Should the dove season opener be set for the weekend rather than on Sept. 1?

That is one of the possibilities the Arizona Game and Fish Commission will consider during its June 25 meeting at the Best Western Inn, 801 N. Beeline Highway in Payson, starting at 8 a.m. The commission will be considering the regulations for doves, band-tailed pigeons and sandhill cranes during the Saturday portion of its two-day meeting.

Last December, the Game and Fish Department was asked to explore having the dove season opener on a weekend because some believe that would benefit local residents and businesses.

Because doves are considered migratory birds, Arizona must follow the federal framework that does not allow the early season to open any sooner than Sept. 1 or end past Sept. 15. Federal guidelines for migratory birds are established by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which is a treaty between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Any modification to this early season would result in the loss of some dove hunter opportunity.

Sept. 1 falls on a Thursday this year. Saturday is Sept. 3. A weekend opener would reduce the season by two days.

Delaying the season opener, biologists say, would likely reduce white-winged dove hunting opportunity because those birds are typically already migrating south by Sept. 1. Every year, it is always a roll of the dice to see whether the season will open before the majority of white-winged doves have migrated or not. Sometimes even a single day makes a significant difference.

Another potential result of a delayed opening date is the possibility of having fewer nonresident hunters because those hunters may choose to hunt the Sept. 1 opener in their home state.

The issue of standardized weekend openers for doves has come up several times in the past. In 1996, the department conducted a hunter opinion survey, and 76 percent of the hunters surveyed preferred to keep the early season at 15 days.

This year, the department sought additional hunter opinions during the statewide hunt meetings. No support for a standardized weekend opener was recorded outside of Yuma.

At this point, constituent groups and the department have agreed that since Sept. 1 falls on a Thursday in 2005, Friday in 2006, and Saturday in 2007, proposing a change is not necessary at this point. (Is that right? I don't understand this last sentence.)

Game and Fish Commission seeks award nominations

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is seeking your nominations for its annual commission awards, including a new award: educator of the year.

Nominations may include individuals, organizations, clubs, foundations or government agencies in any of the defined categories. Arizona Game and Fish Department employees are not eligible for nomination. The deadline for submitting nominations is 5 p.m. Aug. 15.

Award of Excellence

Any individual, group, organization, club, foundation, or agency that has excelled in efforts to benefit wildlife, wildlife habitats, or programs of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Youth Environmentalist of the Year

Any individual, 18 years of age or younger, who has excelled in efforts to benefit wildlife and the mission of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Outdoor Writer of the Year

Any professional or freelance writer who has excelled in highlighting issues or activities pertaining to the welfare of wildlife and the mission of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Media of the Year

Any media source (radio, television, magazine, newsletter, or periodical) that has published articles or materials beneficial to public interest about wildlife or wildlife related topics and the mission of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Conservation Organization of the Year

Any organization, group, foundation, or agency that has excelled in efforts to enhance the welfare of wildlife, wildlife related recreation, and the mission of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Conservationist of the Year

Any individual who through a professional agency affiliation has excelled in efforts to enhance, conserve, and manage wildlife or their habitats.

Environmentalist of the Year

Any individual, who on their own personal time, has excelled in efforts to promote, enhance or benefit wildlife and the mission of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Volunteer of the Year

Any individual who, as a registered volunteer with the Department, has excelled in efforts to support and benefit the mission of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Educator of the Year (New this Year!)

Any individual whose educational activities have advanced and supported the welfare of wildlife, wildlife related recreation, or the mission of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Arizona's Gould's turkeys are making comeback tracks

Recent surveys show that Gould's turkeys - which were once eliminated in Arizona - are now making comeback tracks in southern Arizona, according to Arizona Game and Fish Department biologists.

"The results of a recent Gould's turkey survey in the Huachuca Mountains are staggering: 321 Gould's were observed. The highest number of birds observed during past surveys was 90 in 2004," says Game Branch Chief Leonard Ordway.

Gould's turkeys are one of Arizona's two native wild turkey species. They are slightly larger than Merriam's turkeys, which are found throughout much of Arizona's high country. Gould's turkeys were once found throughout southern Arizona. Gould's were an important food source for those who settled and worked in the rugged lands of southern Arizona years ago. Between the Civil War and World War I, miners working in southern Arizona harvested Gould's for many of their meals.

By the time Arizona had legal hunting seasons in 1929, Gould's turkeys had already disappeared from the scene. Gould's now occupy only a few remote mountain ranges in Arizona. However, these birds are making comeback tracks in the Huachucas and other mountain ranges in southern Arizona.

During April of this year, 32 volunteers conducted surveys on 29 standardized routes and observed 105 gobblers and 216 hens. Out of the 105 gobblers, 43 were jakes, which are yearling birds.

"Finding so many young gobblers is great news. That means we are having what we call recruitment: baby birds surviving all the perils of the wilds and entering the population as sub-adults. Those young birds are the future of this struggling species," Ordway says.

The surveys this year also contained a new element: private landowners in the area assisted. "We contacted private landowners who had property where the wild turkeys were known to frequent. These landowners observed 140 turkeys. This is a great model of cooperation, and we can't thank those people enough," says Ordway.

All in all, the survey shows that Gould's turkeys continue to expand their population. "Our goal is to eventually repopulate Gould's in their historic range, especially in the sky islands of southern Arizona," says Brian Wakeling, who has been working on the reintroduction program for more than a decade.

There is more good news: two Gould's gobblers were reported in the Patagonia Mountains.

"Hopefully, some Gould's hens remain in the Patagonia Mountains so these magnificent native birds can be reestablished there as well," Wakeling says.

Gould's have a remarkable comeback story that stretches across the border with Mexico. All the Gould's that have been reintroduced to Arizona have come from the Sierra Madres of Mexico. "Without the cooperation of Mexico and the National Wild Turkey Federation, we wouldn't be standing here beaming about the recent survey results," Wakeling says.

In 2004, Gould's were also reintroduced to the Pinaleno Mountains near Safford. Last year, 28 Gould's were captured and then released into the Pinalenos to bolster the small population there.

"After a couple of decades of hard work, it is gratifying to see such headway being made by the Gould's turkey population thanks to the tenacity and hard work of a lot of people who just refused to give up," Wakeling says.

Want to learn about desert bighorn sheep?

Want to learn about desert bighorn sheep?

If so, then plan to attend one of the Arizona Game and Fish Department's annual bighorn sheep workshops this summer. The department will host two, two-day workshops July 29-30 and Aug. 5-6.

The first day of each workshop involves mandatory classroom education from 6-8 p.m. at the Kingman regional Game and Fish office followed by a field trip the next day from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The sheep-viewing boat trip will depart from Willow Beach on the Colorado River north of Kingman.

The workshops are open to the public, but space is limited to 40 people per session. Preference will be given to those who have not attended the workshop in the last two years, but those who have participated are still encouraged to apply for a spot.

To reserve a spot, a $20 refundable deposit per person is required in the form of a check made out to the Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation to help reduce the problem of no-shows. The money is refunded when a person either attends the workshop or calls to cancel at least 48 hours in advance. Wildlife for Tomorrow is a nonprofit group that works closely with the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Registration is by mail only. Send the check to: Sheep Workshop, Arizona Game and Fish Department, 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road, Kingman, AZ 86401. Include the names of participants, their addresses and phone numbers, and specify which weekend is preferred.

Cash donations, which are not mandatory to participate, will be accepted to help offset increasing costs for boat rentals and fuel.

Nobody under 14 years old will be registered for the event. Participants are encouraged to bring water, snacks, a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.

Shooting range sought for northern Arizona

Where does the average, responsible Arizona gun owner find a shooting range to practice using his or her firearm? In Flagstaff, the answer is "far away."

While Phoenix and Tucson residents have several options when it comes to shooting ranges, the nearest public shooting range to Flagstaff is in the Prescott area, more than 90 miles south.

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission wants to change that. The commission is initiating a process to select a site and develop a regional shooting facility in northern Arizona. As envisioned, the facility would provide many types of recreational shooting opportunities for individuals and for clubs. Regional and national shooting competitions would be held at the facility as well.

"There's a need and a public demand for a full-service shooting facility in northern Arizona," says Don Winslow, who coordinates the development of shooting ranges statewide for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. "Given the area's population and the increasing popularity of shooting sports, it's time to move forward."

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is beginning the planning process to find a site for the facility. Department representatives will meet with interested groups to identify needs and requirements, and will begin scouting potential locations this summer.

Once the broad outline of the facility is drawn, the public will have opportunities to review the plan and to provide comment.

Shooting sports are extremely popular throughout the United States. Some 23 million Americans identify themselves as target shooters or muzzleloaders, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation. In a 2001 report, the foundation noted that "participants in handgun target shooting who shot 10 or more times climbed from 41 percent in 1995 to 52 percent in 1999, and in rifle target shooting, from 35 percent in 1995 to 51 percent in 1999."

Shooters who are interested in receiving news about shooting ranges and shooting sports throughout Arizona are invited to sign up for the Game and Fish Department's Shooting Sports News by visiting azgfd.gov/signup.

Arizona's wildlife benefits from federal funding

PHOENIX - Arizona's wildlife and sport fish conservation and education programs will receive about $11.5 million in federal funds for 2005. The money is Arizona's share of more than $530 million in excise taxes paid nationally by America's recreational shooters, hunters, anglers and boaters.

The funds are apportioned under two federal programs, Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration. Arizona's share of national Sport Fish funding for 2005 is $5.92 million. Wildlife Restoration funding accounts for another $5.68 million, including $1.2 million for hunter education. These funds are made available to states based on formulas that take into account the state's land and water area and the number of hunting and fishing license holders.

"Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration funds are essential for financing fish and wildlife management. Without them, we'd be hard-pressed to serve public demand for professional management of our sport fish and wildlife resources," says Larry Riley, fisheries branch chief.

The funds pay for up to 75 percent of the cost of each project, while the state contributes at least 25 percent. The Arizona Game and Fish Department receives no state general fund dollars; instead, it leverages these federal funds with other sources of income.

"Because sportsmen and women pay this federal excise tax on sporting equipment, the Arizona Game and Fish Department is able to survey game species, set scientifically sound hunt recommendations, and monitor hunter harvest for the long-term benefit of Arizona wildlife," says Leonard Ordway, game branch chief.

"This money supports hunter and aquatic educational programs that ensure safe and responsible hunting, boating and recreational shooting in Arizona," says Don Winslow, education branch chief. Ongoing projects to improve habitat, support wildlife-related recreation, and conduct research will also benefit.

Wildlife Restoration is guided by the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937 and is funded by the collection of excise taxes and import duties on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment. Sport Fish Restoration is guided by the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act of 1950 and is funded by the collection of excise taxes and import duties on sport fishing equipment and tackle, trolling motors, motorboat and small engine fuels, and pleasure boats. Arizona's schools and universities win big from lottery ticket sales

Most Arizona Game and Fish Heritage Fund grants go to education

Whether you won or lost when you bought a lottery ticket last year, some of your money is likely going to benefit something you would approve of... helping Arizona's schools and universities.

That's because the bulk of this year's grants from the Arizona Game and Fish Department Heritage Fund are going to education and research. Heritage Fund money comes from Arizona Lottery ticket sales. This year, the department is awarding more than $340,000 from the fund to 16 grant projects across Arizona.

"We're pleased to award this money to deserving projects every year," says Ty Gray, the Arizona Game and Fish Department's Heritage Fund administrator. "We like to see this money go to all kinds of recipients, from elementary schools to colleges to other great projects that benefit people and wildlife across the state."

Arizona voters created the Heritage Fund back in 1990. The money from lottery ticket sales goes to conservation efforts like protecting endangered species, educating our children about wildlife, helping urban residents coexist with wildlife, and creating new opportunities for outdoor recreation. Every year, hundreds of thousands of dollars are set aside to award as grants to important projects that otherwise might not receive funding.

"We have an application process to make sure that worthy projects can move forward," says Robyn Beck, the department's Heritage grant coordinator. "We want to help students, researchers, outdoor enthusiasts, and ultimately, all Arizonans to enjoy this money."

Among the projects that won Heritage grants this year:

1. Creation of an educational storybook that the Flagstaff Unified School District, teachers, and others can use to teach ecological concepts to kids.

2. Development of a handicap accessible trail that the staff of Cooper ESC in the Tucson Unified School District can use to provide an authentic Sonoran Desert experience to students, teachers, and parents with disabilities.

3. Research from the University of Arizona on how to control the population of crayfish, an invasive species that is threatening the freshwater biodiversity in Arizona.

4. Creation of a nature trail on the Verde campus of Yavapai College in Clarkdale, which will be used by local schools and community members to become familiar with native wildlife.

5. Purchase of four bird watching kiosks to provide information to outdoor enthusiasts at the Mittry Lake Wildlife Area near Yuma.

6. Construction of an aquatic wildlife refuge and awareness area for students of all ages to use at the Kingman campus of Mohave Community College.

7. Purchase of new easier to open, more user-friendly public access gates for a high traffic area of the Clifton Ranger District in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests.

8. Research from Arizona State University about how diseases move in amphibian populations.

9. Creation of a hummingbird habitat garden with a natural pond area and native plants to teach children about environmental education at a school in the Kyrene School District in the Phoenix area.

Over the years, the Arizona Game and Fish Department has awarded a total of more than $10 million in grants to communities across the state. More than two-dozen schools in Maricopa County alone have benefited from Heritage money since the fund was created. Arizonans can help raise money for the Heritage Fund every year, simply by buying Arizona Lottery tickets.

The department will hold workshops in August for groups interested in applying for next year's Heritage grants. Contact Robyn Beck at (602) 789-3530 for more information about the application process and whether your group would qualify for a Heritage grant.