Contacts

John Earle, 760-326-3853

Elizabeth Slown, 505-248-6909

HAVASU NATIONAL WILDIFE REFUGE ACCEPTING PINTAIL SLOUGH HUNTS RESERVATIONS

Havasu National Wildlife Refuge will begin accepting reservations for its 2006/2007 Pintail Slough Waterfowl hunt beginning at 9 a.m. (MST) on October 2.  Hunters may reserve a blind only by calling (760) 326-3853 ext 23.  Hunters calling to reserve a blind must have their Arizona hunting license number available.  Hunters wishing to make a reservation for hunt dates in 2007 must have a 2007 license number.

Most refuge hunters were pleased with last year's hunt.  "Last season we saw some of the best hunting in years," says Refuge Manager John Earle.  "I wish we could take credit for the good hunting, but I think it was a combination of weather and finally having some management infrastructure up and operating."

This year, the refuge is slightly increasing the hunting opportunities.  "In the past we have hunted only Saturday and Sunday. For 2006/2007 we are adding a Wednesday hunt," says Earle.  This year, a weekend reservation will include the following Wednesday.  "Although we are trying to expand our hunting opportunities, we don't want to ruin what is some of the best waterfowl hunting in Arizona.  If the quality of our hunt declines, we will eliminate the Wednesday hunt for next year."

The refuge's agricultural fields will remain closed to hunting.  Last winter, for the first time in several years, large numbers of geese started using the fields.  "It's great that the birds have started using the fields again.  If we keep disturbance to a minimum, we're hoping that large numbers become a regular occurrence," said Earle.

Hunting brochures are available by calling refuge headquarters or for download on the refuge website at: http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/havasu/hunting.html.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.  Visit the Service?s website at http://www.fws.gov.

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