Category Archives: Arizona Game and Fish

Arizona Game and Fish Department seeks input on game management hunt guidelines

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is accepting comments on improving the hunt guidelines to continue the sustainable management of the state’s game animals, while providing as much hunting recreation as possible.

Comments on the existing hunt guidelines (See PDF) may be submitted through Feb. 15, 2017, either by e-mail to AZHuntGuidelines@azgfd.gov, or by mail to Hunt Guidelines, Arizona Game and Fish Department, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086.

“This is your opportunity to get involved in the nuts and bolts of this process, which guides how hunts are set each year,” said Big Game Management Supervisor Amber Munig. “We are seeking your ideas, comments, concerns, or observations on how to meet the many demands by our varied hunting public, as well as fostering new opportunities for continuing our hunting heritage for future generations.”

The hunt guidelines provide the biological and social parameters that make up the “recipes” used by wildlife managers to formulate the annual hunt recommendations (season structures, season lengths, season dates, permits allocated, etc.) and results in the hunts in which sportsmen, women and children participate.

However, wildlife biologists note that while wildlife is held in the public’s trust, and hunting opportunity is important, using science-based principles in shaping the guideline process remains paramount to assure healthy, sustainable, and diverse wildlife populations in perpetuity.

After all the comments are received, reviewed and processed, the department will host public meetings across the state to present the proposed revisions, answer questions, and collect any further public input. A final draft will then be prepared and posted on the department’s website prior to being presented to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission in September.

The existing hunt guidelines (PDF), as well as information on the hunt guidelines process, can be found at www.azgfd.gov/huntguidelines.

Meetings aim to shape future off-highway vehicle recreation on BLM land

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department encourages off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts who utilize Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands to participate in a series of workshops organized by the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC).

“Whether you ride to see the countryside, to view wildlife or while hunting or fishing, OHVs are key for thousands of Arizonans and visitors to access the outdoors,” said Josh Hurst, AZGFD Off-Highway Vehicle Program coordinator. “To enhance OHV opportunities and plan for the future, the public is being given the opportunity to work with NOHVCC to help inform the BLM’s Travel Management and Recreation Management plans.”

To gather feedback, NOHVCC will hold a series of meetings around the state, where people will learn about current BLM activities and can offer their experiences on BLM managed land. The public can also provide input on what experiences can’t currently be found on BLM managed lands in Arizona and what could be done to better enhance OHV recreation.

Meetings are scheduled for the following times, dates and locations:

6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23 at the Red Lion Hotel and Conference Center 850 S. Bluff Street in St. George, Utah
6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Tuesday, Jan 24 at the Ramada at 3100 E. Andy Divine Ave. in Kingman
6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25 at the Quartzite Community Center at 295 Chandler Street in Quartzite
6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26 at the Sheraton Tucson Hotel & Suites at 5151 E. Grant Road in Tucson
6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27 at the Coffinger Park Recreation Center at 175 E. Swilling Ave. in Wickenburg
6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 at the La Quinta Inn at 2510 W. Greenway Road in Phoenix

Those unable to participate in one of the meetings, but would like to provide input, can submit comments and questions to trailhead@nohvcc.org.

Feeding wildlife a threat to people and pets in Rim Country

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PINE, Ariz. — People who feed wild animals are creating a public safety problem in Arizona’s Rim Country. Incidents of wildlife endangering people and their pets in this region have increased over the past few months, including:

  • An elk regularly fed by Pine residents reportedly charged several individuals in separate instances. One woman was forced to take refuge in a greenhouse on her property to escape.
  • Also in Pine, a young male elk entered a resident’s yard through an open gate and began stomping on her dog. The dog later died from its injuries.
  • A Pine resident freed an elk that had its antlers entangled in a tire swing (pictured). But the elk returned the next day because residents continued to set out food.
  • In Strawberry, herds of increasingly aggressive javelina have rushed local residents. One man who was charged by a javelina killed it in self-defense.
  • More than a dozen elk and deer deaths have been reported to AZGFD in this region. In each case, residents were intentionally or inadvertently feeding the animals.

Aggressive behavior toward people by elk and javelina is unusual, but feeding increases the frequency of these conflicts. Wildlife that become comfortable around humans lose their natural fear and can become bold and aggressive. In these recent reports to AZGFD, the aggressive behavior by wildlife appears unprovoked. Habituated animals often must be euthanized when they become a threat to human safety.

“The feeding and resulting habituation often causes these bold and increasingly aggressive behaviors, and can lead to animal deaths,” said Arizona Game and Fish Department Wildlife Manager Joseph Sayer. “When you feed wildlife, you’re not doing animals any favors. In fact, you may attracting them to their deaths.”

According to AZGFD Veterinarian and Wildlife Health Program Supervisor Anne Justice-Allen, the inappropriate foods people give to wildlife also can kill them.

“Wildlife are adapted to survive on native vegetation,” said Justice-Allen. “When deer, elk, and javelina eat grain or snack foods such as potato chips or kitchen scraps, they can develop conditions such as bloat, diarrhea, and bacterial infections, all of which can lead to death.”

“Habituated wildlife also attract unwanted attention from both predators and people. When you attract prey animals, you’ll also attract their natural predators and human hunters. We’ve seen an increase in disputes between neighbors when one wants to feed the wildlife, another considers it a nuisance, and still another wants to hunt it,” added Officer Sayer. “When you feed wildlife you change its behavior, putting it, your neighbors and yourself at risk. Please help us keep wildlife wild.”

When encountering wildlife, keep a safe distance and discourage interaction with them. AZGFD urges Rim Country residents to refrain from feeding wild animals to keep wildlife wild. Report aggressive or unusual animal behavior to the Arizona Game and Fish Department at (623) 236-7201 at any time, day or night.

Governor Ducey’s response to recent national monument designations by President Obama

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PHOENIX — In response to President Obama designating two national monuments this week in Utah and Nevada, Governor Doug Ducey issued the following statement requesting that the president respect Arizona by not designating the proposed Grand Canyon Watershed National Monument:

“Western public land agreements have established a legacy of multi-use that have provided a recreational, environmental, conservation and economic balance that has served our state and nation well.

“In the early 1990s Republican Senator John McCain and Democratic Congressman Morris Udall worked appropriately through congressional action to create a massive footprint of designated wilderness in our state. Arizona also already hosts the most national monuments of any state in the nation. Those monuments more than suffice for enough acreage set aside for elevated public lands management. That work is now complete.

“Our state needs no further designations. Designations done by decree have already negatively impacted our state’s ability to manage wildlife, held in trust for the people of Arizona and our nation. Proof of this fact is seen in the decline of desert sheep in the Sonoran Desert Monument, where access closures impeded our ability to maintain water catchments to grow these herds. Forest management also suffers in special designation areas, and my fear with the proposed designation is a catastrophic fire that would damage this area for more than a century.

“I have long joined Senators McCain and Flake, the majority of our congressional delegation, more than 20 sportsmen/women organizations, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission, and thousands of Arizona citizens in steadfast opposition to this unneeded and poorly thought-out presidential decree that will permanently damage the recreational, environmental, conservation and economic balance that is so important to our state.

“I request that the president respect the wishes of our state’s leadership and the Congress of the United States, which is where the real authority for public lands designations resides. The intent of the Antiquities Act gives the president limited authority to set aside the smallest amount of land possible to protect the artifact; this proposed designation of 1.9 million acres of land would be a clear violation of that intent.

“If designated by the president in his waning hours, Arizona will take every step necessary—legally and legislatively—to stop it. My hope is that the president respects our wishes.”

Input can shape target-shooting policy for Sonoran Desert National Monument

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department encourages the public, especially those interested in recreational target-shooting, to provide their input on management alternatives for the Sonoran Desert National Monument near Gila Bend.

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Phoenix District Office recently announced the release of a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Resource Management Plan (RMP) amendment that kicked off a 90-day public comment period. The BLM is collecting public input before moving forward in the decision-making process.

As part of the process, three public meetings have been scheduled:

Jan. 19: 5-8 p.m., BLM National Training Center, 9828 N. 31st Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85051.
Jan. 20: 5-8 p.m., Arizona Game and Fish Department, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086.
Jan. 21: Noon-4 p.m., Dorothy Powell Senior Adult Center, 405 E. 6th St., Casa Grande, AZ 85122.

Written comments can be mailed to Wayne Monger, BLM’s project manager, at: 21605 N. 7th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85027. Comments also can be faxed to (623) 580-5623, or e-mailed to BLM_AZ_SDNMtargetshooting@BLM.gov. All comments must be received prior to the close of the 90-day public comment period March 15.

Under a March 2015 federal court order, the BLM was required to reanalyze the impacts of recreational target-shooting on the monument. A range of alternatives was developed based on public comments and suggestions received during the scoping process earlier this year. The draft EIS and RMP amendment analyze the impacts of each alternative. The RMP website is http://bit.ly/SDNMtargetshooting.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department recognizes the importance of protecting public access and enhancing outdoor recreational opportunities, including recreational target-shooting. In partnership with the BLM, U.S. Forest Service and the nonprofit Tread Lightly!, Game and Fish is helping to keep Arizona’s public lands healthy and open through the “Respected Access is Open Access in Arizona” campaign. For more information about the campaign, visit www.respectedaccessarizona.org.

Make an outdoors New Year’s resolution

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PHOENIX – As many of us reflect on 2016 and think about the changes we’d like to make in the new year, how about adding an outdoors resolution to the list? Here are some ideas:
1. Buy a hunting, fishing or combo license and head out for some outdoor fun while supporting wildlife. Licenses are inexpensive: Arizona residents pay $37 for a general hunting or fishing license or $57 for a combo hunt/fish license; nonresidents pay $55 for a fishing license or $160 for a combo hunt/fish combo license. Licenses are valid for a year. You can also buy short-term (one-day) licenses at $15 per day for residents, $20 per day for nonresidents. All license purchases help fund wildlife conservation efforts. You can buy them online 24/7 at https://license.azgfd.gov/home.xhtml.
2. Set up a free AZGFD customer portal account. The portal lets you create a secure account where you can view and manage your licenses, draw results, bonus points and memberships in your own personal “My AZ Outdoors” section. Just click on the “Sign in to Account” button in the upper right-hand corner of the www.azgfd.gov home page and then select the “Create an Account” option, and you’re on your way into a world of wildlife!
3. Take a youngster outdoors. Look for animal tracks together and identify the critter that made them. Armed with only a bird identification guide, embark on an expedition to see how many species you can find. A day in the field will create memories that last a lifetime – for both of you.

4. Pick it up. Vow to clean up not only after yourself, but those who aren’t as considerate. Take an extra trash bag along on your next outing and spend a few minutes picking up those empty cans, cigarette butts or campsite trash. After all, respected access is open access.

5. Explore “Expo.” Save the date – March 25-26 – and experience the great outdoors at the department’s 2017 Outdoor Expo at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility. There will be plenty of hands-on activities, wildlife presentations/educational demonstrations, and the opportunity to meet with outdoors groups, agencies and exhibitors. Admission and parking are free.
6. Hunt something new. Don’t let the odds of being selected in the random draw keep you from applying for what could be the hunt of a lifetime. If you’ve always dreamed of hunting bison, pronghorn or bull elk, then get in the game and fill out an application. Also, don’t overlook small game or other species that can be hunted year-round.
7. Be a wildlife watcher. Arizona provides some of the best wildlife-viewing opportunities in the nation, with more than 800 species of wildlife. It’s a fun, inexpensive activity the entire family can enjoy.

8. Fish local. Make it a point to wet a line this year at one (or more) of 38 waters in the Community Fishing Program. With lakes and ponds in 17 Arizona communities that are seasonally stocked with rainbow trout, channel catfish and bluegill, there’s always a hotspot close to home. This is a great way to introduce a youngster to a fun, lifelong sport. Your reward? Hearing that youngster squeal with delight while pulling in his or her first fish.
  
9. Buy an “I Support Wildlife” membership. Wildlife lovers have another means of supporting wildlife by becoming a member of the department’s ISW program. Your $25 annual dues get you a great online mapping application, a one-year subscription to Arizona Wildlife Views magazine, up-to-date fish stocking reports, and provide much-needed funding to sustain important wildlife and habitat conservation projects.
10. Be a conservationist. It’s difficult to imagine what our wildlife populations might be like today without the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. For a presentation from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, produced by Arizona Game and Fish, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE4L9KicSeU.

Reservations accepted for annual Game and Fish Commission Awards Banquet

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Commission will recognize 17 people during the 2016 Commission Awards event, which will commend national/state/local leaders, wildlife advocates, and volunteers for their work to support the state’s wildlife.

The event will be held on Saturday, January 14, at the Arizona Grand Resort at 8000 S. Arizona Grand Parkway in Phoenix. Reservations are being accepted for $65 per person to attend the event, which begins with a social hour and live music at 5 p.m., and will be followed by dinner and the awards presentation at 6 p.m.

The banquet recognizes Arizonans who have contributed significantly to the conservation of the state’s wildlife, its outdoor heritage and the mission of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Those to be honored this year include:

  • Award of Excellence: Sonoran Sky Elementary
  • Youth Environmentalist of the Year: Matteo Bailloux
  • Outdoor Writer of the Year: Jim and Carol Allen, Western Outdoor Times
  • Media of the Year: Arizona Antelope Foundation
  • Conservation Organization of the Year: Mule Deer Foundation
  • Conservationist of the Year: Jim Lawrence
  • Natural Resource Professional of the Year: Gloria Tom
  • Volunteer of the Year: Robbie Love
  • Educator of the Year: Karen Klein
  • Mentor of the Year: Steve Sams
  • Advocate of the Year – State: Arizona Sen. Gail Griffin
  • Advocate of the Year – Federal: Don McDowell
  • Business Partner of the Year: Linda Morgan, Yuma Visitors Bureau
  • Buck Appleby Hunter Education Instructor of the Year: Bobby Goitia
  • Wildlife Habitat Steward of the Year: Bill Cordasco
  • North American Model Commissioners Award: Celeste Cook

The first Commission Awards event was held in January 1991 and since then, 361 people have been recognized for their dedicated work toward securing Arizona’s wildlife for generations to come.

To make a reservation, use the RSVP form located on the Department website at www.azgfd.com/agency/commission/awards or contact Lynn Roe at (623) 236-7332 or e-mail lroe@azgfd.gov.

Wolf pup introduced into foster pack in 2014 gives birth to wild-born young

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A Mexican wolf walks through the snow. A recent genetic test of a male wolf revealed that it is the offspring of a previous wolf pup placed into a foster pack in 2014.

PHOENIX — Biologists with the Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team (IFT) recently learned a fostered wolf pup introduced to a pack in 2014 has produced a wild offspring of her own.

In a critical breakthrough in Mexican wolf management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently reported that a genetic test of male 1561 revealed that it is the offspring of male 1293 and female 1346. The female was one of two pups fostered into the den of the Dark Canyon Pack in New Mexico in 2014.

“We now have proof that a fostered pup not only survived to adulthood, but that it is reproducing and contributing genetically important young into the wild,” said Jim deVos, assistant director of wildlife management for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “This is fantastic news for the program and demonstrates that fostering Mexican wolves so they grow up wild is effective and provides a critical step forward for wolf recovery.”

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission and department support this fostering technique that introduces very young pups from captivity and places them into a wild-born litter of the same age. The pups are then raised in the wild rather than captivity.

Critics of the commission’s decision to restrict releases in Arizona solely to fostering pups argued that until these pups reproduce there would be no genetic rescue.

“One of the key challenges to recovery of the Mexican wolf is long-term genetic management given that all Mexican wolves alive today originated from a founder population of only seven animals,” deVos said. “This approach has been used in genetic management of other species but until this month was unproven for Mexican wolves,” said deVos.

The Mexican Wolf Reintroduction Project is a collaborative effort of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Game and Fish Department, White Mountain Apache Tribe, USDA Forest Service, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service – Wildlife Services, and several participating counties in Arizona.

New fishing regulations to take effect January 1

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Some new fishing regulations will take effect beginning Jan 1. Be sure to look for the full 2017-18 Arizona Game and Fish Department fishing regulations online around the first of the year. Also, the new fishing regulations booklet will be available at all AZGFD offices and license dealers in early January.

Here are the changes:

  • Reduce the daily trout bag limit to five at the Colorado River from Lake Mead to California-Nevada boundary (including Lake Mohave and Willow Beach).
  • Reduce the daily bag limits to two bass, minimum size 13 inches; and 4 catfish in any combination at Whitehorse Lake.
  • Change the season and daily bag limit from Glen Canyon Dam to the Paria Riffle to two rainbow trout; artificial fly and lure only; barbless hooks only.
  • Close the Kino Environmental Restoration Project to fishing. The Kino Environmental Restoration Project is in Tucson (Pima County).
  • Change the daily trout bag limit to two, any species combination at Frye Mesa Reservoir.
  • Allow the use of fathead minnows caught on site to be used as bait at Riggs Flat Lake.
  • Create a year-round bow-and-arrow season for catfish at Apache, Canyon and Saguaro lakes, with a special regulation daily bag limit of five catfish in any combination.
  • Catch and release regulations for largemouth bass at Pena Blanca Lake and Dankworth Pond will have sunset and will no longer be in effect. The statewide limit of six bass will apply.

For more fishing information, visit the AZGFD fishing page, or the Fish AZ blog.

If an OHV is on the holiday list, don’t forget the safety gear

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PHOENIX — Another year has passed and if a new off-highway vehicle (OHV) is in the cards this holiday season, the Arizona Game and Fish Department advises you to remember the wear the following equipment.

  1. A helmet. Whether riding in a side-by-side utility-type vehicle (UTV), all-terrain vehicle (ATV) or dirt bike, all riders younger than18 years old are legally required to wear a Department of Transportation-approved helmet. Helmets are strongly recommended for all riders older than 18.
  2. Eye protection, such as riding goggles, is legally required for all riders if the OHV is not equipped with a windshield.
  3. Riding gloves should be worn at all times to protect your hands while riding and enhance your grip while driving.
  4. Wear proper clothing, including a long-sleeve shirt, pants and over-the-ankle boots.

Register your OHV and purchase an OHV Decal. All vehicles designed primarily for travel on unimproved terrain and weighing less than 1,800 pounds are required to have a $25 OHV decal to operate on public and state lands. License plates and decals are available at any Arizona Motor Vehicle Division location or at www.servicearizona.com.

Take a safety course. Safety courses teach new and veteran riders the techniques needed to safely operate and ride an OHV, including the importance of shifting their weight, maintaining control of the machine, evasive breaking and maneuvers. For information on where to take a course or to take one online, visit www.azgfd.com/Education/OHV.

Always remember to supervise children under 16 years old and check to ensure your child is riding an age-appropriate vehicle. Machines may be too large and powerful for a child to safely operate. Parents are ultimately responsible for their children’s safety.

Riders should only carry the number of passengers for which the machine is designed. One of the biggest causes of OHV-related injuries is riding with more than the recommended number of passengers. Proper riding techniques require operators to shift their weight and change position to keep control of the machine. Carrying a passenger can make riding difficult and change how the vehicle responds.

For additional OHV safety information, visit www.azgfd.gov/ohv.