Category Archives: News

Paving on Interstate 17 near Cordes Junction scheduled next week

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The Arizona Department of Transportation is scheduled to begin a paving project next week along a nearly 20-mile section of north- and southbound I-17 north of Phoenix.

Expect delays while traffic is guided through alternating travel lanes and speed is reduced to 55 mph.

Paving is scheduled to occur between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Monday, October 30, and Tuesday, October 31, between milepost 259 (Crown King Road) and milepost 278 (just south of State Route 169).

Drivers should proceed with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment.

November 2 is deadline to update credit card information for online spring draw

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PHOENIX – The Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds hunters who applied online for 2018 spring hunt permit-tags that 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Thursday, November 2, is the deadline to update their credit card or debit card account information, as well as purchase PointGuard to protect their bonus points.

Online applicants are responsible for keeping their account information current. If a credit card or debit card is invalid for any reason at the time when the computerized draw is performed, an online application could be rejected.

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. If payment has been declined, the application will not be drawn. The department no longer calls applicants to obtain payment on drawn applications where credit cards have failed.

Meanwhile, applicants can purchase PointGuard, as part of their online application, through 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Thursday, November 2. A free AZGFD portal account is required to purchase PointGuard. Visit www.azgfd.gov, click on the “My Account” button in the upper right-hand corner of the home page, then select the “Create Account” option.

PointGuard is a great way to protect those coveted bonus points for when “life happens.” PointGuard is only $5 per species, per applicant, and ensures 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. Visit https://www.azgfd.com/hunting/pointguard/, or call (602) 942-3000, for more information.

Another benefit for those who create a portal account is getting VIP access to draw results up to a week before the results are released to the general public. The department will post an announcement on its website when results become available. All spring hunt permit-tags will be mailed by December 13; all refund warrants will be mailed by December 1.

When hunting for waterfowl by boat, prepare for the unexpected

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Photo courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard

Waterfowl hunting season spans months in Arizona, first starting in the high country in October and moving into bigger bodies of water as we get closer to the New Year. While firearm safety is paramount for hunters, those planning on using boats and watercraft in pursuit of waterfowl also need to make life jackets and other safety precautions a top priority.

“Hunting is an important family tradition for many in Arizona, and taking the step of wearing a life jacket while pursuing ducks and other waterfowl will help ensure you have a successful day on the water,” said Josh Hoffman, boating safety education coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Life jackets are particularly important as the temperatures drop. While Arizona winters are mild, cold water immersion and hypothermia can occur in water as cool as 70 degrees. Falling into or entering cold water causes an immediate gasp reflex that can fill the person’s lungs with water. Wearing a life jacket will keep the person’s head above water and body on the surface.

If you do fall overboard, stay calm, move slowly and don’t try to take off clothing while in the water. And if the boat has capsized, it most likely will not sink and can be used as a platform. It’s advised that boaters stay on top of the capsized vessel as much as possible in order to stay out of the water.

The National Safe Boating Council lists six safety tips for boating in cold water:

1. Proper clothing. Wear waterproof fabrics and layer clothing (i.e., layer one is a wicking base, layer two is clothing for added warmth, and layer three is an outer shell to keep out water or wind). Avoid cotton as it absorbs water and quickly reduces body temperature.

2. Float coat. A float coat provides the comfortable fit and warmth of an insulated jacket, while also providing the functionality of a life jacket. A float coat does not provide hypothermia protection or replace anti-exposure coveralls or a dry suit. Be sure to check that it’s U.S. Coast Guard-approved.

3. Dry suit. A dry suit, or anti-exposure coveralls, keeps the boater dry and protects him or her from hypothermia. It’s worn over proper clothing layers. Boaters should try it on with their clothing layers to ensure they still have needed mobility for the boating activity.

4. Life jacket. If boaters are not wearing a float coat, they should wear their life jacket at all times while on the water.

5. Communication devices. A boater should carry at least two communication devices that will work when wet, such as a VHF FM-DSC marine band radio and an emergency position-indicating radio beacon or personal locator beacon.

6. Blankets. Keep emergency spare blankets on board in case someone is suffering from hypothermia symptoms.

Boaters also can brush up on their knowledge by taking one of the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s free education courses. Class schedules and details are posted online.

AZGFD offers reward for information about two cases of mule deer poached near Prescott

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PRESCOTT – — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is seeking information about two poaching cases that both involve mule deer bucks near Prescott.

In the first instance, a 3×4 mule deer buck was found at a cattle water tank off Old Black Canyon Highway near the Stoneridge Community in Prescott Valley.

The second case involves a small buck that was wrapped in a trash bag and found alongside Iron King Road in Dewey.

AZGFD officials say both animals were killed the week of Oct. 16. The department offers cash rewards for information that leads to an arrest, and up to $1,000 may be awarded for each of these poaching cases.

“We want to know if anyone in the area saw or heard anything that may be related to the poaching of either of these bucks,” said Dennis Fogle, an AZGFD wildlife manager. “Poachers are not hunters — they steal one of Arizona’s most precious natural resources.”

The department’s Operation Game Thief program encourages anyone with information about these cases or the illegal take of wildlife in Arizona to call its 24/7 hotline at (800) 352-0700 or visit www.azgfd.gov/ogt. Callers can remain anonymous upon request. Money for rewards comes from donations, court fines and civil restitution by violators who commit wildlife crimes.

Anyone with information about the poaching of either of these animals should refer to case #17-4100 for the mule deer that was shot in the neck and case #17-004107 for the small buck found in the trash bag.

Williams Ranger District nears completion of Green Base Prescribed Fire project

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WILLIAMS – Unseasonably warm and dry weather conditions in northern Arizona have presented a unique opportunity for Fire Managers on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest to successfully treat just under 9000 acres of densely forested area with prescribed fire over the month of October.

The Green Base Prescribed Fire project which is 9836 acres in size is nearly complete and officials expect to finish the final two blocks totaling 769 acres in one more day of ignitions.

The Kaibab National Forest is actively working to restore the historic fire regime of frequent, low-to-moderate intensity fires on the local landscape. Prescribed fires are conducted to consume accumulated build ups of forest litter and debris that can pose an imminent threat to adjacent communities. There are a number of additional benefits which include protection of wildlife habitat, historic heritage sites, large old growth timber stands, watersheds and infrastructure that fall within the urban interface where human development meets the forest.

“We fully recognize that smoke impacts can be unpleasant for residents in the vicinity of these burns” said Jeremy Human South Zone Fire Management Officer. “Managing smoke is often our biggest challenge during these type of operations and we are constantly adjusting our methods to decrease exposure. Burn days are specifically chosen by forecasted wind patterns that maximize ventilation away from residential areas. Attempting to manage smoke during an uncontrolled wildfire event can be impossible at times. Overall we feel we achieved that goal significantly reducing the number of days people actually experienced smoke along travel corridors and in their neighborhoods.”

Forest Officials want to thank residents for their continued support of this critical work being done. Public Safety and health remain a top priority and public concerns are always taken very seriously.

All prescribed burning on the Kaibab National Forest is subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

For additional information on the Smoke Management Division of the ADEQ and to view prescribed burns authorizations, please visit www.azdeq.gov/environ/air/smoke/index.html. Additional fire information for Kaibab National Forest can be obtained through the following sources: InciWeb inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5160/ Kaibab National Forest Fire Information Phone Line (928) 635-8311; Text Message – text ‘follow kaibabnf’ to 40404.

Hunters, please save that tracking collar

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is encouraging hunters who harvest a big game animal affixed with a GPS or VHF tracking collar to return that collar undamaged to any department office statewide.

While harvesting a collared animal is legal, Game and Fish asks hunters to refrain from cutting, damaging or otherwise destroying any portion of a collar. A collar easily can be removed from a harvested animal’s neck by loosening two nuts on the black “drop-off” box on one side of the collar. A crescent wrench, socket wrench or multi-use tool can be used to loosen only those two nuts.

The department relies on valuable data that collars provide in making science-based decisions that determine the most effective wildlife management practices. The stored data can include an animal’s behaviors, movement patterns and frequency, individual and group dynamics, home-range size and more.

The technology is costs money. A collar can range in cost up to several thousands of dollars. When factoring in additional costs of human resources, equipment and capture, the department is making a substantial investment in each collared animal. A portion of the funding comes from the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) program, a stalwart national funding source for state conservation and recreational opportunities.

It’s also helpful for hunters to report the date and location of their harvest when returning an undamaged collar to a department office. For more information, call (602) 942-3000.

Forest Service hiring for temporary positions for 2018 field season

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From November 1-9, the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, will be accepting applications for temporary spring and summer jobs in Arizona and New Mexico.

More information on temporary employment in the Forest Service’s Southwestern Region can be found at Centralized Temporary Hiring Outreach, including a link to the 2018 Outreach Notice with job listings for the Southwestern Region.

Applications must be submitted on www.USAJOBS.gov. Interested applicants are encouraged to create a profile within USAJOBS prior to the open vacancy announcement period.

Positions in the Southwestern Region of the Forest Service are available in multiple fields, including wildland fire, engineering, visitor services, archaeology, recreation management, timber management, range management, wildlife program management, business management, and other fields in natural resource management.

Positions will be filled at various locations within any of the 11 national forests in Arizona and New Mexico and the three national grasslands in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and west Texas.

To learn more about national forests and national grasslands in the agency’s Southwestern Region, please visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/r3.

The Forest Service is an equal opportunity employer. The mission of the Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.

Sheriff Driscoll selects Bret Axlund as Chief Deputy

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Photo Courtesy Coconino County Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff Jim Driscoll is pleased to announce his selection of Bret Axlund to fill the position of Chief Deputy for the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO).

Bret has been with the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) since January 1996. Bret graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Criminal Justice / Business Administration degree and is a graduate of the Arizona Leadership Program (formerly known as Leadership in Police Organizations). He most recently has been serving as the Page Lieutenant managing Page District Patrol Operations as well as the Page Detention facility. Bret brings with him multi-faceted and versatile experience in Patrol, Investigations, Search and Rescue, Detention, Community Relations, Administration, and Organizational Leadership.

While Bret has been serving as the Lieutenant of the Page Patrol District and Detention Facility since 2013, he also served as a Detention Officer at our Flagstaff facility and worked for the San Diego Sheriff’s Department prior to working for Coconino County Sheriff’s Office. Bret was a senior boat patrol officer for the Page Boat Patrol Program for over ten years. He was instrumental in implementing the CCSO Dive Team and serves as the current Dive Team Coordinator. He is very active in community outreach and education programs such as boating safety classes, Drug Impairment Training for Education Professionals (DITEP), Freshman Focus classes, and Citizen Response to Active Shooter. He is a certified Arizona POST General Instructor, DRE/HGN Instructor, DITEP Instructor, Marine Theft Instructor, Boating Education Instructor, and Field Training Officer. He has helped manage grants for the Boat Patrol Program and for Governor’s Office DUI/OUI Programs. He received the 2010 Veterans of Foreign Wars Officer of the Year Award.

Bret’s professionalism and leadership skills are well recognized throughout the region. He is dedicated to creating and strengthening local, state, federal and tribal partnerships and ensuring effective communications. He has a strong historical understanding of our agency and the ability to seek new and innovative solutions as we advance into a new era of policing. His successes throughout his career have been founded on building and maintaining public trust and confidence. Bret has been a mentor to many and is committed to an organizational culture that supports the growth and development of our employees and our mission of Service to Community.

Please help us welcome Chief Deputy Bret Axlund in his new role. His official start date in this capacity will be November 6, 2017.

Favorable Conditions Allow Fire Managers to Continue Operations on North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park

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GRAND CANYON – National Park Service (NPS) and US Forest Service (USFS) fire managers, working together as the North Zone Interagency Fire Management Program, anticipate initiating more prescribed fire (Rx) treatments this week as weather and fuel moisture conditions allow on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

Prescribed fires play an important role in decreasing risks to life, resources, and property. Fire managers carefully plan prescribed fires, initiating them only under environmental conditions that are favorable to assuring firefighter and visitor safety and to achieving the desired objectives.

Thompson Rx: Fire managers anticipate igniting up to 2,000 acres of the Thompson Rx unit. The unit is located on the east side of Arizona Highway 67, directly east of the North Rim entrance station, and adjacent to the northern boundary of the Park and Forest Service Road 610. The Thompson Rx unit is predominantly spruce, fir, and aspen, with some large ponderosa pine and small grassy meadows.

Specific objectives for the Thompson Rx include reducing dead and downed woody fuels, reducing potential future fire behavior, returning fire to a fire-adapted ecosystem, preventing adverse impacts to cultural and natural resources, aiding in the preservation of historic structures and archaeological sites, and protecting species habitat.

High Severity Edge Rx: The High Severity Edge Rx is in primarily ponderosa pine forest on the Walhalla Plateau, west of Cape Royal Road. Fire managers plan to treat approximately 500 acres this season. This protection project is a third-entry treatment for an area that recently had wildfires – the 2009 Aspen Fire and the 2001 Vista Fire. A specific objective of this Rx is to limit new high severity fires on the Walhalla Plateau.

Tipover East Rx Update: Fire managers completed ignitions on the Tipover East Rx and will transition operations to a Type-3 Incident Commander tomorrow. Anticipated operations on Tipover are to hold and patrol, and at least two engine crews will remain on site to monitor fire behavior within the unit. Specific objectives include reducing accumulations of hazardous fuels and protecting sensitive cultural and natural resources.

North Rim Slopes Rx Update: Fire managers treated approximately 800 acres yesterday within the North Rim Slopes Rx and plan to treat an additional 800 acres next week if conditions are conducive to safely do so. Specific objectives include reducing accumulations of hazardous fuels by 25 percent and returning fire to a fire-adapted ecosystem.

Smoke Impacts: Smoke will be visible from various locations on the North and South rims, and Arizona Highways 64, 67 and 89A. Smoke may impact traffic and may also be present in the inner canyon and on the section of Arizona Trail near the Thompson Rx. If necessary, pilot car operations will be used on FR 610. Motorists are cautioned to please drive slowly with lights on, avoid stopping in areas where fire personnel is working, and follow directions of signs and personnel. Fire managers are working with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality-Smoke Management Division to reduce and mitigate potential smoke impacts.

Chiricahua leopard frogs released to bolster endangered wild populations

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PHOENIX — Chiricahua leopard frogs received extra help getting the hop on avoiding extinction after 454 of the threatened species were recently released into restored habitat on the Clifton Ranger District on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.

The young frogs were released under a partnership between the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD), Arizona Center for Nature Conservation (ACNC) – Phoenix Zoo, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Bureau of Land Management New Mexico (BLM), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), USDA Agricultural Research Service Jornada Experimental Range (JER), Turner Endangered Species Fund and the New Mexico Game and Fish Department (NMGFD).

“This project is a huge success toward safeguarding this species for future generations,” said AGFD biologist Audrey Owens. “The Chiricahua leopard frog nearly vanished from eastern Arizona due to habitat degradation, but these dedicated agencies and local ranchers each worked collaboratively to help restore wetland habitats in 2016. This important work has given this animal a true fighting chance.”

In May, AZGFD biologists, in coordination with the BLM, USFWS, USFS and NMGFD, transported leopard frog egg masses from one of Turner Enterprises’ ranches in south central N.M. and the BLM rearing facility in Las Cruces, N.M. to the ACNC – Phoenix Zoo. The zoo head-started the egg masses, which involves raising tadpoles from the collected egg masses in a predator-free environment, so that the juveniles can be released into the wild.

The eggs produced tadpoles and ultimately hundreds of the small threatened frogs.

“In the wild, approximately five percent or less of the eggs in a mass survives to metamorphosis,” said Stuart Wells, director of conservation and science with the ACNC -Phoenix Zoo. “With our head-starting program, as many as 90 percent of the hatched tadpoles survive to be released as juvenile frogs or late-stage tadpoles. Releasing a large number of animals back into a site greatly increases chances that more will survive to adulthood and reproduce, preserving valuable genes.”

During the September release, AZGFD biologists placed juvenile the frogs into restored habitats on the Clifton Ranger District and more are expected to be released in spring to provide an additional boost to the wild populations.
Over the years ACNC – Phoenix Zoo has provided more than 24,000 juvenile frogs and late-stage tadpoles for release into the wild in Arizona.

This conservation story is a direct result of all of the partnerships involved over the years. The efforts are part of an established recovery plan for Chiricahua leopard frogs, which are native to Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico.