If you’ve followed along with my posts on Arizona Wanderings, you will probably remember several posts about The Hunting and Angling Heritage Work Group, which we lovingly refer to as HAHWG (pronounced Hog). The HAHWG is a growing group of organizations and partners whose mission is to facilitate the Department’s efforts to pass on the hunting tradition to its constituents, and to keep hunting and fishing relevant into the next century. The foundation of this group’s effort is the North American Model of wildlife conservation.
One thing that I would like to highlight that has come out of this group is a fantastic calendar that shows all of the different camps put on by the different partners. Everything from small and big game hunting to fishing to a vast array of outdoor skills. Although many of the camps are specifically designed and held for the youth, there are still many camps that are specifically for adults. I have added another page tab here on Arizona Wanderings specifically dedicated to the Outdoor Skills Calendar. I try to get to several camps a year to help mentor, wash dishes, or volenteer in what ever way they need. It’s a great way to pass on the hunting and angling heritage that our nation was built on. Check out the Outdoor Skills Calendar Page.
The Hunting and Angling Heritage Work GroupThe Hunting and Angling Heritage Work GroupHome sweet homeGetting ready for bedTwins Basil
I spent the weekend down in Tucson at the Hunting and Angling Heritage Workgroup, also known as the HAHWG. The Hunting and Angling Heritage Workgroup is a diverse group of individuals and groups who, in conjunction with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, meet twice a year. The goal of the HAHWG is “to gather leaders in the industry, conservation groups, youth groups and wildlife management professionals to synergistically preserve the hunting and angling tradition.”
I went to my first meeting last January followed by a summer meeting up at Bucks Springs. Each time the workgroup gets together I have the opportunity to meet other groups and individuals who are not only passionate about hunting and fishing, but they care about preserving the heritage of these American traditions and passing them on to the next generation.
This meeting was held in Tucson at the SEI International Wildlife Museum, which I had never been to before. The facility was beautiful and the back parking lot was set up with tents and trailers for our meals. As usual, the food was fantastic, thanks to Sportsman’s Warehouse and the Arizona Elk Society.
Over the past couple of years, the different groups associated with the HAHWG have focused on providing hands on camps to introduce and help new hunters and anglers. Although many of these camps are for young hunters, there are many for men and women as well. All of the camps have a family atmosphere and focus on safety and fair chase ethics while hunting and fishing. There is a whole page and calendar of events on the Arizona Game and Fish website titled Outdoor Skills that share those opportunities to learn from mentor hunters and anglers for free.
At this particular meeting, I was really challenged to think through some of the ways that I approach hunting and fishing. One of the main points that we kept talking about was the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and how important it is to how we as Americans approach the outdoors. In the coming weeks, I will be putting a couple of posts together on the subject of the North American model and sharing some of the things that I have learned over the past few meetings.
As always, it was great to see the regular crowd at the HAHWG as well as meet some new folks. Looking forward to the next one.
View from the SEI MuseumHAHWGHAHWGBreakfast by Sportsman’s Warehouse and Arizona Elk SocietyBreakfast by Sportsman’s Warehouse and Arizona Elk Society
The weekend of June 30, I had the opportunity to head to the high country of Arizona and participate in the Hunting and Angling Heritage Workgroup for the second time. The winter meeting was a great opportunity to get introduced to many of the members of the HAHWG, and I was extremely excited by what this group of outdoorsman was doing. The HAHWG’s goal is “to gather leaders in the industry, conservation groups, youth groups and wildlife management professionals to synergistically preserve the hunting angling tradition.” The workgroup is organized by the Arizona Game and Fish Department in coordination with a steering committee. Craig McMullen and Doug Burt of AZGFD do a fantastic job of orchestrating the event, and the special speakers and group discussions were genuine.
The long and short of the Hunting and Angling Heritage workgroup is this: Outdoorsman – hunters, anglers, trappers, etc. – have a vested interest in passing on the heritage of these outdoor activities to the next generation. The HAHWG was formed in order to organize individuals and organizations in order to protect, preserve, and pass on these traditions to the next generation of outdoorsman.
One of the main focuses of the group is to actively mentor and introduce new outdoorsmen to the outdoors and the opportunities that are in our great state. The Arizona Game and Fish has done a great job of showcasing the many FREE camps, clinics, and events that the different organizations put on for the public.
As I continue to follow the efforts of the HAHWG and AZGFD, I am very excited about the future and the lives that will be impacted by the great outdoors. I realize that as an outdoorsman, it is my duty to pass on the knowledge and joy of the outdoors to the next generation, just as my dad, grandfather, uncles, and other various old timers did for me.
A couple weeks ago, I received an email from Doug Burt over at Arizona Game and Fish Department explaining how he had found the site and was interested in me coming out to a HAHWG meeting. I thought a bit about the offer knowing full well that it was going to put the kibosh on my last weekend of hunting javelina, but after he gave me the rundown of what HAHWG actually was all about, I could not help but accept.
HAWHG stands for Hunting and Angling Heritage Workgroup whose written purpose is “to gather leaders in the industry, conservation groups, youth groups and wildlife management professionals to synergistically preserve the hunting angling tradition.” There’s some pretty big words in that statement but what I found when I showed up, was a group of outdoorsman who were passionate about preserving the traditions of hunting and fishing, which in this day in age, face many increasingly powerful and numerous enemies. Many in the HAWHG group have dedicated their lives and fortunes to the goal of increasing participation not just hunting and angling, but in all outdoor activities.
Some of the things that really stood out to me about the get-together was how everyone seemed to have captured the same vision of getting the youth involved in the outdoors. From fishing to small game to large game species, every group seemed to realize that if the American tradition of hunting is going to survive and be passed on to our grandchildren, then getting the next group of outdoorsman into the field is of the utmost importance. Each organization wether focused on fish, turkey, elk, small game or other species, all expressed the desire to stop the fractured movement to self promote and instead present more of a coordinated coalition while working together to promote a safe, controlled, and fun outdoor experience.
It was an unbelievable two day event with some unbelievable food provided by the Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club, and I was glad that I had planned to camp out. Because of the cold, a large fire was stoked, and I had the esteemed opportunity to talk to some real outdoorsman and hear about their passions for youth and the wonderful times in the field. When it was all said and done, I even had the chance to get out and blow through a couple boxes of shells on their clay pigeon range.
In the future I hope to be able to attend some of these youth hunts, seminars, and banquets and ultimately spotlight what these great folks are doing here in our great state. Arizona has some phenomenal opportunities and resources and, unfortunately, if these are not protected, they may not see too many more generations. Expect to see more about the HAHWG and these different organizations in the future on Arizona Wanderings. Find out more about these great organizations by following the links below.
The Conference RoomThe FireThe good folks over at Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club sure knew what they were doing behind the grillTri-Tip BBQ provided by Yuma Valley Rod and Gun ClubArizona Game and Fish5 Station set upClay PigeonsYour’s Truly breaking some clays
(My sincerest apologies, if I missed a group that was there. Please shoot me over your outfits name and I would love to recognize you on this great list of organizations.)
I have written about the Hunting and Angling Heritage Work Group (HAHWG) before here. The HAHWG is a collaboration between the Arizona Game and Fish Department and many different sportsman’s groups throughout the state. As the title states, the HAHWG is focused on sharing the heritage of hunting and fishing with the next generation.
Joe Darago is an avid hunter who started a local youth archery club in Peoria, AZ. Shoot for Lifepasses on the love of archery to students and adults using a safe, fun, and proven teaching method taught in thousands of schools and clubs world wide. Shoot for Life has grown and been extremely successful in introducing kids and adults to the world of archery. Last year, Joe put together the first Shoot for Life Javelina Youth Hunt which was a huge success.
This year was the 2nd annual javelina hunt, and in total there were 16 youth hunters, each accompanied by a parent and mentor. We all met up on Friday night and talked to the AZGFD wildlife manager for the unit. I had the honor of mentoring one of the young hunters and her dad on Friday and Saturday. We hunted hard for 2 days and didn’t see a pig. Although our group saw a bunch of deer and had a great time in the field, it was tough to finish up without spotting a pig for our hunter.
The overall experience at the Shoot For Life camp was extremely positive. Each youth hunter I spoke with had a huge smile on their face and couldn’t stop talking about what a good time they had. Hanging out during lunch at camp with the other hunters and mentors, the air was full of stories from the hunt and positive vibes. Although only one youth hunter was able to kill a pig, the experience of helping out in a youth hunting camp is extremely rewarding.
If you know of any new archers or hunters who are looking for an opportunity to get into the field and enjoy the beauty of Arizona, definitely check out the Outdoor Skills Calendar which shows many other camps put on by great organizations like Shoot for Life.
Morning GlassingShoot for Life Juniors Javelina HuntPrickly pearJavelina CountryJavelina Hunter SuccessChollaThe views are worth it.
The story begins a couple weeks back when I knew that I’d be headed to the HAHWG meeting in Yuma. The meeting was in the afternoon, and I figured I could squeeze a couple hours in the morning, to get out in the field and explore this new bit of area. I called my buddy, David Power, from Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club, and asked him what type of hunting opportunities there were for a morning around Yuma. Specifically, I asked about javelina. My usual January archery hunt had been on hiatus with the birth of our gorgeous daughter, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t itching to get after the skunk pig. David told me about the Gila River bottom, and the over the counter non permit tag that was available in Mohawk Valley. He made it clear to me that, although there are pigs there, they are difficult to hunt in the traditional sense of glassing hillsides, as the river bottom is almost impenetrable with brush. Instead, you have to glass the edges of the alfalfa and hay fields and cross your fingers that you catch a pig or two working the fields.
With expectations set very low, I left the valley early on Saturday morning and made it to my destination as the sun was just starting to lighten the morning sky. I drove several roads and glassed a dozen or so fields in search of javelina, but didn’t have much luck. The last spot I checked was also a bust, but I heard a Gambel’s quail call in the distance. As an opportunist, I shrugged into my bird vest and grabbed the scattergun, in order to scratch out a bird or two. Just at that moment, my cell phone rang and it was David.
“I’ve got a big boar working through an alfalfa field. Hurry up”
Out of the vest and back into the truck, I headed back to area he described and sure enough, one of the fields that I had glassed an hour earlier, was now home to a single javelina working through the field. Making a quick plan, I worked the edge of the field, carefully making my way through the head high brush, and quietly slid out of the foliage at about 50 yards from the big male javelina. Settling the sights behind the front shoulder, I touched the trigger and the pig piled where he stood.
As David made his way up, I truly could not believe my good fortune. A low probability morning hunt completely turned around in a matter of minutes. Without David’s help and expertise, I would have been wandering around missing wild flushing Gambel’s. As if that wasn’t enough, David even provided me with a place to skin and clean my javelina, thereby ensuring that my alfalfa fed pig would be clean and ready for a nice green chili. He’s going to get sick of me saying this, but a big thanks to David Power of the Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club for his help and hospitality.
With my javelina skinned, quartered, and on ice, I cleaned up and pointed the truck towards the Yuma Proving Grounds and the Imperial Dam. The HAHWG meeting this year was held at the Hidden Shores RV Village right near the Imperial Dam outside of Yuma. I have written about the Hunting and Angling Heritage WorkGroup before on several occasions, but for those just tuning in, here’s the skinny. The HAHWG is a group of individuals and organizations who are working in conjunction with the Arizona Game and Fish Department to ultimately “preserve our hunting, angling, and wildlife-recreation heritage.” In this day in age, you do not have to look very far to see strong opposition to what we as outdoorsman love and cherish.
One important focus of the Hunting and Angling Heritage WorkGroup is to introduce new hunters and anglers to the sport through free camps put on by the various sportsman’s groups such as the National Wild Turkey Federation, Arizona Elk Society, Youth Outdoors Unlimited and many others. I’ve had the pleasure to be a part of the NWTF junior’s camp for the past several years and it is one of my favorite “hunts” of the year.
The main reason we met in Yuma for this meeting was due to the recent success of this past dove season openerin the city. The city of Yuma collaborated with the Arizona Game and Fish Department as well as the Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club to promote the spectacular dove hunting opportunity in the immediate area. The result of this unique collaboration was an economic boom in the community, as well as a positive experience for new and seasoned hunters. One of the topics that the HAHWG focused on at our meeting was how to replicate this positive experience in other Arizona communities and pass on the heritage of hunting and angling.
In truth I had never been to Yuma before, and was completely unaware of the amazing country and ample outdoor activities that are available. Between the morning javelina hunt, the like-mindedness of HAHWG members, and a tour of Yuma, I’d consider it a pretty successful trip. See you soon Yuma.
Dirt RoadsGila River bottom brushTrainTracksCanalJavelinaSkunk PigTusksJavelina HuntingImperial DamBelow Imperial DamImperial DamDinner by the Yuma Valley Rod and Gun ClubYuma Valley Rod and Gun ClubHAHWG Dinner
Marvin Robbins Memorial Juniors Turkey Hunting Camp
I had the distinct pleasure to meet Rich Williams of the Arizona Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation at the HAHWG event that I went to back in January. Rich got to talking about the Junior Turkey Hunting Camps that the NWTF puts on every year and invited me to come up and see what the NWTF is all about. There are several Junior Turkey Hunting Camps put on in Arizona, depending on where a junior hunter draws their tag, and each camp is 100% free of charge for the hunter and their family to come up and enjoy. The camp provides the hunter and their family with food, a mentor hunter who heads out into the field with the junior hunter and their guardian, giveaways/raffles, seminars, and a great atmosphere to enjoy the outdoors.
NWTF Valley Longbeards Chapter
So Friday after work, with my truck loaded and ready to go, I headed north to check out the Marvin Robbins Memorial Juniors Turkey Hunting Camp at Colcord Ridge Campground. As I shook hands with some old friends, a truck pulled up with a successful junior hunter (pictured below). After the high-fives and handshakes were over the youth hunter (Ben) relayed the exploits of the afternoon. Ben had done all the calling himself and when the first gobbler presented himself, Ben let loose with his shotgun and bagged his first Merriams tom. He was cool, calm and collected and recounted the story like an old pro.
A successful first time hunter
After setting up my tent, I toured around the camp, checking out all the different things that were offered to hunters and non-hunters who were in camp. The Arizona Elk Society graciously had set up and done all the cooking for the weekend. Even though this was not an elk hunting camp, it showed that promoting the heritage of hunting is important, no matter what style or species you like to hunt. The Arizona Elk Society did a fantastic job feeding all the people in camp and the food was absolutely delicious.
Arizona Elk Society grilling up the goods
There were other activities going on while the hunters trickled back into camp. The Arizona Game and Fish had set up a small archery course for those who wanted to fling a few arrows. The Phoenix Varmit Callers showed up and did a short seminar on predator calling, and Mike Stewart, from Arizona Flycasters, and I did a brief fly casting demonstration and talked about fly fishing in Arizona. The goal of the camp was to not only give junior hunters a great experience in the field, but to introduce non-hunters to the outdoors in a positive way.
Archery Range
Hunters trickled back into camp and dinner was served by the Arizona Elk Society. Camp came alive as hunters relayed the stories of the afternoon and comparing notes on turkey activity. Several birds had been harvested that day, and it was one of the amazing experiences to see a young hunter’s animated face as they recounted the experiences in the field.
Mike Stewart of Arizona Flycasters dishing up some grub
After dinner, hunters poured over maps and discussed plans for the morning hunt. Turkeys had been responsive throughout the day, and many hunters had roosted birds in hopes of finding them in the same spot in the morning.
Making plans for the next day
Brenda Valentine, “The First Lady of Hunting”, made an appearance at the Colcord Ridge Camp.
Rich Williams, Steve Clark, Brenda Valentine, and Steve Sams
I was honored to meet up with Matt Minshall from Hunt of a Lifetime, and he asked if I’d be interested in heading out in the morning with his group. I jumped at the chance and made plans to head out with a youth hunter, Josh and his older brother.
More plans
We were ready to go at 4 in the morning and out of the truck, we walked a couple hundred yards and blew on the old crow call. Immediately, we heard a gobble a bit deeper in the woods. We made several setups and called to the bird, but were unsuccessful at fooling the gobbler. We walked quite a bit and were able to get some responses, but it seemed most of the birds were “henned up” and not interested in coming in to investigate our calls.
Morning Turkey Hunt
Midday Saturday consisted of lunch, a couple of special seminars, a fly casting demonstration, and then gearing up for the evening hunt. Saturday was a tough day of hunting and unfortunately, no one in camp was able to call in any birds. That all changed on Sunday.
French Toast and Sausage Breakfast
After a long day on Saturday, I had plans to head out early on Sunday for some early fishing before heading home. My plans were thwarted when I found out there was french toast and sausage for breakfast. I hung around a bit, ate breakfast and talked to some of the folks who were milling around camp. Before I left, two youth hunters came into camp with beautiful gobblers. They were all smiles as they told the tales of calling in these toms.
A successful junior turkey hunter
As I left camp, I could not help but feel as if I had been a part of something important and timeless. The Arizona Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation is actively sharing the joy and heritage of hunting with youth hunters. Other organizations involved in the HAHWG are doing the same thing.
If you are looking to get involved with mentoring new hunters or if you are interested in getting started hunting, there are opportunities all across the great state of Arizona. I actively am trying to share these on Facebook and the Arizona Outdoor Events Calendar. The Arizona Game and Fish Department also posts this information on their site. As Rich Williams shared with me this weekend, “Someone took the time to teach you the joy of hunting. Who are you going to share it with?”
