Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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This introduction to outdoors skills focuses on fun, education. For women who just want to find out what the outdoors experience is all about, signing up for a Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) workshop is a great place to start. The Arizona Wildlife Federation, in partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, will conduct its next BOW workshop Sept. 7-9 at Friendly Pines Camp near Prescott. The workshop introduces like-minded women (18 and older) to outdoor skills in an enjoyable,... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is still seeking ideas for establishing and maintaining a discretionary, dedicated funding source for outreach, education and public awareness efforts. To view ideas received to date, or to submit ideas throughout the 30-day public input period that ends Sept. 8, visit https://www.azgfd.com/agency/dedicated-funding-source/. Ideas also can be emailed to: ideas@azgfd.gov. Alternatives To Be Presented Draft funding alternatives, based on this public inpu... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department's award-winning television show, Arizona Wildlife Views, has received five regional Emmy® nominations from the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The nominations are the following: Category: Environment Program Special • Arizona Wildlife Views Show 3: https://youtu.be/ek0aaAo__Bw, David Majure, producer; Ben Avechuco, editor • Arizona Wildlife Views Show 1 (Eagle Conservation): https://youtu.be/FITV_o... Full story
Prizes included 10 permit-tags, Swarovski optics package, N.M. elk hunt. The prizes won during the Super Raffle included a total of 10 Special Big Game Tags, one for each of the state's big game species - bighorn sheep, elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, pronghorn, bison, turkey, bear, javelina and mountain lion. The permit-tags were awarded by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. Raffle tickets ranged from $5 to $25, depending on the species. A New Mexico elk hunt and Swarovski optics package... Full story
Operate Responsibly; Don't Go Mudding On Your OHV While it may be tempting to go out on an off-highway vehicle (OHV) after a rainstorm when the temperature is cooler and the ground is fresh, doing so can cause long-lasting damage to the habitat. The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) advises that OHV operators turn around if they encounter wet and muddy roads. While the practice of "mudding" - purposefully driving through wet areas, whether it's a meadow, lakeshore or water tank for... Full story
Arizona's first known streaming bat roost cam goes live. They're the chattery, fuzzy, winged creatures of the night and now they're the star attractions of Arizona Game and Fish Department's latest live-streaming wildlife camera. AZGFD recently installed what is believed to be the first live-streaming wild bat roost camera in Arizona. Viewers tuning in to the "bat cam" can watch as migratory Yuma myotis bats, and other bat species, roost at the Cluff Ranch Wildlife Area near Safford in... Full story
Weather forecasts show that a resurgence of Arizona’s monsoon is on the horizon and while badly needed moisture may be on the increase, so will the possibility of insect-borne diseases that can impact people, pets and wildlife. Earlier this month a dead prairie dog tested positive for plague in Coconino County and Maricopa County Vector Control officials detected West Nile and St. Louis encephalitis viruses in mosquito pools. Another disease not uncommon during summer months is tularemia, a i... Full story
It's expected that many Arizonans will include outdoor recreation as part of their summer plans. If operating an off-highway vehicle (OHV) on your agenda, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) urges everyone to put safety first. David Rigo, OHV coordinator for AZGFD says, "We want everyone who spends time on their OHV to have a fun outing and more importantly, return home safely." Click here ( http://www.westernoutdoortimes.com/search/ohv ) for more stories on OHVs. There are many... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department's proposed recommendations for the 2019 spring javelina, bison and bear hunts, and 2019 and 2020 spring turkey hunts are available for review at www.azgfd.gov/huntguidelines. The hunt structures and recommendations were formulated based on the hunt guidelines approved by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission in September 2017. All questions or comments about a particular game management unit or hunt are welcome by emailing at AZHuntGuidelines@azgfd.gov, or by... Full story
At the beginning of June, officials at the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) predicted the state would see a lot of nuisance bears entering populated areas in search of easy food. That forecast proved accurate, as the state wildlife agency dealt with more than 200 reports of bear activity from more than 50 Arizona communities between June 1-30. Remove Bear Attracters While bear calls also were received by County Sheriff's offices, state and local police, and Tribal law enforcement and... Full story
Water is the essence of life and it's just as precious for Arizona's wildlife. During extreme crought AZGFD assists thirsty wildlife. For that reason, the Arizona Game and Fish Department has trucked or airlifted about 600,000 gallons of precious water to catchments throughout the state since January. And trail cameras tell the tale of this important work with footage of elk, deer, bighorn sheep and countless other species leaning over for a refreshing drink at one of 3,000 catchments... Full story
PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department will webcast a presentation outlining the need to establish a dedicated funding source for outreach, education and public awareness. The webcast, scheduled for 6 p.m. Aug. 9, will open a 30-day public input period that ends Sept. 8. The webcast will be recorded and made available throughout the public input period. Draft alternatives, based on this public input, vetting and benchmarking, will be presented to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission d... Full story
Family fishing and camping during summers in Arizona can produce some of the best memories life can spawn. What makes for good camping and fishing during triple-digit months of desert sweat? Escaping to the high country for a ton of stocked or self-sustaining fish, quality camping amenities, and scenery that’s as cool as the air temps.... Website
Do you have a knack for capturing great photos of Arizona's wildlife? Do you want to see your photo on the cover of Arizona Wildlife Views, Arizona's award-winning magazine about wildlife and outdoor recreation? Then you won't want to miss the Arizona Game and Fish Department's 12th annual Arizona Wildlife Photo Contest. One best in show and 11 first-place winners will be showcased in the 2019 calendar, published in the November-December 2018 issue of Arizona Wildlife Views. The best in show fir... Full story
Arizona Conservationists To Be Honored At 2018 Outdoor Hall Of Fame Banquet The Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation, together with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, will induct two individuals and three organizations into the Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame on Saturday, Aug. 18. The Foundation's 21st Annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place during the annual Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame Banquet at the Embassy Suites at 5001 N. Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale. The inductees for this... Full story
In a 5-0 vote, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission agreed to retain the provision that prohibits use of live-action trail cameras for the purpose of taking or aiding in the take of wildlife, but removed the provision that prohibits the use of other trail cameras within one-fourth mile (440 yards) of a developed water source. The provisions were in the amended Article 3, "Taking and Handling of Wildlife," Notice of Final Rulemaking, which was submitted to the Commission for consideration during... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) recently partnered with the ATV Safety Institute to promote off-highway vehicle (OHV) education as part of ATV Safety Week. The annual initiative ran in early June and served as a reminder for all OHV enthusiasts - whether new to the hobby or veterans of the sport - to take a safety-education course. AZGFD provides a list of approved in-person and online courses on its website, and encourages everyone to take the time to learn about proper safety and... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds everyone to be Bear Aware, following separate incidents where habituated bears became a public safety threat and needed to be humanely euthanized under department policy. In May, AZGFD wildlife managers removed a sub-adult male bear from the north Phoenix neighborhood of Anthem that had previously been relocated from Prescott. Also, officers in the White Mountains were forced to remove a habituated female bear feeding on large piles of food and water... Full story
PHOENIX -- The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has allocated more than $4 million to support existing work by western states and tribes to combat the spread of invasive quagga and zebra mussels. Arizona has several quagga mussel-infested waterbodies and will benefit from the increased funding. The allocation is part of an initiative by Department of Interior Secretary Zinke called, "Safeguarding the West: Actions to Strengthen Federal, State, and Tribal Coordination to Address Invasive Mussels."... Full story
People who feed wild animals are creating a public safety problem in Arizona's Rim Country. Incidents of wildlife endangering people and their pets in this region have increased over the past few months, including the following: • An elk regularly fed by Pine residents reportedly charged several individuals in separate instances. One woman was forced to take refuge in a greenhouse on her property to escape. • Also in Pine, a young male elk entered a resident's yard through an open gate and beg... Full story
A total of 437 student archers representing 30 schools from throughout Arizona, participants on the state level of the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP), recently competed in the 2018 state tournament and 3D shoot at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix. AZGFD Coordinates NASP 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.... Full story
Exploring Arizona from an off-highway vehicle (OHV) provides a great way to view the state's beautiful scenery and spend quality time with family and friends. While children may be eager to climb aboard - or parents ready to share their love of the hobby with kids - OHVs aren't toys and there are many questions to answer before allowing youngsters to take the handlebars or steering wheel. Five Different Categories For example, there are five different categories of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs)... Full story
AZGFD's Operation Game Thief program says "Poachers are criminals." If you talk to any of the Arizona Game and Fish Department's wildlife managers, you're likely to hear that phrase repeated as they go about their work as part biologist, part law enforcement officer. As part of their duties, the department's 97 wildlife managers work to investigate potential poaching cases to ensure that the state's most precious natural resource - its wildlife - is effectively managed so that future... Full story
AZGFD biologist is part of study that shows some amphibian species recover from infectious disease despite a persistently pathogenic fungus. The search for answers to protect Central American frogs from extinction is also giving scientists clues on how to predict and respond to emerging diseases and epidemics in humans, plants and other wildlife. In their paper published in the magazine Science, March 30, University of Nevada, Reno's Jamie Voyles and her colleagues, including Arizona Game and... Full story
The Game and Fish Department reminds everyone to stop feeding wildlife following two javelina attacks near Sedona earlier this year. Both attacks were the result of people's feeding javelina at their homes. In late winter, Game and Fish received information that a 79-year-old woman was bitten by a javelina in a neighborhood southwest of Sedona. The attack occurred at the woman's residence, where she received severe bite wounds to her leg as she tried to stop the javelina from attacking her... Full story