How would you like to have your pick of the elk units, and elk hunts for the upcoming fall season and be able to hunt from September through December?

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is selling raffle tickets for a special 2001 elk tag, which can be used in all legal hunting units throughout the state, except on tribal lands, from September 1 through December 31.

All proceeds from the special tag raffle go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department to be used for elk management.

The raffle tickets are $20 each or six for $100. The raffle drawing is August 11, and is open to residents and nonresidents alike. The raffle winner will receive all tags, permits and licenses needed, plus a shoulder mount. For raffle tickets or additional information, call or write Cookie Nicoson at (602) 237-2352. Mail can be addressed to 3940 W. Ceton Drive, Laveen, AZ 85339; or E-mail arizonaelktag@aol.com.


Idaho — Win Big Bucks $$$

Hunters who apply early for this fall's controlled hunts for deer, elk, black bear and antelope can get big bucks in two ways: draw a tag and hunt one in the field, or be the lucky winner of a drawing worth $600 or $400.

The applications are accepted during the whole month of May, but only those received by May 10 will be entered in the $600 drawing to be held May 14. The next deadline is May 20 for the $400 drawing to be held May 25. The drawing is sponsored by the Idaho Fish and Wildlife Foundation and funded by GTECH Corporation. By encouraging the early application process, the Foundation and GTECH hope to prevent overload on the computer terminals at license vendors in the final days of the application period.

If this idea sounds familiar, it is because a similar deal was offered in 1998. The drawing proved popular with hunters that year.

Applicants for controlled hunts may still use the mail-in procedure but most will find it more convenient to drop by any one of about 430 private license vendors where their application will be entered on the Point of Sale computer system. They can also apply in person at Fish and Game offices. Many residents, as well as nonresidents, prefer to use a credit card and call in their application (1-800-554-8685) or use the Department's website. Either adds a transaction fee of three percent of the transaction, plus $3.50 in order to pay the contractor who processes the telephone and internet applications.

Applications for controlled hunts must be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of $6.50. Fish and Game accepts personal checks.

All applications must be received or postmarked no later than May 31. The drawing for controlled hunts is conducted by computer and all successful applicants are notified by mail following the drawing. Applicants who cannot wait for their notice can call 1-900-896-3729 from July 10 through July 31 (this is a pay-per-minute call) or check the Department website at www2.state.id.us/fishgame. Information on the drawing can be found in the controlled hunt information section of the 2001 big game seasons booklet.


Utah — March 30 Deadline for Dedicated Hunter Program

Three more education courses are being offered for buck deer hunters interested in joining Utah's Dedicated Hunter program.

Hunters who have already completed the course are reminded that their fees to join the program are due soon.

Courses will be held at the following locations:
• March 26 at 7 p.m.
Provo City Council Chambers
350 W. Center
Provo
• March 28 at 7 p.m.
Department of Natural Resources Auditorium
1594 w. North Temple
Salt Lake City
• March 29 at 7 p.m.
Logan Municipal Council Room
255 N. Main
Logan

Courses have been taught throughout the state over the past few months. Hunters are reminded that they must attend a course, and pay their registration fees no later than March 30.

The exception is in southwest Utah, where the Division of Wildlife Resources' office in Cedar City will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 31. The office will also be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 24, and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 26 - 30. The Cedar City office will be open extended hours because interest in joining the Dedicated Hunter program is greatest in that part of the state.

All other Division of Wildlife Resources offices are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays with the exception of the Salt Lake City office, which opens at 7:30 a.m.

"The Dedicated Hunter program was started in 1995 to allow buck deer hunters more chances to hunt, in return for volunteer work that benefits Utah's wildlife," said Jo Proctor, coordinator of volunteers for the Division of Wildlife Resources.

Hunters who join the program are allowed to hunt all three general buck deer seasons (archery, muzzleloader and rifle) in the general season region of their choice. Hunters join the program for a three-year period and may not take more than two buck deer during that time. The two buck deer may not be taken in the same year.

To join the program, hunters must pay the following fees, which include their buck deer permit each year:

Resident: Adult $180; Youth $105
Lifetime License Holders: Adult $75; Youth $37.50
Nonresident: Adult $867; Youth $634

Dedicated hunters also must do the following:

• provide 8 hours of volunteer service each year they're in the program;
• attend one Regional Advisory Council meeting during the three-year period;
• attend an education course before joining the program and then attend an additional course before completing the program. The education course explains the program in detail and teaches hunter ethics and wildlife management principles.

More information about the Dedicated Hunter program is available on pages 24 - 27 of the 2001 Utah Big Game Proclamation. Those with questions may also call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the Division's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700. Information also is available at the Dedicated Hunter portion of the Division's Internet web site (www.nr.state.ut.us/dwr/dwr.htm).


Idaho — Spring Pheasant Planting Begins

Fish and Game personnel are busy planting ringnecks while private trappers remove predators in selected areas across southern Idaho.

On March 15 and 16, 450 game farm hens and 100 roosters were released at C.J. Strike Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and on private property in Minidoka and Cassia counties. Releases included 25 radio-collared hens to help track survival of stocked pheasants where predators are being controlled.

Similar stocking efforts will be made at Mud Lake WMA and on private lands in Jefferson County at the end of March. Crews will also plant from 100-200 wild pheasants this spring but that effort depends on trapping success in California, where weather has been a problem. Wild pheasants will be stocked evenly at the four release sites and also monitored by radio telemetry.

Predator trapping will be carried out at these spring pheasant stocking locations as well as at WMAs where waterfowl and wild upland game birds nest.

Trapping has been underway on five Wildlife Management Areas since February 1. Trapping will take place on seven more WMAs as well as private land adjacent to spring stocking areas. Private trappers have been hired by Fish and Game to remove predators from these areas over the next several months.

Trapping so far has removed 193 predators from WMAs including 33 fox, 44 skunks, 16 coyotes, 33 raccoons, 31 mink, two bobcats, eight magpies and two porcupines.

In addition to spring stocking, game farm pheasants were planted during the fall hunting season at eight WMAs. Pheasant hunters on those WMAs were charged a $21.50 fee last fall. That fee allowed a take of six birds. Hunters were allowed to pay the fee and take six birds as many times as they wished.

Nearly 12,500 roosters were released at these WMAs last fall. In addition, 1,500 roosters were released in the Magic Valley on public lands that did not require a WMA pheasant permit. A follow-up survey revealed that the average cost per rooster bagged at $18.18 last fall. This is the cost of the pheasants divided by the number actually harvested. An estimated 2,833 hunters took 6,776 pheasants. The WMA program provided 13,723 days of hunting and is expected to continue at this level again this fall.

The overall cost and associated benefits of the stocking program will be compiled at the end of the nesting season. This information will be provided to the Joint Finance Committee of the Idaho legislature, the body that instructed the Department to implement spring pheasant stocking with predator removal and to increase the fall stocking program to its current level.


Montana — Living with Wildlife Seminars

Increasing encounters with wildlife are inevitable as urban areas expand and rural areas become more populated. But an encounter doesn't have to end as a conflict. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is sponsoring a series of seminars to help reduce conflicts with wildlife.

The "Living With Wildlife" seminars will feature panels of local experts talking about the types of human/wildlife conflicts that can occur and how to avoid them. Panel members will include local wildlife biologists, game wardens, horticulturists, nurserymen, and animal control officers. After an overview and remarks from each panelist, there will be a question and discussion period.

All seminars will be 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.:

Bozeman, March 28, City Hall Municipal Building, 411 E. Main St.

Billings, March 29, FWP Region 5 Office, 2300 Lake Elmo Drive.

Helena, April 26, Lewis & Clark Library, 120 S. Last Chance Gulch.