Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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John and I are always looking for new roads to explore in the Jeep, and this past week we found one that we could have done in the car, so I thought I'd share it, because there were plenty of interesting things to see and some incredibly beautiful areas. You could do this whole loop in one day like we did, even taking time to hop out and wander around, plus a stop for a picnic lunch. In all, we covered 286 miles from the west valley, round trip. FIRST UP: DOLL BABY RANCH ROAD I saw this road on...
Winter moisture improves overall brood survival for desert quail. Arizona hunters know that timely rainfall is the key to giving quail populations a much-needed boost. After a winter of above-average precipitation, which generated a springtime carpet of green vegetation that's necessary for desert quail reproduction, hunters might want to carry a few extra shotgun shells when the season opens Friday, Oct. 13. A Great Year! "This should be a great year to chase Gambel's quail," said Dr. Larisa... Full story
Monsoon weather is just around the corner, and the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) cautions boaters, anglers and off-highway vehicle (OHV) users that weather conditions can quickly change and become dangerous for those who aren't prepared. The severity of monsoon storms varies greatly, from a minor dust storm to a violent thunderstorm capable of producing hail, deadly lightning and flash flooding. "Arizona is known for its often unbearable summer heat; it's also known for great places... Full story
Non-boat owner friends often comment just after boarding our boat in San Diego about the traffic on our VHF marine radio offering up the latest weather information. More than one frequently remark about what a beautiful day it is – so what's up with the weather concern? Capt Debbie and I are quick to remind them that while the sun may be shinning now and the breeze is gentle, the Southern California coastal weather can change rapidly. And we take advantage of the moment to educate our guests t... Full story
AZGFD Cautions Boaters, Anglers, OHV Users During Monsoon Monsoon Awareness Week is June 11-17 Monsoon weather is just around the corner, and the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) cautions boaters, anglers and off-highway vehicle (OHV) users that weather conditions can quickly change and become dangerous for those who aren't prepared. The severity of monsoon storms varies greatly, from a minor dust storm to a violent thunderstorm capable of producing hail, deadly lightning and flash... Full story
Don't forget that there is no limit and not even a season on Eurasian collared doves. You can shoot them any time, as many as you want. They can be hard to find outside of town, though, which is the biggest hurdle. Eurasian collared-doves are bigger than white-winged or mourning doves, and they are much lighter in color. They've got dark wing tips and a square tail. When doves are flying in, you'll notice the tails much more easily than color, especially early in the morning when the light is... Full story
Opening day is Thursday, Sept. 1 Arizona’s dove hunters should have no complaints when the 2022 season opens Sept. 1. All signs indicate that there will be birds aplenty, particularly for those hunters who are willing to scout in the mornings and evenings between now and the opener to locate some good hunting spots. Once again, the greatest number of doves — and dove hunters — will be concentrated in the state’s agricultural areas, particularly those that produce small-grain crops like wheat,... Full story
AZGFD Catutions OHV Riders, Boaters, Anglers, During Monsoon Monsoon weather is right around the corner, and the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) cautions boaters, anglers and off-highway vehicle (OHV) users that weather conditions can quickly change and become dangerous for those who aren't prepared. The severity of monsoon storms varies greatly from a minor dust storm to a violent thunderstorm capable of producing hail, deadly lightning and flash flooding. "Arizona is known for its...
Sure, there have been birds for hunters who were willing to get out and climb the hills and canyons of southeastern Arizona when the season opened in early December for Mearns' quail. But the fact remains that it's going to take more than one summer of decent monsoon rains to give populations a desperately needed boost and improve lagging harvest rates. Mearns' Numbers Low "Montezuma (Mearns') quail numbers have been low since we've not had a really good monsoon since 2018, and they respond to... Full story
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - On July 20 at approximately 2:50 p.m., the Grand Canyon Communications Center received a report of multiple individuals struck by lightning at the Bright Angel Trailhead during a monsoonal thunderstorm. A 30-year-old male and 28-year-old female victim were initially found unresponsive; the male regained consciousness without intervention. CPR and advanced life-saving interventions were initiated on the female, and she regained a pulse. Due to significant storm activity,... Full story
Public can help by texting "SENDWATER" to 41444. Water is the essence of life, and it's just as precious for Arizona's wildlife. As drought conditions continue to worsen across the Southwest, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is preparing for another record-setting year of delivering lifesaving water to thirsty Arizona wildlife. Three Million Gallons AZGFD trucked and airlifted an unprecedented 2.4 million gallons of life-sustaining water to catchments throughout the state in 2020.... Full story
Yamamoto Pro MartyLawrence fishes a lot of night tournaments in the summer, and summer in Arizona means monsoon storms. These storms usually do roll in at night and if you're out on the water, it can mean that jigs and reaction baits can fill the boat in a hurry. He says that a fisherman's best friend in a storm is a Minnkota Ultrex because it will hold your position all night, even if water is coming over the bow. He has actually stayed on the water in those conditions – he just sets the U... Website
In addition to the thrill of having our Outdoors Editor inducted into the arizona outdoor hall of fame, we feel honored to have both Margie and John Anderson as loyal and valuable contributors to our publications. Of course we honor the other four inductees as well; our Wildlife benefits incredibly from their hard work, dedication, and commitment. Another reason to celebrate is the annual incredible fireworks display at Pleasant Harbor. We send a warm thank-you to them for honoring our... Full story
Lake Powell Report (6/23/21) Lake Powell is dropping. Inflowing water today is 10,000 Acre Feet less than outflow. The parched Southwest really needs Monsoon rain to fall this summer. Be careful when traveling on the lake. Stay in the middle of the main channel to ensure a safe trip. Stripers Still Hitting Bait Stripers are still hitting bait in the normal spots like Buoy 25 Cove and Wall, Rincon, and Moki Canyon. On my weekly fishing trip, we saw fewer slurping stripers in the channel between... Full story
Public can help by texting "SENDWATER" to 41444. Water is the essence of life, and it's just as precious for Arizona's wildlife. As drought conditions continue to worsen across the Southwest, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is preparing for another record-setting year of delivering lifesaving water to thirsty Arizona wildlife. AZGFD trucked and airlifted an unprecedented 2.4 million gallons of life-sustaining water to catchments throughout the state in 2020. With little relief in... Full story
Back-to-back wet winters have bolstered Gambel's population. Arizona quail hunters will be glad to know - in fact, they should be thrilled - that the 2020-21 season is shaping up to be average. That's right, average. And that's tremendous news heading into the season for Gambel's, scaled and California quail. Greatest Season In Years "Taking everything into account, this will be a great season compared to what we have experienced in the last 15 or more years," said Johnathan O'Dell, small game b... Full story
Public can help by texting "SENDWATER" to 41444. Water is the essence of life, and it's just as precious for Arizona's wildlife. For that reason, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has trucked and airlifted about 250,000 gallons of life-sustaining water to catchments throughout the state since January. Trail cameras document the results of this critical work, with footage of elk, deer, bighorn sheep and other species leaning over for a refreshing drink at one of 3,000 catchments... Full story
At Press Time, This Is The State Lands Information One spark is all it takes! • On Friday, Aug. 14, Stage I fire restrictions were re-implemented to state lands within Coconino County - SOUTH of the Grand Canyon and in Yavapai County. • Stage II fire restrictions remain in place in Gila, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave and Yuma Counties and Coconino - NORTH of the Grand Canyon. • Target shooting and fireworks are never allowed at any time of the year. • For more information, please call our state f... Full story
Much-needed rain brings out desert wildlife in Arizona. Animals may wander in search of mates, moisture and, if necessary, to escape flooding. Desert tortoises are one of several amazing species that can be encountered during Arizona's monsoon. Important Guidelines The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) urges the public to follow these important guidelines when coming across a desert tortoise: • Keep wild tortoises wild: Do not remove a tortoise from the wild. Taking a wild tortoise h... Full story
May is when we celebrate our moms, and if your mom is the outdoors type, I've got lots of ideas for special gifts. The great thing about gifts for camping is that many of them do double or even triple duty: They're great for camping, but also for survival and for moms who are preppers. So here are a bunch of ideas for your mom, whether she camps, off-roads, hikes, hunts, preps, fishes, or all of the above. Biolite Campstove 2 Bundle I've written about the BioLite CampStove before because I have... Full story
Publishers Note: This article was first published in July 2016. However, the projects continue and always need more volunteers. Please Contact Don McDowell (Arizona Dear Association) for information on volunteering opportunities at don@huntingfishing.com. Each year, Arizona's conservation groups help raise close to $2,000,000.00 through the auction and raffle tags for all of the big game species in Arizona. There are two tags that are auctioned and one tag that is raffled for each of the big... Full story
Winter moisture improves overall brood survival. Truth be told, Arizona's quail hunters are also weather wonks - always checking the forecasts, particularly during the winter months, their fingers crossed that the wet stuff is on the way. After all, good doses of timely precipitation that time of year are what give the state's Gambel's and scaled quail populations a much-needed boost, which usually points to better hunting in the fall. Case In Point: Winter 2018 "Unlike the past few years, when... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is seeking information officers hope will lead to those responsible for contaminating a water catchment with diesel fuel or gasoline northeast of Flagstaff. Sometime around Sept. 15, fuel was deliberately poured into Young's Canyon Trick Tank, a water catchment in Game Management Unit 7E near U.S. Forest Service Road 775 and east of the high tension powerlines. The catchment is approximately 2 miles east of the Winona exit (211) along Interstate 40.... Full story
New story map and podcast discuss the fire's impact on wildlife and the Superstition wilderness. The Woodbury Fire burned nearly 124,000 acres, much of it in the Superstition Wilderness Area, from early June through mid-July. Because of the popularity of this area among hikers, hunters and wildlife watchers, many people are asking, what damage did the fire do to landscapes and habitat? What impact did the fire have on wildlife? There are two new resources to help answer those questions:... Full story
Water is the essence of life and it's just as precious for Arizona's wildlife. For that reason, the Arizona Game and Fish Department has trucked or airlifted more than 1.5 million gallons of precious water to catchments throughout the state since January 2018. And trail cameras tell the tale of this important work with footage of elk, deer, bighorn sheep and countless other species leaning over for a refreshing drink at one of 3,000 catchments maintained by the department. "Water catchments are... Full story