Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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Willcox Playa Wildlife Area is best known for its wintering population of sandhill cranes that annually migrate to the playa in large numbers. It's not unusual to see several thousands of the winter visitors from the viewing area at the power-plant ponds, located on the southwest side of the playa, or at the Arizona Game and Fish Department's 600-acre wildlife area on the southeast side. The cranes feed and court, but will begin their migration to their summer breeding grounds in the northern... Full story
A different type of hunt takes place for wildlife enthusiasts in the late winter and into spring - the hunt for antlers. Deer and elk shed their antlers each winter, providing an opportunity for people to search for them and further their connection with and understanding of wildlife. Elk antlers start dropping in mid-February, deer start dropping in March, and the season progresses through the end of April. Arizona doesn't regulate shed antler hunting, but if you set out in search of a set,... Full story
As we move further into 2025, there are so many events to enjoy. Ahead are the always popular Arizona Game & Fish Expo, the wild and wonderful Renaissance Festival, and the thrilling and colorful Dragon Boat Races. And, there's so much more as the weather reaches "perfect" levels to get outdoors. Although the Expo is next month, it's not too early to plan ahead to attend. When you are there, activities abound for all interests: from a kid's fishing pond to seminars on a plethora of wildlife spec... Full story
Note: We Found These At 'Be Outdoors Arizona'! Fall in Love with Fishing – Peoria Park Rangers February 8 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Kids ages 0-17 are invited to enjoy a heartwarming day of fishing at Paloma park. Whether you are a budding angler or just looking to enjoy a new activity, this event is for you! Bring your love for adventure and make some sweet memories. Gear will be provided, do not let this opportunity float away. Register at Peoriaaz.gov/recreation or at (623)773-7137 Monthly S... Full story
PHOENIX - Your next fun-filled outdoor adventure begins at the Arizona Game and Fish Department's (AZGFD) annual Outdoor Expo on Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30. Located at the 1,650-acre Ben Avery Shooting Facility in north Phoenix, this popular event showcases Arizona's abundance of wildlife-related and outdoor recreation opportunities, including wildlife viewing, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, camping, off-highway vehicle (OHV) and boating recreation, and more. Expo hours are 9... Full story
There's still time for Arizona hunters to take aim at some of the best wing-shooting opportunities the state has to offer - but the clock is ticking. Waterfowl The general waterfowl season ended Jan. 31, 2025. In response to hunter requests, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) simplified the annual "Arizona Waterfowl and Snipe Regulations" and combined the previously designated "Mountain" and "Desert" zones into one statewide zone. That pushed the general waterfowl season back to a... Full story
AZGFD ISSUES PRECAUTIONS -- With the detection of avian influenza (HPAI) in domestic and wild birds in Arizona, the Arizona Game and Fish Department urges hunters and falconers to help prevent the spread of the disease and stay safe. Visit these sites for important information: USDA-APHIS Avian influenza, CDC Avian influenza, USFWS Avian influenza.... Full story
AZGFD, Partners Secure More Than $24 Million Dollars For Conservation Restoration project will benefit critical wildlife movement corridors, winter habitat for state's wildlife. The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), in partnership with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever (PFQF), the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM), and the Arizona Association of Conservation Districts (AACD), is excited to announce a recent award of $24.5 million through the USDA Natural... Full story
Wildlife has been active in the mild winter climate of Arizona's lower and mid elevations, and the Arizona Game and Fish Department has been receiving increased reports of human-wildlife conflicts in many parts of the state. Here's some recent activity: • The Tucson area has received more than 20 wildlife feeding complaints since August - made all the more concerning in light of the fact that Pima County has seen an uptick in wildlife rabies cases this year. • Pima County is also seeing issues i... Full story
Subscribers to the Arizona Game and Fish Department's free eNews will notice a new look to these communications. You may have already received some of the new-look eNews as part of the department's soft launch pilot program. The functionality remains the same as before, but subscribers will notice two other differences besides the look: (1) The "From" field will now read "Arizona Game and Fish Department" instead of "AZGFD," and (2) The "Subscribe" form (see button at bottom of our website) to... Full story
Summary Of Fishing Regulations Changes For 2025-26 Below is a list of changes published in the 2025 and 2026 Fishing Regulations: • The special regulations and seasons section is now organized by Arizona Game and Fish Department regions to make it easier for anglers to know which office to contact for additional information. • New regulation to create unlimited daily and possession limits for illegally introduced warmwater fish species at Becker Lake. Catch-and-release only for trout. Trout mus... Full story
AZGFD Issues Notice Of Proposed Rulemaking To Amend Article 2 Rules See link below for rationale on proposed repeal of R12-4-216 (Crossbow Permit). The Arizona Game and Fish Commission proposes to amend its Article 2 rules, addressing licenses, permits, stamps, and tags, to enact amendments developed during the preceding Five-year Review Report. The proposed amendments are designed to increase the effectiveness of the rules to meet the department's mission, ensure consistency with state and... Full story
Arizona's bald eagles are back, and they will soon be preparing for the next generation of eagles at breeding sites statewide. To assist with the state's continued bald eagle population growth, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) encourages outdoor recreationists, aircraft pilots, drone operators and motorized paragliders to do their part by not disturbing the state's 104 eagle breeding areas. To protect breeding attempts, some portions of public land and water areas will be... Full story
Hunters may be randomly selected throughout the year to meet specific objectives. The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is seeking to bolster its pool of hunters who apply to be randomly selected throughout the year for specific population management hunts. Population management hunts enhance the department's ability to meet population and habitat management objectives when traditional harvest strategies are not meeting these objectives. At this time, two separate population management... Full story
NEW THIS YEAR – Conservation First USA received extra tags, enough to conduct two separate raffles. The first raffle ended in December, but wait, there's more! The second raffle campaign for ten more tags will run from January – June 2025. Until August 14, 2026 Winners of these tags will have 365 days to hunt almost anywhere in the state. The hunting season for all tags is August 15, 2025 – August 14, 2026. 100% of the proceeds from these raffle prizes will go to on-the-ground conse... Full story
Publishers Note - If you would like to add your upcoming event to this monthly list please click on our Add Your Comments section. There is no charge for listings and links. Links will be reviewed by our Editor and included as time permits. - Jim Allen November 2 - Fly-Day Event For Challenged Kids November 4 - AZGFD Hunt Tags More than 2,200 permit-tags remain for 2025 spring hunts, raptor capture. Applications accepted — by U.S. mail only — beginning Monday. Also — The Arizona Game and Fish... Full story
The Ben Avery Shooting Facility (BASF) is shining the spotlight on a new way to have some fun breaking clay targets. When the sun goes down on the first and third Thursday each month, recreational shooters can gather behind the Clay Target Center Pavilion and give their shotguns an "after-hours" workout under the lights on the 5-Stand course. "5-Stand@Night" puts an exciting and challenging spin on a popular clay-target shooting game. From 7 to 9 p.m., shooters aim at colored targets that... Full story
Sandhill cranes by the thousands are once again returning to their wintering grounds at the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area in southeastern Arizona. For the next several months, more than 20,000 of these fascinating birds, along with waterfowl and other wetland-associated species, will provide an unparalleled wildlife-viewing experience. "In my opinion, there just isn't a better wildlife-viewing opportunity in Arizona" said Jeff Meyers, wildlife viewing program manager for the Arizona Game and... Full story
VERMILLION CLIFFS, Ariz. – Partners in Arizona-Utah California Condor conservation, including the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), gathered at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument on Sept. 28 for the successful release of four captive-raised and endangered California condors into the wilds of far north Arizona. The Peregrine Fund and the Bureau of Land Management hosted the event in conjunction with National Public Lands Day. Cheers erupted from an enthusiastic crowd at the viewing s... Full story
Bison (aka buffalo) have long been an important resource for indigenous people. That truth is recognized in the herd management of the valuable animals that inhabit the Grand Canyon's North Rim. One hundred bison were successfully relocated last month and transferred to the Intertribal Buffalo Council. Since herb reduction began in 2018, 282 buffalo have been transferred to eight different American Indian tribes. The sharing of this resource is as it should be, contributing to both conservation... Full story
Fall Raffle Launches With Bonus Tags Conservation First USA (https://conservationfirstusa.org/) is excited to announce a unique opportunity for you to win one of eight big game hunt permit-tags in its special fall raffle. The tags (one each for mule deer, whitetail deer, bison, elk, pronghorn, javelina, mountain lion and black bear) grants you the opportunity to hunt almost anywhere in the state for 365 days - a rare and valuable chance for any hunter. Key Details: • Unlimited ticket p... Full story
Applicants also can purchase PointGuard products, add Arizona E-Tag The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) reminds hunters who applied for 2025 spring hunts that 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Tuesday, Oct. 15, is the deadline to update credit card or debit card account information. The same deadline applies to purchasing a PointGuard product. Choosing PointGuard Plus, or the standard PointGuard, ensures that applicants can surrender their hunt permit-tag for any reason, and the accumulated...
The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), alongside conservation leaders, Gov. Katie Hobbs, and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, recently celebrated the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) decision to remove Apache trout from the federal Endangered Species List . The delisting announcement was made by Secretary Haaland at a special event in Mesa in early September. "The recovery of Apache trout is a culmination of more than five decades of hard work and the cooperation of many... Full story
PHOENIX - The Arizona Game and Fish Commission announced the recipients of the 2024 Commission Awards at its September meeting in Prescott, Ariz. The awards recognize Arizonans who have contributed significantly to the conservation of the state's wildlife, its outdoor heritage, and the mission of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. This year's recipients are - • Award of Excellence – Kohinoor Kar – ADOT • Youth Conservationist of the Year – Ryder and Cadence Walton • Media of the Year – The Wi... Full story
Whether in a canoe or kayak or on a stand-up paddleboard, all offer a calm, serene way to enjoy boating - unless of course there are many power craft sharing the lake or a sudden storm makes an appearance. Then, the best advice is to hug the shoreline and quieter waters, or if in real danger, the obvious choice is to get out of the threatening weather. (Experts will always advise that you "know before you go"; in other words, check the weather reports before putting in.) September in Arizona is... Full story
