Western Outdoor Times - Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is advising migratory waterfowl hunters that access at Berry Road, on the southeast end of Mormon Lake off FH 3 or Lake Mary Road, will be open for this year's waterfowl hunting season. Although the road is open for this year's hunting season, its seasonal use in the future will be under review by the Forest Service.

To gain access to Berry Road, hunters must first contact, by phone or in person, the Flagstaff Game and Fish office or the department's dispatch center and provide the following information: name, hunting license number, state migratory bird stamp number, date they plan to hunt, phone number, and email address.

Once the department has received a hunter's information, a combination to unlock the gate will be provided.

All hunters are reminded to lock the gate when entering and leaving the area and to keep track of dates and times the road is used. Please do not drive on the road in wet weather conditions or in situations when it is unsafe, and please don't drive off road or litter.

As a follow-up effort, the department will contact all hunters to gather post-hunt information.

"We appreciate the Forest Service allowing hunters access to this area. It's another example of the Forest Service's support for our hunting constituents," said Game and Fish Flagstaff Regional Supervisor Craig McMullen.

"The department continues to manage wildlife in Arizona in cooperation with the Forest Service and all other land management agencies."

The Flagstaff office is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It can be reached at (928) 774-5045. After hours, hunters may call the department's central dispatch: (623) 236-7201.

The general migratory waterfowl season began Oct. 3. Waterfowl regulations and all other hunting and fishing regulations are found on the Game and Fish Web site at http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/hunting_rules.shtml