Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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12 bites recorded statewide in 2020. With more people getting outdoors to take advantage of the state's warm, spring weather, it's important to keep in mind that 13 species of rattlesnakes also call Arizona home. Depending on location, the species that are encountered most often are the Western diamondback, sidewinder, Mojave and black-tailed rattlesnakes. "Arizona has more rattlesnake species than any other state, and we can all celebrate that amazing biodiversity," said Thomas Jones, amphibia... Full story
Lifetime Or Pioneer Licenses May Be The Perfect Gift If you are looking for a meaningful gift for your mother or father, this may be it. What Is Arizona's Lifetime License Program? Arizona's lifetime general hunting and fishing license program is a unique opportunity for resident sportsmen and sportswomen to participate in the long-term funding of Arizona's Wildlife Conservation programs. The dollars derived from the sale of these special licenses will be deposited into the established Arizona... Full story
No cases found in nearly 1,600 samples tested from latest hunting seasons. The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has announced that Arizona continues to be clear of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a fatal wildlife disease that affects the nervous system of deer and elk. Arizona's deer and elk populations remain free of CWD due to diligent surveillance efforts. Department officials did not find any cases of CWD in the 1,589 deer (mule and white-tailed) and elk that were sampled in 2020 -... Full story
The Arizona Big Game Super Raffle is back again and offering unique monthly prize packs! The Arizona Game and Fish Commission annually awards the organization 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. Raffle tickets are available for $5 to $25 each, depending on the species, and ticket sales go to on-the-ground conservation. The deadline to... Full story
More than 100 captive desert tortoises need forever homes . For some, a dog or cat will do just fine. But for others who are considering adopting something truly unique to Arizona, say hello to your next family member: a Sonoran desert tortoise. "Many people don't even consider opening up their homes to desert tortoises, but they make fantastic and personable pets," said Tegan Wolf, desert tortoise adoption program coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD). "It's rewarding to... Full story
Deadline to submit nominations is April 30. The Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation is soliciting nominations for this year's inductees into the Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame. The Outdoor Hall of Fame annually recognizes individuals and organizations that have made significant and lasting contributions toward Arizona's wildlife, the welfare of its natural resources, and the state's outdoor heritage. Nominations will be accepted through April 30, 2021. To submit a nomination, download a form,... Full story
A reward for information leading to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for the poaching of several mule deer in October near Congress, Ariz., has been increased up to $10,000. The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), through its Operation Game Thief program, has increased its reward up to $3,000. In addition, several sportsmen's organizations and private companies are offering rewards up to the following amounts: Willmeng Construction ($3,000), Arizona Deer Association ($1,500), Mule... Full story
Pet stores urged to remove aquarium product from shelves; consumers should follow disposal guidelines. The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), along with wildlife agencies across the country, are urging pet stores and aquarium owners to take action now to contain any "moss ball" plants designed for aquariums after invasive zebra mussels were found on these products in Arizona as well as other states. This is a national invasive species emergency and evolving situation. Washington Alerts... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission Awards Banquet that is traditionally held in January has been rescheduled to Saturday, June 12, 2021. The banquet will be held at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort, Grande Ballroom, 11111 N. 7th St. in Phoenix. More information will be posted and distributed as it becomes available. Recipients of the 2020 Commission Awards who will be honored at this event are - Award of Excellence – Charlie Kelly Youth Conservationist of the Year – Jagrav Patel Med... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is forwarding this Grand Canyon National Park news release to constituents who may have an interest in this opportunity. GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — The National Park Service, in cooperation with the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), seeks skilled volunteers to assist with the removal of bison on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in the fall of 2021. Interested parties should carefully read this announcement and the information in the links b... Full story
That's the start of an old rhyme that you probably heard as a kid. However, here in the Southwest we know this and are looking forward to some of the highlights of this special season. My husband and I attended an Arizona Game & Fish Department Zoom meeting recently and were amazed and delighted with statistics that show more and more people embracing the outdoors: For example, fishing and boating participation have increased tremendously. If there is a positive side to the pandemic, this may... Full story
There are a lot of great organizations in Arizona full of people who enjoy sharing their love of the outdoors with others, especially kids. One of them is Arizona Quail Today, which hosted its first Kids/Youth Fun Hunt at Desert Creek Sportsman's Club in February. There were kids, dogs, birds, shotguns, food, and tons of fun. The kids got to shoot sporting clays and chukar and spend the day outdoors with their folks and some great people. I found out about it on the Arizona Upland Hunting page... Full story
Learn And Feel More At Ease With Your Firearm According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), over five million Americans became first-time gun owners in 2020. That's great news for the sport! In fact, in the first seven months of 2020, over 12 million guns were purchased, up more than 70 percent over the same period in 2019. The numbers might have been higher if gun shops hadn't been scrambling to meet the demand. And you were wondering why ammo is so scarce? Seriously, it's not a... Full story
Commission Proposes To Amend Rules To Regulate The Use Of Trail Cameras Public comment period runs through February 1. The Arizona Game and Fish Commission proposes to amend rules within Article 3, Taking and Handling of Wildlife, to regulate the use of trail cameras for the purpose of taking or aiding in the take of wildlife. Public comments about the proposed rulemaking can be submitted through Feb. 1, 2021, via either: • Email: rulemaking@azgfd.gov • U.S. Mail: Arizona Game and Fish Dep... Full story
Arizona Game And Fish News There's still time for Arizona hunters to take aim at some of the best wing-shooting opportunities the state has to offer - but the clock is ticking. Circle Sunday, Feb. 7, on the calendar. That's when the season ends for the state's three main species - Gambel's, scaled and Mearns'. The general bag limit is 15 quail per day in the aggregate, of which no more than eight may be Mearns' quail. The general possession limit is 45 quail in the aggregate, of which no more... Full story
Record number of cross-fostered pups captured and collared by field team. The Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team (IFT) has successfully captured and radio-collared seven of this year's cross-fostered pups, documenting record success for the program. Last spring, members of the IFT and the Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan cross-fostered a total of 20 genetically diverse wolf pups from captive facilities into litters of wild wolf packs. As part of ongoing efforts to record survival of cross-fos... Full story
Outdoor recreationists, pilots, drone operators asked to avoid nesting areas. Arizona’s bald eagles are preparing for the next generation of eagles at breeding sites statewide. To assist with the state’s continued bald eagle population growth, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) encourages outdoor recreationists, aircraft pilots, drone operators and motorized paragliders to do their part by not disturbing the state’s 92 eagle breeding areas. To protect breeding attempts, some porti... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is getting ready to roll out a new and exciting way to keep people connected with the state's diverse wildlife. In addition to partnering with the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center and Boyce Thompson Arboretum on a virtual speaker wildlife series during the pandemic, the department's Watchable Wildlife Program will be adding mostly critter-based lectures twice each month beginning Jan. 7. The 90-minute lectures will be hosted by AZGFD biologists... Full story
Arizona's bald eagles are back, and they will soon be preparing for the next generation of eagles at breeding sites statewide. To assist with the state's continued bald eagle population growth, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) encourages outdoor recreationists, aircraft pilots, drone operators and motorized paragliders to do their part by not disturbing the state's 92 eagle breeding areas. To protect breeding attempts, some portions of public land and water areas will be temporarily... Full story
The year 2020 saw a lot of people venturing into the outdoors for the first time. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, this past year 6.2 million new shooters took up the sport. There was also a spike in camping and other outdoor activities. Some people were afraid to gather together inside, but outside is a different matter. If you are one of the newbies, I hope you continue to enjoy the outdoors this year and for many years to come. Many Good Reasons There are a lot of good... Full story
A great gift idea, the popular calendar features 2021 wildlife photo contest winners. The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has unveiled its 2021 wildlife calendar, which features eye-catching images of Arizona's incredible wildlife. Taken by Arizonans from around the state, the calendar features more than a dozen beautiful and fascinating wild critters. A record number of photographs - more than 1,500 - were submitted to this year's wildlife photo contest. The winning images are... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission Appointment Recommendation Board has forwarded the names of three candidates to Gov. Doug Ducey for his consideration in making his 2021 appointment to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. Daniel W. Caputo of Flagstaff, Clay Hernandez of Tucson, and Kate Scott of Elgin were interviewed by the board at its public meeting on Nov. 10 at the Arizona Game and Fish Department headquarters in Phoenix. They had been selected for interview from an initial slate of... Full story
Arizona's public lands are one of state's greatest attractions. A question that comes up from time to time, particularly during hunting seasons, is who has the right-of-way when recreating outdoors on Arizona's 50 million acres of public land? It's a one-word answer: Everybody. The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) reminds all outdoor user groups that the state's vast and treasured public lands sustain multiple uses for enjoyment by hunters, hikers, anglers, mountain bikers, wildlife... Full story
Giving For A Lifetime Lifetime Or Pioneer Licenses May Be The Perfect Gift What Is Arizona’s Lifetime License Program? Arizona’s lifetime general hunting and fishing license program is a unique opportunity for resident sportsmen and sportswomen to participate in the long-term funding of Arizona’s Wildlife Conservation programs. The dollars derived from the sale of these special licenses will be deposited into the established Arizona Wildlife Endowment Fund from which only the interest accrued wi... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission (AZGFD) and the National Park Service (NPS) have entered into an agreement to reduce the number of bison present on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. In a concerted effort to disrupt the "refuge effect" that allows the bison herd to grow where there is no pressure on them, the agreement includes a number of tools for herd reduction, including live capture and translocations, hazing and lethal removal by skilled volunteers. Given the current... Full story
