You can check these guys out at BeTheDecoy.com

Related Articles:

• Mossberg 4×4 Review Part 1
• Draw Results Up
• Please Don’t Pick Up Babies
• Ultimate Game Bags

I met these ladies at our Gateway Outdoors meeting last week. I gotta tell you, I work with a lot of camo companies, and it takes something really cool to catch my eye! Camo Collections identified a market need for camo luggage and have since created all kinds of cool stuff – chic handbags and wallets, laptop cases, camo for the ladies and of course – a bunch of different luggage. They are an Arizona Company and I encourage you to have a look.

Sara and Shauna are cool gals with an awesome line of products and hopefully I will be working some joint projects with them well into the future. Please have a look at their online store!

Related Articles:

• Cool Product – M2D Camo
• “The Best Camo You’ve Never Seen”
• New Camo for the Southwest
• New web page has information on Arizona fire impacts to wildlife and outdoor recreation

Don is a class act and was a hit at the meeting. We all hit it off so well that Don invited us on to the show to talk about Gateway Outdoors. Don is a gracious host, and the show was laid back, fun and a great boost for our new group.

We anticipate working on lots of projects together with Don, moving ahead into the future. Something cool was started that night, and we intend to keep the momentum going. Thanks again to Don for coming through at the last minute, and being such a valuable addition to our first meeting.

Please take time to listen to one of Don’s radio shows: Sunday 7:00 AM – 9:00AM on KFNX 1100 AM or Saturday mornings 7:00AM – 8:00AM 96.1 FM and NBC 1260. You can also watch the Saturday show live online.

Related Articles:

• Celebrity Turkey Call
• October An Important Anniversary
• Desert Rat Blog Gets A New URL
• ISE Show Coming to Phoenix

Glad that I have Mikaela here though.

Here’s part of an old column, re-posted:

My passion for hunting and fishing is a direct result of excursions with my Dad and Grandfather, when I was young. Granted, Gramp was never a hunter, but an avid fisherman. Dad enjoyed fishing also, and I think it was fair to say that he did hunt, although I can’t remember him enjoying it as much as he did fishing. It’s funny, the things that stay trapped in your memory banks. When I recall fishing trips with my Dad and Grandfather, I always seem to remember the same “scenes”. I remember fishing along the Clearwater Stream. In those memories are the smell of Gramp’s menthol cigarettes, and Dad’s cigars. Somehow, I always enjoyed the smell of their smoke, mixed with the fresh air. I don’t think that one is allowed to fondly remember tobacco smoke, these days…

I remember the Shiktehawk Stream, nestled between the watershed of the mighty St. John River, and that of the Miramichi River. I remember being old enough to wade by myself, and how absolutely frigid the water was. I remember Gramp and Dad being ahead of me, around a bend, and being terrified because I was “by myself”. I remember Gramp and Dad teaching me how to flyfish, when I got older. A skill that, although a little rusty these days – I never lost. I recall a “big” trip, where we went to Mount Carleton – the highest in New Brunswick, and fished Nictau Lake. On that trip, I drank black coffee from a thermos, ate corned beef sandwiches with hot mustard, and fished from a boat extensively – a first for me. We even visited the Ranger’s cabin at night, which was close to our campsite. Some of these sights, smells, and sounds are still with me like they just happened yesterday. I want to thank my Dad and Gramp for what they gave me – memories, their time, and camaraderie. All of which helped lay the foundation for the day when I would have a child. My memories of time with them help remind me to make time for my daughter – so that she can have memories someday too. Memories of her first fish, seeing her first bear or moose, or memories of the first time she wasn’t scared of being in the woods. Happy Father’s Day, not just to all fathers and Grandfathers, but especially to my Dad and Grandfather also. I hope that all of our memories haven’t yet been made, and there’s still a few trout and corned beef sandwiches out there, with our names on them.. If you are a Dad or Granddad, make some time for your kids. It will affect them for the rest of their lives.

Most Commented Posts

• More than one way to skin a cat..
• Kerfuffle at Cabela’s
• Elite Archery
• Politically Incorrect Guide to Hunting

Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the communities that have been so significantly impacted by these fires, and our heartfelt thanks go to the firefighters and support personnel who are diligently working to bring these fires under control. Game and Fish currently has more than 30 wildlife officers working with the incident management teams or local law enforcement in support of the firefighting efforts.

Hunters, anglers, wildlife watchers and other outdoor recreationists will undoubtedly have questions about what impact the fires will have on wildlife, hunting, fishing and outdoor recreational opportunities in those areas. We have developed a new web page with information that may answer some of your questions. New and updated information will continue to be added to this web page as it becomes available.

Visit the website here: Arizona Wildfires

Related Articles:

• Don’t miss the largest hands-on Outdoor Expo in Arizona on March 27-28
• Application Deadline Nears
• AZGFD Ruins Hunter’s Antelope Hunt?
• Still Time To Make The Expo

Related Articles:

• Hunter education classes ramped up for fall hunters
• Hunter’s Ed Class
• Chatting With Karen Lutto – Hunter Outdoor Communications
• Hunting and Food Safety Video

The application deadline for the fall drawing cycle for deer, fall turkey, fall javelina, bighorn sheep, fall buffalo and pheasant is Tuesday, June 14, 2011 at 7 p.m. (MST).

Applications must be either hand-delivered to one of the seven Game and Fish offices or sent by U.S. mail to:
Drawing Section
Arizona Game and Fish Department
PO Box 74020
Phoenix, AZ 85087-1052

Applications must be received by Game and Fish by the deadline. Postmarks don’t count and there is no online application process available.

The 2011-12 Arizona Hunting and Trapping Regulations are available at more than 300 license dealers statewide, at Game and Fish offices, and online at www.azgfd.gov/draw. The regulation booklet contains information on how to fill out an application, how the draw works, license requirements, hunt numbers, season dates, number of permits available, and other pertinent information for the hunter.

Related Articles:

• Draw Deadline Approaching Fast
• And the wait begins… again!
• Application Deadline is Here!
• Draw Deadline Approaches

The primary goals of Gateway Outdoors are:
•To share the joy and experience of shooting, hunting, fishing and other outdoors sports with other sportsmen, Christian and non-Christian alike
•To encourage Christian fellowship opportunities for people who like to hunt and fish
•To educate the general public regarding the recreational, economic and population management values of hunting and fishing activities
•To provide an opportunity for outdoor experiences to people who might not otherwise have those opportunities

Our group is not limited to members of our Church, or any Church for that matter. Our group leaders are just excited to have an active outdoor group focused on the East Valley!

Our goal is for everybody to be comfortable with our group and we hope to offer something for everybody. Whether you are looking for predator hunting tips or a place to share your testimonial, we would be flattered if you considered us.

Meetings are currently planned for the 3rd Thursday of every month from 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM at the Gateway Fellowship Church at Recker and Elliot in Gilbert. This is a family oriented group and we encourage you to bring along your kids, your wives, your friends and co-workers. Whether you have been hunting your whole life or just anxious to hook your first lunker, we’re your group.

Related Articles:

• Dutch Oven Class A “Must”
• Notable Posts of 2009
• The Economic Impact of Wildlife in Arizona
• October An Important Anniversary

The class ran from 9:00AM – 3:00PM and was full of solid info, fun, and it was very well-organized. We learned the nuances of different dutch ovens, accessories we needed to buy, how to season them, how to store them, transport them and more. At the end of the class, we stuffed ourselves and then learned how to clean Dutch Ovens!

The class provides everything you need. All of the utensils are handy, ingredients all sorted per team and placed into totes, we even were provided aprons! The class worked in pairs and each pair made a bread and some other dish.

With the class you get a binder that contains all of the class notes, and also the recipes we cooked in class. There was cinnamon rolls, honey wheat bread, faux braid bread, french bread, cheesy sausage potato casserole, corn casserole, a cabbage dish and more.

If you have any interest in outdoor cooking at all, I highly recommend this class. The Richins make the class fun, the length and participation are spot on, and you learn a ton of valuable knowledge. I’m thinking that I may just have found a new hobby!

For more info on their class, please visit their website: Dutch Oven Class Info

You can see photos of our class in action here: Class Photos

Related Articles:

• Calling East Valley Outdoorsmen and Women!
• Taking a CCW Class
• Camo Collections Equals Cool Stuff
• New web page has information on Arizona fire impacts to wildlife and outdoor recreation

I have a Vindicator coming, dipped in Predator Camo. I can’t wait!

Please visit their site! You can see photos at their site, or read specs on the Vindicator here and the Vengeance here. For information on ordering, see here.

Related Articles:

• Kate and Kevin Strother Re-Surface
• Winchester Archery Is On The Scene!
• Ben Pearson’s Predator
• Bowtech Acquires Ross Archery