The Pintail Slough Management Unit of Havasu National Wildlife Refuge will be closed to duck and goose hunting for the 2004-2005 season. " A joint effort between Ducks Unlimited, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the refuge to expand and improve seasonal wetland habitat has been delayed. Due to fast approaching deadlines, the refuge has been forced to close the unit to duck hunting in order to finish the habitat improvement project. As stated in an earlier press release, the goose fields will be closed from October 1, 2004 to January 29, 2005 to reestablish goose use. All other areas of the refuge, including Topock Marsh will be open to hunting in accordance with refuge regulations. Please see the refuge Hunting Brochure for complete details. The brochure is available on the refuge website at http://southwest.fws.gov/refuges/arizona/havasu/ or by calling refuge headquarters at (760) 326-3853 ext 0.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies."
