Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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While many parts of the country are shoveling snow and driving snow mobiles, in the desert areas of the Southwest, others are readying their craft for a new year of boating pleasure. Soon, two popular expos will showcase - among other outdoor activities -boating models and accessories. As the fun on the water begins, it is vitally important to remember "safety first" so that 2018 has zero-to-very few boating accidents. To this end, we highly recommend one of the safety courses listed on page 3... Full story
'Quality of life is measured by amount of time spent fishing.' In the last fish report we reported stripers and shad holding in the 15-30 foot depth range but suspected that colder weather would force both species to seek deeper water where temperature was more stable. With that in mind, we headed for Warm Creek to look for striper schools. We passed the floating restroom and slowed down and started graphing. This fall, the graph has printed a mostly blank screen in deep water with an occasional... Full story
Standing at less than 11 inches tall, the American kestrel is a mighty bird of prey, yet the future of this fierce little falcon is uncertain, as populations are on the decline nationally. Locally, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is enlisting the help of landowners and citizen scientists to assist biologists as part of the American Kestrel Partnership, a program designed to collect data to be used to conserve this important species for future generations. AZGFD is participating in... Full story
Editor's Note: To review the first part of this article, visit www.westernoutdoortimes.com, October 2017, and search for "Martinis, Anyone?"by Mike Berger and Pat Knight. http://www.westernoutdoortimes.com/story/2017/10/01/shooting-sports/martinis-anyone/3389.html Now that I had a barreled action, there was the problem of making it look "right." The appearance of a custom firearm is a matter of personal taste. They can be anything from a gun that would be missed in a rack of others, to a piece o... Full story
Attention target shooters! The Tonto National Forest has implemented restrictions on target types — as of November 20 — in an effort to reduce the amount of refuse and trash being left on the forest from target shooting. Only the following types of approved targets will be allowed during target shooting on the Tonto National Forest: • Cardboard, and/or cardboard targets with reusable frames (excluding wooden pallets), which are removed from the site after shooting • Paper and/or paper targets... Full story
Arizona hunters who were unsuccessful in the recent 2018 spring draw still have an opportunity to receive a hunt permit-tag for javelina. As of the second week of December, leftover hunt permit-tags were available for general hunts that begin Feb. 23. There also were 1,432 hunt permit-tags for archery-only hunts that begin Jan. 1, 1,239 hunt permit-tags for handgun, archery and muzzleloader (HAM) hunts that get underway Feb. 9,and 99 hunt permit-tags for youth-only hunts that start Jan. 26.... Full story
The Tonto National Forest is extending the comment period on the Preliminary Proposed Plan. After receiving several requests, the public and interested parties have an additional 22 days to provide comments to the plan, the first step toward revising the current Tonto National Forest land and resource management plan. January 12, 2018, is the new deadline to submit comments. Comments on the Preliminary Proposed Plan can be submitted in the following ways: • By e-mail to: tontoplan@fs.fed.us ... Full story
Fire managers have been taking advantage of continued warm, dry weather conditions over the next several weeks and may initiate additional prescribed fires on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Working as the North Zone Interagency Fire Management Program, fire managers from Grand Canyon National Park and the Kaibab National Forest planned to start the Bright Angel Prescribed Fire (Rx) in the first week of December. The Bright Angel Rx, located near the North Rim developed area, is... Full story
One of the most unique RVs to debut this year is the EarthRoamer XV-HD. The self-sufficient, off-road Super C class luxury camper comes with an Aqua-Hot 600D hydronic heating solution for maximum comfort, no matter how far off the grid the vehicle may wander. The Aqua-Hot 600D delivers 65,600 BTUs of quiet, evenly-distributed heat throughout the XV-HD and offers on-demand hot water. EarthRoamer chose in-floor radiant heating to eliminate cold spots and drafts. A secondary system quickly gets the... Full story
Sometimes things happen when you least expect them. "I came upon this brave cactus wren taking on the cholla cactus," said Pamela Parker of Mesa, explaining how she got the winning shot of this year's wildlife photo contest. "I loved how the wren was framed by all the needles and had to take the photo." She kept a watchful eye, taking several shots and capturing the bird surrounded by the cactus. Parker used a handheld camera because she likes to be "on the same level as my subjects." She... Full story
If you gave or received an off-highway vehicle (OHV) as part of the holiday season, make sure you have the proper protective gear to get off to a safe start. Whether the ATV, dirt bike or side-by-side is for a family member, lucky friend or yourself, the Arizona Game and Fish Department recommends that you wear the following equipment when riding in an OHV: • Helmet — All OHV operators or passengers younger than 18 are required to wear a U.S. Department of Transportation-safety rated hel... Full story
At its regular December meeting, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission passed a motion in opposition to a proposed ballot initiative that would ban the hunting of mountain lions and bobcats and restrict management of the state's wild cats by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The proposed initiative has not yet qualified for the ballot, but the Commission regularly takes positions on federal and state legislation with potential impact on the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) and the... Full story
Adapted From An Article By Judy Hedding Each spring the Arizona Game and Fish Department hosts the very popular outdoor experience called the "Outdoor Expo". The largest outdoor expo in the state, this interactive experience allows people of all ages to participate in activities, see exhibits, and attend educational presentations relating to Arizona's wildlife, nature, hunting, camping, boating, recreational target shooting, archery, off-roading, and fishing. Expo Dates Saturday, March 24, from... Full story
Merriment abounds! Get ready to be transported back to the 16th century as one of the largest and most picturesque Renaissance Festivals in the nation prepares for raucous revelry below the foothills of the Superstition Mountains. The Festival is celebrating its 30th anniversary season. Don't miss it; join in the revelry! The Arizona Renaissance Festival runs every Saturday and Sunday, Feb.10 through April 1 including Presidents' Day Monday, Feb.19, from 10 a.m. to 6p.m. Cheer for brave... Full story
The 2018 International Sportsmen's Expo and Arizona Boat Show, March 23-26 at WestWorld of Scottsdale, welcomes the return of the wildly popular DockDogs® competition. This international competition offers three disciplines: Big Air®, Extreme Vertical®, and Speed Retrieve®. DockDogs® welcomes any breed, any mix and any size dog to its Dock Diving® family. Rules and entry information will be posted at DockDogs.com by mid-January. The 18th annual International Sportsmen's E... Full story
Jim and Carol L. Allen, Publisher and Editor Carol and I wish you all a great new year. Angela Ogden, Production Manager Arizona Boating & Watersports News Magazine / Western Outdoor Times would like to introduce you to one of the best graphic designers in the business. Angela Ogden has a B.A. in graphic design from Point Loma University, San Diego, CA (1988). She has worked on newspapers and magazines and added her freelance work in 2005. Angela is based in Oklahoma and has clientele all over... 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 importance of driving-best practices are underscored by these three actions that need to be avoided as they are major contributors to accidents. Following recent fatal off-highway vehicle (OHV) accidents, the Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds everyone about the importance of following best practices when driving on the state's trails and public land roads. In late September, a 58-year-old woman died in Cave Creek after being pinned underneath her utility-task vehicle (UTV). A week... Full story
The North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is now closed for the season. The North Rim is expected to re-open for the 2018 season on May 15, 2018. The North Rim campground is still be available for winter camping and is accessible via inner canyon trails from the South Rim or by cross-country skiing and snowshoeing - a 45-mile trip from Jacob Lake. To stay at the North Rim during the winter months, visitors will need a backcountry permit, which can be obtained from the Backcountry Information... Full story
The Home At Last campaign will raise $1.75 million to purchase the building we currently occupy and make some significant renovations that include the following: • additional kennels to increase capacity • improvements to dog and cat living spaces • a new canine medical room • custom catios for all of the cat rooms • installation of a fire sprinkler system But that's just the beginning of our exciting news! We are thrilled to share that we have received a $1,000,000 donation from an anonymous... Full story
After an absence of more than 70 years, the endangered Gila topminnow has reappeared in the Santa Cruz River in northwest Tucson, fish surveys conducted in November confirm. Scientists were hopeful native fish would return to the river near Tucson after the river's water quality significantly improved following upgrades to wastewater-treatment facilities releasing effluent (highly treated wastewater) into the river at Agua Nueva and Tres Rios treatment plants in 2013. The native Arizona... Full story
You can help sick or injured wildlife not only on a Giving Tuesday, but also on any day of the year. The Arizona Game and Fish Department's Wildlife Center treats sick, injured or orphaned wildlife. Some can be released to the wild, but those that can't require continued care, either as "wildlife ambassadors" for educational presentations at local schools and community events, or for placement in a zoo or wildlife sanctuary. The animals pictured with this story have all been rescued during the... Full story
Follow Rum's History And San Diego Connection "Rum, Sailors, Pirates, and Prohibition" - This exhibition of exhibits, artifacts, and 3-D dispays follow San Diego's connection to the history of rum. It is now showing in the Gould Eddy Gallery aboard the Ferryboat Berkeley. Admission is included with general admission to the museum. The fresh new interactive, educational and entertaining exhibit tells the story of the new world's first distilled spirit from its origins on 17th century Caribbean su... Full story
Whether to increase leg room, optimize a standing position or provide added clearance for improved dash access and visibility, Schmitt & Ongaro Marine's Aluminum Hub Extension is the solution OEMs and boat owners need. It works with any of the company's polyurethane marine steering wheels, doubling the depth of the hub mounting space with an added 1.5". The Aluminum Hub Extension is simple to install. The wheel is removed and the durable, marine grade, black powder-coated collar bolted onto its... Full story
New Compact Tecniq LED Fixture Delivers Massive Light Lighting a deck or cockpit space provides safety and security, but too often LED fixtures are large and expensive. Guaranteed for life, TecNiq's new compact D30 Surface Mounted Load Light provides 2,000 lumens of bright white LED light, illuminating 150 sq. ft. from a height of 10', at an affordable price. Balancing power and illumination area is key with any lighting solution and the D30 delivers. Its 64° by 51° beam angle brightens a s... Full story
