit, you might be able to see a trend of stable, decreasing, or increasing odds of being drawn. This should play a factor into your selection.

nExT, look at the column marked “Hunt Success.” Compare what you’ve already marked in the “Draw Odds” section to what is in this column. This tells you what percent of the hunter who were drawn and went hunting were able to harvest an animal. Again, the higher the percentage, the better the chances were of taking an animal. You can also see trends here as well, but other factors like weather and fire can play a role here. What you see in this column may also change your opinion of an acceptable rate of getting drawn so play around with it a bit until you have a list of Units with comfortable draw odds and comfortable hunt success percentages.

For me, this now becomes a balancing act. Do I want to have a high chance of getting drawn and a low chance of getting an animal or a lower chance of getting drawn with a good chance of taking an animal? My 1st choice always ends up being the best combination of previous hunts with the highest draw odds with the highest hunt success. Trying to find the combination that suits you is a personal choice. You may have other things to consider like timing of the hunt or the distance from your home, but this gives you a way to evaluate what order you can put your choices into. Make sure you properly match up the information in Hunt Arizona with the correct hunts and hunt numbers in the regulations before you fill out your application.

SO ThERE YOU hAVE IT, some tips and techniques from an insider. Hopefully some of you will find this information helpful when applying this fall. Good luck and I hope to see you in the field!

www.azgfd.govwww.azgfd.gov

Hunt information for deer, fall turkey, fall javelina, bighorn sheep, fall Hunt information for deer, fall turkey, fall javelina, bighorn sheep, fall buffalo, fall bear and mountain lion.buffalo, fall bear and mountain lion.To report violators, call the Department’s Operation Game Thief line: (800) 352-0700.

This booklet includes annual regulations for all statewide hunting of big game, This booklet includes annual regulations for all statewide hunting of big game, small game, other huntable wildlife and trapping.small game, other huntable wildlife and trapping.

Use this booklet to apply for the 2010 fall big game drawing. This information Use this booklet to apply for the 2010 fall big game drawing. This information applies to hunting seasons from July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011. applies to hunting seasons from July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011.

Hunt permit application deadline is Tuesday, June 8, 2010 at 7 p.m. MST.Hunt permit application deadline is Tuesday, June 8, 2010 at 7 p.m. MST.

You may purchase Arizona hunting licenses online.You may purchase Arizona hunting licenses online.

The online application service is not available. Only use paper applications. Hunt The online application service is not available. Only use paper applications. Hunt permit applications can be submitted by mail or at any Department office. permit applications can be submitted by mail or at any Department office.

Arizona Game and Fish DepartmentArizona Game and Fish Department

2010-11 Arizona Hunting 2010-11 Arizona Hunting and Trapping Regulationsand Trapping Regulations

Download this guide or purchase your license

at http://www.azgfd.gov/eservices/licenses.shtml

W A P I T I W E E K E N D


W A P I T I W E E K E N D

by Steve Clark

Wapiti Weekend 2010 was again, a rousing success. If you gauged the success by the number of smiles and laughing kids, then it was off the charts.

This year the Arizona Elk Society played host to over 122 kids who were interested in learning and experiencing more about the outdoors and hunting in Arizona. All of our volunteers should be very proud of this years’ camp. Many parents went out of their way to express their thanks for hosting an event that the kids loved.

Wapiti Weekend offers events for kids of all ages. Certified instructors and personable volunteers teach many different events such as: .22 Shooting, Archery, Shotgun Clay Target Shooting, Predator Calling,

Elk Calling, Rock Wall Climbing, Fishing, Antler Scoring, Astronomy, Muzzleloader Shooting, Hunting Ethics and Simulator, Survival Bracelet Making, Wildlife Identification, Animal Track Identification and more.

Shelly, Wendy, Bessa, Sharon, Greg and a host of other volunteers did a great job.

Sharon Eichelberger once again ran the kitchen to feed all the kids, families and volunteers and did a great job. Many thanks go out to Arizona Game and Fish for letting the AES use the Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area. Bruce Sitko and Brian and Brenda Crawford were great hosts and really helped out as they usually do. It sure makes the camp enjoyable when it is held at a place that is maintained to be as nice as Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area.

This year, we had some great sponsors that really stepped up and helped us make the camp special for all the kids. Please take time to thank them while you are shopping in their stores or visiting them.


WApiti Weekend 2 • 0 • 1 • 0


Anton SportApache-Sitgreaves National Forest Alpine RDArizona Desert Star AutomotiveArizona Game and Fish DepartmentAspen Country RealityBass ProBroken Wheel EnterprisesBuckeye Sportsman’s ClubBurke’s Towing and RecoveryByron’s Strings and MoreCabela’sCAM RepairCharlene SipeChasse Building TeamContinental Divide KnivesDesert BowhuntersFour Peaks Landscape Management IncIn Memory of Cody GeiflerIn Memory of Dennis SipeJim LaraKauffman Enterprises LLCKeith and Karen BergerNational Muzzle Loader AssociationNRA

Performance Suspension ComponentsPonderosa OutfittersRon’s TaxidermyRound Valley Shooting SportsSnyder’s of HanoverSportsman’s WarehouseThunderbirds CharitiesWalt Nicoson Original Metal ArtWhiskey Ranch BBQ

Without your help, events such as Wapiti Weekend would not happen. You have been the backbone to all the good

things that the Arizona Elk Society has accomplished. Please take a moment and pat yourself on the back

because you deserve it. Their are so many to name that we can’t even try in case we forget someone. To everyone that took the time to make this years’ event a

success...THANK YOU!!

This year we had many parents come and help out as well as some great young men and women that have

outgrown the event age groups. It was great to see so many new volunteers. It makes the load much easier to handle and it helps everyone relax and have fun.

thAnk you donors And volunteers!


It had been three months since my last encounter with “BB”. I still remember the stunned look in his eyes when we were standing in two feet of snow just south of Springerville. I knew that he would never forget the moment and I decided it would be a bond between us forever. I suspect that “BB” would have been pleased not to have endured the moment, but heck, he has had more than enough fun at my expense.

It was time for the annual fence removal project at Big Lake and I knew that after 5 years we would be tearing down the last of over 35 miles of fences. I have many memories of that area and I looked forward to being at the exact spot where the last of the fencing would be removed. I had gotten a text message from my furry friend that he would be available after the dinner hours in our usual spot. As luck would have it, the last spot was along a ridge that had a severe drop down to and then a long hike into. The team of individuals who helped were all hard working and we rolled the last of the wire well before quitting time. I savored that last mile as I recalled how daunting the task had been when we started. My thoughts then shifted to “BB” and I hoped that the winter had treated him well.

After helping to cook some 75 steaks with John Toner, I said my goodbyes to all and headed out to meet “BB”. The time of day was perfect and true to form “BB” was out and grazing where he said he would

be. After parking the truck, I trudged out into the meadow where “BB” stood with an impatient look in his eyes. “About time boy, I don’t like being out here in the open, so let’s just mosey over to the tree line and chat.” I looked him over carefully and could not help but notice that he again was in fine form. His antlers this year were not overly long, but the mass was just incredible. I also noticed a graying around his muzzle and it prompted me to ask him “Say “BB”, how old are you now?” Without missing a beat, “BB” snapped back, “Old enough to kick some serious butt this year and smart enough to know when and where to pick my battles.” I pondered the statement and decided that meant he was over 5 and under 10…but certainly no spring bull. I laughed at his attitude and said, “Pretty touchy aren’t we these days”. “BB” then softened and laughed. “Hell boy, I can’t let that information out, I have a reputation to consider. I still have enough in me to keep a fine harem of cows through the rut this coming fall and speaking of fall…did you get drawn this year?” I shook my head slowly. “Nope “BB”, “I took a bull this spring after we met up in Springerville. The rules say I can only get one animal per year and so I was pulled from the draw this year.” “BB” got a huge smile on is face “So I have no concerns about running into you with a weapon again?” “Nope” I said. “but I will be out here just helping some friends so make sure you stay far enough away from the hunters.” “BB” thought for a moment and then said “Follow me, I have something I

bb’s column: “bb” the philosopher by John Koleszar


want to show you.”

“BB” led the way deep into a secluded canyon. There at the bottom of the canyon was a group of probably 15 big bulls. To say that they became nervous was an understatement. They started milling around and I had the sense they were getting ready to bolt when “BB” started barking out to them. They calmed down immediately but still gave me their un-divided attention. “BB” looked the whole group over and started talking to me, “Look at these bulls” he said. “ Given good grazing, enough water and areas to hide, this is what nature produces. We keep hearing that down in the cities everyone has their panties in a bunch over native species. We know that long ago our great, great, great grand-bulls were hauled by train from another place way far away. From the beginnings of just 80 elk, look what we have become. You know who we have to thank for that? Humans. Yes, each year you hunt us, and each year with nature cooperating there is just enough food water and hideouts so that we can do the cycle again. Humans play an incredible role in helping us. We see all the fences going down, we see all the improvements in the trees being thinned and we see all the water catchments being placed. Who does all that? Hunters and fishermen, that’s who. I try and explain that to the herds and I think they are beginning to understand that there is only so much land, so much water and so much food available. But I have to tell you boy, we are getting more than a little concerned. We keep reading about these so called environmentalists. They keep shouting and going to this thing called court. They want more horses, more wolves, more lions more birds, more frogs more condors more everything. Then we look at who does all the work out here, who pays for all the improvements and who helps the Arizona Game & Fish Department. It’s hunters and fishermen. Can you tell me why these other groups don’t help us? Can you tell me why every year it is

only you folks who pay for everything?”

I looked down at those big bulls and then I looked at “BB”. “Oh “BB”, I wish that I could explain why humans do what they do. They want everything to be preserved, they want everything to be the way it was over 150 years ago. The sad truth of the matter is that in some ways I think a lot of these people want to do the right thing, but deep down, these groups survive by going to this thing called “court”. They make a boatload of money in doing it and then thump their chests and proclaim that they are protecting the world. I wish I knew how much of our contributions were spent going to court to fight these legal battles. If there were never a lawsuit, they claim we would only have elk, deer and other animals that hunters and fishermen consume. We know that is not true, but sooner or later we will have to go to this court thing as well. Always remember “BB”, the projects that you see, the life you enjoy all are here because of hunters and fishermen. Maybe some day we will see these other groups contributing money for projects on the ground, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.”

“BB” and I then walked back out of the canyon. He gracefully climbed the hill in his long churning strides. I struggled and had to stop every 50 yards to catch my breath. At the crest of the canyon he grinned at my panting. “I’m heading back to the group boy, you’d better get in better shape than that for the fall. Thank your fellow hunters and fishermen for me. We may not be native, but you sure have taken care of us. Maybe you should tell folks to start hunting these creatures they go to this court thing for. Since conservationists have become part of the world, anything you hunt just keeps increasing in population. Maybe there is something to that?” Once again the logic of “BB” could not be denied. I stared at his retreat and started laughing. Somehow I could not envision a leopard frog tag…but who knows?

22 The Tracker -Summer 2010

The first several years it was somewhat painless to get the “pink slip” in the mail, knowing I was gaining bonus points and increasing my chances for the next year. As time went by my luck with other species was good, two Strip Mule Deer tags, an Antelope tag and even a Desert Bighorn Sheep tag. As my business grew I was also able too add three more sheep to complete my grand slam along with everything in North America and still no elk tag. After ten years of waiting I went on two safaris, hunted the Polar Ice Pack, and made a dozen trips to Old Mexico chasing Mule Deer, yet still no elk tag.

Every year when it came time to apply I had to do some

serious soul searching and stick to my commitment and rely on a virtue that sometimes I doubted, patience. For years I wouldn’t book anything in September just in case it was “my year”. After thirteen years I just couldn’t spend another September without hunting, so I booked a hunt each year making sure to block out elk season, just in case. Knowing I would be limited to time I could spend scouting, I began to talk to several outfitters and almost all concentrated on the same units, so I continued to apply as my patience stretch thin.

After sixteen years with eighteen bonus points I changed my second choice on the advice of a long time friend. At

p A t i e n c e

p A y s o f f

by Will Garrison

The older I get and the more hunting experience I gain, one thing is very clear – patience is as important as any attribute or gear a hunter needs. This is especially true in Arizona, where I have lived and hunted my entire life. Our state is blessed with a quality of big game animals, second to none; largely due to the draw system that was instituted decades ago. Any species of big game in Arizona has more than its share of trophy book entries, with the elk leading the way. Unfortunately, the system is a two edge sword; it can take years to earn enough bonus points to finally land a coveted firearm trophy bull elk tag that places you in the field at the peak of the rut. In 1993 I drew a firearms elk tag and killed a respectable 330 bull, on a late hunt that had relatively favorable odds at getting drawn. At the conclusion of this hunt, I committed to holding out as long as it took to draw a trophy tag.


his advice it finally happened; it was my time and I was drawn! Very quickly I realized I had an issue, I had booked a grizzly hunt in British Columbia that concluded two days before the hunt in Arizona started. I had to have complete confidence in my outfitter as the earliest I could arrive in camp would be the night before the season opened. I considered delaying my grizzly hunt with Darwin Carey of Scoop Lake Outfitters, who graciously offered to move me back to his next opening which wasn’t until 2011. As it worked out not only had I gained what I felt was a good deal of patience in my hunting career I had also earned a respect for planning; not only the ability to plan, but the ability to execute that plan.

I knew several years prior to getting drawn that my outfitter needed to share these attributes and had made my choice of outfitters on not only ability and planning but on results. The icing on the cake was that I had known my outfitter for over forty years; he grew up several doors down from me and was the older brother of my childhood sweetheart and he was the first person I ever elk hunted with. Back then it was an over-the-counter archery tag and two teenagers running around the woods. Now it was his three sons and who I would bet sixteen years of waiting that the next youngest Tom Mullins would be my guide.

It was a long summer waiting for the season, but the more I discussed it with the Mullins brothers the better I felt. A respectable amount of spring rainfall got the growing season off to a great start, but this would soon wane and by the time I was getting ready to leave for British Columbia the unit had dried up considerably and it was obvious we had out work cut out for us. I spent some time in August at their base camp and tagged along on several scouting trips. With each day in camp my confidence in

my selection of outfitters grew as they demonstrated not only knowledge but a dedication to their task at hand and the energy at which they pursued it was impressive. Soon it was time to head to British Columbia for twelve days as I tried to put the elk hunt out of my mind as much as I could. I soon found that it wasn’t going to happen and spent every night in camp with my thought twelve hundred miles south. The hunt worked out great with a B & C bear and as I sat at the float plane dock waiting for my plane it hit me like a brick; after sixteen years it was time to put up or shut up.

Elk season was two days away, I truly felt like throwing up. It seemed like a year but forty-six hours later my hunter partner of many years, Jim Hemm and I were headed north. We pulled into camp and the light hearted atmosphere I had felt three weeks prior was at best subdued. It had been very hot and dry and the rut was limited at best. The week prior both Tom Mullins and two other guides Brian Waitman and Manny Madrid had been covering the unit and very little activity was taking place during daylight hours. The combination of hunter pressure and the weather meant the only activity was right as the sun set and right after it rose; a couple hours at best. My window of opportunity was narrowing with no change in weather in sight. We had decided during the planning stages of this hunt that the goal was the same of most trophy elk hunters, a bull passing the 400 mark. Before we got the truck unloaded I had to ask, have you seen a 400 bull? The look on their face was the answer; we had our work cut out.

I soon realized my visions of bugling elk and being able to look at lots of bulls everyday wasn’t going to happen. The first several days were mentally grueling, although we located numerous bulls, some that would be prize in any other hunt; they were nothing close to my dream of a 400 bull. Every night I though about what if a 350 or 360 bull gives me an opportunity? And every night I relied on my choice of outfitter and the most important virtue patience. I had always told myself if a true Boone and Crockett elk presented itself I had no choice but to take him. I’ve heard numerous campfire tales of people who insisted they passed book animals, but I never truly believed it. If any of the tales were true I truly admire them, but find them foolish.

It was day six and we got out long before daylight in hopes of hearing a bugling bull and chasing him down. We had been out several hours and not a sound; we had two

As the bull was moving away brian abandoned the cow call and when the elk got

in a clearing brian yelled, “hey bull” at the top of his

lungs.


days left and no action to speak of. We decided to move several miles and look at a different area. On the way while traversing down a small trail we moved along the base of some large cinder cones when outside my window a bull bugled and he wasn’t a hundred yards off the road in some thick cedars. We stopped and bailed out and moved into the tree line about twenty-five yards and got set up for a shot. This area was extremely thick and I knew it was going to happen fast. Before I could get all the way into position Brian started to cow call while Tommie took his position behind me. Immediately the bull bugled and started to work towards us. In less than a minute a cow broke through the brush line with the bull right behind her. Tommie whispered “no go” and as the bull showed himself completely, I concurred as we let him get back in the brush at about 75 yards. I looked over my shoulder and asked Tommie “300?”, he said “maybe but not much more”. I took a deep breath and thought to myself time is getting short with the end of the season only two days away.

Before we could get back to the truck 25 yards away, the bull bugled and was answered by another bull going up the ridge through the brush away from us. After his first bugle it was obvious that this was a much more mature bull with a deep hoarse moan to his voice. Before we could even pick him out of the brush both guides took off in a dead run in his direction to try and get a look. When I caught up with them they both had their glasses up and were taking apart the hillside. As I sat down and took a shooting position I heard the words I had been waiting sixteen years for. Brian looked at me and said “shooter” almost instantly I heard Tommie say “about 340”. For the first time in many days my guides had a difference of opinion. When I heard Brian cow call again I caught movement up above us and the bull stopped. As I found the bull in my scope, I expected a bull in the 340 class to be in scope. He was partially hidden behind a cedar tree but was moving into a clearing. When he got clear Brian called again and stopped him cold. Although I still didn’t have a clear shot because his head was down, I was relieved that I still seemed to have my composure, felt good and steady and was ready to close the deal.

Then the bull went to pick his head up and as the sun picked up his rack it filled my scope and I proceeded to melt down. I was expecting a 340 class bull and what I saw took my breath away. As I squeezed the trigger I felt my composure completely leave and a real bad feeling come

over me. The rifle came off its rest and the shot wasn’t even close! For over a week our entire team was always composed, all seemed calm in all situations and always in control of the excitement level. In a few short minutes all hell broke loose as the bull started away as I racked another round in and yelled at Tommie “340, my ass”. He screamed back “he’s 340 yards away” and a giant! As the bull was moving away Brian abandoned the cow call and when the elk got in a clearing Brian yelled, “Hey bull” at the top of his lungs. I was amazed, the bull stopped for a few seconds and I squeezed again and this time I heard the unmistakable sound the 300 Ultra makes on impact. The bull stepped back in the brush and disappeared. No brush breaking, no bugle, just silence. I whispered to Brian, “What the heck? Hey bull?” he replied “the bull barely stopped twice for a cow call so probably wouldn’t work a third time and it’s all I could think of.”

I stayed on the rifle for about ten minutes while the guides picked the hillside apart. I looked at both of them and they both had the same question, “did you make a good hit?” In an agitated tone I replied “I missed him the first shot by five feet, hit him the second, but just couldn’t tell how good.” By the sound of the impact I had hit him in the body cavity, but I wasn’t sure where as he moved into the brush fairly effortlessly and then disappeared. We decided to give him some time so we set up glassing the hillside, hoping to catch him. Every minute or two without their eyes leaving their glasses my guides asked the question “was it a good hit?” After the tenth time the question was asked in the span of about fifteen minutes I offered to shoot a guide if I was asked again. Silence overcame our group for the next thirty minutes. At the one hour mark we packed up and moved up the hill to see for ourselves.

A thorough inspection of the area showed no signs of blood and I felt like crawling under a rock. We marked

my sixteen years of

waiting had paid off...


the spot and started circling, moving away from the spot we thought he was standing when I took the shot. About twenty-five yards away I found pool of blood about the size of a paper plate and called for Tommie and Brian. They agreed the bull had stopped there after being hit then turned uphill and started to climb. Although the blood pool gave us a temporary relief, the fact that he was moving uphill quickly erased that. Between the Cinders and the Pine needles the track was faint but Tommie worked it up the hill on all fours taking almost thirty minutes to move forty yards. I saw him drop to the ground, put his face down and crawl back down a small rise to waive me up. When I got to him, he whispered “right over the rise in a clump of trees.”As I crawled up to the rise to get a good look, there he was leaning up against a pine tree with blood running down the tree. A finishing shot and my bull was on the ground.

For the first time in a week I felt a calmer sensation set in and I began to laugh out loud. As I grabbed his rack and turned it–I couldn’t believe what I had my hands on. I don’t profess myself to be an expert but this bull had to be 400, and just magnificent; a classic main frame six by six with

long points and a couple extras. I was quite surprised as the guides stayed below me at a distance and just watched. I finally asked what was up and Brian replied “Just giving you a minute, you deserve it after as long as you waited.” I couldn’t get either one to give me the thumbs up on him being a 400, but I could tell by their smiles that they were thinking it. We called for help to get him packed out and the rest of our team was soon there.

I haven’t mentioned my most dedicated hunting partner who had to stay in camp on this hunt, my yellow lab “Colt”. He goes everywhere with me and needed to be left in camp just in case we had a bull in close. He has spent hundreds of hours sitting beneath my tri pod, hiking or hanging on to the back of a quad. As the rest of our team got to the bottom of the hill I called him and in a matter of minutes he was at my side and “sizing up” the bull that was lying on the ground. His excitement equaled my own and when Tommie asked what should we call this bull, it was obvious, “Colt’s Bull”, –“CB” for short! Back at camp we confirmed our guess that the bull was in excess of 400, at last patience paid off! My sixteen years of waiting had paid off with a true Boone

and Crockett bull on public land, what I considered to be one of the most sought after trophies in North America. I can’t say enough about the organization, planning and effort my guides delivered. CB is the sixth public land bull in excess of 400 they had taken in three years!

The only regret I have is that I couldn’t share this moment with the love of my life, my wife of 28 years Frances who passed away two years before. Some wives tolerate their husbands hunting; Frances always encouraged it and would accompany me anywhere I wanted to go. The rest of you may not see it but in every picture, that’s her head Colt’s head is resting on.


ARIZOnA ELK SOCIETY nEW MEMBERShIp OR REnEWALS

The Arizona Elk Society truly appreciates your support as we strive to improve the elk population, wildlife habitat and our hunting heritage. As a member of this great organization, you have been instrumental in helping us achieve our successes. None of this could have been accomplished without your membership. Please continue to help us in our quest.

In nine years, the Arizona Elk Society has funded 224 projects, helped restore 182,000 acres for wildlife and affected over 200,000 acres.

We need your membership to continue our mission. Please take the time and renew today. On-line renewal available at our website: www.arizonaelksociety.org I guarantee this is the best action you can take to ensure the future for AZ elk, their habitat and our hunting heritage.

Steve Clark - President

Host youth programs such as:

• Wapiti Weekend - a camp designed to introduce children to the outdoors, wildlife and hunting

• Junior Elk Camps - camps designed to assist the youth during junior elk hunts

• Elk Hunting Clinics - designed to teach elk hunting basics for successful hunts

Host work projects such as:

• Burro Creek - fence removal project

• Adopt-a-Ranch

• Buck Springs - fence removal project

Fund habitat improvement projects such as:

• Pinon/juniper thinning

• Water tank & pipe line constructions

• Controlled burns & Grass land restoration and more...

Retire grazing allotments to insure wildlife habitat such as:

• Burro Creek Allotment - over 26,000 acres

• Big Lake Allotment - 4,500 acres

• Buck Springs - 73,000 acres

Membership in the Arizona Elk Society has enabled us to:

This past June was time for the Arizona Elk Society annual Burro Creek Work Project. In the past couple of years, we have combined the Burro Creek project with our annual Adopt-a-Ranch Project. The AES adopt-a-ranch is the 26 Bar Ranch out of Eagar, Arizona. For the Burro Creek project, the U.S. Forest Service Springerville District had identified the last four miles of fencing that needed to be removed on the Burro Creek Allotment. In 2005, the Arizona Elk Society agreed to remove unneeded fencing in the forest around Big Lake which was on the Burro Creek Allotment that the AES had facilitated retiring for wildlife and recreation. In five years, we have removed almost 40 miles of fencing.


This years’ project was some of the roughest areaswe have had to work in, but it feels great knowing that

we have accomplished so much. The fence removal teams did a fantastic job on Saturday removing the old fencing. This completed our 39-40 miles that we had committed to.

This year, we had about 80 volunteers. We split up into teams to take care of the fencing that needed to be removed and to work on 7 miles of riparian area fencing in need of repair. Every year, the weight of the snow in this area, and this year was one of the worst, collapses fencing that is designed to keep cattle out of the riparian areas.

Along with the fencing, we had a team that worked on a 20,000 gallon water storage tank for the 26 Bar Ranch. This tank had many holes and rusty spots where the water would leak out. This is the third tank we had done and we are becoming experts at epoxying water tanks. The process to fix these tanks involved mucking out about 12 inches of muck bucket-by-bucket, cleaning the tank inside, drying the tank and grinding

burro creek project And 26 bAr rAnch project by Steve Clark

all the rust off inside and out. After that, we applied two coats of sealing epoxy, replaced the troughs and cleaned up. By repairing the tanks in this fashion, we prolong the life of the tanks for many years and save the ranchers thousands of dollars as well as provide volunteer labor for the job. All the water is available to wildlife throughout the year.

As always, we had a great group of volunteers that manned the camp and kitchen to provide first-class meals for all the volunteers. One thing about an Arizona Elk Society work project is that you won’t go away hungry. Saturday night we were treated to some of the best steaks we have ever had.

The Arizona Elk Society would like to express our thanks to the Arizona Game and Fish Department, 26 Bar Ranch staff and the U.S. Forest Service for all their cooperation in this project and all the projects we do. At our work camps, the cooperators are great to work with. It was

nice this year to have Les Bell from AZGFD in camp. Les is the volunteer coordinator and it was great to see him working along-side the volunteers.

Thank you to all the cooperators and volunteers. You are the best. We have accomplished a ton of work in the White Mountain projects over the years and most of you have been there since the beginning. This year, as always, brought many new faces and we appreciate all your support and help. I don’t want to forget the cooks that fed everyone, thank you. Special thanks need to go out to Tom Schorr the AES Project Planning Coordinator. Tom is the one that plans our projects and organizes the volunteers prior to the work day. Thanks for all your hard work Tom.

Vicente from the Forest Service tells me that he has some new ideas for the work projects up there and we can’t wait to see what he is planning. He doesn’t want us to know about them until it is too late to back out.



brAggin’ boArd

Steve Clark with

his largest Silver

Salmon he caught

in Alaska.

Show it off – send your submissions to Steve Clark at [email protected].

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MAC-692 Arizona Elk Society 7.5x4.75:MAC-692 Arizona Elk Society 6/12/09 11:18 AM Page 1

John Toner of Continental Divide Knives, has agreed to make a custom knife for every new member that joins as a Life Member or current member that upgrades their membership to Life Member! John is known world-wide for his custom knife making. The knife pictured here is the style of knife that you will receive. Life Memberships are very affordable at $750. There is a payment plan available. You will also receive a Life Member Jacket and an AES Hat. If you are interested in becoming a Life Member, please go to the website, at www.arizonaelksociety.org, to download the membership form or call Dee Clark at (623) 594-7074. You can also join through our new online store.

l i f e m e m b e r i n c e n t i v e


Walt and Cookie Nicoson Royal Partner

Steve and Dee Clark Sponsor Partner

Ron and Sharon Eichelberger Sponsor Partner

Bass Pro Shops Sponsor Partner

AES Habitat Partners

Cabela’s Sponsor Partner

Sharon and John Stuckey Supporting Partner

Sportsman’s Warehouse Sponsor Partner

Harry Carlson Imperial Partner

Pacific West Representatives Sponsor Partner

With the rapid loss of open space to development, wildlife habitat is being reduced at a rate of 7 square miles per day. Arizona’s elk herds are loosing traditional migration corridors, calving grounds, forage meadows and other important habitat. The new “Habitat Partners of Arizona” program is designed to help protect that land. The main focus of this program will be to preserve land and prevent the rapid decline of Arizona’s elk habitat.

hERE’S hOW YOU CAn hELp: Become a Habitat Partner with your tax deductible donation starting at $2500 ($1000 for 17 and under).

payment plan Available: $500 minimum commitment per year. You will be recognized for a donation level once your payments reach that level for each level you attain.

All program participants that reach the $2500 level and above ($1000 for youth) will be recognized in literature and on the AES website and will receive a plaque at each level.

If you are interested in donating property or a conservation easement, the AES will work with you to designate the appropriate level based on the value of the donation.

DOnATIOn LEVELS:Legacy Partner $500,000Habitat Guardian $250,000Monarch Partner $50,000Imperial Partner $25,000Royal Partner $10,000Supporting Partner $5,000Sponsor Partner $2,500Spike Partner (17 & under) $1,000

FOR MORE InFO AnD TO DOnATE:

You can find more details and the donation form at www.arizonaelksociety.org. Click the link on the left side of the home page.

Habitat Partners of Arizona

Founding Associate MembersDouglas Sr & Donna ObertFounding Life Members

Ken Alexander+ Michael J Anderson Ernest Apodaca, Jr+

David Baril+ Randy BeckKeith Berger

Esther CadzowJohn CadzowHarry Carlson

Randy A Cherington+ Pete Cimellaro

Steve Clark Todd A Coleman

Richard CurrieDon DavidsonKay Davidson

Larry DaySharon Eichelberger

Ron EichelbergerPeter EkholmDaron Evans

Will & Fran Garrison*Ed Hightower

Michael Horstman+James JohnsonEarl C Johnson

Edward E Johnson Richard Johnson+

Mitchell JonesSandra G Kauffman

Richard E Kauffman, SrBill Kelley

Peter S Klocki+John Koleszar+

James LaraTim Littleton

James Lynch Jr+Don Martin

Russ McDowellWilliam D Meredith

Anthony NicholsCookie NicosonWalt Nicoson*

Mark NixonDonna Obert

Douglas Obert, SrShawn Patterson

Jan PurdyForrest Purdy

Mark Raby Mel Risch+Tom Schorr

Gregory StaintonDouglas Stancill

Vashti “Tice” Supplee+Dan TaylorJohn Toner

Corey TunnellRick Vincent, SrDon Walters, Jr

Dee White

Larry White+Mark Worischeck

Joseph WorischeckChuck Youngker

Founding Sustaining Members Everett & Joyce Nicoson

Founding Couple MembersBridgid & Ron Anderson John & Patty AndersonDenny* & Paula Bailey

Robert F & Shirley J BanksJohn & Taina Beaty

Robin & Billie BechtelBrad & Shelley Borden

Philip* & Jamie Brogdon+ Mark & Shanna BrooksShawn & Lisa Carnahan

Kim & Lynn Carter, SrDanny R Cline & Pat Thompson

Tim & Patti GarvinW Hays & Suzanne Gilstrap

Don & Gwen Grady Steve & Bobi Hahn

Igor & Christy IvanoffDaniel & Danny Johnson

Glen & Tracey JonesRichard & Wendy Kauffman

Bill & Mary KeeblerMark & Lynda KesslerMel & Diane Kincaid

Richard & Christine KrantzDick & Nancy Krause

Eric & Wendy KruegerRon & Lisa Lopez+

Gary & Lin Maschner Shane & Tiffany May

Kevin & Donna McBeeRoger & Micaela Mellen

Denny & Pat MossRobert & Diana Noel

Richard Oberson & Bonnie McAuley* William & Vera Rezzonico

Clarence Rodriquez MDRichard & Anna Schmidt

David Scott & Rosemarie NelsonBruce & Lisa Snider

Macey & Becky StarlingEd & Ace Stevens

Tim & Ellena Tanner Craig & Susan ThatcherTom & Kristel Thatcher

Marvin & Margo Thompson+Keith & Lois Zimmerman

Founding General MembersKendall Adair

Gary R AndersonJim Andrysiak

Denny AshbaughRon Barclay

Cal BauerJohn F BauermeisterRobert BaughmanManny Bercovich

Dr Tom Boggess, III Tom BrownTom Carroll

Steve CheuvrontCarolyn Colangelo

Mike CupellJack Daggett

Kyle Daggett+Bob Davies

Gary A DavisNathan Day

John W Decker*Chris Denham

Neal E DialCraig Dunlap

Jennifer EvansBobby Fite

Chris FlandersLorenzo A Flores

Roger GibsonCourtney Gilstrap

Floyd Green Jon Hanna

Douglas HartzlerArt HathawayDean Hofman

David J HofmanNorma E Hook*

Russ HunterDavid Hussey Rick JohnsonMike JonesDoug JonesTodd Julian

Charlie KellyCharles A Kerns

John Krause Joseph M Lane

Robby LongAaron Lowry

Rick MacDonaldJoe Makaus

Daniel MartinMichael L MasonMike McCormickDonald Meakin

James O MeeksJason Mercier

Jim MercierTracey Miner

Ken MossRonald J Nadzieja

Mike N OliverCraig Pearson

Kenneth B Piggott Bethena PughCarlos QuihuisRobert L Read

Neal Reidhead*Kyle SanfordCraig SanfordTony Seddon

Arnold SheltonDennis Shipp

Tom SiscoBruce Sitko

M Scott SouthCarl Staley

Randy StoutKenneth K Stringer

John W Stuckey Dave Swayzee* Troy TartaglioGary TeBeest

Todd ThelanderCharles B Thompson

Stan ThompsonThom Tokash

Brian Van KilsdonkRick Vaughn

Kathy L VincentRick Vincent II Don R Walker

Douglas WatsonVince WattsTodd Weber

Donald D Weber Jr Tom Wooden

Douglas Woodward

Founding Junior MembersTyler GetzwillerKevin H Knight

Daniel RabyNathan RabyJames Rawls

Sheena SmithBlake Tartaglio

Alexandra TartaglioAlexis TartaglioTravis Thatcher

Clayton Thatcher Nathan ThatcherWayne ThatcherTaylor Thatcher

Alexandra Vincent Emma C Vincent Justin M Vincent

Prior to March 17, 2002, AES Founding Memberships were available. These individuals and couples came forth to show their support for the AES in it’s early stages of development. During the formation

of the AES, administrative funds were needed to pay for organizational costs that led up to the first fundraising banquet on March 16, 2002. Founding Members paid a premium membership fee to help make the first year a success. For their support and dedication, the following Founding Members will

receive permanent recognition by the AES.

+ Membership upgraded * Deceased

ArizonA elk society founding members

Arizona Elk Society p.O.Box 190, peoria, AZ 85380

ChAnGE SERVICES REQUESTED

NON-PROFITUS POSTAGE

PAIDPhoenix, AZ

Permit No. 5572

2001 - 2010

oct 4 oct 7-10

Aes board meeting6:30 pm

performance suspension components

unit 6A junior elk camp

happy jack lodge & rv

meet eloy the elkAES has published a children’s book, Eloy the Elk and His Desert Friends, written by Terry Clapp and illustrated by Rikki Drotar. The book is dedicated to all children, the the magnificent elk of Arizona and to the memory of Walt Nicoson, Arizona Elk Society’s “Man of Steel”. All proceeds from the sale of this book will be used to expand the Youth Programs of the Arizona Elk Society by implementing special programs for youth education regarding conservation, hunting and outdoor activities.

Eloy the Elk and His Desert Friends is $9.95 and is available in the online store at www.arizonaelksociety.org and at events.

Documents

Tracker Summer 2010