Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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Hunters can check portal account, or by phone. The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has completed its random draw for 2019 fall hunts. To check draw results for the deer, fall turkey, fall javelina, bighorn sheep, fall bison, fall bear and sandhill crane seasons, applicants should sign into their free AZGFD portal account or call the department’s automated telephone system at (602) 942-3000, pressing “2” and following the prompts. Be prepared to provide a Social Security or Depar... Full story
Arizona Big Game Super Raffle nets $669,065 for wildlife. 10 permit-tags, Swarovski optics package, N.M. elk hunt among prizes Winners of the 14th annual Arizona Big Game Super Raffle were announced Thursday night at Arizona Game and Fish Department headquarters in Phoenix. The prizes 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 per... Full story
Do you want to see your photo on the cover of Arizona Wildlife Views magazine? Do you have a knack for capturing great photos of Arizona's wildlife? Then you won't want to miss the Arizona Game and Fish Department's 13th annual Arizona wildlife photo contest. One best in show and 11 first-place winners will be showcased in the 2020 calendar, which is published in the November-December issue of Arizona Wildlife Views, an award-winning magazine about wildlife and outdoor recreation. Many... Full story
PHOENIX - Arizona hunters will have an opportunity to receive a hunt permit-tag for select 2019 deer, fall turkey and fall youth-only javelina hunts. There are 968 leftover hunt permit-tags available for general deer hunts, with most of those hunts being for antlered white-tailed deer only in Game Management Units (GMUs) in the southeastern portion of the state. There also are leftover hunt permit-tags for muzzleloader deer (249), youth-only deer (55), youth-only muzzleloader deer (7), turkey... Full story
As many people are gearing up to spend time outdoors this summer, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) reminds everyone planning to ride an off-highway vehicle (OHV) to do so safely and responsibly. Numerous fatal accidents last year involved utility task vehicles (UTVs) that rolled over and pinned the operator underneath. Wearing a seatbelt is critical because it will help keep the operator and any passengers inside the UTV in the event of an accident. If children are a part of the... Full story
In a battle against a moving vehicle, a Sonoran desert tortoise is most certain to lose every time. While "Charlie," a 20-plus-year-old tortoise, escaped with its life in this instance - albeit with a damaged shell that has now healed - it's now well enough to be adopted into a forever home. Dozens of tortoises up for adoption by the Arizona Game and Fish. As is "Hook," another tortoise that needed surgery to amputate its right foot after being attacked by a dog. Today both are among the... Full story
Rising temperatures and longer days mean spring is here and newborn wildlife are likely exploring the world around them. The Arizona Game and Fish Department understands the public's desire to help seemingly "abandoned" animals such as baby birds and bunnies, however, the department reminds people to refuse the urge to "rescue" wildlife and to please leave baby wildlife alone. While their intentions are good, in reality they're taking a newborn or juvenile animal from its parents, which likely... Full story
Bears are now on the move; the public is reminded not to feed wildlife. Arizona’s bears are on the move in search for an easy meal, and the Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds everyone to be safe by being Bear Aware The warning comes as department officials tranquilized and safely relocated a sub-adult male bear in April in Prescott Valley. AZGFD was contacted by local police who reported that a bear had been spotted in the Prescott Valley Old Town Plaza parking lot. Two Prescott Valley o... Full story
AZGFD Warns Of Possible Rabies Exposure As Temperatures Warm Spring has sprung, temperatures are trending upward and people and pets are on the move outdoors - that means potential exposure to rabies will be on the increase. The Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds the public to protect themselves and their pets by keeping a safe distance from wildlife, especially animals that may be behaving abnormally, such as those that appear overly aggressive and/or lacking a fear of humans. "The... Full story
Nesting Efforts End At Lake Pleasant Eagles' nest is now empty after four attempts to produce hatchling. For the past four months, viewers have been treated to round-the-clock glimpses of a pair of nesting bald eagles through a live-streaming camera installed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD). Now there's not much to see but an empty nest made of twisted twigs and branches on the side of a sheer cliff above Lake Pleasant, a disappointing sign that any hope of the birds producing a... Full story
The Northern Arizona Shooting Range has announced all ranges have been opened to the public although winter hours will remain in effect until May. The rifle and pistol ranges, as well as stations for trap, skeet, sporting clays and five-stand, will operate from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Saturday. All shooters must arrive by 2 p.m. The rifle and pistol ranges also are open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays. The 160-acre range, located about 20 miles east of Flagstaff, is owned by the Arizona Game an... Full story
Proposed Fall/Spring Hunt Recommendations Available For Review The Arizona Game and Fish Department's proposed hunt recommendations for the 2019-20 fall deer, turkey, javelina, bighorn sheep, bison, bear, mountain lion, predatory and furbearing mammals, and trapping seasons, as well as for the 2020-21 spring javelina, bison, and bear seasons, are available for review at www.azgfd.gov/huntguidelines. The hunt structures and recommendations were formulated based on the hunt guidelines approved by... Full story
The numbers are in, and last weekend’s Arizona Game and Fish Department Outdoor Expo had the largest turnout in the event’s 15-year history. The expo, presented by Shikar Safari Club International, drew 52,000 visitors over the March 30-31 weekend at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix. That broke the previous weekend record of 46,600, set in 2017. Supports Outdoor Passions “We’re not aware of any other free event of this scale that combines conservation, recreation and industry into su... Full story
Public comment period runs to May 12. The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is proposing to adopt a rule that would prohibit using any lethal method of take during a hunting contest for predatory and fur-bearing animals, as defined under Arizona Revised Statutes 17-101. In a public meeting March 15, the commission unanimously approved a Notice of Rulemaking Docket Opening and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (also posted at www.azgfd.gov/rulemaking). The Notice was published in the Arizona... Full story
(This news release was issued by the Arizona Attorney General's Office.) The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the limited use of motor vehicles to retrieve lawfully taken elk and bison on the Kaibab National Forest. In January 2016, several environmental litigants (WildEarth Guardians, Grand Canyon Wildlands Council, Wildlands Network, and the Sierra Club) sued the U.S. Forest Service over its decision to allow hunters to drive cross-country up to one mile off of designated roads to... Full story
Life jacket exchange events kick off Safe Boating Week on Saturday, May 18 PHOENIX - Safe Boating Week is on the horizon and the Arizona Game and Fish Department will kick off the national campaign locally with multiple life jacket exchange events at area lakes Saturday, May 18. Now in its 11th year, the Life Jacket Exchange program allows people with an old, worn out life jacket to swap it for a new one (while supplies last). Last year, the department's Boating Safety Education program... Full story
Deadline: 7 p.m. (Arizona time), Tuesday, May 14 PHOENIX – The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has posted the 2019-20 Arizona Hunting Regulations online at www.azgfd.gov/draw. The department now is accepting paper applications for 2019 hunt permit-tags issued through the draw process for deer, fall turkey, fall javelina, bighorn sheep, fall bison and sandhill crane. Note: In a significant change, this will be the first time that applications will be accepted as part of the fall draw pro... Full story
AZGFD Launches Enhanced Online License Purchasing Service Includes mobile-friendly purchase option for smartphones, tablets PHOENIX — Got five minutes? In the amount of time it takes to make an omelet, empty the dishwasher or write a thank you note, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has made it that easy to purchase a hunting, fishing or combination license online. A new interface featuring a slightly different look is only the first thing AZGFD customers will notice. The enhanced o... Full story
June 18 Deadline To Apply For Local Sportsmen's Group Grants PHOENIX – The Arizona Game and Fish Department is accepting applications for $75,000 in annual grant funding for local sportsmen's organizations to provide public, hands-on projects that are focused on the progressive development of new hunters and anglers. The Local Sportsmen's Group grants program places a high priority on projects that involve the pursuit or harvest of fish or wildlife with a valid license (and any necessary hunt p... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department will close the Canyon Creek and Tonto Creek fish hatcheries, located in the Payson area of the Tonto National Forest, to the public during select dates for pavement repairs. Closure dates are as follows: Canyon Creek Hatchery: May 6-9, May 28-30. Tonto Creek Hatchery: May 10, May 31, June 1. These closures are necessary for public safety and to allow for proper curing of the slurry seal. For more information, contact the Tonto Creek Hatchery at 928-478-4200... Full story
PRESCOTT, Ariz. — The next meeting of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission will be Friday, May 10, at the Prescott Resort & Conference Center, Granite Mountain Conference Room, 1500 AZ-69, Prescott. The meeting begins at 8 a.m. The meeting can be attended in person or viewed at http://livestream.com/azgameandfish. The meeting also can be viewed from any of the department’s regional offices statewide on streaming video. Those who wish to speak to the commission may submit “speaker cards” (blue c... Full story
PHOENIX — The time has come for Arizona’s big game hunters to say goodbye to paper hunt draw applications. All applicants are reminded that the 2019 fall draw cycle, which is underway, is the last one in which paper applications will be accepted. As the Arizona Game and Fish Department moves toward paperless processes, only online applications will be accepted beginning with the 2020 spring draw, which typically opens in late August or early September. All paper applications must be rec... Full story
A moving Car couldn't stop Charlie a recovered tortoise seeking an adoptive home. PHOENIX — In a battle against a moving vehicle, a Sonoran desert tortoise is most certain to lose every time. While “Charlie,” a 20-plus-year-old tortoise, escaped with its life in this instance — albeit with a damaged shell that has now healed — it’s now well enough to be adopted into a forever home. As is “Hook,” another tortoise that needed surgery to amputate its right foot after being attacked by a dog. Today... Full story
Compiled by Margie Anderson You must have a valid hunting license for all hunts, and permit tags for some. You must read the regulations. You can pick up a hard copy at many outdoor stores and all Game and Fish offices. You can also read and/or download all the regulation booklets at www.azgfd.gov. Application Deadlines This Month: None Bear: Bear hunts continue this month. Some run through July. You must have a valid hunting license as well as a hunt permit tag obtained through the draw – e... Full story
For quite a while now, waterfowl hunters have been required to use shotgun shells that do not contain lead. Seems the lead pellets in the water get ingested accidentally by waterfowl and it is toxic to them if it builds up. In Arizona, the Game and Fish Department encourages hunters who hunt in Arizona's condor ranges to use lead-free ammo or to remove gut piles if they are shooting lead. The condors eat the remains and get lead poisoning from the tiny lead fragments. If you do use non-lead... Full story
