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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