Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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This is the perfect time of year for an outdoor adventure in Tucson. The weather is great and the wildflowers should be amazing this year after all the rains we've had all winter. All four of these places offer nice hikes (or at least walks), and all four of them let you see different aspects of the glory of the outdoors around Tucson. Saguaro National Park Saguaro National Park is actually two districts - one to the east of Tucson called the Rincon Mountain District, and one to the west called... Full story
I've known Matt Shura since he was just a kid, and he's been a heck of a stick all that time. He started out catching bluegills at a pond at Power and Guadalupe with his dad when he was about five or six years old. That first bluegill had him hooked for life. Going to the lake? Check out the lake level at http://data.hydrometdataservice.info/dwr/ Then he started watching bass fishing on television, and he was fascinated. By age ten he had his first boat - a ten-foot jon boat with a trolling... Full story
If you have been reading my stories here on Arizona Boating & Watersports and Western Outdoor Times for long, you know that my husband John and I love to go outdoors adventuring with our granddaughters. We've been taking them fishing, hiking, shooting, exploring, and hunting almost since they could walk, but we had never been kayaking together until yesterday. I found a Groupon for the Clarkdale Kayak Company and it was such a bargain I signed up the four of us. First off, let me tell you that I... Full story
If you are looking for easy hikes with great scenery close to Phoenix, I've got a couple for you. Both of these are easy enough for very small children and older folks, but one has a waterfall (sometimes!), and one has a flowing river. Both have entry fees, but they are small. The Hassayampa River is a hundred miles long, but for most of that distance it runs underground. At the Hassayampa River Preserve near Wickenburg, however, the water comes to the surface and runs crystal clear over the... Full story
Randy Spray has been putting in for a bighorn tag for 43 years and had never drawn one. He told a friend, "I really need to draw a tag, I'm getting older and pretty soon I won't be able to do a bighorn hunt." That friend suggested that Randy try putting in for Rocky Mountain bighorn instead of Desert Bighorn, and that did the trick. He was already in the max bonus point pool, and this year he finally drew his tag for the archery hunt in 6A. Shooting the ram was not a problem. Spray is an avid... Full story
This show is for trade only and is not open to the public, but Western Outdoor Times writers John and Margie Anderson, who are both members of the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA), will be at both the Range Day and at the Show, and will be sending daily updates from the show on the latest equipment and news. The SHOT Show ® is owned and sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation http://nssf.org/, a trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting, and shooting... Full story
If anything, the show is even busier today. There are always long lines at the registration booths, and the aisles are bustling. We found some great products for all kinds of outdoor sports today - here are a few. Personal Security Products (PS Products) has a full line of non-lethal self defense products. The Pit Bull Keyring is something anyone could carry all the time. It's shaped like an animal head with sharp ears, and has a couple of holes for your fingers. If a mugger comes up and... Full story
We are staying in the Luxor hotel (which is incredible, by the way), and when we go out to dinner or are just walking back to the room after the show, we see and talk to a lot of people - waiters and waitresses, attendees of some of the other trade shows in town, the people who work in the shops, etc. They all seem to have major misconceptions about the SHOT Show. Everyone seems to think it's like the worlds biggest gun show, with people buying and selling guns all over the place. That isn't wha... Full story
Niko Romero has been fishing since he was a toddler, and fished his first tournament at age eight. He fishes Phoenix Junior Bassmasters, Phoenix High School Bassmasters, Wild West Bass Trail, and JML Outdoors. He already has a slew of sponsors, too, and he's only 14 years old. Niko is an avid bass angler who spends just about every free minute on the water, gaining the skills that made him the 2015 TBF Arizona Junior State Bass Fishing Champion and the 2015 TBF Junior Angler of the year. He... Full story
I'm an Arizona native, yet there are still countless sites in Arizona that are on my bucket list. My dad took me hunting and camping hundreds of times, and I've seen some gorgeous places – places that aren't on the typical tourist list of places to see. For instance, on a deer hunt off Dugas Road, I was walking along a small wash when it turned a corner and opened up into a little canyon. There was small stream, maybe a spring, that flowed just a short way before going underground. I'll Never F... 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
It's finally getting cool enough to do some exploring and hiking in the central deserts of Arizona. There are plenty of beautiful things to see in the desert - you just have to know where to look. A great place to base your adventure is Wickenburg, which is central to recreational areas, mining towns and sites, hiking trails, and tons of opportunities to learn about the plants and environment of the area. Wickenburg is a thriving town with plenty of places to stay - everything from dude ranches... Full story
Havasu Hosts IJSBA Fans from nearly 40 countries around the world will be watching as more than 750 competitors vie for titles in the 35th Annual International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA) World Finals at Lake Havasu City. Included in the many competitions and events will be vendors with food and beer stands, a Parade of Nations that honors the participants and their respective countries' flags, and a Pro-Freestyle Expo. This is just one of several exciting Watersports events taking... Full story
In summer, we always seem to think of going to the high country - Flagstaff, Payson, the White Mountains - but Southern Arizona has some absolutely gorgeous places to visit, and the weather is great. We head south often because there are plenty of things to do and places to see. Here are five of our favorites. Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve This summer was the first time we've visited this amazing place, but it definitely won't be the last time we come here. We took our teenaged... Full story
The Phoenix at Lake Pleasant is one of several Arizona "girls" who offer scenic cruises on Arizona's spectacular lakes. From Lake Pleasant to Saguaro and Canyon lakes, these vessels, whom I like to call "hostesses" ply the waters while providing wonderful experiences for their guests. During the summer heat, The Phoenix, Desert Belle, and Dolly Steamboat invite you to cool off onboard and at the same time you are savoring the scenery, you can also enjoy some dinner perhaps, some music, and... Full story
Every summer we pack up the grandkids and head for the hills for a week or so of hiking and outdoor fun. I've been going camping, hunting, and fishing since I was a kid so I have a lot of experience with various kinds of camping gear. When my dad and my brother and I went camping way back in the day, all our gear was U.S. Army surplus. This meant everything for cooking was metal and weighed a ton, our tents were olive drab canvas and weighed a ton, our packs were olive drab canvas and weighed a... Full story
When the weather starts heating up in Arizona, everyone begins to long for a large body of water to dive into. In an ideal situation, this body of water would also be beautiful and have lots of things to do and to look at. This pretty much describes Saguaro Lake in a nutshell. Now before I go getting you all excited about Saguaro, let me first tell you that Saguaro is a very popular lake and if you want to find a parking place for your boat trailer, you need to get there early. Fat Bass Add To L... Full story
We in Arizona are blessed to have a world-class birding destination in our own backyard. Madera Canyon and Madera Creek cover four different habitat types, from the desert to the top of the Santa Rita Mountains. There are tons of great trails to hike, ranging in difficulty from paved and handicapped-accessible walking trails, to steep and difficult trails that will take experienced hikers to the top of the mountains. You'll not only see beautiful birds here, but also you'll have the chance to... Full story
Most Arizonans plus many others from out-of-state know and love the Flagstaff area. In fact, for Valley of the Sun residents, it offers a popular cool escape from the searing summer temperatures of the southern part of the state. Some Flag visitors camp, others fish and many just enjoy the ambiance of this lovely town in the "high country". As the cover photo indicates, there is another very popular activity in the Flagstaff area: hiking. Our Outdoors Editor Margie Anderson explains one of her... Full story
Until this past year, our visits to Flagstaff have always been during the summer. Since they were old enough to walk, we've been taking our granddaughters there to hike every summer, and we spend about a week exploring trails, caves, and everything the gorgeous area around Flagstaff has to offer. But now one of our granddaughters is a student at Northern Arizona University, so we go up to visit her and have gotten to experience Flagstaff during the fall and the spring. What a difference!... Full story
The warming spring weather brings out "the best in show". Make that plural: shows! The first of the Arizona favorites is the 16th annual International Sportsmen Exposition & Arizona Boat Show, this year at WestWorld of Scottsdale from Thursday, March 10 through Sunday, March 13. One of the highlights of the Expo is shown on this month's cover - the giant WesternBass.com Aquarium Demonstration Tank, which is presented again this year by Arizona Boating & Watersports/Western Outdoor Times news... Full story
The SHOT Show (Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trades) was held in Las Vegas this past January. As always, the show was enormous and it took several days to get around to seeing everything. Even after several days, I'm sure I missed some great stuff, but I did see a bunch of things that I can't wait to tell you about. Wildo Campware I remember when my granddaughters were in grade school and I volunteered in the cafeteria. They would give the kids these little plastic sporks to eat with that were... Full story
One of our favorite places for a relaxing and beautiful hike is the Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park on Highway 60 just south of Superior, Ariz. This lovely place is open every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and has over two miles of trails to explore. It is $10 per person to enter, and that includes guided nature walks if you want to go on one. They also have classes that you can sign up for, including photography and various craft classes. There are fees for the classes. 'Walk About' Australia... Full story
Margie Anderson has again been honored with the Arizona Game & Fish Commission's "Outdoor Writer of the Year" award. Anderson and her husband John are invaluable parts of our Arizona Boating & Watersports/Western Outdoor Times team. Together, they contribute informative and meaningful articles on a plethora of outdoor topics: hiking, fishing, shooting, outdoors products and news, wildlife (including birding knowledge) and more. This couple knows and relishes the incredible wonders offered in... Full story
The State Parks in Arizona are offering guided hikes for New Years Day as part of a program called 1st Day Hikes. Guided hikes are great, even if you are an experienced hiker, because the guides will have lots of information about the area that you might not have known. The State Parks are great places to visit at any time, and the opportunity for a free guided hike is a bonus. Generally, the weather is cool on New Years Day, but at higher altitudes, you should add layers. Also, bring your own w... Full story
