COLCORD RIDGE, Mogollon Rim – The mountains, mentors, wildlife officers, volunteer instructors, gobblers, guides and even the wind had a lot to teach 180 or so camo-clad youngsters during the opening weekend of the spring turkey season. With a lot of able assistance from sportsmen’s organizations, the Arizona Game and Fish Department conducted two youth [...]

Apprentice Hunting License offers “test drive” at no cost Aids sportsmen to become mentors and assist hunter recruitment By Doug Burt, public information officer, AGFD Photo courtesy of NSSF, Hunter Heritage Partnership The Arizona Game and Fish Department is now offering a new “Apprentice Hunting License,” at no charge, to encourage existing hunters to become [...]

By Kellie Tharp, environmental education program manager, AGFD I never thought I would have so much fun and instantly get hooked on dove hunting. I was fortunate enough to get out four times during the early dove season. For me, it wasn’t how many doves I was able to harvest, it was the outdoor experience. [...]

By Doug Burt, public information officer, AGFD Are you interested in hunting, but don’t know how to get started? The Arizona Game and Fish Department is continuing to provide new outlets for beginners interested to find their way into the field. During this hunting season the department is hosting a number of introductory programs, including [...]

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. The Arizona Game and Fish Department introduced its online [...]

Hunters comprise multi-faceted public By Rory Aikens, public information officer, Arizona Game and Fish Department Arizona’s hunters do not share a uniform view of what hunting opportunity should be. An online survey and a telephone survey of recent hunt applicants conducted for the Arizona Game and Fish Department by Responsive Management of Harrisonburg, Virginia, last [...]

The future of hunting: Recruitment and retention efforts are crucial By Rory Aikens, public information officer, Arizona Game and Fish Department The concerted effort to increase hunter recruitment and retention in Arizona didn’t happen overnight, but it did have a major point of genesis. The management shift in Arizona to create more hunting opportunities and [...]

Sportsman’s club partners with SCTP team to teach quail hunting, bird dog skills By Dave Higgins, president, Cochise Bird Dog Club For the second consecutive year, the Sierra Vista-based Cochise Bird Dog Club partnered with the Huachuca Hot Shots team from Arizona’s Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) to conduct a youth quail hunt on the [...]

Shed hunters: Use off-highway vehicles with care this spring By Ian Satter, public information officer, Arizona Game and Fish Department A popular spring pastime for many is hunting for shed deer and elk antlers, and the Arizona Game and Fish Department is asking shed hunters using off-highway vehicles (OHVs) to act responsibly and not harm [...]

Don’t risk your hunting privileges by littering By Tom Cadden, public information officer, Arizona Game and Fish Department Most of us who love the outdoors are taught at a young age that you should respect the land on which you hunt, fish and recreate. Sportsmen are typically conscientious about protecting our resources by not littering and [...]

Experience the great outdoors at the Arizona Game and Fish Department Outdoor Expo By Tom Cadden, public information officer, Arizona Game and Fish Department Outdoor enthusiasts: You won’t want to miss the FREE Arizona Game and Fish Department Outdoor Expo on March 31 and April 1 at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix. Want [...]

Arizona Game and Fish Department Outdoor Expo to be held March 31 and April 1 By Tom Cadden, public information officer, Arizona Game and Fish Department Outdoor enthusiasts: Mark your calendars! You won’t want to miss this year’s Arizona Game and Fish Department Outdoor Expo, being held Saturday, March 31 and Sunday, April 1 at [...]

Use your OHV responsibly during hunting season By Ian Satter, public information officer, and Joe Sacco, OHV law enforcement program manager, Arizona Game and Fish Department With the advantages that off-highway vehicles (OHVs), specifically all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), provide during hunting season, more and more people have been using them in recent years. Because ATVs are [...]

Supplemental hunter education classes enhance knowledge By Bill Larson, former hunter education coordinator, Arizona Game and Fish Department In 1999, the Arizona Game and Fish Department began offering supplemental one-day classes to hunters who have already taken a basic hunter education class in another state. Participants are required to show that completion of their basic [...]