Tag Archives: Arizona Game and Fish

Governor Ducey proclaims June 20 American Eagle Day

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eagle-03PHOENIX — Governor Doug Ducey has proclaimed June 20 American Eagle Day in Arizona, part of a national effort to recognize the United States’ symbol of freedom and power, the bald eagle. Since its inception in 1995, 47 states have signed proclamations to celebrate the day.

More than 230 years after the newly-formed United States of America adopted the bald eagle over the wild turkey as its national symbol, the bald eagle is once again thriving nationally.

The bald eagle population numbered an estimated 250,000 birds when Europeans first settled the continent. However, populations began to decline in the 1800s when the birds were shot for feathers and trophies; their habitat was reduced to build houses and farms; and, their food sources were used to support the booming European settlements. In the 1900s, the species was affected by the use of DDT, and populations declined further.

“Arizona implements a nationally-recognized bald eagle management program that has successfully taken the state from only 11 breeding pairs when the species was federally listed as endangered in 1978 to 65 pairs today,” said Edward “Pat” Madden, incoming chairman of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. “The bald eagle’s success is entirely due to the long-term commitments made by the 26 partners of the Southwestern Bald Eagle Management Committee (SWBEMC), a group that includes the Game and Fish Department, federal, state, Native American, and private organizations.”

Although the bald eagle was removed from the endangered species list nationally in 2007, the population in Arizona still requires management due to its small size and isolated nature. Management efforts include closing high-use recreation areas during bald eagle breeding season; the Arizona Bald Eagle Nestwatch Program that monitors nests near high recreational use areas; banding and visual identification to monitor the health of the population; nest survey flights; a monofilament (fishing line) recovery program to remove fishing line from the shores of Arizona’s waterways to keep eagles from being entangled; and, a winter population count.

Also found in Arizona, golden eagles are large, impressive raptors, but little historic information existed about their population and habits in Arizona. Growing conservation concerns have increased the demand for a better understanding of the current status of the species and its conservation needs. Game and Fish kicked off a multi-year population assessment in 2011 and has identified more than 250 breeding areas through helicopter surveys. In addition, the Southwestern Golden Eagle Management Committee was created to provide management support for the species.

Game and Fish’s eagle management efforts are supported in part by the Heritage Fund, an initiative passed by voters more than 20 years ago to provide for wildlife education and conservation through Arizona lottery ticket sales.

Arizona Antelope Foundation seeks volunteers for project June 25-26

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Pronghorn_-_Buck_1_2GREER — The Arizona Antelope Foundation is seeking volunteers for a fence modification project June 25-26 near Greer, adjacent to River Reservoir in the White Mountains.

This area has been identified as a pronghorn migration route between higher elevation summer and lower elevation winter ranges. The project activity includes removing about 1.5 miles of existing four-strand fencing and modifying about 0.3 miles of fencing by removing the bottom strand of barbed wire and replacing it with a single strand of smooth wire 16 inches above the ground.

The project begins at 7 a.m. both days. The Arizona Antelope Foundation will provide dinners Friday and Saturday nights, as well as continental breakfasts with coffee and juice Saturday and Sunday mornings. Volunteers are asked to provide their own lunches to eat in the field. Volunteers also should bring work gloves, snacks, water and personal gear.

Sign up by Friday, June 17, by e-mailing info@azantelope.org. For more information, contact Glen Dickens at (520) 247-4907. For a printer-friendly map to the campsite, visit www.azantelope.org.

Summer Wildlife Series moves from terrestrial to aquatic

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Roundtail_ChubKINGMAN — The Summer Wildlife Series, presented by the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s regional office in Kingman, has remained on solid ground – until now.

After kicking off the ninth season of its popular program last month with a presentation on the desert tortoise, department personnel will shift from land to water and conduct a one-hour lecture on native Colorado River fishes, beginning at 6 p.m. June 16 at the Kingman Mohave County Library, 3269 N. Burbank St., in Kingman.

The event is free, although seating capacity is limited to 52 on a first-come, first-served basis.

David Partridge, aquatic wildlife specialist, will discuss different species of native fish, provide biological information, explain which fish can be caught by anglers, and the importance of reintroductions and protections. Partridge also will provide tips on where species that qualify as sport fish can be caught, as well as the best types of bait.

Some of the fish to be discussed will include roundtail chub (photo), various species of suckers and dace, and the relationship between many fish species. Matt Chmiel, the region’s aquatic program manager, said most Arizona residents know little about the state’s native fish.

“This presentation will provide people of all ages with an opportunity to come and learn about these species of fish that have learned over years how to survive in the harsh Arizona environment,” Chmiel said.

The series continues with mountain lions (July 8) and Habitat and Wildlife (July 29). For more information, call (928) 692-7700.

Game and Fish biologists offer small-group bighorn sheep viewing experience June 18 and 19

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BHS_drinking_at_river_webThe Arizona Game and Fish Department is offering two unique opportunities to view one of Arizona’s most iconic arid land animals, the desert bighorn sheep, in an intimate, small-group setting on Canyon Lake. The three-hour morning boat tours will take place on June 18 and 19.

Participants will board department work boats to explore the canyons and bluffs of this scenic lake in search of these spectacular animals. Biologists aboard each of the boats will share and interpret bighorn behavior and biology during the trip. Due to limited space on the boat, attendance is restricted to 22 people per tour.

“Arizona’s hotter months provide the best opportunities for seeing sheep up close,” says Joe Yarchin, Game and Fish’s watchable wildlife program coordinator. “Sheep stay close to the water during June and July, and since the mating season is still under way, we occasionally see rams fighting or chasing ewes. But, the thing I enjoy most is watching lambs born earlier in the year cavorting around near their mothers; their agility is a marvel.”

Game Management Units 22 and 24B are home to some of the largest bighorn rams found anywhere in North America. Canyon Lake forms the border between these two administrative areas, and animals from both areas congregate near the lake’s shore at this time of year. This is an excellent opportunity to view, photograph, and enjoy bighorn sheep in their native environment.

The tour will leave Palo Verde Recreation Area at 7 a.m., heading up lake towards the dam to look for sheep. In addition to bighorn sheep, bald eagles, herons, and a variety of waterfowl are often seen. The area is also home to a myriad of other wildlife including deer, mountain lions, javelina and numerous small mammals, birds, and reptiles.

Parking for the event will be at Acacia Recreation, a short 5-minute walk to the west. Participants will need a $6 Tonto Pass for each vehicle they park at the lake. Tonto Passes are available at a variety of convenience markets and sporting goods stores around the Phoenix Metro area or from the Tonto National Forest Mesa Ranger District Office at 5140 E. Ingram Street in Mesa.

“It’ll be warm out on the lake,” warns Yarchin. “People should dress comfortably and appropriately for a summer’s morning outdoors, including bringing sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen, water and snacks, and don’t forget your camera and binoculars.”

Each boat will have an ice chest for the participants to use.

The cost is $75 per person, payable by check or money order only. For more information or to register, contact Joe Yarchin at (623) 236-7589 or jyarchin@azgfd.gov from Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For additional information, contact Randy Babb at the department’s Mesa regional office at (480) 466-1334 or rbabb@azgfd.gov.

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.

Comments sought on reptile, raptor, amphibian and mollusk regulations

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The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking public comments on draft 2017-2018 regulations for reptiles, raptors, crustaceans and mollusks, and amphibians.

Public comment will be accepted from now through July 5, 2016. If warranted, public meetings on the proposed changes to these commission orders may be held in Phoenix, Tucson and/or Flagstaff.

The proposed changes being considered for the 2017-2018 commission orders include:

  • In Commission Order 25, an increase in the number of peregrine falcon permits available to nonresident falconers from one to two based upon 2015 post-delisting monitoring results.
  • In Commission Order 42, prohibiting applesnails (genus Pomacea) for intentional transport and closing the seasons on the following species: Pinaleno talussnail (Sonorella grahamensis), mimic talussnail (S. imitator), Clark Peak talussnail (S. christenseni), Pinaleno moutainsnail (Oreohelix grahamensis), shortneck snaggletooth (Gastrocopta dalliana), and cross snaggletooth (G. quadrigens).
  • In Commission Order 43, the addition of banded watersnake (Nerodia fasciata) to the list of invasive species for which the bag limit would be unlimited dead and open the entire range of shovel-nosed snakes (Chionactis occipitalis) with a bag and possession limit of four per year or in possession, live or dead.

The draft commission orders can be viewed at the links below:

Reminder: June 14 is deadline to apply for 2016 fall hunts

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PHOENIX — Time is running out for hunters to apply for 2016 hunt permit-tags issued through the draw process for deer, fall turkey, fall javelina, bighorn sheep, fall bison and pheasant.

All online and paper applications must be received by the department no later than 11:59 p.m. (MST) Tuesday, June 14. Postmarks do not count.

Applicants are encouraged to use the online service at https://draw.azgfd.gov/ (scroll down to “Apply for a Draw”). Purchasing a hunting license and filling out an application online is fast and easy. The online service also dramatically reduces the chances of making errors that could result in a rejected application.

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 department offices statewide.

The department is announcing an exciting, innovative program beginning with the 2016 fall hunt application period. “PointGuard,” the newest benefit for AZGFD Portal customers, ensures that 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.
 
PointGuard is available to applicants who apply online for a hunt permit-tag. All applicants must sign up for a free AZGFD Portal account to purchase PointGuard (visit www.azgfd.gov, click on the “Sign in to Account” button in the upper right-hand corner of the home page, then select the “Create an 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 about PointGuard, visit https://www.azgfd.com/hunting/pointguard. Applicants who encounter issues related to PointGuard are encouraged to call the department at (602) 942-3000.

Volunteers needed for Doce Pit area cleanup June 11

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PRESCOTT — The Arizona State Rifle and Pistol Association, in conjunction with Tread Lightly!,” which promotes responsible recreation through stewardship, communication and education, has scheduled a cleanup June 11 at Doce Pit, a popular recreational shooting area near Prescott.

Volunteers – including recreational shooters, off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts, hikers and others who champion responsible recreation – are needed for the four-hour event, which begins at 8 a.m. Volunteers are encouraged to bring water, work gloves, hat, sunscreen, trash pinchers and buckets. Long pants and sturdy shoes are recommended.

All volunteers who fill at least two trash bags will receive a free one-year ASRPA membership. The trash bags will be provided, and each volunteer will be shown exactly where their help will be needed along the three-mile stretch of Doce Road. Prescott National Forest representatives will conduct a pre-cleanup informational meeting at 8 a.m.

For more information, contact Noble Hathaway, ASRPA president, at president@asrpa.com or (623) 687-4251, or visit http://www.asrpa.com/Cleanup/cleanup.html.

Game and Fish officers euthanize bear that clawed camper

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PHOENIX — Arizona Game and Fish Department officers last night trapped and euthanized a black bear that had scratched and injured a camper earlier in the day in a dispersed camping area (not a developed campground) near Cherry Creek in Young, Ariz.

The subadult (1-1/2 to 2-1/2 year-old) male bear was caught in a culvert trap set by a highly trained team of wildlife officers. They confirmed this was the bear involved in the incident based on descriptions from other campers and because it had a unique hind paw pad that matched tracks found at the scene. The bear was euthanized per department policy because it attacked a human and was deemed a threat to public safety.

Officers noted there were unsecured food sources and garbage in the area, and a field necropsy revealed garbage in the bear’s stomach contents. Arizona Game and Fish reminds everyone that leaving food and trash around may be luring an animal to its death.

“We need the public’s help to keep wildlife wild,” said Dustin Darveau, a wildlife specialist in the Game and Fish Mesa region. “The root cause of most human-bear conflicts is food, and when a bear starts associating people with food, the chance for conflict and risk to public safety rises. Though the cause of the problem is usually people, often it’s the bear that must face the consequences.”

Game and Fish is continuing trapping operations today because campers told officers that multiple bears had raided food sources in the camp area over the Memorial Day weekend and did not fully retreat when bear spray was used. The campers did not notify officials of this bear activity, vacate the area, or remove the food sources after the sightings. The area is now closed during the trapping operation and until further notice.

The camper injured in the incident was treated at a local hospital and released.

The department asks that any nuisance bear activity be reported to Game and Fish or local officials and recommends that all campers take a few simple precautions to protect both people and bears, including securing all potential food sources. Campsite food sources can include uncleaned BBQs, used plates, discarded wrappers, food stores and pet food. Bears have a very keen sense of smell – approximately seven times better than a bloodhound and 100 times better than a human.

Take these immediate steps to minimize bear encounters and keep wildlife wild:

  • Keep a clean camp. Store food items and trash well away from your tent or sleeping area. Even an empty food wrapper can attract a bear from a long distance.
  • Wash up before going to bed to eliminate odors.
  • Put food waste and garbage in a secure location such as a bear-proof dumpster.
  • Carry bear spray.
  • Encourage others to take these precautions. Discouraging bears from a campground requires everyone do their part.


If you encounter a bear, try to scare the bear away by making yourself look as large as possible, making loud noises, and throwing objects at it. Do not run. In the rare event of a black bear attack, fight back aggressively and use bear spray.

Arizona has had one fatal bear attack, which occurred in Pinetop in 2011. However, there are numerous reports each year of bears in close proximity to humans that could lead to serious injury or even death.

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.