Aug 15, 2008
- Changing agricultural practices improve dove outlook
- Hunters raise nearly $500,000 for Arizona’s wildlife
- Arizona experiences bald eagle baby boom
- Stripers at the surface, quagga mussels hiding beneath
- Arizona’s online hunter safety course celebrates first year
- Ben Avery Clay Target Center to host a kid’s shotgun camp
- Desert tortoises become unintentional victims of home foreclosures
- Commission approves spring hunt orders at August meeting
- Event highlights new partnership for joint OUI/DUI law enforcement campaign
- Women’s outdoor skills program offered near Payson
- Hey kids, want to go hunting?
- Do you know where the buffalo roam in Arizona?
- Arizona youths win national titles at shooting competition
- Wildlife viewing basics workshop scheduled at Sipe Wildlife Area
- Wildlife News reader survey to be sent out next week
Changing agricultural practices improve dove outlook
Did you know that increased gasohol demand and the bountiful dove hunting opportunities in central Arizona this year for the Sept. 1-15 early season have something in common?
They do.
According to an article published by the Arizona Farm Bureau written by George Frisvold, a professor of agriculture at the University of Arizona, for the first time since 1976 the number of acres planted in wheat in Arizona exceeds the number of acres planted in cotton. Cotton has little value for doves and other wildlife. Wheat fields provide high-value wildlife real estate.
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Arizona Game and Fish Department biologists said that these changing agricultural practices bode well for dove populations, and many other wildlife species as well. In fact, the reverse is true as well.
“Both mourning and white-winged dove numbers are tied to grain crops,” said Mike Rabe, the migratory bird biologist for the Game and Fish Department. Another factor is nesting habitat such as wooded river bottoms, which are in decline.
Conversely, the decline in dove numbers since the mid 1970s, especially across the West, corresponds directly to the decline in grain crops. “It looks like we are experiencing a reverse of that trend, which from a wildlife perspective is a welcome change.”
In addition, increased grain crop availability most likely resulted in last year’s record number of 36,000 wintering sandhill cranes in the Willcox Playa of southern Arizona.
But grain crops aren’t the only factors for what biologists believe should be a good dove year.
“Superb winter and spring rains, coupled with decent summer rains, have also created favorable dove habitats in central Arizona,” Rabe said.
Once again this year, dove hunters can expect the birds – especially white-winged doves – to be concentrated in agricultural areas, just like in the past. But also this year, expect to find Mourning doves dispersed into the desert as well.
“Right now, there are plentiful seed crops in the desert areas and abundant water sources. This creates plenty of opportunities for dispersed hunting, rather than hunting the more congested areas,” Rabe said.
Rabe also said scouting takes on added importance this year. “You’ll want to get out and identify those fields with grain that are attracting doves. Plus, increased urban encroachment means the fields you hunted last year might be within a quarter-mile of occupied structures – especially new subdivisions – this year.”
Scout first.
The early dove season from Sept. 1-15 this year is once again half-day hunting for adults in the southern zone (all day for adults in the northern zone), but youth can hunt all day in either zone.
The Game and Fish Department is once again offering a Juniors-only dove hunt at the Robbins Butte Wildlife Area on Sept. 6-7 (the first weekend of the dove hunt). The Chandler Rod and Gun Club will also be providing young dove hunters and their mentors a scrumptious pancake and sausage breakfast following the morning hunt.
One young girl who outshot her older brothers during one of the past youth dove hunts had commented, “It was more fun than Disneyland!”
All hunters should keep in mind that Arizona is experiencing a cottontail rabbit bonanza this year. “A passel of dove breasts can feed a family, but add in some cottontails and you can create a feast for your favorite neighbors as well,” Rabe said.
The late season dove hunt is Nov. 21, 2008 through Jan. 4, 2009. “White-winged doves will have migrated south long before the late season, but especially this year, there are plenty of mourning doves. In fact, each year the late dove season seems to increase in popularity as more and more hunters experience the terrific wing-shooting opportunities in the mild early winter weather,” Rabe said.
Hunters should obtain a copy of the 2008-2009 Arizona Dove Regulations prior to going afield. Regulations are available at more than 300 license dealers statewide or can be downloaded from the department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/hunt.
Hunters raise nearly $500,000 for Arizona’s wildlife
Special tags for big game hunts generate impressive funding
The 2008 Arizona Big Game Super Raffle (AZBGSR) was held July 19 in Phoenix and nine lucky ticket holders walked away with a special big game tag and a chance at a hunt-of-a-lifetime.
However, the real news is what happened for all of the residents of Arizona. The raffle generated more than $475,000, which will go directly to benefit Arizona’s wildlife.
Every dollar raised by the raffle of these special big game tags is returned to the Arizona Game and Fish Department and managed by the Arizona Habitat Partnership Committee (AHPC) for that particular species. With input from 12 local habitat partners across the state, as well as input from the organizations involved in the fundraising, they collectively determine which projects will provide the most benefit to each species represented.
The number of projects funded through this program since its inception in 2006 is extensive. In 2007 alone, there were more than 85 projects approved. The types of projects run the gamut from hauling water to water catchments during drought years to contracting helicopter services for catching and relocating the iconic desert bighorn sheep to increase their range and population. And, when these dollars are matched with other fund sources, the benefits to wildlife are multiplied many times over.
One of the most noteworthy projects that many Arizona travelers have benefitted from is the “State Route 260 Project.” The project made changes to a 17-mile stretch of Highway 260, just below the Mogollon Rim west of Payson, that resulted in an 85-percent reduction in wildlife-related collisions in the first year, while increasing the ability for wildlife to cross the highway and linking habitats.
Ron Thompson, coordinator for AHPC, said: “The amazing thing about this program is the amount of money being raised by such a small minority (approximately one percent) of the state’s population. What excites me is the thought of getting more conservation and outdoor groups involved working as one collective group. With even greater funding, options on the table could include conservation easements and the protection of open spaces – where not only wildlife will benefit, but so will the citizens of Arizona and its visitors.”
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The uniqueness of the special tags is that the hunting season is year-round with very few limitations on hunting areas, allowing tag winners the time to pursue a trophy animal, many of which are only found in Arizona. The raffle winners for the following tags were:
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Antelope - Cal Sutton, Peoria
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Bear - Dwight Callahan, Gold Canyon
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Buffalo - Ryan Ashton, Saint Johns
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Coues Deer - Brian Williams, Christiana, Tenn.
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Elk - Robert Dunn, Yuma
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Javelina - JC Amberlin, Kingman
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Mule Deer - Jerry Elliott, Gilbert
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Bighorn Sheep - Scott Krieg, Glendale
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Turkey - Mark Griffith, Mesa
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Swarovski optics package - Richard Wilson, Phoenix
So, the next time you see a herd of elk near Flagstaff, or antelope in the open plains of Prescott, or if you’re lucky enough to spot a desert bighorn sheep peering down from a cliff in the desolate desert, remember to think of hunters as conservationists. The majority of wildlife conservation and management of game animals by the Arizona Game and Fish Department is made possible by funding generated from the sale of hunting licenses, hunt permit-tags, and matching funds from federal excise taxes hunters pay on guns, ammunition and related equipment.
Arizona experiences bald eagle baby boom
With the last bald eagle nestling finally out of the nest, the numbers are in and a record number of eaglets took to Arizona’s skies in 2008.
A record 53 nestlings reached the fledging milestone this year, a 26 percent increase over the previous year. The number of young hatched also increased by four birds over last year.
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The breeding season for bald eagles in Arizona typically runs from December through June, although bald eagle nestlings in the northern reaches of the state hatch and fledge later than those in the southern parts of the state.
Bald eagle numbers over the past 30 years have grown more than 400 percent in the state with the number of breeding pairs increasing in that time from only 11 pairs to 56 in 2008.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department, a leading partner in recovery efforts for the species, attributes the success to cooperative on-the-ground management. Through the Southwest Bald Eagle Management Committee (SWBEMC), a broad coalition of 23 government agencies, private organizations and Native American tribes, a plan is in place to help ensure the continued success of the bald eagle population in Arizona.
For more information on bald eagles in Arizona, visit www.swbemc.org.
Stripers at the surface, quagga mussels hiding beneath
Striped bass are boiling like crazy chasing shad at Lake Pleasant, a popular fishery on the northern edge of Phoenix, but don’t forget that vast numbers of invasive quagga mussels are lurking beneath the surface and could become hitch-hiking menaces on your boat.
But after the catching excitement is over, the Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds boaters not to forget to take some simple steps before leaving the lake to decontaminate your boat from possible microscopic quagga mussel young (called veligers) and eggs that can easily stow away in wet areas or boat surfaces.
All boaters in the state are being asked to take the following simple steps each and every time they put their vessels on ANY body of water, not just Lake Pleasant or the other waters known to be infested with these tiny, but prolific, mollusks.
- DRAIN the water from the boat, livewell and the lower unit.
- CLEAN the hull and boat trailer, and remove all plant and animal material.
- DRY the boat, and inspect all exposed surfaces.
In fact, these same steps will help prevent the spread of a long list of other potential invading aquatic nuisance organisms as well. “Please don’t move a mussel, or any other nuisance invader. You might just be helping to prevent potential ecologic and economic disaster,” said Invasive Species Coordinator Tom McMahon with the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
A single cup of water could hold thousands of quagga veligers. “So it is crucial that all boaters drain, clean and dry their boats – every time they visit any body of water, anywhere,” McMahon said.
Invading quagga mussels were originally discovered in Arizona at Lake Mead two years ago. Since then, these prolific freshwater mussels have been discovered at Lake Mohave, Lake Havasu, and Willow Beach. Quagga mussel larvae have been found along the Central Arizona Project Canal stretching from Havasu to the interior of Arizona, including the Phoenix area.
Lake Pleasant is filled each year with Central Arizona Project water. Quagga mussels were first discovered in Lake Pleasant last December and have since proliferated. Vast numbers of quagga mussels have since encrusted dock pylons and other surfaces underwater.
These mussels, which can grow up to about an inch long when mature, attach themselves to a number of surfaces, including boat hulls, engine intakes, livewells, bilges, water-intake valves, canals, pipes, aqueducts and dams.
Although they do not pose a known threat to human health, biologists are concerned that these invaders – which can consume vast amounts of microscopic organisms such as plankton – may cause ecological shifts in the lakes they inhabit.
“It is amazing how fast quagga mussels have proliferated in Lake Pleasant during such a short period of time, but with each adult quagga mussel being capable of producing 10,000 fertilized eggs in a single breeding cycle (with up to 6 cycles per year) and a half million eggs in a single year, such a rapid spread is not all that surprising,” McMahon said.
For more information on quagga mussels and other aquatic hitchhikers, visit www.azgfd.gov/mussels.
Arizona’s online hunter safety course celebrates first year
Participation indicates program accommodates future hunters
Time constraints and a reliance on technology have impacted all aspects of society, and the educational arena is no exception. Internet-based education programs—including hunter education—have evolved to better accommodate students’ schedules and learning needs in today’s fast-paced world.
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Since its introduction last August, 940 students have successfully completed the self-paced study portion of the online course. However, to become fully certified, students must also successfully pass a mandatory “hands-on field day” within 90 days of completing the online course work. To date, 532 people have done so and have become fully certified. That number is expected to increase as temperatures cool for the outdoor field days.
While the online course is new, hunter education in Arizona has been around for more than 50 years and is considered one of the best in the nation. The traditional classroom course continues to certify approximately 4,000 students each year.
Due to the success of the program, starting Sept. 20 there will be an online field day taking place the third Saturday of each month at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in the conservation education building.
Arizona has an excellent hunter safety record. Even though hunter education is only required for youths age 10 to 13 that want to hunt big game, there is only an average of three hunting accidents per year, and fatalities from hunting accidents are even rarer.
Moreover, nearly every accident recorded could have been avoided by observing the fundamental lessons taught in hunter education, which are wearing hunter orange clothing and following the “tab plus one” (T.A.B. +1) rule: T=Treat every gun as if it were loaded; A=Always keep your muzzle pointed in a safe direction; B=Be sure of your target and beyond; +1=Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.
Arizona offers several options for taking hunter education courses. In addition to the new online course, there is a 7- to 10-hour introductory classroom course, the traditional 20-hour basic course, and the 28-hour combination course which includes bowhunting education, all of which require successfully completing the mandatory hands-on field day. For a list of available classes, visit www.azgfd.gov/education, and click on the “hunter education” link.
Ben Avery Clay Target Center to host a kid’s shotgun camp
The Ben Avery Shooting Facility’s Clay Target Center will host a kid’s shotgun camp for new shooters at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22.
Participants and their parents will learn rules, safety and will receive an overview on the sport of shotgunning from a guest speaker. Kids will put into practice what they have learned in the classroom with an opportunity to shoot clay targets on the range in a well-controlled, safe environment. The evening will conclude with a brief clean-up and the camp will end at 10 p.m.
Children need to be ages 9-15 and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Only 15 spots are available, so call the Clay Target Center to register at (623) 434-8119. Reservations must be made no later than Saturday, Aug. 16, 2008.
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Desert tortoises become unintentional victims of home foreclosures
Spot the dog and Fluffy the cat aren’t the only unintentional victims of the growing foreclosure crisis: Captive desert tortoises are being abandoned or illegally released back into the wild when their custodians can no longer care for them.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is aware of an increasing number of captive desert tortoises being released illegally back into the wild, especially at local community parks, as their desperate custodians are forced to move from their home.
“We cannot stress enough how detrimental it is for both the captive and wild tortoises to let a captive tortoise go free in the wild,” said Cristina Jones, Arizona Game and Fish Department’s turtles project coordinator. “Captive desert tortoises can transmit diseases that harm wild populations, and captive tortoises aren’t prepared to find food and water in an unfamiliar area and often die.”
The department also advises the public not to handle desert tortoises they might encounter in the wild. With the summer monsoons in full force, Arizonans are likely to see an increased number of tortoises in the wild as they come out of their burrows in search of food and water. They are frequently seen near roadways, but concerned citizens need to follow a few basic rules when trying to protect these creatures.
Do not try to help a tortoise by moving it to another area unless the animal is in imminent danger like when it is crossing a busy road. In that case, pick the tortoise up and gently move it to the other side. Carry it so that it’s level to the ground, and move it in the same direction it was headed. Most tortoises stay in the same small area during their entire lives, so they may not know where to find food and shelter, if you move them.
If you want to share your yard with a desert tortoise, you can lawfully obtain one through state-sanctioned adoption facilities, including the Phoenix Herpetological Society in Phoenix and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson. Several requirements are involved in the adoption process.
Desert tortoises are slow-moving creatures that can live as long as 50 to 100 years. The adults are about 10 to 14 inches long. An Arizona Game and Fish Commission rule prohibits taking these creatures from the wild. Federal law bans the transport of them across state lines.
Tortoise custodians who can no longer care for their desert tortoise should contact the Phoenix Herpetological Society at (602) 550-7029 or the Arizona Game and Fish Department at (623) 236-7767 for assistance.
Commission approves spring 2009 hunt orders at August meeting
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission approved hunt orders for the spring 2009 hunts for turkey, javelina, buffalo and bear at its monthly public meeting in Flagstaff on Aug. 8-9. The hunt orders establish seasons and season dates, bag and possession limits, permit numbers, and open areas.
The commission also approved the department’s hunt-permit tag application schedule for spring 2009 hunts, establishing Tuesday, Oct. 14 as the deadline for submitting spring hunt applications for the above-mentioned species.
In other matters, the commission:
- Approved hunt orders for waterfowl and snipe for the 2008-09 hunting season.
- Approved the development of a “writeable” PDF hunt application form which would allow the applicant to type in the information from his/her computer keyboard, print the form and then mail or hand-deliver it to the department.
- Heard informational presentations from supporters and opponents of proposed ballot initiatives dealing with state trust land and transportation/infrastructure (the commission tabled consideration of any action regarding these items until its September meeting).
- Received an update on dust abatement laws in Maricopa County and the department’s efforts to work with various agencies and stakeholders to keep recreational access open for hunters, anglers and other recreationists.
- Directed the department to continue to work on plans to relocate the Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center to the grounds of the department headquarters.
- Directed the department to continue working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on a new memorandum of understanding on roles and responsibilities for implementing the Endangered Species Act in Arizona.
The next Arizona Game and Fish Commission meeting will be held on Sept. 5-6 in Pinetop.
Event highlights new partnership for joint OUI/DUI law enforcement campaign
As part of the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s “Boat Safe, Boat Smart, Boat Sober” summer campaign and the national “Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest” DUI Task Force crackdown that runs through Labor Day, the department and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) have partnered to increase awareness about operating and driving under the influence of alcohol.
A press conference was held earlier this week that highlighted Operating Under the Influence (OUI), which is enforcement for boaters while impaired on Arizona’s waterways, where more than 40 percent of fatalities involve alcohol.
In addition, GOHS and the department provided details about their new partnership to educate drivers and boaters statewide. GOHS and Game and Fish, with the participation of 18 Arizona law enforcement agencies, produced a series of public service announcements (in English and Spanish) called “OUI/DUI Working Together” that will be airing this month and through the holiday weekend.
The goal is to increase OUI/DUI awareness and advise the public that driving or boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be tolerated in Arizona. New boating legislation this session made the penalties, repercussions and enforcement nearly identical for both driving and boating while impaired, including mandatory jail time for all offenders.
Women’s outdoor skills program offered near Payson on Aug. 30-31
Here’s another great opportunity for women to “step outside” and learn about outdoor skills and recreation in a fun, non-intimidating environment.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department, Town of Payson, Chandler Rod and Gun Club and the Tonto Rim Sports Club are partnering to conduct a women’s “Step Outside” weekend at the Houston Mesa Horse Camp just north of Payson on Aug. 30-31.
This two-day, overnight campout will introduce women to camping skills, wildlife conservation, fishing, shooting sports and archery at the Jim Jones Shooting Range. Activities will include camp and campfire set-up; instruction in shotguns, long rifles and archery; hiking; fishing; outdoor photography; and natural environment education.
The cost is $50 per person and includes all meals prepared by members of the Chandler Rod and Gun Club. Register through Aug. 22 at the Payson Parks and Recreation office, 1000 W. Country Club Drive, Payson, or online at www.paysonparks.com. For more information, please call Mary McMullen, trails and outdoor recreation coordinator, at (928) 474-5242 x 358.
Hey kids, want to go hunting?
More than 2,000 juniors-only fall javelina tags are still available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Applications are now being accepted.
Interested hunters need to identify their hunt choices (up to a maximum of five) from the available hunt list and then complete a hunt permit-tag application. Hunt permit-tag applications are available at department offices or license dealers statewide. Be sure to include the hunter’s 2008 hunting license number, enclose a check for the correct amount and mail it to the address noted on the back of the application. Successful applicants will be notified soon.
Javelina hunting is fun, exciting, challenging and a great way to test your skills, including locating game, glassing, stalking, shooting and, hopefully, field cleaning your harvest.
But with a tag in your hand, one guarantee is certain: You will have a great time in the outdoors with friends and family members, building memories for a lifetime.
Do you know where the buffalo roam in Arizona?
Buffalo are synonymous with the great west, but not many people realize that Arizona is home to these magnificent animals. To increase awareness and provide more information on the buffalo found in the state, the Arizona Game and Fish Department is holding a bison workshop beginning at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16 in Flagstaff.
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The Raymond Wildlife Area was purchased by the department in 1942 from Flagstaff physician R.O. Raymond to serve as winter range for the Anderson Mesa pronghorn antelope herd. Due to drought conditions in 1945, the ranch became home for buffalo that were moved from the House Rock Valley herd. Visitors to the Raymond Wildlife Area may have the opportunity to see and photograph descendents from the first buffalo herd in Arizona.
Attendees should prepare for a one-hour presentation followed by a 30-mile drive to the Buffalo Ranch Road exit on eastbound I-40. To access the Raymond Wildlife Area, the public will continue for another 12 miles from the exit on a dirt road. The road to the wildlife area is accessible for most passenger vehicles. Once there, the department will arrange for transportation to locate and view the bison.
Some scopes will be available, but it is recommended that participants bring binoculars, water, snacks, and dress appropriately for the weather and field trip.
For more information and to register for the workshop, contact the Game and Fish office in Flagstaff at (928) 774-5045.
Arizona youths win national titles at shooting competition
Arizona shooters garnered five medals, the most of any state, at the Scholastic Clay Target Program National Championships for skeet and sporting clays Aug. 1-2 at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, Ill.
Arizona competitors brought home two national championship title gold medals, one second-place silver medal and one third-place bronze medal from the skeet competition, and one third-place bronze medal in sporting clays.
This is the second consecutive year that Arizona came away with the best showing. There were 356 competitors in skeet and 338 in sporting clays.
Shooters competed in five divisions for both skeet and sporting clays: varsity, grades 9-12; junior varsity, grades 9-12; intermediate advanced, grades 6-8; intermediate entry; grades 6-8; and rookie, grades 5 and under.
Prizes in the form of scholarship I-Bonds, ranging from $100-$1,000, are awarded to the winning squads from varsity through intermediate entry.
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission and the department began funding and administering Arizona’s SCTP in 2004. More than 500 kids participated this past season in Arizona.
Nationally, SCTP was launched by the National Shooting Sports Foundation in 2000 to offer students in grades 12 and under an opportunity to compete as a team in trap, skeet and sporting clays. The ultimate goal is to instill a commitment to safe firearm handling, teamwork and leadership. More than 9,000 competitors from 41 states competed this past year across the country.
To learn more about Arizona’s SCTP program, visit www.azgfd.gov/sctp.
For all of the results from the national SCTP competition, visit www.nssf.org/sctp.
Wildlife viewing basics workshop scheduled at Sipe Wildlife Area
The Arizona Game and Fish Department will conduct its annual public wildlife-viewing workshop on Saturday, Sept. 20, at the Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area. This popular program is designed to help people find, observe and enjoy some of the state’s many wildlife species on their own. The wildlife area is located in eastern Arizona, seven miles southeast of Eagar.
The program begins at 2:30 p.m. with an information program that focuses on wildlife viewing in Arizona, giving suggestions on how and where to find wildlife. Department personnel will also discuss natural history and behavior of one of Arizona’s most recognized wildlife species, the Rocky Mountain elk. Workshop participants will go into the field that evening on the Sipe property, applying viewing principles and techniques to find and watch some of Arizona’s elk up close.
Because it will be necessary to maintain a small group once in the field, the clinic is limited to 30 participants. “Also, because wildlife viewing in general does require patience and a minimum of movement and noise, we request that children under the age of 14 not attend,” says Bruce Sitko, spokesman in the department’s Pinetop office.
The workshop is free, but pre-registration and a refundable deposit of $20 per person are required to ensure that spaces aren’t blocked off and then not used. The deposit will be returned to those who attend, but cashed if a registrant doesn’t show up.
Registration can be done at the Pinetop Game and Fish office at 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd., or by calling the office at (928) 367-4281. Participants will be given instructions at that time for mailing in the refundable registration deposit.
Wildlife News reader survey to be sent out next week
The Arizona Game and Fish Department wants your feedback about the Wildlife News eNews and how we can make it better suit your needs.
The department will e-mail a survey to Wildlife News subscribers next week, asking for your input on newsletter content, format, frequency, and other aspects that might make the product more useful to you.
The online survey contains 17 questions (mostly multiple choice) and should take only five to 10 minutes to complete. Your responses would be most appreciated to help us improve our product to fit your needs.
To see past issues of the Wildlife News, visit www.azgfd.gov/news and click on the “Wildlife News” link.