PHOENIX — Arizona deer and elk hunters: The Arizona Game and Fish Department is requesting your assistance to monitor for the wildlife disease called chronic wasting disease (CWD). CWD is fatal to deer and elk, however, there is no evidence that it poses a risk to humans.

CWD has not yet been found in Arizona through regular annual testing since 1998. However, it is present in the neighboring states of Utah, Colorado and New Mexico.

“Thanks to the participation by hunters and taxidermists last season, we were able to nearly double our surveillance and collection of samples in areas of concern near neighboring states that have detected CWD,” said Clint Luedtke, wildlife disease biologist. “Continued assistance from elk and deer hunters in Game Management Unit 12B (which borders Utah) as well as GMUs 1 and 27 (which border New Mexico), are crucial in assuring CWD is not in Arizona in these potential corridors.”

For Kaibab and strip hunters, the Jacob Lake check station will open for collecting samples from Oct. 30 – Nov. 30 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the following exceptions: On Nov. 9 and 30, the station will close early at noon, and on Nov. 10-12 the station is closed.

In addition, from Nov. 6-8, department biologists will be working in the field in Unit 27. They will be seeking successful hunters to provide samples for the CWD monitoring effort.

However, all hunters can assist the monitoring effort by bringing in the head of their recently harvested deer or elk to any Game and Fish Department office between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Place the head in a heavy plastic garbage bag for delivery, and keep it cool and out of the sun. If the weather is warm, it is best to either bring in the head within a day of harvest or keep it on ice in a cooler before delivery.

To better assist the surveillance efforts, people will be asked to fill out a form with their drop-off. Please include the following information: county, game management unit in which the animal was harvested, hunt and permit number, and a contact address and phone number. If this information is not provided, the department will be unable to test the head.

Test results will be sent by postcard within six to eight weeks. There is no charge for the testing and notification.

Here are some guidelines for hunters when out in the field:

• Don’t harvest any animal that appears to be sick or behaves oddly. Call the Arizona Game and Fish Department at 1-800-352-0700 if you see an animal that is very thin, has a rough coat, drooping ears and is unafraid of humans.
• When field-dressing game, wear rubber gloves and minimize the use of a bone saw to cut through the brain or spinal cord (backbone). Bone out the meat. Minimize contact with and do not consume brain or spinal cord tissues, eyes, spleen, or lymph nodes.
• Always wash hands thoroughly after dressing and processing game meat.
• If you hunt in another state, don’t bring back the brain, intact skull or spinal column. It’s OK to bring back hides and skull plates that have been cleaned of all tissue and washed in bleach. Taxidermied heads, sawed-off antlers and ivory teeth are also OK to bring home.
• If you intend to hunt out of state, contact the wildlife agency in the area you intend to hunt. Several states have regulations on carcass movement.

The non-hunting public can also help prevent the potential spread of CWD. If you come across any deer fawn or elk calf in the wild, it should be left alone. Don’t assume it has been abandoned by the parent; in all likelihood, it hasn’t. Bing a “good Samaritan” and bringing these wild animals into captivity poses a risk to the state’s wildlife resources.

CWD is a neurodegenerative wildlife disease that is fatal to cervids, which include deer, elk and moose. Clinical symptoms include loss of body weight or emaciation, excessive salivation, increased drinking and urination, stumbling, trembling, and behavioral changes such as listlessness, lowering of the head, and repetitive walking in set patterns.

No evidence has been found to indicate that CWD affects humans, according to both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.

The department also has had rules in place since 2002 restricting the movement of captive deer and elk into or within the state, and subjecting those animals to marking and reporting requirements.

For more information about chronic wasting disease, visit www.azgfd.gov/cwd or www.cwd-info.org.

Tuesday, Oct. 13 by 7 p.m. (MST) is the latest that the Arizona Game and Fish department will accept applications for the random drawing process for spring bear, turkey, javelina and buffalo.

Applications may be hand delivered to any of the seven department offices around the state, or sent by U.S. mail to Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn: Drawing Section, PO Box 74020, Phoenix, AZ 85087-1052. Postmarks don’t count and there is no online application process available.

The 2010 Spring Turkey, Javelina, Buffalo and Bear hunt draw information booklet and application forms are available at more than 300 license dealers statewide, at Game and Fish offices, or by downloading from www.azgfd.gov/draw.

Note: a previous news release incorrectly noted “all spring bear hunts are issued over-the-counter.” This is incorrect, some general hunts and archery-only spring bear hunts are allocated through the spring big game draw process and require an application submitted by the deadline.

Deer hunters: Increase your odds for success
Game and Fish hunting clinic open to the public and webcast online

User submitted photo to the AZGFD photo gallery at www.azgfd.net/photos.

PHOENIX — Hunters preparing for deer season this fall are encouraged to attend or go online to enjoy a free deer-hunting clinic on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 6 p.m.

Hosted by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the clinic will inform and educate young and first-time hunters about the characteristics of deer, their habits and behaviors. The clinic will also offer tips and techniques for hunting these incredible animals in different habitats and weather conditions. Audience participation is encouraged, and questions from both the attending audience and those submitted by e-mail (webcast@azgfd.gov) from online viewers will be addressed.

The event will be held at the department’s Phoenix office at 5000 W. Carefree Highway. To accommodate all interested hunters and constituents, the event will be webcast live on the Internet by visiting www.azgfd.gov/webcast.

“It’s important to us to provide young and first-time hunters with the basic knowledge and skills to make their pursuit for deer a positive and rewarding experience,” said Brian Wakeling, chief of game management. “For many new hunters that ‘positive experience’ doesn’t always equate to harvesting an animal. It’s the pursuit that is exciting, and this clinic will provide them with the knowledge to help avoid some of the pitfalls that could distract from the hunt itself – like planning for weather, knowing one’s physical capabilities, not getting lost, and others.”

To learn more about hunting in Arizona, visit www.azgfd.gov/hunting.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Operation Game Thief program is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of the individual(s) responsible for illegally killing a doe.

Game and Fish personnel are investigating a case in which a doe was shot with an arrow and left to die during the deer opener on Aug. 21 at approximately 10:45 a.m. The incident took place in Game Management Unit 20A along Senator Highway between mileposts 6 and 7, just north of the 307 hiking trail. The location is six or seven miles south of downtown Prescott.

Virginia Gouldsbury, wildlife manager for unit 20A, explained the deer did not die quickly.

“After it was shot with the arrow, people witnessed this deer still walking around. This is a criminal act. Although it was the first day of the deer archery season, you aren’t allowed to take does,” Gouldsbury said. “However, this isn’t the act of a hunter; it’s the act of a poacher.

“This is theft from the residents of Arizona.”

The suspects were seen driving a relatively new dark blue, extended-cab pickup truck, possibly a Chevrolet. One suspect was described as balding, with short, graying hair. He is estimated to be between 35-45 years old, approximately 5-feet, 10-inches, and weighing between 255 and 265 pounds. He was wearing grayish camouflage pants and a green camouflage shirt.

The second suspect was seen only from behind and is estimated to be about 6 feet tall.
Gouldsbury explained the individuals responsible can be charged with take out of season and waste of game meat.

“We didn’t lose just the one deer,” Gouldsbury said, “we lost its future offspring as well. This is a solvable case, but we need a little help from the public.”

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact Operation Game Thief at (800) 352-0700. Calls can remain confidential upon request. Anyone with information is eligible for a reward of up to $1,500 upon arrest of the violator(s).

Gather up your shotgun, birdshot, retriever, and ice chest because Arizona’s dove season opens on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

“With the continued drying conditions throughout the state this summer, dove hunters will find birds concentrated around traditional agricultural areas due to the dependable food sources,” said Randy Babb, Arizona Game and Fish Department biologist and avid upland hunter. “This will provide some very good hunting opportunities for those that spend time scouting.”

Given that, hunters are encouraged to wear some hunter orange when taking to the field. Hunting doves doesn’t require full camouflage, and if you hold still before taking your shot, the dove won’t even notice, but other hunters will see you — even in pre-dawn light.

Babb added, “There are some desert areas that do have reliable water sources and good drainage that provide roosting cover, food, water and resting areas for doves that can be productive. Hunting a distant stock tank in the upper desert can provide an exciting and private hunting experience.”

The weather forecast for the opener is for dry and hot conditions. Expect morning temperatures to be in the 80s and ramp up 100 before you know it. Dove meat is fantastic when gathered and prepared properly. With high temperatures, be sure to get your harvest on ice quickly, or your taste buds will suffer severely.

The season runs from Sept. 1-15, with shooting hours starting one-half hour before sunrise. The sunrise time for central Arizona on Sept. 1 is 6:03 a.m. Adjust accordingly depending on if you are in the west or east ends of the state, up to nine minutes in some cases. Legal shooting hour ends at noon in the South Zone. However, all-day shooting hours are open to juniors statewide and all hunters in the North Zone (see regulations for details).

Bag limits are the same as previous years, with a 10-bird total of mourning and white-winged dove, of which only six may be white-winged doves. There is no limit on collared doves. Be sure to leave one feathered wing on each bird until you reach your final destination.

Before heading to the field, be sure to pick up plenty of shotgun shells. The unspoken average of shots per bird harvested is five to one – so make it three boxes of shells. Shot size No. 8 or 7 ½ bird shot will do.

A general hunting license is required for hunters ages 14 and up. The Arizona Migratory Bird Stamp is required for those 16 and older. However, for new and younger hunters there are two options. Young hunters under 14 may hunt without a license (2 maximum), when accompanied by a licensed adult – so take a youngster hunting. An apprentice license is available at no charge and valid for two days, allowing new hunters the chance to “try before you buy.” The license is valid for two consecutive days but must be issued to a licensed mentor. To hunt doves with the apprentice license a migratory bird stamp is required. To learn more about the new apprentice license, visit www.azgfd.govand select the license icon.

Ready? So where to go?

Arizona offers a plethora of public lands open to licensed hunters. The places to avoid are city limits (most have ordinances against discharging a firearm), and private property without written permission.

There are many agricultural areas in the central corridor of the state that border BLM or state trust land that will offer hunting opportunities.

Babb suggests, “Using Google Earth or the Delorme Gazetteer are great resources for identifying land ownership, topography (water holes, drainages, etc.) and other potential honey holes. Another great cross reference is to go online to http://rainlog.org(or similar site) and check out rainfall numbers to see up-to-date information for where the best crop and water sources may be.”

Lastly, to simplify learning how to dove hunt, the Arizona Game and Fish Department is hosting and teaming up with sportsmen’s groups to provide a number of designated hunts – some offering mentoring and equipment to help you get started. Schedule events are:

• Sept. 1-3: Habitat fundraiser dove hunt (fee required), Texas Hill Farms, Roll (east of Yuma). To register, contact getoutsideaz@gmail.com.

• Sept. 5-6: Juniors-only dove hunt, Robbins Butte Wildlife Area, near Buckeye (pancake and sausage breakfast provided by Chandler Rod and Gun Club). First-come, first-served, for details and directions, visit www.chandlerrodandgunclub.com.

• Sept. 5: Juniors-only dove hunt, Texas Hill Farms, Roll (east of Yuma). To register, contact getoutsideaz@gmail.com.

• Sept. 11-12: New hunters dove hunting seminar and hunt by AGFD and Chandler Rod and Gun Club. Seminar (required) on Sept. 11 at the AGFD Mesa Regional office, hunt on Sept. 12 in Queen Creek at Zimmerman Dairy. For additional information, contact David Carson (480) 987-4825 or Randy Babb (480) 324-3546.

Be sure to hunt in open areas, observe the ¼ mile rule when near a building (when in doubt, move further away), and always remove your trash from your hunting area (this includes your spent shotgun shells).

Of course, no matter where you go, remember to be safe. An easy lesson is the basic hunter’s safety rule T.A.B. +1:

• 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.

To learn more about the hunting opportunities offered by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, visit www.azgfd.gov/hunting.

Guidelines to be considered at Arizona Game and Fish Commission meeting Sept. 12

PHOENIX — The proposed hunt guidelines that will be used for developing the specific hunt recommendations and permit levels for the fall 2010 through spring 2013 hunting seasons are available for review on the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/huntguidelines.

“The hunt guidelines were formulated through an extensive collaborative effort between department biologists and the public,” said Brian Wakeling, the department’s chief of game management. “During many stages of this process we have asked the public to provide input to help shape these guidelines, using many venues including statewide public meetings, direct mailings, surveys (mailed and online), and general comments via mail or email.”

The department regularly reviews and revises the existing hunt guidelines according to the commission-approved schedule and recommends changes that address the current direction of the commission. The direction for the 2009 package is for standardization, simplification, and increasing hunter participation. The hunt guidelines set the framework, social and biological, that the department uses to develop specific hunt recommendations and permit level guides for commission orders (elk, deer, antelope, etc.).

Wakeling added, “The guidelines are based on sound science, but ultimately the social desires are also critical to crafting the document that will guide our hunt recommendations into the future.”

The proposed guidelines will be presented to the commission for approval at its Sept. 12 meeting at the Arizona Game and Fish Department headquarters on 5000 W. Carefree Highway in Phoenix. For a full agenda, visit www.azgfd.gov/commission under “Meeting Agenda.”

“Anyone still wishing to provide comment is encouraged to attend the Sept. 12 meeting when the commission considers the final package,” added Wakeling.

To learn more about the hunt guidelines process, visit www.azgfd.gov/huntguidelines.

Well, there are multiple opportunities to make your hunt dreams come true in Arizona.

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission awarded those Special Big Game License Tags, sometimes called Commissioners’ tags, to selected 501(c)(3) wildlife conservation organizations to raise funds for wildlife, so you should soon see information coming from those organizations on how you can participate.

The selected organizations will be marketing and selling the tags – some may already have started doing so.  Here’s the neat thing about this program — all revenues are returned to the Arizona Game and Fish Department to be directly used to benefit those species through wildlife and habitat management in coordination with the Arizona Habitat Partnership Committee. Administrative and marketing costs must be covered by the wildlife conservation organization.

As usual, it is you, the hunter conservationist, who generates the most revenue for wildlife conservation and management.

Tags are typically made available to the public through auctions or raffles. The uniqueness of these special tags is that the hunting season is year-round, but with the same wildlife conservation restrictions applied to other permit holders. These allow tag winners the time to pursue a trophy animal, many of which can only be found in the southwest and some only in Arizona – particularly, the Gould’s wild turkey, desert and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, Coues white-tailed deer, and the world-famous Kaibab mule deer.

The tags awarded in June are valid from Aug. 15, 2010 to Aug. 14, 2011.

Three tags for each of the following 10 Arizona big game species were allocated: pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, black bear, buffalo, elk, javelina, mountain lion, mule deer, Coues white-tailed deer and turkey. If you are interested in pursuing one of these tags, the following is a list of the organizations selected and how they will be making the tag(s) available to the public:

• Arizona Antelope Foundation (AAF) – Awarded three tags: two pronghorn antelope tags and one bear tag. One antelope and the bear tag are to be auctioned at the AAF banquet (date pending). One antelope tag is to be auctioned at the Arizona Elk Society Banquet in March 2010. Contact: www.azantelope.org .
• Arizona Bowhunter’s Association (ABA) – Awarded three tags: one each for bear, buffalo and javelina. All tags to be auctioned at the ABA 2010 annual banquet. Contact: www.arizonabowhunters.org.
• Arizona Big Game Super Raffle (AZBGSR) – Awarded 10 tags, one tag for each species. Raffle tickets sold all year, drawing to be held in summer 2010. Contact: www.arizonabiggamesuperraffle.com.
• Arizona Deer Association (ADA) – Awarded three tags, one each for mule deer, Coues white-tailed deer, and mountain lion. All tags to be auctioned at the ADA annual fundraiser. Contact: www.azdeer.org.
• Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society (ADBSS) – Awarded three tags, two bighorn sheep tags and one mountain lion tag. The Mexicana subspecies tag to be auctioned at the Wild Sheep Foundation (formally FNAWS) convention in Reno, Nev. in February 2010, the Rocky Mountain subspecies tag and the mountain lion tag will be auctioned at the ADBSS banquet in March 2010. Contact: www.adbss.org.
• Arizona Elk Society (AES) – Awarded two tags, one elk tag and one buffalo tag. Both tags to be auctioned at the AES fundraising banquet in March 2010. Contact: www.arizonaelksociety.org.
• Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) – Awarded three tags, one each for mule deer, Coues white-tailed deer and javelina. Both deer tags to be auctioned at the MDF 2010 National Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah in February 2010. The javelina tag is to be raffled at the Arizona chapter’s fundraiser and banquet (date pending). Contact: www.muledeer.org.
• National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF)  – A
  warded two turkey tags. One turkey tag to be auctioned at the NWTF 2010 Annual National Convention in Nashville, Tenn. in February 2010. One turkey tag to be raffled or auctioned by the Arizona Chapter of the NWTF (date pending). Contact: www.nwtf.org.
• Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) – Awarded one elk tag. Tag to be auctioned at the 26th Anniversary Elk Camp Convention in Reno, NV, March 2010. Contact: www.rmef.org.

And while nothing may match the excitement of having one of these coveted tags and the adventure they bring, the hunts pale in comparison to the projects put on the ground through the dollars raised.

Every dollar raised from each species tag goes directly to the management of that species and allows for a multitude of wildlife conservation projects. Management of the dollars and projects are in coordination with the Arizona Habitat Partnership Committee.

Projects range from water improvements, wildlife friendly fencing, wildlife studies, game surveys, translocations, habitat restorations, land acquisitions and more. Many of these projects are matched and further leveraged with other funding sources, labor, or supplied materials, stretching every dollar spent even further.

In the end, the real winners of the Special Big Game License Tag Program are the citizens of Arizona. Through the dedication of concerned hunters and sportsmen, Arizonans can continue to enjoy the state’s full complement of diverse wildlife for generations to come.

To learn more about the programs put on the ground by the Habitat Partnership Committee as a direct result of the Commission’s Special Big Game License Tag program, visit www.azgfd.gov/w_c/hpc.shtml.

These hunt recommendations are formulated according to the existing hunt guidelines approved by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission in August 2007, so hunters will see similar structures as they did this year.

“Other than relatively minor permit adjustments in response to changing wildlife populations, hunters should see a familiar package for 2010,” said Chief of Game Management, Brian Wakeling. “We are proposing to continue two over-the-counter programs, the juniors-only spring turkey season and the archery-only javelina season for metro units. We had some good feedback and feel these are invaluable improvements for introducing youth to hunting.”

Six open houses will be held at the department’s regional offices. At each of the open houses, a knowledgeable staff person will be available to discuss regional hunt recommendations and answer questions. No formal presentation will be provided. The scheduled open houses are:

For driving directions and a map of each location, visit www.azgfd.gov/offices.

If you are unable to attend one of these open houses, both of the hunt recommendations will be posted on the department’s Web site on Saturday, July 25, and you may download a PDF file to review at your leisure. The recommendations will be posted at www.azgfd.gov/huntguidelines under the “Recommendations” section heading.

The spring big game hunt and fall waterfowl regulations will be presented to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission for consideration Saturday, Aug. 8, during its regular meeting in Phoenix at the Arizona Game and Fish Department headquarters on 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ. 85086. For a full agenda, visit www.azgfd.gov/commission under “Meeting Agenda.”

Note: The guidelines two-year review will be presented to the commission in September.

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission approved the remaining big game fall hunting seasons for deer, turkey, javelina, bighorn sheep, buffalo, bear and mountain lion at its April 18 meeting in Phoenix.

The application deadline to apply for a hunt permit-tag is Tuesday, June 9 by 7 p.m. (MST), Postmarks do not count, and there is no online process available. You can start applying once the regulations are posted on the department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/draw.

Draw application instructions, season dates, permit numbers, hunt numbers and other draw related information will be published in the 2009-2010 Arizona Hunting and Trapping Regulations booklet that should be available for download at www.azgfd.gov/draw the last week in April. Printed copies of the booklet should be available at all Department offices and license dealers statewide no later than the second full week in May. To apply for a 2009-10 fall hunt permit-tag, paper applications must be used – no online application service is available.

Applicants should note, there is a new P.O. Box for submitting hunt permit applications and the new address should be reflected on the new envelopes. The new address is Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn.: Drawing Section, PO Box 74020, Phoenix, AZ 85087-1052. However, applications mailed to the old address will be automatically forwarded to the new address.

Another date to remember is – May 28 – which is the end of the application grace period. During the grace period, if you apply for one of the remaining fall hunts and make a mistake on the application, the department will attempt to call you three times in a 24-hour period and allow you the opportunity to correct the mistake. After that date, mistakes can cause your application to be rejected.

New for this season is a dual method and schedule for applying for leftover tags on a first-come, first serve basis. In an effort to streamline the process and reduce the waiting time, hunters will have the option to buy a leftover permit-tag at department offices – after a by-mail-only grace period.

“The mail-only process didn’t allow hunters to take advantage of a last minute openings in their schedule to go hunting, because we couldn’t process the paperwork quick enough, said Brain Wakeling chief of game management. “With this improvement, they can go to their local department office, see what hunts are available and buy it right there over-the-counter. This is a huge improvement in removing a barrier to hunter recruitment and retention.”

For first-come, first-serve leftover tags for fall 2009-10 hunts paper applications are accepted by mail only starting Aug. 3 after 8 a.m. Beginning Aug. 10 at 8 a.m. hunt permit-tags can be obtained at any department office or by the mail application process.

Another change worth noting is the deadline to apply for a pheasant permit is now the same as the fall draw deadline of June 9 by 7 p.m. MST. Pheasant hunters are to use the same application materials as the fall big game hunts with the new deadline date.

The department has tested approximately 12,500 deer and elk samples since beginning its surveillance program in 1998. None have tested positive for the disease. Although CWD has not yet been found in Arizona, it is present in three neighboring states: Utah, Colorado and New Mexico.

“We nearly doubled our surveillance and collection of samples in areas of concern where neighboring states have detected CWD, which makes announcing another season with no detection in Arizona very encouraging,” said Clint Luedtke, interim wildlife health specialist for the department. “However, we are going to continue to focus heavily in areas that border Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico during the 2009-10 season.”

Another improvement to the surveillance effort this year includes a professional cooperation with the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife. The samples they collected were also included for testing. All of those samples came back negative.

As in past hunting seasons, Game and Fish will be asking for hunters’ assistance this season in submitting deer or elk heads for free CWD testing. Heads can be brought to any Game and Fish Department office between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Luedtke added, “Arizona’s hunters, meat processors and taxidermists continue to play a crucial role in our surveillance program, and we cannot thank them enough in assisting this effort.”

Hunters who are successful in Game Management Units 12B and 27 are especially encouraged to submit heads for sampling because these units border states that have positively detected CWD. Deer and elk from these areas of the state have the greatest potential for initial detection of CWD. Additionally, because the Kaibab check station is only mandatory for Units 12AE and 12AW, it is typically more difficult to obtain samples from Unit 12B.

CWD is a neurodegenerative wildlife disease that is fatal to cervids, which include deer, elk and moose. Clinical symptoms include loss of body weight or emaciation, excessive salivation, increased drinking and urination, stumbling, trembling, and behavioral changes such as listlessness, lowering of the head, and repetitive walking in set patterns.

No evidence has been found to indicate that CWD affects humans, according to both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.

CWD was first identified in captive deer in Colorado in 1967 and has since spread to both captive and wild cervids in 15 states and two Canadian provinces. It is a naturally occurring prion disease belonging to a group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Other TSEs are bovine spongiform encephalopathy (also called “mad cow disease”) in domestic cattle, and scrapie in domestic sheep and goats.

The department has had rules in place since 2002 banning the importation of cervids designated as restricted live wildlife under commission rule R12-4-406(A)(9)(b), to protect against the introduction of CWD to free-ranging or captive wildlife.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department will continue to work in close coordination with other state and federal agencies to monitor for CWD.

For more information on CWD, visit the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/cwd; the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance Web site at www.cwd-info.org; or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site at www.cdc.gov (use the search feature for chronic wasting disease).

Mark your calendar for March 28-29 because you won’t want to miss the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s FREE Outdoor Expo at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix.

This is a hands-on, family-friendly event with lots to experience:

• Live wildlife displays, including hawks, owls, snakes, and more;
• Lots of kids’ activities, including catch-and-release fishing, archery, .22 rifles and air gun youth shooting, and a nature/field trail;
• Shoot a variety of firearms on the range;
• Workshops on hunting, fishing, wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation;
• Exhibits on OHV and boating recreation;
• Visit with outdoor organizations, government agencies and commercial vendors

This crowd-pleasing event is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, spread across four areas of the 1,650-acre Ben Avery Shooting Facility, located off Carefree Highway just west of Interstate 17 in Phoenix. A free trolley service will take expo goers to any and all areas that they chose.

The Outdoor Expo is a great way to reconnect with the outdoors, especially during the current economic downturn. When economic times are tough, time spent with family and friends outdoors can become even more valuable, maybe even more necessary.

Plus, the Expo is free and fun – that is one tough combination to beat, no matter what the economic outlook.

For information, visit:
www.azgfd.gov/expo

PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is bringing a new format to the fall hunt recommendation process by offering six public forums across the state to allow constituents an opportunity to provide input to regional biologists before the hunt recommendations are presented to the commission for the 2009-10 hunting seasons.

Each region will be providing details about the populations within their jurisdiction.  This means that if you have interest in a particular unit, you will need to attend the public meeting in that region to discuss management direction.

“This new process of including our customers before finalizing the hunt recommendations, will address the concerns of hunters earlier in the process, when we still have the ability to make changes if they are warranted,” said Brian Wakeling, chief of game management. “This collaboration should also reduce some of the questions during the commission meeting, improving the efficiencies of those public meetings.”

Constituents interested in attending a public forum where department biologists will be on hand to share the preliminary details of the recommendations may go to any of the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s regional offices.

Public forum dates, times and locations are:

• Tuesday, March 3, 6-8 p.m. – Pinetop regional office, 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd.
• Tuesday, March 3, 6-8 p.m. – Kingman regional office, 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road
• Tuesday, March 3, 6-8 p.m. – Yuma regional office, 9140 E. 28th St.
• Tuesday, March 3, 6-8 p.m. – Tucson regional office, 555 N. Greasewood Road
• Tuesday, March 3, 7-9 p.m. – Mesa regional office, 7200 E. University Drive
• Thursday, March 5, 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Flagstaff regional office, 3500 S. Lake Mary Road

After the public forums the final draft of the hunt recommendations to be presented to the commission will be made available for public review at six regional open houses. No formal presentation will be made. However, a knowledgeable staff person will be available to discuss regional hunt recommendations.

Open house dates, times and locations are:

• Tuesday, April 7, 3-6 p.m. – Kingman regional office, 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road
• Tuesday, April 14, 4-6 p.m. – Pinetop regional office, 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd.
• Tuesday, April 14, 4-6 p.m. – Flagstaff regional office, 3500 S. Lake Mary Road
• Tuesday, April 14, 3-5 p.m. – Yuma regional office, 9140 E. 28th St.
• Tuesday, April 14, 5-7 p.m. – Tucson regional office, 555 N. Greasewood Road
• Tuesday, April 14, 3-5 p.m. – Mesa regional office, 7200 E. University Drive

A PDF version of the 2009-10 hunt recommendations will be available for review at the Game and Fish Department’s Web site beginning Saturday, April 11 at www.azgfd.gov/h_f/hunt_guidelines.shtml.

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 next guidelines will be set in the summer of 2010 for hunting seasons 2010-11 and 2011-12.

The final recommendations are scheduled to be presented to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission for consideration during its April 17-18 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.

PHOENIX —  Waterfowl hunting season opens Friday, Oct. 3 in the mountain zone. The “liberal” season set by the federal framework and implemented by the Arizona Game and Fish Department is for a full 100 days, closing on Jan. 11 (in the mountain zone). However, duck hunters are reminded that the season is closed for canvasback ducks (pictured at right) and there is a shorter season for scaup ducks for 2008-09.

Canvasbacks and redhead ducks are similar in appearance and are commonly misidentified in the field. To complicate the matter, both of these ducks inhabit the same habitats and hunting grounds.

Mike Rabe, waterfowl biologist for the Arizona Game and Fish Department explains, “In flight, canvasbacks and redheads are very difficult to tell apart. However, up close, the back on the canvasback is bright-white, where the redhead’s back is a dirty-grey.”

“Upon landing, the most notable difference is the shape of the head. The canvasback has a distinctively different head shape than any other duck. It has a dramatic pointy slant with a dark black bill; the redhead has a typical duck head and a grey-colored bill with a black tip.”

However, if you are uncertain, refrain from shooting either species. Hunters are encouraged to focus on pursuing more commonly identifiable ducks like teal, mallard, widgeon, and gadwall ducks to avoid accidently shooting a canvasback out of season.

In addition, there is a shortened season for scaup ducks. The season start date is delayed for both the mountain and desert zones, Oct. 18 and Nov. 1 respectively, with a bag limit of only two scaup permitted.

Regardless of zone, waterfowlers need to be aware of a duck that is slightly similar to scaups – the ring-necked duck. Their coloration is very similar, but there are a few noticeable differences, even in flight.

“Scaup have a solid colored bill, where a ring-neck has two rings around its bill, one at the tip and the other right at the base where it meets the feathers,” says Rabe. “The backs are different too: the scaup is mostly black, while the ring-neck has a white back. The undersides, as shown in flight, are varied, with the scaup having white stripes at the back of the wing, while the ring-neck’s are almost completely dark.”

Hunters are reminded to be sure of their duck identification prior to shooting due to these conditions and to be familiar with the 2008-09 Arizona Waterfowl and Snipe Regulations for other seasons, bag and possession limits.

To improve your duck identification, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Web site on “Ducks at a Distance: A Waterfowl Identification Guide” by Bob Hines. The information can be viewed online, downloaded or ordered in a printed pocketbook version.

Or, when you are in the field, you can just look at your 2008-09 Arizona State Waterfowl stamp. The art features a pair of swimming canvasbacks.