Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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The Hassayampa River begins somewhere south of Prescott and flows through Wickenburg before joining the Gila River near Hassayampa, Ariz. It is around 113 miles long, but most of the time the Hassayampa is flowing, but you can't see it - the water is below the surface of the ground and the river looks like a very wide dry wash. However, near Wickenburg are a couple (or three) places where you can enjoy seeing the waters of the Hassayampa flowing on the surface. The Hassayampa is one of the few... Full story
When I met John (decades ago!), I had never really fished much at all. My dad took my brother and me hunting and camping all the time, and we always did a lot of target shooting, but we never really fished. In fact, I hadn't even seen most of the lakes because Dad didn't go there. Too many people, he said. But John was both a hunter and a fisherman. And once he took me fishing, I was hooked. We went to Christopher Creek and caught trout. I had a blast. Bartlett Was Our Favorite Once we got... Full story
John and I went Coues hunting this year. We have a great 4-wheel-drive pickup, but while scouting and hunting we discovered that we needed more. Our little whitetails are spooky, and once the season opens, you have to get far away from the easy roads or you're just not going to see any. And although we could get over a lot of stuff in the truck, there always seems to be an impassable piece of road keeping us from where we want to be. I'm sure there are guys who insist they can get their trucks... Full story
We have a family tradition of going on a fun hike on New Year's Day each year. Since we live in the desert, this is the best time of year to hike close to home. If you are also a desert rat, now is a great time to go for a hike. Here are some great hikes near Phoenix to get you started. Wave Cave Hike This trail is in the Superstitions and it gets quite a bit of traffic - for good reason. The trail takes you to a large cave with incredible views. It's called the Wave Cave because right in front... Full story
The show has officially opened and from what I understand, if you wanted to visit every booth you'd have just 22 seconds per booth. So we are trying to cherry pick, and concentrating on outdoor things not only for hunters, but also for campers, RV'ers, fishermen, and hikers. We've found plenty, and it's only lunch time! Right off the bat we visited the HydraPak booth. They make collapsible water containers in many sizes, for everything from a day hike to a long hunting trip. Our granddaughters... Full story
Well, yesterday we put over 9 miles on our shoes at the SHOT Show, and today just a little less than that – because we had a couple of meetings and a press conference to go to. But it's so much fun seeing all the great products that we really don't mind all the walking. Of course, SHOT Show has tons of guns, and that means that there are also tons of accessories designed to help you shoot better. Up on the third floor of SHOT is an area called NEXT, where the companies who didn't make it into t... Full story
SHOT Show officially starts tomorrow, but if you're lucky enough to get an invitation, the day before the show starts is Industry Day at the Range. This is the day when the manufacturers set up at the Boulder Rifle and Pistol Club, which is an excellent facility near Boulder City, Nevada with tons of room for the over 200 manufactures who let us handle their new products. This is the day for actually shooting the latest guns and checking out the great new optics and gear. If you've read John's g... Full story
Day 3 is in the books and the energy hasn't abated at SHOT Show. The aisles are teeming with people eager to see everything, talk to everyone, and learn something new. At times you can barely squeeze through the aisles, and occasionally you have to stand in line for while to handle the newest guns. But the people who work the booths are unfailingly kind and helpful, even though you know their feet must be killing them and they must be dog tired. SHOT Show people are the best. We spent a while... Full story
Safety is huge at the SHOT Show, and there are always lots of companies with gun safety products to show. This year was no exception. The Allen Company has a new holster called the Swipe MQR (Magnetic Quick Release) holster that makes it easy for you to quickly access your weapon while keeping it safe from anybody wanting to walk up and take it off you. It works by using a patented magnetic system that releases in half the time as a regular snap – you clear the lock by "swiping" directionally t... Full story
The Key To Success Is Being Versatile Back in the day, Wes McCracken was one of the best anglers on the All Star Bass trail. The key to his success: he knew that you have to be versatile to catch fish consistently. "Every lake is different, and every year it's different, too," says McCracken. One thing that he can count on most of the time, though, is a worm bite of some sort. "Finding the fish is the hard part," says Wes. "Figuring out what they want is simply a process of elimination." This... 
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We just got back from a seven-day hunting/camping trip and I discovered quite a few things that make life a lot easier for a camper. We camp rough - no trailer, no cots, no RV. We just throw a couple of self-inflating pads in the back of the truck and roll out our sleeping bags. Warmers Blankets That said, one of the most important things is being warm enough. Lightweight sleeping bags are usually fine in Arizona, but when nights get chilly, you need more. Something along the stocking stuffer li... Full story
Patagonia Lake is a small reservoir about an hour south of Tucson. Formed by damming Sonoita Creek, this beautiful little lake offers good crappie, catfish, and bass fishing in Southern Arizona. The terrain around Patagonia is very different from the deserts surrounding the central Arizona lakes. Patagonia is at an elevation of 3,750 feet, and the surrounding country is grassy hills and scrub oak and juniper. Dan Marzano Takes Us To Patagonia Patagonia looks more like a midwestern lake than an... Full story
Before you know it, the holidays will be upon us and we'll all be scrambling to find the perfect gift for the people we love. If someone you love also loves the outdoors, here are some ideas that are sure to please. Good Maps Are Essential Build Your Own Whether your passion is fishing, hiking, hunting, off-roading, RV-ing, or geocaching, good maps are essential. The best way to get the perfect map is to visit MyTopo.com and build your own. These are especially great for hunters because you can... Full story
Last month, when I was writing about Grandparents' Day, I mentioned that we take our granddaughters on a big road trip/hiking trip every year. In between, we take a day now and then and just go to a small town or great place nearby. Since we've been doing these trips, small and big, for nearly two decades now, we've discovered some secrets to making every trip memorable and fun. Know Your Audience What is fun to a 5-year-old is not necessarily fun for an 18-year-old. What is safe for an 18-year-... Full story
Sunday, Sept. 10 is Grandparents' Day, and this year, we salute Marge and John Anderson who have shared the wonders of outdoors with their granddaughters for over two decades (and loved every minute of their times together). When we found out that our son and daughter-in-law were expecting their first baby, I quit my job so I could stay home and take care of her. Since the day she was born, Trinity has been the joy of my life. Then, three years later, Emily joined us, and brought us even more... Full story
In Arizona, people tend to think of heading north to cool off in the summer, but there are many places in the southern and eastern areas of our beautiful state that also offer higher altitudes, cool forests, and great hikes. These places include Mt. Lemmon near Tucson, the Pinaleno mountains near Safford, and the Mt. Baldy Wilderness near Greer. Mt. Lemmon In July, the Burro fire was raging and crews were using the Mount Lemmon highway as a firebreak. Residents, campers and hikers were forced... Full story
Trapp Technology pro Kevin Finley just came home from the California Open where he took 13th out of 87 pros. If he looks familiar to you, it's probably because he fishes tournaments all over the West, plus he was just on the Fishing with Johnny Johnson television show. Kevin is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, plus he's one heck of a stick - he's been fishing out of the Trapp Technology boat for quite a while now, and as a business owner himself, he appreciates their expertise in IT solu... Full story
At 5000 feet, Payson stays quite a bit cooler than Phoenix in the summer. Temperatures may reach the mid 90s, but if you're in a shady forest, it seems a lot cooler. We love to go to Payson, and started taking the granddaughters there years ago. There are plenty of good hotels and lots of great places to eat in Payson and the surrounding area, and there are great hikes as well. Tonto Natural Bridge One of the places near Payson that we love the most is Tonto Natural Bridge. It's actually more... Full story
Johnny Johnson is one of the best-known and best-loved fishermen in Arizona. With his popular television show Fishing With Johnny Johnson http://fishingwithjohnnyjohnson.com/ and his trademark hee-hee-hee laugh, he has made thousands of fans. At the recent Wild West Bass Team Championship, crowds of people jumped up and ran over to take photos the minute his truck and boat came into view. He has a way with kids and never turns them down when they ask for a photo with him. We once fished with him... Full story
The best gift ever, though, is spending time with him. Chances are, your dad is the one who introduced you to the outdoors. I know that was the case with me. My dad took me hunting and camping all the time, starting when I was really young, and that gave me a love of the outdoors that is stronger than ever, even now. If your dad is outdoorsy, here are some gift ideas that are sure to make his day this June 18th. ATN Smart HD Binocular Let's just start right out with the splurge – the ATN S... Full story
The Wild West Bass Trail is a relative newcomer on the bass tournament scene, but it was founded by people with tons of tournament fishing experience. They wanted to make the best tournament circuit out there, and they have spared no expense and worked their tails off - with great success. Their mission is to promote the highest quality companies and provide premier fishing events in the western U.S. They have the highest guaranteed payout on the West Coast, and tournaments are televised so pro... Full story
There are 90 wilderness areas in our state - a total of 4,512,120 acres. That's a lot of country! But what exactly is a wilderness area, what can you do there, and how does a place become a wilderness area? A wilderness area is a place where the lands are designated for preservation and protection in their natural state and where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by men (from the Wilderness Act of 1964). These lands remain undeveloped and no permanent improvement or human... Full story
Tai Au is one of the best-known bass pros in Arizona - he started a Facebook page called "AZ Anglers" and there are now over 13,000 members. Tai is all about sharing his love for and knowledge about fishing, which is why he created a place where Arizona anglers could share, ask, learn, and even brag a bit now and then. Started As A Kid Tai got into fishing when he was just a kid, going out with his dad. His mom and dad were actually "Boat People" from Vietnam, and he was actually born in a car... Full story
The only bad thing about camping is putting all that stuff away when you get home, right? Well, when I was a kid, we camped and hunted all the time, and my dad had a big old Army field desk that we called the Camping Box. The front panel of it was removed, then it became a table by hooking the front panel to the side of the box and folding the legs out. The inside was all drawers, and we put all the usual camping stuff in there - paper towels, dish soap, seasonings, silverware, dishes, matches... Full story
Gary Senft is an Arizona icon when it comes to bass fishing. I've been doing stories with him for decades, and he has a wealth of knowledge about techniques and tactics for catching bass in our desert reservoirs. The amazing thing is, he doesn't try to keep this information to himself – he loves to teach other people about fishing. Started Early Gary's mom and dad started taking him fishing when he was just a tyke - they'd hit the local lakes and ponds twice a month or so. The bass fishing b... Full story
