Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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The Arizona Game and Fish Department implemented Stage 1 fire restrictions at all department wildlife areas on April 18. The restrictions are part of the restrictions issued by the Arizona State Forestry Division on state-owned and state-managed lands outside incorporated municipalities due to the increased risk of wildfire in the state. Stage 1 restrictions mean that no open fires are allowed - including campfires and wood or charcoal-burning stoves and barbecues. Smoking is prohibited except... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is making constituents aware of the opportunity to provide input regarding bison management at Grand Canyon National Park. The National Park Service (NPS) has initiated a public scoping process for a bison management plan and environmental impact statement (EIS) for Grand Canyon National Park pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. The NPS is working closely with the U.S. Forest Service and the Arizona Game and Fish Department on this effort. View...
It's wildlife reproduction time, and depending on the species, that can mean too much of a good thing for even the most wildlife-friendly homeowner. Skunks and raccoons are the most common "nuisances" reported to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) offices every spring. As these animals find crawl spaces, outbuildings, and other nooks and crannies to set up housekeeping for their babies to come, homeowners fear potentially nasty encounters with pets or children. Squirrels,... Full story
OLYMPIA - The 75th anniversary of the state's first wildlife area will be celebrated Saturday, June 7, kicking off a summer-long series of public events sponsored by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) at the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area in Okanogan County. WDFW Director Phil Anderson will be joined at the celebration by local, state, tribal and federal officials, including Dan Ashe, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The event will begin at 11 a.m. at the wild... Full story
OLYMPIA - One volunteer helped capture more than a hundred ground squirrels for translocation, while another played a key role in monitoring the health of bighorn sheep during a pneumonia epidemic last year. A third secured a barge to ensure that a wintering area for waterfowl would remain productive. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) recognized the contributions of these and other top volunteers during its 2014 citizen awards ceremony May 20 in Olympia. Ground squirrels are...
The National Park Service (NPS) is pleased to announce the latest step to manage the impacts of bison on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP). After meeting with cooperators Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD), U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM ) over the last several months, the NPS will initiate public scoping later this week for a bison-management plan and environmental-impact statement (EIS) to be prepared pursuant to the National...
Some streamside landowners find themselves battling backyard beavers that gnaw down trees and flood yards with their dams. But even after removing dams or even the beavers themselves, most streamside landowners find themselves losing the war. That's because the old adage "busy as a beaver" is true, and because streams will always attract beavers. Understanding more about this species and how they can benefit other wildlife, along with the steps required by law to address beaver problems, may hel...
THANK YOU – Not always the case with all cats, Muffin Man Brookes was a friend of and to everyone who was part of his life – even those who aren't "cat people." In fact, all one needed to do was walk in Muffin's Person's front door, and he or she would be immediately greeted and "expected" to give full attention to him. His meow was interesting, to say the least, but his purr was one of the most soothingly beautiful ever heard. And, it was constant. Muffin Man said goodbye on April 4, 2014 aft... Full story
Residents of the desert should always remember one simple rule when the weather begins to warm: know where you are placing your hands and feet. "That one rule can help people avoid the majority of potentially dangerous encounters," said Tom Jones, amphibians and reptiles program manager for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. "People shouldn't fear snakes and other reptiles, and only need to use caution and common sense to coexist with them." Critters such as snakes, scorpions, spiders, and... Full story
Rising temperatures and longer days mean spring is here and newborn wildlife will become increasingly visible. The Arizona Game and Fish Department understands people's desire to help seemingly abandoned animals such as baby birds and bunnies, but reminds the public that "helping" or "rescuing" baby wildlife can have unintended negative consequences. "The public's intentions to care for wildlife are admirable, but removing baby wildlife from the wild often results in their death," said Mike... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department and its partners of the Southwestern Bald Eagle Management Committee have lifted the closure put into place annually to help bald eagles during the breeding season at Lake Pleasant. The closure was removed at noon on April 1 because the bald eagles in the area failed to produce young and will not breed this late in the spring. Most other previously announced closures remain in effect because bald eagle breeding activities are still continuing in those areas.... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission voted unanimously today (April 22) to support an alternative developed by 28 cooperating agencies and stakeholders for the non-essential population rule that governs Mexican wolf conservation in Arizona and New Mexico. The proposal, which has an unprecedented level of stakeholder support, is being submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for consideration in its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). While still conceptual, the alternative is... Full story
When the Arizona Elk Society heads out on Saturday, May 3 with volunteers to help restore wildlife habitat near Payson, they will be joined by Field & Stream® as part of the magazine’s Hero for a Day program. The magazine will be filming the family-friendly project, to highlight the work of the volunteers and the area’s outdoor opportunities. It will be broadcast on www.fieldandstream.com, a top destination for sportsmen, as part of a ten-video series. The Arizona Elk Society scored a big win...
The following is a summary of Mexican Wolf Reintroduction Project (Project) activities in Arizona on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests (ASNF) and Fort Apache Indian Reservation (FAIR) and in New Mexico on the Apache National Forest (ANF) and Gila National Forest (GNF). Non-tribal lands involved in this Project are collectively known as the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area (BRWRA). Additional Project information can be obtained by calling (928) 339-4329 or toll free at (888) 459-9653, or by...
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is making constituents aware of upcoming public input opportunities regarding bison management at Grand Canyon National Park. The National Park Service (NPS) has initiated a public scoping process for a bison management plan and environmental impact statement (EIS) for Grand Canyon National Park pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. The NPS is working closely with the U.S. Forest Service and the Arizona Game and Fish Department on this effort.... Full story
Grand Canyon, AZ – The National Park Service (NPS) is pleased to announce the latest step to manage the impacts of bison on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP). After meeting with cooperators Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD), U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)--over the last several months, the NPS will initiate public scoping later this week for a bison management plan and environmental impact statement (EIS) to be prepared pursuant to t...
On March 4, 2014, the Southwest Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) notified the public that the Service had designated 764,207 acres of land in southern Arizona as critical habitat for the rarely-present jaguar. This action completed the third review by the Service that examines the need for jaguar critical habitat in Arizona. The two prior reviews found that designation of critical habitat in Arizona-New Mexico was not warranted. The Arizona Game and Fish Department does... Full story
OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is seeking updated information on western gray squirrels as the agency reviews the species' threatened status in Washington. WDFW is looking for information on topics such as the condition of western gray squirrel habitat, population levels in different regions, or private conservation efforts that have benefitted the species. "The scientific data we gather from individuals as well as private and public groups will help the... Full story
Did you know that your state taxes do not support the conservation of Arizona"s wildlife, but your donations do? Taxpayers can help the state's wildlife at tax time by "making a mark" on their state income tax form. The Arizona Wildlife Fund is a voluntary program that allows Arizona taxpayers to make a donation to specifically help imperiled and endangered wildlife, including majestic bald eagles, black-footed ferrets, California condors, Apache trout, Mexican wolves and desert tortoises,...
The Arizona Game and Fish Department's Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center received a baby desert bighorn sheep lamb on Feb. 25 that was confiscated from a Salome-area resident. The one-month-old lamb was removed from the wild for unknown reasons and lived at two residences, one of which was a domestic goat farm, before Game and Fish was notified. The End Result While we don't know why this lamb was taken from the wild, the end result is the same. It can no longer be placed back into the wild...
Arizona Wildlife Views, the Emmy-winning outdoors and nature series produced by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, will now be seen weekly on Eight, Arizona PBS in Phoenix. Beginning March 18, new episodes of the show began airing Tuesdays at 2 p.m. on the popular PBS station (Digital channel 8.1). "We’re proud that Eight, Arizona PBS has aired Arizona Wildlife Views for more than 20 years as part of their commitment to original programs about Arizona," said Carol Lynde, video production s... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department has announced the availability of additional Heritage Grant awards in two categories for the 2014 grant cycle. Grant proposals will be accepted until Friday, March 14 at 5 p.m. MST in the environmental education and outdoor education categories. Applicants should review the revised Heritage Grant eligibility funding windows (eligibility criteria) and application forms at www.azgfd.gov/w_c/heritage_apply.shtml to obtain specific guidance for goals and... Full story
The Coronado National Forest, Santa Catalina Ranger District, has released an updated map and Special Closure Order for the Pusch Ridge Wilderness Bighorn Sheep Management Area. The new map more clearly defines the east and north boundary of the management area through the use of National Forest System trails. "Previous closure orders and maps relied heavily on descriptions using township, range, and sections or portions of sections for boundaries. Wilderness visitors often found these... Full story
Little Lady Isis brought so much love into the life of her person, Chelle Brookes, and to all who had the honor of meeting this very special being. It was in her later years that Isis found a home with Chelle, one full of warmth, cozy blankets, good food and oh-so-much love for her.... Full story
Despite a nationwide shortage in non-lead ammunition, Arizona's hunters continued to demonstrate their support for the Arizona Game and Fish Department's voluntary lead reduction program in 2013 by using non-lead ammunition or removing gut piles from the field to benefit endangered California condors. Surveys show that 88 percent of hunters took one of the two measures to reduce the amount of available spent lead ammunition in the condor's core range. The level of participation was equal to the... Full story
