Buono is new AZGFD wildlife manager for Units 15C, 15D

KINGMAN – The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Region 3, which encompasses a lot of Mohave County, has received a number of new wildlife mangers in the past year. I will be doing short stories on four of them.

Today’s story is about a young man named Chris Buono who is the Department’s new wildlife manager for Units 15C and 15D.

I met Buono in December when I was doing sheep hunts there, and found him to be personable and friendly.

Chris is 25-years old and has been with the Department since the summer of 2021.

Originally from New York, Buono got a degree in zoology. He applied for positions in Florida and Arizona, but ultimately decided on Arizona to start his wildlife career.

Buono was sent to the Southern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Center in Tucson.

After graduation, he was assigned to Region 3 and assigned game management units 15C and 15D.

Buono arrived at his duty station in September 2022 and resides in Bullhead City.

Buono’s duties include waterways patrol and he has worked on Lake Mohave and the Colorado River.

Chris said he enjoys the area he is assigned to and the Black Mountains, which he sees as a special place.

It is indeed a special place as the Black Mountains are home to one of the largest desert bighorn sheep herds in Arizona.

In January, Buono was in charge of the Department’s 3-day youth waterfowl camp at Topock Marsh in Pintail Slough that was very successful.

While Buono hasn’t had a chance to go big game hunting, he is looking forward to applying for big game hunts in the future.

Buono has hunted for ducks, quail, turkeys, squirrels and rabbits in the past, and he looks forward to hunting the plethora of small game that Arizona has to offer.