Are you ready for the fall hunt? Practice now, success later
SPECIAL TO THE YUMA SUN
Practice does make perfect! With fall hunt seasons around the corner, now is a good time to begin some serious, steady practice to ensure a successful, ethical hunt of your chosen big game animal. Along with the practice, comes the need to stock up on your supply of camping and hunting needs so you’ll be ready to hit the trail when your hunt time arrives. A trip (or two) for some much-needed scouting of your hunt area is good to plan along with other preparations that includes getting your body physically in shape for all the trudging up and down tall hills and mountains, and being on all day hunts in search of the animal. With our weather getting warmer by the day, planning a cool location to practice might be a good thing along with getting ready for the hunt with an ideal location right here in Yuma at Sprague’s Sports Shop.
It’s good news at Sprague’s (range is open every other lane): Calling all hunters — Arizona fall hunt application period is open now for deer, bighorn sheep, turkey, bison and more. Deadline is Tuesday and must be done online at azgfd.gov. Sprague’s does have 2020-21 Hunting Regulation Booklets, stop by and get yours today. A good time to get started with the important and very necessary practice for a successful hunt by taking advantage of the indoor shooting range at Sprague’s where it’s cool and comfortable, especially as our summer weather gets hotter. Ask about CCW and other shooting classes as well as Hunter Safety Education classes being held at the shop by qualified instructors.
Check in with Sprague’s sister company as well to make your vehicle summer travel/work ready as well as ready for the fall hunt with quality 3M window tinting, suspension and lift kits, fiberglass shells and lids with a dedicated team of experts at Truck Mates/Line-X of Yuma. Stop by or call Brent Norred at 928-7269199.
• Adult buck antelope poached: The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking information about the recent poaching of an adult pronghorn buck near Seligman,
Ariz. The pronghorn buck was found on the side of a frontage road two miles west of the Jolly Road exit off of I-40. It had been shot with a firearm out of season and left to waste on May 27, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
“Multiple pieces of evidence were collected at the scene, but help from the public will play a vital role in finding who is responsible,” said AZGFD Wildlife Manager Cody Johnston. “This is not the act of a hunter. Poaching is a crime. It is stealing wildlife from the citizens of Arizona. It is important for anyone with information to come forward and help Game and Fish bring those responsible to justice.” Anyone with information is encouraged to call the department’s Operation Game Thief hotline at 800-352-0700, or visit azgfd.gov/ogt, and refer to case #20-001500. Callers may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,500 from AZGFD’s Operation Game
Thief Program and an additional $1,000 from the Arizona Antelope Foundation for information leading to a conviction in this case. This reward was obtained through the Arizona Game and Fish Department Operation Game Thief Program and from the Arizona Antelope Foundation. Callers can remain confidential upon request.
• Mexican wolf recovery effort given a genetic boost: Biologists from the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF), and Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan (SSP), with extensive logistical support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), have worked together to cross-foster 20 genetically diverse wolf pups from captive facilities across the U.S. into litters of wild wolf packs. Over a six-week period in April and May, 12 pups were fostered into four different packs in eastern Arizona and eight were fostered into three packs in western New Mexico.
Cross-fostering is a proven method used by the Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team (IFT) to increase genetic diversity in the wild Mexican wolf population. It involves placing genetically diverse pups less than 14 days old from captive breeding populations into wild dens with similarly aged pups to be raised as wild wolves. The IFT has documented that cross-fostered pups have the same survival rate as wild-born pups in their first year of life (about 50%), and survival rates using this technique are generally higher than other wolf release methods.
“Managing genetics is one of the biggest challenges facing Mexican wolf conservation, even as constant progress is being made on numeric recovery,” said Jim deVos, Assistant Director for Wildlife Management at the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “Science has proven that cross-fostering young pups works in increasing genetic diversity.” A total of seven different captive-born litters provided Mexican wolf pups for fostering into the wild population.
Aerial support of three crossfoster operations was provided by LightHawk Conservation Flying and a private jet donor associated with one transfer from the Endangered Wolf Center. Their donations made possible three early morning flights of pups from the Midwest to ensure IFT biologists had ample daylight to conduct operations. “We are grateful to all those who contributed to the success of this year’s efforts, including the staff members at the captive facilities that provided pups and the organizations and individuals that provided flight support,” said Paul Greer, Mexican Wolf IFT Leader for Arizona Game and Fish.
“Despite the many challenges this year has presented, staff from the captive facilities, LightHawk, and our state partners came through and placed a record number of captive-born pups into the wild,” said Brady McGee, Mexican Wolf Recovery Coordinator for the
USFWS in Albuquerque, N.M. “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service thanks these partners for their commitment to ensuring cross-fostering was a success in 2020.” “The cooperation between the two state wildlife agencies was key given the challenges faced with the current pandemic,” said Stewart Liley, Chief of the Wildlife Division, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. “Working together allowed a very successful cross-fostering season and keeping pace with improving genetics in the wild.”
The IFT will continue to monitor the packs through GPS and radio telemetry signals from collars placed on the wolves to avoid further disturbance. Later, through remote camera observations and efforts to capture the young of the year, the IFT plans to document survival of the cross-fostered pups. The end-of-year census for 2019 showed a minimum of 163 wild Mexican wolves in the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area (76 in Arizona and 87 in New Mexico), up from a minimum of 131 wolves counted at the end of 2018.
• What to do with unwanted aquatic pets: Some people mistakenly believe that when their exotic pets get too difficult to manage, it is OK to release them into the wild. But, that is exactly the wrong thing to do. Introduced pets — even goldfish — can have devastating effects on native wildlife and ecosystems. In our aquatic ecosystems, they can outcompete sportfish and natives for food and space, prey on native species, and have unforeseeable effects on the food web. Even aquarium pets, once established, can easily take over an aquatic system and negatively impact our native and sportfish populations. While most non-native tropical fish are bright in color, some goldfish will lose their bright colors and grow upwards of 5 pounds, resembling a large crappie or perch. There are many other exotic fish, turtles and pets that have found their way into Arizona’s waters, and the Arizona Game and Fish Department has been educating the public on ways people can help prevent their spread. The Department’s Aquatic Invasive Species Program has partnered with the Don’t Let It Loose campaign, focusing on the harmful effects of releasing pets and helping owners find responsible ways to care for their unwanted pets.
What are things you can do? If you’re fishing and catch an unidentifiable fish or one that you can identify as non-native, do not release it back into the water. Instead you can — take a photo and mark the location found and report it to the Aquatic Invasive Species Program. If you think you may have found a species listed on Director’s Order 1, such as any of the snakehead and Asian carp species, place the fish in ice and contact the Aquatic Invasive Species Program as well, so it can be collected for testing. If you or someone you know has any aquarium pets they do not wish to keep, do not release them into any lakes, ponds, or streams. We encourage the public to help us spread the message to other pet owners, and together we can stop the harmful and illegal introduction and spread of unwanted species. If you would like to report a non-native species, contact the Aquatic Invasive Species Program at 623-236-7608 or aiscomments@ azgfd.gov. You can also report them through our project in iNaturalist via the web, or download the app inaturalist.org/projects/arizonaimapinvasives.
What can people do if they have a pet they can no longer care for and they can’t find another owner willing to care for it? You can contact an animal shelter or agency near you. The knowledgeable personnel in these places can help you find the right place for your pet. For more information on what you can do, visit Don’t Let It Loose. For more information on AZGFD’s Aquatic Invasive Species and Director’s Orders, visit azgfd.gov/AIS.
FISHING CLUBS
• Fishing Arizona and the Colorado River fishing forum: Bob La Londe reports, it has become necessary to cancel all plans for the June 27 fishing forum bass tournament for this year. For more information, visit Bob LaLonde at yumabassman.com/forums-new/ index.php/topic,9698.msg46548. html#new. Bob wants to let anyone know who had planned to fish the forum event, let him know if you want to go fishing and he’ll be glad to get together with you to catch some bass.
• Yuma Valley Rod and Gun
Club “Where Sportsmanship Builds Leadership”: A final reminder of recommendations for a healthy day on the water! Maintain physical distance of six feet from others, keeping space between you and others is one of the best tools we have to avoid exposure. Wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other physical distancing measures are difficult to maintain. Avoid gathering in groups of 10 or more, especially in unventilated spaces. Limit close contact with others outside your household. “Your health is your responsibility.” Stay safe on the water and fish on! Keep watch here for news of when the club plans change back to having open bass tournaments again, something many of us are chompin’ at the bit to get in on! Contact
Travis Hurley at travishurley@gmail. com or call 803-463-3655 to learn about possible fishing get-togethers planned by the club.
• No update at this time from other Yuma area fishing clubs: Desert Draw Anglers club, the Yuma region of American Bass or Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club, other than their fishing recommendations so you’ll need to call them to learn about what their current plans are since some of the virus restrictions have been lifted. Desert Draw Anglers contact is Michael Obney, 928-750-7081; American Bass,
Billy Clothier, 928-919-0304. You might also stop by the Hideaway (where Mitch’s Bait Shop used to be) on east 16th Street as you leave Yuma and check with them (take the time to look around at what they have while you’re there and if you have questions about fishing for bass in the Yuma area, I bet they’ll have the answers for you.).
• 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.
SHOOTING SPORTS
It’s a good idea to check with the various shooting clubs at Adair Park ranges to learn about possible shooting matches being planned now that some health-safety restrictions have been lifted in Arizona. Following are contact numbers for the various shooting clubs so call first before heading for the ranges. If you can’t get hold of them, call Ron Gissendaner at Sprague’s
Sports at 928-726-0022 for information. Also, for those who might head for the ranges for practice, the ranges are open from dawn to dusk (restriction still in force on staying 6-feet apart from other shooters while at the ranges).
• 4-H Shooting Sports: For information on the 4-H Shooting Sports for youth ages 9-19, call the 4-H office at 726-3904 or Stan Gourley at 928-344-0740. Ask about getting together with a 4-H club in town now in order to be able to sign up for 4-H Shooting Sports program in September.
• The Yuma Trap and Skeet Club: All matches have been closed until the quarantine has been lifted. During this closure, call Bruce at 928-941-2240 and leave a message if no answer. Should conditions improve and board members make the decision to open, Bob Avila will notify you.
• The Yuma Young Guns shooting the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) is not shooting until further notice or call head coach H. McNutt at 928-580-0918 or John Gross at 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 done until fall but the range is open daylight to dusk for shooting practice for those interested. Call president Rick Kelley with questions at 928-502-0736 or visit rickinyuma@gmail.com.
• High Power Rifle and Pistol
Club of Yuma: Call Joseph Murek at 928-627-4556 with questions or check club information on the club website at hprifleyuma.com.
• Yuma Matchmasters: Call Irene Snyder at 920-613-4598 or Bob Wiles at 920-2158.
• Southwest Bowhunters Archery Club president’s June message:
“We had an excellent turnout for our Memorial Day fun shoot. The weather was even on our side (for once). Positive comments on the 40 targets set up. Again, some were very challenging by the evidence in busted arrow shafts. I left some, too.” Hope you can make it to the 9 a.m. meeting today — monthly meetings are always the 1st Sunday of each month at the Adair Park archery range. If you haven’t done so already. a reminder to renew your 2020 membership dues and bring a friend or young one. Call president Rick Bielke at 928-750-6279 to learn about current shooting plans or email the club for more information at info@southwestbowhunters. net, also visit southwestbowhunters. net.