Prairie Dogs in Az

[claiborne]

Living in Tucson can anyone tell me the nearest place to go shoot some dogs?

 

[armoredman]

Only place I've found dogs is at the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum, over by Old Tucson, (if you're new to the state, please visit it - you will learn more in 4 hours about the desert than you ever knew before), but I don't think there are any down in the Tucson area.
According to AZ Game and Fish, P-dog isn't listed as a viable small game animal, and seen only in the northern part of the state.
http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/nongameandendangeredwildlifeprogram/Black-tailedPrairieDog.shtml

 

[armoredman]

Whoops, I missed one - the Gunnisons' Prairie Dogs are classified as a furbearing mammal, and may be taken during an "open season". Those are found in the northern part of the state.

http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/furbearer_species.shtml

 

[yotehunter1983]

Yep they sure are fun to shoot up in northern AZ

 

[sixgunner455]

Gunnison's are listed as a nongame animal, not a furbearer, but there is a season on them, as there is on Coati.

 

[armoredman]

Hmmm, they are listed as furbearers, and as game animals with a season...

 

[sixgunner455]

No, they're not. The link you posted from the AZ Game and Fish states that quite clearly:

Fur-bearing mammals are defined as muskrats, raccoons, otters, weasels, bobcats, beavers, badgers, and ringtails. Of these, only the bobcat is also considered a predatory animal. All mammals not classified as game mammals, predatory animals, or furbearers are considered "nongame mammals." These include opossums, coatis, black-footed ferrets, Gunnison's prairie dogs, black-tailed prairie dogs, wolves, jaguars, ocelots, and porcupines. Of these, only Gunnison's prairie dogs and coatis may be taken during an open season, with the bag limit on coatis being one per calendar year. No season for the taking of jaguars, ocelots, wolves, or porcupines exists.

They are discussed on the same page as the furbearers, but not considered furbearers.

I have never shot prairie dogs. I am not sure that I would be able to differentiate between black-tailed (not huntable) and Gunnison's through a rifle scope. Suppose I'll have to research that if I ever decide to give it a try.

 

[armoredman]

I'll call AZ Fish and Game later on for a verbal decision. That page is written poorly - either they are non-game and off limits, or they are a game animal. Can't have it both ways.

 

[wankerjake]

They are a non-game animal described as quoted by sixgunner, which is a poor way to classify them since they are managed by a season that requires a hunting license

You can find the season described on page 84, under "other birds and mamals." There is a defined season, no bag limit, and requires a hunting license.

 

[claiborne]

Thanks for the input. Been here for a few year and been to the Desert Museum too many times to count. I grew up in Southern Idaho, "rock chuck central" lived in Northern Nevada and Northern California before heading down here. There were ground squirrels and chucks applenty.
All I have been shooting here is eggs and oranges. Now that some creeps have finally killed enough Saguros to make the BLM shut the Ironwood down for rereational shooting, I have not been able to find a good place to lay out eggs and and oranges.
I was thinking it might be time to make a trip to shoot some dogs. As mentioned though, I would have a hard time trying to figure out if one was a blackfoot or a gunnison.
Maybe I'll keep looking for a good range to lay out some eggs.
Maybe I'll take up sporting clays out at the Coyote Howls course.
Any suggestions from you Tucsonians?

 

[armoredman]

Sorry, sixgunner and wankerjake. I'll keep my nose out of any discussions involving hunting from now on.

 

[WardenWolf]

I'll call AZ Fish and Game later on for a verbal decision. That page is written poorly - either they are non-game and off limits, or they are a game animal. Can't have it both ways.

Non-game can also just mean "No bag limit", much like feral hogs are considered in Texas. So it's possible there's a season, but they're unrestricted during that season.

 

[wankerjake]

Armoredman, I certainly meant no disrespect to you. I totally agree that if G&F is going to require a hunting license and define a season, then "nongame" is probably not the best way to classify them. But, it appears they disagree.

 

[sixgunner455]

I also meant no disrespect. I have learned that it is very important, if you intend to hunt, to understand clearly the language used by Game and Fish. When, where, and how you may hunt and kill something is usually laid out very clearly, but sometimes the definitions and intent behind them are not quite as obvious as we might wish, such as with what the term "non-game" actually means.

According to another portion of the AZ Game and Fish site:

nongame species: animals that are not traditionally hunted, fished or trapped

Usually, people think of hummingbirds, bats, and so forth, but there are actually hundreds of species that the term refers to, as used by AZG&F. For some reason, prairie dogs fall under that term for AZG&F for management purposes, but that does not mean that all animals termed "non-game" are not hunted somewhere, nor that they are all protected from hunting in AZ. It can be confusing, and often takes more than a surface read of the regulations.

 

[wankerjake]

I'm not sure there are any p- dogs down there except for the black tailed they reintroduced, but the area around Tucson offers excellent predator hunting opportunities. Or you can get on a high point and shoot jackrabbits. Lots of them too.