Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has announced the winners of the 2023 wildlife photo contest. The 12 winning photographs are included in the full-size 2024 wildlife calendar that is published in the November-December 2023 issue of Arizona Wildlife Views magazine. AZGFD currently has a subscription special for Arizona Wildlife Views. A one-year subscription to the bi-monthly magazine ordered by Dec. 31, 2023, will include the wildlife calendar and a bonus issue (seven issues total)... Full story
Though it’s thought of as a desert state, Arizona has a surprisingly wide variety of climates that support a wide variety of wildlife from rodents to reptiles, birds and large predators be they common and familiar or the rarest and the strange. Here is information about some of the animals in Arizona. Much of Arizona’s wildlife can be found in its state parks and trails. The state parks include Catalina, Cattail Cove, Lyman Lake, Lost Dutchman, Patagonia Lake, Lake Havasu, the San Rafael Sta... Full story
These Are My Favorite Indigenous People's Sites In Arizona. Because my dad was a Chippewa Indian and I'm a registered member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewas, I've always had an interest in the sites around the state that were built by the peoples who lived here long ago. And in fact, many of their descendants live here in Arizona to this day! John and I have visited a lot of the more famous sites with the girls, so I'll start out telling you about those, but I thought I'd also add some... Full story
A succession of winter storms has provided much-needed moisture to Arizona's waters and landscapes over the last several months. Salt River Project (SRP) said this winter has been one of the best for the Verde and Salt River water systems in the last three decades, and SRP's reservoirs (Roosevelt, Apache, Canyon and Saguaro on the Salt, and Horseshoe and Bartlett on the Verde) are projected to fill or be close to capacity. While the rain and snow is welcome in terms of helping to mitigate dry... Full story
Wild Arizona: 200 Captive Desert Tortoises Need Forever Homes For some, a dog or cat will do just fine. But for others who are considering adopting something truly unique to Arizona, say hello to your next family member: "Many people don't even consider opening up their homes to desert tortoises, but they make fantastic and personable pets," said Tegan Wolf, desert tortoise adoption program coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD). "It's rewarding to hear stories from those... Full story
PHOENIX, January 27, 2020 - For Immediate Release. Fire specialists plan to burn 210 acres of vegetative debris piles Jan. 29-31. Ignitions will occur about nine miles north of Payson in the vicinity of Shadow Rim Girl Scout Ranch. Residents and visitors to the area can expect to see and smell light-to-moderate amounts of smoke during the three-day operation. Smoke will impact Shadow Rim, Verde Glen, and Rim Trail during the day. In the evening, smoke will impact Whispering Pines and Beaver... Full story
Grand Canyon Commemorates 100 Years And More On February 26, 2019, the Grand Canyon celebrated 100 years since it's designation as a national park. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Grand Canyon welcomes approximately six million domestic and international visitors each year. After 100 years, whether its hiking a corridor trail, taking a stroll on the rim or enjoying the landscape from an overlook, Grand Canyon continues to provide a space for all visitors to connect with the outdoors. This 2019,... Full story
PHOENIX, March 2, 2018-For Immediate Release. Tonto National Forest fire specialists will continue to conduct prescribed fire treatments on approximately 1,566 acres in areas north of Payson, starting on Monday, March 5, and continuing through Friday, March 9, 2018. The treatment areas are located north of Payson, northwest of Whispering Pines, and southwest of Verde Glen. The prescribed fire treatments are designed to maintain the thinning conducted over the last decade to improve the health... Full story
Compiled By Carol L. Allen For lasting memories, visit the Verde Valley – recently named one of the Top 10 U.S. travel destinations by Lonely Planet. Located in the "heart" of Arizona, the Verde Valley is ideally situated above the heat of the desert and below the cold of Arizona's high country. Surrounded by the red rocks of Sedona to the northeast and Mingus Mountain to the southwest, its low elevation of 3,300' and moderate climate are enjoyed year-round. Ancient civilizations, with their u... Full story
(Phoenix, AZ - February 18, 2016) - For the entire month of March 2016, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)/Arizona State Parks (ASP) is coordinating activities throughout the state for the 34th annual celebration of Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month (AAHAM). These events will focus on efforts to preserve our past by protecting our cultural resources. AAHAM combines education with entertainment to reach both adults and children in an effort to teach responsible... Full story
It’s the most common forest feline that we never get a chance to see -- the bobcat (Lynx rufus). My chance came on a drizzly morning in late October on a hike near Skykomish. We drove up the long, gravel road to an empty trailhead, complaining about the rain and missing the spectacular view. But a hike in the rain meant solitude in the Wild Sky Wilderness, so we donned raincoats and loaded backpacks with camp stoves, trail mix and packets of tea. We went up the steep trail, chatting while our d... Full story
OLYMPIA – With some 125,000 trout scheduled for stocking in western Washington lakes, area anglers should have an excellent chance at phenomenal fishing this fall and through the holiday season. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will stock 44 western Washington lakes with catchable-size trout this fall. “Fishing at lakes throughout the region should be great over the next few months,” said Larry Phillips, WDFW’s inland fish program manager. “Most of the trout are 11 to 13... Full story
A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that over 4.7 million visitors to Grand Canyon National Park in 2014 spent $509 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 7,846 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $711 million. "Grand Canyon welcomes visitors from across the country and around the world," said Superintendent Dave Uberuaga. "We are delighted to share the story of this place and the experiences it provides. We also feature... Full story
Tip Of The Week For rainbow trout in the high country, PowerBait and worms are still the best baits, but trout are also more willing to chase down a lure in these cooler water temperatures than they would during the warm summer months. You can cover a lot of ground by casting a Panther Martin spinner or Kastmaster. Some anglers choose to fish bait on one rod while casting a lure with a second rod to find what the fish are hitting. The new license structure allows the use of two rods with any... Full story
Just a bit north of Springerville is an amazingly cool place that you may never even have heard of. It's the Wenima Wildlife Area and it consists of 357 acres of habitat along the Little Colorado River. We visited in late September and the days were still a bit warm, but cloud cover and rain cooled things off considerably. There are two great, easy hikes at Wenima, both of which are very kid-friendly. The day we were there, we met only one other group of hikers during the entire morning. It was... Full story
PAYSON, Ariz. -- Call them robot fish, mechanical fish, even Frankenfish. In the tiny Payson community of Beaver Valley, hatchery-raised rainbow trout hover in pools of the East Verde River, or perhaps enjoy the shade of a shoreline undercut. Then there's a different sort of rainbow trout in these waters – ones that mill around with a pair of protruding, lightweight tags. These fish have undergone surgery. Since April, Arizona Game and Fish Department biologists at the Tonto Creek Hatchery h... Full story
It may be a desert state, but Arizona has many great swimming holes. Nestled here and there near mountain springs and along tributaries of rivers, these natural spas are popular with hikers, picnickers and just about anyone who enjoys time in and around the water. Some of the following entail a drive; others require a short walk or a bit of a scramble. A few can only be reached after a long, hard hike. Keep in mind, though, that you are not the only one who wants to cool off in the water; there... Full story
Some streamside landowners find themselves battling backyard beavers that gnaw down trees and flood yards with their dams. But even after removing dams or even the beavers themselves, most streamside landowners find themselves losing the war. That's because the old adage "busy as a beaver" is true, and because streams will always attract beavers. Understanding more about this species and how they can benefit other wildlife, along with the steps required by law to address beaver problems, may hel...
Tip Of The Week When trout are more active. it's sometimes better to use lures rather than bait, especially inline spinners such as Mepps, Rooster Tails and the like. Casting spoons, such as KastMasters, can sometimes be downright lethal. Also try rainbow-colored Rapalas. The larger, more voracious trout will often feed on the smaller ones. The Reel Deal The window of sunlight that blasts our waters is increasingly short-lived, leading to the first hints of fall fishing conditions. First,... Full story
OLYMPIA - Anglers will soon have an opportunity to catch large trout this summer in Beaver Lake near Issaquah, thanks to the release of about 1,200 hatchery rainbows averaging about one pound each. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is scheduled to release the fish Aug. 20. To facilitate fish planting, the agency will close the Beaver Lake access site at sunset on Aug. 19 and reopen the site at sunrise on Aug. 21. Beaver Lake, however, will remain open to fishing while the acc... Full story
Hey, with temperatures in the deserts expected to soar into the triple digits, it might be time for a cool dose of scented pine air. Especially since we are getting great fishing reports from most of the mountain lakes. Woods Canyon Lake Big Lake and Woods Canyon Lake are both hot spots right now. Both of those waters have stores and boat rentals, making them even more attractive. I have been getting lots of reports of anglers catching limits of trout — even some larger holdover ones. Ironically... Full story
