Game and Fish places employee on administrative leave

March 9, 2010

PHOENIX – The Arizona Game and Fish Department yesterday formally placed one of its employees on administrative leave with pay as a result of an interim finding in the department’s ongoing internal administrative investigation into the events surrounding last year’s capture of the jaguar known as Macho B.

The department took this action based on statements made by the employee during the course of the internal investigation, bringing about a need to consider taking administrative action to resolve concerns raised by the statements.

Under state personnel rules, placing an employee on paid administrative leave relieves the employee of duties, pending a determination on what final administrative action may be taken.

Department officials said the employee’s statements were related to the employee’s actions taken several weeks after the capture, recapture and euthanization of Macho B. The department continues to maintain that it did not direct any department employee to capture a jaguar, and that the department’s actions related to the capture were lawful.

Department officials added that the Game and Fish internal investigation cannot be considered completed until the department has an opportunity to review whatever findings may come out of a concurrent federal investigation being conducted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Information about events related to Macho B can be found at www.azgfd.gov/MachoB.

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“I just received the new M2D CAMO Snow pattern. I have very limited supplies, like only 55 sets.

I am selling as a set only to the first come first serve. Pants are Med, Large, or XL Jackets are Large, XL , and XXL Hats are one size fits all

You get a
6 pocket pant
Lightweight Jacket
and Ball Cap

Price is $80.00 for the whole set, and shipping. Shipping should be $12.00 for one outfit.

For those of you that waited on buying fleece, you know this will not last long. We may never make this again, so if you really want a good snow pattern, you better get it now.

Thanks

–
Sparky

www.m2dcamo.com Camo Products”

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Angler’s United
www.anglersunited.org
-March 27 “Just for Kids Fishing Day” at Kiwanis Park in Tempe from 7:00am to 10:00pm for more information call 480-350-5650

Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society
www.adbss.org
-March 27 Opal Sohler Catchment in Unit 13B, Grand Wash Cliffs. Contact 480-854-8950 or assnmgmt1@cox.net

Arizona Elk Society
www.arizonaelksociety.org
- March 20, Annual Banquet at Mesa Centennial Hall, for more information contact Steve Clark at 602-885-0835 or at stevec@arizonaelksociety.org.

“This year the Arizona Elk Society is proud to be auctioning three of the Special Commissioners Big Game Tags. These include the Commissioners Elk Tag, Commissioners Buffalo Tag and the Commissioners Antelope Tag. The Season for these tags run from Aug. 15th, 2010 to Aug. 14th, 2011. For information on open hunting areas please see the AZGFD website. Buying one of these tags is a great opportunity to help out Arizona’s Wildlife Management and possibly harvest a great animal.

Along with the Commissioner Tags, there are some great Big Game Hunts, Trips and other great auction items rolling in. If you are interested in donating to the AES, looking for information on the Commissioner Tags or needing information about the Banquet and other events please vist out website at www.arizonaelksociety.org. Banquet tickets are available online.”

National Wild Turkey Federation, AZ Chapters
www.nwtf.org/in_your_state/lists.php?STATE=AZ
-(Valley Longbeards) March 20, “Heritage Banquet”, Phoenix Mountain Preserve, 1431 E. Dunlap, Phoenix, 85068. For more information call 602-881-6815.

-(Southern Arizona Chapter) March 13, “Heritage Banquet”, Hotel Tucson City Center, 475 N. Granada Ave., Tucson, 85701. For more information call 520-579-3777.

Safari Club International, Phoenix Chapter
www.phxsci.org
-March 26-27, Annual Fundraiser, Scottsdale Resort and Conference Center (7700 E. McCormick Pkwy. 85258). For more information call 480-496-0701

Yuma Valley Rod & Gun Club
www.yvrgc.com
- March 30 to April 4, $16,000 CashRaffle, Yuma County Fair
-1st Place ($10,000)
-2nd Place ($3,000)
-3rd Place ($2,000)
-4th Place ($1,000)

$20 per ticket- Available Now! For more information call Paul Williams at 928-343-9099 or Ebert Fike at 928-783-5273

-March 26 to 28, “Predator Challenge”, Adair Park (located 16 miles NE on Highway 95, with entry 3/4 miles east of the McPhaul bridge). $40 entry fee. For more information call Ken at 541-305-0917.

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Arizona River Data

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Jim Hinkle, Big Game Management Supervisor for AGFD asked me to post this since he has seen questions in this forum about how surveys are done. Thanks Jim for taking the time to write this up!!

If you guys have more questions after you read this, I am sure he would be glad to try and answer them.

Amanda

Game Surveys and Management

I’m told there is great interest by members of this web site regarding how Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) conducts game surveys and how that information is used to prescribe harvest and permit numbers. While it would take a book length dissertation to cover the full theory, practice, and statistical considerations of assessing wild populations, I will attempt to cover the basics within this post.

The bottom line for those of you whose personalities, professions or avocations lead you to seek absolutes; be prepared – absolutes are rare in game management! We cannot count all our wildlife nor can we absolutely know how many animals our hunters are taking. Everything we do relies upon estimates. I know that doesn’t make some of you feel very warm and fuzzy, but it is the truth. We do the very best we can given the tools at our disposal and the financial and human resources we have to use them, but we will never possess the precision that many of our critics would like.

Herd Counts (not really)!
The most important rule of surveying game populations is:

YOU CAN’T COUNT THEM ALL!

This is why we call them surveys, not counts.

No matter how many helicopters or observers you have, you will never be able to count all the deer, elk, etc. in the state. Why? Because the state is just too big and many of the habitats are difficult to observe in (think mixed conifer forest or ponderosa pine with a juniper-oak understory). Also the critters don’t enjoy being counted so they do things to frustrate game surveyors like hiding or leaving the country before they can be seen.

So if you can’t count them all, what do you do? You count a portion or subset of them and measure a population parameter other than total number. The population parameters that we and other states have found most useful for the antlered and horned mammals are male to female and young to female ratios. It works like this. Give a couple of wildlife managers a helicopter, a pilot and enough Jet A fuel to fly around for a few hours. The WMs map out a survey route ahead of time that uses either a series of line or block transects to cover a portion of the various habitat types in their unit. They go fly around counting and classifying (is it a male, female or young-of-the-year?) everything they see and generally have a great time when they’re not puking. They come back to earth with filled out survey sheets of their observations. Those observations are then totaled into an annual survey for the unit.

How and When
Throughout my 25-year career I have surveyed every big game species, except buffalo, by every method possible. I have conducted hundreds of hours and thousands of miles of foot, horseback, vehicle, fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter surveys. My mule tracks are all over the Blue Range Primitive Area. Without a doubt, helicopters are the most effective method for observing the most animals in the shortest amount of time. Period. Fixed-wing aircraft work almost as well for pronghorn (flat open country) at a third of the cost of helicopter time, which is why we do our pronghorn surveys with airplanes. Foot, vehicle and horseback surveys which we still employ in certain circumstances simply require too much man-power time to be our primary survey technique.

We do surveys for herd animals during their breeding season, so that we have the best chance of observing mixed-sex groups. When one of the main goals of your survey is to measure the male to female ratio, you want the boys to be with girls and not off hiding out in bachelor groups playing cards and smoking cigars. For deer this means we survey in very late December and January. Elk during late August and early September. Pronghorn during late July and August. You get the picture. The other benefit of surveying during the rut is that young of the year are still small enough to be easily distinguished, but they are also old enough to be running with the herds and past the point of the greatest mortality. Most mortality in fawns, calves or lambs occurs within the first few weeks of life. Once they are several months old, their chances of surviving to adulthood is much greater. Surveying young of the year at several months old gives us a better idea of what will survive and recruit to adulthood vs. what was born.

Comparing Apples to Apples
So now you have your survey numbers, but not total population count, so what do you do with the numbers? To explain, let’s use an example. Assume you have a herd of pet deer on a farm. Within your herd you have 10 bucks, 50 does and 25 fawns. You neighbor also has a deer herd. His herd has 12 bucks, 70 does and 25 fawns. Which herd is in better shape? Tough to tell from the raw numbers, so we convert the numbers into standard ratios based on the number of does. Bucks divided by does multiplied by 100 equals the number of bucks per 100 does. Fawns divided by does multiplied by 100 equal fawns per 100 does. Trust me on the math. Converting our two deer herds into standard ratios yields:

20 bucks: 100 does: 50 fawns for farm #1 and,

17 bucks: 100 does: 36 fawns for farm #2.

Biologically speaking, farm #1 has a healthier deer herd, even though farm #2 has more total deer. Why is farm #1 better? Keep reading.

What’s in a Ratio?
So what do the ratios mean? The young to female ratio is representative of a population’s ability to maintain numbers or grow and is influenced by a variety of factors such as nutrition and predation. Generally speaking, for mule deer it takes about 40 fawns per 100 does measured in mid-winter to replace natural mortality. Herds with less than 40:100 are declining and herds with greater are growing. This fawn to doe measurement is an indicator of herd trajectory based largely on environmental factors (precipitation, forage quality/quantity, predation, disease, etc.). Hunt management has little to no effect on young to female ratios, especially for those species where only males are harvested.

Conversely, male to female ratios are a reflection of what our hunt management has done to the herd. A deer herd in an un-hunted state would have buck to doe ratios of near 100 bucks per 100 does. Our harvests maintain these ratios at considerably lower levels. The keys to buck: doe ratios are 1) maintain enough bucks to ensure all of the does are bred (biological) 2) manage buck numbers to balance hunter opportunity with hunting experience (social).

Research studies suggest that ratios as low as 5-10 bucks per 100 does are adequate to ensure that all does are bred. Low male to female ratios are not, nor likely have ever been a biological limitation in Arizona’s elk, deer, antelope or sheep herds. Socially, the effects of male to female ratios on hunting experience can be quite different. A deer herd managed for high buck: doe ratios, say 40 bucks per 100 does, would result in a superior hunting experience (high hunter success, high number of bucks observed, high number of older age class bucks) at a cost of limited hunter opportunity (only a few hunters are able to go). Our alternative management units like the AZ Strip and the North Kaibab are managed this way. Conversely, a deer herd managed for lower buck: doe ratios, say 10-20 bucks per 100 does, would result in near maximum hunter opportunity with the cost of a diminished hunter experience (lower hunter success, lower number of bucks observed, lower number of older age class bucks), which is how our standard management units are managed under the current Commission approved guidelines for hunting seasons. If you have never seen our hunt guidelines, they are posted on our website (see link below).

http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/hunt_guidelines.shtml

The guidelines are the “recipe” for how we manage the hunted species in Arizona. The guidelines web page also does a good job of explaining how the guidelines are developed and approved. If you are dissatisfied with specific or general hunting experiences in Arizona, getting involved in the hunt guideline development process is the best way to influence positive change.

A Simple Hunt Recommendation
Armed with your new-found knowledge, let’s see if you can follow a simple deer hunt recommendation. Your unit has a current buck to doe ratio of 20:100 and a fawn to doe ratio of 40:100. Your target buck to doe ratio is 10-20:100. You are right at the top of the target buck to doe ratio range. With 40 fawns per 100 does you are replacing natural mortality, but not growing. Given that information, would you increase, decrease or leave harvest (permits) the same as last year? You got it…no change. If your buck to doe ratio was higher than 20:100, you could increase tags, especially if you had a fawn to doe ratio of higher than 40:100. Obviously if the buck to doe ratio was lower than 10:100 you would decrease tags. At the most basic level, it’s all about keeping the ratio within the target range.

But Really, How many are there?
Refer back to the rule, you can’t count them all. But you can count them in ways that lead to an estimate of how many there are. The method we are now implementing on most aerial surveys involves the use of a simultaneous double-count recording technique to estimate the observation rate of the surveyors (e.g. a 65% percent observation rate means that of every 100 animals that are within visual distance of the aircraft, only 65 are actually seen). Secondly, by GPS mapping our survey flight and animal observations, we can establish a number of animals observed per unit area and then expand it out to the area of the management unit. Combining the observation rate and density expansion works like this:

We fly 100 linear miles of helicopter deer surveys and record every deer observed within 1/8 mile of the flight path (220 yards on either side of the ship). The exact distance from the flight path to the animal is easily verified using the helicopter’s GPS unit. So the total flight area is 100 miles long x ¼ mile wide = 25 square miles. Say we see 112 deer on this flight but using the simultaneous double-count method to determine our observation rate, it is determined that we only see 75% of the deer that are actually there (remember the rule!). So 112 deer observed divided by a .75 observation rate equals 150 deer estimated to be within the survey area. We then divide the 150 deer estimate by the 25 square miles surveyed and determine an average of 6 deer per square mile of habitat surveyed. If the deer are equally distributed within our unit, and our unit is 1000 square miles in area, we multiply 6 deer per square mile by 1000 total square miles and end up with a population estimate of 6000 deer. Simple, right? Not really. This is an over-simplified example but gives you an idea of what can be done. The simultaneous double count stuff is really quite complicated. Just so you know I’m not making this up, do a Google search for “simultaneous double count” and you will find several scientific publications documenting the use of this technique.

That’s all I’m going cover for now. Post back with questions and I’ll do my best to answer. At some time in the future I’ll do other pieces on the hunter questionnaire program, use of long-term data sets and population modeling to further refine population estimates and assist in hunt recommendations.

Good Hunting,
Jim

If you’d like to ask a question or join in the conversation, you can view the thread HERE.

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You and your family will want to mark your calendars now and make plans to attend one of Arizona’s largest outdoor expos.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department Outdoor Expo will be held Saturday, March 27 and Sunday, March 28 at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility, located off Carefree Highway just west of I-17 in Phoenix.

There will be activities galore for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages:

See live wildlife demonstrations (hawks, owls, snakes, more)
Take your kids to the huge catch-and-release fishing tank
Test your skill at archery
Try target shooting with different firearms on the range
Hike a nature trail/field course
See off-highway vehicle and boating exhibits
View exciting demonstrations by the cowboy mounted shooters, cowboy action shooters and more
Attend informative workshops on fishing, hunting, wildlife conservation
Visit with exhibitors—sportsmen’s organizations, conservation groups, shooting clubs, government agencies, and commercial vendors of outdoor products and services
This is a great event to experience or learn more about the amazing outdoor recreational opportunities in Arizona. Outdoor recreation is an ideal way to spend quality time with family and friends.

Admission to the Expo and parking are free, but bring a little cash for snacks and drinks at the food court or to purchase ammunition (nominal fee) if you want try out firearms on the range.

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 Expo, visit www.azgfd.gov/expo.

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The Arizona Game and Fish Department is requesting your assistance to help build a wildlife water catchment on the weekend of March 12-14th. We will be constructing a new water development in the 96 Hills in Game Management Unit 37B for wildlife, and we would greatly appreciate your help. We will be camping out close to the project site on Friday and Saturday nights (March 12th and 13th). Assistance would be greatly appreciated on Friday and/or Saturday if possible, even if you can only help for a day. Dinner will be provided on Saturday night for those who would like to relax around the campfire after a hard days work. Children are welcome.

What to bring: Hat, sunscreen, gloves, water and food (except for Saturday night) and a cordless drill if possible.

Directions:

From Tucson – Take Oracle Rd (Hwy 77) north to Oracle Jct. Go Left (west) on Hwy 79 toward Florence. Turn Right (east) at MP 119 on the 96 Ranch Rd. Drive east approximately 2.7 miles then turn left (north) and go approximately 2.2 miles until the road spits again. Take the right (east) fork and follow the signs from here.

From Phoenix – Take Highway 60 east to Florence Junction. Go south on Highway 79 and go through the town of Florence like you are heading toward Tucson. Turn left (east) at MP 119 on the 96 Ranch Rd. Drive east approximately 2.7 miles then turn left (north) and go approximately 2.2 miles until the road spits again. Take the right (east) fork and follow the signs from here.

Contact: If you are interested in helping out, please contact Ben Brochu at (520) 229-3222 or bbrochu@azgfd.gov for more information. Please RSVP if possible so I know how many people to cook for – Thanks.

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I am picking up a new smoker next week. Like a lot of folks I have spent years barbecuing over a backyard grill with average success. That’s not what I am talking about. I’m talking low and slow, baby. I’m talking different woods – pecan, mesquite, cherry, orange, hickory. I’m talking rubs and sauces and spices that will blow your mind. I’m determined to learn and excited enough that I decided to create a new blog to help chronicle my progress – The Dry-Rubbed Rat. Follow along in my “quest for the smoke ring”.

So if you like ribs that fall off the bone, if you’re an experienced pit-master that wants to watch a rookie stumble his way to competition level, if you’re a rookie that needs some info too – I hope you visit.

I plan to utilize the same formula that made this blog so successful – personal anecdotes and observations, events, product reviews, interviews, event listings, product profiles and more.

I do hope that you stop by!

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A fishing hot spot needs your help – the Alamo Lake clean up is set for Saturday, March 6 starting at 8 a.m.

Arizona Game and Fish Department experts predict that this 2,500-surface-acre desert lake west of Wickenburg will be one of the state’s hottest fishing spots this year.

“The problem is, Alamo needs to be cleaned up,” said Wildlife Manager Stew Kohnke. “The solution? Come join the volunteers and department employees cleaning up the shoreline at the Alamo Lake Wildlife Area.”

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is holding its 11th annual Alamo Lake cleanup March 6 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. In the past 10 years, volunteers have picked up over 23 dump trucks full of trash from around Alamo Lake.

“Volunteers have removed everything from a kitchen sink to an old truck frame including the engine block,” says Kohnke. “This is a great opportunity to give something back to a lake that so many people enjoy.”

The department will provide boat transportation and trash bags for those who do not have them. The Alamo State Park will waive camp and launch fees for participants staying at the Cholla Campground Group Use Area. Registration begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 5 and runs through March 6 at the group use area.

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The Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest has released its Travel Management Project Environmental Assessment for public review and comment. The document and accompanying maps are available on the Kaibab National Forest Web site at http://fs.usda.gov/kaibab.

Forest managers are seeking input on the environmental assessment, which includes the proposed actions to improve the management of motorized vehicle use on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. In addition to the proposed action (Alternative 2), the document includes descriptions of the other action alternatives that were developed.

The Williams Ranger District will host a community meeting on the Travel Management Project Environmental Assessment in order to provide an opportunity for the public to review information contained in the document, view large-scale maps of the proposed project, and submit comments. The meeting is scheduled for March 6 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Williams Recreation Center in downtown Williams, 301 Railroad Ave. A previous meeting was held in Williams on Feb. 24.

The public can also submit written, faxed or e-mailed comments to the Forest Service. All comments must be received by March 9. Written comments must be submitted to Martie Schramm, Williams District Ranger, 742 S. Clover Rd., Williams, AZ 86046 or by fax to (928) 635-5680. Hand-delivered comments must be submitted between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding holidays. Electronic comments must be submitted in a format such as an e-mail message, plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), or Word (.doc) to comments-southwestern-kaibab-williams@fs.fed.us.

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