Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking volunteers to assist with fall spotlighting efforts to help document the population of endangered black-footed ferrets in Aubrey Valley and on the Double O Ranch, both near Seligman. As part of the recovery effort, the department has scheduled one more five-night spotlighting event on Oct. 5-9 – and a three-night spotlighting event Nov. 9-11. The spotlighting method involves using high-powered lights to locate and identify black-footed ferrets. T... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department applauds the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee for approving a bi-partisan bill that will allow the Department to better manage and conserve the bison population within Grand Canyon National Park. The Committee passed the Grand Canyon Bison Management Act, attaching it as an amendment to the larger Sportsman's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act. The Bison Management Act, introduced in June by U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar, requires the U.S.... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) was awarded $12,440 in grant funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to help protect the state's 28 species of bats from white-nose syndrome, a deadly fungal disease. Funds issued by the FWS were part of $1 million in grants to 37 states to help combat the disease that has killed millions of bats in recent years nationwide. In Arizona, the funding will be used to research whether the fungus is impacting our own bat populations. For more... Full story
YUMA, Ariz. – Yuma’s reputation as the “Dove Hunting Capital of the United States” is well-deserved. Banners on street poles welcome hunters by the thousands. Hotels and restaurants are packed. The news of the day takes a back seat to opening-day coverage on the front page of the Yuma Sun. It has been estimated that dove hunters pump up to $5 million into the city’s economy. In addition to offering some of the finest wing-shooting for doves in the nation, Yuma also takes pride in hosting t... Full story
The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) honored four leaders from the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) for their conservation efforts at an awards ceremony last month. Craig McMullen received the WAFWA Professional of the Year Award for achievements during his 24-year career with AZGFD. Starting with the department in 1993 as a wildlife manager, McMullen quickly moved into positions of increasing responsibility including as chief of the Wildlife Recreation Branch... Full story
A brutal round with a dog resulted in an amputated leg, but Tripod the three-legged desert tortoise is ready for a new home. The surgery was conducted at the Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital and since then, "Tripod" - as he is affectionately known - has recovered at the Arizona Game and Fish Department Wildlife Center, where he and 50 other desert tortoises are in desperate need of a forever home. "When this tortoise was brought into the veterinary clinic, the damage was so severe that its left... Full story
An approximately three-day-old deer fawn "kidnapped" from the wild near Salome will now be forced to a life in captivity. In August, the Arizona Game and Fish Department took possession of the days-old fawn after learning an unknown man took it from the wild, then stopped off at the local bar to show the patrons. A short time later, AZGFD was notified and took possession of the fawn. "This truly is an unfortunate situation for this deer fawn. Instead of living a life in the wild, it must now rem... 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
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is soliciting nominations for its 2017 Commission Awards. The deadline for submission is Aug. 24. 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 Fish Department. Nominations may include individuals, organizations, clubs, foundations or government agencies. Arizona Game and Fish Department employees are not eligib... Full story
The waiting is over for hopeful hunters who applied for a 2017 fall hunt permit-tag. There are three ways to obtain draw results for the deer, fall turkey, fall javelina, bighorn sheep, fall bear, fall bison and pheasant seasons: • Sign in to your AZGFD customer portal account. • Visit https://draw.azgfd.gov, then click on "View Results and Bonus Points." • Call (602) 942-3000 and press "2." A record 90 percent of all applicants applied online (131,457), compared to 10 percent who filled out a... Full story
Winners of the 12th annual Arizona Big Game Super Raffle were announced recently 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 permit-tags were awarded by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. Raffle tickets ranged from $5 to $25, depending on the species. A New M... Full story
When the Ben Avery Shooting Facility's main range opens bright and early Aug. 30, recreational shooters will zero in on several improvements: • Earthen berms that serve as backstops for 67 shooting stations will be higher, more level and -- most important -- safer. • Target bumpers (which hold up the target frames) with re-stenciled lane numbers. • Refurbished shooting benches. In order to complete more than $100,000 in improvements, the main range will be closed to the general public Aug.... Full story
Arizona's quail hunters have had it rough. Ask them to recount their best hunt in the past few years, and most will look down at their dust-covered hunting boots and shake their heads. Well, if the results from the latest Gambel's quail call counts are any indication, those hunters just might find a few more birds to chase when the 2017-18 general season opens statewide Oct. 6. The Arizona Game and Fish Department conducted its traditional call-count routes from about mid-April to mid-May near... Full story
The Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation, together with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, will induct five individuals into the Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame. The Foundation's 20th Annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place during the annual Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame Banquet on Saturday, Aug. 19, at the Embassy Suites Scottsdale at 5001 N. Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale. The inductees for this year’s event include the following: • Steve Hirsch, of Phoenix, is being inducted posthumo... Full story
Operation Dry Water was once again carried out on Arizona’s bodies of water as officers from numerous agencies were on the lookout for people who were operating a boat...... 
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The Arizona Game and Fish Commission has appointed Ty Gray as director of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The appointment came in a unanimous 5-0 vote at the commission's June 11 meeting. Gray, of Phoenix, has been with Game and Fish for 24 years and is currently the agency's deputy director. He replaces outgoing Director Larry Voyles, who announced May 12 he would be retiring after a 43-year career with Game and Fish, the past nine as director. Gray will assume the role following a transi... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is soliciting nominations for its 2017 Commission Awards. The deadline for submission is Aug. 24. 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 Fish Department. Nominations may include individuals, organizations, clubs, foundations or government agencies. Arizona Game and Fish Department employees are not... Full story
ONLINE RESOURCE -- The 2017 edition of "Hunt Arizona," the Arizona Game and Fish Department's yearly compilation of big and small game hunting statistics, is now available online at https://www.azgfd.com/Hunting/surveydata. The free, downloadable, PDF publication includes draw, survey and harvest statistics for a five-year period, as well as information on distribution, life history and behavior of big game, small game and other wildlife.... Full story
When it comes to choosing a "how-to" outdoor skill event, one size does not fit all. So, where does one begin? Look no further than the Arizona Game and Fish Department, along with its extensive network of partnering organizations, which offers dozens of events throughout the year to suit almost everyone's needs through the Outdoor Skills Network. Those events now appear in a new format, organized based on skill level and interest: • Introductory: No hunting or pursuit of wildlife, shooting less... Full story
James Ammons assumed the role of chairman of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission on July 1. Charged with leading the five-member commission for the 2017-2018 fiscal year, Ammons has been serving on the commission since 2014 after being appointed to a five-year term by then-Gov. Jan Brewer. Ammons replaces Chairman Edward "Pat" Madden, whose term as chair expired June 30. Madden will continue to serve on the commission through the end of the year until a successor is appointed by the governor... Full story
CONGRATULATIONS! -- Arizona Game and Fish video producer David Majure recently received three Excellence in Craft Awards from the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA). Majure was recognized for his work on the department's Arizona Wildlife Views TV show and received second and third-place awards in the TV/Video/Webcast contest categories: "Conservation or Nature", "Family Participation/Youth Outdoor Education", and "Gear/Technical".... Full story
PHOENIX — While practice might not make perfect when it comes to dove hunting, it sure could put more of the fast-flying, acrobatic birds in the game vest. As part of the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s “Getting Ready for Dove” campaign, the Ben Avery Clay Target Center is offering dove hunters an opportunity to sharpen their wing-shooting skills in advance of the season opener Sept. 1. A $5 coupon has been posted online, good for one round (25 targets) of trap, skeet or sporting clays.... Full story
"Boating in Arizona can offer great experience for everyone on the water, but only if it is done safely and responsibly," said Josh Hoffman, AZGFD Boating Safety Education coordinator. "While time on the water can be fun, it can quickly turn dangerous if you're not prepared ... all boat and watercraft users [need] to always wear their life jacket. It could very well save your life." Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey helped kick off May's Safe Boating Week by issuing a proclamation, encouraging the public... Full story
The Hunting And Angling Heritage Workgroup (HAHWG) will hold their summer meeting July 22-23 at the Arizona Nordic Village in Flagstaff (was Nordic Center, new owners). The group will return to the two-day format, meeting from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, followed by a dinner, social hour, networking and campfire, then Sunday from 8 a.m. – noon to allow folks time to get home at a decent time. If you have a topic we've been missing in our discussions, send it my way. If you are interested in j... Full story
President Trump's Executive Order calling for a review of expansive executive land designations under the Antiquities Act of 1906 has predictably generated a volume of debate and dire predictions. Missing from the discussion is thoughtful dialogue about the critical role of multiple-use management in natural resources conservation and the sometimes dire consequences to our natural resources of removing such tools from the pallet of management actions and possibilities. This is all done in the... Full story
