Big Game Most big game species underwent population fluctuations since European settlement, with often critically low numbers in late 1800’s early 1900’s, with some recovery since then
Many occur now only in fragments of their historic ranges,
Some have local populations high enough to cause environmental damage
For all species, human-wildlife interactions are increasingly key to population health and survival
Increasing need to think in terms of populations rather than species
10 Big Game species in AZ
ElkIssues: Overabundance and Ecological ImpactsPredator Interactions (Yellowstone)Vehicular collisions
White-tailed deerIssues: Overabundance/Ecological EffectsManaging urban pops
Mule deerIssues:Declining populations nationwide
Black tailed deer
Javelina (collared peccary)Issues:Human-wildlife interactionsDecline outside US
Pronghorn
Issues:Grazing vs predation in declining popsHabitat fragmentation (fences,
highways, development)Sonoran pronghorn recovery
Desert bighorn
Rocky Mountain Bighorn
BighornIssues:Maintaining isolated small popsCorridors?
Dall sheep
BisonIssues: Brucellosis in Yellowstone herd
Native to AZ and fate of House Rock herd?
PumaIssues: Human-Puma interactionsEstimating pop sizeRecovery of Florida Panther
Black bearIssues:Bear-human interactionsMethods of take
Wild turkeyIssues:Expansion and maintenance of populations
Male display
Caribou
Moose
Mountain goat
Abert (tassel-eared) squirrel
Red squirrel
Az grey squirrel Cottontail rabbit
Mearn’s (harlequin) quail
Scaled quail
Gambel’s quail
Bobwhite quail
Chukar
Ring-necked pheasant
Introduced game birds
Blue grouse – High elevation
Ptarmigan - High elevation RockiesAlaska, Canada
Ruffed grouse – deciduous forests of N and NE
Native grouse and ptarmigan
Sharp-tailed grouse – High plains, Dakotas, Nebraska, etc
LesserPrairieChicken
Plains states
Sage grouse - sage brush areas of western states
Mourning dove
Band-tailed pigeon
White-winged dove
Collared DoveINVASIVE!
Waterfowl
Tundra swan
Trumpeter swan
Waterfowl – migratory game birds
White-fronted goose
Canada Goose
Snow goose (blue and white color phases)
Snow (left) vs. Ross (right)
Brant
Dabbling or surface ducks
Green-winged teal (drake and hen)
Blue-winged teal drake
Cinnamon teal
Northern Shoveller drake and hen
Mallard drake and hen
Black duck drake
Gadwall drake
American widgeon drakes
Northern Pintail drake
Wood duck drake and hen
Diving or Bay ducks
Canvasback drake and hen
I’m a wedgehead
Redhead drake
I’m a ballhead
Ring-necked duck drake(“I’m a snazzy diver!”)
Lesser scaup drakeAKA “bluebill”
Common goldeneye hen (left)
Common goldeneye drake below
Bufflehead drake and hen
“I make black and white look good!”
Ruddy duck drake in Spring
Drake and hen Ruddy (male displaying)
Common MerganserHen (top)Drake (bottom)
Waterfowl migratory flyways
Common Snipe - long bill long legs
Woodcockaka “stumpy”
American coot
Sandhill CraneNecks extended, social
Great Blue HeronUsually aloneNeck folded
QuailAnd upland game birds
Doves
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