AZGFD Expo is 2 weeks away

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Arizona’s largest hands-on outdoor expo is less than 2 weeks away. And it’s FREE!
The Arizona Game and Fish Department Outdoor Expo, presented by Shikar-Safari Club International, will be held on Saturday, March 30, and Sunday, March 31, at the world famous Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix. The event offers loads of activities, presentations and exhibits for everyone from novices to seasoned outdoor recreationists.
The Expo has come a long way since its inception, growing from a small occurrence with a handful of attractions and exhibitors in 2004, to one of the north Valley’s biggest and best-attended annual events.
Some of the things attendees can do include:
  • View live wildlife (hawks, reptiles, small mammals, more) in the expanded amAZing Wildlife tent.
  • Give kayaking a try at the “Lake Paddlemore” kayaking pond.
  • Hike a field course and learn cool camping tips.
  • Take the kids to two huge catch-and-release fishing tanks.
  • Learn target archery.
  • Try out different firearms in a safe, controlled environment on the shooting range, or learn specialty shooting disciplines such as clay target, cowboy action, practical pistol, black powder, air gun, and more.
  • Learn from informative talks on topics on wildlife, conservation and outdoor recreation.
  • Attend exciting cowboy mounted shooting competition at the Royce W. Anderson Family Arena.
  • View off-highway vehicle exhibits, rock crawler demonstrations, and learn about responsible riding.
  • View boating exhibits and learn about watercraft safety.
  • Visit with more than 160 exhibitors, including outdoor organizations, government agencies, and commercial vendors of outdoor products and services.

The Title Sponsor for the event is Shikar-Safari Club International. Gold sponsors are OneAZ Credit Union and Sig Sauer.

Admission and parking are free, but people might want to bring a little cash for the variety of food and beverage concessionaires and other vendors. ATMs will be on-site.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 29, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 30. To get to the Expo, take I-17 to Carefree Highway, turn west, and watch for the signs.

See more information.

Nominations sought for Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame

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Deadline to submit nominations is April 30

PHOENIX — The Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation is soliciting nominations for this year’s inductees into the Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame.

The Outdoor Hall of Fame annually recognizes individuals and organizations that have made significant and lasting contributions toward Arizona’s wildlife, the welfare of its natural resources, and the state’s outdoor heritage.

Nominations will be accepted through April 30, 2019. To submit a nomination, download a form (also found on the Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame web page), complete it and return a scanned copy along with all supplemental materials to Rebecca Bouquot, wildlifefortomorrow@gmail.com

Or, you can mail the completed form and materials to:

Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation
c/o Arizona Game and Fish Department
Attn: Rebecca Bouquot, Outdoor Hall of Fame Nominations
5000 W. Carefree Highway
Phoenix, AZ 85086

This year’s inductees will be honored in August at the annual Outdoor Hall of Fame Banquet.

Past Outdoor Hall of Fame inductees have been individuals with backgrounds in wildlife volunteerism, corporate leadership, politics, wildlife and the media, including Ben Avery, Barry Goldwater, Morris Udall, John McCain, Bill Quimby, Tom Woods, Steve Hirsch, as well as groups and organizations such as Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center Volunteers, Arizona Antelope Foundation, Rio Salado Sportsman’s Club, Arizona Deer Association, National Wild Turkey Federation, Safari Club International, Audubon Arizona, Arizona Public Service and Salt River Project.

Wildlife for Tomorrow was created in 1990 to enhance the management, protection and enjoyment of Arizona’s fish and wildlife resources. The foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works closely with the Arizona Game and Fish Department to provide additional support for projects and education activities where traditional resources are not adequate. For more information, visit www.wildlifefortomorrow.org.

Flagstaff and Lowell Observatory to celebrate 50th Anniversary of the Lunar Landing

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FLAGSTAFF – On July 20, 1960, a small module—called the Eagle—separated from the Command Module of Apollo 11 to set the first men on the moon. Long before that historic event, astronauts trained around Flagstaff including Meteor Crater approximately 37-miles east of Flagstaff. The City of Flagstaff and Lowell Observatory is celebrating their participation in the event with a year long event known as Lunar Legacy.

The Northern Arizona DX Association (NADXA) is an amateur radio group that will participate in the Lunar Legacy event by having four special events through out the year at places where the astronauts trained; Lowell Observatory, Sunset Crater, Meteor Crater and the Grand Canyon.

The NADXA will be setting up radio equipment to make contact with amateur radio operators around the world to promote the event. Amateur radio operators often set up special events to promote historic events or places. They participate each year in an event celebrating Route 66, known as Route 66 On The Air sponsored by the Citrus Belt Amateur Radio Club

The operation begins with a special event this Saturday, March 16 at 10 a.m. near the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.

To find the event, drive north on highway 89 to Forest Road 776 about 7-miles north of Flagstaff. Look for the OHV cinder hills area sign. Turn right off N89 and drive 3 to 4-miles. On Saturday, the NADXA will post yellow paper signs showing “Special radio event-Lunar Legacy” with arrows on FR 776 starting about 3 miles off of N89.

Go to flagstaffarizona.org to find out more about the Lunar Legacy event.

County Emergency Management to host EOC Open House

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The Emergency Operation Center in Flagstaff. – Photo courtesy of Glen Davis, KG7YDJ

FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Emergency Management will host an Open House of the Emergency Management Center (EOC) for the public. The public will be able to tour the nerve center of disaster control for Coconino County and meet with emergency personnel from the various agencies involved.

The EOC activates when a major disaster occurs or during pending storms, such as the recent storm this month. The EOC was activated during the Tinder Fire in Blue Ridge in April of 2018. The fire received international attention. For a portion of the fire, the only communications available was between fire personnel and amateur radio operators of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) operating at the EOC.

It is an opportunity for the public to see what the EOC does during an emergency. It is of a modular design meaning that only portions of the EOC are activated necessary for the emergency. The design is based on a Federal Emergency Management Agency model used across the country.

Coconino County invites the public to bring their families to see what the county does in an emergency. Young people can learn about various volunteer organizations in the community, such as the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and the Amateur Radio Emergency Service.

The EOC will be open to the public on March 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The EOC is located at 2201 N. Gemini Road in Flagstaff. Refreshments will be available.

Volunteers needed to spotlight endangered black-footed ferrets

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SELIGMAN — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking volunteers to assist with spotlighting efforts to help document the population of endangered black-footed ferrets in Aubrey Valley and on the Double O Ranch near Seligman.

As part of the recovery effort, the department has scheduled two spring spotlighting projects – March 21 to 25 and April 18 to 21 (the department also conducts two spotlighting projects in the fall). The spotlighting method involves using high-powered lights to locate and identify black-footed ferrets. Their eyeshine is reflected by the spotlight and helps surveyors with identifying and locating these elusive, nocturnal carnivores.

Volunteers must have the ability to stay attentive from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. while spotlighting for black-footed ferrets and use, or learn how to use, a Global Positioning System (GPS). Volunteers can sign up by e-mailing azferret@azgfd.gov — with “spring spotlighting” in the subject line — by March 15 for this month’s project and by April 12 for the later opportunity.

Volunteers are reminded to include their full name, a contact phone number, month(s) and night(s) available to spotlight, and full names of others who also will be attending (a parent or guardian must accompany any youth under 18). Volunteers also should note any equipment they can bring, such as GPS, clipboard, headlamp, pen, binoculars, walkie-talkies, compass, cordless rechargeable spotlight, backpack or 4X4 vehicle.

A total of nine individual black-footed ferrets were captured in 2018, down from 19 in 2017. Of those nine, eight were captured in Aubrey Valley and one on the Double O Ranch. Almost 140 volunteers totaled 1,500 spotlighting hours over the course of the spring and fall projects.

Visit www.azgfd.gov/wildlife and click on “Nongame Species” for more information about the black-footed ferret recovery effort.

Visiting winter boaters: Schedule your free watercraft inspections

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PHOENIX — Visiting winter boaters: It’s time to schedule your free watercraft inspections and decontaminations before heading home. In order to avoid fines, quarantines and even impoundments when traveling across state lines, the Arizona Game and Fish Department has authorized providers to perform inspections and decontaminations for boats traveling from waters designated as having aquatic invasive species (AIS).

“Watercraft inspection and decontamination is the most effective way to prevent the spread of AIS and we are asking the boating public to do their part in calling and scheduling a no-cost inspection and decontamination,” AZGFD Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator Erin Raney said. “It is absolutely essential to have your boat inspected and if necessary, decontaminated, to prevent the spread of mussels and AIS into other waterbodies.”

Aquatic Invasive Species are non-native species that are often unintentionally introduced by human movement. They do not have predators outside of their native range, and are able to outcompete native species.

They can be animals, plants and even pathogens that cause disease in native wildlife. They can often be invisible to the naked eye, making them even more difficult to control. Once introduced, they can alter ecosystems by interrupting food chains, cause damage to boats and other recreational gear, clog up water and power infrastructure and pose safety hazards.

Appointments fill up fast, so be sure to call the Arizona Game and Fish AIS Program (623) 236-7608 with plenty of time ahead of departure.

Stop the spread of AIS and keep our waters clean and beautiful for ourselves and future generations. Regardless of where you boat, always remember to:

Clean boats, waders, anchors, equipment and gear by removing mud, plants, attached animals such as snails.
Drain all residual water from engines and motors, ballast tanks, live wells and bait wells. Pull your bilge plug and leave out during transport. Store with boat keys or in a location where you will remember before launch.
Dry all equipment that comes in contact with water, such as life jackets, ropes, buoys, tubes, etc.

Many states require that watercraft must stop for inspection, which includes both motorized and non-motorized boats. If you see signs that indicate that an inspection station is open, please stop and have your watercraft inspected by the state in which you are traveling.

Quagga mussels are extremely small and are excellent at hiding in places that are hard to inspect. So the more eyes looking over your watercraft, the better chance of preventing these hitchhikers from entering a new waterbody.

Boaters are required to comply with all AIS regulations of the respective states where they are traveling, as well as those of their final destination. Be sure to contact your local state AIS authorities for any additional questions on local regulation compliance.

OHV riders: Protect habitat, stay on trails and avoid wet, muddy areas

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PHOENIX — While it’s tempting to head out on an off-highway vehicle (OHV) following rain or a snowstorm, soggy trails quickly turn muddy, and riding on them can create long-lasting damage that negatively impacts wildlife habitat.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department advises OHV riders that come upon wet and muddy roads to resist the urge to hit the gas and instead turn around or avoid the area. Splashing or mudding straight through can tear up roads and trails, making them impassable for others and causing serious damage to meadows, streams and other areas important to wildlife and Arizona’s water supply.

Even a lighter-weight OHV with low-pressure tires can do lasting damage.
While the practice of “mudding” — purposefully driving through wet areas, whether it’s a meadow, lakeshore or water tank for wildlife or ranchers’ animals — may be touted as fun on places like social media, it can cause long-lasting damage to the habitat and forest roads.

OHV riders can be issued citations and be held liable to fix the damage caused. It can cost tens of thousands of dollars to repair an area and an untold amount of time for a habitat to recover.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, mudding has many negative impacts, including:

  • Rips up native plants — when plants are gone soil washes into nearby streams and lakes, and it creates the opportunity for noxious weeds to move in.
  • Compacts soil — tire tracks create hard soil that keeps water from moving into the ground and they make it difficult for plants to grow.
  • Harms wildlife — when vehicles tear up meadows and wetlands, it removes nesting and hiding cover, interferes with feeding, and may push animals out into areas where they may not survive.
  • Smothers fish — many species of fish and amphibians use gravel to build nests and bury their eggs. Driving through streams destroys these gravel areas.

It’s also a safety issue for riders. OHVs handle differently on wet roads than they do on dry ground, so use caution and drive at slower speeds when roads and trails are wet.

OHV riders are also reminded to wear a helmet at all times while on the trails.

If you see someone mudding, call 1-800-VANDALS. It’s helpful if you can get a license plate number and description of both the OHV and the operator as well as a location of the activity so law enforcement personnel can follow up on the information.

Frontiere at Rogers Lake available for special events

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FLAGSTAFF — Coconino County Parks & Recreation is currently accepting reservations for special events at Frontiere at Rogers Lake. The rental season is May 1 to Septeptember 30, with additional dates by request.

Located adjacent to the Rogers Lake County Natural Area, Frontiere at Rogers Lake has views of the San Francisco Peaks. The site may be reserved for overnight or day use. A reservation may include two buildings, the overall grounds, four RV sites and tent camping areas. To help protect the natural and cultural features, people are encouraged to incorporate sustainable event planning.

For more information on Frontiere at Rogers Lake, visit http://www.FrontiereAtRogersLake.com or call the Coconino County Parks & Recreation Department at 928-679-8000.

2019 pronghorn, elk hunt draw results now available

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PHOENIX – The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has completed its random draw for 2019 pronghorn and elk hunts.

The results are now available for those who have a free AZGFD portal account, or by calling the department at (602) 942-3000, pressing “2” and following the prompts. Be prepared to provide a Social Security or Department ID number, and date of birth. This service is free of charge.

To open a portal account, visit https://accounts.azgfd.com/Account/Register and complete the required fields. A portal account allows customers to create a secure account where they can view and manage their contact information, as well as their licenses, draw results history and bonus points in their personal “My AZGFD Dashboard” section. For questions about creating a portal account, call the department at (602) 942-3000 and press “7.”
By the numbers:

26,168: The total number of hunt permit-tags issued.
186,683: The total number of those who applied for hunts or bonus points (99 percent of all applicants applied online).
144,455: The total number of applications submitted (paper and online).

All hunt permit-tags for successful applicants, along with refund warrants for those who were unsuccessful in the random draw, are expected to be mailed by April 5.

Mark your calendars: AZGFD Expo is March 30-31

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PHOENIX — The largest hands-on outdoor recreation expo in Arizona is coming soon! Dates are set for the Arizona Game and Fish Department Outdoor Expo presented by Shikar Safari Club International. Come out Saturday, March 30 and Sunday, March 31 to the world famous Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix. Admission and parking are free!

Check out our amAZing wildlife tent, which has been a huge attraction the past few years. You’ll have the opportunity to see live “ambassador animals” from the department’s Wildlife Center and learn fun facts.

As always, there will be plenty of hands-on fun for all ages like family fishing tanks, archery with a twist, and other shooting sports in a safe, supervised, controlled environment on the range. Get a feel for specialty shooting disciplines like clay target, cowboy action, practical pistol, black powder, and air gun. Check out the many firearms manufacturers, including some new brands this year.

Don’t miss the always popular cowboy mounted shooting competition. See OHV and ATV exhibits. Give kayaking a try at the “Lake Paddlemore” kayaking pond.

Hike a field course and learn cool camping tips. Learn about boating and how to stay safe on the water. Talk to experts about Arizona’s wildlife, fishing, hunting and more. Visit with more than 160 exhibitors, including outdoor recreation and conservation groups, government agencies, and commercial vendors of outdoor products and services.

The department will auction off its annual collection of wildlife assets at the Expo. Sets of antlers, hides, skulls and head mounts, as well as wildlife artwork and taxidermy – all seized during law enforcement investigations, obtained from animals killed in vehicle collisions, or acquired through donations – will be put on the auction block both days. Funds generated from the auction are used to purchase equipment and technology used in the investigation of wildlife crimes and to protect the state’s wildlife resources.

Concessionaires will have food and beverages available for purchase, and many accept only cash — ATMs will be on site. There is a nominal charge for ammunition at some of the target shooting venues.

Expo hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 30, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 31. The Outdoor Expo is easy to find, located on Carefree Highway, about 1/2 mile west of I-17 in Phoenix.

See more information about the 2019 Expo.