This makes me furious. For the umpteenth time, the public associates these utter and absolute assholes with hunters. We need to do everything we can to eradicate these assclowns from our midst, and we all need to lobby for harsher punishments. A baby bighorn?? Seriously? I’m so mad I can barely type. Friggin scum. ~Desert Rat

Read the full article here: Information Sought

APACHE JUNCTION, AZ - State authorities are offering a $5,000 reward for help in finding whoever is responsible for the illegal killing of a baby bighorn sheep near the Phoenix suburb of Apache Junction.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department got a call on Aug. 24 from a citizen that a bighorn sheep lamb had been hit by a car along Highway 88, also known as the Apache Trail.

Game and Fish investigators found the animal hadn’t been hit by a car, but was illegally shot.

Read the full artiicle at the link above.

The Poacher Chronicles Unveils New Line of Apparel

Political correctness, while it may be prominent in DC, will not be found on the Poacher Chronicles Outdoor Radio Show, which airs the 4th Sunday every month streamed LIVE around the globe on www.xplortheoutdoors.com. “Poachers are what they are, thieves plain and simple and we’re going to expose them whenever and where ever we can in over 43 states and Canada”, explains Jim Solomon, the creator and host of the show.

This is why Solomon has come out with new apparel designed by Rodney Holmes of Wolf Creative Services that tells it like it is. Two new product designs will hit the market in the next 30 days and already there is a buzz behind the growing anti-poaching movement and the message that the shirts convey.

Members of The Anti-Poaching Posse, an elite group of individuals in the industry, will be listed on the back of each shirt not only to show their support, but also to relay a message to the rest of the industry. “There is no middle of the road when it comes to poaching, Solomon explains, either you are for it and a poacher, or you are against it and should let your voice be heard”.

Posse members can be found on www.poacherchronicles.com. We welcome anyone who is willing and brave enough to join the posse and take on poaching where it hurts by exposing poachers on the only anti-poaching radio show in the United States, “The Poacher Chronicles”.

The Poacher Chronicles was created by Jim Solomon over 12 years ago beginning as the” Bad Boys Poaching Report” with in the state of Arizona. It has evolved into “The Poacher Chronicles” just 4 short years ago. During the course of one hour, convicted poachers are listed by name, their fines, revocations, forfeitures and the evidence that led up to their arrest, in over 43 states and 8 Canadian Provinces will be exposed.

Only members of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact or the International Association of Natural Resources Crime stoppers IANRC are asked to participate.
By purchasing the apparel you are not only supporting the Anti-Poaching movement but a portion of the sales goes to the International Association of Natural resources Crime stoppers, to buy body armor for game wardens.

As Solomon says, “You don’t want your 15 minutes of fame on this program.” A quote that stuck with the show from Rob Young with the Arizona Game and Fish Department (Retired)

Media contact:
Jim Solomon
jim@xplortheoutdoors.com

Wildlife viewing basics workshop scheduled at Sipe Wildlife Area

The Arizona Game and Fish Department will conduct its annual public wildlife-viewing basics workshop on Saturday, Sept. 18, at the Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area, near Eagar in eastern Arizona. This popular program is designed to help people find, observe and enjoy many of the state’s wildlife species on their own.

The program begins at 2 p.m. with an information program that focuses on wildlife viewing in Arizona, giving suggestions on how and where to find wildlife. Department personnel will also discuss natural history and behavior of one of Arizona’s most recognized wildlife species, the Rocky Mountain elk. Workshop participants will go into the field that evening on the Sipe property, applying viewing principles and techniques to find and observe some of Arizona’s majestic elk up close. The wildlife area is located seven miles southeast of Eagar.

“We’ve designed this workshop to provide people with sufficient information for them to have a quality, first-hand experience in the outdoors, and to be able to regularly find and watch wildlife on their own,” says Bruce Sitko, spokesman in the department’s Pinetop office. “If you’ve never heard a bull elk bugle in the rut, you’ve missed one of nature’s most awesome sounds. This will be an excellent opportunity to see and hear elk.”

Because it will be necessary to maintain a small group once in the field, the clinic is limited to 30 participants. “Also, because wildlife viewing in general does require patience and a minimum of movement and noise, we request that children under the age of 14 not attend,” Sitko says.

The workshop is free, but pre-registration and a refundable deposit of $20 per person are required to ensure that spaces aren’t blocked off and then not used. The deposit will be returned to those who attend, but cashed if someone doesn’t show up.

Registration can be done at the Pinetop Game and Fish office at 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd., or by calling the office at (928) 367-4281 and giving a name, contact phone number and the number of people attending to one of the customer service representatives. Participants will be given instructions at that time for mailing in the refundable registration deposit.

Wildlife viewing events for the public such as this are supported by the Heritage Fund, a voter initiative passed in 1990 to assist wildlife conservation efforts in the state through Arizona Lottery ticket sales.

“Arizona is a state rich in wildlife resources,” Sitko notes. “More than 900 different species of fish and animals can be found here. We highly encourage folks to pause and discover not just the visual beauty of Arizona’s settings, but also to learn to find, view and appreciate the different creatures that live in and about our state’s diverse landscapes.”

Nominations sought for 2010 Commission Awards

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is soliciting nominations for the 2010 Commission Awards to recognize Arizonans who have contributed significantly to the welfare of the state’s wildlife and the mission of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Categories for nomination include Award of Excellence, Youth Environmentalist of the Year, Outdoor Writer of the Year, Media of the Year, Conservation Organization of the Year, Conservationist of the Year, Natural Resource Professional of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Educator of the Year, Mentor of the Year, Advocate of the Year, and License Dealer of the Year. Descriptions of each category are on the nomination form.

To download a nomination form, click here.

Nominations may include individuals, organizations, clubs, foundations or government agencies. Arizona Game and Fish Department employees are not eligible for nomination.

Return the nomination form and all supplemental materials to: Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn: Marty Fabritz - DOHQ, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086. Forms can also be faxed to (623) 236-7299 or e-mailed to Mfabritz@azgfd.gov.

The submission deadline is 5 p.m. on Sept. 10, 2010.

Winners of the 2010 awards will be honored at the Meet the Commission banquet in Phoenix on January 15, 2011.

For more information, visit www.azgfd.gov/inside_azgfd/commission_awards.shtml.

Highlights from the August commission meeting

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission met on Aug. 6-7 at the Game and Fish headquarters in Phoenix. The commission took the following actions:

* Removed the slot limit on Roosevelt Lake starting Aug. 17 (for more details on this and the next two items below, click here);
* Set the Spring 2011 hunts;
* Set the 2010-11 waterfowl and snipe seasons;
* Approved the hunt permit-tag application schedule for the spring hunts;
* Approved the department continuing with negotiations to purchase the Horseshoe Ranch in Yavapai County along the Agua Fria River;
* Heard and processed revocation/civil assessment cases for violations of wildlife laws;
* OK’d a two-year agreement with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to translocate Merriam’s turkeys from Arizona to Utah;
* Approved a memorandum of understanding with the Bureau of Reclamation to be a cooperating agency for the nonnative fish control below Glen Canyon Dam.
* Approved a memorandum of understanding with the Bureau of Reclamation to be a cooperating agency for the high-flow experimental protocol for releases from Glen Canyon Dam Environmental Assessment.
* Approved an agreement with Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department to permit a section of the Maricopa County Trail System to traverse a portion of the Ben Avery Shooting Facility.
* Approved an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Eloy regarding hunting with firearms within city limits.
* Approved an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Marana regarding hunting with firearms within city limits.
* Approved a memorandum of understanding with Iberdrola Renewables to cooperate on mutually beneficial wildlife projects.

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission makes rules and regulations for managing, conserving, and protecting wildlife and fisheries resources, and for safe and regulated watercraft and off-highway vehicle operations for the benefit of the citizens of Arizona. The commission is composed of five members appointed by the governor pursuant to ARS 38-211. The commission appoints the director of the Arizona Game and Fish Department, and the director serves as secretary to the commission. No more than one commissioner may be from any one county, and no more than three may be from the same political party. Each commissioner serves a five-year term, staggered. For more information, visit www.azgfd.gov/commission.

Game and Fish offices will be closed on Aug. 20 furlough day

Game and Fish customers are reminded that the department’s Phoenix headquarters and regional offices in Pinetop, Flagstaff, Kingman, Yuma, Tucson and Mesa will be closed on Friday, Aug. 20, as part of the State of Arizona’s mandated unpaid furlough days for state employees.

The department will conduct law enforcement activities that day and the Operation Game Thief program will be active. Wildlife violations can be reported by calling 1-800-352-0700 or online at www.azgfd.gov/thief.

Those department wildlife areas that are normally staffed will be closed. Fish hatcheries will be staffed to ensure the health of hatchery fish but will not be open to the public. The Ben Avery Shooting Facility will be open during normal range hours.

As part of the state’s budget-balancing efforts, state employees are required to take six unpaid furlough days over each of the next two fiscal years under a schedule set by the Arizona Department of Administration.

Other furlough days on which department offices will be closed in 2010 are Sept. 17, Nov. 26, and Dec. 23.

Elk viewing workshop scheduled for Flagstaff

Would you like to experience the sound of a bull elk bugling or see a cow elk keeping a watchful eye on her calf? The Arizona Game and Fish Department and Mormon Lake Lodge invite you to attend an elk viewing workshop on Aug. 21. The workshop includes a presentation and a field trip to watch elk in their natural habitat near Mormon Lake.

Mormon Lake is unique as it is only one of two natural lakes found in Arizona. During the early fall, hundreds of elk can be observed at the site and along Lake Mary Road.

“This workshop is a great way for people of all ages to come enjoy the state’s wildlife treasures,” says Arizona Game and Fish Department Public Information Officer Shelly Shepherd. “Game and Fish is providing wildlife watching events throughout the state to encourage people to get outdoors and learn about wildlife and their important habitats.”

Game and Fish’s wildlife viewing events are supported by the Heritage Fund, a voter-passed initiative that was started in 1990 to further wildlife conservation efforts in the state through Arizona Lottery ticket sales.

The workshop will begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21. Participants will attend a presentation, located in the Kachina Room at Mormon Lake Lodge, and then will be escorted on a field trip. The field trip location will be determined that day based on where the elk are seen.

Spotting scopes will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring binoculars, water, snacks, and to wear appropriate clothing.

Anyone interested in registering for the workshop will need to contact the Flagstaff Game and Fish office at (928) 774-5045 before 3 p.m. on Aug. 19. All Game and Fish offices will be closed on Friday, Aug. 20 due to a mandatory state furlough day.

To find Mormon Lake Lodge: travel south on Lake Mary Road to the second Mormon Lake Road turnoff, go past the lake overlook, about 25 miles from Flagstaff. Follow Mormon Lake Road about 1.5 miles to the lodge.

Collaboration results in enhancements to Yuma fishing area

The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Region IV (Yuma) and the Bureau of Land Management’s Yuma Sector celebrated the opening of the Redondo Pond Fishing Pier on August 4. The completion of this enhanced access project now provides enhanced access to stocked fishing opportunities at three locations around Yuma, at Redondo, Fortuna Pond, and at the West Wetlands Park pond.

Formed in an old gravel pit, the pond itself has existed for several years with limited access for fishing and recreation. The project, which took about a year-and-a-half to complete, included creating a parking area, providing disability access, and construction of the fishing pier.

Both agencies are excited to be able to contribute to the quality of life for Yuma residents and to help provide inexpensive and easily accessible opportunities to enjoy nature.

“It’s a reflection of our commitment to promoting family-oriented outdoor activities and recreational opportunities in Yuma County,” said Pat Barber, Game and Fish Region IV supervisor.

J. Todd Shoaff, field office manager for BLM, envisions this project as just the beginning. “Children today spend half as much time outdoors as their parents did as children,” he said. “The Redondo Pond is a perfect way for parents and children to connect to the outdoors together.”

For more information on Redondo pond or fishing opportunities in the Yuma area, please contact the Arizona Game and Fish Region IV office at (928) 342-0091.

Up to $2,500 reward offered in mule deer poaching near Tacna

YUMA, Ariz. - The Arizona Game and Fish Department is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest of the individual or individuals responsible for the illegal killing of an adult 4×4 mule deer buck east of Tacna in Game Management Unit 41 in southwestern Arizona.

Game and Fish officers believe the incident occurred between Aug. 1-9 near a popular hunting area known as Texas Hill. The deer hunting season in that area was closed at the time.

“The buck was shot, possibly through the neck, with an unknown caliber firearm and just left to waste in the desert,” said Richard Myers, law enforcement specialist for the Game and Fish Yuma region. “The shooter may have been out on a joyride at night and was startled by another vehicle, since only one shot was taken and no meat was removed from the carcass.”

Myers added that poachers aren’t hunters, and the public shouldn’t confuse the two.

“Poachers who commit these illegal acts not only steal from the resource, they steal from the residents of Arizona,” he said.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Operation Game Thief hotline toll-free at (800) 352-0700. Caller identities may remain confidential upon request. You can also report online at www.azgfd.gov/thief.

Damn, I hate poachers. Citizens and agencies alike can help fight poaching. Visit the Poacher Chronicles to learn more. ~DesertRat

My friend Larry Audsley wrote a great piece in a recent Arizona Wildlife Federation newsletter. You can view the article and entire newsletter online here Arizona Wildlife News - Summer 2010

A snippet of the article:

A complete inventory of the resource damage associated with illegal immigration and smuggling would be a daunting undertaking. The impacts aren’t limited to the immediate border but extend many miles into Arizona’s interior and affect high-value places for flora and fauna. Thus anyone who cares
about wildlife and Arizona’s ecological health should want to suppress rampant illegal entry. Despite some publicized smugglers’ stunts involving ramps and even cranes getting trucks across the barriers, it’s
clear that fences and vehicle barriers make illegal crossings harder. The question, though, is whether physical barriers actually suppress illegal immigration or merely divert it to other locations where the obstacles are weaker. Experience seems to show that illegal entrants respond to new or strengthened barriers by shifting activity to weaker points. It’s been widely noted that improved fencing in Texas
and California was followed by a spike in border crossings in Arizona, where barriers were fewer and weaker. The same dynamic seems to have occurred within Arizona as the fencing was going up in Cochise County. When the US economy gets going full bore again and high demand for unskilled labor returns, we may find that the present fences and vehicle barriers will shift Arizona’s immigrant super-highway into some of
the state’s best wild country.

Arizona Big Game Super Raffle winners announced

Annual raffle of special issued hunting permits helps fund wildlife conservation

Twelve lucky winners are certainly grinning from ear to ear after hearing of their success from the 2010 Arizona Big Game Super Raffle.

The winners of 10 special big game hunts, a high-end binoculars package, and a guided New Mexico elk hunt were announced during the drawing of the Arizona Big Game Super Raffle on July 22.

The raffle winners for 2010 are:

* Antelope (pronghorn) - Keith Newlon, Sierra Vista, Ariz.
* Bear - Fred Provine, Capitan, N.M.
* Buffalo - Matthew Rohrer, Phoenix, Ariz.
* Coues white-tailed deer - Brad Richardson, Scottsdale, Ariz.
* Desert bighorn sheep - Greg Gordon, Burney, Calif.
* Elk - Paul E. Shepley, Jr., Tucson, Ariz.
* Javelina - John Ristick, Queen Creek, Ariz.
* Mountain lion - Jeffrey Penny, Yuma, Ariz.
* Mule deer – Robert Currier, Cabool, Mo.
* Turkey - Lester Hansen, Tucson, Ariz.
* Swarovski optics package - Jeffrey Murray, Magnolia, TX.
* New Mexico elk hunt - David Dubie, Scottsdale, Ariz.

These twelve raffle winners are just the tip of the iceberg from the event. Landscape-level projects for Arizona’s wildlife and habitats will continue to be funded thanks to the reported $369,465 raised by this raffle that was founded and dedicated to funding wildlife conservation.

Created in 2006 as a way to garner mass participation due to the low cost of a raffle ticket (prices range from $5-$25 each, depending on raffle item), it is one of the largest hunting raffles of its kind, where anyone has an opportunity to win.

Every dollar raised for each species is returned to the Arizona Game and Fish Department for the specific management of that species. However, the decisions on funding specific projects are coordinated through a cooperative process of the Arizona Habitat Partnership Committee. Input from 12 statewide habitat partners and the organizations (state, local and conservation groups) collectively determine which projects will provide the most benefit to each species represented.

Funding from the raffle allows for a multitude of wildlife conservation projects. For 2010, more than 60 projects were approved, including the development, maintenance, and improvement of water catchments to provide reliable water sources for wildlife during drought years. A number of grassland restoration projects through controlled burns and tree removals were funded. Other funded projects assist in wildlife management through helicopter surveys, translocation of wildlife, and the monitoring of wildlife movements to map connectivity issues. A key factor to a project getting approved is that there are funding sources to share costs, labor, or supplied materials, compounding every dollar spent for Arizona’s wildlife. Last year, funded projects provided more than $2 for every $1 spent from the tag funds.

So, the next time you see a highway underpass allowing elk to move safely near the Mogollon Rim, or an antelope ducking under a modified fence in the open plains of Prescott, or if you’re fortunate to spot a desert bighorn sheep peering down from a cliff after watering in the arid desert, remember to think of hunters as conservationists. The majority of wildlife conservation and management by the Arizona Game and Fish Department is made possible by funding generated from the sale of hunting licenses, hunt permit-tags, and matching funds from federal excise taxes hunters pay on guns, ammunition and related equipment, and not from the state’s tax revenues.

To learn more about the Habitat Partnership Committee, visit www.azgfd.gov/w_c/hpc.shtml.

The Arizona Big Game Super Raffle, a non-profit entity, is supported by the following organizations:

* Arizona Antelope Foundation
* Arizona Bowhunters Association
* Arizona Deer Association
* Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society
* Arizona Elk Society
* Arizona Game and Fish Department
* Arizona Wildlife Federation
* Wild Sheep Foundation
* Mule Deer Foundation
* National Wild Turkey Federation
* Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
* Safari Club International, Arizona Chapter
* Safari Club International, Phoenix Chapter
* Swarovski Optik
* West Tex New Mexico Hunting Services

Helping desert tortoises the right way during monsoon season

Monsoon season brings one of the southwest desert’s most iconic creatures out of their burrows and out-and-about across the state. Desert tortoises are now in their most active season, and Arizona’s increased human population creates more risks for these slow-moving symbols of the Sonoran desert.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department asks the public to follow these important guidelines if they encounter a desert tortoise:

* Do not remove a tortoise from its habitat. Taking a wild tortoise home is illegal in Arizona. Additionally, most tortoises stay in the same small area their entire lives, so if you move a tortoise to a new location it will not know where to find food and shelter and will likely die.

* Do not release a captive tortoise into the wild. Captive desert tortoises cannot be released into the wild as they can pass diseases to wild populations and displace wild tortoises. It is also illegal to release captive animals into the wild.

* Keep dogs away from both captive and wild desert tortoises. Even the most gentle dog can pose a serious threat to a tortoise.

* If you come across a desert tortoise crossing a busy road, if traffic safely permits it, pick the tortoise up and gently move it to the other side of the road. Carry the animal so that it is level to the ground, and move it in the same direction it was headed.

“People think they are doing the tortoise a favor by taking it home, but it is actually harmful to the tortoise and the tortoise population,” says Cristina Jones, Game and Fish’s turtles project coordinator.

“Tortoises should not be handled for any length of time or brought home or into captivity. The best thing anyone can do is to leave tortoises in the wild.”

Tortoise conservation partners include Saguaro National Park, Friends of Saguaro National Park, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and Phoenix Herpetological Society.

“Properly caring for a legally-adopted tortoise takes a lot of knowledge, and we cannot stress enough how detrimental it is for both the captive and wild tortoises to let a captive tortoise go free in the wild,” said Jones.

Anyone interested in legally sharing their yard with a desert tortoise may adopt a tortoise if they are from Bullhead City, Kingman, Lake Havasu, Phoenix, Tucson and Yuma. For more information on the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Tortoise Adoption Program and enclosure requirements, visit www.azgfd.gov/tortoise.

There are two populations of desert tortoise: the federally-listed Mojave desert tortoise found north and west of the Colorado River, and the Sonoran desert tortoise, which is protected by Game and Fish.

Desert tortoises in Arizona are considered a species of greatest conservation need; those north and west of the Colorado River are among the threatened Mojave population.

Through its partnerships with other public agencies, non-profit organizations and the science community, Game and Fish’s wildlife recovery program aims to keep common species common and prevent species from becoming listed as threatened or endangered, allowing for conservation in a more cost-effective manner. State-level involvement provides closer oversight of wildlife species on a day-to-day basis. Specific emphasis is placed on identifying and managing the wildlife and habitat of greatest conservation need, or those species that are no longer abundant and facing increasing threats from habitat degradation, disease, introduction of non-native species, and climate change.

Adaptive management of these species helps ensure their continued presence in Arizona and protects the delicate balance of the ecosystem for future generations.

Tortoise conservation in Arizona is supported by the Heritage Fund, a voter-passed initiative that was started in 1990 to further wildlife conservation efforts in the state through Arizona Lottery ticket sales.