Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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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
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
Mentor Recruitment Event At our Summer Meeting, Ryan presented a concept for hosting a Mentor Recruitment event that received great support from the group. Well, I'm happy to say that after flushing out many of your ideas for a location he has found a winner. Thank you for all your input. Here is what we know as of now: Date Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018 Location Helton Brewing Company (22nd Street & Indian School, 2144 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85016) Time 5-8 p.m. Theme Hunter's Trivia &... Full story
State Employees Charitable Campaign Raises Money For Charities Public can enter raffle for 2018 Polaris Ranger Crew XP 1000 EPS. The State Employees Charitable Campaign (SECC) annually provides Arizona state employees with an opportunity to voluntarily contribute monetary donations that support more than 400 nonprofit agencies. Now there's an opportunity for the public to participate as well. The campaign recently announced that proceeds from the raffle of a 2018 Polaris Ranger Crew XP 1000 EPS... 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
Visitors Reminded To Use Caution With Fire, Wildlife And Weather PHOENIX, August 29, 2018—For Immediate Release. The Forest Supervisor’s Office and all Ranger District offices located on the Tonto will be closed Monday, September 3, for the Labor Day holiday. Forest officials say they expect a large number of visitors to the Tonto’s campgrounds, picnic areas and recreation sites over the 3-day weekend. The following are tips for a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend. Fireworks, Campfires, and Smo... Full story
Wayne Gustaveson has shared this photo of Sharon Hunt who completed her week-long fishing trip to Lake Powell after catching a mixed bag of striped bass, walleye, largemouth and smallmouth bass. Her expression makes a good point: Now's a great time to go fishing - and to cool off in the process at one of the Southwest's northern lakes. Even right at home, the Community Fishing Program offers some great fun for the kids and their families. In our "Tackle & Target" section of this issue, reel-in... 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
Outdoor recreationists and other members of the public are reminded, as always, to enjoy wildlife from a distance. Rise In Rabies Cases The Arizona Department of Health Services on June 19 issued a news release advising that there has been a statewide rise in animal rabies cases and encouraging the community to follow prevention guidelines to stay safe from the disease. According to ADHS, as of May 31, 2018, there have been 77 rabid animals reported this year compared with 54 at the same time la... 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 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
Through collaborative conservation efforts, the once-dwindling endangered humpback chub has been given a fighting chance against the currents of extinction, building a wild population large enough to soon be reclassified as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The success was due to the efforts and commitment of multiple agencies, including the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD); Colorado Fish, Wildlife and Parks; Utah Division of Wildlife Resources; U.S. Fish and... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking help from successful spring turkey hunters as it continues to monitor the state's wild turkey populations for an emerging disease. All hunters who harvest a turkey – including youth hunters whose seasons begin next week -- are asked to consider donating one of the bird's legs (or heart) by bringing it to any of the department's regional offices statewide. The leg should be removed at the joint above the foot (see diagram). Legs and hearts should b... Full story
PAYSON, Ariz. – On Saturday, May 12, Green Valley Park comes alive with a multitude of wildlife and outdoor fun activities for the whole family at the 24th Annual Payson Wildlife Fair. Catch a rainbow trout, cruise the lake in a canoe, or touch a live snake … there is something for everyone. People come from all over the state for this outdoor event. It’s a great day up in the cool mountain air of Payson, at a time of year when the Valley is really heating up. And it’s all free. There will be... Full story
Nearly 1,100 reports came into the 24×7 program Operation Game Thief to protect the state's wildlife. "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 -... Full story
For the first time in more than 150 years, elk are leaving their hoofprints on West Virginia soil. Dozens of elk that were captured and quarantined in January east of Flagstaff were loaded into a livestock trailer and transported nonstop to a release site in the Tomblin Wildlife Management Area in southwest West Virginia in early March. The elk were captured at the Raymond Wildlife Area through a partnership between the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the West Virginia Division of Natural R... Full story
Survey results shine light on recovery effort in Aubrey Valley, on Double O Ranch. The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking volunteers to assist with spotlighting efforts to help document the population of endangered black-footed ferrets in Aubrey Valley and on the Double O Ranch near Seligman. As part of the recovery effort, the department has scheduled one remaining spring spotlighting project: April 26-29 (the department also conducts two spotlighting projects in the fall). The... Full story
