Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 87
PHOENIX - S.H. ("Sy") Sohmer has been named director of Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park (https://azstateparks.com/boyce-thompson/), effective Jan. 29, 2017. Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park is part of the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, or CALS, and is managed in cooperation with Arizona State Parks and Trails and the Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum, Inc. Sohmer brings to CALS more than 40 years of experience as a research botanist, university... Full story
As the National Park Service (NPS) prepares for a second century of service, Grand Canyon National Park celebrates the significant accomplishments of the NPS centennial celebration and looks ahead to its own park centennial in 2019. 2016 marked the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, offering an opportunity to celebrate accomplishments in Grand Canyon National Park and its surrounding community. Throughout 2016 Grand Canyon promoted the NPS Centennial goal, "to connect with and... Full story
Grand Canyon, Ariz.* – As the National Park Service (NPS) prepares for a second century of service, Grand Canyon National Park celebrates the significant accomplishments of the NPS centennial celebration and looks ahead to its own park centennial in 2019. 2016 marked the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, offering an opportunity to celebrate accomplishments in Grand Canyon National Park and its surrounding community. Throughout 2016 Grand Canyon promoted the NPS Centennial goal,* ... Full story
Contact Koleszar at elkhabitat@gmail.com to share your thoughts on this subject. For the past 20 years now, the conservation groups have been screaming about the land grabs and Endangered Species Act use by Envirolitigants that have curtailed activities in many areas of Arizona. The frivolous lawsuits and inundation of the United States Fish & Wildlife Service with new endangered species listings have effectively made groups like the Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of... Full story
You may have heard the term "bug-out bag" - for sure you've heard or read about it if you ever visit any tactical shooting sites. What is a bug out bag? It's simply an easy-to-grab bag that contains everything you'll need for about three days in case of emergency. The emergency can be a forest fire, weather, terrorism, natural disaster - it doesn't matter what it is; a bug out bag should enable you to survive for a few days until things simmer down or until help comes or whatever. At Home And... Full story
These memorable destinations are enough to fill a lifetime of "bucket lists". As we celebrate the centennial of the National Parks Service, many will be visiting national sites throughout the country. A good place to start is here at home as Arizona has over two dozen of these spectacular destinations within the state. National Monuments In Arizona Canyon De Chelly Chinle, Ariz. For nearly 5,000 years, people have lived in these canyons - longer than anyone has lived uninterrupted anywhere on... Full story
While my focus and much of Hunting And Angling Heritage Workshop Group’s (HAHWG’s) effort is on recruitment and retention. There are other groups fighting the good fight at a higher level. I got an email from Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation’s President Jim Unmacht (they also do the license plate grant program many of us have used) that listed the concerns, threats and challenges for sportsmen on a landscape scale. And, I said to him, some of us work with kids, others work with legis... Full story
From National Fire Prevention Team For The Tonto And Coconino National Forests (Phoenix Interagency Fire Center ) Campfires should always be attended by a responsible adult. Only burn locally purchased firewood. Firewood collection is prohibited on parts of the forests. Check with local Forest Service offices regarding restrictions. Keep your campfire to a manageable size. Burn the wood completely to ash. When extinguishing your campfire, drown with... 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
Kartchner Caverns State Park will celebrate Earth Day and the return of the Myotis velifer bat colony to Kartchner Caverns State Park at "Bat Day" on Saturday, April 16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day will be filled with family activities, presentations and hands-on activities. The cave will be open for tours but those should be reserved in advance. The event will include presentations in the theater by State Park Rangers and guest speakers including Keith Graves and Joel M. Diamond, PhD and live... Full story
Tonto National Forest officials are changing recreation fees at campgrounds, day-use sites, boat launches, and shoreline areas beginning on January 1, 2016. In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) that allows the Forest Service to collect and retain 95 percent of fees at certain recreation sites and use those funds locally to operate, maintain and enhance these sites. To see what fees have been collected and how the fees have been spent, go to the Annual... Full story
Target shooting is prohibited while fire restrictions are in place; fireworks and explosives are prohibited year-round. Vital information is available. Effective immediately, open campfires will be prohibited in Haigler Creek Campground on the Pleasant Valley Ranger District. This is in addition to the fire restrictions that were implemented on June 5. Most types of fire or fire-causing activities continue to be prohibited across the entire Tonto National Forest. Building, maintaining,... Full story
Location: Cave Creek Ranger District of the Tonto National Forest Maricopa County, Arizona North and east of Bronco Trailhead, east of Forest Service Road 24; three miles southwest of Humboldt Mountain Lookout Start Date: July 16, 2015, reported at approximately 12:45 p.m. Size: Approximately 400 Acres Percent contained: 0% Cause: Under investigation Vegetation: Grass, brush, pinyon pine, and juniper Growth Potential: moderate Summary: Fire was reported at approximately 12:45 pm by a member of t... Full story
Washington's backyard wildlife enthusiasts have long known that "snags" or dead and dying trees are valuable for lots of species, providing meals for insectivorous birds, nesting cavities for owls and squirrels, and much more. As long as a snag doesn't pose a safety hazard for people and property, it's an enviable backyard wildlife sanctuary feature, a veritable "animal inn". Over 1,200 wildlife species in North America rely on dead, dying, or hollow trees for dens, roost areas, and feeding... Full story
SONORAN DESERT NATIONAL MONUMENT – Almost two dozen volunteers spent Saturday morning bagging, bucketing or dragging more than four tons of trash – enough to fill a 20-yard dumpster – from along the northern boundary of the Sonoran Desert National Monument near Gila Bend. The cleanup project capped a sixth-month effort of the “Respected Access is Open Access in Arizona” campaign, created in 2009 by Tread Lightly!, a national organization that promotes responsible outdoor recreation. Partner orga... Full story
If you're looking for a great day trip from Phoenix, I've got a great idea for you - the Pinal Mountain Recreation Area. We have driven past the little brown sign for it in Globe dozens of times, and we finally decided to go check it out. I'm really glad we did, because it's a beautiful place. There are campgrounds and plenty to see up there, and the Forest Service site says the campgrounds are good for trailers up to 20 feet. We actually had a bit of a time finding it, even though we took the t... Full story
The following news release was issued jointly by the Arizona Game and Fish Department and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Population survey shows a 31 percent increase in the population. The Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team (IFT) has completed its annual year-end population survey for endangered Mexican wolves and documented a minimum of 109 animals in the wild in Arizona and New Mexico at the end of 2014. This is a 31 percent increase over the previous year and the fourth consecutive year... Full story
One of our favorite things to do is take day drives in Arizona. Recently we decided to head east for a change, since every road we take off the highway going north seems to be closed to shooting. We wanted to do a little target practice, so we headed down Highway 60 toward Superior. At first we tried Mineral Mountain Road which goes south off 60 just a few miles past Florence Junction, but that road also had "No Shooting" signs. This time, for State Trust Land. According to my map, it changes to... Full story
Editor's Note: We were so sorry to hear of the Sept. 11 fire above Bartlett Lake Marina but join the Church family in emphasizing that the lower facilities are all open and waiting for you. Also, on your way in, please take note of the new restaurant that will soon welcome guests to a beautiful dining experience. I've been visiting Bartlett Lake since before the road was paved all the way in. Back then, we'd go out at night many times during the summer because the night fishing at Bartlett was... Full story
PHOENIX (September 18, 2014) – Tonto National Forest officials are seeking public comments on proposed changes to recreation fees. In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA), which allows the Forest Service to retain 95 percent of fees collected at certain recreation sites and use these funds locally to operate, maintain and enhance these sites. To see what fees have been collected and how the fees have been spent, go to the Annual Fee Program Accomplishment R... Full story
If you're looking for a cool getaway in Arizona that is a bit off the beaten path (and therefore not quite so packed with human beings), you should give the Pinaleno Mountains a try. There are lots of excellent hiking trails, a lake to fish in, and plenty of good campgrounds whether you favor a tent or an RV. The tallest peak is over 10,000 feet, and you may be familiar with the name - Mt. Graham: the mountain with the famous protected red squirrels. The Pinalenos are one of the "sky islands"... Full story
Yesterday, the U.S. Forest Service announced that beginning on July 1, 2014, the Coronado National Forest, Sierra Vista Ranger District, will close Ash and Hunter Canyons to all recreational shooting for the duration of one year. This ban on recreational shooting comes with very little advance notice, and no prior consultation with the NRA to prevent a closure. Your NRA is now committed to working with the Sierra Vista Ranger District to formulate a cohesive solution and limit the prohibition... Full story
(Phoenix, AZ - June 23, 2014) - Awards for historic preservation achievements were recently presented at the 2014 Arizona Governor's Awards in Historic Preservation Ceremony on June 13, 2014 as part of the 12th Annual Arizona Historic Preservation Conference. Nearly 300 attended the awards luncheon held in Rio Rico, Ariz. and hosted by the Arizona Preservation Foundation and the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), which is part of Arizona State Parks. At the Governor's Awards in... Full story
PRESCOTT, AZ (June 26, 2014) – June 30th will be the one-year anniversary of the tragic loss of the nineteen Granite Mountain Hotshots. Our community will observe the anniversary honoring the memory of these men, who had such a profound impact on all of us, in various ways. Further information available at www.CityofPrescott.net or Remembering our Fallen, One-Year Memorial Proclamation – The City issued an anniversary proclamation on June 24, 2014, designating June 30th in memory of the nin... Full story
For something different, head to Lynx Lake, where some anglers reportedly are having some decent action catching brown trout. Here's the tip: Try fishing a No. 18 or 20 with wooly bugger about 4 feet under a float with a 4-pound test leader. THE REEL DEAL Hello, anglers, First, a quick fish story. On Tuesday, April 8, angler Jack Head of Phoenix was taking his wife and sister-in-law boating, fishing, and for a quick picnic. What he saw in the Agua Fria arm floating on the surface was a...