Common Scenarios Featuring Arizona's Top 12 Rules and Regulations Violations—Continued ...

7. Obtaining a License or Permit by Fraud (A.R.S. 17-341)

Shirley was born and raised in Arizona and hunted every year with her family while she was growing up. As an adult, she got a job requiring her to move to Ohio. Shirley continued to apply for hunts as an Arizona resident using her parent’s address even though she could afford the non-resident license and tag fees (even a guide!). Shirley’s dad mentioned to a friend that his daughter applied using his address. The friend, tired of not getting drawn and realizing Shirley was taking a resident permit, called the OGT hotline and reported Shirley. Shirley was charged and pled guilty to obtaining licenses and permits by fraud.

• Is Shirley’s behavior ethical?
• What should Shirley have done?
• What about Shirley’s dad?
• How long do you have to be an Arizona resident before you can apply for a Resident License?

8. Taking Wildlife with a Prohibited Device or by an Unlawful Method (A.R.S. 17-309a1) (R-12-4-304b3e)

Steve had taken the plug out of his shotgun last winter while he was quail hunting. He liked having extra shells to shoot and did not put it back in as required prior to this dove hunt. “I’ll only put two in the magazine” is what he thought. The wildlife manager checked Steve on opening morning of dove season. After checking his license and birds, she checked the shotgun with her “plug stick” to determine how many shells fit in the shotgun’s magazine. The wildlife manager’s plug stick indicated there was no plug in the magazine. Steve told the wildlife manager he had forgotten that he took the plug out last winter to hunt quail and had only loaded two shells in the magazine. Steve received a citation for hunting doves with an unplugged shotgun.

• Which species can be hunted without a plug?
• How many shells can be in a shotgun when hunting quail? When hunting doves? Why?

9. Shooting Too Close to an Occupied Building or Residence (A.R.S. 17-309a4)

Katie did not take the time to scout before the opening day of dove season and was not happy to find new homes close to her favorite hunting area. She knew she had to be at least a quarter of a mile from occupied buildings and thought she might be too close but nobody would mind. People heard her gunshots and called the sheriff’s office. The sheriff’s office referred them to the Game and Fish Department. The wildlife manager responded and issued Katie a citation for shooting too close to the new homes (Occupied Building).

• How far is a quarter of a mile?
• Would it make a difference if Katie gets permission? How about if she lives in the subdivision?
• What if the homes are not yet occupied?
• Should Katie check to see if the subdivision is in the city limits?
• Does it matter if Katie were shooting a .410 versus a 20-gauge shotgun?

10. Littering While Taking Wildlife (A.R.S. 17-309a9)

Joe and Trudy were breaking camp after dark. They were in a hurry to get home from their weekend hunt. They decided to leave the trash for the next person to clean up—after all, they were at a well-used campsite. They didn’t know that a wildlife manager had checked the camp earlier. Seeing the litter, the wildlife manager recorded their vehicle’s license plate and description, making a note that the camp was dirty. The wildlife manager checked the camp the next day and later contacted Joe and Trudy. They admitted leaving the litter in the camp and were issued a citation for littering while hunting.

• Why keep a clean camp?
• What is littering?
• Is this a violation that could result in a loss of hunting and fishing licenses?

11. Shooting across a Road (A.R.S. 17-301b)

Rob was lined up with other dove hunters who were shooting doves as they flew towards them. Rob knew they were lined up next to a road and told himself to make sure he did not shoot across, or towards, the road. Peter, the hunter next to Rob, was not as careful; several times Rob saw Peter swing his shotgun overhead and shoot doves flying over the road. A short time later, a wildlife manager who had been watching them through binoculars contacted Peter and issued him a citation for shooting across a roadway.

• What should Rob have done when he first saw Peter shooting over the road?
• What is a road (definition)?
• Can a hunter shoot over a maintained road on private land? On public land (BLM, Forest Service, AGFD)? On State Trust land?

12. Taking Protected Species

Eric was finally drawn for a deer hunt in Unit 23A and took his friend with him on the hunt. During the hunt, the friend came back to camp and reported that he took a great shot at a hawk but might have missed. Later, a wildlife manager entered the camp and asked if either of them had seen anyone shooting at hawks recently as the wildlife manager showed them a dead hawk.

• What would you do? Why?
• What other species are protected from hunting (condors; gila monsters; birds of prey, such as eagles, owls, etc.; song birds; ravens; and others)?

Operation Game Thief

Operation Game Thief is a public awareness program that allows people to call a toll-freehotline, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to report wildlife violations. Poaching is seriousbusiness in Arizona. There are only 156 commissioned officers in the Arizona Game and Fish Department, and many of these officers only do enforcement part-time. The Department relies on the honest citizens of Arizona to assist in the reduction of wildlife violations.

Operation Game Thief Hotline: 1-800-352-0700