I’m starting to get afraid of getting a ticket one of these days for not being able to see out my windshield. I already have a state park pass and a Sno-Park pass and now the government is offering yet another pass that will allow us to go out and enjoy our public lands. The new pass, called the America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, is intended to benefit visitors ... [full story]

A high-pitched, shrill whistle rumbles from deep inside the chest of a majestic bull elk (Cervus elaphus) and echoes through the aspen-dotted hills in the evening's final light. The sound, now as recognizable to millions of Americans as the animal that produced it, could mean lots of things: a long-distance call to a prospective mate or a warning to intruding bulls to stay away. But for those whose hairs still stand on end when they ... [full story]

If it hasn't already begun to happen where you live, then over the next few months, the water in your favorite fishery will begin to warm up and all the bass will instinctively begin to think about reproducing. They will begin to move into shallow-water staging areas (shallow water warms more quickly than deep water does) to forage after a long winter before moving up on to bedding areas.   Larry Nixon is a former Bassmaster Classic ... [full story]

Tejon Ranch Company today joined with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Audubon California to further protect the California Condor by announcing it would discontinue the use of lead hunting ammunition on Tejon Ranch, the 270,000-acre privately-owned ranch in California’s Tehachapi Mountains that is home to the state’s largest private hunting program. While tremendous progress has been made in bringing the bird back from the brink of extinction, poisoning from lead ammunition is regarded ... [full story]

An assessment of injuries from the Oregon Trauma Registry and the Oregon Health & Science University Trauma Registry found an alarming trend in the number of injuries due to off-road vehicles.Richard Mullins, M.D., chief of trauma/critical care at OHSU Hospital reviewed reports of injuries and death rates among riders of both four-wheel all-terrain vehicles and two-wheel off-road motorcycles. He found a 76 percent increase in patients injured in off-road vehicle accidents. His report is published ... [full story]

Tim Herd’s watchable wildlife guide – wildlife observation in the right place at the right time. [full story]

Trevor Hoffman wins honors for the San Diego Padre who had the most fun on his winter vacation. In January, Hoffman stood at the center of the capitalist universe, rang the closing bell and banged a gavel to the frenzied cheers of Wall Street traders. About a week later at the White House, Hoffman sat across the dinner table from President Bush and the first lady and glimpsed the Washington Monument through a nearby window. ... [full story]

Too much movement with the lower body tends to be common among golfers.  It’s usually in an effort to generate more power in hopes of more distance.  But in most cases the result instead is lack of balance, resulting in inconsistency.To improve the consistency of solid shots, you need a solid base.  Try making some practice swings without lifting your heel (or any other part of your foot) off the ground.  The complete practice swing ... [full story]

The weather outside your house may still be frightful and probably the last thing on your mind right now is sitting in an open-air bass boat on the water. But if you're anything like me, bass fishing is never too far from your mind. With 11 (and hopefully more) tournaments coming up this year, I have to plan far in advance for what I am going to do once the competition begins. For those of ... [full story]

When pursuing any invigorating outdoor activity, the pursuer can work up quite an appetite. Oftentimes, even the simplest of meals is as rewarding as filet mignon. Back in 1982, my older brother Frank and I hiked the entire Appalachian Trail (AT) from Georgia to Maine, covering over 2,100 miles, 14 states, eight national forests and two national parks. The journey took us almost five and a half hungry months to complete.  Although we hiked through ... [full story]

The Oregon Zoo is receiving money from criminals -- criminals who violate wildlife statutes, that is. Community service payments ordered by Oregon's federal court as part of wildlife-crime sentences will now go into an Endangered Species Justice Fund, created by the zoo and the U.S. Attorney's Office in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Money in the fund will be used to help endangered and threatened species. "It's sad to see crimes that ... [full story]

The popular White River West Sno-Park is now open to the public. The area was severely damaged by flooding last year. Two large piles of rock remain, so the capacity is about 1/3 of normal. The public should expect to encounter muddy conditions both in the Sno-Park and on the dike leading up the canyon. It is about a 1/2 mile hike up the canyon to find snow for skiing, snowshoeing and general snowplay. Special ... [full story]

Goose hunters who didn’t get enough hunting in during the general season that ended Jan. 28 have additional opportunity through two new hunts slated for Feb. 24 through March 10 of this year. These late-season goose hunts will be held in two newly created hunting zones: the Klamath County and South Coast zones. Designed to address goose damage to private agricultural lands, the hunts were developed in consultation with state and federal wildlife agencies, Oregon ... [full story]