The air is crisper, and that means only one thing to avid hunters: start the countdown to the fall season.

Most of the big game hunting seasons start in September and October, although some have started this month.

According to the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Arizona is well-known throughout the country and abroad for its quality big game hunting opportunities. The 10 big game animal species are all accessible through public land pursuit. They include black bear, buffalo, desert bighorn sheep, elk, javelina, Merriam’s and Gould’s turkey, mountain lion, mule deer, proghorn antelope and Coues’ white-tailed deer.

“There are more demand for permits on elk and deer than any other species,” said Brian Wakeling, the Game and Fish Department’s game branch chief. “And the bighorn sheep is the hardest hunt to get drawn for. They are highly sought after.”

Wakeling said out of 18,000 hunters who applied for a bighorn sheep tag this fall, only 90 to 100 were drawn.

For the full story, please see the Friday, Aug. 24, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.