Arizona Wanderings

Rambling Review – Woody Sport Muck Boots

November 23rd, 2011

One Comment

Rambling Review – Woody Sport Muck Boots

Why:

Every outdoorsman knows the importance of keeping his feet dry and warm. Having wet feet can be the difference between success in the stand or failure back at camp. Muck boots have had a long history of constructing high performance rubber boots for use in the field. The Woody Sport Muck Boots were a no brainer when gearing up for my recent PA whitetail bow hunt and the kind folks over at Muck and Stuff gave me the opportunity to review these boots.

First impressions:

The fit – With a heavy pair of socks, my feet fit solidly in the Woody Sport Muck Boots and while sitting on stand I could easily squeeze two pairs of heavy wool socks on. I wanted a boot that would keep my heel locked and not have the boot ride up when walking through possible snow and mud.

Rubber – Every outdoorsman needs a pair of rubber boots. In my upbringing, every whitetail hunter would have a pair of rubber boots in his closet for deer season. The main reason was to cut down on human scent and leaving a trail that could spook animals. The other reason was a good pair of rubber boots would keep your feet dry and warm during those unexpected rain and snow showers.

Field Use:

I hunted and lived in the Woody Sport Muck Boots for 4 days during a cold, wet, snowy, and windy Pennsylvania archery deer season and felt that the PA woods threw their worst at these boots. Through it all these boots performed and I could not have been happier. Whether slogging through mud or sitting on stand, feet and hands are usually the first things to get cold. For the two very cold days, I layered up with an extra pair of socks and my feet stayed toasty warm while on stand with temps dipping down into the 20s.

In my opinion, a good pair of boots should provide strong and sturdy traction especially when walking through the dark to a tree stand. One of the most precarious parts of tree stand hunting is actually getting into the tree stand. Hoofing it up a pair of climbing sticks and clambering into the hang-on stands was not an issue and I never was in doubt of my footing while wearing the Woody Sport Muck Boots.

One morning on my way into my tree stand, I drug a line of doe scent from the road I walked in on to the area in front of my stand. My hope was that a rutting buck would find the scent and follow it on in to my stand and present me with a shot. Sure enough about 9 am I caught site of a little 3 point working through the woods. As he crossed the line where I had laid the scent he stopped short and as if on a string followed the scent line right into my stand and presented me with the shot that I wanted. Although I let the young buck go, I was amazed at how he never picked up my scent and never spooked. I attribute a good part of that success to the rubber Muck Boots.

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Pros:

Leave no scent

Keep your feet dry

Warm with a good pair of socks

Sturdy with better than average traction

Cons:

Cost can seem steep, but a decent pair of boots are worth their weight in gold.

Prognosis: I love quality hunting gear, and the Woody Sport Muck Boots fit the bill. If you are looking for a good pair of rubber boots, check these out.

* Disclaimer:

The reviews at Arizona Wanderings are my honest opinion. Arizona Wanderings is not sponsored by or associated with any of the stated companies and is accepting no compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this review. The Woody Sport Muck Boots were provided for the purpose of this review. My independent status may change in the future but, as of the date of publication, no relationship other than described above has been pursued or established.

The Backcountry Journal…

November 22nd, 2011

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Topknots and Side-by-Sides — photo courtesy of Andrew M. Wayment

Just a quick shout out to The Backcountry Journal and Andy Wayment who has written a fantastic tale about quail hunting in Idaho. Very cool to read and makes me want to head up to the Northwest and do some bird hunting. Check out Andy’s work over at The Backcountry Journal and at The Upland Equation

Arizona Quail Hunting: Slow Day in Wickenburg

November 21st, 2011

2 Comments

My buddy, Kyle, and I met early on Saturday morning and made the drive up to Wickenburg to see if we could find some of those Gambel’s quail that I had stumbled on a few weeks back. The area that we were hunting as a couple of cattle tanks, and I have found that this season, most birds are fairly close to water since things have been so dry.

We brought his pup, Chase, along for the ride and Chase was a ball of energy from the time he left the truck. He has been on three hunts and is still learning the ropes, but it never gets old watching a dog work a hillside. We started in the wash and after a good bit of chasing birds, found ourselves on one of the north facing hills. I jumped a covey and crumpled a nice Gambel’s hen.

We kept working the hills, but it seemed as if the birds we had heard that morning had left the state. I stumbled into another sizable covey later in the morning and was able to stuff one more bird in the game vest before calling it a day. With Thanksgiving around the corner, I am hoping to explore some different territory and see if I can find some areas to hunt. In the great state of Arizona, we have quite a bit of public land and I imagine some of it does not get too much pressure. I hope everyone has been having a good season so far. Swing by the Quail Hunting Forum and let everyone know how you have been doing.

South Mountain Hunting Camp: More Pictures

November 18th, 2011

10 Comments

For Posterity - Crandell's place out at Cranberry...

The Chimney: It aint pretty, but I am told that it's snow proof...

Club Member Board: Grandpa Harlan and Uncle Scott

A few more pictures from the trip as I try and catch up this week. Missing a couple days of school, picking up a cold, and starting junior high basketball has been keeping life busy. Looking to get out and chase some birds this weekend. That should set everything right…

South Mountain Hunting Club: PA Archery

November 16th, 2011

6 Comments

South Mountain Hunting Club is tucked away in Bradford County Pennsylvania, where time seems to have aged this tract of land like a fine wine. My grandfather joined the South Mountain Hunting Club after hairy incident during rifle season on one of the PA Public Game Lands and has been a cornerstone member there since 1973. He was joined by my uncle in ’88, who had come to love the mountain as much as his father and together have harvested some exceptional deer in the hardwood forests.

I had hunted there once as a teenager, and when my uncle invited me out for archery deer season I jumped at the chance and took my good friend, Austin, along for the ride. We hunted for four days through some fairly brutal weather including high winds, rain, a dusting of snow, and some much colder temps than these Arizona boys are used to. We passed on several smaller bucks, hoping for the bigger ones, who decided to keep their distance while we were there.

As much as this short story is about the hunting, it is more about the South Mountain Hunting Camp itself. My grandpa and uncle would always talk with such fondness of “the mountain” and all their memories with friends and the trophies they took. My limited experience fishing the ponds and shooting trap there was always a great way to pass the time, but it was not until this last trip where I truly appreciated the amazing community that makes up the South Mountain Hunting Club.

The three of us, my uncle, Austin, and I, hunted hard for four days searching for those big bucks who haunt the deep woods, but other club members came out just to hang out, drink coffee, stoke the fire, and hear our reports from the day. They genuinely made my friend and I feel like family and welcomed us into the camp, shared their food and drink, and even let us sit a few of their personal hunting stands in search of the elusive whitetail. I had to admit, that I was more than a little jealous of the vast acreage and strong bond of camaraderie that these men share with each other.

At the end of the day, no big buck was bagged and we walked away empty handed. But on the other hand, the memories of South Mountain Hunting camp with my grandpa, uncle, and friends was worth the entire trip. There will be other years to chase deer and other cold stands to sit, but I will not soon forget my time at South Mountain anytime soon.

Many thanks to Grandpa, Uncle Scott, and all the other hooligans at camp…

The Backcountry Journal…

November 14th, 2011

11 Comments

Arizona Wanderings

Last month, Arizona Wanderings very unceremoniously passed the two year mark. Although it has been said before, this website started very humbly as a communication piece with my family and has slowly grown over the past two years to share my experiences in the field with friends, sell some flies, review different products, and even dabble in a short e-book on quail hunting.

Through this journey, I had an amazing opportunity to guest author a short story on Filson Life not too long ago, and over time I have realized that I do enjoy the contemplative writing aspect of my wanderings, and more importantly, I truly enjoy reading quality work by other authors. As I searched for other opportunities to submit work, I found there were indeed very few places for outdoor writers to submit stories and articles and those that were looking for content were exclusive and almost impossible to be published in.

The Backcountry Journal was founded for those outdoorsman who love to write. This week, Erin Block of Mysteries Internal, has graciously contributed the first story to The Backcountry Journal. For those who know Erin, her love of the outdoors is rivaled only by her love of the written word (and maybe Banjo, her pup) and this particular story is one of Erin’s best.

Swing on over to The Backcountry Journal and read Erin’s story for yourself. If you are a writer, seasoned or just starting out, check out The Backcountry Journal and lend your voice. We will be updating regularly with new stories and authors so make sure to add The Backcountry Journal to your Google Reader or RSS feed.

Rambling Review: Ex Officio Nio Amphi Pants

November 10th, 2011

8 Comments

Rambling Review – Ex Officio Nio Amphi Pants

Why:

Living in Arizona and being slightly obsessed with the small streams that flow from the mountains, wet wading is a way of life from early spring until the November cold forces me to break out my waders. Typically, I roll in a pair of cargo shorts that keeps me moving quick and freely on the ice-cold creeks. Unfortunately with my legs unprotected, I typically end up scratched and bleeding by dark from the bumps, bugs, and briars that are part of the whole small stream experience. Imagine a pair of pants that are able to protect while fishing but at the same time allow the freedom and mobility that a pair of shorts offer. Enter the Ex Officio Nio Amphi pants.

First impressions:

Lightweight – The Ex Officio Nio Amphi pants are constructed from what Ex Officio calls Nio Nycott which is 100% nylon.

The fit – I ordered my regular size pants and found the Nio Amphi pants to fit perfectly. The pants have a small amount of elastic in the waist that allow for freedom of movement, an extra base layer if need be, or if you just ate to much the weekend before. The gusseted inseam allows for full range of motion on the small streams. The Nio Amphi pants also come with a quick clip nylon belt.

Pockets – I love pockets. The two cargo pockets on the Ex Officio pants perfectly fit a fly box or a spool of tippet and fly dressing. There is one small pocket just above the right cargo pocket that fits my small point and shoot camera rather nicely that I really appreciate.

Field Use:

The first time I stepped out of the stream with the Nio Amphi pants, I could not believe that they were just as light as when I stepped in. The Ex Officio pants have the amazing ability to resist water and even after a full day of wading in and out of the stream, they remain dry and lightweight.

Much of the day on a small, boulder strewn creek is spent crouching or on hands and knees. The Ex Officio Nio Amphi pants allows the fisherman the needed mobility to move around the creek. What I appreciate about the fabric is that it is extremely lightweight yet durable. Moving through brush and scraping against rocks, at this point, do not seem to phase these pants at all. They do have a gusseted crotch and a slight stretch in the material which allows for those slow half-crouched movements which creek fly fishermen seem to always find themselves in.

On a recent trip to a small stream in Nevada, I found myself hiking through some of the gnarliest brush to get to this little small stream. I ended up wandering right through a huge section of stinging nettles (or something of the sort) that left my hands tingling and stinging for the next couple of days. Thank the heavens that I had packed these Ex Officio pants because not only was a I nettle free on my legs, but they actually stood up to the abuse of the thorns and prickers that I walked through. I am pretty much sold on wearing these pants when I know that I am going into uncharted territory or a known thorn-ridden area to fish. It also warms my soul to wear pants instead of shorts in rattlesnake country, even if the added relief is only in my head.

Ex Officio Pants — Ex Officio Nio Amphi Pants

Pros:

Lightweight

Water-resistant

Quick Drying

Well thought out pockets

Nylon belt included

Elastic waist

Cons:

Cost

Prognosis: If you are looking for that lightweight pair of pants for hiking, wet wading, or other outdoor activity, you owe it to yourself to check out the Ex Officio Nio Amphi pants.

* Disclaimer:

The reviews at Arizona Wanderings are my honest opinion. The Ex Officio Nio Amphi Pants were provided for the purpose of this review. Arizona Wanderings is not sponsored by or associated with any of the stated companies and is accepting no compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this review. My independent status may change in the future but, as of the date of publication, no relationship other than described above has been pursued or established.

Fly Fishing Nevada: Small Streams and Gambling

November 7th, 2011

30 Comments

I found myself in Las Vegas for a good buddy’s bachelor party not long ago and amidst the turmoil of the weekend, I planned to get out and do a little fishing. My research had started a few months earlier and with the insight from some friends I found myself bouncing over a teeth-chattering, washboard road through the Nevada desert.

Fairly soon, the sage and joshua trees of the desert gave way to junipers and taller pines of the canyon. I drove over a small trickle of water that started to grow over the next few times that I crossed it. Before long I came to several large pools and rigged up the fly rod with a brown mini-hopper.

At the head of the first pool, I laid the bushy mini-hopper in the foam line and saw the splashy take of a hungry trout. I played my first Lahontan cutthrout to the bank took and cradled the fish for a quick picture.

After that first pool, I worked my way up the creek as the canyon started narrow and choke with brush. I found the small pool pictured above in which I could see several trout finning in the water. With no room for a normal cast, I used a bow and arrow cast to put a #20 sparkle parachute and was able to pull a couple trout to hand. With only a few hours to fish, I did not make it as far up the canyon as I would have liked. I turned back towards the mouth of the canyon, and once in the truck, I made my way back in to town. It really does not get much better than a fun weekend in Vegas with a little bit of small stream fishing thrown in as well.