Tag Archives: News

Burglary Investigation Leads To Recovery Of Property

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FREDONIA – On Sunday September 10th the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a burglary and theft of a generator, tent and two large water containers from a residence in the White Sage area. White Sage is a residential community of about 50 residents in Coconino County approximately 13 miles south of the Town of Fredonia.

A Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputy and the Fredonia Town Marshal responded and conducted an investigation into the incident. The two officers discovered vehicle tracks on the victim’s property and indicators of removal of the property by vehicle. The officers followed the vehicle tracks to a neighboring property where they contacted a male and female. After receiving permission to search for the stolen property all the items were located and recovered. Criminal charges are pending upon the completion of the investigation.

Arizona’s bald eagles expand breeding sites in 2017

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PHOENIX — Arizona’s bald eagle population continues to soar as the number of breeding areas expanded statewide and a record 82 young hatched during the 2017 breeding season, according to an annual Arizona Game and Fish Department survey.

While the number of hatchlings rose from the previous high of 79 in 2016, the number of young that actually fledged dipped slightly to 63 birds that made the important milestone of their first flight. In Arizona, at least 95 eggs were laid, which was slightly less than the 97 laid in 2016, and a record 85 breeding areas were identified, including two new areas.

“We continue to see phenomenal growth of Arizona’s bald eagle population,” said Kenneth Jacobson, AZGFD bald eagle management coordinator. “An increase in breeding areas and increasing numbers of hatchlings is a testament to the resiliency of these magnificent animals and our ongoing efforts to help recover bald eagles in Arizona.”

Arizona’s bald eagle populations have flourished since 1978, when 11 pairs were counted within the state and the species was listed as endangered. Today there are an estimated 67 adult breeding pairs.

Bald eagles in Arizona were removed from the federal Endangered Species Act in 2011. The department’s conservation efforts contributed to the species recovery. Nationally, the birds remain protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

The impressive growth of the population is attributed to the continued efforts of the Southwestern Bald Eagle Management Committee – a coalition of AZGFD and 25 other government agencies, private organizations and Native American tribes – and its years of cooperative conservation efforts, including extensive monitoring by the nationally-awarded Bald Eagle Nestwatch Program.

The breeding season for bald eagles in Arizona runs from December through June, although eagle pairs at higher elevations nest later than those in the rest of the state.

Continued support from the committee, State Wildlife Grants and the Heritage Fund (Arizona Lottery ticket sales), will help ensure that Arizona’s bald eagles continue to thrive.

For more information on bald eagles in Arizona, visit www.azgfd.gov (click on “wildlife”) or www.swbemc.org.​​​​​​​

Special Saturday Court in Flagstaff

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FLAGSTAFF – The Flagstaff Justice Court and the Superior Court Clerk of the Court will hold a special Saturday Court, from 9 a.m. to noon, September 16 at the Superior Court/Flagstaff Justice Court building, 200 N. San Francisco Street.

Justice of the Peace Howard Grodman, Clerk of Superior Court Valerie Wyant and Chairwoman of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors, Liz Archuleta initiated the Saturday Court services so people can receive court services who normally can’t during the standard operating hours.

Individuals with outstanding warrants can appear before the judge and resolve pending legal issues. Only customers with cases from the Flagstaff Justice Court will be assisted during this event. People with pending warrants from another court should call the appropriate issuing court to discuss options.

Service windows will be open for people to pay court fees and fines by setting up payment plans or reestablishing a payment plan already in place for pending cases.

The Clerk of Superior Court’s Office will also be open to file paperwork, apply for a passport or obtain a marriage license.

For questions please contact Maia Rodriguez at the Flagstaff Justice Court at 928-679-7675.

Online applications for 2018 spring hunts now being accepted

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PHOENIX – The Arizona Game and Fish Department now is accepting online applications for 2018 hunt permit-tags issued through the draw process for spring turkey, javelina, bison and bear.

To apply online, visit https://draw.azgfd.gov/ and scroll down to “Apply for a Draw.”

The deadline by which the department must receive all applications – online or paper – is 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Tuesday, October 10, 2017. Postmarks do not count.

Paper applications can be mailed to: Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn.: Drawing Section, P.O. Box 74020, Phoenix, AZ 85087-1052, or dropped off at any regional office statewide.

The “2018 Spring Turkey, Javelina, Bison, Bear and Raptor Capture Hunt Draw Information” booklet is available online at www.azgfd.gov/draw. Printed booklets are available at department offices and license dealers statewide.

Applicants must possess a valid Arizona hunting license to apply online for a hunt permit-tag. That license must be valid on the last day of the application period (October 10, 2017). Licenses are valid for one year from date of purchase. Licenses are available online, as well as at all Game and Fish offices and license dealers statewide.

Meanwhile, the department encourages applicants to consider purchasing PointGuard when applying online for a hunt permit-tag. PointGuard 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.

Applicants first must sign up for a free AZGFD portal account 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 $5 per species, per applicant, purchased at the time of completing the online application, or prior to the application period deadline.

For more information, visit www.azgfd.gov/draw, or call (602) 942-3000. For more information about PointGuard, visit https://www.azgfd.com/hunting/pointguard.

Leftover permit-tags available for 2017 sandhill crane hunts

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is accepting applications for leftover hunt permit-tags for the 2017 sandhill crane season.

A list of the 29 leftover hunt permit-tags, including 22 for youth hunters, is available online at https://www.azgfd.com/Hunting/Regulations/. Applications are being accepted — by mail only – on a first-come, first-served basis – at the following address: Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn.: Draw/First Come, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086.

The hunt permit-tag fee is $43 for Arizona residents, $45 for non-residents (each successful applicant will receive three hunt permit-tags). A valid Arizona hunting license is needed to apply. If an applicant is not licensed at the time of application, he or she must purchase a license by completing the license form section and include payment with the application.

The “2017 Arizona Sandhill Crane Regulations” are posted online at https://www.azgfd.com/Hunting/Regulations/. For more information, call (602) 942-3000.

5 mule deer trophies recovered during search of Flagstaff resident’s home

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Loren McReynolds poses with a nontypical mule deer that he is alleged to have killed within the boundaries of Grand Canyon National Park.

FLAGSTAFF — Following a multiyear investigation by the Arizona Game and Fish Department into the hunting activities of Loren McReynolds, several state and federal agencies served a search warrant at his Flagstaff residence.

During the search of McReynolds’ home, investigators recovered five mule deer trophies that law enforcement suspects were unlawfully taken, including notable, nontypical mule deer antlers alleged to be from a deer killed within the boundaries of Grand Canyon National Park. The trophy buck was believed to be a well-known resident deer that lived within the park and was very identifiable.

McReynolds has a previous history of alleged wildlife violations, and was arrested in January 2017 for weapons violations and for killing federally protected burros north of Williams, Arizona.

“We have been working on this case for several years and all of the hard work finally paid off with the service of this search warrant,” said Gene Elms, Law Enforcement Branch chief for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “The department has received many complaints about McReynolds’ hunting activities over the years. Thanks to those individuals who came forward and the diligence of our investigators, we have the evidence to pursue criminal charges for McReynolds’ actions.”

If convicted, the violations carry possible jail time and court fines. In addition, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission has authority to seek civil restitution for the loss of wildlife to the state and suspend or revoke McReynolds’ hunting privileges.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department encourages anyone with information about the illegal take of wildlife to call the Operation Game Thief hotline at (800) 352-0700 or visit www.azgfd.com/ogt. The department pays cash rewards to individuals whose reports of wildlife crimes lead to an arrest. Callers can remain anonymous, and their confidentiality is protected. Money for rewards comes from donations, court fines and civil restitution by violators who commit wildlife crimes.

“If you witness suspicious hunting activity, call the Operation Game Thief hotline immediately,” Elms said. “A caller’s quick actions not only increase our chances of apprehending the violator, but they also help protect Arizona’s wildlife.”

Public invited to release of California Condors on September 30, at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument

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VERMILION CLIFFS – California Condors will be released to the wild in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in northern Arizona at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 30. The public is welcome to observe the release from a viewing area where spotting scopes will be set up and project personnel will be available to answer questions.

The release coincides with National Public Lands Day, the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance America’s public lands. National Public Lands Day involves the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and other federal agencies, along with state and local governments and private groups.

· Driving directions: Take Highway 89A from Kanab or Page to the Vermilion Cliffs (from Flagstaff take Highway 89 to Highway 89A). Turn north onto BLM Road 1065 (a dirt road next to the small house just east of the Kaibab Plateau) and continue almost 3 miles.
· Bring: Spotting scope or binoculars, sunscreen, water, snack, chair and layered clothing
· Details: Informational kiosk, shade structure, and restroom at the site.
· Map: https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/documents/files/2010%20VCNM%20California%20Condor%20Release%20Map.pdf

This will be the 21st annual public release of condors in Arizona since the condor recovery program began in 1996. Condors are hatched and reared in captivity at The Peregrine Fund’s World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho, and transported to Arizona for release to the wild. Condors also come to the release site from the Oregon Zoo, Los Angeles Zoo, and San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

As of June 30, there were 74 condors in the wild in the rugged canyon country of northern Arizona and southern Utah. The world’s total population of endangered California Condors numbers over 450 individuals, with more than half flying in the wilds of Arizona, Utah, California, and Mexico. The historical California Condor population declined to just 22 individuals in the 1980s when the program was initiated to save the species from extinction.

The Arizona-Utah recovery effort is a cooperative program by federal, state, and private partners, including The Peregrine Fund, Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management’s Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Grand Canyon and Zion national parks, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and Kaibab and Dixie national forests among many other supporting groups and individuals.

For more information about California Condors in Arizona: http://www.peregrinefund.org/condor

Game and Fish Commission to meet Sept. 8 and 9 in Williams

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PHOENIX — The next meeting of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission will be at 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 8, at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel at 235 N. Grand Canyon Blvd. in Williams.

The public can attend the meeting or view it on a webcast at www.azgfd.gov/commissioncam. The meeting also can be watched on streaming video at any regional office statewide.

Those who wish to speak to the commission may submit “speaker cards” (blue cards) in person at the meeting or from any Game and Fish office. The ability to speak to the commission is not available for those viewing the webcast.

Items on Friday’s agenda include:

  • A renewal of a road closure on state trust land about 12 miles northeast of Benson.
  • Approval of a wildlife studies agreement between AZGFD and the city of Scottsdale for conservation projects within the McDowell Mountains.
  • A briefing on the status of state and federal legislation related to the department’s mission.
  • A briefing on development of a long-term, state-wide public awareness campaign.
  • An update on the department’s efforts toward accomplishing commission priorities.
  • An update on Williams-area sport fisheries, including economic impacts and recent habitat work.
  • An update on developments relating to resource management plans and actions on federal lands in Arizona.
  • Hearings on license revocations for violations of Game and Fish codes and civil assessments for the illegal taking and/or possession of wildlife (time certain at 10 a.m.).
  • An informational update on the department’s Hunter Education program.
  • An informational update on the department’s Shooting Sports program’s projects and activities.
  • Approval of a Notice of Expedited Rulemaking amending Article 6 (addressing rules of practice before the commission) and Article 11 (addressing aquatic invasive species) rules.
  • An endangered species update on the evacuation of Gila trout from Ash and Frye creeks during two large wildfires.
  • Amendment of Commission Order 40 to temporarily close Frye Creek Gila trout fishery to allow evaluation and restoration of the population.
  • Consideration of a petition to close .3 miles of road on state trust land near Congress.
  • Consideration of a memorandum of understanding with the state of Nevada on hunting and fishing license reciprocity.
  • Consideration of a memorandum of understanding with the National Forest Foundation on conservation and education programs.
  • Approval of a plan with the Mexican government for the importation/exportation of Sonoran pronghorn with Sonora, Mexico to improve the genetic variability over the next two years to support recovery goals.
  • Approval of proposed hunt guidelines for fall 2018 through spring 2023.
  • Presentation of the 2017 Annual Commission Award nominees and selection by the commission of the award recipients.

On Saturday, Sept. 9, the commission may attend a fishing trip and tour of the historic 1800s Hat Ranch.

To view a copy of the full meeting agenda, visit www.azgfd.gov/commission and click on the “commission agenda” link.

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is a five-member, policy-setting board that oversees the Arizona Game and Fish Department. For more information about the commission, visit www.azgfd.gov/commission.

Arizona Wildlife Views TV Show Now Available on YouTube

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PHOENIX — From highlighting the Sonoran pronghorn recovery to an in-depth look at the making of a wildlife manager, the Arizona Wildlife Views TV show covered a diverse range of wildlife and topics in the last season. And there’s good news if you missed any of the shows from 2016: You can watch them all now on the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s YouTube channel.

The Emmy-award winning program is produced by the department’s Information Branch and airs on PBS and city cable channels. It was recently announced that the TV show has been nominated for four Rocky Mountain Emmy Awards for segments from 2016.

Wildlife featured throughout the season includes: bald eagles, narrow-headed gartersnakes, desert tortoises, bison, Chiricahua leopard frogs, sandhill cranes and catfish.

The new season of Arizona Wildlife Views will be starting this fall on Arizona PBS (channel 8.1 or channel 1008 on Cox Cable) and city cable channels statewide. The opening show is focused on bald eagles and covers the work of biologists who build nests to support a growing population as well as volunteers who monitor the species throughout Arizona.

Paper applications for 2018 spring hunts now being accepted

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PHOENIX – The Arizona Game and Fish Department has posted the “2018 Spring Turkey, Javelina, Bison, Bear and Raptor Capture Hunt Draw Information” online at www.azgfd.gov/draw.

The department now is accepting paper applications for 2018 spring hunt permit-tags issued through the draw process for spring turkey, javelina, bison, bear and raptor capture. The online application service is expected to be available in early to mid-September.

Paper applications can be mailed: Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn.: Drawing Section, P.O. Box 74020, Phoenix, AZ 85087-1052, or dropped off at any department office statewide.

The deadline for all spring hunt permit-tag applications is 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017. Paper applications must be received by the department by the deadline. Postmarks do not count.

The deadline for all raptor capture hunt permit-tag applications is 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Tuesday, March 13, 2018.

The printed “2018 Spring Turkey, Javelina, Bison, Bear and Raptor Capture Hunt Draw Information” booklets are expected to be available at department offices and license dealers statewide in early September.

Applicants must possess an Arizona hunting license to apply for a spring hunt permit-tag. Licenses can be purchased online at https://license.azgfd.gov/home.xhtml, or at all department offices or more than 200 license dealers statewide.