In The Outdoors

It’s always interesting to see people acknowledged for their hard work, especially when those efforts reach above and beyond the norm. I enjoy learning about these extraordinary people and discovering what it is that drives them to do whatever it is they do. And when the person being recognized is someone you know, that learning process takes on a whole new meaning.

Last winter I wrote about a surge in the number of kayak anglers fishing on lakes Mead and Mohave. Kayaks are not only an excellent source of exercise but also are a stealthy approach to fishing. While fishing at Willow Beach early last spring, a friend of mine caught two stripers that went beyond the 25-pound mark. The fish both hit a trout-imitating swimbait he was trolling behind his kayak.

Imagine that you put in your time and hard-earned gas money to locate an area that holds quail or chukar. Then imagine that you make the long drive to that newfound honey hole and begin hunting only to learn that your every move is being closely monitored and copied by an SUV full of yahoos you don’t know from Adam.

To my surprise, several anglers already were lining the pond bank when I pulled into the parking lot at Veterans Memorial Park in Boulder City on Friday. I figured there would be some fishing pressure, but I wasn’t expecting to see that many people on a weekday.

About the current waterfowl hunting conditions, a hunter named B. Shaw reported Tuesday that there is “no migration” and “few local birds.” Weather conditions are sunny, with early-morning temperatures ranging from 51 to 60 degrees. The day before, B. Julain reported similar hunting conditions.

About three years after politicians and other dignitaries turned over the golden shovels full of dirt at a ceremonial groundbreaking for the long-awaited Clark County Shooting Park, those same individuals joined nearly 250 park supporters at the park’s official dedication ceremony in August.

There have been times over the past few years when I thought the rules of common courtesy and sportsmanship had all but disappeared from the sporting community, but something happened this past weekend that gave me cause to rethink that position. I’m not talking about anything spectacular or life altering, just a simple example of what it means to be a sportsman.

Upland game bird hunters experienced mixed results Saturday when they took to the field for the opening day of quail and chukar season. Some hunters managed to put a few birds in their game bag, but they had to work for it.

You have to love the weather this week. Downright chilly in the early morning and not too hot in the afternoon. That can mean only one thing, folks: It’s time to break out the shotgun and do some bird hunting. Quail and chukar seasons open Saturday, waterfowl on Oct. 17.

The upland game bird season started with a bang last weekend as young hunters like Cody Newberry shouldered their shotguns and took to the field for the first time. With his dad, Hoss Newberry, playing the role of bird dog, Cody bagged a limit of chukar and a quail to boot. The father-son team took advantage of the two-day youth hunt that took place last weekend.