THIS WEEK'S STORIES

Bighorn Sheep Capture Planned
Two Elk Poached Near Seligman
Adult Bear & Cub Taken By Poachers
Mt. Graham Squirrel Survey Results Are Ready
100,000 Trout Are Coming To Urban Lakes
Sportsman’s Calendar
Tree Stands Recalled

Media Advisory:
We are conducting bighorn sheep captures – mostly by helicopter – the third and fourth weeks of November. We will be capturing Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep in the eastern part of the state, and Desert Bighorn Sheep in the western portion of the state. The final details are still being worked out. Media desiring to cover should contact Rory Aikens at (602) 789-3214 or Eric Boardley at (602) 789-3223.

Note: The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes they have been discriminated against in any Game and Fish program or activity, including its employment practices, the individual may file a complaint alleging discrimination directly with the Game and Fish Deputy Director, 2221 W. Greenway Rd., Phx., AZ 85023, (602) 942-3000 or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr., Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. If you require this document in an alternative format, please contact the Game and Fish Deputy Director as listed above or by calling TTY at 1-800 367-8939.

1st-Ever In-State Rocky Mountain Sheep Capture & Relocation Planned

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is conducting its first-ever in-state capture and relocation of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep on Nov. 19 in southeastern Arizona.

This event is significant in that, although Rocky Mountain sheep have been transplanted into various locations throughout eastern Arizona, the captured sheep have always come from out-of-state sources. This will be Arizona's first-ever, in-state capture and relocation of this wild sheep subspecies.

Biologists are hoping to capture 20 animals from a population that has surplus animals in the lower Eagle Creek drainage, and an additional 10 animals in the vicinity of the Phelps-Dodge Mine, outside of Morenci. The captured sheep will then be transported to the Bear Canyon area, located in proximity to the Blue River in the eastern portion of Game Management Unit 27, and released. The released animals will bolster a small, existing population of about 10 Rocky Mountain sheep in Bear Canyon.

Hawkins and Powers, a wildlife-capture company based in Wyoming, will utilize a helicopter to gather the necessary sheep in Eagle Creek, bringing them back to a central staging area to be checked by veterinarians, tagged, and fitted with radio collars.

At the same time, other department personnel will use net guns and tranquilizer darts to capture animals at the mine, which have become habituated to people and are causing traffic problems along Highway 191.

Media Note: Media interested in attending this capture and relocation event should call Bruce Sitko, Information and Education Program Manager in the Pinetop regional office, at (928) 367-4281 or e-mail to [email protected] for logistical information.

Two Elk Poached Near Seligman

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is offering up to a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons involved in poaching two elk west of Seligman on or about Oct. 10.

Wildlife officers are seeking information on the illegal taking of two elk on the X Bar One Ranch in Game Management Unit 18A, west of Seligman. One elk was gutted and taken and one was left in place where shot. These elk were taken on closed private property. There were 20 any- elk and 65 antlerless elk permit hunts going on at the time in the unit.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for this unlawful act. Anyone with information can contact the Operation Game Thief hotline at 1-800-352-0700 All calls will remain confidential upon request.

Black Bear & Cub Taken by Poachers

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking information about the killing of an adult black bear and a cub that occurred in the morning hours on Saturday Oct. 26 near the Mogollon Rim between Blue Ridge Reservoir and Knoll Lake, which is the southern part of Game Management Unit 5A. Game and Fish Officials state that after the adult bear was killed it was field dressed and removed from the scene. The cub had been left in the field but the paws had been removed. "Anyone who participates in these types of activities has no respect for wildlife" states Jim Madden, Regional Investigator for the Flagstaff Game and Fish Office. "Hopefully someone will provide us good information and we will be able to catch these individuals," Madden said.

Anyone having any information about this incident is asked to contact the Operation Game Thief Hotline at 1-800-352-0700. A reward of up to $500 is being offered for information that leads to a citation being issued for the illegal killing.

Mount Graham Red Squirrel Fall 2002 Count Announced

The Arizona Game and Fish Department and the USDA Forest Service are announcing the results of the fall 2002 Mount Graham red squirrel survey.

The Mount Graham red squirrel is an endangered subspecies. Biologists estimate that a range of 269 (plus or minus eight) Mount Graham red squirrels currently occupy the Pinaleno Mountain range, also known as Mount Graham.

These results are slightly lower than the spring 2002 survey results of 288 (plus or minus 12) red squirrels.

Every spring and fall, biologists from both agencies survey the red squirrel population. “We actually visit randomly chosen middens, or cone scale piles looking for activity such as new cone scales, fresh digging and stored cones," explains Tim Snow, nongame specialist for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. This information is used to estimate the population size from the percentage of middens showing recent activity.

For the period Oct. 1-4, biologists and volunteers from the Game and Fish, the Coronado National Forest, the University of Arizona, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted the fall survey. About 15 percent of the middens surveyed in the spruce-fir, 40 percent in mixed conifer forest, and 38 percent in the transition forest vegetation types showed signs of recent use by Mount Graham red squirrels.

100,000 Urban Rainbows Are Coming

One-hundred-thousand rainbow trout will be coming to city park lakes in the Phoenix and Tucson areas this winter for your fishing enjoyment.

Those living in the greater Tucson and Phoenix areas will be able to catch trout close to home at lakes in the Urban Fishing Program starting in November and continuing throughout the winter. A Class U, Urban Fishing license is necessary to fish these specially designated park lakes. The Urban Fishing license covers all species so no additional trout stamp is needed. Licenses are $16 for both residents and non-residents.

“We will be stocking around 100,000 fat, 10 to 12-inch rainbow trout from Colorado in our Phoenix and Tucson area Urban Program lakes during the winter stocking period,” said Eric Swanson, Urban Fishing Program manager.

The four Tucson area lakes will receive their first of nine trout stockings on Thursday, Nov. 14. The first delivery of trout for the 11 Phoenix area lakes is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 21. The scheduled dates for fish stockings are only shared with urban anglers twice each year--at the beginning of trout season (November) and at the beginning of catfish season (March). After these first announced trout stockings, trout will be stocked every other week anytime from Monday through Saturday on stocking weeks.

Don’t forget that Green Valley Lake in Payson is part of the Urban Fishing Program. It is stocked at three-week intervals from October through May. Anglers are reporting excellent fishing for trout. So if you want a high country trout experience this winter (that doesn’t involve drilling a hole through the ice), give this picturesque high country urban lake a try.

SPORTSMEN’S CALENDAR
Courtesy Arizona Wildlife Views Magazine
Winter Is A Great Time For A Family Small Game Expedition
Winter in the desert is an excellent time for families to get afield for mixed bags on rabbit, dove (late dove season opens Nov. 22), quail and possibly waterfowl as well. A rabbit or two, a few dove and a couple of quail can provide your family with excellent desert camping fare in winter that will excite the youngsters (and those that feel young). Try them all in a stew, and supplement with chicken and/or beef if necessary. Small game numbers may be down due to the drought, but the excitement of your children will still be high and the memories will be rich when you take them afield to harvest their own dinner, then prepare the fare in camp.

Camp near a desert lake, such as Apache, Alamo or the Parker Strip, and you can also add some fish to the mix (but not necessarily cooked in the stew).

In the high country, the tree squirrel season is open until Nov. 22, so this is your last opportunity for a high country squirrel and trout expedition. If the snow doesn’t fly early this year, consider a Thanksgiving outing to harvest your own wild game. It might become a family tradition.

Winter Fishing

This is the time of year when we are the envy of anglers across the nation. Arizona has plenty of terrific winter fishing opportunities, and terrific winter weather.

A the top of the fishing hit parade are the various winter trout stocking programs. The urban lakes are stocked with feisty rainbow trout (be sure to get an urban fishing license). A host of mid elevation waters are also stocked with trout, such as Saguaro and Canyon lakes, the Lower Salt River, the Verde River (Cottonwood to Camp Verde), Deadhorse State Park, Lynx Lake near Prescott, Parker Canyon Lake, and a host of other waters (see the Winter Stocking Schedule at www.azgfd.com).

For a rare treat, try Silver Creek near Show Low – it is stocked with golden-colored native Apache trout during the winter. Also, watch the weather and lake reports to try the mountain lakes before freeze up.

Various Colorado River waters are also stocked with rainbow trout, including Willow Beach, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave and the Bullhead/Laughlin area. For record-sized fish, try using trout-imitating lures in the desert lakes where rainbows are stocked. In the Colorado River lakes, huge striped bass feed on the stockers. In both Saguaro and Canyon lakes, lunker largemouth bass are known to gobble up stocked trout.

Trout Take your pick. You can catch many mountain lakes before they ice over. There is an exhaustive mid-elevation trout stocking program. Urban lakes are stocked with trout. This is also a good time of year to try Lee’s Ferry along the Colorado River or to hike into the Grand Canyon and try some of the small tributary streams for rainbows and browns getting ready to spawn (see this month’s Arizona Highways magazine). Smallmouth Bass The premier smallmouth winter fishery in Arizona is Apache Lake on the Salt River chain. The other lakes in the chain – Roosevelt, Canyon and Saguaro – also have smallies. A great winter fishing sport for smallies is Lake Moovalya, more commonly known as the Parker Strip. Try fishing the rip-rap below Parker Dam. We are also hearing reports of good smallmouth fishing at Lake Havasu. The upper Verde River and the Black River both have smallies, but low flows make them a little more difficult (but not impossible) to fish. Largemouth bass Most largemouth bass will be deep. Spoons and jigs can be effective, especially when used in conjunction with good fish finders. But don’t ignore the shallows – a previous state record largemouth bass was caught in the shallows on a spinnerbait at Canyon Lake on a lazy December day. Also, try using trout-imitating lures for lunker largemouth at Canyon and Saguaro lakes in the areas stocked with rainbow trout. Veteran anglers who utilize this tactic often use surfcasting outfits to throw and retrieve these huge (up to 12 inches long) swim baits.

Striped Bass Try using huge, trout imitating lures at the Colorado River lakes where trout are stocked, primarily Mead and Mohave. Many anglers at Mohave fish from shore the evening after fish are stocked, and use huge (12 to 14-feet long) surfcasting outfits and fish from shore for the giant stripers ranging from 10 to 50 pounds. It’s a hoot.

Crappie It is still possible to fish for crappie under lights in early November at places like Bartlett, Roosevelt and Alamo. But crappie will gradually be gathering into huge, suspended schools in open water (sometimes in depths of 50 to 100 feet). These schools can look like an inverted pyramid (or Christmas tree) on your fish finder. Depth is critical. Crappie feed upwards. Use micro jigs or live minnows. Or, wait for the huge flotillas to start at Roosevelt and Alamo (late December or early January), and join the slow-moving crappie boat ballet.

Yellow Bass Yellow bass can be found in Saguaro, Canyon and Apache lakes. They can typically be found in small coves. Look for schools of small fish on your fish finder. They can also be caught from shore, especially from fishing piers such as those found at Canyon and Saguaro lakes. Saguaro has the most fishing piers. Use mealworms or night crawlers. Small spoons (such as KastMasters and Nealies) and in-line spinners such as Mepps can also work. Hard fighting yellow bass (called stripies in the Midwest) are a blast to catch on light tackle. They are also excellent to eat.

Hybrid Sunfish Hybrid sunfish will be stocked in the urban lakes (Tucson and Phoenix areas) the week of Nov. 25-30. Youngsters love fishing for these feisty panfish. Try mealworms or night crawlers on a small bobber (slip bobbers can work especially well).

Nov. 9 Fifth Annual Kids Fishing Clinic in conjunction with the Southwest Walleye Foundation in Red Mountain Park at 7745 E. Brown Road from 7:30 a.m. to noon.
Nov. 16 General Waterfowl Season opens in Game Management Units 22 and 23.
Nov. 16 Fishing clinic at Power Ranch Lake in Gilbert on 4545 E. Haven Crest from 1 to 4 p.m.
Nov. 22 Late dove season opens (closes Jan. 5, 2003). Mearns Quail Season Opens (closes Feb. 10).
Nov. 24 Tree Squirrel Season closes. Nov. 25 Starting at 8 a.m., first-come, first-served via Internet or phone for leftover spring javelina permits. Try www.azgfd.com or 1-866-GO-AZGFD.
Nov. 28 Statewide season opens for pintail (closes Jan. 26).
Dec. 1 General Water Season opens in Game Management Units 1 and 27.
Dec. 6-7 Game and Fish Commission meets in the Arizona.State.Fairgrounds Wildlife Building.
Dec. 7 Fishing clinic at Bonsall Park on 59th Ave and Bethany Home Road co-sponsored by the City of Glendale from 9 a.m. to noon.
Dec. 13-31 Juniors-Only Muzzleloader Deer Hunt Unit 16A
Dec. 13-Jan. 31 Archery-Only, Non-permit tag season for deer (over the counter).
Jan. 9, 10, 11 & 12 Annual Boat Show at the Phoenix Civic Plaza. Come visit the Game and Fish booth.

Tree Stand Recall May Affect Arizona Hunters A tree stand manufactured by API Outdoors, a division of Outland Sports Inc., has been recalled. The recall affects about 9,000 tree stands, all of which have a cable – designed to secure the stand to the tree – that can break, posing the risk of falls and serious injuries to users. To date, API Outdoors has received two reports of the tree stand cable breaking; one fall resulted in the user suffering leg abrasions. The recalled tree stands have the following brand names and model numbers:

• API Hi-Point Cable Cat Climbing Tree stand, Model #CC501
• API Buckmaster Grand Slam Climbing Tree stand, Model #GS3800BM.

Retailers and distributors nationwide, including Wal-Mart, sold the Cable Cat tree stands through mid-October 2002 for about $180 and Cabelas stores nationwide sold the Buckmaster tree stands through mid- October 2002 for about $230. Consumers should stop using these tree stands immediately and call API Outdoors toll-free at 866-215-2419 anytime to receive a free replacement chain. More information is also available at the company's Web site: www.apioutdoors.com or www.outlandsports.com.

Rory Aikens