Game and Fish try and bring wildlife viewing options to public

MARC BUCKHOUT ~ MANAGING EDITOR ~7/13/2011

The Arizona Game and Fish Department spent last month conducting a series of public meetings to share their ideas for wildlife-viewing opportunities around the state including a June 30 session at their headquarters at 5000 W. Carefree Highway.
While much has been done to research their hunting and fishing customers, Arizona Game and Fish was interested in what they can do to appeal to those interested in viewing animals native to Arizona.
“We let the public know about the challenges we face,” Watchable Wildlife Project Coordinator Joe Yarchin said. “People seem to be getting separated from nature. We want to get people outdoors and we believe we can instill an appreciation through some of our programs. If we do that then when conservation issues come up in the news they’ll feel that pull about the importance of protecting our natural wildlife.”
Yarchin explained that Game and Fish offers a variety of workshops in which participants learn about the history of the animals, what Arizona Game and Fish does in managing the animals and then are offered a variety of other interesting facts about the animal whether it’s a workshop on big horn sheep, bald eagles, hummingbirds or bats among others.
“One of the things we’ve heard from people who attend these viewing events is that they value what we’re doing enough that they’d be willing to pay some sort of nominal fee,” he said. “That’s what we’re trying to determine, how to support our conservation efforts through wildlife viewing events.”
While some of the events are out in nature others involve animals from the Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center, located at Happy Valley Road and I-17, where injured animals are rehabilitated.
One such event takes place from 7 – 9 p.m. Friday when an informative class involving nocturnal animals, from the center, such as owls, herons, rodents, rattlesnakes, small mammals and bats will take place at the southwest corner of 24th Street and
Arizona Biltmore Circle, just south of Lincoln.
“We’ve got bobcats, javelinas, a variety of birds of prey,” Yarchin said.
Yarchin said young families are one of the groups Arizona Game and Fish strives to attract.
“Certainly families are a big target,” he said. “The future of wildlife conservation is the kids. We don’t want them to get separated from nature. We want to get the parents to bring them out and make nature something they’re passionate about.”
Arizona Game and Fish also understands there isn’t a one size fits all model that will attract wildlife viewers.
“We have to give a variety of options,” he said. “Some people want to crawl on their belly at dawn to check out a bird with binoculars and others would rather sleep until noon and then come out and sit on a bench and view some animals through
a telescope that has already been set up.”
Regardless of how they want to take in nature Yarchin said the experience can have a snowball effect.
“If you go out there and have fun then you want to learn more and the more you learn the more fun you have,” Yarchin said.
In nature settings animals aren’t always going to be readily viewable, but Yarchin said he and members of Arizona Game and Fish teach the public how to interpret clues.
“Sometimes just the evidence of animals can be exciting itself,” he said. “You can learn what to look for whether it is holes where animals might live, tracks, droppings, there are a lot of indicators to let you know whether you’re looking in the right spots to view animals.”
Being a responsible viewer also is an emphasis.
“We want people to be aware of the impact they can have on the ecosystem,” he said. “When you view animals you also need to be aware of the signals they’re giving off. If you find an animal standing up that’s a good indicator they’re aware of you. You need to back up in that situation. It’s a much more authentic, natural experience if you’re out there and they aren’t even aware of your presence.”
Other upcoming classes around the state include a hummingbird banding activity as well as a raptor exhibit in Pinetop later this month, bighorn sheep workshops in July and August in Kingman, a birding and nature festival in Bisbee in August among others.
The annual Outdoor Expo in March at Ben Avery Shooting Facility, one of the organization’s biggest events is another viewing opportunity.
For a complete list of workshops and classes go to azgfd.gov/outdoor_recreation/watchable_wildlife.shtml.