Arizona's Black Bears

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is tasked with the conservation of more than 800 species of wildlife spread out across every acre of the state, but it is also responsible for making sure those who hunt, fish, and recreate outdoors are doing so safely and legally. This is where our law enforcement division steps in, with our dozens of wildlife managers (sometimes referred to as game wardens) patrolling the state on land and on our waterways. Have you ever dreamed of spending the majority of your career in the outdoors, helping conserve wildlife? To tell us more about what a career in wildlife is all about, we are joined by Brian Dietz, a wildlife manager who works out of Region 6 office in Mesa.

Founded in 1957, the Ben Avery Shooting Facility (BASF) is one of the largest publicly operated shooting facilities in the country. Our world-class shooting range is a City of Phoenix Point of Pride. It has received a Five Star rating from the National Association of Shooting Ranges. This means that it is the best of the best at providing a quality recreation experience and is the first government facility to receive this designation. Learn more about the facility today in our podcastas we speak with Chris DeChant the Ben Avery Shooting Facility Operations Manager.   Learn more at www.azgfd.gov/basf

  The use of OHV's, or off highway vehicles, like ATV's and side by side's, is exploding across the west, including here in Arizona. However, as the number of people out enjoying themselves on the trails increases, safety becomes a bigger and bigger priority. To learn more about what you can do to keep you and your family safe while out riding, Kim Jackson, AZGFD's boating and OHV safety education program manager, joins the show to teach basic safety tips and more.     Click HERE to find out more about OHV riding in Arizona

  On this episode of Wild About Arizona, host Michael Colaianni chats with Game & Fish Commissioner Marsha Petrie Sue about the monumental role the 5-person panel plays in making high-level decisions for the department.     Click HERE to find out more about the Arizona Game and Fish Commission

If it improves outdoor recreational opportunities or helps restore wildlife habitat, you can bet the Arizona Game & Fish Department is on board. On this episode we chat with Dan Sturla, AZGFD landowner relations and habitat enhancement program manager, to learn more about the role the department plays in providing hunting opportunities across the state. We also discuss the $24.5 million grant recently awarded to the department to conduct several large-scale land conservation projects to improve wildlife habitat and protect watersheds.     Click HERE to find out more about how we protect habitat and recreational opportunities in Arizona 

Jeff Meyers and Cheyenne Towne back are back! They bring our wildlife viewing program to life here at the department. Find out our about wildlife experiences you can enjoy and how to sign up for events we hold online and in person!     Visit our wildlife viewing page:  azgfd.gov/wildlifeviewing

Anne Justice-Allen is the agency's wildlife veterinarian and she joins us to discuss her role here at Arizona Game and Fish, and how the hunting community can help the department monitor the threat of chronic wasting the disease on wildlife populations in the state.     Click HERE to find out more about wildlife health in Arizona 

There are an estimated 5,800 black bears in Arizona living in the higher elevations of the state, and today we are joined by April Howard, a predator, furbearer and large carnivore biologist with the department to discuss bear activity and how to avoid unwanted encounters with black bears.     Click HERE to find out more about Black Bears in Arizona 

Have you ever thought about getting involved in hunting, but didn't know where to start? Small game hunting could be the perfect fit, and to find out why, we spoke with Small Game Biologist Nathan Fyffe to learn more about how to get started and what you should know before heading out into the wild.     Check out the links below for more information on the Small Game Challenge and dove hunting opportunities in Yuma:     Small Game Challenge Registration with Valley of the Sun Quail Forever (VOTSQF):  https://www.votsqf.com/small-game-challenges.html AZGFD's Web Page for the Small Game Challenge:  https://www.azgfd.com/hunting/hunt-draw-and-licenses/species-hunt-information/small-game-challenge/ Dove Hunting in Yuma: https://www.yumadovehunting.com/  

Since 2020 the Arizona Game and Fish Department has sold over half a million fishing licenses, with hundreds of locations across the state to enjoy fishing. As our temperatures ramp up for the summer, host Michael Colaianni sits down with Chase Newlon, a Fishing Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation Coordinator, to discuss summer fishing opportunities in northern Arizona and how to fish effectively after the sun goes down.     Visit our fishing page:  www.azgfd.gov/fishaz