• Don’t miss the largest hands-on Outdoor Expo in Arizona
• Arizona’s wildlife needs you to “make a mark” at tax time
• A ton of catfish fun is coming to urban lakes
• Suspects caught in illegal killing of doe
• Public meeting set to discuss habitat improvements to the Laguna Division Conservation Area
• Agencies seek public’s help in wildfire incident
• Last public forum on 2010 fall hunting regulations is March 15 in Pinetop

Don’t miss the largest hands-on Outdoor Expo in Arizona

Want to see live wildlife, watch your kids catch a fish, refine your archery skills, try out all types of firearms, navigate a field course, view exciting rock crawler and ATV demonstrations, see boating exhibits, or witness exciting mounted cowboy action shooters?

Then get ready for lots of fun and excitement at the largest hands-on outdoor exposition in Arizona on March 27-28 at the 1,650-acre Ben Avery Shooting Facility on Carefree Highway just west of I-17.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Outdoor Expo offers fun for the entire family. There will be a multitude of exciting outdoor activities and exhibits:

• See lots of live wildlife demonstrations from birds of prey to amazing reptiles
  
  
• Have your kids catch a fish at the huge kids fishing tank
  
  
• Try out firearms from different manufacturers in a safe, supervised shooting range setting 
  
  
• Take an archery class or try out 3D archery on a walking course 
  
  
• Kids can shoot .22s and air guns while learning more about firearm safety 
  
  
• Get fishing tips from local tournament anglers and fishing guides at the fish demonstration tank 
  
  
• Learn about safe, responsible off-highway vehicle recreation. View quads, side-by-sides, and 4x4s, plus see rock crawler, trial bike and ATV demonstrations
  
  
• Try your hand at different specialty shooting disciplines, such as cowboy action shooting, black powder, practical pistol, and steel target shooting 
  
  
• See boating exhibits and learn about watercraft recreation and safety
  
  
• Make your way through a hunter education field course 
  
  
• View exciting shooting competition by the cowboy mounted shooters
  
  
• Attend informative workshops on wildlife viewing, hunting, nature photography, backcountry gear and more 
  
  
• Visit the Clay Target Center and learn how to shoot skeet, trap and sporting clays 
  
  
• Watch hunting dog demonstrations
  
  
• Visit with more than 100 exhibitors—sportsmen’s organizations, conservation groups, shooting clubs, government agencies, and commercial vendors of outdoor products and services

Trolley transportation is available throughout the Expo grounds, which are located on Carefree Highway, about ½ mile west of I-17. Just follow the signs.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 27 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 28. Admission and parking are free, but bring a little money for food and beverages or for the nominal ammunition fee if you want to try out firearms on the range.

The Gold Sponsor for this year’s Outdoor Expo is the American Red Cross, Grand Canyon Chapter. Silver Sponsors are Weatherby Foundation International, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, White Flyer Targets, Winchester Ammunition, and Diamond Ridge Development Corporation (Diamond Ridge partner contributors include Eagle Plumbing Services, Kat CSI Construction Services, Sunshine Painting, and Valleywide Plumbing.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is operated on a “user pay, user benefit” business model. The Outdoor Expo promotes wildlife-related and other outdoor activities to current and future customers who support the department’s mission and funding through their engagement in those activities. The department receives no Arizona tax dollars, and no tax dollars are used in conducting the Expo.

For more information about the Outdoor Expo, visit www.azgfd.gov/expo.

Arizona’s wildlife needs you to “make a mark” at tax time
Taxpayers can help conserve bald eagles, wolves, and tortoises, among others

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 help imperiled and endangered wildlife, including majestic bald eagles, black-footed ferrets, California condors, Apache trout, Mexican wolves and desert tortoises, among other nongame species. Nongame wildlife are those animals that are neither hunted nor fished in a traditional sense.

“While we recognize that economic times are difficult for many residents right now, we hope that people will recognize the value of protecting our wildlife during these critical periods,” says Mike Senn, the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s assistant director of wildlife management. “The cumulative effect of even a small donation has tremendous impact on protecting the state’s wildlife resources, which provide a variety of low-cost recreational opportunities for residents to enjoy.”

Arizona is one of 41 states that allows taxpayers to make a contribution to worthwhile causes. Since Arizona started the program more than 25 years ago, taxpayers have donated more than $5 million to the conservation of nongame animals. In 2007, the most recent year for which figures are available, the average donation was more than $21.

“Every dollar counts, and donations help ensure that the public has opportunities to view and enjoy one of Arizona’s greatest natural treasures – it’s diverse wildlife,” says Senn.

The Arizona Wildlife Fund box can be found on line “38” of the state’s income tax form.

For more information on the Arizona Wildlife Fund, visit www.azgfd.gov/makeamark. To learn more about the conservation and reintroduction efforts the fund supports, visit www.azgfd.gov/w_c/nongame_species.shtml.

A ton of catfish fun is coming to urban lakes

A ton of fun is heading to urban lakes soon – channel catfish will be stocked for the first time this season on Thursday, March 25.

From March 25 through early July, the Arizona Game and Fish Department expects to stock catfish totaling 14,000 pounds or so.

“The first seasonal stocking of Mr. Whiskers into the urban lakes has almost become a harbinger of spring – the Vernal equinox is March 20, so we are pretty close once again,” said Eric Swanson, the Urban Fisheries Program manager.

Plus, feisty bluegill will be stocked on the week of March 15-20 and most of the lakes will still have trout to catch as well – rainbows were stocked throughout the winter.

“It’s time to grab the fishing poles and get your family outdoors,” Swanson said. “Don’t forget, adults need an urban fishing license, but kids fish free.”

Young anglers under the age of 14 do not need a fishing license. Those 14 and older must have a valid urban fishing license, which costs $18.50 for both residents and nonresidents alike.

Channel catfish for the urban lakes are expected to average 15 to 20 inches in the 20 Urban Program Lakes.

Public meeting set to discuss habitat improvements to the Laguna Division Conservation Area
  
The Bureau of Reclamation will host a public meeting from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 18, to discuss habitat improvements to the Laguna Division Conservation Area. The meeting will be held at the Old Council Chambers at Yuma Crossing State Historic Park, 180 1st St., Yuma.

The proposed work is being done under the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program. The project’s design includes removal of non-native plant species, such as salt cedar, and replacing them with water channels, native trees (cottonwood and willow), and marsh habitat. The project proposes to modify approximately 1,200 acres. Work is scheduled to start in 2010 and to be completed by 2015.

The meeting will include informal presentations by the Bureau of Reclamation, the Arizona Game and Fish Department, and other parties involved with the restoration/enhancement project. Attendees will have the opportunity to speak with agency representatives after the presentations.

“We’re very supportive of this project,” said Thomas Bommarito, habitat specialist in the Game and Fish Yuma region. “It will provide habitat for several species of conservation concern such as the federally endangered Yuma clapper rail and game species such as waterfowl. The project also has the potential to allow more water to be delivered to Mittry Lake, enhancing fishing opportunities.”

Additional background information about the Laguna Division Conservation Area can be found at: http://www.lcrmscp.gov/worktasks/conservationareas/E27/index.html.

Agencies seek public’s help in wildfire incident

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Forest Service are seeking the public’s help in identifying the person(s) responsible for a wild land fire last fall in northern Arizona.

In the early morning hours of Monday, Oct. 19, 2009, a forest fire was reported to the Forest Service and local law enforcement in an area south of Forest Service Road 418, north of the San Francisco Peaks. The fire was south of the White Horse Hills in an area commonly known as Potato Flat. The subsequent investigation determined the fire started between 4 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, just south of Forest Service Road 418 and Potato Tank in Game Management Unit 7E.

Evidence discovered at the scene by investigators indicated unknown persons had built a small fire to cook and the fire was either left unattended or got away from them. The fire destroyed one seasonal cabin and burned over 98 acres of both wild land and private land.

Investigators have reason to believe the person(s) responsible for this fire were recreating in the area or looking at the changing leaves. There was an elk hunt in progress at the time and investigators are hopeful that hunters or other outdoor enthusiasts may have information helpful to the investigation.

If you have any information, or witnessed anything in the area of the Potato Flat, please call Lt. Rex Gilliland of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at (928) 226-5025 or Jon Nelson of the United States Forest Service at (928) 527-3509.

Last public forum on 2010 fall hunting regulations is March 15 in Pinetop
Department will follow up with six open houses in April

The Arizona Game and Fish Department on March 15 will host a public forum to allow constituents an opportunity to provide their input into this year's hunt recommendation package. The meeting will be held from 6-8 p.m. at the Game and Fish Pinetop regional office at 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd.

The meeting will provide details about the big game populations and management direction in the game management units within Region 1 (northeastern and eastern Arizona). This is the last in a series of public forums that have already been held in Kingman, Yuma, Tucson, Flagstaff and Mesa.

“If you have ever wondered, why did the Department recommend an increase or decrease in harvest in your favorite unit, these public forums offer that level of explanation,” said Brian Wakeling, chief of game management. “You will get to hear from a representative who has the knowledge from the survey data, hunter surveys, as well as the on-the-ground reports from wildlife managers.”

Wakeling added, “This improved hunt recommendation process allows us more flexibility in hearing from our constituents and making modifications, if they are warranted, before presenting the package to the commission.”

The final draft of the hunt recommendations will be made available for public review through six regional open houses prior to being presented to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. No formal presentation will be made. However, a knowledgeable staff person will be available to discuss regional hunt recommendations.

A PDF version will be available at the Game and Fish Department's Web site beginning Saturday, April 3 at www.azgfd.gov/huntguidelines.

Open house dates, times and locations are:

• Wednesday, April 7, 3-5 p.m. – Kingman regional office, 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road
• Monday, April 12, 3-5 p.m. – Pinetop regional office, 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd.
• Monday, April 12, 3-5 p.m. – Flagstaff regional office, 3500 S. Lake Mary Road
• Monday, April 12, 3-5 p.m. – Yuma regional office, 9140 E. 28th St.
• Monday, April 12, 3-5 p.m. – Mesa regional office, 7200 E. University Drive
• Wednesday, April 14, 3-5 p.m. – Tucson regional office, 555 N. Greasewood Road

Each year, the department makes recommendations to the commission regarding the management of game species for the annual hunting and trapping regulations, which establish the seasons, dates, bag limits, open areas, and hunt permit-tag allocations based on the framework of the hunt guidelines set by the commission every two years.

The final proposed recommendations will be presented to the commission for consideration during its April 16-17 meeting in Phoenix at the department headquarters at 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix (1.5 miles west of I-17). The agenda will be posted at www.azgfd.gov/commission under commission agenda.