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Wildlife News - June 20 Wildlife News Jun 20, 2008 FIRST DAY OF SUMMER 2008
Commission expected to set dove, crane and band-tailed seasons
The meeting will be held at the Arizona Game and Fish Department headquarters at 5000 W. Carefree Highway in Phoenix. The Friday portion begins with an executive session at 8 a.m., followed by the public meeting. Friday’s agenda includes consideration of department budget proposals for fiscal years 2010 and 2011; briefings on legislative and Arizona lands activities; informational presentations on a state trust land ballot initiative and the T.I.M.E. Coalition’s transportation initiative; and license revocation hearings. Saturday’s agenda includes: A complete agenda is available at the department's Web site at www.azgfd.gov/commission. Game and Fish Commission solicits nominations for 2008 awards The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is soliciting nominations for its 2008 Commission Awards to recognize Arizonans who have contributed significantly to the welfare of the state's wildlife 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 eligible for nomination. Categories for nomination include: Award of Excellence, Youth Environmentalist of the Year, Outdoor Writer of the Year, Media of the Year, Conservation Organization of the Year, Conservationist of the Year, Outdoor Woman of the Year, Environmentalist of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Educator of the Year, and License Dealer of the Year. To download a nomination form, visit www.azgfd.gov/commission and follow the awards link. Return the nomination form and all supplemental materials to: Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn: Marty Fabritz - DOHQ, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086. Forms can also be faxed to (623) 236-7299 or e-mailed to either Directorsoffice@azgfd.gov or Mfabritz@azgfd.gov. Submission deadline is 5 p.m., Aug. 1, 2008. Another award category for which nominations are being solicited is the Wildlife Habitat Stewardship Award. This award recognizes nongovernmental entities that have excelled in the preservation, enhancement or creation of land management practices beneficial to Arizona’s wildlife resources. Nominees for the Wildlife Habitat Stewardship Award must be a legal resident of Arizona, control a minimum of 160 acres in the state, be engaged in agribusiness sometime in the last five years on at least 50 percent of their land, allow public recreational access to at least 50 percent of the land under their control, and must exercise wildlife habitat conservation and enhancement practices. Nominations meeting these criteria will be circulated to the Landowner-Lessee-Sportsman Committee, which will recommend nominees to the Game and Fish Commission for final selection. To download a nomination form, visit www.azgfd.gov/commission and follow the awards link. The awards will be presented to the winners at the Meet the Commission banquet on Jan. 17, 2009, at the Four Points by Sheraton Phoenix North at 10220 N. Metro Parkway East, Phoenix. Information sought in deer poaching case near Kingman The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking information that could help lead to the arrest of the individual(s) responsible for the recent poaching of a mule deer near Kingman. The incident occurred on or around May 27 southwest of Bull Mountain, just west of Stockton Hill Road. The carcass was left to waste. “This is not the act of sportsmen,” said Michael Rice, wildlife manager in Region III. “This is a blatant example of poachers’ disrespect for wildlife and the laws that ensure our wildlife resources are available for future generations to enjoy.” The mule deer was a mature doe and Game and Fish biologists consider this to be a major loss to the residents of Arizona. “We need help from the public in catching this poacher,” Rice said. “If anyone saw or heard anything related to this criminal act, we need to know. A person might have bragged about the crime during a conversation. Any information, no matter how trivial, might help us in the investigation.” Erin Riddering, game specialist in the Kingman office, said the loss of a doe in the Cerbat Mountains should be of concern to all the residents in the area. Drought, predation, and habitat loss have diminished overall population numbers. “A doe can have offspring until their death,” Riddering said. “There’s no telling how many generations of deer were impacted by this single criminal act.” To report information on this, or any Game and Fish violation, call the department’s Operation Game Thief hotline at (800) 352-0700. Caller identities will remain confidential upon request and callers may be eligible to receive a reward of at least $250 upon the arrest of the violator. Information may also be given directly to the Kingman Game and Fish office, or by calling the office at (928) 692-7700. Want to cure the triple-digit fidgets?
“Escape the heat and yet celebrate the first days of summer with a trip to Arizona’s magnificent high country. Catching a trout in one of our sparkling waters is the most enjoyable remedy available for the triple-digit fidgets,” says Rory Aikens, the editor of the Weekly Fishing Report for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. If you want to know what’s biting, where, and even what to use, visit the department’s new Fishing Blog at www.azgfd.net/fish. “We instituted the Fishing Blog this year to provide a single place for all the pertinent fishing information. It’s one-stop shopping for the best fishing information,” Aikens said. Aikens advises visiting the high country now before the summer heat raises lake temperatures and trout activity patterns slow down. “Summer may have officially started, but the great spring bite is still underway – but not for long.” For the desert lakes, Aikens suggests getting up early and fishing at or even just before first light. “At most of our large desert impoundments, anglers should be able to find aggressive bass feeding on shad at the surface, creating what we call ‘boils.’ This provides some of the most exciting fishing of the year.” Aikens suggests using topwater baits, crankbaits, casting spoons or in-line spinners such as Mepps and Rooster Tails. Come learn more about some unique night flyers Did you know that every night they provide free insect-control services to the Valley? The Arizona Game and Fish Department invites you to attend a free bat workshop on Friday, June 20 to learn the answers to these questions and find out more about these shy, misunderstood creatures. The workshop will provide an opportunity for the public to watch an amazing sight as thousands of Mexican free-tail bats exit their roost for the evening at Phoenix’s largest bat colony, near the Biltmore area. The program will begin at 7 p.m. with a talk by bat biologists and an opportunity to see live bats up close. Participants will then watch the mass exodus using special night vision and ultrasonic sound equipment to hear the bat’s inaudible echolocation sounds. “Bats are plagued by so many inaccurate myths,” says Nancy Renison, Arizona Game and Fish Department bat biologist. “But, they do so many good things like helping protect agricultural crops and our backyards from being overrun by pesky insects.” Arizona is home to 28 bat species, including two species that are nectar-feeders and pollinate plants like the saguaro and agaves. Mexican free-tailed bats are found throughout Arizona in the summer, and most migrate south in the winter. It has a wingspan of 11 to 13 inches, and it roosts in caves, tunnels, and crevices in tunnels, bridges and buildings. Bats are most frequently observed between April and October, but many species are active year-round in the state. They are the only mammal that can truly fly and, contrary to popular myth, bats are not blind. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet some of the Valley’s more secretive residents. The event is free to the public. Educators are also encouraged to attend and receive continuing education credit. Those attending the workshop should park in the retail parking lot on the southwest corner of 40th Street and Camelback Road, walk north along 40th Street, and then proceed west on the north side of the canal until they reach the Maricopa County Flood Control District tunnel. The tunnel is approximately ˝ mile from 40th Street. It will be marked with signage. The public is encouraged to arrive with ample time: The bats leave at sunset and won’t wait! Additional workshops will be held throughout the summer. To get future workshop dates, visit www.azgfd.gov/calendar or for general information about bats in Arizona, visit www.azgfd.gov. Registration opens for Becoming an Outdoors Woman workshop
The program introduces women to outdoors skills in an enjoyable, non-threatening environment with expert instructors. Classes are held during the day and include horsemanship, outdoor photography, birding, hiking, archery, fly-fishing, shotgun/rifle/pistol shooting, and Dutch oven cooking, among others. Evenings are filled with fun and entertainment, including night hikes, musicians, and motivational speakers. “One great thing about this camp is that a woman can try a new sport without buying all of the equipment.” says Linda Dightmon, the BOW coordinator for the Arizona Wildlife Federation, which sponsors the program in partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “The only thing you need to bring is your personal stuff, a good attitude and a willingness to learn.” Participants stay in rustic cabins, but there are showers and bathrooms in each cabin, and a central dining hall for meals. Equipment, materials, food and lodging are all included in the $235 registration fee. The only exception is the outdoor photography class, where participants will need to bring a camera. Enrollment is open to all women 18 and older. For more information, a schedule of classes, and a registration form, visit www.azwildlife.org or contact the Arizona Wildlife Federation office at (480) 644-0077 or awf@azwildlife.org. Come learn about magnificent bighorn sheep
The first day of each workshop involves mandatory classroom education from 6-8 p.m. at the Kingman Game and Fish office, followed the next day by a field trip on the Colorado River from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The popular workshops are open to any member of the public age 14 and older. Space, however, is limited to 40 people per session. Although preference will be given to those who have not attended the workshop in the last two years, everyone is encouraged to apply. The 2008 workshops will feature a draw process. Applications received prior to June 27 will be drawn at random. Officials hope this will help level the playing field for all of those interested in attending. All requests to participate are responded to by mail. The workshop includes an optional tour of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery prior to the Colorado River field trip. The 45-minute tour will begin at 9 a.m. and will feature both sport fish and endangered native fish. Registration is by mail only, so to reserve a spot, a $20 per person refundable deposit is required in the form of a check made out to the Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation to help reduce the problem of no-shows. Send your check to: Sheep Workshop, Arizona Game and Fish Department, 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road, Kingman, AZ 86409. Include the names of participants, address, phone, and specify which weekend is preferred. Also, please include a note if you are interested in the tour of the fish hatchery. Participants are encouraged to bring a camera, water, snacks, a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Temperatures are forecast to be in the triple digits on the water! Wildlife photo contest still accepting entries The Arizona Game and Fish Department invites all shutterbugs to take pictures of Arizona wildlife and submit them for the third annual calendar photo contest. Thirteen winning wildlife images will grace the 2009 Arizona Wildlife Calendar, and winners will receive cash prizes. More than 117 people submitted 630 pictures last year, so the judging is tough! We’re welcoming any and all photos depicting Arizona wildlife. Photos must be taken in Arizona, and a photographer can only win twice (one best in show and one first place). As in past years, we will use a “blind” judging process to ensure that judges don’t know whose photos they are selecting when winners are chosen. All entries must be received by the deadline of 5 p.m. (MST) Monday, July 7, 2008. For more information go online to: www.azgfd.gov/photocontest. Shooting range expands safety requirements for users
The following two policy changes will take effect at the facility’s main range: “Both policy changes are being driven solely for the safety of our customers and staff members working at the range,” says Ben Avery Shooting Facility Range Manager Marty Herrera. “This also reinforces safety awareness with customers when handling or transporting firearms - even when they are away from the facility.” Shooters are also reminded that summer hours are now in effect, allowing evening shooting under lights, but with some mid-day closures during peak temperatures. For more information about visiting the Ben Avery Shooting Facility, go to www.azgfd.gov/basf. |
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During its upcoming two-day meeting in Phoenix on June 27-28, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission will set the seasons for dove, band-tailed pigeons and sandhill cranes, consider what organizations get special big game tags to auction or raffle to raise funds for wildlife management, and make awards for shooting range grants.
Want a cure for the triple-digit fidgets as record heat assaults the deserts? Trout fishing in the cool pines is a refreshing remedy.
The last “Becoming an Outdoors Woman” (BOW) workshop for 2008 will be held Aug. 15-17 at the cool, forested Friendly Pines Camp near Prescott. 
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is offering wildlife enthusiasts an opportunity to learn about the sure-footed bighorn sheep and view them in their native habitat during two separate two-day workshops on July 25-26 and Aug. 1-2.
Target shooters heading out to the Ben Avery Shooting Facility starting on July 1 will need to remember to include a couple of basic safety items in their shooting kit.
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