Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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Check out the river that runs "backwards" on this trip. We have a tendency to head north most of the time when we leave town, but we have learned the error of our ways. There are a lot of great places to visit in the southern part of the state, and the area around Sierra Vista is no exception. From a river that runs "backward" to creek preserves and mountaintop campsites, there are tons of things to see and do around there. Sierra Vista, Canelo, Elgin Loop Drive This one will take you most of... Full story
August 2022 Arizona Hunting Calendar Compiled By Margie Anderson Make sure you don't miss an opportunity to hunt! Keep an eye on the Arizona Game and Fish website at azgfd.gov so you know when the latest regulation booklets are available. Applications are online only starting in January 2022. Don't miss out! The 2022-2023 Arizona Hunting Regulations were posted online in early May at www.azgfd.com/Hunting/Regulations/. Draw deadlines for spring javelina, spring bear, spring turkey, and spring... Full story
Then the weather heats up and the fish quit chasing reaction baits, John Murray starts using a spoon, especially at Lake Pleasant. "Spoons will catch everything in the lake," says Murray, "including not just bass but stripers, whites, crappie, and even catfish." The beauty of spoons is that you can fish them on almost any structure. Murray likes white spoons, and he likes to have feathers on the hooks. For deep summer fishing, he usually chooses a jigging spoon like a Crippled Herring and... 
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This is the time of year when the monsoons hit with a vengeance, and I can't tell you how many times we've been rained out when we are vacationing in Flagstaff. Since we took the granddaughters there almost every year for a week or so of hiking, there were inevitably days when we had to retreat indoors. Storms Brewing? Usually, we were able to get at least one hike in up on the mountain before the storm hit, but not always! Once a huge thunderstorm blew in right while we were riding the ski... Full story
This pontoon boat at Lake Pleasant displays a great combination: freedom to enjoy the outdoors and our waterways in particular. In the middle of June we celebrated Flag Day (June 14) and the birth of the U.S. Army (June 14, 1775). This month, of course, is Independence Day on July 4. All these are reminders of the good fortune we have to live in this country -- even with its flaws and shortcomings. The United States of America offers us opportunities to accomplish all we can be, and she needs... Full story
A Tribute From Margie and John Anderson We've known Marc for a long time and have done several stories with him. He was the kind of guy who would tell you the straight dope all the time, no matter what. I loved that about him. Marc was a heck of a stick, too – he'd take us to Pleasant or Bartlett and just flat out catch bass, talking the whole time. Entertaining is an understatement when it came to Marc! Fishing was just one side of him, though. Marc loved his family with his whole heart and h... Full story
John and I and Mochi went to Williams again this past week and I've got to tell you, it's one of our favorite places to get away in the summer. It can be a bit warm during the day, but since we spend most of our time in the woods, it's shady, breezy, and wonderful! Camping was amazing. There are plenty of places for dispersed camping along the main roads, so you don't need a 4x4 – although I would recommend high clearance. We have the Jeep, so we took some true 4x4 trails, and that's always a... Full story
Don't Miss Your Opportunity! Compiled By Margie Anderson Make sure you don’t miss an opportunity to hunt! Keep an eye on the Arizona Game and Fish website at azgfd.gov so you know when the latest regulation booklets are available. Applications are online only starting in January 2022. Don’t miss out! Draw deadlines for spring javelina, spring bear, spring turkey, and spring bison will be the second Tuesday in October pending commission approval. You can buy tickets for the Big Game Raffle now at... Full story
One of the best ways to catch summer bass on Lake Pleasant is with a Carolina rig. I remember back in the day when VanderKooi and his partner came to the scales with a 42-pound limit they caught on Carolina rigs! That's a 7-pound average! John Murray has some great tips for fishing Carolina rigs. He says Carolina rig fishing is simple. A large weight and a glass or plastic bead are strung onto the main line. The bead protects the knot from the heavy weight. A swivel is then tied to the end of... Website
Dive In! The "merry, merry month of May" brings us both the lighter side of taking selfies with mermaids and the more serious side of remembering our moms on Mothers' Day and loved ones lost on Memorial Day. Scuba Show 2022 in L.A. promises to be a family friendly event with many programs focused on the kids. However, there is lots for the adults too who are interested in scuba diving: products, programs, educational seminars and more. Also in this delightful, not-too-hot-yet month are the... Full story
Like Tai, take it easy. Tai puts safety in first place at night. "You absolutely must have a spotlight at night," says Au, "but Arizona law says you can't drive with it constantly on. What I do is barely get the boat on plane, take it slow, and use that spotlight intermittently to make sure where I am." Knowing what marker buoys mean is crucial – the buoys with vertical stripes mean "don't go between here and shore". A diamond on a buoy is marking a hazard like a submerged rock, a square contain... Full story
By John And Margie Anderson Mother's Day is for letting Mom know how much we love her -- and giving her the perfect gift is one of the ways we show love. It can be as simple as a hand-made card, a vase full of wildflowers, or a home-baked treat. If Mom is the outdoorsy type, We've got a lot of options for you to consider! Camping Mom BlendJet I love a good protein shake for breakfast, so I recently got a BlendJet so that I can make my daily shakes when I'm camping and hunting. Oh my! My only... Full story
This is worth celebrating: The Arizona Game & Fish Department's Outdoor Expo is back! After a two-year hiatus, the popular family friendly event returns. I am taking this as a sign that our past couple of years of restricted activities are finally coming to an end. I hope I am right and that we will be able to cheer on "normal", be it the new or otherwise. The Expo, in a sense, kicks off the spring season in the Southwest, and as you will note in this issue, the focus is on such great outdoor... Full story
First, we offer a big thank-you to Margie Anderson for guiding us on a very interesting trip to/through the Belmont Mountains and for this intriguing photo. Her and John's road trip story starts on page 14 of this issue. As I write this monthly column, I realize how fortunate we are to have things to celebrate such as awards, raffles, fairs, sailing, and travel - and have the freedom to do so. Yes, there are many activities to enjoy in this state, but as I look forward to all of them, my joy is... Full story
March2022Hunting Calendar Compiled By Margie Anderson Make sure you don't miss an opportunity to hunt! Keep an eye on the Arizona Game and Fish website at azgfd.gov so you know when the latest regulation booklets are available. Applications are online only starting in January 2022. Don't miss out! Draw deadlines for deer, fall turkey, fall javelina, bighorn sheep, fall bison, and sandhill crane will be the second Tuesday in June, pending commission approval. Draw deadlines for spring javelina,... Full story
The Belmont Mountains are full of history. The Belmont Mine is now abandoned, but back in the 1920s up until the' 30s, it was a busy copper mine that also produced gold and silver. Now the big adit and mine opening have metal grates over them – the main one is over 500 feet deep, and a couple of people fell to their deaths in the abandoned mine, which led to the grates being installed. There is lots to see around the Belmont Mountains, especially at the site of the old mine. You can drive up t... Full story
Something Different This Month: Crappie Pros Rambo and Chamberlin Tell Us What Not to Do! Most anglers are familiar with bass pros, but Arizona anglers might not be aware that there are a lot of crappie pros out there, too. Crappie tournaments are starting to mean big money and slab hunters have learned a few tricks to help them target the big fish. Closer to home, guys like Curt Rambo and Art Chamberlin are known for their crappie prowess. What do these guys think the biggest crappie fishing... Website
February 2022 Hunting Calendar Compiled By Margie Anderson Make sure you don’t miss an opportunity to hunt! Keep an eye on the Arizona Game and Fish website at azgfd.gov so you know when the latest regulation booklets are available. Applications are only online now. Don’t miss out! YOU CAN APPLY FOR 2022 ELK AND PRONGHORN UNTIL FEBRUARY 8, 2022, 11:59:59 PM MST. APPLY ONLINE. YOU MUST HAVE A LICENSE THAT IS VALID ON DEADLINE DAY – FEB 8. Draw deadlines for deer, fall turkey, fall javelina, bigho... Full story
Early in February it can seem like the fish are on strike," says local resident and ournament angler Debbie Blanchard, "but before long the big smallmouth start to move in and you can catch a lot of really big fish." The smallmouth begin to spawn when the water reaches about 58 degrees, and they spawn deeper than largemouth do. Easy To Spot Debbie looks for beds in at least ten feet of water. They're easy to spot, she says, because smallmouth nests are as much as three times as big as... Full story
We save most of our desert drives for winter because although our Jeep would make it through snow and mud, many northern Arizona off-highway trails are closed in winter, and we also don't like to make deep ruts in muddy roads just from a conservation standpoint. It's too hot in summer to really enjoy a desert drive, because we like to get out of the Jeep and do a lot of walking and exploring. In the summer we have not only the excessive heat to contend with, but also my constant fretting that... Full story
When I saw the Whoopsie Trail on www.trailsoffroad.com, I knew I had to go there. Who can resist a name like that? It's called the Whoopsie because of all the twists and turns and ups and downs it has. This is a high-clearance vehicle road. It can get rough out there, especially after a rain. This is a great winter off-road adventure because it is west of Buckeye. Gillespie Dam As a matter of fact, I talked John into swinging by to look at Gillespie dam again because I just love the way it... Full story
Prespawn can be a difficult time for bass fishermen. Marty Lawrence’s advice on prespawn fishing is “don’t overthink it”. That being said, the man probably has 14 rods on the deck by the end of the day, and several of them will have a Senko tied on. He’ll throw the Senko Texas-rigged, wacky rigged with no weight, or wacky rigged with a nail weight for deeper cover. As for the Texas rigs, he’ll have one with weight pegged or with a bobber stopper, and one unpegged. The Texas rigs are for around... Website
Compiled By Margie Anderson ARIZONA BIG GAME SUPER RAFFLE: If you win, you can hunt AZ big game species for 365 days. Get raffle tickets for elk, antelope, Coues, mule deer, black bear, desert bighorn sheep, buffalo, mountain lion, javelina, turkey. Go to www.arizonabiggamesuperraffle.com.Drawing to be held December 7, 2021. Go to the website to see details about the raffle and additional prizes and raffles. 2021-22 Fees: General Hunting, resident: $37 Non-resident: not available see... Full story
Christmas Gifts For Outdoorsy Types Need some stocking stuffer and gift ideas for your outdoorsy family and friends? Look no further – here are a bunch of great ones at all different price ranges. UNDER $25 STANSPORT knows it's never too early to start kids on a love for the outdoors, and they make it easy for you by providing fun stuff for your little explorers at great prices. For instance, you can get a Kids' Insect Catching Kit for $25.99 and a Kids' Magnifying Jar for 10.99. That will k... Full story
Oh, the views: spectacular! Thank you, Margie Anderson, for some fantastic photos of vistas here in Arizona, and on our "Western Wildlife" page, we salute another incredible photographer, George Andrejko, Arizona Game & Fish Department, who has some tips for taking pictures of wildlife. With so many negatives confronting us, usually from the media, there is such good news to celebrate here in the Southwest — We have family outings to enjoy as outdoor fans cut their own Christmas trees. We h... Full story
