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Arizona Waterfowl Hunter Calendar

Calendar of Events

November season dates: (Regulations can be downloaded at www.azgfd.gov/rules)

Dove late season: Nov. 20 - Jan. 3, 2010
Quail: Oct. 2 - Feb. 7, 2010: (Gambel’s and scaled)
Mearns’ Quail: Nov. 27 - Feb. 7, 2010
Tree Squirrel: Oct. 2 - Dec. 31
Blue Grouse: Sept. 11 - Nov. 15
Chukar: Sept. 11 - Feb. 7, 2010
Waterfowl (ducks and geese): Oct. 9 - Jan. 17 (Mountain Zone); Oct. 23 - Jan. 31 (Desert Zone). Some restrictions apply; see regulations.
Rabbits (jackrabbits and cottontails): Open year-round
Predators/Furbearers (coyotes, foxes, etc.): Open year-round

Tonto National Forest to hold open houses on proposed Travel Management Plan

The Tonto National Forest is hosting a series of travel management planning open houses during the month of November to give the public an opportunity to share ideas about the forest's system of roads, trails, and/or areas, review the proposed system, and submit comments about the proposal.

Two open houses have already been held in Tonto Basin and in Globe. Remaining open house locations and times in the various ranger districts are:

Payson Ranger District, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 6-7:30 p.m., Julia Randall Elementary School, 601 S. Greenway Parkway, Payson

In a news release posted on the Tonto National Forest Web site, the Forest Service provides the following information:

In 2005, the Department of Agriculture enacted a new planning rule to manage motorized vehicle use on all national forests and grasslands. This rule requires the Tonto National Forest to designate those roads, trails, and areas that are open to motor vehicle use. Designations will be made by class of vehicle and, if appropriate, by time of year. The final rule will prohibit the use of motor vehicles off the designated system, as well as use of motor vehicles on routes and in areas that are not consistent with the designations.

Tonto National Forest officials will be presenting a proposed system of roads, trails and areas. Based on public input, the alternatives will then be proposed in a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) which will be released to the public for comment. The final product will be a Motor Vehicle Use Map that shows which roads and trails will be open to motor vehicle use.

“Public involvement at this time is a critical component in developing a motorized travel system,” stated Delvin Lopez, Public Services Group leader for the Tonto National Forest. “By having these open houses in a variety of communities, we are hoping to get representative viewpoints and suggestions from a cross-section of forest visitors.

“The purpose of the Motor Vehicle Use Map is to comply with the requirements of the Travel Management Rule, to reduce problems caused by uncontrolled off-road travel, and to improve the current system of travel routes for public access and enjoyment,” said Lopez. “The development of a Motor Vehicle Use Map is an adaptive process in which future changes can be made in the public interest.”

For a copy of the forest travel management proposed action, visit the Tonto National Forest Web page at www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/travelmgt/index.shtml, or visit the Forest Supervisor's Office at 2324 E. McDowell Rd., Phoenix, Arizona, or one of the forest's district offices. For more information, contact Genevieve Johnson at (602) 225-5213.

Written comments regarding the proposed action may be submitted through December 4, 2009. Comments should be mailed to Travel Management Team Leader, Tonto National Forest, 2324 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85006.

For more information about the program, please visit the Tonto National Forest Web page at www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto or call the Tonto National Forest at (602) 225-5200.

2009 Banquet & Major Event Schedule

December 5 Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club Annual Dinner Banquet. For more information contact Dick Byrd at 928-344-9323.

2009 Conservation Projects and Mentored Hunt Calendar

November 19-22 Junior Deer Hunting Camp for Unit 20C. Location to be determined. Limited to those already issued a deer tag. For more information email azace@cox.net.

November 26-29 Bull Elk Hunt Camp for Unit 6A at Bar D Ranch. Open to those already issued an elk tag. For information call 623-866-8919 or azace@cox.net.

Arizona Chapter Safari Club International

November 19-22 Junior Deer and Javelina Hunt Camp at Marley Ranch, south of Tucson for units 3A and 36B (Limited Javelina tags are still available, deer tags are already issued). For information call 520-490-8367.

December 6-7 Fall clean up at Marley Ranch, Rancho Seco and Sopori Ranch.

Chandler Rod and Gun Club

New program teaches the fun sport of archery to families

Looking for a great activity the whole family can learn and enjoy?

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is offering a Family Archery Program at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix beginning Oct. 12. This introductory program is designed to give families a hands-on experience to learn more about archery and possibly start a new family tradition.

The program focuses on three specific archery disciplines: target, field, and 3D archery. Each participant is taught range rules, bow and arrow safety and handling, correct form and stance, and scoring for the different discipline venues.

The three-session program will be held Oct. 31, Nov. 7 and Nov. 14 (all Saturdays) from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The first session is mandatory and pre-registration is required. Participants must be 8 years of age or older.

The cost for the entire program is $40 for individuals, $45 for teams (at least one child and one adult), and $50 for families (at least one child and two adults). Equipment will be provided, however archers may bring their own equipment.

The Ben Avery Shooting Facility is located along Carefree Highway just west of the I-17 in Phoenix.

To pre-register for this event, please contact Brett Moser at (623) 582-8313 or e-mail bmoser@azgfd.gov.

Target archery shooters and bowhunters: Expand your skills, try 3-D targets
Arizona Game and Fish offers fun shoots

Step off the range and into the field and expand your archery skills in judging distances, terrain, and identifying the target zone on a variety of life-sized 3-D targets in a natural desert setting.

All ages and skill levels are welcome, so bring the entire family out to the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in north Phoenix to enjoy some cool fresh air and the Sonoran landscape. The 20-target course will add a new dimension to your archery skills.

“The course uses life-like animal targets (elk, turkey, bear, deer, etc.) set in the desert landscape and it makes for a fun and challenging shoot,” said Mike Raum, bowhunter education coordinator for Arizona Game and Fish. “On 3-D courses the distances are not marked. Targets could be on a hill or in a valley, and the scoring area varies on each target, much different from the target range. It’s a lot of fun.”

There are three shoots available this fall. No registration is required and the cost is minimal. For participants 17 and younger the course fee is only $3. The cost is $12 (includes $7 range fee) for shooters 18 and older. The scheduled shoots are:

Saturday, Dec 19, open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Additionally, the course is open to all Arizona Archery in the Schools shooters as part of the 3-D Regional Shoot. For Archery in the Schools 3-D information, please contact Tanja Washburn at (623) 236-7233 or twashburn@azgfd.gov

The Ben Avery Shooting Facility is located on the northwest corner of I-17 and Carefree Highway. Archers can enter the range at Archery Drive, which is the first light on Carefree Highway about 1.25 miles west of I-17. For a facility brochure and site map, visit www.azgfd.gov/basf.

To learn more about the outdoor programs like watchable wildlife, environmental education, fishing, shooting sports, hunting and others offered by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, visit www.azgfd.gov/getoutside.

Game and Fish partners with sportsmen groups to host clinics for first-time hunters

PHOENIX Parents, do you want to see your kids take a break from playing video games all day and get outdoors for some healthy activity?

Then check out the Arizona Game and Fish Department, your outdoor recreation resource. The department has partnered with dedicated sportsmen groups to offer first-time hunters dozens of mentored, hands-on, how-to hunting and shooting opportunities this fall.

For the majority of these events, all the participant has to do is show up and the mentors take care of the rest, including food and equipment. For others, participants must bring basic outdoor camping gear, and some hunts may require a hunting license and appropriate tags or stamps.

“Hunting in Arizona is very safe and it provides a healthy experience for the body, the mind and the soul,” said Arizona Game and Fish Director Larry Voyles. “Not only is it fun and challenging, but hunters play a critical role in modern wildlife conservation through harvest, funding, habitat restoration, advocacy and more.

A national survey in 2008 reports there is overwhelming public support for hunting. One method identified by the study to increase hunting participation is to provide new hunters with a mentored experience to teach them the skills needed to foster their self-interest.

Therefore, in teaching this valuable tradition in the 21st century, the department is taking on an approach like that of organized sports. The department’s Mentored Hunting Camp Project connects experienced sportsmen organizations with interested new hunters into a setting that teaches them the basic skills, ethics, and how-to’s in a safe and positive environment to foster those who have an interest in hunting but have no means with which to get started.

“Hunting is an American tradition that historically has been passed down from generation to generation, much like a skilled trade. However, as Arizona continues to transform from a rural- to an urban-based society, these traditions are not fostered like in years past, resulting in hunter participation rates not keeping pace in comparison to rising population levels,” added Voyles

Funded by the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s (NSSF) Hunter Heritage Grant Program, the Arizona Game and Fish Department created a pass-through grant program to local nonprofit organizations for the Mentored Hunting Camp Project.

“Arizona Game and Fish’s mentor program is an excellent example of thinking outside the box to put new hunters in the field,” said Melissa Schilling, National Shooting Sports Foundation, recruitment and retention manager. “This proposal is a ‘model’ program for other agencies to roll into their hunter recruitment and retention efforts.”

Voyles noted, “The NSSF Hunter Heritage Grant Program provided our agency an invaluable opportunity to develop a new program with our sportsmen’s groups for recruiting the hunter-conservationists of the future.”

Hunters are the original wildlife conservationists. Dating back more than 100 years ago, forward thinkers like President Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir, Aldo Leopold, and others began to establish laws and management practices that would assure the sustainability of wildlife and their habitats for future generations. These mentored hunting camps are a way for today’s youth to become a part of this ongoing tradition and play a role in wildlife conservation.

The types of hunts, time of year and location can accommodate nearly any schedule, and include:

Nov. 19-22, Junior Deer & Javelina Hunt Camp – Hosted by Arizona chapter of the Safari Club International at Marley Ranch south of Tucson for units 36A and 36B (Limited javelina tags still available, deer tags already issued). For information, call (520) 490-8367.
Nov. 19-22, Junior Deer Hunt Camp – Hosted by Arizona Deer Association, location to be determined, for unit 20C (Open to those already issued a deer tag). For information, call (623) 866-8919 or azace@cox.net.
Nov. 26-29, Bull Elk Hunt Camp – Hosted by Arizona Deer Association at Bar D Ranch for unit 6A (Open to those already issued an elk tag). For information, call (623) 866-8919 or azace@cox.net.
Dec. 5-6, Predator Hunting Seminar and Camp – Hosted by Huachuca Gould’s chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, at Rose Tree Museum in Sierra Vista. To register, contact (520) 508-4272.
Dec. 5-6, Small Game Hunting Camp – Hosted by Chandler Rod and Gun Club, at Gold Canyon. To register, e-mail info@chandlerrodandgunclub.com.
Dec. 11-13, Junior Waterfowl Hunting Camp – Hosted by Southwest Habitat Partnership, at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge. To register, e-mail getoutsideaz@gmail.com.
Dec. 18-21, Junior Muzzleloader Deer Hunting Camp – Hosted by Mohave Sportsman Club, at Cain Springs in unit 16A (Open to those already issued a deer tag). For information, call (928) 758-2355.
December (date pending), Shotgun Shooting Camp – Hosted by Northeastern Arizona Sportsman’s Association in St. Johns. To register, call (928) 337-3768.
Jan. 16-17, Quail Hunting Camp – Hosted by Cochise Bird Dog Club at Empire Ranch near Sonoita. To register, call (520) 458-1584.
Jan. 21-24, Juniors Javelina Hunting Camp – Hosted by Arizona Deer Association, location to be determined, in unit 20C (Apply for javelina tag before Oct. 13, Hunt No. 5039). For information, call (623) 866-8919 or azace@cox.net.
Jan. 21-24, Javelina Hunting Camp – Hosted by Arizona Deer Association, location to be determined, in unit 23 (Apply for javelina tag before Oct. 13, Hunt No. 5040). For information, call (623) 866-8919 or azace@cox.net.
Jan. 22-24, Junior Jack Rabbit Hunting Camp – Host by Arizona chapter of the Safari Club International, at Altar Valley. To register, contact (520) 490-8367.
April 15-18, Youth Turkey Hunting Camp – Hosted by National Wild Turkey Federation, location to be determined, in Unit 6A near Flagstaff (Turkey tag required, available at any license dealer). For information, call (928) 848-4549.
April 15-18, Youth Turkey Hunting Camp – Hosted by National Wild Turkey Federation at Colcord Ridge Campground for units 3, 4, and 23 (Turkey tag required, available at any license dealer). For information, call (928) 848-4549.
April 15-18, Youth Turkey Hunting Camp – Hosted by National Wild Turkey Federation at Alpine for units 1 and 27 (Turkey tag required, available at any license dealer). For information, call (928) 848-4549.

Several other events made available by the grant program have already occurred (see list below). However, many of these are annual events and are worth noting in your calendar:

August, Christian Hunting and Shooting Camp – Hosted by Grace Community Church Group at Nowell Tree Farm.
September, Junior Dove Hunt – Hosted by Chandler Rod and Gun Club and Arizona Game and Fish Department at department’s Robbins Butte Wildlife Area.
September, Junior’s Fall Turkey Hunting Seminar – Hosted by Huachuca Gould’s chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation in Sierra Vista.
September, Beginner’s Dove Hunt – Hosted by Chandler Rod and Gun Club and Arizona Game and Fish Department in the East Valley.
September, Trap Shooting Camp – Hosted by Mohave SCTP at Seven Mile Hill Shooting Range in Kingman. To register, call (928) 758-2355.

To learn more about hunting, how to get a big game tag and other programs, visit the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/hunting under "Mentored Hunting."

Provide your input on Arizona’s State Wildlife Action Plan
Proposed revisions to be presented at series of public meetings

The Arizona Game and Department will hold a series of public meetings and accept public comment as part of an effort to update and revise Arizona’s State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP).

This document, previously known as the Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, was accepted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s National Acceptance Advisory Team in April 2006. The approved plan requires the department to conduct a public review of the plan after the fourth year.

Arizona’s SWAP is unlike existing recovery plans and other regulatory documents in that it builds on and complements existing plans and wildlife conservation projects that are already underway. The plan outlines strategies and conservation actions aimed at promoting partnerships and coordinating efforts among all who hold a stake in conserving Arizona’s wildlife. As such, the plan addresses the full array of wildlife and habitats but focuses on identifying and managing the “wildlife and biotic communities of greatest conservation need”.

The review will focus on three main areas of the plan:

The “Species of Greatest Conservation Need,” including the criteria used to determine their status and their spatial distributions.
The spatial distribution of stressors to wildlife, including a vulnerability assessment for climate change.
Delineation of landscapes of conservation concern.

The public meetings are scheduled to run from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the following dates:

Tuesday, Dec. 15, Kingman, Arizona Game and Fish Department Kingman regional office, 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road.
Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010, Tucson, Arizona Game and Fish Department Tucson regional office, 555 N. Greasewood Road.
Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010, Yuma, Arizona Game and Fish Department Yuma regional office, 9140 E. 28th St.
Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010, Mesa, Arizona Game and Fish Department Mesa regional office, 7200 E. University Drive.
Dates, times and locations for meetings in Flagstaff, Pinetop, and Phoenix will be announced soon.

The public meetings will include a formal presentation followed by the opportunity to participate in working groups that will discuss the plan’s main areas listed above.

In addition, the department will post the existing document and proposed changes at www.azgfd.gov/w_c/cwcs.shtml. The Web page will have a mechanism for people to submit comments to the department.

For over a decade, a coalition of more than 3,000 conservation organizations known as “Teaming With Wildlife” has labored to keep species from becoming endangered by increasing state and federal funding for wildlife conservation. This effort culminated in 2001 when federal legislation established a new State Wildlife Grant (SWG) program. SWG funds are used to support the needs of wildlife, their habitats, and related recreational and educational activities.

In order to continue receiving SWG funds, each of the 56 U.S. states and territories were required, by Congress, to submit a SWAP for approval to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Guidelines for developing the state plans and the eight required elements in each plan were established by state fish and wildlife agencies working with the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the Teaming With Wildlife Committee.

Arizona’s SWAP is the culmination of a two-year effort during which the department solicited input from numerous experts, resource professionals, federal and state agencies, sportsmen groups, conservation organizations, Native American tribes, recreational groups, local governments and private citizens, and integrated those ideas and concerns into a single, comprehensive vision for managing Arizona’s fish, wildlife, and wildlife habitats.

The department is encouraging all of those previous participants, as well as any other member of the public, to contribute to this review effort.

Arizona Waterfowl Hunter Calendar

Arizona Game & Fish Calendar

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