AZGFD Stop Paying Influencers

Flatlander

Active Member
Messages
156
Since 2016 AZGFD has been paying influencers between $5k - $60k per year to promote a wide range of hunting opportunities in Arizona. This program has been very effective at increasing license sales among Non-Residents and increasing demand for previously under-subscribed hunts. A portion of this effort has been focused on OTC archery deer hunting. Promoting these specific opportunities has contributed to a rapid loss of opportunity in OTC hunts. Since this advertising campaign began Non-Resident license sales have increased dramatically while there has been a 40% decline in OTC opportunity.

I am encouraging all AZ residents to sign the petition below and request that AZGFD cease their promotion of all hunts without a non-resident cap. I fear that if these opportunities are lost for residents in our state that we will quickly lose the interest of the public and become subject to a disinterested and disengaged electorate who will no longer support wildlife at the ballot box. It is critical that we maintain every opportunity possible for residents of this state to ensure this privilege exists for future generations.

https://chng.it/62rjYqFMYp
 
Since 2016 AZGFD has been paying influencers between $5k - $60k per year to promote a wide range of hunting opportunities in Arizona. This program has been very effective at increasing license sales among Non-Residents and increasing demand for previously under-subscribed hunts. A portion of this effort has been focused on OTC archery deer hunting. Promoting these specific opportunities has contributed to a rapid loss of opportunity in OTC hunts. Since this advertising campaign began Non-Resident license sales have increased dramatically while there has been a 40% decline in OTC opportunity.

I am encouraging all AZ residents to sign the petition below and request that AZGFD cease their promotion of all hunts without a non-resident cap. I fear that if these opportunities are lost for residents in our state that we will quickly lose the interest of the public and become subject to a disinterested and disengaged electorate who will no longer support wildlife at the ballot box. It is critical that we maintain every opportunity possible for residents of this state to ensure this privilege exists for future generations.

https://chng.it/62rjYqFMYp
The fact that they do this is cringe worthy.
 
Do you have a link or supporting documents for all to read to substantiate this claim? If true, that is disturbing to me…..however, in all fairness, there should be supporting documentation to support this? Please share if you can.
 
Here is the link to the thread where someone shared a letter from Amber Munig in response to a public record request.


The tag #'s were provided to me by Mary Grace from the department after my own public records request.
 
Do you have a link or supporting documents for all to read to substantiate this claim? If true, that is disturbing to me…..however, in all fairness, there should be supporting documentation to support this? Please share if you can.

On page 2, Randy Newburg is under the name Big Fin. He goes into detail on his personal endeavors with AZGFD.

Also, Jay Scott mentioned it in his podcast on episode 796 but he has cut that part out of the episode now. It started around the 1hr 15 minute mark and now that particular podcast is only 1hr 14 minutes. I am assuming there was major backlash because I am sure a lot of people heard it for the first time on his podcast and voiced their opinions.
 
Why should He get a check? ..............................BULL!

link in post #8

"We have a contract with the ad agency that does a lot of work for AZ G&F. Our contract is to produce directed video content, hire other media platforms, and use our media production skills and video/podcast platforms to create content that promotes small game hunting, quail and dove hunting, the AZ G&F landowner relations program, help raise awareness of non-resident youth licenses, promote archery javelina opportunity and show table fare of javelina as part of a bigger “hunt for food” effort, OTC archery Coues deer, waterfowl hunting, the conservation work being done by AZ G&F, show the total value of an Arizona non-resident hunting license, explain how AZ G&F policy works as it relates to population management, help raise funds for access and habitat, promote thee AZ Big Game Super Raffle, make non-residents aware of how the AZ draw process works and the deadlines for such."
 
I still don’t get it. People need to see it advertised or marketed to know Arizona is a place to hunt? I guess there are still people out there that need to see someone hunting Deer or Quail on YouTube to figure out they need to go to AZ and get their hunt on. It sounds like a good department website with step by step videos on how the draw works would be the thing to have. I see some waste here, but maybe I’m wrong. When I decided to hunt New Mexico, I figured it out online and asked questions. It really wasn’t hard. I didn’t need to see someone hunting in the Gila to know that I may want to go there.
 
Nobody gave two shits when they were paying for print and media ads. Cut Newberg a check to film a Deer and Quail hunt and everybody looses their minds.
The problem is, it wasn't just Newberg. Jay Scott touched on it and mentioned there was up to 5-7 people. I think what upsets most is that the insane amount of Non-Residents that have started hunting OTC because of them watching these youtube videos and as a result, game and fish has decided to cut some of the OTC tags in units that people have hunted for decades. If that doesn't bother you that's fine but I understand why people are upset about it.
 
Signed and donated. It’s a double edge sword and I like Randy good guy but we can’t keep ignoring the facts of quality hunting opportunities disappearing at alarming rates due to social media influencers.
 
Meh. All you guys complaining are part of the problem. This website is social media. Even if you don’t post the simple act of visiting generates money to keep this site going. If you really truly do care, stop visiting social media hunting platforms.

This petition is dead before it even begun….

You should be worried about habitat loss, low fawn survival, access and about a million other things before this…
 
Wow. How absurd. Textbook sell out. Randy, I like the entertainment your show provides, but stop telling everyone on the internet how to get tags, where to go, logistics, etc. Just stop. It’s supposed to be hard. It’s supposed to reward the dedicated who’ve done their research. There is supposed to be a learning curve, and now you’re accepting money to eliminate it! We’re well past the point of diminishing returns now! Go back to just hunting please.
 
Meh. All you guys complaining are part of the problem. This website is social media. Even if you don’t post the simple act of visiting generates money to keep this site going. If you really truly do care, stop visiting social media hunting platforms.

This petition is dead before it even begun….

You should be worried about habitat loss, low fawn survival, access and about a million other things before this…
Being worried about this does not prevent someone from also being worried about the above mentioned issues. All of which I contribute time and money to helping improve. Where there is a problem, we need committed outdoorsmen and women taking action to correct it. I cannot for the life of me understand why we would ignore one problem simply because others also existed.
 
I do not see how anyone could complain that AZGF keeps nonresidents are informed--in fact, the usual complaint is that they are not. Perhaps the real issue for some is that they have the opportunity to buy tags at all. Most folks don't want those from out-of-town, out-of-state or, for that matter, besides their own group hunting near "their" favorite spots. Yet they remain eager to buy tags in other states whenever they have the opportunity...

That saying, I do not like the thought of wildlife dollars being used to line the pockets of "personalities." It is enough to provide good publications.
 
I may be wrong but I am not aware of any other state where a non-resident can hunt deer during the prime rut on millions of acres of public land by just simply walking up to the counter and making a purchase.
 
I may be wrong but I am not aware of any other state where a non-resident can hunt deer during the prime rut on millions of acres of public land by just simply walking up to the counter and making a purchase.
And it used to be open to more units. Lots of bowhunters in AZ. All the kids get bows before they get a 22, at least in my family.
 

Arizona Hunting Guides & Outfitters

SilverGrand Outfitters

Offering mule deer, elk, antelope, bighorn sheep, javelina, and turkey hunts in Nevada and Arizona.

Arizona Elk Outfitters

Offering the serious hunter a chance to hunt trophy animals in the great Southwest.

A3 Trophy Hunts

An Arizona Outfitter specializing in the harvest of World Class big game of all species.

Arizona Strip Guides

Highly experienced and highly dedicated team of hardworking professional Arizona Strip mule deer guides.

Urge 2 Hunt

THE premier hunts in Arizona for trophy elk, mule deer, couse deer and javelina.

Shadow Valley Outfitters

AZ Strip and Kaibab mule deer, big bulls during the rut, spot-n-stalk pronghorn and coues deer hunts.

Back
Top Bottom