Category Archives: Phoenix

AZGFD to host webcast on hunt management approaches August 15

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PHOENIX — In an ongoing effort to better serve its constituents, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) will host a webcast to provide an update on existing hunt management approaches, recent projects and to gather public input.

Those who access the webinar from 6-7:30 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 15, will be able to submit questions, comments or concerns about existing hunt management approaches or hunt guidelines to Amber Munig, big game management supervisor, who will open the online discussion with a short presentation. Other department personnel also will be available during the webcast to address input as it relates to specific game management units (GMUs) or regions.

The webcast can be viewed at www.azgfd.gov/webcast, or in person at any department office statewide. Those locations include:

AZGFD headquarters: 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix
AZGFD (Region I): 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd., Pinetop
AZGFD (Region II): 3500 S. Lake Mary Road, Flagstaff
AZGFD (Region III): 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road, Kingman
AZGFD (Region IV): 9140 E. 28th St., Yuma
AZGFD (Region V): 555 N. Greasewood Road, Tucson
AZGFD (Region VI): 7200 E. University Drive, Mesa

The public can email questions during the webcast to AZHuntGuidelines@azgfd.gov. All questions pertaining to hunt management approaches or hunt guidelines will be addressed at the end of the presentation.

The existing hunt management approaches or hunt guidelines provide the biological and social parameters used by wildlife biologists to develop annual hunt recommendations (season structures, season lengths, season dates, permits allocated, etc.). These recommendations result in the annual hunts in which licensed hunters may participate.

While hunting opportunity is important, wildlife is held in the public trust; therefore, using science-based principles to shape the guidelines process remains paramount to ensure healthy, sustainable and diverse wildlife populations in perpetuity.

AZGFD continues to seek feedback on how to best meet the demands of the hunting public, while finding ways to develop new opportunities that help pass along our hunting heritage to future generations.

For those who miss the webcast, it will be recorded and available to be viewed at https://www.azgfd.com/Hunting/Guidelines/. Additional comments can be emailed to AZHuntGuidelines@azgfd.gov.

ADOT detectives nab man who purchased sports car with stolen identity

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PHOENIX – A man who allegedly used a stolen identity to purchase a sports car and stick the victim with the bill was arrested on a felony warrant after detectives with the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General brought the case before a grand jury.

In March of last year, Randall Cepi, 31, concocted a scheme to use the personal information of a customer at the dealership where he was employed in Winslow to purchase a 2007 Chevrolet Corvette from a dealership in Flagstaff.

The victim came into the Nissan dealership where Cepi worked and bought a new half-ton pickup. About a week later, Cepi used her personal information to obtain a loan to buy the Corvette. He arranged to have the victim’s signature forged on the dealership and loan documents.

A few weeks later, the victim became aware of the scheme when she received insurance and loan information for a vehicle she did not purchase. She filed a complaint with ADOT’s Office of Inspector General, and detectives with the Dealer Investigation Unit opened an investigation.

The dealership in Flagstaff was made aware of the situation and called Cepi, demanding that he return the Corvette. Instead, he abandoned the sports car at the dealership in Winslow where he worked and disappeared. While searching for Cepi, ADOT detectives brought the case before a grand jury where the felony warrant was issued.

Cepi was found working at a dealership in Gallup, New Mexico where he was arrested by local authorities on July 29. He will be extradited to Arizona to face charges of fraud schemes and forgery, theft of means of transportation and taking the identity of another.

Checking your credit report after a major purchase, such as a vehicle, is a good way to make sure no one is using your information without your knowledge. Each of the major credit bureaus will provide you one free credit report each year.

In addition to identity theft, detectives with ADOT’s Office of Inspector General also investigate fraud involving vehicle title and registration, licensed and unlicensed dealers, and support investigations by state, local and federal law enforcement.

AZGFD Commission honored by Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

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AZGF Photo

PHOENIX — The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) honored conservation professionals from several western states with awards commending their work to conserve fish and wildlife resources at an awards ceremony July 15 at the organization’s annual conference in Manhattan, Kansas.

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission was recognized with the WAFWA Commission of the Year Award.

Current AZGFD Commission members are: James Zieler; Eric Sparks; Kurt Davis; Leland “Bill” Brake; and James Goughnour.

“As a staunch advocate for the state’s authorities to manage wildlife in Arizona, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission is a national leader in wildlife conservation,” AZGFD Director Ty Gray said. “This leadership and support allows the Department to generate innovative ways to better serve our customers and ensure Arizona’s wildlife and outdoor recreational opportunities are around for future generations to enjoy.”

WAFWA also honored Bureau of Land Management Arizona State Director Ray Suazo as its Federal Conservation Partner of the Year. Since his appointment as State Director in 2011, Suazo has supported AZGFD’s mission to conserve Arizona’s diverse wildlife resources.

For more information about WAFWA and to review a complete list of award recipients, visit www.wafwa.org.

Game and Fish Commission to meet August 2 in Flagstaff

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The next meeting of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission will be held Friday, August 2 at the Northern Arizona University de Bois Center (Building 64), Aspen ABC Conference room, 308 E. Pine Knoll Dr., Flagstaff.

View the complete agenda.

Agenda revisions, if any, are typically posted no later than the Wednesday before each meeting.

Game and Fish Commission approves final rulemaking prohibiting organized predator killing contests

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Commission today voted 4-0 to approve a Notice of Final Rulemaking that, if approved by the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council (GRRC), would designate a predator or fur-bearing hunt contest, as defined by the rule, an unlawful manner and method of take for these species.

The Commission’s intent in adopting this rule is to address social concerns over formally organized and publicized contests that award prizes to competitors that kill the largest number or variety of predators or fur-bearing animals, as these are the types of events that have caused the strongest public objection.

“To the extent these contests reflect on the overall hunting community, public outrage with these events has the potential to threaten hunting as a legitimate wildlife management function,” said Kurt Davis, a member of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. “Regulated hunting fundamentally supports wildlife conservation efforts in North America. The loss of hunting would equate to a measurable loss in conservation efforts, and would represent a failure of the Commission to fulfill its duty to conserve wildlife for the beneficial use of current and future generations.”

For the purposes of the rule, “contest” means a competition in which participants must register or record entry and pay a fee, and prizes or cash are awarded to winning or successful participants.

The rule would not apply to lawful, regulated hunting of predators and fur-bearing animals, which plays an important role in wildlife management, nor would it apply to events such as fishing tournaments.

The Commission proposed the rule at its March 15 meeting, and a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was posted in the Arizona Administrative Register on April 12, opening a 30-day comment period. Game and Fish received more than 4,800 comments during the comment period.

Predatory animals as defined in A.R.S. § 17-101 are coyotes, bobcats, foxes and skunks. Fur-bearing animals are weasels, raccoons, beavers, badgers, ringtail cats, muskrats, otters and bobcats.

​​​​​​​The rule next goes to the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council (GRRC) for its review. If GRRC approves the rule, it could become effective Jan. 1, 2020.

Drivers should plan for ramp closures on Interstate 40 in Williams through June

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WILLIAMS – Northern Arizona drivers on Interstate 40 west of Flagstaff should plan for travel delays due to construction work between Parks and Williams. Crews have scheduled ramp closures and lane closures while a new layer of asphalt pavement is placed on 17 miles of east- and westbound I-40 between Parks and Williams this summer. The project also includes a final layer of asphalt, known as friction course, to further improve the roadway surface, and installation of guardrail, striping and signage. The project is scheduled for completion in late 2019.

The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to plan for travel delays while the following ramp closures are in place:

  • Friday, June 7 through Wednesday, June 12: Grand Canyon Boulevard
    • The westbound I-40 on-ramp at Grand Canyon Boulevard (exit 163) will be closed around-the-clock Friday, June 7, through Wednesday, June 12. DETOUR: Traffic accessing westbound I-40 will use westbound historic Route 66 and enter westbound I-40 at Country Club Boulevard (exit 161).
  • Monday, June 10: Parks
    • The westbound I-40 on-ramp at Parks (Exit 178) will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, June 10. DETOUR: Traffic from Parks accessing westbound I-40 will take eastbound I-40 to Bellemont (Exit 185) and re-enter westbound I-40 toward their destination.
  • Wednesday, June 12: Grand Canyon Boulevard and Parks
    • The westbound I-40 on- and off-ramps at Grand Canyon Boulevard (Exit 163) will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 12. DETOUR: Traffic accessing westbound I-40 will use westbound historic Route 66 and enter westbound I-40 at Country Club Boulevard (exit 161). Westbound I-40 traffic accessing Williams will exit at Country Club Boulevard (Exit 161) and enter eastbound I-40 to exit at Grand Canyon Boulevard.
    • The eastbound I-40 on- and off-ramps at Parks (Exit 178) will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 12. DETOUR: Traffic from Parks accessing eastbound I-40 will travel westbound I-40 to Pittman Valley Road (Exit 171) and re-enter eastbound I-40 toward their destination. Westbound I-40 traffic accessing Parks will continue to Pittman Valley Road (Exit 171) and re-enter eastbound I-40 to Parks.
  • Thursday, June 13: Parks
    • The westbound I-40 on- and off-ramp at Parks (Exit 178) will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, June 13. DETOUR: Traffic from Parks accessing westbound I-40 will take eastbound I-40 to Bellemont (Exit 185) and re-enter westbound I-40 toward their destination. Westbound I-40 traffic accessing Parks will continue to Pittman Valley Road (Exit 171) and re-enter eastbound I-40 to Parks.
    • The eastbound I-40 on- and off-ramps at Grand Canyon Boulevard (Exit 163) will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, June 13. DETOUR: Traffic from Williams accessing eastbound I-40 will travel westbound to Country Club Boulevard (Exit 161) and enter eastbound I-40 toward their destination. Eastbound I-40 traffic accessing Grand Canyon Boulevard will continue to Williams (Exit 165) to re-enter westbound I-40 to Grand Canyon Boulevard.
  • Friday, June 14: Pittman Valley Road and Garland Prairie Road. These ramps will NOT be closed at the same time.
    • The eastbound on- and off-ramps at Pittman Valley Road (Exit 171) will be closed from 6 a.m. to noon Friday, June 14. DETOUR: Traffic accessing eastbound I-40 will take westbound I-40 to Garland Prairie Road (Exit 167) and re-enter eastbound I-40 to their destination. Eastbound I-40 traffic accessing Pittman Valley Road will continue to Parks (Exit 178) and re-enter westbound I-40 to Pittman Valley Road.
    • The eastbound on- and off-ramps at Garland Prairie Road (Exit 167) will be closed from noon to 7 p.m. Friday, June 14. DETOUR: Traffic accessing eastbound I-40 will take westbound I-40 to Williams (Exit 165) and re-enter eastbound I-40 toward their destination. Eastbound I-40 traffic accessing Garland Prairie Road will continue to Pittman Valley Road (Exit 171) and re-enter westbound I-40 to
  • Monday, June 17: SR 64
    • The eastbound on- and off-ramps at SR 64 (Exit 165) will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, June 17. DETOUR: Traffic accessing eastbound I-40 will travel westbound I-40 to Grand Canyon Boulevard (Exit 163) and re-enter eastbound I-40 to SR 64. Eastbound I-40 traffic accessing SR 64 will continue eastbound to Garland Prairie Road (Exit 167) and re-enter westbound I-40 to SR 64.
  • Tuesday, June 18: SR 64
    • The westbound on- and off-ramps at SR 64 (Exit 165) will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 18. DETOUR: Traffic accessing westbound I-40 will travel eastbound I-40 to Garland Prairie Road (167) and re-enter westbound I-40 toward their destination. Westbound I-40 traffic accessing SR 64 will continue to Grand Canyon Boulevard (Exit 163) and re-enter eastbound I-40 to SR 64.
  • Thursday, June 20: Grand Canyon Boulevard. The on- and off-ramps will not be closed at the same time.
    • The westbound I-40 on- off-ramps at Grand Canyon Boulevard (Exit 163) will be closed from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday, June 20. DETOUR: Traffic accessing westbound I-40 will travel eastbound I-40 to SR 64 (Exit 165) and re-enter eastbound I-40 to Grand Canyon Boulevard. Westbound I-40 traffic accessing Williams will exit at Country Club Boulevard (Exit 161) and enter eastbound I-40 to exit at Grand Canyon Boulevard.

The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to plan for travel delays while these ramp restrictions are in place.

Learn more about this project on the project site.

 

Ramp closures on Interstate 40 in Williams set for next week

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WILLIAMS – Northern Arizona drivers on Interstate 40 west of Flagstaff should plan for travel delays due to construction work between Parks and Williams. Crews have scheduled ramp closures and lane closures while a new layer of asphalt pavement is placed on 17 miles of east- and westbound I-40 between Parks and Williams this summer. The project also includes a final layer of asphalt, known as friction course, to further improve the roadway surface, and installation of guardrail, striping and signage. The project is scheduled for completion in late 2019.

The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to plan for travel delays while these ramp closures are in place:

  • The westbound I-40 on-ramp at Grand Canyon Boulevard (exit 163) will be closed Monday, June 3, through Tuesday, June 11. DETOUR: Westbound I-40 traffic accessing Williams will exit at Country Club Boulevard (Exit 161) and enter eastbound I-40 to exit at Grand Canyon Boulevard.
  • The westbound I-40 on-ramp at Parks (Exit 178) will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 5. DETOUR: Traffic from Parks accessing westbound I-40 will take eastbound I-40 to Bellemont (Exit 185) and re-enter westbound I-40 toward their destination.
  • The eastbound I-40 on-ramp at Parks (Exit 178) will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, June 6. DETOUR: Traffic from Parks accessing eastbound I-40 will travel westbound I-40 to Pittman Valley Road (Exit 171) and re-enter eastbound I-40 toward their destination.
  • The westbound I-40 off-ramp at Parks (Exit 178) will also be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, June 6. DETOUR: Westbound I-40 traffic accessing Parks will continue to Pittman Valley Road (Exit 171) and re-enter eastbound I-40 to Parks.
  • The westbound off-ramp at SR 64 (Exit 165) will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, June 7. DETOUR: Westbound I-40 traffic accessing SR 64 will continue to Grand Canyon Boulevard (Exit 163) and re-enter eastbound I-40 to SR 64.

Plan for SR 89A-Fain Road lane closures beginning Monday, June 3

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The Arizona Department of Transportation advises motorists to plan ahead and allow extra travel time for pavement repair along State Route 89A-Fain Road next week. The work will occur from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, June 3, and Tuesday, June 4, on north- and southbound State Route 89A-Fain Road between the junction with SR 69 (milepost 331) and the junction with SR 89A-Robert Road (milepost 324).

Paving scheduled Monday, June 3, will require the following closures:

  • Northbound Fain Road will be narrowed to one lane (right lane closed)
  • Southbound Fain Road will be narrowed to one lane (left lane closed)

Paving scheduled Tuesday, June 4, will require the following closures:

  • Northbound Fain Road will be narrowed to one lane (left lane closed)
  • Southbound Fain Road will be narrowed to one lane (right lane closed)

The restrictions are necessary so ADOT crews can do fog-seal work, which helps to protect and extend the life of the highway pavement.

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

Daytime lane closures on State Route 89A near Jerome scheduled to begin June 5

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The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to plan for lane closures on north- and southbound State Route 89A between the town of Jerome (milepost 344) and Old Fain Road (milepost 330) while a pavement-repair project is underway. Drivers could experience delays up to 30 minutes while SR 89A is reduced to one lane only.

Work is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 5, and Thursday, June 6.

Flaggers and a pilot car will direct drivers through the work zone.

The restrictions are necessary so ADOT crews can do fog-seal work, which helps to protect and extend the life of the highway pavement.

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

Apply online now for 2019 fall hunts

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PHOENIX — Attention, procrastinators:

There’s not a better time than right now to apply online for 2019 hunt permit-tags issued through the draw process for deer, fall turkey, fall javelina, bighorn sheep, fall bison and sandhill crane.

All online applications must be received by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) no later than 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Tuesday, June 11.

To apply online, visit www.azgfd.gov/draw. As a reminder, 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 online application period (June 11). Licenses are available online and at department offices and license dealers statewide.

A few helpful hints to keep in mind when filling out an online application:
  • An applicant is not required to have an AZGFD portal account, or be logged into that portal account, to apply online.
  • Be sure to check the three boxes under “Draw Checklist” and acknowledge the security feature on the first page of the draw site before continuing to the application.
  • Customer service representatives are available by phone from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday (except holidays).
Applicants will find everything needed to apply for a hunt on the department’s website:
AZGFD encourages applicants to consider adding “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.
All online applicants must sign up for a free AZGFD portal account to purchase PointGuard (visit https://accounts.azgfd.com/Account/Register). PointGuard is $5 per species, per applicant, purchased at the time of completing the online application or through June 27, which also is the deadline to update credit card or debit card information. For more information about PointGuard, visit https://www.azgfd.com/hunting/pointguard.
AZGFD encourages all hunters to open a free portal account. 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 history and bonus points, in their personal “My AZGFD Dashboard” section. A portal account is a mobile-friendly, convenient way to access the online license purchase and hunt draw application systems.
For questions about opening a portal account, call the department at (602) 942-3000 and press “7.”