Category Archives: Phoenix

Arizona’s “Conserving Wildlife” license plate benefits habitat, education and youth

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PHOENIX — Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation’s (AZSFWC) “Conserving Wildlife” license plate ended 2017 surpassing the prior year both in license plate sales and grant awards from the proceeds.

Last year, AZSFWC, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, awarded 16 different grants totaling $170,665 in funding. Putting this into perspective, it means 10,039 Conserving Wildlife license plates were purchased or renewed to fund those projects. Since 2012, the organization has awarded 100 grants totaling more than $520,900.

Every time someone purchases or renews one of these specialty license plates through the state of Arizona, AZSFWC receives $17 of the $25 cost. These funds are placed in a dedicated account and each quarter AZSFWC assesses grant proposals from qualified organizations.

Grant money benefits conservation education efforts, youth recruitment and retention, and important habitat projects. Three notable projects were landscape-scale habitat efforts requiring significant coordination by AZSFWC member organizations with other partners, including federal and state agencies (such as the Arizona Game and Fish Department), other nongovernmental organizations, private landowners, and volunteers:

  • A National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) project continues with a multi-year landscape restoration in the Pinaleno Mountains (Mt Graham) in southeastern Arizona. The Pinaleno Ecosystem Restoration Project will reduce dense timber stands in this part of the Coronado National Forest and will directly benefit both Gould’s turkeys as well as the endangered Mount Graham red squirrel. This project began in 2013 and is projected to continue through 2020.
  • An Arizona Elk Society (AES) project is another long-term, landscape-scale habitat effort in the Coconino National Forest near Clints Well in north-central Arizona. The Long Valley Meadow Restoration Project has several partners restoring a forest meadow as well as enhancing the drainage, water table and waterway.
  • An Arizona Deer Association (ADA) project is a landscape-scale habitat project near Payson in the Tonto National Forest. The Round Valley Grassland Restoration will remove juniper and other woody plants that have taken over former grasslands. The project will begin in 2018.

To see a list of past grant recipients and funded projects, visit http://azsfwc.org/license-plate-fund-projects/.

Arizona residents can purchase a Conserving Wildlife license plate at http://servicearizona.com/.

MVD revolutionizes customer service with personal accounts

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PHOENIX – It just became easier to do business with the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division, and more enhancements are on the way.

For the first time ever, customers can now set up an online personalized account to manage all their MVD needs through the new AZ MVD Now portal, which is accessible through ServiceArizona.com.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” said MVD Director Eric Jorgensen. “AZ MVD Now works like having an account with an online retailer. This will revolutionize how people do business with MVD much like people’s shopping habits have been transformed by the internet. This will open the door to maximize the number of MVD transactions done online. Right now that number is a little more than half, but eventually most will be available through AZ MVD Now.”

“Among the first major improvements we will unveil sometime in 2018 is allowing customers to transfer titles online, which will make it much easier for people to buy and sell vehicles without having to do paperwork at a physical location,” he added.

The current ServiceArizona.com method for conducting individual, point-in-time transactions remains in place, but AZ MVD Now, which represents the ongoing implementation of the Arizona Management System championed by Gov. Doug Ducey, provides a higher level of individualized service, including:

  • Create an account: AZ MVD Now allows you to manage your interactions with MVD. All of the vehicles titled and/or registered in your name are associated with the account.
  • Fund the account: When paying at an MVD office or online, you can still use a traditional form of payment such as debit, credit or EFT. Or you may pay with funds in your new financial account.
  • Issue a prepaid voucher: This functions like a store credit and allows flexibility of who pays for transactions.
  • View a title: A vehicle owner can see full title details on vehicles they own. Additionally, there is a limited view where a citizen can look up a vehicle to confirm the vehicle is eligible for transfer.

Jorgensen noted, “Arizona’s MVD is among the first motor vehicle agencies in the U.S. to adopt this technology that will make it easier for MVD to fulfill its vision to get Arizona out of line and safely on the road.”

Double your outdoor fun: Buy a hunt/fish combo license!

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PHOENIX — With the approaching elk and pronghorn hunt application deadline, this is a time when many hunters buy their license.

If you’re someone who typically buys only a hunting license (or an angler who only buys a fishing license), you’re missing out on one of the BEST DEALS around. Consider buying a hunt/fish COMBO LICENSE this year and double your outdoor fun!

A combo license costs Arizona residents $57—only $20 more than buying just a hunting or fishing license. It includes all the privileges of a general hunting license as well as fishing privileges for state waters and Community Fishing Program waters, and privileges for trout, two-pole and Colorado River fishing. Nonresidents can buy their Arizona hunt/fish combo license for only $160.

During the next month, there should be some hot fishing for yellow bass and crappie – both are excellent table fare. Hot spots for yellow bass in Arizona are Apache, Saguaro, and Canyon lakes in the Tonto National Forest. Prime waters for crappie are Roosevelt, Bartlett and Alamo lakes.

If you haven’t already purchased your license, you can conveniently buy it online 24/7 or when you are submitting your elk/pronghorn draw application.

So make it a COMBO LICENSE this year and be ready for your upcoming hunting and fishing adventures!

Budget request would expand pavement preservation work

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PHOENIX – With transportation funding limited, a simple yet highly effective way to protect Arizona’s $20 billion-plus investment in state highways is sealing road surfaces against the ravages of weather, heavy use and time.

To help the Arizona Department of Transportation expand this preventive maintenance, Governor Doug Ducey’s executive budget for fiscal 2019 includes $25.6 million for pavement treatments known as fog seals and chip seals. This would be added to the $15 million ADOT currently has programmed for such work.

The funding would allow ADOT to address approximately 3,000 lane miles, 14 percent of all lane miles in the state highway system, with surface treatments to extend the life of pavement along many higher-volume routes.

“Highway maintenance is very much a case of pay now or pay more later,” said Dallas Hammit, ADOT’s state engineer and deputy director for transportation. “The requested funding would be used to prolong the life of pavement and reduce the need for more costly repairs later due to deterioration.”

ADOT has identified 132 highway stretches as needing surface treatment projects that have yet to be funded. While specific funding decisions would come later, these areas include – but aren’t limited to – interstates 8, 10, 19 and 40, state routes 85, 87 and 260, and US 93 and US 95.

It costs $3,000 per lane mile for a fog seal, which applies a diluted asphalt emulsion to the road surface. Chip sealing, a more involved and lasting treatment mixing gravel or similar material with liquid asphalt, costs $36,000 per lane mile.

Once pavement deteriorates, it costs $300,000 per lane mile to mill down and replace the asphalt surface. Replacing pavement in its entirety is far more expensive. For example, ADOT has invested $34 million in an ongoing project to rebuild 5 miles of Interstate 40 from the ground up in each direction west of Williams, a stretch that sees scores of freeze-thaw cycles each year along with regular snow and snowplowing.

With paved surfaces the main asset in Arizona’s overall transportation system, federal funding for preventive maintenance has been insufficient for ADOT to follow the recommended schedule for preserving taxpayers’ investment in state highways. As a result, maintenance work is becoming increasingly reactive and will fail to maximize the life expectancy of pavement.

“While Arizona’s transportation system remains one of the nation’s best, this request looks to the future,” Hammit said. “If we don’t adequately fund this essential maintenance, pavement will deteriorate faster than it would otherwise, leading to more expensive reconstructions in the long run.”

Online applications for 2018 elk/pronghorn hunt draw are due by February 13

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PHOENIX — Although the deadline to submit paper applications for the elk and pronghorn antelope hunt draw has passed, you can still apply online. The deadline to submit online applications is 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time), Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018.

To apply online, visit https://draw.azgfd.gov and scroll down to “Apply for a Draw.” For an overview of the online application service, including license requirements, applying for bonus points and payment information, see Page 10 of the “2018 Pronghorn Antelope and Elk Hunt Draw Information” booklet. Printed booklets also are available at all Game and Fish offices and license dealers statewide.

The department encourages all applicants to sign up for a free AZGFD portal account. The portal allows customers to create a secure account where they can manage and view their draw applications, license history, bonus points, gain access to their “I Support Wildlife” membership and more, in the “My AZGFD Dashboard” section. A portal account also provides convenient access to the online license purchase and draw application systems.

It’s easy to create an account. Just click on “My Account” in the upper right-hand corner of the AZGFD home page and then select the “Register” option, filling in the requested information. A portal account is mobile-friendly, so customers can view their information on their smartphones.

AZGFD is dedicated to assisting applicants with the online process. All department offices are equipped with customer computers that can be accessed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Customer service representatives can be reached by calling (602) 942-3000. As a reminder, customer service representatives will be available to provide assistance only until 8 p.m. February 13. (deadline day).

A valid hunting license (or combination hunting and fishing license) is required to hunt wildlife in Arizona. No one under 14 may hunt big game without having completed a Hunter Education course. While it is not necessary for anyone 10 to 13 to complete a Hunter Education course before applying for a hunt permit-tag, these courses fill quickly. Consider registering now by visiting www.azgfd.gov/huntered or calling 623-236-7239.

Arizona elk heading east to West Virginia

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FLAGSTAFF — In late February, dozens of elk from Arizona will be establishing a permanent change of residency more than 2,000 miles away.

The healthy, strapping animals were captured earlier this week through a partnership between the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The Arizona Game and Fish Commission approved the capture and transport as part of West Virginia’s ongoing restoration project at its August meeting.

“We’re pleased to assist the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources in its efforts to restore elk to their native range,” said Jim Ammons, commission chairman. “Helping restore wildlife populations is in keeping with the vision of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, using science-based principles to manage wildlife in the public trust.”

The roughly 50 cows and 10 bulls, captured east of Flagstaff, will be quarantined for a minimum of 33 days before being loaded on livestock trailers and transported to the 24,245-acre Tomblin Wildlife Management Area in southwest West Virginia, where they will join nearly two dozen elk received in 2016 from Kentucky.

The elk were captured from a robust population in the northern portion of Game Management Unit (GMU) 5B, which is designated as part of the Winter-Range Elk Management Zone. The department’s recent population surveys and modeling indicate an increasing trend in elk numbers within the capture area. The removal of the elk contributes to maintaining a stable population and will not change the number of hunt permit-tags available to hunters in this area.

The project was an immense undertaking involving staff and volunteers from both state wildlife agencies, representatives from the Arizona Elk Society and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), and capture crew from Quicksilver Air Inc. The department also coordinated with three major private landowners and the Hopi Tribe in advance of the capture.

West Virginia’s agency, in cooperation with RMEF, covered the costs associated with the capturing and processing of the elk. All costs incurred were paid for with wildlife restoration funds, which are generated by sportsmen who support conservation through their purchase of hunting, fishing and other outdoor equipment, or by donations to RMEF.

From first light until late afternoon, the capture process was repeated several times over the course of two days. A fixed-wing aircraft and three teams of spotters with binoculars would locate groups of elk — preferably within a five-mile radius of the staging area at Raymond Wildlife Area – and provide coordinates to the helicopter capture crew.

After a short pursuit, a hand-held net gun would be fired to entangle the desired elk, then two crew members (or “muggers”) would step off the helicopter, blindfold the elk and administer a mild sedative to keep it calm, immobilize it with hobbles to facilitate handling and transport, and remove the net.

“We minimize chase time so that the helicopter is only pursuing animals for three to five minutes,” said Amber Munig, the department’s big game management supervisor. “If they start to exceed that, they pull off and let those animals go so we’re not stressing them out too much.”

Once secured in a transport bag, the elk would be flown from a sling below the helicopter to the staging area, where several wildlife managers, biologists, veterinarians and others would evaluate the health of the animal, administer antibiotics and attach an identification tag and GPS tracking collar. The crew then would remove the blindfold and hobbles – and stand back and watch the elk bound into a holding pen with other quarantined animals.

This week’s historic conservation project marks only the second time Arizona has provided elk to another state. In 2000, Kentucky’s elk restoration project received a boost with 26 animals that were captured near Raymond Wildlife Area. At the time, Kentucky hoped to build a statewide herd of between 7,200 and 8,200 elk. Today, officials estimate there are between 10,000 and 15,000 elk in the Blue Grass State.

“One of the reasons we chose Arizona is because it’s one of the few states that has never had a documented case of Chronic Wasting Disease (a neurodegenerative wildlife disease that is fatal to deer and elk), said Stephen McDaniel, director of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. While West Virginia’s long-term plans include offering managed hunts, McDaniel added: “The thing we’re most excited about is elk-viewing opportunities.”

Arizona benefitted from the same kind of out-of-state generosity back in February 1913. In an effort to restablish an elk population, sportsmen released 83 elk from Yellowstone National Park into Cabin Draw near Chevelon Creek in GMU 4A, just east of where this week’s capture took place.

Two other transplants of elk from Yellowstone – one south of Alpine and another north of Williams – were considered successes, as Arizona’s elk population today numbers about 45,000 post-hunt adults.

SunZia Funds Arizona Wildlife/Natural Resource Efforts

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PHOENIX – The SunZia Southwest Transmission Project (SunZia) presented a $300,000 check today to the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) to help fund watering stations for wildlife in remote areas, including locations within Pinal County.

The funds are part of a broad joint conservation effort by SunZia and AZGFD to help enhance wildlife habitat in southeastern Arizona. The effort was the result of a comprehensive wildlife preservation agreement executed by the parties in January 2016.

“SunZia is proud to be part of this dynamic public-private partnership,” said Tom Wray, project manager for SunZia. “We look forward to continuing these conservation efforts with the Game and Fish Department to ensure that Arizona’s critical wildlife habitats are preserved.”

“Today’s focus on the importance of strengthening water catchments is just the tip of a revolutionary partnership between a private energy project developer and Arizona government,” said Ty Gray, director of the Arizona Game & Fish Department. “The partnership includes a wide range of protective measures that provide one of the most progressive plans for mitigating and conserving Arizona’s wildlife resources and the habitat on which they depend.”

“Pinal County is excited to join with SunZia and Game and Fish in this important effort,” said Supervisor Steve Miller, chairman of the Pinal County Board of Supervisors. “Wildlife domains are critical to Pinal County’s quality of life, and materially contribute to outdoor recreation and our tourism industries. Today those habitats have been strengthened thanks to the hard work of SunZia and Arizona Game and Fish. Because of the cooperation of Game and Fish and SunZia’s donation, additional water catchments will be installed to assist wildlife during our drought periods.”

Pattern Energy is a windpower developer and will ship windpower over SunZia’s transmission line. Adam Cernea Clark, manager of Environmental & Natural Resources for Pattern stated “Pattern Energy joins with SunZia, Game and Fish and Pinal County elected officials in taking this important step towards the preservation of Arizona’s important wildlife habitat. Combining renewable energy resources with an historic wildlife preservation agreement will ensure that SunZia becomes a model for energy delivery in the Desert Southwest.”

The agreement specified funding for renovation of multiple watering stations, called catchments, used by wildlife, especially in times of drought. Several of the catchment locations are located within Pinal County. The SunZia/AGFD comprehensive mitigation agreement includes a total of 49 measures that include protection plans for migratory birds, the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, Sonoran Desert Tortoise, Black-tailed Prairie Dogs, Gila Monsters, Burrowing Owls, Kit Foxes, as well as extensive activities including monitoring, revegetation and habitat restoration. A copy of the agreement can be found here: www.SunZia.net/AGFD

Paving, revamped I-40/I-17 interchange highlight 2018 in northern Arizona

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PHOENIX – Pavement improvement along Interstates 17 and 40 and a revamped I-17/I-40 interchange in Flagstaff highlight Arizona Department of Transportation projects planned for northern Arizona in 2018.

This spring, crews will return to lay the final layer of asphalt along a 12-mile stretch of Interstate 40 between Parks and Riordan, completing that project. Repaving on I-40 west of Flagstaff will then pick up in Parks at milepost 179 and head 17 miles west to Cataract Lake in Williams.

Northbound Interstate 17 will also receive a facelift this year as crews replace pavement from milepost 312 to milepost 340 near the I-40 interchange. The work will address winter damage the highway has suffered over the years.

In addition to the repaving work, a separate project will continue completely rebuilding 5 miles of I-40 west of Williams between mileposts 156 and 161 in the westbound direction. Crews rebuilt the eastbound lanes last summer.

I-40 will have 34 miles of new pavement in each direction west of Flagstaff when these projects are complete. This new pavement will provide a longer term fix to deterioration resulting from the many freeze-thaw cycles the area sees each winter, along with snow, snowplowing and commercial truck traffic.

Another major project coming to the Flagstaff area this year will improve the I-17/I-40 interchange in Flagstaff by replacing three bridge decks and replacing pavement on the ramps, among other work.

In the Verde Valley, crews are continuing to widen 9 miles of State Route 260 west of Interstate 17. The project, scheduled to finish before year’s end, is nearly halfway complete with the new eastbound lanes paved up to Coury Drive from I-17. Work is proceeding on seven roundabout intersections between I-17 and Thousand Trails Road.

The $62 million project will improve safety and traffic flow in the growing Verde Valley area.

Among other projects planned for northern Arizona in 2018, crews will return this summer to complete a project widening US 60 in Show Low between State Route 77 and 40th Street. In addition to laying the final layer of asphalt, the work includes completing sidewalks and landscaping.

March 1 is deadline to update credit card information for elk, pronghorn draw

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds hunters who apply, or have applied, online for 2018 elk and pronghorn hunt permit-tags that 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Thursday, March 1, is the deadline to update credit card or debit card account information.

The same deadline applies for purchasing PointGuard, which ensures that if a successful applicant is unable to participate in a hunt for any reason, the accumulated bonus points that were expended to draw that hunt permit-tag will be reinstated. The cost is $5 for each species.

In an ongoing effort to improve customer service by announcing all draw results sooner, the deadline was moved forward to March 1 from the original March 15 date that appears in the “2018 Pronghorn Antelope and Elk Hunt Draw Information” printed booklets and online.

Online applicants are encouraged to keep their credit card and debit card account information current. If payment is declined at the time of the draw, the application will not be drawn. The department no longer calls applicants to obtain payment on drawn applications where credit cards or debit cards have failed.

Online applicants who have been issued a new credit card or debit card, a new expiration date, or had a change to their card’s number should visit https://draw.azgfd.gov/. Scroll down the page, select “Update My Payment Information” and follow the prompts. Note: It is important to update payment information for each species for which an online application has been submitted.

Meanwhile, applicants can purchase PointGuard as part of their online application through 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Thursday, March 1, provided they have created a free AZGFD portal account. It’s quick and easy. Visit https://accounts.azgfd.com/Account/Register and complete the required fields. Draw results will be posted to portal accounts.

As a reminder, applicants should note separate deadlines for paper and online applications:

Paper applications must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Tuesday, Jan. 30. Postmarks do not count.
Online applications must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Tuesday, Feb. 13.

For more information, call the department at (602) 942-3000.

Mexican wolf population survey flight operations begin January 22

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PINETOP — Residents of Alpine, Arizona, Reserve, NM and surrounding areas may notice a low-flying helicopter in the region between January 22 and February 3, as biologists conduct their annual Mexican wolf population survey and capture.

The flights are part of the Mexican wolf Reintroduction Project, a multi-agency cooperative effort among the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Service Inspection Service – Wildlife Services and the White Mountain Apache Tribe.

The aerial operation is scheduled to run January 22 to February 3, weather permitting. Survey flights will occur on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation; the Apache-Sitgreaves, Gila and Cibola National Forests in eastern Arizona and western New Mexico; and possibly some locations immediately outside forest boundaries.

“Data collected during this annual survey and capture operation is critical to help us to determine and evaluate the overall population status of Mexican wolves,” said Paul Greer, AZGFD Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team leader. “The survey helps to chart progress in documenting the Mexican wolf population in the Southwest, and it helps us know how these animals are using local habitat.”

As part of the operation, biologists will attempt to capture selected wolves born in 2017 that have not yet been fitted with a radio telemetry collar, in addition to those with collars that need a battery replacement or any wolf appearing to be sick or injured. Wolves are captured after being darted with an anesthetizing drug from a helicopter containing trained personnel.

After being immobilized, the wolf is then brought by air to a staging area for processing and any necessary veterinary care. The wolf is then returned to the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area (MWEPA) and released on public land.

The field team is contacting private landowners to gain permission to property to capture a wolf, if necessary, and will be coordinating with land management agencies and county sheriff offices on survey operation details.

There were a minimum of 113 wolves in the wild in Arizona and New Mexico at the end of 2016, according to a survey by the Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team. The survey found that there were 63 wolves in Arizona and 50 in New Mexico.

The 2016 total represented a more than doubling of the population since 2009.
Results of the survey will be made available to the public in March. For more information on the Mexican wolf reintroduction program, visit http://www.azgfd.gov/wolf or https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/mexicanwolf/.