Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Sorted by date Results 901 - 925 of 1177
California condors will be released to the wild in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in northern Arizona at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 27. The public is invited to observe the release from a viewing area where spotting scopes will be set up and project personnel will be available to answer questions. This will be the 18th annual public release of condors in Arizona since the condor recovery program began in 1996. Condors are hatched and reared in captivity at The Peregrine Fund's World Center... Full story
The Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center Open House is your opportunity to learn more about wildlife native to Arizona and other education programs the Department offers. The Arizona Game and Fish Department's Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center was founded in 1983. Although the Department manages the facility, most of the daily operations are carried out by a small group of dedicated volunteers. The primary objectives of the Wildlife Center are to - • provide immediate care for sick, injured, c... Full story
Lake levels at the Salt River chain lakes did not rise as much as some anglers might expect, but there was enough rain to cool the water temperatures. Many anglers are reporting the bite at desert lakes had been slowing considerably after the sun comes up -- get out early. If you do brave the high sun, find the depth the fish are at, then see what color is hot. Be persistent when finding the right color - a simple change from a morning dawn Powerworm to a red crawler, for example, can make a... Full story
PHOENIX (September 18, 2014) – Tonto National Forest officials are seeking public comments on proposed changes to recreation fees. In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA), which allows the Forest Service to retain 95 percent of fees collected at certain recreation sites and use these funds locally to operate, maintain and enhance these sites. To see what fees have been collected and how the fees have been spent, go to the Annual Fee Program Accomplishment R... Full story
Arizona Game & Fish offers many boating safety classes. You may see these on page three of our print version each month. Arizona Game and Fish officers stopped a personal watercraft rider on Lake Pleasant last weekend for not wearing his life jacket, and that may have saved his father's life. On the morning of July 4, Game and Fish Officers Bryan Marshall and David Mayer saw 19-year-old Hoy Lam on a red Sea Doo personal watercraft (PWC) leaving the Lake Pleasant boat launch area without a life... Full story
PAYSON, Ariz. -- Call them robot fish, mechanical fish, even Frankenfish. In the tiny Payson community of Beaver Valley, hatchery-raised rainbow trout hover in pools of the East Verde River, or perhaps enjoy the shade of a shoreline undercut. Then there's a different sort of rainbow trout in these waters – ones that mill around with a pair of protruding, lightweight tags. These fish have undergone surgery. Since April, Arizona Game and Fish Department biologists at the Tonto Creek Hatchery h... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is investigating the poaching of an antelope buck that was left to waste in a field, and the Department needs assistance in finding the individuals responsible. On July 2, at around 4:30 a.m., gun shots were heard near the Windmill Ranch off Forest Service Road 231, known as Woody Mountain Rd. Also that morning, a person reported seeing two antelope bucks off the road. In that same area, but not at the same time, the reporting party also saw two people... Full story
Did you know that Arizona is home to over 60 species of scorpions, including the most dangerous species in the United States, the bark scorpion? Join Arizona Game and Fish Department biologists for an easy evening hike to explore the hidden lives of nocturnal animals at the Hirsch Conservation Education Area, located at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility. The Ben Avery Shooting Facility is home to a variety of wildlife including coyotes, bobcats, mule deer, owls, mice, snakes, scorpions, and an... Full story
Tip Of The Week Try Apache Lake for something different. Here, crappie and walleye are other tasty options. Fish some of Apache's heavy breaks where shallow water quickly becomes deep. It has really become a tremendous largemouth bass fishery. There are also plentiful yellow bass, which are a lot of fun to catch on light tackle. Apache Lake also has a healthy herd of bighorns. So be sure to take a camera - this is one of our most photogenic lakes. The Reel Deal Summer is hot and sticky and... Full story
Whether you won or lost when you bought a lottery ticket last year, some of your money benefits Arizona's wildlife and students. [So, overall, you won!] That's because the Arizona Game and Fish Department uses some of its Heritage Fund monies that come from Arizona Lottery ticket sales to provide grants for wildlife education and research. This year, more than $410,000 is being awarded to 27 grant projects across Arizona. When combined with matching money from other sources, the projects being... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department disagrees with a recent appeal filed by environmental litigants to regulate lead ammunition on the Kaibab National Forest as the solution to lead poisoning in endangered California condors. Three groups that want the U.S. Forest Service to place a mandatory ban on hunting with lead ammunition in northern Arizona lost their original lawsuit against the Kaibab National Forest filed in 2012. Game and Fish intervened in the original lawsuit by the Sierra Club,... Full story
Whether we enjoy the water from a boat, on skis or boards, or as swimmers, there are three major organizations that deserve our appreciation and respect. They ensure that we have the information needed for safety in and around the water, and they are there in emergencies when and if we get into trouble. (There are others as well, but these three are the focus of this article.) We at Western Outdoor Times/Arizona Boating & Watersports toast them all. Arizona Game & Fish Department The Arizona... Full story
Arizona Game and Fish reminds OHV riders to stay safe on the trail. Although "National ATV Safety Week" was held in early June, its lessons are year-round. and the Arizona Game and Fish Department is partnering with the ATV Safety Institute to remind all off-highway vehicle (OHV) and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) owners and riders to practice safe riding habits. According to Game and Fish's OHV Safety Education Coordinator Matt Eberhart, OHVs can be a great, safe way to enjoy Arizona, as long as... Full story
Are catfish limits too liberal at Arizona Lakes? Would you like to see more opportunity to catch Arizona’s native trout species? In order to best manage fish populations, simplify and streamline regulations, and incorporate public request, the Arizona Game and Fish Department is evaluating these fishing regulation changes. The department is conducting a series of public meetings during July to provide information on the proposed fishing regulation changes and solicit comment. The meeting s... Full story
(SAN ANTONIO)-- The Arizona Game and Fish Department has been recognized for its national leadership with three major awards from the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA). The awards were presented at the annual WAFWA convention in San Antonio on July 22nd. “We’re very proud of the leadership role our Department plays on the national conservation stage,” said Arizona Game and Fish Director Larry D. Voyles. “These awards from WAFWA reflect not only the high quality of work... Full story
The wait is over for eager hunters who applied for the upcoming season. Draw results for Arizona’s 2014 fall deer, turkey, javelina, bighorn sheep, buffalo and pheasant hunts are now available online. To view results, go to www.azgfd.gov and scroll down to the “View results and bonus points” link. Draw results are also available by phone at (602) 942-3000; select option two on the automated menu. More than 125,000 people applied for this year’s fall draw, and more than 49,000 hunt-pe... Full story
KINGMAN, Ariz. –– A recent OUI-Safety Checkpoint at along the Colorado River near Topock, Ariz. resulted in the removal of six individuals operating under the influence (OUI). The Arizona Game and Fish Department, Mohave County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway enforced Arizona's OUI legal limit of a .08 blood-alcohol content and inspected watercraft for required safety equipment. Four of the arrests were for OUI alcohol and two for OUI... Full story
The next meeting of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission will be Aug. 1-2 at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel at 1175 W. Route 66 in Flagstaff. The meeting begins at 8 a.m. both days. The public is invited to either attend the meeting in person, view it live via video stream at any Game and Fish regional office (Friday only), or view it over the web at www.azgfd.gov/commissioncam. Members of the public who wish to speak to the Commission may submit Speaker Cards (Blue Cards) in person at the... Full story
AZGFD offers $75,000 in grants for hunting for not-for-profit local conservation groups, clubs, and organizations. The Arizona Game and Fish Department is budgeting $75,000 in grant funding for local sportsmen's groups or organizations that will host public programs or events that teach people how to hunt and the role hunters play in wildlife conservation in Arizona. "The Local Sportsmen's Group Grant is perfect for organizations that are looking to start or expand introductory hunting programs... Full story
As temperatures climb and Arizonans head to the high country, human encounters with bears in campgrounds and communities are on the increase. Arizona Game and Fish Department officials are asking people to "Be Bear Aware." Homeowners and recreationists should take precautions to minimize potential conflicts with bears and other wildlife. The root cause of any human-wildlife encounter is typically food. Keep a clean camp. "Don't intentionally feed wildlife - it will just get you and the wild... Full story
Tip Of The Week Greer Derby The Business Council of Greer is sponsoring a $10,000 Fishing Derby until Oct. 31. Catch one of 50 tagged fish in the three Greer Lakes and bring one into the Lazy Trout Market to exchange for a hat. On Nov. 1 at 10 a.m. at The Lazy Trout Market, a tag will be drawn and it must match the winning number sent by OddsOnPromotions to win the $10,000. Registration is not necessary before catching the tagged fish. If there is no $10,000 winner, a $250 first and $100 second... Full story
Amendments would enhance hunting and fishing opportunities in Arizona. The Arizona Game and Fish Commission has voted unanimously to support two amendments proposed by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2014, to support hunting and sportfishing opportunities in Arizona and across the nation. "Senator McCain continues to be a leading advocate for maintaining and strengthening the state's wildlife management authorities,” said Game and Fish Commission Chair J.W. Har... Full story
The Southwest Condor Workgroup - a cooperative venture between wildlife conservation and public land management agencies - optimistically reports that a California condor may have hatched in the wild in Utah for the first time since the endangered species was released in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in northern Arizona in 1996. Biologists are waiting to visually confirm the chick's existence before the milestone becomes official, but recent behaviors by the adult pair are encouraging. "It... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking public comments on draft 2015-2016 regulations for reptiles, raptors, crustaceans and mollusks, and amphibians. Public comment will be accepted through July 11. If warranted, public meetings on the proposed changes to these commission orders may be held in Phoenix, Tucson and/or Flagstaff. The proposed changes being considered for the 2015-2016 commission orders include the following: • In Commission Order 25, a reduced bag limit for the n... Full story
Lynx Lake One of our favorite little hikes in the pines is the easy trail #311 that circles Lynx Lake. Most of this trail is shaded by trees, and the lake and the forest around it are gorgeous. We often see a huge variety of birds and small mammals, even in the summer. The paved part of the trail on the west side of the lake is wheelchair and stroller accessible, but once you reach the far end of the laken the trail turns to dirt. 'Bee' Prepared At this far end of the lake opposite the parking l... Full story
