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Wildlife News - July 3 Wildlife News Jul 3, 2008
Commission approves budget, dove orders, special big game tags at June meeting Last week’s Arizona Game and Fish Commission meeting proved to be more than just a routine gathering in an air conditioned auditorium during blazing 110-degree June temperatures. In addition to a full two-day agenda, this marked the last meeting for Commissioner Michael J. Golightly, of Flagstaff, after serving three 5-year terms, the longest-tenured commissioner in Arizona’s history. Golightly is being replaced by incoming Commissioner Norman Freeman from Chino Valley. Another big change is the departure of Deputy Director Steve Ferrell. Ferrell began his career with the department nearly 30 years ago and will be taking the director position for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Both received accolades and standing applause from the commission and department for their dedicated service and contribution to the resources of Arizona. Highlighting Friday’s meeting was the approval of the budget for fiscal years 2010 and 2011, which included increasing and extending the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) funding. Saturday’s meeting focused on a number of topics. The special big game hunt license tags, sometimes called commissioners’ tags, were awarded to requesting nonprofit entities for the purpose of raising funds for wildlife conservation. Three tags for each of the following species were allocated: pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, black bear, buffalo, elk, javelina, mountain lion, mule deer, white-tailed deer and turkey. The hunting season for those tags, regulated under Commission Order 29, was set for Aug. 15, 2009 – Aug. 14, 2010. In the small game arena, the commission approved orders 19, 20 and 24 – the 2008-09 hunting season and guidelines for dove, band-tailed pigeons and sandhill cranes. New this year is a juniors-only season for sandhill cranes. Regulations for all three should be available online by the second week of July. The department briefed the commission on the status of the vendor selection for the online draw and licensing system. The commission scheduled another public meeting for July 3 to further this matter. The commission awarded $87,550 to six grant applicants from the Shooting Range Grants Program for fiscal year 2009. The grant monies are for the construction, improvement, enhancement, or expansion of public shooting ranges located throughout the state. The department gave a presentation to the commission about Senate Bill 1552, a new dust abatement law which addresses fugitive dust or “PM-10” emissions within Maricopa County. A new and complicated matter, the law is resulting in ordinances by Maricopa County and the cities within the county to “prohibit vehicle operation on unpaved surfaces that are not a public or private road, street or lawful easement.” The department expressed its concern about how far-reaching this situation is and how it potentially affects Arizonans who enjoy the desert outdoors - with a direct impact on access and use by hunters and other outdoor recreationists. The commission agreed this was a top priority and requested that the department work closely with the county and municipalities to accommodate constituents and keep them informed of the situation. The commission also set its meeting schedule for 2009-10. Dates are very similar to this year’s meeting dates and will be available online soon. The next public meeting is August 8-9 in Flagstaff. For the location and detailed agenda, visit www.azgfd.com/commission.
The scorching hot weather and high gas prices won’t keep boaters away from the water this July 4 weekend. Arizona’s lakes and rivers will be congested, and the Arizona Game and Fish Department would like watercraft owners to take boating safety precautions while on the water.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department wants you to boat safe, boat smart, and boat sober this holiday weekend. To take a boating education class online, please visit www.azgfd.gov/boat-ed or call (623) 236-7525 to attend one of the classes offered statewide.
If you haven’t yet entered the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Wildlife Calendar photo contest, don’t delay. All entries must be received by 5 p.m. (MST) on Monday, July 7. Postmarks don’t count. We’re welcoming any and all photos depicting Arizona wildlife. Thirteen winning wildlife images will grace the 2009 Arizona Wildlife Calendar, and winners will receive cash prizes. Arizona Game and Fish Department biologists will conduct a day-long Mexican wolf natural history workshop for the public on Wednesday, July 16, at the Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area. The program is designed to provide people with the most up-to-date Mexican wolf natural history information and how best to observe wolves, or more likely their sign, without undue disturbance to the animals themselves.
Instructors will emphasize recognition of wolf sign, such as tracks and kill sites, by making comparisons to sign left by other large predators. Although seeing a wolf in the wild rarely occurs, participants will be provided visual keys on distinguishing wolves from coyotes and wolf/dog hybrids. Attendees will go into the field that afternoon, applying information learned during the day and hopefully observing sign of wolves or other Arizona wildlife. Participants should not expect to see wolves during the field trip. “People have many reasons for wanting to know more about the Mexican wolf, whether they are in favor of or against wolf recovery. This workshop will not cover the merits for or against wolf reintroduction, but will provide participants with keys to document wolf presence and insight into modern methods of scientific monitoring,” says Bruce Sitko, spokesman in the department’s Pinetop office. “Participants will learn to be more observant and distinguish sign made by different Arizona wildlife. We will also demonstrate how wolf biologists are able to track wolves using modern technology.” Because it will be necessary to maintain small groups once in the field, the workshop is limited to 30 participants. Since time will be spent in a classroom setting, and field time will require patience and quiet, the program is not appropriate for children under 14. The workshop is free, but pre-registration and a refundable deposit of $25 per person are required to ensure that spaces aren’t reserved and then not used. The deposit will be returned to those who attend. Registration can be done at the Game and Fish Pinetop office at 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd., or by calling the office at (928) 367-4281. Participants will be provided instructions at that time for mailing in the refundable registration deposit. The wildlife area is located in eastern Arizona, seven miles southeast of Eagar. “This workshop is designed to provide people with information that will enhance their outdoor experience, even when they are not likely to see wolves,” Sitko notes.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is asking for the public’s help in finding a poacher that killed a large mule deer buck on the evening of June 13 or 14. The poaching occurred near Whitehorse Lake along Forest Road 110, southeast of Williams. “This is a blatant example of poachers’ disrespect for wildlife, and the laws and seasons that are established to protect our wildlife resources,” said Larry Phoenix, Game and Fish field supervisor. “With the public’s help, we can catch the poacher. If you were in the area recently, please think back about anything you might have seen or heard, or any conversations you might have had. Maybe someone doesn’t realize he or she has the key to solving this case.” Wildlife resources are owned by the residents of Arizona, and poaching of wildlife is considered a major loss. Anyone with information about this poaching incident can call the department’s Operation Game Thief hotline toll free at (800) 352-0700. Callers may be eligible for a reward up to $250 in this case. All calls may remain confidential upon request.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department invites the public to attend a free bat workshop on Wednesday, July 16, to find out more about these shy, misunderstood creatures. “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.” 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! For more information about bats in Arizona, visit www.azgfd.gov/bats.
Arizona Wildlife Views magazine, the state’s magazine about wildlife and outdoor recreation, has received a quartet of honors from The Communicator Awards, which are sanctioned and judged by the International Academy of the Visual Arts. The magazine earned four Awards of Distinction, one for overall content and three for graphic design:
The magazine also recently received additional recognition for the quality of its writing and photography. The Western Publications Association selected staff photographer George Andrejko’s image of a regal horned lizard as a finalist in its magazine photo competition, placing it among the top five images published in a magazine in the Western states in 2007. And magazine associate editor Julie Hammonds is among the winners for “excellence in craft” from the Outdoor Writers Association of America for work published in 2007. Her article “She’s Aiming High,” which examined women’s increasing participation in target shooting, won first place in the shooting sports category in that organization’s annual writing competition. “I’m so proud of the staff who put 110 percent into their writing and photography assignments. Their tireless dedication to their craft and this state’s wildlife is evident in the work they do,” says Heidi Rayment, Arizona Wildlife Views magazine editor. A bimonthly magazine published by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Arizona Wildlife Views features articles about wildlife and outdoor recreation, along with inside tips about outdoor activities and the latest news about wildlife conservation. “We enjoy producing an award-winning magazine, and we will continue to provide our readers with nothing but the best,” Rayment says. Andrejko’s photograph, Hammonds’ story, and other samples from this award-winning publication are available online at www.azgfd.gov/magazine. People may purchase subscriptions online or by calling (800) 777-0015. A one-year subscription costs $8.50 for six issues.
With the signing of SB 1167, revenue raised through an estimated $20 annual user fee on off-highway vehicles will help provide funding for additional law enforcement, trail/facility maintenance and reconstruction, rider education and information (including identification of lawful places for operators to ride), and mitigation of resource damage from OHVs. The bill passed through the Arizona House of Representatives in April by a vote of 42-13 and the Arizona Senate last week by a vote of 16-7 with 7 absent. The now signed OHV bill will become law on Jan. 1, 2009. For more information, visit www.azgfd.gov/ohv.
Would you like to know more about one of our great symbols of national pride – the bald eagle? Arizona Game and Fish Department biologists will conduct an educational seminar on bald eagle natural history at the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest’s Big Lake Visitor Center on Saturday, July 19, beginning at 10 a.m. The workshop is free to the public. The program will consist of a classroom presentation, including discussion of bald eagle life history, behavior patterns, and current status in Arizona and North America. This will be followed by an optional field trip to possibly observe eagle behavior first-hand if one is present nearby. Participants are advised to dress appropriately for weather conditions that day, and to bring a set of binoculars or a spotting scope for improved observation. “Most of Arizona’s bald eagles are snowbirds,” says Bruce Sitko, information and education program manager in the Game and Fish Pinetop office. “They move down from the north in December, are commonly seen perched at White Mountain lakes and reservoirs in January and February, and begin moving back north by March.” Mid-winter surveys estimate an average of 325 eagles statewide, but that number has been improving in recent years. The number of nesting pairs in Arizona has also been rising. There are perhaps 40,000 bald eagles in Canada and Alaska. Sitko encourages anyone interested in learning more about Arizona’s bald eagles to attend this informative seminar.
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission has awarded $87,550 to six grant applicants for the construction, improvement, enhancement, or expansion of public shooting ranges located throughout the state. The Shooting Range Grants Program, administered by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, was established in 1996 to encourage the development and improvement of shooting ranges in Arizona. Public shooting ranges offer important venues for safe target shooting (recreational and scholastic), the teaching of firearm safety, hunter education, as well as law enforcement training. The recipients of 2009 fiscal year Shooting Range Grants are:
“We are very happy with the number of applications and projects that we received this year - particularly in areas outside of the Phoenix metro area,” says Anthony Chavez, the department’s statewide shooting ranges administrator. “This grant program allows us to ensure that there are safe and functional shooting ranges throughout the state.” The department received 11 grant applications for fiscal year 2009. Applications were judged by a panel of department employees on various criteria. The six finalists were presented and approved by the commission at its June 28 meeting in Phoenix. Grants are available through a competitive application process each year. Privately owned and for-profit ranges are not eligible for this program. Applications for fiscal year 2010 will be available on October 1, 2008. The deadline to apply is Jan. 15, 2009. For more information, visit www.azgfd.gov/shootingsports and click on the “Range Development Grants” link on the left side of the page, or contact the department’s Statewide Shooting Ranges Administrator, Anthony Chavez, at (623) 236-7395 or aechavez@azgfd.gov.
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is still 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 click on 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. For more information or to download a nomination form, visit www.azgfd.gov/commission and click on 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.
Register now for the “Becoming an Outdoors Woman” (BOW) workshop on Aug. 15-17 at Friendly Pines Camp near Prescott. The program introduces women to outdoors skills in an enjoyable, non-threatening environment with expert instructors. Classes 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. 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. The program is sponsored by the Arizona Wildlife Federation in partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department. 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. |
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An educated boater is a safe boater. A boating education class will inform you about many important topics, but unless you take a 
The workshop begins at 9 a.m. with a discussion of the biology and adaptations of Mexican wolves in the Southwest with respect to their viewing opportunities. Since wolves are being reintroduced and are protected under the Endangered Species Act, specific precautions will be discussed to allow responsible wildlife viewing opportunities.
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. 
SB 1167 will provide long-overdue resources to better manage issues created by the dramatic increase in OHV use in Arizona (347 percent in the last decade). Irresponsible riding has damaged habitat and created the potential for closures of some areas. 
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