Category Archives: Recreation

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.”

As Arizona’s boating season approaches, prepare with a safety course

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PHOENIX — Spring and summer isn’t far off and Arizona’s waterways will soon be teeming with activity. To make sure you’re ready for another great boating and paddling season, the Arizona Game and Fish Department recommends all water users to take a boating safety course.

The department offers free courses in Phoenix and Lake Havasu City 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 March:

Arizona Boater Education Course

  • 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. March 19, Apex Arms Facility, Green Building, Lake Havasu City
  • 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. March 19, Arizona Game and Fish Headquarters, Phoenix

Arizona Paddlesports Education Course

  • 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. March 26, Biscuit Tank at Ben Avery Shooting Facility, Phoenix.

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 all watercraft users that boats in Arizona must have a life jacket aboard for every passenger aboard 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.

Kaibab National Forest releases draft decision to add camping corridors

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WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest has released a draft decision to add camping corridors and make other improvements to the transportation system of the Williams and Tusayan ranger districts.

The project, which was designed to improve travel management on the two districts in response to public and internal feedback, will designate approximately 291 miles of camping corridors that extend 300 feet from either side of the centerline of certain roads; add 14 spur roads to the Tusayan Ranger District; close 9 miles of currently open roads on the two districts; add 24 miles of roads to the districts’ open road system; and establish an adaptive management strategy for making limited changes to the transportation system in the future.

The final Environmental Assessment and draft Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the South Zone Travel Management Revision Project are available for review on the Kaibab National Forest website at http://go.usa.gov/kpQV.

Unresolved concerns about the final EA and draft DN/FONSI will be addressed through an objection process. In order to file an objection, a person must have previously submitted specific comments regarding the South Zone Travel Management Revision Project. Objections may be filed over a 45-day period. Details about the objection process are available on the Kaibab National Forest website at http://go.usa.gov/kpQV.

Changes to the transportation system included in the draft decision were all developed based on several years of monitoring following implementation of the Travel Management Rule on the two districts, which included documenting public concerns about recreational access and other issues.

“I believe our local community members and our visitors will be pleased with these changes and will recognize that they are responsive to the concerns we’ve been hearing over recent years,” said Williams District Ranger Danelle D. Harrison. “We took our commitment to listen to public and employee feedback seriously, and this decision is evidence of that continuing commitment. Our goal is to provide motorized recreational opportunities where we can while still providing for the protection of our natural and cultural resources.”

A final decision on the South Zone Travel Management Revision Project is expected in the spring with a new Motor Vehicle Use Map anticipated soon thereafter. Current Motor Vehicle Use Maps for the Kaibab National Forest are available at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/kaibab/tmr.

Bearizona remains open

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ZBearizona160113-01WILLIAMS — For over five-years Bearizona has entertained thousands of kids and adults. We visited the very first year when they allowed residents in free for a period of time. It was impressive, but not spectacular.
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Over the years we have watched Bearizona grow. They have built an expansive gift shop with a fantastic diorama and separate room for close up introduction to animals and other activities. For Christmas, this year, they introduced the Wild Wonderland. This amazing light and music display I found as impressive as the Zoolights at the Phoenix Zoo. We got to see both.
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This year—despite the most snow Williams has seen in some time—Bearizona even managed to stay open to the public. The snow even makes the animal displays more impressive just like the snow did for the Wild Wonderland display.

During the summer the animals tend to sleep during the heat of the day. With the cold weather, they are more active throughout the day. Especially the wolves and the bears. The same for the animals in the walk-through area. The otters are out and the bear cubs are playing in the snow.
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If you plan to come to Williams, you should plan to visit Bearizona and the Grand Canyon Deer Farm petting zoo. For about the same price as the entrance to the Grand Canyon, you can get up close and personal with various animals of north America. If you are on a planned tour to Williams, you should urge the driver to visit these Williams attractions.

Sheriff’s Office Working with Several Agencies to Recover Body of Man Who Died While Wingsuit Flying

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800-Wingsuit DeathPAGE — On Tuesday, January 12, 2016 the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report of a death in Paria Canyon involving a man who was wingsuiting with friends.

The man has been identified as 29 year old Mathew Kenney out of Santa Cruz, CA. His body was located in the steep canyon walls approximately 15 miles north of Lee’s Ferry in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area within the BLM Arizona Strip District. A Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Short Haul Team and an Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue helicopter responded yesterday to recover the body.

Due to the steep terrain and icy conditions on top of the canyon walls, the Sheriff’s Office was not able to safely anchor to access the body yesterday. The Sheriff’s Office continues to work with other agencies including Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue, National Park Service Search and Rescue, and Bureau of Land Management to develop a plan that will allow rescuers to safely access and recover the body.

ADEQ Awards $412,000 Water Quality Improvement Grant to Arizona Game and Fish Department

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ADEQ logo resizedPHOENIX — Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) officials announced today a $412,000 Water Quality Improvement Grant to the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) to improve water quality in the San Pedro River, Little Colorado River and Oak Creek. AZGFD will provide more than $274,000 in matching funds.

ADEQ’s first formal agreement committing funds from both partnering agencies to specific projects in shared priority areas will also further the goals of multiple state and federal initiatives. Eligible projects will protect and restore water quality, grass and rangeland health and wildlife habitats in priority areas identified by ADEQ and AZGFD in the state Nonpoint Source Management Plan and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Regional Conservation Partnership Program and National Water Quality Initiative.

“We think this will be a great framework for broadening our audience and customer base, and also for potentially implementing projects at low or no cost to landowners beyond maintenance requirements,” said ADEQ Water Quality Division Director Trevor Baggiore.

Leveraging resources across state and federal partners will result in the reduction of impairment-causing pollutants, improvement of grassland habitat for wildlife, improved grazing practices.

Baggiore added, “Teaming up with AZGFD’s Landowner Relations Program, which has a longstanding, strong local presence and ties to rural water management areas, will strengthen ADEQ’s ability to partner with rural landowners in identifying priority on-the-ground projects.”

“Many of ADEQ’ water quality improvement goals dovetail nicely with grassland, rangeland and habitat improvement goals we share with ranchers and other partnering agencies,” said Wade Zarlingo, AZGFD Landowner Relations Program Coordinator.

ADEQ will evaluate the effectiveness of these projects for improving water quality. Matching funds for projects will be provided by a combination of AZGFD state funding, landowner contributions, in-kind services, and Arizona Department of Agriculture Livestock Crop Conservation Grant Program.

Santa Fe freeze

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Snow-15-12-17-2WILLIAMS — Weather in Williams has warmed up to the mid-30s. Santa Fe is frozen over and visitors are enjoying the snow.

Tomorrow and Saturday temperatures may rise to nearly 50, but higher winds could roll in Saturday with gusts up to 30-mph making the jackets still necessary. There is a 10% chance of showers Saturday night and Sunday morning before 11 a.m. Weather should clear Monday and chance of showers return Tuesday, according to the latest forecast.Snow-15-12-17-3In the meantime, the Zipline is open for business until it is actually snowing or raining. Visitors are enjoying the weather with special construction projects.Snow-15-12-17-4

Williams ready for tree lighting and parade this weekend

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Christmas-15-11-23-03WILLIAMS — Giant snowmen, toy soldiers, Nativity scenes and lights are springing up in Williams as the City moves into Mountain Village Holiday this weekend.

Events begin with the Holiday Craft Show from 10 a.m. 5 p.m. at the World Famous Sultana Theater. The Grand Canyon Railway Polar Express will run Friday the 27th through Sunday with special 3:30 matinee runs on Friday and Saturday.
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Mountain Village Holiday “The Songs of Christmas” Parade of Lights will run along Historic Route 66 starting at 6:30 p.m. Hot Chocolate will be provided by Pine Country Restaurant and there will be other family fun before the parade.
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The annual lighting of the Community Christmas Tree occurs right after the light parade featuring Santa and Mayor John Moore.

The annual series of Advent Concerts at St. John’s Episcopal-Lutheran church on Second and Grant (next to the tree) begins this weekend also. They will present Lessons and Carols on Sunday, November 29 at 4 p.m. The free concerts continue on Sunday, December 6, 13 and the 20th. Each concert starts at 4 p.m. and features different performers each night. A reception is held following each concert.
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