Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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If you’re interested in outdoor activities and in the participation of future generations, the Hunting Angling Heritage Workshop Group would welcome your input. Well, it’s starting to feel like Arizona now. I hope everyone is having a good summer and getting a chance to visit the high country as well. The fishing and crayfishing should be great, not to mention the cooler weather and green! A couple dates I thought you might want on your radar, and for more, visit www.azgfd.gov/outdoorskills for... Full story
As many people celebrate the summer weekends by going camping, the Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds campers and all outdoor recreationists to be bear aware. A few simple precautions can go a long way towards protecting both people and bears. "Humans are usually to blame for bears that become habituated and lose their fear of people. Bears quickly learn to associate campgrounds with food sources, placing both people and bears at risk," says April Howard, a department large carnivore... Full story
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. -- The Arizona Game and Fish Department is asking the Sierra Club to retract a fundraising letter that makes false statements about Arizona’s endangered condor population. The department (AZGFD) says untrue claims were made about hazards to condor health in a fundraising letter from Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club. In his June 24 fundraising appeal, Brune claims a link between uranium mining and condor health. Despite a moratorium against uranium mines i... Full story
Conclusive evidence of quagga mussels has recently been discovered at Canyon, Saguaro and Apache lakes, major recreational waters on the Tonto National Forest. The Arizona Game and Fish Department listed these lakes as AIS-affected waters under AIS Directors Orders #2 at the beginning of May. There is not an infestation of quaggas at Apache, Saguaro or Canyon. Yet there is genetic and visual evidence in all these waters of the invasive quaggas that colonize rapidly on hard surfaces and can ruin... Full story
Arizona's Trout Challenge Program was developed to encourage anglers to learn more about fishing opportunities in the state. Arizona Game and Fish Department manages many waters statewide to provide anglers the opportunity to catch several different species of trout, including two found only in the Southwest, Gila Trout (Oncorhynchus gilae) and Apache Trout (Oncorhynchus apache). There are two ways for anglers to complete the Challenge - 1. Catch all five species of wild trout in Arizona. These...
Peregrine Chick Weak Legs Required Splints At press time, we at AZBW/WOT are hoping for a good outcome. After more than 30 days of anticipation by viewers around the world, the first of downtown Phoenix’s peregrine falcon eggs was welcomed on Mother’s Day after hatching at 7 p.m. that Sunday. However, at press time, the news had become guarded. A peregrine falcon chick hatched in a nest box on a downtown high-rise was seen struggling, causing the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) to take...
An orphaned mountain lion cub rescued by Arizona Game & Fish now has a new home at Out of Africa Wildlife Park. The mountain lion cub that was rescued near Sells, Ariz., has recovered and was transported to its new permanent home. On April 29, Chairman Edward Manual, of the Tohono O'Odham Nation, signed a letter permitting the transfer of the young mountain lion from its temporary home at Adobe Mountain Wildlife Facility to Out of Africa Wildlife Park in Camp Verde, Ariz. Into The Wild: Not An... Full story
The National Safe Boating Council, in partnership with the Canadian Safe Boating Council, invite boating safety professionals, the boating community and the media to participate in the sixth-annual "Ready, Set, Wear It!" Life Jacket World Record Day on Saturday, May 21, 2016. Participants in cities around the globe will gather to set a world record for the most life jackets worn and inflatable life jackets inflated. The goal is not only to promote the comfortable and versatile options when it... Full story
Many people enjoy recreational boating and fishing in the spring. Yet, what looks like a perfect day can quickly become hazardous if you end up in frigid water. The annual Wear It! boating safety campaign reminds spring boaters to take extra precautions. "Situations on the water can escalate quickly, and wearing a life jacket not only gives you peace of mind to control an emergency situation but can also save your life," said Rachel Johnson, executive director of the National Safe Boating... Full story
Tip Of The Week From the fishing log: Around this time last year, and in similar water temperatures, the smallmouth bass bite was hot on the Parker Strip section of the Colorado River. Anglers had success on nightcrawlers and assorted soft baits. Worms were also working well for the large hybrid redears known to occupy this stretch of river. Keeping a fishing log - recording dates, times, moon phases, what bait worked (or did not work) for what species and at what water depth/temperature, etc.... Full story
Robbins Butte Youth-Only Dove Hunt Robbins Butte Wildlife Area (RBWA) is about seven miles southwest of Buckeye and comprises more than 1,600 acres. RBWA was purchased for its potential as waterfowl habitat. Three ponds were built in 1952 and by 1957 an estimated 30,000 ducks used these ponds. However, increased demand for agricultural water - coupled with invasion of salt cedar trees - led to dramatic waterfowl declines by 1960. In response, the Department purchased the adjacent Black Butte Far... Full story
This was the first year for the Outdoor Skills Network / HAHWG Camp exhibit. It turned out well, and there is a lot to grow on. At a minimum, all our partners could see the loaner equipment AZGFD has to offer, and kids got to shoot some BB Guns and see some cool demonstrations. We even had KTAR doing a live broadcast. A big thank you to all the partners and exhibitors, of which many are part of the HAHWG, for making Expo a success. A special thanks to NWTF for providing their inflatable BB gun... Full story
For those who are not aware, the State of Arizona has wild buffalo / bison. Those animals were brought to Arizona by one Charles "Buffalo" Jones in 1906. His dream was to create a hybrid animal and he attempted to mix breed the cow buffalo with Galloway bulls to create an animal better suited to the forage conditions in the West. That attempt was deemed a failure and eventually the State of Arizona bought 98 bison in 1926. Those animals were placed in the care and custody of what is now the... Full story
Joint announcement from Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, Sky Island Alliance, Tucson Audubon Society, the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Pima County, the Regional Transportation Authority, Granite Construction, and other partners TUCSON, Ariz. -- The public is invited to attend a dedication ceremony for the recently completed Oracle Road wildlife crossings north of Oro Valley at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 10. RSVPs are requested if you plan to attend; you can RSVP by submitting the... 
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PHOENIX – Conclusive evidence of quagga mussels has recently been discovered at Canyon, Saguaro and Apache lakes, major recreational waters on the Tonto National Forest. Effective May 1, the Arizona Game and Fish Department will list these lakes as AIS-affected waters under AIS Directors Orders #2. There is not an infestation of quaggas at Apache, Saguaro or Canyon. Yet there is genetic and visual evidence in all these waters of the invasive quaggas that colonize rapidly on hard surfaces and c... Website
PHOENIX - "Clang!" That distinctive sound of a bullet hitting steel soon will be ringing out every third Saturday of the month on the small bore range at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in north Phoenix. Christopher Dean, range manager for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, said he hopes a new target-shooting experience – "Saturday Steel" – will hit the mark with recreational shooters of all ages and skill levels, beginning Saturday, May 21. "This is meant to be a fun opportunity," Dean sai... Full story
PHOENIX -- A peregrine falcon chick hatched in a nest box on a downtown Phoenix high-rise was seen struggling this weekend, causing the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) to take action. The wild peregrine chick, whose hatching was captured by a dedicated web-video camera, was having difficulty using its legs, causing it to fall and flail its wings.... Website
Tip Of The Week At Lake Havasu, a.k.a. Arizona's West Coast, anglers can have banner days on the bedding smallmouth bass. Crappie and largemouth bass will follow with their egg protecting endeavors. (Did I say, "crappie"? Yep, and it looks like Alamo Lake is ripe to be targeted for this great-tasting fish. Just get some good advice from an area tackle shop – if you need it -- and mean business.) The Reel Deal Most bass are in pre-spawn mode in most of the desert lakes. Before recent storms, some... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department Outdoor Expo is all set for Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3, at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix. Admission and parking are free! From Wildlife To Fish To Targets Last year's Expo and Youth Day drew a total of 39,000 attendees, and again this year, there will be plenty of hands-on fun for all ages. Check out the huge kids fishing tanks and take home a free photo. See all sorts of live wildlife. Learn target archery and try other shooting... Full story
The Reel Deel Bass Action Look for the bass action to get even better at some our pristine lakes in the desert. Apache, Canyon and Saguaro all have been stocked with rainbow trout throughout the winter, so throwing some trout-imitation swim baits can produce some trophy bass. With an onset of warmer-than-average temperatures, more bass have ventured into shallower waters in a pre-spawn mode (certainly at Roosevelt and likely Saguaro, too) and are willing to chase crankbaits, spinnerbaits and cha... Full story
Thank you! What a fantastic gathering and discussion we had on Jan. 30. We had 50 people in attendance of whom 15 were first-time attendees — our highest turnout yet! The cross section of representation was equally as impressive with 21 unique organizations (many wear multiple hats) — including three angling groups and two predator hunting group. The Department was equally represented by our public-information staff (five), terrestrial branch (one), wildlife managers and regional staff (four), hunter education (one), and shooting sports (tw... Full story
For more than 20 years, the Heritage Fund has made a difference not just to wildlife conservation efforts, but also to the state's economy, public access, environmental education and outdoor recreation. Passed by voters as a ballot initiative in 1990 by a 2-1 ratio, the fund provides up to $10 million each year from Arizona lottery proceeds to the Arizona Game and Fish Department for the conservation and protection of the state's wildlife and natural areas. Protect, Provide, Educate The... Full story
Saturday, March 19 (next Saturday) is our annual National Archery in the Schools (NASP) State Tournament at Ben Avery. We have more than 300 youth archers registered for the event plus their parents and / or chaperones. They will be shooting both target archery and many shoot 3D animal targets. We would like to extend and invitation to any organization or group, especially archery hunting groups, that would like to setup a booth or trailer to do any outreach and education about your programs... Full story
Updated Wildlife Rules Now In Effect. The Arizona Game and Fish Department, as part of its regular five-year review rulemaking process, has updated its Article 4 (Live Wildlife) rules. The new provisions became effective in December 2015 and were approved by the Governor's Regulatory Review Council. The new provisions include some notable changes including the following: • Removal of hedgehogs from the restricted live wildlife list to allow them as pets. • Prohibitions on possession of any non... Full story
Tip Alamo Lake can be a crappie hot spot this time of the year. Heavy rains might delay the great winter crappie bite, but it bodes well for the lake's productivity. Catfishing can still be excellent. These voracious channel catfish at Alamo routinely feed on shad. Try live minnows on the bottom or drop-shot style just off the bottom. The Reel Deal Water temperatures across the state have dropped to their winter standards, and rain and snow has slowed or stalled driving in the high country. Be... Full story
