Tag Archives: News

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.

Welcome 2017 with sober driving

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PHOENIX — Toast away this New Year’s. Just don’t get behind the wheel toasted.

Continuing its tradition of holiday-themed safety campaigns, starting today ADOT’s highway message boards are encouraging you to make smart decisions when it comes to getting around on a long weekend that many associate with imbibing.

Channeling Christopher Walken’s eternally awesome Saturday Night Live skit as record producer Bruce Dickinson (yes, the Bruce Dickinson), the first message says:

WE’VE GOT A FEVER
& THE ONLY CURE IS
SOBER DRIVERS

(Yes, Bruce Dickson said PRESCRIPTION, but that doesn’t play well with message boards limited to 18 characters per line.)

Look for new messages each day throughout the weekend.

It should go without saying, but driving under the influence, already a factor in many fatal crashes, is an especially big concern over New Year’s weekend.

In 2015, Arizona saw seven people die in crashes over New Year’s weekend. Alcohol was a factor in four of those fatalities.

As you ring in 2017, please designate a driver, take a cab, catch the bus or light rail (if you take public transportation, Bruce Dickinson would want you to explore the space) – whatever it takes to not get behind the wheel impaired.

Each of these options is a sure way to not have to fear the reaper.

When a snowstorm hits, safest choice is waiting it out

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PHOENIX — ADOT has nearly 200 snowplows and 400 certified drivers stationed around the state to address snow and ice. But as Christmas weekend showed—especially on Interstate 40 from Flagstaff west to Ash Fork and on Interstate 17 south of Flagstaff—a snowstorm can be so intense that travel becomes unsafe quickly.

This is why drivers should monitor conditions before leaving and be prepared to delay travel until snowplows can do their work. A few inches of snow fell per hour at the height of last weekend’s storm, causing crashes and slide-offs and resulting in long closures because of the time required to get vehicles cleared and lanes open again.

In addition to watching National Weather Service forecasts for Flagstaff, Williams or any area you are planning to travel, be sure to check az511.gov or call 511 for the latest road conditions. ADOT’s Twitter account (@ArizonaDOT) is a good source of information and interaction.

Accident on I-40 at exit 163 in Williams. Photo courtesy of Williams Fire Department.

A 28-car pile up occurred at the 163 exit of I-40 in Williams on Christmas Eve keeping many stuck for up to eight-hours. If you drive faster, you may not get through the snow faster. You may not get through at all. When it rains it can be just as dangerous overnight as the temperature drops and ice builds up on the roadways.

Because snowstorms can result in sudden closures sometimes lasting for hours, ADOT offers tips at azdot.gov/KnowSnow that include packing an emergency kit with blankets, warm clothing, snacks and water and keeping your gas tank half to three-quarters full at all times. It is also good to have a charged cellphone, but some areas do not have cellphone service. A radio transmitter, such as the FRS/GMRS radios, Citizens Band or amateur radio equipment is also a good idea.

But the safest option when snow is falling is not being on road unless it’s absolutely necessary.

During the storm, white cars were observed driving in the snow without lights making them difficult to see. Turn your lights ON during a storm, whether rain or snow, no matter the color of your vehicle if you feel you must drive at all. You need to make yourself as visible as possible.

Photo courtesy of the Williams Fire Department

With another storm forecast for New Year’s weekend, recent experience reinforces the value of waiting until roads are plowed and ready for traffic. If there’s any question about whether it’s a good idea to go, you’d probably do well to wait.

When highways are plowed and ready for traffic, many drivers may be heading uphill to play in the snow. If you’re among them, be sure to leave prepared, as New Year’s usually is an especially busy weekend at snow-play areas, especially along US 180 outside of Flagstaff, resulting in long lines of traffic at day’s end.

Those heading to snow-play sites along US 180 may want to consider making an earlier start home, as on busy days traffic builds toward Flagstaff throughout the afternoon. When they reach Flagstaff, drivers taking Interstate 17 south can save time by following a marked alternate route to Interstate 40 at Butler Avenue, via Switzer Canyon Road and Route 66, and then heading west to I-17. A map of this route, as well as locations of snow-play sites, is available at FlagstaffArizona.org (follow the Winter Snow Play link).

Projects on US 60, Interstate 15 highlight 2016 in Greater Arizona

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PHOENIX — Drivers have a wider, safer US 60 climbing east from Superior, a new bridge that will eliminate flooding closures on US 95 near Yuma and a rehabilitated Virgin River Bridge No. 6 on Interstate 15 thanks to just some of the Arizona Department of Transportation projects completed this year in Greater Arizona.

More is on the way in 2017, including widening the last section of State Route 260 between Interstate 17 and Cottonwood, and starting work on a bridge carrying State Route 347 over railroad tracks in Maricopa.

After months of regularly scheduled blasting closures, those using US 60 between Superior and Globe now have an eastbound passing lane on the grade between Oak Flat and Devil’s Canyon (mileposts 230 to 232). Other improvements along this stretch include a wider shoulder at Devil’s Canyon and bridge improvements at Waterfall Canyon near milepost 229. The projects also removed overhanging rocks that have posed the danger of rock falling during heavy rain.

This work was part of $65 million in US 60 improvements that also include ongoing work to convert the last remaining two-lane roadway segment between Phoenix and Superior into four-lane divided highway (mileposts 222-227 just west of Superior) and a project that installed LED lighting in the Queen Creek Tunnel at milepost 228.

Along I-15 in far northwestern Arizona, ADOT completed a $27 million rehabilitation of Virgin River Bridge No. 6 that replaced girders, decks and railings and widened the roadway at the bridge. This was the centerpiece of $50 million in upgrades that also included paving all 29 miles of I-15 in Arizona and repairing the decks of three other bridges in the Virgin River Gorge corridor.

Until late 2016, flash floods could cause closures of US 95 at Fortuna Wash near Yuma – no small problem considering that the wash lies between the city and Yuma County’s largest employer, Yuma Proving Ground. Today, motorists using this key trade route between the U.S. and Mexico cross Fortuna Wash on a $9.3 million, 600-foot bridge. Final work on the bridge and this stretch of US 95 will continue until spring.

Among other highlights in Greater Arizona, ADOT completed a major project to improve mobility and safety along US 89 through the Navajo Nation community of Cameron north of Flagstaff. The $36.7 million project replaced two bridges over the Little Colorado River, widened four miles of highway, added a roundabout at the junction with State Route 64, and installed sidewalks and underpasses.

On State Route 89 between Chino Valley and Interstate 40, ADOT completed a new $14.4 million bridge at Hell Canyon featuring 12-foot lanes and 10-foot shoulders to better accommodate oversize loads and commercial vehicles. Replacing a now-dismantled bridge built in 1954 that no longer met state and federal design standards for larger and heavier vehicles, the new structure is 665 feet long and has four spans to carry the load.

In spring 2017, work is to begin on a project widening nine miles of SR 260 (mileposts 209-218) to modern four-lane divided highway from Interstate 17 west to Thousand Trails Road. This $62 million project also will install seven roundabouts at major cross streets.

Late in 2017, ADOT plans to begin work on a $55 million project in Maricopa that will realign SR 347 between Desert Cedars Drive and Hathaway Avenue and create a bridge carrying the highway over Union Pacific railroad tracks where dozens of trains pass each day. A $15 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant and a $15 million local contribution have helped ADOT move forward sooner on this project than originally planned.

Behnke Sentenced on Child Pornography Related Charges

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FLAGSTAFF — On December 20, 2016, 30 year-old Leroy Behnke was sentenced in Coconino County Superior Court Division 5 for charges related to child pornography. Behnke took a plea deal for one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and one count of Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor for possession and distribution of child pornography. He was sentenced to 17 years in DOC, with lifetime probation and lifetime sex offender registration on his release.

On May 12, 2015 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Agents contacted Coconino County Sheriff’s Detectives regarding the possession and distribution of child pornography by an adult male who lived in the greater Flagstaff area. According to the FBI agents they developed information that caused them to believe that Leroy Behnke of Flagstaff was in possession of numerous images depicting young children and infants engaged in various sexual acts. They further believed that Behnke had obtained the images from several online chat rooms and then distributed the images to other online users.

On May 21, 2015 Coconino County Sheriff’s Detectives, Deputies and FBI Agents served a search warrant on Behnke’s place of residence while he was at home. During the service of the search warrant, Behnke’s laptop computer was seized and he was interviewed by a Sheriff’s Detective and FBI agent. During the interview Behnke made statements that implicated him in numerous counts of possessing and exchanging child pornography images online. At that time, Behnke was arrested on 10 counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor Distribution and transported to the Coconino County Detention Facility where he was incarcerated.

This case is an example of the cooperative efforts between local and federal agencies in investigation, arrest and prosecution of suspects and criminal acts.

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.

Rock-fall cleanup continues on State Route 89 south of Prescott

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PRESCOTT —The Arizona Department of Transportation is resuming work to clean up a portion of State Route 89 impacted Tuesday by a rock fall.

SR 89 will be narrowed to one lane through 5 p.m. Wednesday (Dec. 28) at milepost 304, approximately five miles south of Prescott.

Motorists can expect delays of up to 15 minutes and should allow extra time to reach their destinations. A flagging operation will be in place with clearly marked detour signage.

Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment.

For the most current information about highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT’s Travel Information Site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving. For more information about this repair, please call Tricia Lewis, senior community relations officer, 928.606.2420 or email tlewis@azdot.gov.

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.