AGFD News

Safety is paramount when you’re out on a boat View the full article

Proposed fall hunt recommendations are available for review online View the full article

Arizona Game and Fish offers grant money to improve public boating facilities View the full article

Don’t miss this weekend’s Outdoor Expo! View the full article

Preview Arizona’s fall hunting season recommendations at open houses View the full article

Get ready for next weekend’s Outdoor Expo Urban wildlife are getting active: Tips for avoiding conflicts Preview Arizona’s fall hunting season recommendations at open houses Raymond Wildlife Area east of Flagstaff to close temporarily Spring catfish season now underway at urban lakes Get out and fish during the spring warm-up U.S. 93 project receives National Environmental Excellence Award Arizonans can help wildlife at tax time View the full article

Game and Fish to temporarily close Raymond Wildlife Area east of Flagstaff View the full article

Arizona Game and Fish Outdoor Expo to offer new attractions, old favorites. View the full article

Arizonans can help wildlife at tax time Get a rebate for buying a fishing license Probable ocelot sighting in Arizona Feb. 5 Game and Fish posts annual report Enjoy the outdoors at the family-friendly Tres Rios Nature & Earth Festival Online draw applicants advised to make sure credit card information is up to date Native wildlife are not pets: Laws are in place for good reasons Bring your family and friends to the Game and Fish Outdoor Expo View the full article

The Arizona Game and Fish Department announced today a highly probable, but not verifiable, sighting of a rare ocelot Feb. 5 in Arizona. View the full article

The epic journey of Sonoran pronghorn 851 Four public forums remain for fall hunt recommendations Nestwatchers help bald eagle population grow in Arizona Volunteers sought for ferret spotlighting effort Reward offered in case of deer head found at Tucson Mountain Park Raven shot, reward offered for information Mark your calendars for the Game and Fish Outdoor Expo View the full article

Don’t miss the deadline to apply for elk, pronghorn hunts Happy birthday, Arizona! Wild West to come alive at Winter Range Two “must-attend†expos are just around the corner Arizona wolf numbers are up Necropsy results show Mexican wolf died from illegal gunshot; reward offered for information Volunteers go fishing for trash to clean up angling hot spot Fain Lake receives first-ever brown trout Game and Fish seeks ferret-finding volunteers Take a ride on the “wild†side to help sick and orphaned wildlife Phoenix Suns offer discounted tickets to Arizona hunting and fishing license holders Online services will be temporarily unavailable Saturday night for maintenance View the full article

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Application deadline for elk, pronghorn hunts is Feb. 14 Incentive trout stockings generate excitement at urban lakes Follow legislative issues on the Game and Fish website Bald Eagle Workshop set for Flagstaff Visit Game and Fish next month at the International Sportsmen’s Expo Mark your calendar for the Arizona Game and Fish Outdoor Expo Experts discuss quail conservation at national symposium in Tucson WSFR program recognizes 75 years of wildlife conservation and partnership success View the full article

Rory's Tips: The fishing report this week begins on a very sad note. Rory’s wife of 33 years, Cindy Joy Winters, passed away Saturday night after a valiant six month battle with spinal cancer. Her memorial service was last night and our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with Rory and their son Josh in this sad time. Talking with Rory last night he said, “Cindy wouldn’t want us to dwell on the sad, so let’s talk fishing.†So Rory, here we go. I’m hearing that the fish are practically jumping out of the water up near Lee’s Ferry. Trout limits are being caught on an almost daily basis, so get moving before all the good action is gone. Beautiful scenery, good food at the local restaurants and top notch fishing, you sure can’t beat a trip to the Vermillion Cliffs area! Speaking of trout, they were stocked into Watson Lake near Prescott last week. Depending on the weather, Granite Dells on the northern edge of Prescott would be a nice place to try for some of these new lake residents. Trout have been stocked all winter in Tempe Town Lake, so there is still a possibility to hook into a large trout in that lake. Being shallow, and with the recent sun, the water will be warmer than the breeze, so this should make for some good fishing. You can also try for bass in the shadows of the Mill Avenue bridges. Work the edges of the shadows pulling from dark into light and see how that works. Hard to believe a little over a year ago we weren’t sure if we’d ever be able to fish this lake again. Crappie should be schooling in Alamo Lake west of Wickenburg. This is a very popular winter fishing spot, but it still might be sluggish for a week or two. I hear that anglers are catching crappie, but it’s been hit or miss depending on the day. Come February, if we can keep these warmer temps we’ve been seeing, bass might begin to spawn early in this lake and that could lead to some really good sight-fishing for those critters. Nothing like dropping your line in and actually watching the fish take it and run. Man, do I need to get out there! All along the Colorado River and into Lake Havasu lie all types of possibilities. Small mouth in the lake or stripers out in the river, good fishing awaits. Wouldn’t it be fun to catch a record, take a picture and send it back to your friends in Iowa who are snowed in right now? Plate-sized redear, up to two pounds or so, are being caught at Havasu, and just upriver in the picturesque Topock Gorge. What are you waiting for? It’s time to go fishing! While you’re out there don’t forget to take a moment and just look around. Enjoy the sights, smells and feeling of being out in nature. Say a small prayer for Cindy, Rory and Josh, then cast out your line and reel in a memory. I hope to see you out there. View the full article

Apply for elk, pronghorn hunts by Jan. 20 to take advantage of correction period Heritage Fund helps Arizona’s sandhill cranes and communities grow Sonoran pronghorn return to King Valley Bring the family fishing, see live wildlife at free event at Cortez Lake Arizona’s Official Fishing Guide is now at Game and Fish offices Public invited to “Meet the Commission†on Jan. 14 $1,250 reward offered in poaching of deer near Ft. Huachuca Learn outdoor skills at BOW Deluxe program Commission votes to oppose HB 2072 (sale of big game tags) Rotenone Review Advisory Committee issues final report Senate confirms appointment of Kurt Davis to commission In remembrance of MCSO Deputy William “Bill†Coleman View the full article

Due to intermittent technical issues being experienced by the department’s vendor for online transactions, some Game and Fish customers may experience temporary difficulties in completing online transactions, including draw applications, hunting and fishing license purchases, and watercraft registration renewals. View the full article

The Lower Salt River near Phoenix is getting a 10-mile, mid-winter fishing bonus starting today, Jan. 10 at around noon when the Arizona Game and Fish Department releases the first load of rainbows at the Water Users and Blue Point areas. View the full article

Arizona OHV Decal program celebrates 3rd anniversary 2012 Arizona pronghorn, elk hunt draw booklet is online Gift ideas for the outdoor enthusiast in your family Plan to attend the commission awards banquet in January Volunteers can help conduct annual bird population surveys Injured Mexican wolf dies on way to veterinarian ‘Tis the season for leftovers – spring hunt permits, that is Information needed on bull elk poaching cases in northern Arizona View the full article

The Arizona Game and Fish Department received a grant for $4,000 from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety which allows for the purchase of eight Preliminary Breath Testing (PBT) devices. View the full article

A perfect holiday gift – leftover spring hunt tags still available Arizona Game and Fish Department unveils HabiMap™ Arizona Outdoor recreationists asked to help bald eagles during breeding season Game and Fish verifies ocelot sighting in Cochise County Game and Fish confirms report of jaguar in southern Arizona <li id="LI59">Prevalence of jaguars in Arizona: How endangered species sighting reports are classified </li id=li59prevalence of jaguars in arizona: how endangered species sighting reports are classified > Operation Game Thief offering $500 reward in bald eagle killing Game and Fish officers to get more help in OHV DUI efforts Cause of death of Mexican wolf determined to be lighting View the full article

How endangered species sighting reports are classified Have you seen a jaguar in southern Arizona? To distinguish these possible sightings from young mountain lions, bobcats or even a large housecat, the Arizona Game and Fish Department uses a three-tiered classification system to rank reported sightings from the public based on the level of physical evidence available. Often a confirmed sighting of a rare species, like the recent observation of a male jaguar by a mountain lion hunter, will generate an increase in public reports. View the full article

See Arizona wildlife at free Adobe open house this weekend Wildlife education brings peace to returning veteran Trout season kicks off this week at the Urban Program lakes Welcome Back the Trout at Tempe Town Lake Nov. 22 Commission to meet Dec. 2-3 in Phoenix First wild-hatched condor chick of 2011 fledges in Arizona Preview the 2012 elk and pronghorn hunt recommendations at open houses Multiple deer poaching case in Yuma County solved Wildlife photo contest winners announced Representative of Arizona’s hunting, fishing mentoring program vies for national recognition Reward offered in illegal killing of whitetail doe near Sonoita Board recommends 2 candidates to governor for commission appointment View the full article

Corona and OE4A are key players in the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Hunting and Angling Heritage Workgroup (HAHWG), a consortium of sportsmen’s organizations, community leaders, and outdoor industry representatives that works to pass down the skills and traditions of hunting and fishing to the next generation. View the full article

2011 fishing licenses are now half-price Don’t forget – the late dove season opens soon Anglers and other members of the public encouraged to attend open houses on plans for future Glen Canyon Dam operations Get a behind-the-scenes look into wildlife rehabilitation at Adobe open house Endangered Mount Graham red squirrel numbers increase Increase in boating fatalities has officials urging life jacket use, boater education Forest Service opens additional areas to foot traffic within Wallow burn area Webcast set to discuss proposed changes to legal methods of take Joint checkpoint conducted at Redington Pass Conference brings OHV law enforcement agencies together Mule deer fawn illegally killed in Hualapai Mountain Park 7 finalists selected to interview for Game and Fish Commission Open houses continue on proposed desert conservation View the full article