AGFC is coliciting nominations for its 2020 Commission awards

Nominations sought by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission: The Commission is soliciting nominations for its 2020 Commission Awards. The deadline for submission is Sept. 4. The purpose of these awards is to 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. Nominations may include individuals, organizations, clubs, foundations or government agencies. Arizona Game and Fish Department employees are not eligible for nomination.

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission will select the 2020 Commission Award recipients at its Sept. 25-26 meeting. The awards will be presented at the annual Arizona Game and Fish Commission Awards Banquet to be held on Jan. 23, 2021, at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort, 11111 N. 7th Street, Phoenix, Ariz., 85020.

Download a nomination form using the following 2020 award categories:

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 Conservationist 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.

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 Game and Fish Department.

Conservationist of the Year: Any individual, not associated with a professional agency, which has excelled in efforts to enhance, conserve, and manage wildlife or their habitats.

Natural Resource Professional of the Year: Any individual who through a professional agency affiliation has excelled in efforts to enhance, conserve, and manage wildlife or their habitats.

Volunteer of the Year: Any individual who, as a registered volunteer with the

Outdoors Column Jean Wilson department, has excelled in efforts to support and benefit the mission of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Educator of the 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.

Mentor of the Year: Any individual who has acted in the role of a mentor and whose efforts have resulted in the promotion and support of future wildlife conservation efforts and the development of future wildlife conservation leaders in Arizona/

Advocate of the Year (two nominations): Any individual that has engaged in political advocacy for the betterment of wildlife conservation and in the support of the mission of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Business Partner of the Year: Any business partner that actively promotes Game and Fish through innovative approaches, community involvement and a customer service focus that benefits the citizens of Arizona and supports the Game and Fish’s mission of wildlife conservation.

Buck Appleby Hunter Education Instructor of the Year Award: Any hunter education instructor who actively participates in hunter education activities and demonstrates the highest level of customer service, dedication and professionalism during these activities. Award category recently approved by the AZGFD Commission in honor of Buck Appleby, a long-time hunter education instructor who passed away in 2010. While hunting is a time-honored tradition all around Yuma County, target shooting is another popular activity in the area.

HUNT HAPPENINGS

• HAHWG receives regional award: Congratulations Hunting and Angling Heritage Workgroup selected to receive the WAFWA Special Achievement Award for all their dedication the past decade starting with the development of a one-of-a-kind, partnershipbased hunter / angler recruitment, retention and reactivation hands-on, learn to hunt / fish model. Doug Burt congratulates all the working members of HAHWG who are well deserved. He added, “Stand Tall!” The award will be presented, virtually, from 4 to 5 p.m. July 13. A centralized list of events (from the hunt regs) are now posted online on the Kalkomey, Outdoor Skills Network event Registration System (registration will open Aug. 1) so you can view and plan. Check it all out: bit. ly/OutdoorSkillsAZ. Other resources and information: OSN Facebook page, support for attendees, HAHWG Facebook page, support for partners, online registration of HAHWG/ Outdoor Skills events, Loaner Equipment & Resources, R3 articles and stories for your newsletter, local sportsmen’s groups grant. AZGFD, Wildlife Conservation Fund (license plate) Grant, AZSFWC, Hunting Heritage Trust Grant, NSSF. Doug Burt as well as Ryan and Scott, working with HAHWG at the Game and Fish Outdoor Skills Network at Game and Fish, want to thank all the outdoors clubs for sharing their creative, positive thinking and focus on their HAHWG activities and assurance that you are all ready to pounce when “the light shines upon us.”

• Yuma Valley Rod & Gun Club and Southwest Wildlife Foundation “Conserving Arizona’s Land and Wildlife Since 1936”: The club congratulates Dan U. on winning the Tikka rifle raffle. The July club raffle is “A Week in the Pines,” thanks to Lucia with Mountain High Vacations as well as to Rocky Hyatt for putting the deal together. Because of COVID-19 problems, the dog shoot at Seligman, Ariz., had to be cancelled. YVRGC thanks everyone who supported our annual fundraiser in any way as well as to one of the winners who donated winnings back to the club for youth events. Great support! FISH TIP

• With the coming of July comes float tubing for some cooler (and productive) fun fishing. First off, check the tube for punctures, repair where needed. Step into your tube before entering the water when you arrive at your destination works well. By entering the water backwards you stand less of a chance of tripping over your fins (backing out when leaving the water also works best). Accidents can happen, so never tube alone. Always wear a floatation device. So that boaters will see you from a distance, it’s a good idea to mark your tube with highly visible, bright stripes. It’s also a good idea to tie on your tackle box (or plastic container) so you don’t lose it in the water. Having drinking water along is also a good idea this time of year.

FISHING CLUBS

• Desert Anglers has resumed, yes! Check next week for results of Saturday’s open tournament as well as for information on the following tournament with details on where to get signed up, etc. Call Michael Obney at 928-750-7081 or visit desertanglers@yahoo.com. For information and answers to questions.

No updates at this time for other current fishing tournaments but check with American Bass - Yuma region with Bill Clothier at 928-919-0304, or YVRGC with Travis Hurley at 803463-3655. You might also stop by and check with “the Hideaway” (where Mitch’s Bait Shop used to be) on east 16th Street as you leave Yuma. Some of the fishing clubs have their sign-up sheets at the store as well. Once the COVID-19 is done, we’ll all be glad to hit the water again with fishing pole and be so very glad it’s over and done with although we can still fish as long as distance for safety and masks are put to work — just give others a lot of space so they can enjoy it as well.

• Yuma High School Bass Fishing Club: Even with school not being in session until fall, if you’re a high school student interested in getting together with these other youngsters who are already members of this club for the great learning on how best to fish for bass, call Terry Hurt, school sponsor, at 928-580-6567 or David Parrish at 928-941-6168. Now that virus problem restrictions are partially lifted in Arizona, you might even be able to get together with them during summer months if they go fishing at all to get an early start for school.

SHOOTING SPORTS

• Recent article in the Yuma Sun written by Matt Harding about the

Adair Park Shooting Facility near Yuma, for those who missed it: (I’m sure his good information will be of interest to shooting and hunting enthusiasts). Harding wrote, “About a 20-mile drive northeast of downtown Yuma is Adair Ranges, also known as Adair Park, located at 4760 S. U.S. Highway 95, a free outdoor shooting range on 632 acres.” “There’s only one larger in the state,” said Ron Gissendaner, president of the nonprofit organization, referring to the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, which is one of the largest publicly operated shooting facilities in the country, according to the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD).

Harding went on to relate how the range requires shooters to bring their own targets. “Most use paper, but people bring everything from steel knockdown targets and DuraSeal’s dense rubber targets to clay birds and golf balls, said Gissendaner and Richard Sprague, who owns and operates Sprague’s Sports in Yuma, where Gissendaner is senior vice president.

“As long as shooters clean up after themselves, including shotgun shells, most targets are acceptable,” Gissendaner said. “Shooting is allowed on most public lands, but shooters must be further than a quarter mile from the nearest occupied structure,” according to Chris Bedinger, information and education program manager at the Yuma Region IV office of the AZGFD. Bedinger also said that shooting is prohibited at national monuments, or other areas where its prohibition is posted. Shooting is also barred from vehicles or across maintained roads, he said.

He suggested checking out www. spragues.com under the “Where to Shoot” tab. He also mentioned how shooters should always check with local authorities before discharging a firearm. It is illegal in the city of Yuma, for instance, to discharge a firearm unless the person is legally hunting. He also mentioned how “shooting and hunting are allowed on private lands, too, with the owner’s permission, of course.” In his article, he explained how Richard Sprague said “Safety is integral to have a pleasant experience,” Sprague said. “Eye and ear protection are among the most important. He also advised observers to be protected.” “Even at an organized facility,” Sprague said, “you can have ricochets.” Ron Gissendar added, “Beyond personal safety, standard gun safety practices should be observed at all times.” Harding added, “Rules published by Glock, Inc., a gun manufacturer, say shooters should always handle firearms as if they were loaded, pointing them in a safe direction. A shooter’s finger should never be on the trigger until a safe target has been identified, and the decision to fire has been made. Furthermore, a little common sense can go a long way in having an enjoyable, safe target shooting experience.”

Allow me to add that Adair Park ranges are open to the public. During the winter, shooters are asked to sign up at ranges to shoot matches scheduled by maintaining clubs with open practice available at those same ranges during week days from dawn to dusk. No, targets are not available when scheduled matches are not taking place so that’s when you bring your own to enjoy good practice results. During summer months, ranges are open to shooters each day from dawn to dusk. hooters are expected to use the facilities with safety in mind, always. If you ever have questions, Ron Gissendaner is available with answers and good advice by calling Sprague’s Sports at 726-0022. Ranges and maintaining clubs to follow.

• Yuma 4-H Shooting Sports: Stanley Gourley reports two new schedules for shooting sports hopefully beginning soon. The first is for the last shoot of the 2019-20 training year as we did not get the opportunity to have our last day of competition and awards. And that can only happen if the state and UofA restrictions are lifted, TBD. Stanley Gourley’s new contact phone number is 928-388-8995. I have the schedule that appeared in my latest two columns in case you would like a copy or call Gourley if you have questions. I’ll include the full schedule again, this column, just prior to September.

• The Yuma Trap and Skeet Club: Plans are to resume summer shooting matches (new hours) 7 to 11 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays with the following conditions until such time as it becomes necessary to close again due to virus concerns. Members use the range at their own risk. If you are sick or don’t feel well, stay home. Protect yourself and others. Recommend members have his/her own supply of hand sanitizing wipes/spray or lotion. Wearing of face masks is encouraged but not required. Maintain a minimum of 6 feet from others. Disinfectant voice release equipment after each use.

Limit 5 persons per range. Clubhouse and classroom are closed. Bathrooms are open during club hours. When paying, use small bills or checks. Soda, Gatorade and water only are available. Should the number of COVID-19 victims in our community significantly increase in the coming weeks, it may be necessary to close our facility again. Keep a check in this column for necessary changes or call Bob Avila at 928-919-0304.

• The Yuma Young Guns shooting the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), are not shooting now until further notice. Call head coach H. McNutt at 928-580-0918 or John Gross at 928-580-1836 for answers to questions.

• Yuma Territorial Longrifles Club: Call Roger Bickel at 928-726-7453 with questions about shooting at the black powder range at Adair Park.

• Cholla Gun Club: Scheduled matches are over until fall but the range is open daylight to dusk for shooting practice for those interested. Call president Rick Kelley 928-502-0736 with questions or visit rickinyuma@gmail.com.

• High Power Rifle and Pistol Club of Yuma: Call Joseph Murek at 928627-4556 with questions or check club information on the club website at hprifleyuma.com.

• Yuma Matchmasters: Call Irene Snyder at 920-613-4598 to learn what their plans are.

• Southwest Bowhunters Archery Club: Monthly meetings are always at 9 a.m. the first Sunday of each month at the Adair Park archery range. Archers are welcome to attend to learn what shooting will be done during the month. If you haven’t done so already, remember to renew your 2020 membership dues and bring a friend or young one. Call president Rick Bielke at 928-7506279 to learn about current shooting plans or email the club for more information at info@southwestbowhunters. net or visit southwestbowhunters.net.

Contact Jean Wilson at jeanrenegade@gmail.com or call 928-2474450.