Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) swapped more than 300 old and tattered life jackets with new ones during life jacket exchange events at area lakes this summer. The AZGFD Boating Safety Education program helped to ensure 304 people were safer on the water by swapping old, less-effective life jackets for new ones during visits to Lake Havasu, Saguaro Lake, Lake Pleasant, Lake Powell and Canyon Lake. Check PFDs Every Season "This program makes it possible for boaters to exchange old... Full story
Whether it's dipping the canoe or kayak into one of Arizona's lakes for a quiet day of fishing or it's just to enjoy some time on the water, studies show the number of people reaching for a paddle and heading outdoors is increasing. Paddlesport activities, including canoeing, kayaking, inflatable rafting and standup paddleboards, are gaining in popularity nationally. In 2014, about 21.7 million people enjoyed the sport nationally – an increase of more than 3 million people since 2010, a... Full story
Before you know it, gift-giving season will be upon us. If you have a shooter in your life — a boss, a spouse, a sibling, a best friend, a child or grandchild — I’m here to make your holiday a little easier. Here are some of my top picks: the best gifts for the shooter on your shopping list. Speed Loader One thing everyone learns quickly is that loading magazines is hard on the fingers. Loading them by hand takes strength and dexterity, and hardly anyone I know can do it quickly. Glocks come... Full story
Arizona's endangered black-footed ferret population celebrated the 20th anniversary of its reintroduction to Arizona with the release of more animals into a new privately owned reintroduction area. Through a new Safe Harbor Agreement, the Double O Ranch outside of Seligman yesterday became the third reintroduction site in Arizona. Safe Harbor Agreement 'This release was made possible by a Safe Harbor Agreement, a newer conservation option that aims to enlist the help of non-federal landowners to... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) partnered this summer with Northern Arizona University (NAU) to release two male and one female narrow-headed gartersnakes into a newly created wetland adjacent to the AZGFD Pinetop regional office. Narrow-headed gartersnakes are listed as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The enclosed wetland was created, along with two new fish ponds, on the site of the original Pinetop Fish Hatchery that was built in the 1930s. Before the... Full story
People who live in or visit Arizona can expect to see many species of wildlife. More and more often though, wild animals are venturing into areas where people live. Sometimes the wildlife becomes a problem, either by hammering on the side of the house, digging a den under the front porch, or eating all of your brand new landscaping plants. You can usually enjoy wildlife watching from a distance, but sometimes wildlife encounters involve conflict. Preventing Problems Preventing problems with... Full story
Tonto Creek Trout Time -- Our friend Catherine May had a great catching time this fall at Upper Tonto Creek. She tempted these rainbow trout with salmon eggs and, obviously, May was pleased with her catch, the largest being 12.5 inches.... Full story
(Morristown) – As the manager of more than 120,000 acres of pristine Sonoran Desert, the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department takes pride in having the resources to connect people with nature. Each year, more than 2.1 million people visit the County's regional park system and enjoy the many miles of trails, educational programs, and wide variety of park activities. Popular Park With more than 750,000 outdoor enthusiasts flocking to Lake Pleasant Regional Park annually, the lake is e... Full story
Winter in Sedona is perfect for family and friend celebrations. The peaceful and picturesque city of Sedona gives visitors a true holiday experience year after year, with its nationally recognized Holiday Central Sedona's lighting up the streets and the hearts with winter-inspired splendor. Whether visitors and residents cozy up in a bed and breakfast, dine at a luxury restaurant or explore the winding and twinkling streets of Uptown, guests will surely find a new holiday tradition for families... Full story
North Rim operations began seasonal shut-down of most visitor services on Oct. 15. The North Rim will remain open to day-use visitors and overnight campers, until Thursday, Dec. 1 unless heavy snowfall closes State Highway 67 earlier. Nov. 1 through Dec. 1 entrance fees are paid at the automated fee machine located behind the visitor center. Entrance fees are $30 per vehicle, $25 for motorcycles and $15 for walk-ups and bicycles, all good for seven days for both North and South Rim. Nov.1... Full story
Fall has officially arrived and the crisp, clean mountain air and colors are here to accentuate it. There is a lot happening in terms of tourism in Flagstaff and the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) team is hard at work. To name a few items of interest: We are all looking forward to the 2016 NAU Homecoming festivities; The team is working hard on preparing for and organizing a major FY17 initiative of producing a virtual tour of Flagstaff and the surrounding area; We are launching a... Full story
Popular recreation sites on the Tonto National Forest near Phoenix are either opening for the season, or closing for the season, depending on the location. The Mesquite and Horseshoe campgrounds and Fisherman's Point (also known as Catfish Point) re-opened for the winter on Oct.1. These three areas are on the Cave Creek Ranger District near Horseshoe Lake. They are popular camping spots for fisherman. On the Mesa Ranger District, seasonal reductions in services at some developed recreation sites... Full story
Editor's Note: Some of the most beautiful of holiday events are the Christmas lighted-boat parades. Although there are more in the Southwest, the ones we mention here are among the favorites. (If you know of others you would like included in our December issue, please email their information to editor@azbw.com.) In Arizona Lake Havasu: "Bright Ideas" Friday and Saturday, Dec. 2-3, 2016 @ 6:30pm The Annual Boat Parade of Lights is in its 34th year and has been the must-see event of the holiday... Full story
Lake Havasu has deservedly earned a reputation as a mecca for outdoor motorsports enthusiasts. Because of the weather and the immediate proximity to both water and desert, locals rotate between boats, off-roading and RVing with the change of each season. Expo History Five years ago, the "Sand - Water - RV Expo" first appeared on the Havasu scene at Lake Havasu State Park, Windsor 4, looking to fill a niche that wasn't being addressed. Bob Brown, Havasu Boat Show producer, decided to combine all... Full story
Lake Powell fish are in transition mode with day length getting shorter while air temperature is cooling. Water temperature and lake elevation have stayed stable during the past three weeks. Elevation is 3610 and temperature holding at 70 degrees. The main change is fish location. Keep An Open Mind Bass are moving up on shore, stripers are on the move and shad are split between hiding in the backs of canyons while some are going deep in open water. My best advice is to keep an open mind and an... Full story
By Mike Berger and Pat Knight Well, the Savage Model 1899 finally had a range day, with both good and not-so-good results. First the good news, it shot very well with both .38-55 Winchester and .375 Winchester factory ammunition. Recoil was no problem at all, and the balance of the rifle made it great handling and a bunch of fun to shoot. Accuracy was excellent with both loads. Now the bad news. I reload for almost everything I shoot. .375-diameter bullets are mostly designed for the .375... Full story
Channel catfish are being stocked by the thousands of pounds through the fall. Time to pick a lethal bait. These all have a strong scent of some sort, some are even tasty to humans - and all have a long record of catching catfish in Arizona's community waters. Here, then, are the Arizona Game and Fish Department's top-5 best baits to catch these channel catfish: 5. Marshmallows Mallows. Mmm, marshmallows. Can you blame catfish for wanting to chomp one of these sweet, beautiful, poofy globs?... Full story
Delivering superior efficiency, durability and reliability, Hella marine introduces its NaviLED 360 2NM Anchor Pole Mount Lamps. They are fully certified to provide brilliant LED illumination to a range of 2 nautical miles, available in fixed and fold-down models to meet users' mounting requirements. The NaviLED 360 Anchor Pole Mount Lamp series is completely shock- and vibration-proof thanks to its no-filament design. Advanced MultivoltTM circuitry draws less than 1W of power, yet operates... Full story
Shore power systems must be well-designed and carefully built to prevent electricity and water from forming a hazardous dockside combination. Equipment Leakage Circuit Interrupter (ELCI) shore power inlet adapter kits from Hubbell Marine allow boaters to easily integrate a variety of third-party ELCI sensors and breakers into Hubbell's dependable shore power inlet housings. This provides an additional level of safety with ground fault protection for the entire AC shore power system. Available... Full story
The scent of boating is crisp, clean air. Thetford Marine's top-quality Tecma-branded rubber and PVC sanitation hoses maintain that freshness throughout the boat. They'll provide years of odorless and maintenance-free service. Tecma premium HosePlus 38 for head and holding tank connections has a unique odor shield that provides permeability of less than 1%. So sure of its performance, Thetford Marine backs it with a five-year warranty. The vanilla-scented hose is also built to last, using... Full story
Even at their lowest throttle, sterndrives and outboards can rarely power a boat at an optimal trolling speed. Many gamefish simply won't chase and strike at a lure that's moving too fast. The updated Happy Troller from Davis Instruments slows even large engines when deployed, increases stability when cruising, and now has a 45° setting for added flexibility. Built to last in fresh and saltwater, the Happy Troller is made from high-quality stainless steel components and hardware, and anodized... Full story
A freshly waxed RV reflects everything, from a scenic campsite to the pride in its owner's face. Now, waxing is easier than ever with Shurhold's popular Brite Bonnet PRO Final Polish Pad. Designed to work with the company's powerful Dual Action Polisher Pro and Rotary Pro, it quickly removes excess wax and leaves an incredible shine. The Brite Bonnet PRO Final Polish Pad is a durable, shaggy microfiber pad that quickly buffs off excess wax and brings out a showroom-like shine. The numerous... Full story
Whether you are an angler, a hunter, or an outdoors enthusiast, one of the treasures we share is the abundance of wildlife in the Southwest. From rainbow trout in the high country to majestic elk in the forest lands to the antelope on our open plains, to the perky Gambel quail, to the endearing little black-footed ferrets, these beings who share our world can certainly be considered precious residents of our outdoors. At Thanksgiving time, when many concentrate on expressing gratitude for the... Full story