• Arizona big game draw results announced
• New watercraft registration fees going into effect
• Hot summer bass action in Arizona's cool pine country
• Game and Fish taking high volume of urban bobcat calls from public
• Endangered condor chick in Arizona confirmed
• Mount Graham red squirrel spring 2005 count announced
• Local schools, parks and research projects can apply for 2006 Heritage grants
• Learn about high country hummingbirds

Arizona big game draw results announced

Hopeful applicants eager to find out if they can go on a big game hunt this fall can visit the Arizona Game and Fish Department's Web site for an early look at the draw results. Early draw results are available at azgfd.gov by clicking on the "big game draw" button.

These early results only tell applicants whether they were drawn; within a week, loyalty and bonus points will also be updated. Those who have additional questions after visiting the Web site are encouraged to wait and try again in a few days. Complete information, including details about bonus points, will be available online by July 29.

"We expect thousands of visits to the Web site, reducing the number of calls we receive and leaving our telephone lines open for other customer services," says department Web master Chris Harbort.

Applicants can obtain draw results online by providing a department ID Number (usually the applicant's Social Security number) and date of birth. Draw results will also be available via telephone by July 23 at (602) 942-3000. Results will be mailed out by July 29.

The department received 225,965 valid applications for the fall big game hunts for deer, pronghorn antelope, elk, turkey, bighorn sheep and buffalo. Because one person can apply for more than one hunt, this number does not represent the total number of applicants.

New watercraft registration fees going into effect

Effective Aug. 31, 2005, new flat fee rates go into effect for watercraft registration in Arizona. The new flat fee rates were approved by the legislature this year. Click here to see the new fee schedule.

Any renewal received by the Arizona Game and Fish Department after Aug. 31 will be charged the new rates. Postmarks do not count. Any renewal received after the effective date that includes the old fees will be returned to the customer with a request to include the proper fees. If you have any questions, please contact the department at (602) 942-3000.

Hot summer bass action in Arizona's cool pine country

Anglers have a fish species smorgasbord available at many high country lakes this summer. A host of high country lakes in the cool pines offer hot summer action for warm-water fish, including bass, channel catfish and sunfish. Some even have walleye and northern pike, which are a cool-water species. Others have yellow perch or crappie. Also, please catch and eat all of the crawfish you can. Crawfish are not native to Arizona and are therefore a threat to our native species. Just don't transport any crawfish alive. That's against the law except in part of Yuma County and part of La Paz County.

When planning a high country fishing trip, check to see if the lake you will visit has trout and warm-water fish. A great source to determine which lakes have which fish species is "Arizona Fishin' Holes," published by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The book is available from any department office and at many bookstores. It not only explains which fish are in which lakes, but also what facilities are there, along with maps to help get you there. You can get more information from the Arizona Game and Fish Department's Web site at azgfd.gov or click here for the full story on high country fishing this summer in the department's Weekly Fishing Report.

Game and Fish taking high volume of bobcat calls from public

If you happen to see a bobcat near or around your home, the Arizona Game and Fish Department says there's no need to panic. The department is taking a high volume of calls from residents in the Phoenix area who are encountering bobcats near their homes and neighborhoods, but that is not unusual for this time of year.

Here are some things you should do if there is a bobcat on your property:
 
* Do not feed wildlife under any circumstances.
* Remove wildlife attractants, such as dog food and water bowls, from around your home.
* Make possible den sites or shelters unavailable by blocking them with fencing or other devices.
* Move small household pets indoors, but large dogs can actually act as bobcat deterrents.
* Let the animal know it's not welcome by making it uncomfortable. You can do this by spraying it with a hose, by illuminating the area at night and loudly playing a radio near the animal's resting or den site, or by banging pots and pans together.

Click here to view the rest of this article on bobcats.

Endangered condor chick in Arizona confirmed

Biologists - treated to the image of a whitish puffball of a chick - have confirmed a California condor hatching in Arizona. This is only the fourth condor to hatch in the wild in Arizona since the birds were reintroduced in the state in 1996. This marks a great success for the condor recovery program that's working to bring these birds back from the brink of extinction.

"We're excited to see some consistency with three successful breeding seasons in a row," says Kathy Sullivan, condor project coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

California condors have been federally listed as endangered since 1967. The birds can weigh 18 to 22 pounds and have a wingspan of 9 1/2 feet. Click here to learn more about the new chick and a second new chick that may be confirmed in Arizona soon.

Mount Graham red squirrel spring 2005 count announced
 
The Arizona Game and Fish Department and the USDA Forest Service have announced the results of the spring 2005 Mount Graham red squirrel survey. Biologists estimate that a range of 214 (plus or minus 12) Mount Graham red squirrels currently occupy the Pinaleno Mountain range, also known as Mount Graham. These results are slightly lower than the fall 2004 survey results of 264 (plus or minus 12) red squirrels.

The Mount Graham red squirrel (Tamiascurus hudsonicus grahamensis) is an isolated subspecies found only in the coniferous forests on the Pinaleno Mountains of southeastern Arizona. This limited distribution, combined with a small population and loss of habitat, has made the Mount Graham red squirrel vulnerable to extinction. In response to concerns about the precarious status of the Mount Graham red squirrel, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed it as an endangered species in June 1987.

Click here for more information on the latest Mount Graham red squirrel count.

Local schools, parks and research projects can apply for 2006 Heritage grants

Your child's school or your local park could be among those that benefit from next year's Arizona Game and Fish Department Heritage grants. Every year, the department makes hundreds of thousands of dollars available to applicants who have projects with a wildlife focus that otherwise might not receive funding. This is the time of year to apply for the money.

"We're pleased to award these grants to deserving projects every year," says Robyn Beck, the department's Heritage grant coordinator. "We want to help students, researchers, outdoor enthusiasts and ultimately all Arizonans to enjoy this funding."

The money comes from the voter-created Heritage Fund. The fund takes money from Arizona Lottery ticket sales and uses it for conservation efforts like protecting endangered species, educating our children about wildlife, helping urban residents coexist with wildlife, and creating new opportunities for outdoor recreation.

The department holds annual workshops for groups interested in applying for Heritage grants. Click here for more information on Heritage grants, including times and locations of this year's grant workshops.

Learn about high country hummingbirds

The Arizona Game and Fish Department and White Mountain Audubon Society are teaming up to offer a unique opportunity for people to learn more about Arizona's hummingbirds. On Saturday, July 30, Sheri Williamson, one of the nation's foremost experts on hummingbirds, will conduct a capture and bird-banding event that is free and open to the public at the department's Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area in Springerville.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for people to get up close and personal with these flying jewels," says Sue Sitko, spokesperson with the White Mountain Audubon Society. "We are quite fortunate to be able to get Sheri, who is the author of the Peterson Field Guide to Hummingbirds of North America, to come to our part of the state to demonstrate her research."

The one-of-a-kind program will begin at 7:30 a.m. and conclude at 2 p.m. Observers will be able to interact with Williamson as they watch her capture, measure, weigh and band birds. They will also be able to use a stethoscope to hear a hummingbird's heart beat more than 200 times a minute.