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PHOENIX, AZ – Today, I stepped into a world I never knew existed, right here in the heart of Arizona. The Arizona Game and Fish Department's Outdoor Expo, held at the sprawling Ben Avery Shooting Facility in north Phoenix, promised a hands-on celebration of wildlife, conservation, and outdoor fun, and it delivered in ways I couldn't have imagined. As a first-time visitor on this sunny weekend in March, I found myself wide-eyed and eager, plunged into an event that felt like a gateway to A... Full story
A safe day on the water starts with life jackets and sober boating. What's better than a day out on the water? Whether you're interested in taking up watersports, fishing or leisurely cruises around Arizona's lakes, boating is a great family friendly activity. While it may sound like an intimidating hobby to start, there are many resources to welcome beginners in a safe, responsible way. The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) offers free monthly boating safety education courses in Phoenix... Full story
Art wasn't just one of the best-known crappie fishermen in Arizona; he was also a dynamite bass fisherman. He was one of those guys who was generous with his know-how and even his fishing spots, and he was always willing to teach a seminar, visit a fishing club, or take an outdoor writer out on the water. We will miss him so much! Over the years, Art has helped me with stories about trolling for crappie, night fishing for bass, fishing plastic worms, fishing for spring crappie - you name it,... Full story
Gorgeous White Pocket, Ariz. - If You Get A Chance To Go, Do It! - By Margie Anderson John and I talked about doing a trip to White Pocket, but pretty much every site says you shouldn't go alone because the deep loose sandy road makes it easy for even a 4x4 to get stuck. Then one day I mentioned it to our granddaughter Trinity, and she told us that she and David always wanted to go there too, so could they come with us. Heck yes! Then Trin and I mentioned our plans in front of our granddaughter... Full story
Parks For Healing "Being...out in nature, it's just good for the soul. It's cleansing...it gets you outside of yourself. It's my...way to decompress."- Edye Joyner, U.S. Marine Corps and Desert Storm veteran Many national parks have direct connections to the American military - there are dozens of battlefields, military parks, and historic sites that commemorate and honor the service of American veterans. In addition, every national park is part of our collective identity that defines who we... Full story
Vietnam Combat Art Painter, sculptor, muralist, teacher and author, Austin Deuel, was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., in 1939. He served in the United States Marine Corps twice: from 1959-1965 and rejoined in 1967 to serve in the Vietnam combat art program. After His Military Service Following his military service, he relocated to Scottsdale, Ariz., and pursued his career as a professional fine artist. Deuel has completed numerous monument commissions such as the Vietnam War Memorial in San Antonio,... Full story
To All Antelope Point Marina Guests and Owners At APM: We hope you are doing well and are just as excited as we are for the upcoming summer season at our marina. We are contacting you all in regards to a minor update regarding our 2025 Customers Cart Policy contact information. Due to some changes at our marina, any customers with questions regarding this year's cart Dock Permits or our Cart Valet services can get in contact with our Guest Service team at cartvalet@apmlp.com or call... Full story
Good news for southern Arizona anglers! Pena Blanca Lake received monthly rainbow trout stockings starting in the last week of January through March. Pena Blanca Lake is located in the Coronado National Forest 68 miles south of Tucson and 17 miles northwest of Nogales in Peña Blanca Canyon. There is a day-use fee of $8 per vehicle, or you can purchase an accepted pass. Learn more about accepted passes here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/coronado/passes-permits/recreation This is our One... Full story
Please Note - Articles and information will be added throughout the month. We welcome readers input on each article. Thank you. - Publisher It's All About Fish As the weather warms, a young man's (and woman's) fancy turns to thoughts of - fish. And, although there are many fantastic angling destinations in Arizona, Margie Anderson says to keep in mind the community waters that make fishing possible in waters near you. For some, this is the first opportunity to enjoy casting a line and a good... Full story
Arizona has extensive opportunities and destinations to go fishing, from a local pond to a remote mountain stream, but many don't know where to get started. The Arizona Game and Fish Department's FishAZ Network brings all these opportunities in one place offering instructional and educational events, hands-on beginner fishing events, and other fishing based on your skill level and interest. Event Type All Events 1 - Introductory 2 - Beginner 3 - Developing 4 - Intermediate 5 - Experienced Event... Full story
For the more than 600 red boats of TowBoatUS, the on-water towing and assistance fleet for recreational boaters, a routine day typically includes towing disabled boats back to the launch ramp, providing battery jumps, dropping off fuel, or offering a gentle tug out of the shallows. For each of these towboat captains and crews, however, one workday was far from routine. At the annual gathering of the TowBoatUS fleet, company owners, captains and BoatUS staff honored eight captains in Florida,... Full story
Our community lakes are such great places to fish – the Game and Fish stocks them with a variety of fish at different times of year, including trout, catfish, and bluegill. Some of the lakes have bass in them, too! You've probably got an urban lake close by – there are over 50! - and sitting on the bank with a line in the water is one of the best ways to spend a day that I know of. We've been taking our granddaughters to urban lakes since they were very small, and they not only love to fish, but... Full story
That was the prevailing attitude among Kay County, Okla., high school and Career Tech employees after a 15-minute ride on a Black Hawk helicopter. The recruitment event, sponsored by the Oklahoma Army National Guard, was held on Jan. 29 at the Ponca City Regional Airport. Ponca City, Okla. you may ask? Well, that’s where AZBW/WOT production manager Angela Ogden resides and works, and she was fortunate enough to be included in the event. “We climbed, dove, and rolled our way to a nearby lake and... Full story
Inconsistent, thin ice is not safe; high-country anglers need to be aware. High country temperatures have been up and down this winter. Before taking that first step on an ice-covered lake to do some fishing, or to simply enjoy the winter weather in Arizona's high country, take a step back and consider if the conditions are safe. First Ice, Last Ice The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), along with the Coconino and Kaibab national forests, are urging outdoor recreationists to be aware... Full story
This month is probably your last chance for a great low country outdoor adventure before it gets too darn hot and you only want to head for the forests. With that in mind, I've gathered up four of my favorite drives that John and I have done in the month of March. The best part is that each of these drives has great stuff to see even if you don't have a 4WD vehicle, with an added attraction for those of you who DO have a 4x4. Fairly Easy: Agua Fria Petroglyphs Take Bloody Basin Road east (I... Full story
As we move further into 2025, there are so many events to enjoy. Ahead are the always popular Arizona Game & Fish Expo, the wild and wonderful Renaissance Festival, and the thrilling and colorful Dragon Boat Races. And, there's so much more as the weather reaches "perfect" levels to get outdoors. Although the Expo is next month, it's not too early to plan ahead to attend. When you are there, activities abound for all interests: from a kid's fishing pond to seminars on a plethora of wildlife spec... Full story
Note: We Found These At 'Be Outdoors Arizona'! Fall in Love with Fishing – Peoria Park Rangers February 8 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Kids ages 0-17 are invited to enjoy a heartwarming day of fishing at Paloma park. Whether you are a budding angler or just looking to enjoy a new activity, this event is for you! Bring your love for adventure and make some sweet memories. Gear will be provided, do not let this opportunity float away. Register at Peoriaaz.gov/recreation or at (623)773-7137 Monthly S... Full story
Dragons Will Roar In Tempe Who would have thought that dragon boat racing, with its roots in southern China as an ancient folk ritual for the past 2,000 years, would find its way to a modern, man-made lake in the middle of the Arizona desert? Since emerging in modern times as an international sports event in Hong Kong in 1976, dragon boat racing has spread throughout the world. Join the Arizona Dragon Boat Association on Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30 for two days of exciting dragon boa... Full story
Wildlife has been active in the mild winter climate of Arizona's lower and mid elevations, and the Arizona Game and Fish Department has been receiving increased reports of human-wildlife conflicts in many parts of the state. Here's some recent activity: • The Tucson area has received more than 20 wildlife feeding complaints since August - made all the more concerning in light of the fact that Pima County has seen an uptick in wildlife rabies cases this year. • Pima County is also seeing issues i... Full story
Summary Of Fishing Regulations Changes For 2025-26 Below is a list of changes published in the 2025 and 2026 Fishing Regulations: • The special regulations and seasons section is now organized by Arizona Game and Fish Department regions to make it easier for anglers to know which office to contact for additional information. • New regulation to create unlimited daily and possession limits for illegally introduced warmwater fish species at Becker Lake. Catch-and-release only for trout. Trout mus... Full story
Prespawn bass have a notorious reputation for being hard to catch, but fortunately not all bass in a lake spawn at the same time. This means that in early spring you’ve got fish that are still deep, some that are moving up, and maybe even some already making beds and getting ready to rock and roll. All of these fish may be catchable, and some of the best fishermen I know choose baits that can be worked at a variety of depths at this time of year. 1. Dart Head + Floating Worm Back in the day, t... Full story
It just happens. The old year slips away so quickly. Didn't 2024 just begin? Where do the days, weeks, months go? And, if you are enjoying the outdoors or life in general, they go by even faster. And, that's a good thing. Speaking of good things, just around the corner is one of the first harbingers of a new year: the annual Renaissance Festival -- one of our favorite events. The jousting, the artisans, the Pleasure Feast, the entertainers are all part of the "raucous revelry" we have come to... Full story
Cheers to a new year! Arizona celebrates January in various ways, from automobile auctions to a hot-air balloon spectacular. Celebrate a fresh start in the Grand Canyon State by partaking in one or many of the January celebrations. New Year's Day: January 1 We're ringing in 2025 and ready to take on whatever it sends our way. Fingers crossed for good times all around. But first some football. LAKE HAVASU CITY: Havasu Balloon Festival and Fair: January 9-12 The sky fills with beautiful balloons... Full story
Cold-blooded critters like bass slow down in winter, and the colder the water gets, the slower the bass become. But they don't quit eating altogether, and if you know how, where, and what to fish, winter can be your best chance to bag a really big bass.Arizona Game and Fish biologist Bill Silvey explains: "As the air temperature drops, the water at the surface starts to cool off and become denser. Pretty soon it's colder than the water beneath it, and it starts to sink, while the warmer water... Full story
Arizona's bald eagles are back, and they will soon be preparing for the next generation of eagles at breeding sites statewide. To assist with the state's continued bald eagle population growth, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) encourages outdoor recreationists, aircraft pilots, drone operators and motorized paragliders to do their part by not disturbing the state's 104 eagle breeding areas. To protect breeding attempts, some portions of public land and water areas will be... Full story