The weather turned a bit chilly and ominous here in the Valley of the Sun this past Friday and Saturday with the threat of rain in the forecast. Not one to be deterred by a little water, I opted to head to one of my old favorites not far outside of town to see if there would be any birds willing to cooperate.

After parking the truck in the bottom of the wash, I quietly started to put on my vest and load my gun while the birds in the bushes started putting and squeaking, as if to warn each other that I was getting ready and it might be a good time to split. Thirty yards from the truck my day began with the thunderous sound of flushing Gambel’s quail. The thick cover prevented a shot and I started hiking up. (It always seems as if you have to hike up in Gambel’s country.)

From that point on, I climbed one hill after another as I found many coveys that were vocal, but few willing to really cooperate with me. Some flushed a hundred yards out in front of me while others would allow me to stalk right into the middle of them and then clam up. No matter how long I waited and no matter how many bushes I kicked, they would disappear. That is Gambel’s quail hunting at its finest.

I connected on a couple of birds which always makes the day a success, but the miles that I put on my boots and the sore body at the end of the hunt are often their own reward. My time in the field this fall has afforded me the opportunity to put some new gear to the test and I have a whole slew of great reviews for the weeks ahead.

I found some time as I sat to catch my breath, to stop and take in the beauty that often is over looked in Arizona. It is in these moments, where the deafening silence of the desert is broken by the wind and the calling quail, that I thank God that I have the time to get out and walk around in this awe-inspring creation and chase these beautiful, and sometimes frustrating, birds. Hunting makes me feel alive and even though my lungs are burning and my shirt is soaked through with sweat, it is tough to think of doing anything else at 7:30 on a Saturday morning.

The post Quail Hunting Arizona: A short morning afield… appeared first on Arizona Wanderings.

Archery season opened on Friday, and while I went to work, my buddies were already sitting in their treestands. When quitting time came, my truck pointed north in order to leave the blazing desert sand behind and before dark, it climbed the bumpy forest road to camp. The guys had seen a couple of doe here and there, and some had seen turkeys through the ponderosas, but their turkey tags had been filled during the spring hunt. After a few very slow seasons with a couple of blown opportunities, I was itching to get into my stand in the morning.

I beat daylight to my hunting blind and when I checked my phone it read 5:00. After organizing my few essentials, I settled into my seat to wait for daylight. My stand sits about 50 yards off a large water catchment on a faint trail, and as I sat peering into the ever lightening dawn, I told myself that whatever came first, turkey or buck, I was going to put it down. (The fall season in Arizona allows for any turkey, male or female, to be harvested.) Around 7:30, I look up from my book to check a noise I heard, and sure enough a flock of turkeys working through the forest in front of me poking at the ground and putting to each other. I waited patiently as they made their way through my shooting lane. After a quick scan, I could see that all the birds were female, so I reared back and sent an arrow into the closest one. To my surprise, the bird dropped where it was. Half expecting it to jump up and run/fly away, I quickly nocked another arrow but the bird laid still. My first Arizona Merriam’s turkey and who would have thought I could make it happen with a recurve.

By the time I had cleaned the bird, put her on ice, and made my way back to camp, it was going on mid-day. I had too much energy to go back and sit on the same stand that I had made so much noise on that morning, so I strung up the fly rod and hit one of my favorite streams. A great end to a unforgettable day in the woods.

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Rambling Review – Sierra Nets by Greg Madrigal

Why:

As important as the rod and reel are to the fly fisherman, the landing net becomes an extension of the arm when bringing a fish to hand. Greg Madrigal is an artist and constructs beautiful one of a kind nets. Greg has melded his love of woodworking and his passion for fly fishing into Sierra Nets.  Greg puts between 15 and 25 hours into each one of his one of a kind custom nets which allows him to be creative in their style, color, grain, and handle shape.

First impressions:

The Overall Look – When I opened the box to see the net Greg had handcrafted, I was awestruck. I was enamored with the contrasting color of the wood and how well they complimented each other. The net is composed from two different woods. The darker wood is curly walnut and the blonde wood is curly maple.

The Little things – At first I did not notice, but after a moment of admiration and turning the net over in my hands, I notice the beautiful monogram in the handle of the net. Greg handsomely inlayed the initials “AZW” in copper which really personalizes the net and shows off his craftsmanship

Dimensions – The net measures 25 inches long with a tear drop shaped net. Perfect to tuck into my belt while on the small stream.

Field Use:

I love this net. It is as practical as it is beautiful. It tucks neatly in my belt and comes easily to hand when a fish is on the line. From small brook trout streams in the Adirondack mountains of New York to wild browns and rainbows in Arizona, this net is a dream to have.

One aspect that I did not really understand until I used it was the rubber net bag. With my old mesh net, I was the guy spending a half an hour on the side of the stream trying to dig out my fly that had snagged in the net. In the end I am ticked off and have a mangled fly and net. The rubber bag is extremely nice because there is no more lost time trying to wrench a #20 pheasant tail nymph out of the mesh netting. The word behind rubber nets is that the do not take as much of the protective slime off of a fish as the mesh counterparts, therefore being more catch and release friendly.

Having carried this net on a number of outings, I have come to appreciate the feel of the wooden handle and the beauty of the net itself. The simplicity and aesthetics of the wooden net just feels right when dipped in the water to net a fish.

Pros:

Solid custom craftsmanship

Rubber net

One of a kind masterpiece that will see a lifetime of fishing

It floats (I may or may not have lost a net in deep water one time…)

Cons:

This one of a kind net will cost a little bit more, but a quality net that will last a lifetime is priceless.

Prognosis: Without a doubt, this is one of the most beautiful fly fishing tools I have ever held. A truly beautiful net from a talented woodworker. Check out Sierra Nets…

* Disclaimer:

The reviews at Arizona Wanderings are my honest opinion. Arizona Wanderings is not sponsored by or associated with any of the stated companies. This net was provided by Sierra Nets 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.

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It felt as if I had just fallen asleep from our New Years celebration, when my alarm told me to pull my aching body from bed. Most of my gear had been sorted and packed the day before, so once the coffee was made and the truck was loaded, I drove to meet my good friend Austin and head up to the high country in search of Arizona’s javelina.  Javelina are a strange animal by all accounts and everyone has a different description of what type of animal they actually are, but for all practical purposes, they look like a hairy pig. Most of their lives are spent in a herd and can be found rooting around the cactus filled hillsides of Arizona. The best time to glass up these animals is during the morning or evenings when the javelina are in search of the warm sun to heat their bodies. After setting up camp and gathering firewood for a cold evening, we geared up and spent the rest of our afternoon until dark hunkered down behind the lenses of our binoculars searching for their little camouflaged bodies, but to no avail. As the sun went down, the temperatures plummeted. Most years, evening temps stay in the low 30s, but an unusual cold snap kept our nighttime temp in the teens which can make for a long night in a tent.

Morning came quickly and we wasted no time in brewing coffee and putting on the extra layers to combat the freezing temperatures.  Once we were situated and glassing the surrounding hills, Austin wasted no time in spotting a herd slowly working their way across the hillside. A plan was hatched, wind calculated, obstructions noted and we made our way slowly and somewhat quietly through the prickly southwestern foliage. Over and over again, we would stop and check our progress and each time doubts would creep into my mind about our plan and its execution, but in our final approach, my ears heard the unmistakable sound of rooting javelina slowly working towards us.

With patience and persistence, both of us were able to work into a position for shots and I was able to find a quartering away pass through shot on a mid-size boar. Mortally wounded he made his way a dozen yards away and expired. Austin also placed a quality shot on another male who put up a tough fight until another arrow put him down for good.  As we posed for a self timed picture, it really began to sink in that this truly was an amazing experience to double up on javelina out of the same herd on the second day of the season.

Camp was broken quickly and meat, hides, and skulls were carefully packed away. Rumbling our way out of the back country, it is tough not to be thankful for such a quality hunt. The last two years had seen probably 15-20 days in the field searching for these little buggers and I was unable to connect even though the opportunities were there.  So the completion of a hunt and goal is extremely rewarding. Phone calls were made and the wives are happy we will not be “wasting” any more weekends on pig hunting, at least until we get tags again and can go back and wander around Arizona.

The post Arizona Javelina Hunt… appeared first on Arizona Wanderings.

At a few requests, here are the fairly simple steps to tying the mini hopper. I cannot really take any credit for this fly as I have taken most of the ideas from other sources. Together it really does the trick as a summer terrestrial or caddis imitation pattern. Without further ado here we go:

Materials needed:

1. Dry fly hook (preferably #12-14)

2. 2mm foam (I have found just about any color I tie up produces. The brighter colors are nice for rougher water. I buy sheets of foam at the craft store for a fraction of the price posted at most “fishing” stores and the craft store has every color of the rainbow.)

3. Dubbing and matching thread (I prefer black 6/0 thread and Hare Tron Dubbin in black. The dubbing is mixed with some silver and has a nice sparkle to it. The matching color is nice, as you tie in most of your material in the same spot.)

4. Elk Hair

5. Barred Sili Legs (I have tied both green and orange and have not distinguished much of a difference between the two)

6. Super Glue (Makes life easier when your fly can stand up to the punishment all day or until you lose it in a tree)

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