Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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People who live in or visit Arizona can expect to see many species of wildlife. More and more often though, wild animals are venturing into areas where people live. Sometimes the wildlife becomes a problem, either by hammering on the side of the house, digging a den under the front porch, or eating all of your brand new landscaping plants. You can usually enjoy wildlife watching from a distance, but sometimes wildlife encounters involve conflict. Preventing Problems Preventing problems with... Full story
(Morristown) – As the manager of more than 120,000 acres of pristine Sonoran Desert, the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department takes pride in having the resources to connect people with nature. Each year, more than 2.1 million people visit the County's regional park system and enjoy the many miles of trails, educational programs, and wide variety of park activities. Popular Park With more than 750,000 outdoor enthusiasts flocking to Lake Pleasant Regional Park annually, the lake is e... Full story
Whether you are an angler, a hunter, or an outdoors enthusiast, one of the treasures we share is the abundance of wildlife in the Southwest. From rainbow trout in the high country to majestic elk in the forest lands to the antelope on our open plains, to the perky Gambel quail, to the endearing little black-footed ferrets, these beings who share our world can certainly be considered precious residents of our outdoors. At Thanksgiving time, when many concentrate on expressing gratitude for the... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department has transferred two bear cubs to Out of Africa Wildlife Park following an incident that resulted in an adult female bear's being killed. On an early September Sunday, Game and Fish received a call that an adult bear, unprovoked, charged an archery deer hunter from a distance of about 20 feet. The hunter shot the bear with a handgun at close range in self-defense. Department officers responded to the area where they discovered the bear's two cubs that were... Full story
Arizona's bald eagles continue to impress biologists with their upward growth trends and year-after-year breeding records. Key productivity records that were broken in 2016 include number of: breeding areas, occupied breeding areas, eggs laid, active breeding areas, successful breeding attempts and young hatched. All of these measures are important indicators of the species' health. The most notable: a record minimum of 93 bald eagle eggs were laid by a record 65 pairs of adult eagles with 78...
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 near Seligman. As part of the recovery effort, the department has scheduled one more fall spotlighting project - Oct. 13-17. The spotlighting method involves using high-powered lights to locate and identify black-footed ferrets. Their eyeshine is reflected by the spotlight and helps surveyors with identifying and... Full story
Whale entanglement is a growing problem. It's hard to assess the full extent, but a recent report estimated that 308,000 whales and dolphins die annually due to entanglement in fishing gear, and more still in marine debris. Entanglement can lead to drowning, laceration, infection and starvation. It also presents serious safety issues for those involved in disentangling the whales. The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is working with a group of international experts to build a global... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department now is accepting online applications for 2017 hunt permit-tags issued through the draw process for spring turkey, javelina, bison and bear. To apply online, visit https://draw.azgfd.gov and scroll down to "Apply for a Draw." The deadline by which the department must receive all applications - online or paper - is 11:59 p.m. (MST) Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. Postmarks do not count. Paper applications can be mailed to: Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn.:... Full story
OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has lifted restrictions on most department-managed lands in eastern Washington, where cooler temperatures have reduced fire danger. Clay Sprague, WDFW land manager, said the department's action is consistent with changes in fire rules approved recently by the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which provides fire protection for many state wildlife areas. “These changes reflect an easing of fire danger in eastern W... Full story
OLYMPIA – The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission today took action to further protect redband rainbow trout at Lake Roosevelt, a Columbia River reservoir in northeast Washington. The commission voted to change the daily catch limit on trout at Lake Roosevelt and extend a closure in a section of the Sanpoil River during a trout spawning period. Redband trout are a subspecies of rainbow trout found in the Columbia River and its tributaries. The modifications were approved during a c... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department has awarded $75,000 in grant funding for local sportsmen's organizations to provide public, hands-on, mentored projects focused on the retention of new hunters and anglers. Of 22 proposals submitted in this latest grant cycle, 16 were approved by a three-member panel that rated and scored the proposals. The grants were awarded through a competitive application process that closed July 14. "The Local Sportsmen's Group grant program is an investment in local... Full story
Congratulations to the recent inductees to the Outdoor Hall of Fame by Wildlife for Tomorrow, including some folks we know from Hunting And Angling Heritage Workshop Group (HAHWG) and other ventures. It’s great to see you recognized, and thank you for all you do. http://azgfd.net/artman/publish/NewsMedia/Conservationists-inducted-into-Arizona-Outdoor-Hall-of-Fame.shtml Richard Sprague, owner Sprague’s Sports in Yuma Jim Unmacht, president of the Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation htt... Full story
Contact Koleszar at elkhabitat@gmail.com to share your thoughts on this subject. For the past 20 years now, the conservation groups have been screaming about the land grabs and Endangered Species Act use by Envirolitigants that have curtailed activities in many areas of Arizona. The frivolous lawsuits and inundation of the United States Fish & Wildlife Service with new endangered species listings have effectively made groups like the Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of... Full story
Sometimes statistics are just too vast or vague to understand; however, here is some information from the ASPCA that we found that may put you in a tail spin. Why are there so many abandoned, neglected or relinquished pets in the United States? The American Humane Association estimates approximately 8 million animals enter shelters each year. Here are some other statistics: • Each year, about 3.7 million animals are euthanized (American Humane Association). • 5 in 10 dogs and 7 in 10 cats in... Full story
Lost Our Home Pet Foundation, Inc. was founded in 2008 as a grassroots response to the thousands of pets in need as a result of the economic downturn in general, and the Phoenix-area foreclosure crisis in particular. The economic crisis has consequences for the state's homeowners and workers, but it also has consequences-sometimes fatal-for the thousands of dogs and cats that are so often abandoned, relinquished to area shelters, or underfed. LOH is the only organization in the Valley dedicated... Full story
Tip Of The Week For our desert lakes, predatory fish activity will be building toward a fall-time frenzy. Bass in particular will feed heavily to prepare for winter conditions. For anglers, that means now is the best time to hook into actively feeding bass. The Reel Deal The first hints of fall means fishing is about to bust loose. Nights are getting noticeably cooler, putting bass in the mood to chase reaction baits and trigger some of the best high-country trout fishing of the year. Remember:... Full story
A professional committee of fisheries scientists has determined that three species of chub found throughout the lower Colorado River basin - roundtail chub, headwater chub, and Gila chub - will now be recognized as one species, referred to as roundtail chub. The decision last week by the American Fisheries Society and American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Joint Committee on the Names of Fishes resolves a long-term disparity among scientists, as these chub populations are... Full story
It's finally getting cool enough to do some exploring and hiking in the central deserts of Arizona. There are plenty of beautiful things to see in the desert - you just have to know where to look. A great place to base your adventure is Wickenburg, which is central to recreational areas, mining towns and sites, hiking trails, and tons of opportunities to learn about the plants and environment of the area. Wickenburg is a thriving town with plenty of places to stay - everything from dude ranches... Full story
September 8, 2016 Contact: Larry Phillips 360-902-2721 Olympia – Anglers claimed more than 340 prizes during the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) first annual statewide fishing derby. The trout derby ran from April 23 through Sept. 6, with more than 130 license dealers donating prizes, including charter fishing trips, gift cards, and rod and reel combos. The department planted more than 700 tagged fish in lowland lakes this spring. Anglers lucky enough to catch one of the... Full story
September 8, 2016 Contact: Kyle Adicks, (360) 902-2664 OLYMPIA – Anglers will have the opportunity to fish for coho salmon in Lake Washington starting Sept. 16, state salmon managers announced today. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) initially planned to keep Lake Washington closed to salmon fishing due to the low number of coho forecast to return to the watershed this year. However, the number of fish passing through the Ballard Locks in early September indicates a much s... Full story
Aug. 8, 2016 Contact: Commission Office, (360) 902-2267 OLYMPIA – Washington sport anglers soon will have two new options for fishing licenses after action taken by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission at its August meeting. The commission, a citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), voted to establish an all-inclusive, annual fishing license at its meeting in Olympia. The Fish Washington license will allow anglers t... Full story
Within the past several weeks, well-intentioned people have delivered several deer fawns to Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) offices believing that the animals were abandoned by their parents. While the department understands the public's desire to help, in reality they're often taking a newborn or juvenile animal from its parents, who likely "parked" the baby in one location while they foraged for food and water for long periods of time. If the fawn appears alert and healthy, it is... Full story
As the sweltering heat oppresses most of us in the Valley of the Sun, news items have come across my desk that bear repeating. I will not champion any particular item, but merely report (sometimes tongue in cheek) the news as it has come down. Gift Triggers Edible, Fiscal Thoughts A gift was presented to me at the Shake Rattle & Troll radio show last Sunday. The gift was a canned tin of - horsemeat! Despite the feelings of many in the United States, horse meat is a delicacy in many countries. Ob... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department and Liberty Wildlife released four orphaned baby great horned owls Aug. 3. The owls were rescued after their mother was shot in March by a homeowner in Tolleson. The owlets were raised with the aid of a foster female great horned owl at Liberty Wildlife with the goal of preparing them for releasing. The owls were released at Robbins Butte Wildlife Area, a remote area about seven miles southwest of Buckeye.... Full story
HONORED -- 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.... Full story
