Tag Archives: Recreation

Sandhill crane regulations now available online

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department has posted the 2016 Arizona Sandhill Crane Regulations online at https://portal.azgfd.stagingaz.gov/PortalImages/files/regs/craneregs.pdf.

The deadline for the department to receive applications for sandhill crane hunt permit-tags is Aug. 26, 2016. No applications will be accepted after this date, regardless of postmark. All applicants must use hunt permit-tag application forms.

Applications will be accepted — by mail only — at the following addresses: P.O. Box 74020, Phoenix, AZ, 85087-1052; or 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ, 85086-5000. These applications cannot be hand-delivered to any department office. All hunt permit-tags will be mailed by Sept. 23, 2016.

The hunt permit-tag fee is $43 for Arizona residents, $45 for non-residents (each successful applicant will receive three hunt permit-tags). In order to participate in the random draw, an applicant must have or apply for a valid hunting license. 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 first of 10 three-day seasons begins Nov. 18, the latest starts Dec. 12. A three-day, youth-only season begins Dec. 9. The bag and possession limit is three sandhill cranes per calendar year.

For more information, call (602) 942-3000.

Lake Powell boat, watercraft users swap old life jackets for new

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Lake Powell in Page, Arizona. --- AZGF photo

Lake Powell in Page, Arizona. — AZGF photo

PAGE — The Arizona Game and Fish Department, in coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, will hold a life jacket exchange event at Lake Powell on Saturday, June 11.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will be on hand from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Wahweap Marina at Lake Powell, where the public can swap their old, less-effective life jackets for new ones (while supplies last).

In addition to the life jackets, the public can also receive free vessel safety checks, boating safety literature and items for the kids, such as safety whistles, coloring books and t-shirts. The life jackets and giveaway items are provided by the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

On average, the typical life jacket in Arizona should be replaced every three to five years because the sun and heat greatly reduce its buoyancy.

The department began the life jacket exchange program in 2008 to help save lives and to encourage watercraft users to remain safe on the water. The program is funded through a U.S. Coast Guard grant to purchase new jackets in a variety of sizes.

All boats in Arizona must have a life jacket aboard for every passenger and those 12 years old and younger must wear a life jacket at all times, under state law.

Also during Saturday’s event, the public can visit and walk through the Coast Guard’s RB-S 25-foot vessel, which is used to patrol Lake Powell.

AZGFD hosts free training for ATV Safety Week

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Safety_course_3_-_reducedPHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department and the ATV Safety Institute will join forces to promote off-highway vehicle (OHV) safety as part of ATV Safety Week, which runs from June 3-12.

To help mark the occasion, the two organizations will offer a free hands-on ATV safety courses at 8 a.m. Saturday, June 11 at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility at 4044 W. Black Canyon Blvd. in Phoenix. In addition, AZGFD will hold two  Quail Kids youth-based education classes from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. June 6 and 10.

“Regardless of how long you’ve been riding an off-highway vehicle, taking a safety course can be a great way to get updated on safe use, law changes and other OHV-related information,” said Matt Eberhart, AZGFD OHV Safety Education coordinator. “OHVs offer many Arizonan’s access to some of the best views and experiences in the country. While they can offer good fun, these machines can also be dangerous if operators are not educated on proper and safe use.. Our free courses will provide the basic skills needed to make sure a day on the trail is memorable for the right reasons.”

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 92 percent of all ATV-related fatalities are the result of warned-against behaviors, such as youth riding on adult-sized ATVs. The public is invited to take some time during ATV Safety Week to learn about the proper operation of OHVs, find out about helmets and other proper protective gear, and learn ways to dramatically reduce risk to themselves, their family and friends.

“We invite everyone with an ATV to take the first step toward safe riding by taking an ASI RiderCourse,” said Cam Arnold, vice president for rider training at ATV Safety Institute. “Come out to your local range, meet with instructors, have some fun and learn. ATV Safety Week is all about learning riding safety and we can think of no better way to highlight that message than to offer our class at no charge.”

Those wishing to take the free hands-on course can register by calling (800) 887-2887.

All hands-on courses are for riders 16 years and older. Riders must provide their own ATV and proper riding equipment, including:

  • DOT-approved helmet
  • Riding goggles
  • Long sleeves
  • Gloves
  • Long pants
  • Over-the-ankle boots

AZGFD will also offer free Quail Kids courses, which focuses on teaching riders 10 and older the importance of safe and ethical use, proper safety equipment and machine size and fit. To register, click here.

For additional information or questions about ATV Safety week, course offerings and online courses, call 623-236-7384 or visit www.azgfd.com/Education/OHV.

Fatal off-highway vehicle accident a reminder to practice OHV safety

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds all off-highway vehicle (OHV) drivers and passengers to ride safely by remembering to always wear a helmet.

The reminder comes after a 60-year-old grandfather died when the side-by-side OHV he was driving rolled off the side of a mountain near Lake Havasu City after 10 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office. Neither the man nor his passenger, a juvenile who is the man’s grandson, were wearing helmets.

“Our condolences go out to the family,” said Matt Eberhart, AZGFD OHV Safety Education coordinator. “It is critically important for everyone to wear a helmet every time they ride an OHV. The sad reality is that many of these crashes are survivable, if only they were wearing a helmet.”

Helmets are required by law for all riders under the age of 18 regardless of the off-highway vehicle type. They are also strongly recommended for all riders, regardless of age. In addition, riders should remember to:

  • Wear a seat belt at all times, if equipped.
  • Wear riding goggles, a long-sleeved shirt, pants, riding gloves and over-the-ankle boots.
  • Never ride alone.
  • Be prepared and equipped with a map, a first aid kit, whistle and have basic tools on hand.
  • Stay on designated trails.
  • Take an OHV safety education course designed to teach off-road motorists how to ride safely and responsibly.

For more information about the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s OHV program and safety course options, visit www.azgfd.gov/ohv.

Quagga-affected waters grow: AZGFD identifies Apache, Saguaro, Canyon lakes

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AZGFD_Quagga-GA-2PHOENIX — Conclusive evidence of quagga mussels has recently been discovered at Canyon, Saguaro and Apache lakes, major recreational waters on the Tonto National Forest. Effective May 1, the Arizona Game and Fish Department will list these lakes as AIS-affected waters under AIS Directors Orders #2.

There is not an infestation of quaggas at Apache, Saguaro or Canyon. Yet there is genetic and visual evidence in all these waters of the invasive quaggas that colonize rapidly on hard surfaces and can ruin recreational watercraft motors, alter water quality for aquatic wildlife, and clog water intake structures such as pipes and screens, thereby impacting pumping capabilities for power and water treatment plants.

Eight of the 12 major reservoirs in Arizona (Powell, Mead, Mojave, Havasu, Apache, Canyon, Saguaro and Pleasant) are listed as quagga-affected waters.

The other major reservoirs – Roosevelt, Bartlett, Alamo and Horseshoe – are not impacted by quagga mussels, but require AZGFD’s increased protection.

“By law, boaters and anglers must pull their drainage plugs before transporting a watercraft from these listed waters,” said Tom McMahon, AZGFD aquatic invasive species program coordinator, “but it makes sense to simply pull their drainage plugs, and leave them out, anytime they are transporting watercraft in and through Arizona.”

In addition, inspect your boat and ensure it is completely dried before launching into any state waters. This is where the need to “Clean, Drain and Dry” is vital.

Under Arizona law, boaters and all recreationists who take watercraft and other equipment out of waters designated as having aquatic invasive species must use the following steps when leaving that listed water:

1. CLEAN. Clean/remove any clinging material such as plants, animals and mud from the anchor, boat, motor, hull, trailer, etc.
2. DRAIN. Remove all water drainage plugs (and keep them out during transport). Drain the water from the bilge, live-well and any other compartments that could hold water. Drain the water from the engine and engine cooling system(s). You can do this by lowering the outboard, while on the ramp, until the water is removed.
3. DRY. Ensure the watercraft, vehicle, equipment, or conveyance is allowed to dry completely before placing in water in Arizona. Leaving your plugs out during transport will assist in ventilating and speeding the drying time of those difficult-to-dry areas of your boat.

If you are in need of decontaminating your moored boat before transporting from an AIS-affected water, please contact AZGFD at (623) 236-7608.

Boaters, watercraft users urged to ‘Spring Aboard’ with boating safety course

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SpringAboard_FINAL2016_300p

PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department, in partnership with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), is encouraging the state’s boating and watercraft users to Spring Aboard and prepare for the boating season by enrolling in a safety education course.

Spring Aboard is a national campaign from April 17 to 23 that encourages boaters to protect themselves and their passengers by taking a safety course before stepping onto a boat or other watercraft.

“Boating is a great family friendly activity, but only if it’s done safely and responsibly,” said Josh Hoffman, AZGFD Boating Safety Education coordinator. “In 2014, 77 percent of boating deaths occurred on boats where the operator had never taken a safety course. That statistic from the U.S. Coast Guard is telling and illustrates the need for every boat or watercraft operator to successfully complete a safety course.”

Developed by NASBLA, and produced under a grant administered by the U.S. Coast Guard, the annual Spring Aboard campaign is open to participation by all states, territories, boating education organizations, instructors and course providers.

“We know from many years of experience that an educated boater is safer and boating is a lot more fun if you aren’t confused or worried the whole trip,” said NASBLA President Col. Darren Rider. “Boating isn’t like driving a car and many boaters – both new and experienced – are uncertain about how to boat safely. The Spring Aboard campaign is our big, unified effort to get all boaters educated now, prior to or during spring break.”

Most states require proof of completion of a boating education course for operators of some powered vessels. During the Spring Aboard campaign, many course providers will offer incentives or course discounts for students who enroll in or complete a course.

“With today’s wide variety of courses available, there’s a course for everyone’s schedule,” Col. Rider said. “Boaters have many ways to get educated, from classroom courses offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary and United States Power Squadrons to online offerings available anytime day or night. There’s no reason to head out on the water without knowing what you’re doing.”

AZGFD offers free courses in Phoenix, Lake Havasu City and Tucson every month to provide water users the information and tips needed to stay safe while on the water. Each year many deaths and injuries on Arizona’s waterways are the result of people who don’t know how to operate a watercraft properly or how to act to avoid placing themselves in danger.

For more information on boating safety or to register for a hands-on or online safety course, visit www.azgfd.gov/boating and click “Boating Safety Education.” Below is a list of hands-on boating safety courses scheduled for April:

Arizona Boater Education Course

  • 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. April 16, Apex Arms Facility, Green Building in Lake Havasu City
  • 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. April 16, Arizona Game and Fish Headquarters in Phoenix

Arizona Paddlesports Education Course

  • 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. April 23 and May 21, AZGFD Region 5 offices in Tucson
  • 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. May 14, Biscuit Tank at Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary

  • 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. April 16, Bass Pro Shop in Mesa. Course costs $30.

Department’s courses include instruction on the basic skills needed to safely operate a boat or personal watercraft, trailering your vessel, navigational rules, buoys, anchoring, legal requirements, boating emergencies, watersports and paddling. In addition, most insurance companies offer a discount on boat or watercraft insurance rates for completing a course.

The department also reminds watercraft users that all boats, including paddleboards, must have a wearable life jacket for every passenger onboard and those 12 years old and younger must wear a life jacket at all times, under state law. Users should also check to make sure a life jacket fits properly by ensuring there is no excess room above the openings of the jacket and that it does not ride up over the chin or face.

For more information on boating in Arizona or to sign up for a safety course, visit www.azgfd.gov/boating. To learn more about Spring Aboard, visit www.nasbla.org/spring.

Get draw results sooner with AZGFD Customer Portal account

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PHOENIX — As the Arizona Game and Fish Department completes the random draw process for the 2016 pronghorn and elk seasons, hopeful hunters are being encouraged to open a free Customer Portal account.

Portal account holders will be among the first to get the news before the draw results officially are released. It’s quick, easy and free to create a Portal account. 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, filling in the requested information.

The Portal allows customers to create a secure account where they can manage and view their contact information, as well as their license and draw results information and bonus points, in their personal “My AZ Oudoors” section.

A Portal account is mobile-friendly, which means customers can view their information on their smartphone. It’s also a convenient way to gain access to the online license purchase and hunt draw application systems.

Meanwhile, the random draw process remains on schedule and should be completed by mid-April. The department is aware that applicants are eager to learn whether they will be receiving a hunt-permit. The department will post an announcement on its website and Facebook page when results officially are released. All permit-tags and refunds are expected to be mailed by April 22.

As always, applicants are encouraged to contact the department at (602) 942-3000, Option 2, with draw-related questions.

Ready for free family fun?

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EXPO.paddlemorePHOENIX — Around 35,000 people are expected to explore the expansive grounds at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility throughout the weekend of Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3 for some all-ages, hands-on adventures at The Arizona Game and Fish Department Outdoor Expo, presented by Shikar Safari Club International.

Admission and parking are free.

There will be all sorts of live wildlife. Kids will be all smiles at the huge kids’ fishing tanks. Target archery and other shooting sports will be held in a safe, supervised environment on the range. Get a feel for specialty shooting disciplines like clay target, cowboy action, practical pistol, black powder, and air gun.

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. Get information about boating and how to stay safe on the water. Talk to experts about wildlife, hunting and fishing tips, and more.

You can also visit with more than 150 exhibitors, including outdoor recreation and conservation groups, government agencies, and commercial vendors of outdoor products and services.

Expo2Once again, admission and parking for the Expo are free! You may want to bring some cash for the many food and beverage concessionaires that will be on-site, or for the commercial vendors who will be selling outdoors-related goods or services. For those who want to try shooting sports, 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, April 2, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 3. The 2015 Outdoor Expo is easy to get to, located on Carefree Highway, about 1/2 mile west of I-17 in Phoenix.

The title sponsor for this year’s event is Shikar Safari Club International. Gold sponsors are Cabela’s, Arizona State Credit Union and the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

Student archers taking aim at 2016 state tournament

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Archery_in_Schools_-_2_1PHOENIX — More than 320 student archers from throughout Arizona, participants on the state level of the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP), will be competing Saturday in the 2016 state tournament and 3D shoot at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department coordinates NASP on the state level and hosts a half-dozen state qualifying tournaments throughout the academic year, beginning in September and ending in March. The top three boys and girls competing in the bullseye and 3D events in three divisions — elementary, middle and high school — will be awarded.

The student archers also will be attempting to qualify for the 2016 national NASP tournament, scheduled for May 12-14 in Louisville, Ky.

The competition will take place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the FITA and FITA practice ranges. Admission is free. Several local outdoors organizations, as well as a food truck, will be on-site.

The program is a physical education curriculum designed to teach international-style target archery for students in grades 4 through 12. The core content covers safety, techniques, equipment, mental concentration, and self-improvement, as well as the history of the sport.

It’s also about having fun. Kelsey Gerchar, the department’s archery education coordinator, said there has been tremendous interest in the NASP/IBO 3D Challenge, where students take shots at six different foam animal targets placed at various distances, then rotate to take shots at each of the remaining targets.

“This interest has led to the introduction of a new NASP bowhunting program the department will be rolling out at the end of the year,” Gerchar said.

Arizona’s Archery in the Schools program is funded through an excise tax on the sale of hunting and shooting sports equipment. No state general funds are used to support the program. Game and Fish administers the program for the purpose of promoting safe, responsible aspects of the sport, as well as wildlife conservation as part of the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Act (WSFR). Visit www.azgfd.gov/archery for more information.

Gilbert man catches state record for native roundtail chub

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AGF Photo

General area of the Verde River where Rudolph Hoffman caught his state record catch-and-release roundtail chub.

CLARKDALE — It’s the native fish with a sporting fight. On Feb. 13 on the Verde River above Clarkdale, Rudolph Hoffman of Gilbert found a large pool of water and began cranking in multiple roundtail chub. The first measured at about 17 inches. Then another at 18 … then 18 1/2 inches …

Typically, the length of a roundtail chub is 8 to 18 inches, weight is 4 ounces to more than 3 pounds, and they potentially reach 8 years of age. George Andrejko/AZGFD

Typically, the length of a roundtail chub is 8 to 18 inches, weight is 4 ounces to more than 3 pounds, and they potentially reach 8 years of age. George Andrejko/AZGFD

Finally, a 19-inch chub took a 1/4-ounce bronze spoon with a spinning rod and 8-pound fluorocarbon line. This Gila robusta set a state catch-and-release record for roundtail chub. (Topping Dave Wagner’s 16-inch roundtail caught 2011, also on the Verde).

“There is really something special about being able to catch and release a fish that has been part of our Arizona waterways for tens of thousands of years,” Hoffman said.

The Department has initiated numerous conservation efforts since the early 2000s. Maintenance of healthy roundtail chub populations were likely influenced by all of these conservation measures in the Verde River.

AZGFD biologists prepare to stock chub. George Andrejko/AZGFD

AZGFD biologists prepare to stock chub. George Andrejko/AZGFD

By 2008, several flood events and conditions aligned to boost their populations. A few high-flow years helped young chub to survive. Conservation efforts by the Salt River Project’s Habitat Conservation Program and the Department have led to healthy populations of chub in the Verde River and across the state. These efforts included the development of a brood stock of chub to be raised at the Bubbling Ponds Hatchery, near Cornville, Ariz., and a stocking strategy to enhance wild populations of chub in the Verde River.

There also are special fishing regulations for the Verde River and its tributaries that likely have benefitted the chub — it’s all catch and release, and downstream from Granite Creek to Horseshoe Dam, anglers can enjoy unlimited daily bag limits for smallmouth and largemouth bass, and channel and flathead catfish.

So why not chase some of these Arizona natives during your next fishing trip?

“These chub fight better than smallmouth,” said Matt Chmiel, Aquatics Program Manager in the AZGFD Kingman office. “I’ve caught both and every one of the chub fought better than the smallmouth. Fishing from a canoe one time I had three chub break me off on 4-pound line.”