Hope your hunts have been fruitfull. Mine have been super, with the exception of a lost animal. My season started with a huge hiccup. I had everything go right on opening day. Almost! I set up at a water hole we found last year. After about 45 minutes I heard a snap. I looked down the hill and I saw tan ... then antler. I got ready and a bull was feeding his way up to the watering hole. He fed for...read more

If you're like me, you can't wait for big game season every year. I've already got my deer and passed up on 9 bears, but no elk yet. If you want to hit a couple of seminars to get pumped up drop by Cabela's on Sept. 26. I'll be teaching a Glassing for Big Game seminar at 2 p.m. and one on Packing Out/Processing Big Game at 3 p.m. I have some Knife Sharpening gimmicks to give out...read more

Are you ready for big game season? Boy I am. One big factor in hunting is having a sharp knife. All outdoorsmen use a knife and yet it's a big mystery to 99.9% of the outdoorsmen as to how to obtain a sharp knife. If you're having trouble come to Cabela's Saturday at 5 p.m. and I'll be conducting a knife sharpening seminar. It does take some skill but it's not a deep dark secret...read more

Bowhunting season is fast approaching. Are you sure you're ready.

Each year, as I get ready for archery season, I observe people at the range that go out and sight in their bow and think they are ready to go. This is only the beginning.

Most people DO NOT shoot enough. Archery is a sport of repetition. ANY little change in form will result in a marginal hit. That is if your bow is in fact sighted...read more

Is this a great summer or what? Bear hunting was OK, the crappie fishing was great and now the high mountain streams and lakes are in full bloom. I've hung into some huge trout. As we speak the options are limitless as to what to do on a weekend.

Like I say, the fishing in the high country is great as we speak. So is the warm water fishing. A kid and I caught over a 100 perch at Cascade last...read more

Well, summer is here and before you know it Idaho hunting seasons will be in full swing. I cannot believe how spring vanishes and if you blink winter will be setting in. I hope you have been taking part in all that Idaho outdoors has to offer. Turkey season is usually the start of the end for me. From then on it is a blur. After turkey season is salmon season. The Idaho salmon season was a bit disappointing...read more

I read in this month's Outdoor Life about the 200 top towns for sportsmen. Surprise, Idaho is number 1, and has 3 of the top 5 cities in the nation. Lewiston leads the list, with Idaho Falls and Pocatello close behind.I Hope everyone out there is taking advantage of all that Idaho has to offer.

My spring has been hectic, trying to take in all I can. Spring and summer are a blur each year. There...read more

Archery Outfitters of Nampa is hosting a 'Food for Bow & Arrows' food drive & raffle to benefit Boise Rescue Mission.

Archery Outfitters is collecting food donations thru June 10. In exchange for 2 cans of non-perishable food items or $1, the donor will receive one entry into a drawing to win a PSE Brute bow package "ready to shoot" including 6 arrows.

There is no limit...read more

It looks like Idaho will have a spring Chinook salmon fishing season in the Clearwater, Snake and Salmon rivers.

Seasons open April 25 on the Clearwater, the lower Salmon, Little Salmon and the Snake rivers. A season opens May 23 on the Lochsa River, and a season opens June 20 on the Salmon River from Shorts' Creek upstream about 25 miles to the boat ramp at Vinegar Creek.

"We still anticipate...read more

From my e-mail inbox to the road rides and mountain bike rides, the discussion this week is about the latest on Lance Armstrong and what it means for cycling. It's already obvious what his clavicle surgery means for Bontrager, a manufacturer of bike parts. Bontrager couldn't ask for better timing/better publicity to unveil its latest "must have" — its inForm CarbonClavicle...read more

If you have kids from 9-16 years old you ought to sign them up to be part of the 8th Annual Scooter's Hunting Camp on May 2. It's a blast. It's easily worth $200, but is absolutely free. It's limited to the first 225 kids so you better hurry and get them signed up.

The first time I went I took a kid and I thought I would be bored. Boy was I wrong. I enjoyed the seminars more than...read more

Are you ready for spring? Boy I am. If you need a few tips on spring bear hunting, spring turkey hunting or just need to get pumped up. Ed Sweet and I will be teaching two seminars this Saturday April 4 at Sportsman's Warehouse in Meridian. The bear seminar will be at 11 a.m. and the turkey seminar will be at noon. We'll talk over various methods and secrets to help you get your bear and turkey...read more

It looks like Idaho lawmakers are on the verge of passing a tax leveled at motorized and non-motorized boaters.

Motorized and non-motorized boaters are the only targeted groups for this tax. This potential problem and its costs are so much larger, and will affect every Idahoan.

The science is very clear and unanimous that the #1 threat risk is from motorized boats, via mussels attaching to their...read more

I finally made it out for some spring steelhead fishing. My buddy, who will remain nameless to protect his fishing credibility, asked me to go try some spring steelhead fishing with him near Riggins. For those of you who know me, I am "Steelhead Challenged." I can catch salmon better than most, but steelhead just give me fits. I have made quite a few trips and just never can put it all together...read more

The Idaho cycling community is maturing. I can recall shivering while waiting in line to register on the day of a race just a few years ago. Procrastination is human but it's wreaks havoc on planning and running a professional cycling event. One is beginning to see this warning on a lot of event postings: NO day of registration. Pre-register online. That meant as the starter for this Sunday's...read more

Don't set around bored this weekend. I'll be teaching a bow fishing seminar at Cabela's at noon Saturday, March 7. If you've never bowfished, it's a blast, plus you help clean up a lake of trash fish. As the days go by I'm getting more and more antsy for spring. Who isn't? Turkey hunting, bear hunting, whistle pig hunting and then the summer hits. I'm ready. Are you...read more

It can be hard to get yourself to shoot your bow during many cold and wet spring days, but shooting form deteriorates over time. Yes, your sights don't change, but the muscle memory takes time to get back. Personally, I know that I cannot hold on a target well at all after a long break. I often set up a target in a safe place in my house. I know many of you are saying, "SHOOTING IN YOUR HOUSE...read more

If you remember, last week I said we were taking the girls to McCall to check out the ice sculptures and hopefully if we whined enough, the last couple of hours we could drop by and ice fish at Cascade.

Well the whining paid off. We hit the lake, took a 1.5 mile hike and hit our spot. By the time we drilled the holes, got rigged up and all the rods out the girls were getting cold. In a short amount...read more

Special Olympics alpine races wrap up Friday and Bogus Basin season passes go on sale Monday.

Friday is the last day to catch the Special Olympic Alpine races up at Bogus. Races begin at 9 a.m. and awards begin at 1 p.m. This will be your last chance to participate; so head up the hill and cheer for your favorite athlete.

Also, don't forget that Bogus season passes go on sale Monday, Feb. 16...read more

The benefits of frequenting the outdoors have long been chronicled — exercise, time spent with others, fresh air, vitamin D, relaxation etc. Lately I've come to another conclusion, one that tends to fly under the radar. Being outdoors builds self-confidence. If it rains, deal with it. If one is mountain biking and you rip a tire, deal with it (Put some sod or pine needles in your tire and...read more

Oftentimes "lack of money" is used as the reason for not accomplishing goals. For determined cyclists in Nampa, lack of funding is seen as a challenge, not a barrier. Good things are happening. The Nampa Bicycle & Pedestrian Citizens' Advisory Group (http://bikewalknampa.org) is putting the final touches on the Second Annual Nampa Bike/Walk Week. In the inaugural event in 2008...read more

Two weeks ago, right at dark, we found the biggest perch that I've ever seen. Last weekend I had a Writers Conference Fri-Sat. This weekend the girls want to go to see the ice sculptures in McCall. Surely a loving wife would let her husband stop by his secret spot with last three hours of daylight to ice fish ... wouldn't she?

Check back Monday and I'll let you know what fun things we...read more

Not far away is spring and we all know what that means — Bear and Turkey hunting. If you need to brush up on a few skills here's some upcoming seminars.

2/28 Wild game Feed at Bethel Nazarene Church across from D & B in Nampa. I'll be talking about fishing in Alaska.

3/28 Bear Hunting Seminar at Sportsman's Warehouse in Nampa

4/4 Bear Hunting Seminar at Sportman's Warehouse...read more

As a resolution for 2009, right behind loosing weight and in front of drink less pop, I want to experience more outside. I am the king of excuses. The biggest is always "not enough money." Frankly it doesn't cost too much to take a hike in the Owyhees or take a trip to the Snake River fishing. You just need to make the commitment. Heck, add up the time you spend blankly staring at the...read more

Barbara Morgan, Lori Otter Help Launch "Be Outside" Initiative

IDFG - Astronaut Barbara Morgan joined Idaho's First Lady Lori Otter and other dignitaries to launch the statewide "Be Outside" initiative Friday, January 30.

The "Be Outside" campaign is an effort to connect Idaho's children with nature. The initiative was developed by the Idaho Children and Nature...read more

Ice fishing is in full swing up in the mountains. After a month of not eating, the fish got hungry. At least they hadn't been eating my worms. We finally got into some nice Perch last weekend in our secret spot.

Buy an auger and go try your luck. If the ice is under 4 inches or your buddy disappears in a gaping hole, head for the bank. All the ice we've been drilling has been over 18 inches...read more

Fish and Game Commission to meet in Boise

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will meet Tuesday through Thursday, January 27 - 29, at Idaho Fish and Game headquarters and with lawmakers in Boise.

A public hearing began at 7 p.m. Tuesday, in the Trophy Room at headquarters, at 600 South Walnut.

Proceedings begin at 8 a.m. Wednesday, January 28. Topics for discussion during the commission's annual...read more

Last Saturday I needed an outdoor fix, so I left the smog and headed up to Cascade ice fishing. At daylight I tried to call a few coyotes to no avail. I did get stuck quite a few times. Always carry chains and a shovel and be prepared for what might happen.

It was 7 degrees at daybreak, but the sun came out mid morning and burned off the fog and it was absolutely beautiful. We started on the north...read more

What a difference a few days makes. Last Friday mountain bike racers were mourning the loss of the 2009 Knobby Tire Series. Davey Moore, KTS promoter, said on his Web site (www.knobbytireseries.com) that a change in jobs, the economy etc. made it difficult to do the series in 2008. After pondering, he announced the cancellation of this year's series. But like Brett Favre's retirements, it's...read more

Late season geese are wising up to large sets of decoys and enthusiastic calling. These birds have been shot at for the last three months; so it's time to change it up.

A week ago I hunted with some friends and we set out over 100 decoys. Guess what? Only 2 single birds came in. About 50 flocks passed us over like we weren't there.

We tried everything: calling like there was no tomorrow...read more

When my daughters were young they went camping, hunting, fishing and everything with me. Then they became teenagers. Suddenly I was avoided like the plague. At 19 I started coming back into good graces. I've come to understand that they may not grow up to be my best hunting buddies, but PLEASE don't marry some little golfing nerd. At least marry a hunter so we can have some resemblance of...read more

My buddy from Grangeville called today, and steelhead are biting up north. He said the steelhead are in the river and most of the anglers were hooking up today. I wish I could just pack stuff up and head out. My family doesn't see me enough as it is. It still sounds tempting. Regardless, I haven't bought my Sportsmans Pack yet, and partially tore my rotator cuff last week bowling. Ever try...read more

This week can only be described as a "bummer" for mountain bike racers. The 2009 Knobby Tire Mountain Bike Series was canceled. Promoter Davey Moore said taking a new job made it "very difficult to manage work, home, life and the mountain bike series" in 2008 - the sixth year of KTS. The economy also has played a part across the country in reduced sponsorships and less racers....read more

Get your bows ready, last weekend marked the opening of the archery shooting season. Well, not for everybody. Many shooters never really stopped shooting, but last weekend was the NW Classic in Caldwell. For years this has been the first shoot of the year and has always been a lot of fun. I have not shot my bow since hunting season and it really showed in the first round Saturday morning, but things...read more