Wildlife News - April 11
Apr 11, 2008

This Week’s Stories

  • Commission to set remaining fall hunt seasons during its April meeting
  • Game and Fish Outdoor Expo shatters attendance records
  • Snow conditions, road closures may hinder some spring turkey hunters
  • Trout anglers receive an 11-mile fishing bonus
  • Volunteers wanted for Table Mesa cleanup on April 19
  • Final round of U.S. Olympic archery trials to be held at Ben Avery
  • Once thought dead off-highway vehicle legislation is revived
  • Rio Salado celebrating International Migratory Bird Day on April 12
  • Patti Ho Memorial Estate Auction to benefit wildlife
  • Game and Fish photographer’s photo is a top contender
  • Commemorative coin to benefit bald eagles in Arizona
  • Desert bighorn sheep predator removed from southwestern Arizona
  • Stay on roads and trails while shed antler hunting
  • Kaibab National Forest seeks comment on travel management proposal

Commission to set remaining fall hunt seasons during its April meeting
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission will set the remaining fall hunting seasons during the Saturday portion of its meeting on April 18-19 in Phoenix at the department headquarters at 5000 W. Carefree Highway. The public is welcome to attend.

The Friday, April 18 portion begins with an executive session at 8 a.m., followed by the public session. Friday agenda items include a briefing on the Teaming with Wildlife Act of 2008, updates on state and federal legislation and state lands issues, and hearings on license revocations and civil assessments.

The Saturday, April 19 portion begins at 8 a.m. Agenda items include:

  • Consideration of proposed commission orders 2 (deer), 5-10 (turkey, javelina, bighorn sheep, buffalo, bear and mountain lion), and 26 (population management), establishing seasons and season dates, bag and possession limits, permit numbers, and open areas for the 2008-09 season.
  • Consideration of proposed commission orders 11-18 (tree squirrel, cottontail rabbit, predatory and furbearing animals, other mammals, and birds, pheasant, quail, chukar, partridge and blue grouse), establishing seasons and season dates, bag and possession limits, and open areas for the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons.
  • Consideration of commission order 23 (trapping), establishing season dates, legal species, open and closed areas, and bag and possession limits for the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons.
  • A discussion of the director’s 2008 goals and objectives with new Director Larry Voyles.
  • A discussion of the establishment and future direction of the Commission’s Conservationist Committee.

The complete agenda is posted at www.azgfd.gov/inside_azgfd/meeting_agenda.shtml

Game and Fish Outdoor Expo shatters attendance records
The numbers are in—and the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s 2008 Outdoor Expo drew a record 26,000 people, far exceeding last year’s attendance of 17,000.

More than 18,000 people visited on Saturday, March 29 and 8,000 on Sunday, March 30. The event was held at the 1,600-acre Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, a world-renowned five-star range that is listed as a Phoenix Point of Pride.

“Feedback has been tremendous,” said Ty Gray, assistant director for information and education for Arizona Game and Fish. “People enjoyed the new event layout and the expanded activities.”

Activities were concentrated in four different locations throughout the Ben Avery range and included the chance to try out firearms from different manufacturers, shoot a bow and arrow, view live wildlife, test-drive off-highway vehicles, explore an outdoor education nature trail, learn about boating safety, attend outdoor workshops, and catch a fish at the kids’ catch-and-release fish tank.

Visitors also had a chance to interact with more than 150 exhibitors, including conservation organizations, government agencies, and commercial vendors of outdoor products and services.

In a first for the Expo, the department held a “Youth Day” on Friday, March 28. About 600 pre-registered children and 200 adults and chaperones attended the event, which focused on wildlife and conservation education.

Gold sponsors of the 2008 Arizona Game and Fish Department Outdoor Expo were Sportsman’s Warehouse, the Weatherby Foundation, and the American Red Cross, Grand Canyon Chapter. Silver sponsors were Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Lincoln Property Company and Sundt.

Next year’s Outdoor Expo will be held March 28-29, 2009, at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility. Organizations wishing to be sponsors or vendors can call Event Coordinator Tristanna Bickford at (623) 236-7241.

To view photos of the 2008 Outdoor Expo, visit www.azgfd.gov/expo and click on the “2008 Expo Photos” button.

Snow conditions, road closures may hinder some spring turkey hunters
Arizona Game and Fish Department officials advise spring turkey hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts that the snowpack is still significant in some higher elevations, and many state highways and forest roads in prime turkey country are closed or impassable due to snow or muddy conditions.
  
Check for the current closures before going.

Higher-than-average winter snow and rainfall has resulted in the Arizona Department of Transportation and the National Forest Service to continue some winter road closures, many of which access traditional turkey-hunting areas. A number of popular routes of travel in the Apache-Sitgreaves, Kaibab and parts of the Coconino National Forests are closed due to unsafe travel conditions, and to prevent road damage and damage to meadows and sensitive habitats from off-road travel.
  
Closures may affect Game Management Units 1, 3B, 4A/B, 5B, 6A, 12A/B, 13A/C and 27. The state highways and forest roads of concern are SR67, SR261, SR273, FR113, and many forest roads south of Flagstaff through the Lake Mary and Mormon Lake corridor.
  
Juniors-only spring turkey hunters can be affected the most by these closures, with the season beginning Friday, April 18. The general spring turkey season starts the following Friday, April 25, and warming weather conditions could allow more roads to be opened. The majority of these popular hunts take place in the northern part of the state on the Mogollon Rim, the White Mountains and on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Contacts for the latest updates on road closures and conditions are:

“Despite these conditions in some areas, sportsmen will find there is still plenty of country in which to find turkeys. But plan for nighttime and early morning temperatures to be below freezing, and dress appropriately,” department spokesman Bruce Sitko says. “Also, because of the potential for getting stuck and poor weather conditions, leave a detailed itinerary with a family member or friend, including specific hunting and camping sites and an arrival time back home.”
  
Big Game Management Supervisor Brian Wakeling offers these tips to young hunters: “Gobblers are often moving up in elevation pursuing hens. The hens are often feeding on fresh green growth that is beginning to flourish as snows recede. Gobblers may be found along the receding snow line, and it doesn’t require slogging through deep snow with a four-wheel-drive truck or OHV to access them.”
  
Sitko strongly encourages drivers not to attempt going around barricades or locked gates. “Not only have many people already gotten themselves stuck by doing so, they can also be cited,” he said.

Trout anglers receive an 11-mile fishing bonus
Trout anglers last week received an 11-mile trout fishing bonus on the Lower Salt River, close to the Valley of the Sun, thanks to abundant snowpack and excellent runoff for a change this year.

On Friday, April 4, the Arizona Game and Fish Department ‘s Page Springs Hatchery stocked rainbow trout in the upper reaches of the Lower Salt at the Water Users Recreation Area and the Blue Point Bridge.

This stocking for the entire Lower Salt River is weeks early.

During winter, Salt River Project (SRP) typically relies on flows from the Verde River side of the watershed to meet irrigation and municipal needs. The well above-normal snow pack and exceptional runoff this season means SRP is doing an early switch this spring and releasing approximately 300 cfs from Stewart Mountain Dam.

These unexpected early flows mean the Game and Fish Department is able to stock the entire reach of the Lower Salt early.

“The Lower Salt is a unique fishing area in North America. We have a desert river lined with saguaros that is stocked with trout, plus, it is just a short drive from Mesa and Tempe,” said Rory Aikens, the Fishing Report editor for Game and Fish.

Having this trout fishing opportunity available close to Phoenix is especially important in these days of burgeoning gasoline costs. “The Lower Salt is an affordable, high-quality trout fishing experience close to home. It’s tough to beat that,” Aikens said.

For more information and fishing tips, visit the Game and Fish Department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov and click on the Weekly Fishing Report.

Volunteers wanted for Table Mesa cleanup on April 19
The Bureau of Land Management, in collaboration with the Arizona Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition, Arizona Game and Fish Department, and the Good Gun Foundation, is hosting a public lands clean-up at the Table Mesa Road area, about 35 miles north of Phoenix, from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 19. The event is also supported by the Arizona Virtual Jeep Club, Arizona Rock Rats, and Absolute Offroad.

There will be a safety orientation at 8 a.m., and then participants will spread out to various work areas. Wear long pants, long-sleeved-shirt, heavy work gloves, hat, sunscreen and eye protection. Trash bags will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own rakes, flat-head shovels and grab handles. Five-gallon buckets with handles are also handy for collecting small debris and broken glass. Don’t forget to bring plenty of water to drink!

To get there, take I-17 to Exit 236 (Table Mesa Road). Exit and turn left on the overpass, heading west. Follow the road for approximately ˝ mile. After the road turns to dirt, look for the wide trailhead on the left.

This is a great event to meet fellow outdoors enthusiasts and help keep our public lands clean so they can be enjoyed by future generations.

For questions, contact Mary Skordinsky, BLM Lead Outdoor Recreation Planner, (623) 580-5586, or Nena Barlow, AZOHV Public Relations, (928) 274-0570.

Final round of U.S. Olympic archery trials to be held at Ben Avery
The nation’s finest archers will take center stage when the Arizona Game and Fish Department and Arizona State Archery Association host the third (and final) selection round for the U.S. Olympic Archery Team on May 1-4 at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix.

Eight male and eight female archers will vie for the three remaining men’s spots and two women’s spots on the U.S. team that will compete at the Olympic Games in Beijing, China this summer.

The competitors will register and practice on May 1. The 70-meter ranking rounds will be held on May 2, single-elimination match play on May 3, and round-robin competition on May 4. Scores will be tabulated and team selection announced on May 4.

Previous selection rounds were held in September 2007 in Conyers, Ga., and last month in Chula Vista, Calif. The combined ranking points from all three events will determine the final standings for the U.S. Olympic Team.

The public is invited to visit the Ben Avery Shooting Facility FITA range to watch this amazing event. Spectators are advised to bring their optics and to check-in at the information booth for an event program. Souvenir team photos will be available for children. 

The Ben Avery Shooting Facility is located at the northwest corner of I-17 and Carefree Highway. To get to the FITA archery range, take I-17 to the Carefree Highway exit (Exit 223) and go 1.5 miles west on Carefree Highway to the stoplight at the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s headquarters building. Turn right and follow the signs to the archery event.

For more information, visit www.azgfd.gov/i_e/archery/OlympicArcheryTrials.shtml or contact Denise Raum, Statewide Archery and Bow Hunting Coordinator, at draum@azgfd.gov or (623) 236-7567.

Once thought dead off-highway vehicle legislation is revived
The Arizona House of Representatives on Thursday, April 3, passed Senate Bill 1167 (also known as the funeral escort vehicle bill, changed by strike-everything amendment to become the OHV user fee bill), by a vote of 42 to 13.

SB1167 would provide resources to better manage Arizona’s growing off-highway vehicle (OHV) use while protecting wildlife habitat. OHVs have seen a 347-percent increase in usage in Arizona in the last few years, but law enforcement and trail development have lagged far behind. Through this legislation, dollars would be provided by a nominal user fee to create new law enforcement positions, new land and habitat mitigation for damaged use areas, and more trail construction.

The bill now heads to the Arizona Senate for consideration. If approved, it would then be forwarded to Gov. Janet Napolitano for her signature.

To learn more about this legislation or to contact your representative or senator, visit www.azgfd.gov/ohv and click on the “Follow the OHV legislation” link.

Rio Salado celebrating International Migratory Bird Day on April 12
It’s that time of year again: flowers blooming, temperatures warming, and migratory birds are returning from their winter retreats: Come celebrate their arrival during International Migratory Bird Day on April 12 at the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area.

The free celebration begins at 8 a.m. with guided bird walks, demonstrations and lectures from 9 to 11:30 a.m. The family-friendly event offers fun children’s’ activities including face painting, story-telling, birding activities and crafts.

An art contest for students in grades 1-6 will also be offered, and children can win festival t-shirts and other prizes.

Participants will be treated to Liberty Wildlife Rehabilitation Center’s free flight raptor demonstration, as well as to bird photography tips from experts. In addition, avian biologists and wildlife rehabilitators will be on hand to answer questions and display live critters.

International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) is an annual event to celebrate and support migratory bird conservation. The theme for IMBD 2008, “From Tundra to Tropics,” focuses on long distant migrants, the habitats they depend on, and the people who are important to the conservation of birds — all of us.

Located in south-central Phoenix, The Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area is a bird habitat success story. The project to revitalize the dewatered Salt River stream bed began in1998. Today, more than 200 species of birds, many of them migratory, have been reported in the project area. The IMBD festival will be held at the project’s center at 2439 S. Central Ave. in Phoenix.

Event partners include the City of Phoenix, Audubon Arizona, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Liberty Wildlife, Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center Auxiliary, and Environment for the Americas.

For more information on the festivities, visit www.phoenix.gov/riosalado.

Patti Ho Memorial Estate Auction to benefit wildlife
The Arizona Wildlife Federation (AWF), in cooperation with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, will host an estate auction to sell items that were willed to the organizations upon the death of Patti Ho, a life-long supporter of wildlife in Arizona.

The event is set for Saturday, April 26, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility Activity Center, 4044 W. Black Canyon Blvd., Phoenix. The auction preview and Dutch-oven meal provided by Cowgirls Forever will run from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The estate and tag auction will run from 4 to 7 p.m.

The auction items include: guns, trophy mounts and hides, a full-size truck and horse trailer, Western memorabilia, and much more.
   
Two very unique items for auction include one javelina and one bear special season big-game tag.
   
A limited number of tickets are available for this very special auction at $10 per adult, $6 per child under 12. Your ticket includes dinner, a bidding number, and live entertainment from cowboy poets and western singers.
   
A portion of the proceeds will go to both the AWF and the department. The department potion will help support habitat and general programs.
   
To get to the Ben Avery Shooting Facility, take I-17 to the Carefree Highway exit (Exit 223) and go west 1/4 mile on Carefree Highway to the Ben Avery entrance. Follow the road into the range area until you reach the Activity Center.
   
To download a registration form, visit www.azgfd.gov/pdfs/auction.pdf or www.azwildlife.org/SPECIAL_FUNDRAISING_EVENT.pdf.
   
For more information about the Patti Ho Memorial Estate Auction, contact the Arizona Wildlife Federation at (480) 644-0077 or e-mail awf@azwildlife.org.
   
Game and Fish photographer’s photo is a top contender
The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s staff photographer, George Andrejko, is a contender for top honors from the Western Publications Association.

A photograph Andrejko took of a regal horned lizard that appeared in the September-October 2007 edition of the “Arizona Wildlife Views” magazine is a finalist in the association’s magazine photo competition, placing it among the top five images published in a magazine in the western states in 2007. 

You can see Andrejko’s superb photography and that of other top wildlife photographers in every issue of “Arizona Wildlife Views” magazine published by the Game and Fish Department. Subscribe for just $8.50 a year. You can even subscribe online at www.azgfd.gov/magazine or by phone at (800) 777-0015.

You won’t want to miss the May-June issue, which has the following stories and much more:

    * Cross-border collaboration conserves wetlands for wildlife
    * Top 10 causes of boating accidents
    * Ways to get your parents to take you fishing
    * Inside the Southwest Wings Birding and Nature Festival

“Arizona Wildlife Views” is the official magazine of the Arizona Game and Fish Department and is published six times a year. Each 40-page issue offers stories about Arizona wildlife and outdoor recreation, illustrated with gorgeous full-color photography. Subscribe today.

Commemorative coin to benefit bald eagles in Arizona
Coin collectors and bald eagle aficionados now have an exciting opportunity to own limited edition bald eagle coins.

The United States Mint recently began selling the 2008 Bald Eagle Commemorative Coin. Proceeds from the sale of these coins will help benefit bald eagles in Arizona. 

This special bald eagle coin is available in proof and uncirculated versions of gold, silver and clad, with each one depicting a different bald eagle image. Several sets are also being offered, including a young collector’s set. 

“Game and Fish is excited to support this new commemorative coin as another way to help the bald eagle management we are doing in Arizona,” says Eric Gardner, nongame branch chief for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “Anything we can do to raise public awareness and appreciation for these birds is worthwhile.”

Arizona Game and Fish has a comprehensive management program in place to help ensure the continued success of the bald eagle population in the state. The program includes a nestwatch program to protect breeding activities; regular monitoring and survey flights; banding and visual identification; contaminants analysis; and cooperative partnerships with 22 other agencies, tribes and private businesses.

Recent surveys and monitoring show that 39 pairs of bald eagles have laid eggs for the year, a total of 43 breeding areas are occupied by breeding adults, and at least 47 nestlings have hatched.

Commemorative coins are authorized by Congress and typically honor American people, places, historic events, and institutions. Surcharges from the sales of these coins help fund a variety of organizations and projects that benefit the community. Commemorative coins are only available directly from the U.S. Mint for a limited time.

For more information and to purchase coins, visit www.usmint.gov and click on the “Coins and Medals” link and then “Commemoratives.”

Desert bighorn sheep predator removed from southwestern Arizona
Officials with the Arizona Game and Fish Department killed a mountain lion in the Tank Mountains east of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge in late March as part of the ongoing effort to help restore the declining Kofa Mountains Complex desert bighorn sheep population, which was found to be at historic low numbers during the 2006 population survey.  

The lion is the second to be removed under the department’s May 2007 “Kofa Mountains Complex Predation Management Plan,” and was confirmed as having killed four desert bighorn sheep and five mule deer since being captured and collared by the department in October. As was announced at the time, the first lion was killed in June at Dripping Springs northwest of the refuge, and was guarding a cache containing two desert bighorn sheep and a mule deer.

The Kofa herd was once one of the most robust herds in the nation and has been a critically important source of transplant sheep for restoring desert bighorn sheep to Arizona and other southwestern United States mountain ranges for 51 years. Transplants are currently suspended.

As announced in November 2006, wildlife experts attribute the decline to a variety of factors, including drought, predation, disease factors and human disturbance. At that time it was estimated that at least five lions were spending enough time in the area to be considered “resident” lions. This represents a significant change from the transient lion population that has been the historic norm for this part of Arizona.

 More details, including copies of the predation management plan and the joint Arizona Game and Fish Department-U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service "Investigative Report and Recommendations for the Kofa Bighorn Sheep Herd" (April 17, 2007), are at the department’s Kofa Web site at www.azgfd.gov/kofa.

Stay on roads and trails while shed antler hunting
The Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds all shed antler hunters to stay on existing roads and trails with their vehicles this season to avoid resource damage, especially in areas where melting snow has left the ground saturated and vulnerable.

“Just like during the hunting season, we ask that you ’walk while you stalk’,” says Joe Sacco, off-highway vehicle law enforcement program manager. “The department recommends that you ride your vehicle on the trails to the area where you think the antlers are, then pack them out to your machine and drive them home on the roads.”

Damage to areas where cross country riding occurs can take more than 100 years to recover, especially if the area where you go cross country is wet. Those tracks can be seen by other users as an open invitation to unknowingly ruin a pristine recreational area.

A new illegal trail can cause a lot of problems for wildlife that live in that area.  The noise could cause animals to leave their regular habitat, anything that drops off of a machine could be eaten by the animals leading to unnecessary death, or someone could have a negative interaction with a very unhappy or startled animal.  Minimizing impact on habitat is a key to successful wildlife conservation.

Shed hunters are those hunters who go out and look for the antlers that have fallen off or been shed from game animals. Most animals shed their antlers in the spring and spend the summer and fall seasons growing a new set of antlers.

Kaibab National Forest seeks comment on travel management proposal
The Kaibab National Forest is seeking public comment on its proposal for managing off-highway vehicles and other motor vehicles on the Williams Ranger District in northern Arizona.
   
The proposed action document and accompanying maps are posted on the Kaibab National Forest Web site at www.fs.fed.us/r3/kai/travelmanagement. The proposed action focuses on changes to the existing motorized transportation system on the district.
   
To gather public input, Kaibab National Forest managers are hosting a work session on Thursday, April 24, from 5 to 7 p.m., at the Williams Ranger District office at Camp Clover.
   
During the work session, resource specialists from the Kaibab National Forest will display maps showing the proposed transportation system and the rationale behind it. Members of the public will be able to review that information and provide input, which will be used to refine the Proposed Action and develop alternatives to it.
   
Comments on the proposed action should be submitted by May 9. Written or oral comments may be submitted to: TMR, Williams Ranger District, 742 S. Clover Rd., Williams, AZ 86046; telephone (928) 635-5614; FAX (928) 635-5680. Hand-delivered comments may be submitted to the Williams Ranger District office from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, excluding holidays. Comments may also be submitted electronically on the Kaibab National Forest Web site at www.fs.fed.us/r3/kai/travelmanagement.
   
For more information, contact Jackie Denk at the Kaibab National Forest at (928) 635-8314, or visit www.fs.fed.us/r3/kai/news/releases/2008/20080331_wrd_tmr.php.
   
The Arizona Game and Fish Department will continue to post information it learns about upcoming federal land management and travel management meetings at www.azgfd.gov/outdoor_recreation/federal_land_management.shtml.