HAWG bass challenge rules, regulations

Bass anglers might enjoy getting in on this threetiered, incentivebased conservation program, The HAWG Bass Challenge, conducted by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The challenge is designed to encourage anglers to learn about and pursue really large largemouth bass while encouraging and celebrating catchand-release on individual fish over 5 pounds. The HAWG Bass Conservation Challenge, 5 pounds or 21 inches: To complete this challenge, catch a 5-pound or larger largemouth bass. Verify your big fish by taking a photo while weighing or measuring it following the rules and guidelines. Release your fish quickly (immediately after weighing or measuring) back into the water where you caught it. Submit your photo via BFishing@ azgfd.gov. Make sure you include a valid email address so that you can be contacted. A department biologist will contact you to discuss all the great details of your catch. Your photo will be posted on the HAWG Bass Conservation Board on FISHAZ.AZGFD.com.

For complete information on this challenge, visit azgfd.gov/Arizona HAWG Bass Challenge with the challenge for 8 pounds or 24 inches and for the 10 pound club of 10 pounds or 26 inches as well with the goal of conservation through catch-and-release of the biggest, oldest, most valuable individuals in waters the department is managing for trophy-sized bass as well as promoting catch and release of large brood fish in all bass waters along with exciting anglers about Arizona fishing, encouraging them to purchase licenses and fish more resulting in benefits to anglers, fishing-related business, local communities and the fisheries by having more support and funding for conservation. It is also to collect valid information through citizen-science about trophy-sized bass to help the department better enhance, conserve and promote trophy bass fishing. It also shares information about fishing opportunities and destinations to make fishing more enjoyable. A department biologist will contact you to discuss all the great details of your catch and get your information to send you a fishing shirt with the 10 pound club, AZHAWG Bass Challenge artwork as a way to celebrate FISHAZ.AZGFD. com. You’ll also be entered into a drawing to be held in February each year for a prize valued at over $1,000.

The rules for this challenge are: Fish must be released alive in the same water where caught.

Arizona HAWG Bass Challenge is a citizenscience conservation rewards program for anglers that emphasizes the immediate liverelease of larger, older individuals in the larger size classes of largemouth bass. Arizona HAWG Bass Challenge fish will be accepted year-round and require photographic documentation for verification. All fish entered into Arizona HAWG Bass Challenge must be caught legally, including having a valid license or exemption, using an active hook-and-line method, and documented following established guidelines (below). Anglers without a license, fishing in a clinic or event not requiring a license will not be eligible. Submit a photo (high resolution photos with good overall clarity, 3 megapixel camera or above recommended) with at least one photograph of the whole fish on a spring or digital scale (displaying head-to-tail, with no part of the fish being left out) with the weight clearly visible. Anglers are encouraged to submit three or four additional photographs of the fish — the whole fish on a measuring board with the length clearly visible, close-up on scale, and girth, being released, and/or of themselves or a friend with their catch (remove sunglasses), photos and information will be reviewed by the department biologists. If the fish weight is not clearly visible in the photo, it does not show the entire fish, or the submission is questionable in terms of the size of the fish or location/method of catch or live release, the AZ HAWG Bass Challenge team may verify or deny the entry based on their professional judgment. Be aware that hand scales must be held by the designated handle without interfering with or touching the chain, shaft, or the fish while weighing. All scales, including pan scales, should be properly tared in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Supplemental photos holding or releasing the fish, close-ups of the scale with at least half of the fish visible, images of the entire fish on a bump-board or tape-measure, and girth photos are encouraged to be submitted. However, the required photo is of the entire fish on the scale with the weight clearly visible (if in doubt, the picture of “how to correctly weigh your catch” on page 3 of the article will leave no doubt as to what to do followed on page 4 showing the proper way to measure your catch.

Videos are also accepted, check that out on page 4 of the challenge. Since catch-and-release of trophy class fish is a goal of Arizona HAWG Bass Challenge, anglers who catch an eligible fish while participating in a fishing tournament must release the fish immediately to participate in the challenge. Any sized fish that are retained as part of a legal bag limit to be weighed at a weigh-in will not be eligible for the challenge. Anglers should become familiar with handling procedures to ensure fish are healthy upon release. Live release must be verifiable. Fish not certified live or kept by an angler will not be accepted for the challenge. If interested, be sure to check out all information included in the report.

Arizona, home to fantastic large flathead and channel catfish fishing, gave the department a very good excuse to provide great opportunities to get in on the “Arizona Fat Cat Challenge” put together for catfish enthusiasts. Check next week’s column for information on how to get in on it.

Fishing clubs

• Yuma’s Desert Anglers Bass Club: Annual dues are $20 and $10 for each additional family member wanting to fish. Reminder, this new club was put together with a format as close as possible to what Mac and Bobbi McDermott did with Desert Bass Anglers for so many years with the hope of interesting those fishermen and women who had been members along with other anglers to try the new one out. Call Michael Obney at 928-750-7081 with questions. The Desert Anglers 2020 remaining tournaments are March 7, April 4, May 2, June 6, July 11, Aug. 1, Aug. 29, Oct. 3, Nov. 7 and Dec. 5 with all tournament launching out of Fisher’s Landing except for April 4 that will be at Mittry Lake. Anglers who have joined the new club so far are enjoying this new adventure!

• ABA - Yuma region: Don’t miss the Feb. 15 bass tournament launching out of Fisher’s Landing. The remaining tournaments are March 7 at Mittry Lake, April 18 at Fisher’s, May 16 - Fish-off at Fishers Landing. Give Billy Clothier a call at 928-919-0304 with questions. Ask about the club’s 8-pound pot.

• Yuma High School Bass Fishing Club: A great way for any high schooler, both boys and girls, to learn about fishing for bass with members of the Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club, Game and Fish Region IV personnel and other volunteers assisting the kids in providing them with boats and equipment as well as guidance as they learn. It is an exciting year so far for our next generation of anglers at Fisher’s Landing/Martinez Lake. Interested high schoolers can call Terry Hurt, school sponsor, at 580-6567 or visit StudentAnglerFoundation.com to get started.

• New Year’s resolution 2020 for all outdoors enthusiasts: If you are among sportsmen, women and our youth interested in not only hunting and fishing but conservation as well who have yet to make your New Year’s resolution this year, think about the 10 simple resolutions offered by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, any one of which should be easy for an outdoors enthusiast to stick to —

Make it a point to wet a line this year at one (or more) of 45 waters in the Community Fishing Program. With lakes and ponds in 21 Arizona communities that are seasonally stocked with channel catfish, bluegill and rainbow trout, there’s always a hot spot close to home. This is a great way to introduce a youngster to a fun, lifelong sport. Your reward? Hearing that youngster squeal with delight while pulling in his or her first fish. Buy a license online today at www.azgfd. com/license/ (youth under age 10 do not need to purchase a license).

Wildlife lovers can put their money where their heart is by signing up for a conservation membership package. Your annual dues provide much-needed funding to sustain important wildlife and habitat conservation projects.

Look for animal tracks together and identify the critter that made them. Armed with only a bird identification guide, embark on a “hunting” expedition and see how many species you can find. A day in the field will create memories that last a lifetime — for both of you. Vow to clean up not only after yourself, but those who aren’t as considerate. Take an extra trash bag along on your next outing, and spend a few minutes picking up those empty cans, cigarette butts or campsite trash. After all, respected access is open access.

Arizona provides some of the best wildlife-viewing opportunities in the nation, with more than 800 species of wildlife. It’s a fun, inexpensive activity the entire family can enjoy.

Most hunters know that success in the field begins with a quality pair of binoculars or spotting scope. Don’t skimp. Better to buy the best you can afford that fits your needs than settle for a middle-of-the-road piece of equipment and be forced to upgrade later. It’s difficult to imagine what our wildlife populations might be like today without the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. For a presentation from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, produced by Arizona Game and Fish, visit www.youtube.com/ watch?v=WE4L9KicSeU.

Save the date — March 28-29 — and experience the great outdoors at the department’s Outdoor Expo at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility. There will be plenty of hands-on activities, wildlife presentations/educational demonstrations, and the opportunity to meet with outdoors groups, agencies and exhibitors. Admission and parking are free.

Don’t let the odds of being selected in the random draw keep you from applying for what could be the hunt of a lifetime. If you’ve always dreamed of hunting bison, pronghorn or bull elk, then get in the game and fill out an application. Also, don’t overlook small game or other species that can be hunted year-round. Buy a license online today at www.azgfd.com/ license/. The portal lets you create a secure account where you can view and manage your licenses, draw results, bonus points and memberships in your own personal “My AZGFD Dashboard” section. Just click on the “My Account” button in the upper right-hand corner of the www.azgfd.gov home page, then select the “Register” option.

Hunt happenings

• Mexican wolf update: The following is a summary through Dec. 31, 2019, of the Mexican Wolf Recovery Program activities in the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area (MWEPA) in Arizona, including the Fort Apache Indian Reservation (FAIR), San Carlos Apache Reservation (SCAR), and New Mexico. Additional program information can be obtained by calling 928-339-4329 or toll-free at 888-459-9653, or by visiting the Arizona Game and Fish Department website at azgfd.gov/wolf or by visiting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website at fws.gov/southwest/es/ mexicanwolf. For information on the FAIR, call 928-338-4385 ext. 226 or visit wmatoutdoors.org. Interested parties may sign up to receive this update electronically by visiting azgfd.gov and clicking on the e-news sign-up tab on the top left corner of the webpage. The Mexican Wolf Recovery Program is a multi-agency cooperative effort among the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF), USDA Forest Service (USFS), USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services (USDA-APHIS WS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), White Mountain Apache Tribe (WMAT), Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. National Park Service (NPS). To view semimonthly wolf location information, visit http://arcg.is/0iGSGH.

Shooting sports

• Yuma 4-H shooting sports camp-out: Stanley Gourley reported on Jan. 11-12, “The Yuma County 4-H Shooting Sports Project had conducted a training camp-out in Dome Valley with over a dozen 4-H youth, their siblings and 2 dozen adults attending the over 18 hours of classes provided. Subjects ranged from ethical hunting practices, resource management, camp fire cooking, the night sky, 3 periods on maps/compass/ land navigation and an action cowboy class/demonstration. Great support was provided by the Ware Family Farm, Sprague’s Sports and instructors Mike Kofta and Dan Urquidez. This support was invaluable and without which we could never reach out to so many camp participants. I thank the participating youth, their parents, our instructors and our supporters for a great, productive weekend. This was the great participation and involvement we have had, support us next year.” For information on the 4-H program for youth ages 9-19, call the 4-H office at 726-3904 or

• Yuma Territorial Longrifles Club: Regular open black powder matches are the 1st and 3rd Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. at the Adair Park range. Call Roger Bickel at 726-7453 with questions or to ask about .22 matches.

• The Yuma Trap and Skeet Club: New schedule — Regular shooting matches are 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays and Sundays. Matches are also held noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays all at the Adair Park trap and skeet range. Fees $1 to sign up with $6 non-member fee per round of 25 targets. Member’s fee $4 per round with 5 shooting fields available — field 1 & 2 skeet, field 3 wobble trap, field 4 & 5 trap. Eye and hearing protection required. Annual dues $30 per calendar year. Call Bob Avila at 928-9190622.

• The Yuma Young Guns shooting the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP): The program is open to ages 9-25 still in school with a team of Arizona Game and Fish Department certified instructors assisting. SCTP practice at the range is 6 p.m. Wednesdays as well as at 12:30 p.m. Feb. 8 and 22. Call head coach H. McNutt at 928-580-0918 or John Gross at 580-1836 for answers to questions.

• Cholla Gun Club: Club NRA approved matches will resume shooting now at Adair Park. 2020 silhouette match schedule at Adair Park with $5 shooting fee per gun: 4th Saturday in February, March, November and December — big bore long range pistol, cowboy lever action rifle, pistol cartridge lever action rifle, .22 lever action rifle. These are NRA approved matches, however, NRA membership is not required to participate. 2nd Saturday in February, March, November and December — black powder cartridge, vintage military rifle silhouette or fun match; vintage military rifle is any military rifle built up to 1952. No M14’s allowed. Chickens shot standing; pigs, turkeys, rams shot off of a ground rest replicating military positions while shooting. Bench rest 1/2 size targets will also be shot. This is all center fire calibers shot at 200, 300, 385 and 500 meters. Other shooting schedules for the week: every Tuesday 8 a.m. — Schutzen .22 rifle match on the black powder range, 20 shots bench rest at 100 yards and 20 shots standing at 100 yards, bench rest match 50 shots at 50 yards. These are shot on alternating Tuesdays. Every Wednesday 8 a.m. — informal get together for fun and plinking off the bench or standing. Practice your shooting skills, test your ammo for the gun you want to shoot. Every Wednesday 9 a.m. until finished — BPCR .22 silhouette, .22 long range silhouette match. Every Friday 8 a.m. — .22 and pistol cartridge caliber rifle and pistol silhouette fun matches. Informal get-together for .22 rimfire rifle or pistol and pistol caliber lever rifles or pistols. In addition, there will be some monthly NRL (National Rifle League) on the 3rd Saturday of the month throughout the year. Everyone is welcome. Club business meeting is 7 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday November through March at Villa Alameda RV Park, Avenue 5E. Qualifications: Open to the general public. Instructions will be provided as necessary. Firearm limitations: All firearms must comply with NRA guidelines for each event. Cartridge limitations: Cartridges must not result in damage to the targets (i.e., no belted magnums). Small bore is defined as .22 long rifle ammunition (no .22 magnums). Start times: Sign-up at 8 a.m., shooting starts promptly at 8:30 a.m. Call president Rick Kelley at 928-502-0736 or visit rickinyuma@gmail.com.

• High Power Rifle and Pistol Club of Yuma: All shooters are always welcome to shoot with the club. Call Joseph Murek at 928627-4556 with questions. Shooting activities are also available for club junior “Whipper Snipers” for all ages. Check club matches along with other club news listed on the club website at hprifleyuma. com.

• Yuma Matchmasters: A variety of matches are offered each month at the range, all open to shooters at 7 a.m. with the steel challenge the 1st Saturday, multi-gun matches the 1st Sunday, IPSC combat matches the 2nd Sunday with the cowboy fast draw the 3rd Saturday. Cowboy matches have moved to the 4th Sunday, there will not be a cowboy match this month — the regular cowboy match will return on the 4th Sunday in February. Call Ronnie Gissendaner at 726-0022 to check fall matches. Interested in cowboy action shooting? Call Irene Snyder at 920-613-4598 or Bob Wiles at 920-2158.

• Southwest Bowhunters Archery Club: Archery is offered Sundays with the practice range open all week at Adair Park. Call Keith Parsels at 782-1086.