Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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Each year as part of its highly successful program to manage and conserve bald eagles in the state, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) asks outdoor recreationists, aircraft pilots, drone operators and motorized paragliders to help this magnificent bird in Arizona. Various land and wildlife management agencies close areas around breeding locations during the birds' breeding season to protect the state's 67 breeding pairs of bald eagles. Some closure areas are located near popular... Full story
For those whose garages got a little bit fuller during the holiday season with the addition of an off-highway vehicle (OHV) - or veteran riders who frequently hit Arizona's trails and dirt roads - the Arizona Game and Fish Department encourages everyone to take a riding safety course. An Overview Of Basic Skills Whether riding an all-terrain vehicle, dirt bike or side-by-side, completing a safety course will ensure users have an overview of the basic skills required to safely ride in or operate... Full story
CANYON LAKE, Ariz. — Boaters and other outdoor recreationists are advised that the Palo Verde Boat Ramp at Canyon Lake will temporarily close from March 1 through March 17 for a facility improvement project. Arizona Game and Fish has been working with the Tonto National Forest to maintain the pavement in and around the ramp, and this project will involve milling, crack-sealing, seal-coating and other services as necessary. During the work, the area from the main highway down to the ramp will b... Full story
Standing at less than 11 inches tall, the American kestrel is a mighty bird of prey, yet the future of this fierce little falcon is uncertain, as populations are on the decline nationally. Locally, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is enlisting the help of landowners and citizen scientists to assist biologists as part of the American Kestrel Partnership, a program designed to collect data to be used to conserve this important species for future generations. AZGFD is participating in... Full story
Arizona hunters who were unsuccessful in the recent 2018 spring draw still have an opportunity to receive a hunt permit-tag for javelina. As of the second week of December, leftover hunt permit-tags were available for general hunts that begin Feb. 23. There also were 1,432 hunt permit-tags for archery-only hunts that begin Jan. 1, 1,239 hunt permit-tags for handgun, archery and muzzleloader (HAM) hunts that get underway Feb. 9,and 99 hunt permit-tags for youth-only hunts that start Jan. 26.... Full story
Sometimes things happen when you least expect them. "I came upon this brave cactus wren taking on the cholla cactus," said Pamela Parker of Mesa, explaining how she got the winning shot of this year's wildlife photo contest. "I loved how the wren was framed by all the needles and had to take the photo." She kept a watchful eye, taking several shots and capturing the bird surrounded by the cactus. Parker used a handheld camera because she likes to be "on the same level as my subjects." She... Full story
If you gave or received an off-highway vehicle (OHV) as part of the holiday season, make sure you have the proper protective gear to get off to a safe start. Whether the ATV, dirt bike or side-by-side is for a family member, lucky friend or yourself, the Arizona Game and Fish Department recommends that you wear the following equipment when riding in an OHV: • Helmet — All OHV operators or passengers younger than 18 are required to wear a U.S. Department of Transportation-safety rated hel... Full story
At its regular December meeting, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission passed a motion in opposition to a proposed ballot initiative that would ban the hunting of mountain lions and bobcats and restrict management of the state's wild cats by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The proposed initiative has not yet qualified for the ballot, but the Commission regularly takes positions on federal and state legislation with potential impact on the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) and the... Full story
After an absence of more than 70 years, the endangered Gila topminnow has reappeared in the Santa Cruz River in northwest Tucson, fish surveys conducted in November confirm. Scientists were hopeful native fish would return to the river near Tucson after the river's water quality significantly improved following upgrades to wastewater-treatment facilities releasing effluent (highly treated wastewater) into the river at Agua Nueva and Tres Rios treatment plants in 2013. The native Arizona... Full story
You can help sick or injured wildlife not only on a Giving Tuesday, but also on any day of the year. The Arizona Game and Fish Department's Wildlife Center treats sick, injured or orphaned wildlife. Some can be released to the wild, but those that can't require continued care, either as "wildlife ambassadors" for educational presentations at local schools and community events, or for placement in a zoo or wildlife sanctuary. The animals pictured with this story have all been rescued during the... Full story
Wear a life jacket when fishing from a boat in cold water - it could save your life, plus here are some good catching tips to snag a keeper this fall/winter. Nearly one-third of Arizona's boaters say fishing is their favorite activity to do while boating, and for many, fall is an ideal time of year to go out in search of that state record bass (or trout or catfish or ...). But, as the weather cools down, so does the water temperature. The U.S. Coast Guard reports that cold-water immersion and hy... Full story
The annual Arizona Game and Fish Commission Awards Banquet will be held on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018, at the Point Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort, 11111 N. 7th Street, Phoenix, Ariz. The event will honor the recipients of the 2017 Commission Awards that were selected at the Commission's Sept. 8 meeting. The purpose of these awards is to recognize Arizonans who have contributed significantly to the conservation of the state's wildlife, its outdoor heritage, and the mission of the Arizona Game and... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department manages more than 800 native species and the public had a chance to visit with come of them on Wildlife Day in November. This free family friendly event was designed to allow the public to meet their wildlife neighbors up close, while helping raise funds for the AZGFD Wildlife Center. "The Wildlife Center is often the first stop for many wildlife needing lifesaving care," said AZGFD Wildlife Education Program Manager Mike Demlong. "Wildlife Day helps us to...
It happens every year. As if on cue, they pick up and travel thousands of miles from places like Idaho, Wyoming and Montana, and some from as far away as Canada, Alaska and even Siberia. They are Arizona's true "snowbirds," content to spend winter days basking under mild, sunny skies before getting the itch to turn around and head back north sometime in March or early April. For the past few weeks, sandhill cranes by the thousands have been trumpeting their annual arrival in southeastern... Full story
An annual survey of the endangered Mount Graham red squirrel showed a significant decline due to the effects of the lightning-caused Frye Fire in the Pinaleño Mountains of southeastern Arizona. The annual survey, conducted jointly by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), Coronado National Forest, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Center for Nature Conservation-Phoenix Zoo, and the University of Arizona, resulted in an estimate of only 35 squirrels. This is a significant decrease... Full story
PHOENIX - When hunting for big game, off-highway vehicles (OHVs) can be a key part of how hunters retrieve downed animals. In fact, sometimes it's the only way to retrieve a harvested elk or bison. As hunters hit the trails on OHVs like side-by-sides, it's important to buckle up if the vehicle is equipped with seatbelts. Numerous fatal accidents this year have involved utility task vehicles (UTVs) that roll over and pin the operator underneath. Wearing a seatbelt is critical because it will... Full story
Arizona hunters know that timely rainfall is the elixir that gives the state's quail populations a much-needed boost. Good winter precipitation particularly benefitted Gambel's quail, the best-known and most widespread of the state's three main species. That led to spring call counts that were almost double what they were in 2016 and higher than the average of the last 10 years (2008-2017). Throw in statewide summer rains that sustained forage and habitat conditions, and it was a good year for... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission approved guidelines for fall 2018 through spring 2023 hunting seasons at its September meeting in Williams. The hunt guidelines provide the biological and social parameters used by wildlife managers when developing the annual hunt recommendations (season structures, season lengths, season dates, permits allocated, etc.) These recommendations result in the hunts in which licensed hunters may participate. Wildlife is held in the public trust; therefore, using... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department has posted the 2017-18 Arizona Waterfowl and Snipe Regulations on https://www.azgfd.com/Hunting/Regulations/. The general waterfowl season in the "Mountain Zone" (Game Management Units 1-5, 7, 9, 11M, 12A, and those portions of Units 6 and 8 within Coconino County) began Oct. 6 and runs through Jan. 14, 2018. The general waterfowl season in the "Desert Zone" (Game Management Units 10 and 12B through 46B, and those portions of Units 6 and 8 within Yavapai Coun... Full story
Evidence shows range includes southern parts of Ariz., N.M. and 90 percent in Mexico. A recent peer-reviewed scientific paper re-affirmed the historical range of the endangered Mexican wolf as being southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico and the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico. To Clarify Range The paper was the featured article published in the July issue of The Journal of Wildlife Management, a leading international wildlife science journal. The authors - each reputable experts in... Full story
Arizona remains Chronic Wasting Disease-free due to surveillance efforts. The Arizona Game and Fish Department is asking hunters to continue doing their part to help keep Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a neurodegenerative wildlife disease that is fatal to deer and elk, at bay. All successful deer and elk hunters are encouraged to bring the head of their harvested animal, especially bucks and bulls, to any department office statewide between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The preferred... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has submitted its official comments on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) draft Mexican wolf recovery plan which, when finalized, will outline a science-based strategy for continuing the successful reintroduction of Mexican wolves in its historic range. The FWS developed the draft recovery plan to replace the outdated 1982 plan. The updated plan was done in collaboration with state wildlife agencies in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado;... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is accepting applications for more than $400,000 in Heritage Fund grants. The deadline to submit an application is Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017 to be eligible for grant funding, which will be available through a competitive application process in the following categories: environmental education, outdoor education, schoolyard habitat, urban wildlife/habitat, public access; and Identification, Inventory, Acquisition, Protection and Management (IIAPM). In addition... Full story
As you're gearing up to spend a weekend or a few days riding on forest roads and trails, we have one message for you: Head out, helmet on! Helmets are required for all off-highway vehicle (OHV) operators and passengers who are under 18 - but they are strongly recommended for everyone. A U.S. Department of Transportation-rated helmet is the most important piece of equipment you can wear. Case in point: In the event of an accident, a helmet is your only protection against head injuries. "Arizona... Full story
Arizona's bald eagle population continues to soar as the number of breeding areas expanded statewide and a record 82 young hatched during the 2017 breeding season, according to an annual Arizona Game and Fish Department survey. While the number of hatchlings rose from the previous high of 79 in 2016, the number of young that actually fledged dipped slightly to 63 birds that made the important milestone of their first flight. In Arizona, at least 95 eggs were laid, which was slightly less than... Full story
