There’s plenty to do outdoors this time of year
Here are a few of the upcoming outdoor events taking place in the Yuma area.
Hunt happenings
• Arizona Hunter Education Courses: Classes will be held at Sprague’s Sports 345 W. 32nd St. from 6-9 p.m. Feb. 12 through the 17th. Call 726-0022. Please visit http://ww.azgfd.com/ Education/Hunting to find and register for the classes. Keep watch for more class dates and information.
• Sprague’s Sport Shop firearms classes: A complete world of education is on hand for everyone at Sprague’s including classes for the AZ CCW, AZ Hunter Safety Education, Reloading, along with Refuse to be a Victim for the ladies, First shots — rounds one and two, Shooting tips from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, The Active Shooter Defense Classes, as well as Basic Gun Maintenance and Know your AR. For dates and times, call Sprague’s at 726-0022.
• HAHWG Outdoor Skills events: Visit www. azgfd.gov/outdoorskills to check out all the outdoors camps put together by Arizona outdoors organizations with the assistance of Game and Fish to get our kids ready for safe and successful hunt opportunities in Arizona. HAHWG has done a bang up job of putting these events together for our youngsters benefit. a big thanks to all the organizations making these events possible. These camps are always ready to put mentors to work with the youngsters — if interested, call the event host to make arrangements. Your help will be appreciated.
Fishing clubs
• Desert Bass Anglers “A fun Way to Fish: A good time to get your 2018 dues paid if you have yet to do so to get into the fun points competition on the water. Annual Dues are $15, $10 each additional family member with $30 tournament entry plus options. Non-members are welcome to fish but with no points given. Call Mac or Bobbi McDermott at 726-1984. I’ll report results of yesterdays tournament next week. Note: Ramps at Fisher’s Landing have been rebuilt and lengthened so no more trailers stuck on the launch or recovery. Be sure to thank Scott and JR for pushing the repairs.
• Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club: Members as well as any and all outdoors enthusiasts are reminded to attend the Feb. 7th meeting (American Legion Post 19 Hall, 2575 Virginia Dr. at 7 p.m. (with a 6:30 p.m. reasonably priced dinner prior to business) for details of the Feb. 10th All Member Bass Derby launching out of Fisher’s Landing with lots more fishing coming up throughout the year including getting on the board for the Big Bass Contest currently underway. Call Clint Fraser at 580-3231 or Danny Woods at 448-8476 to talk fishing.
• Rotary Fishes for Kids: The North End Rotary will host a Mittry Lake open team tournment (2 persons) with 1 person team OK on Feb. 24th to support the “Fight Against Polio.” Desert Bass Anglers will assist. All fishermen are most welcome to fish with a $50 fee per boat (Big Fish included) with payouts 50/50 to winners and Rotary will pay one place per 5 boats or part there of up to 4 places. Big Fish will pay 2 places. Sign up 5:45 to 6:45 a.m. at Mittry Lake with weigh-in at 2 p.m. with a 5 fish limit. Boats must have a live well capable of supporting a 5- fish limit, steering wheel and kill switch. Rotary will sell raffle tickets for gift certificates, $1 each or 6/$5.00.
• Desert Draw Series Pro/Am Bass Fishing Club: It’s off and running for those who took part in the 1st tournament ever directed by Michael Obney at Colorado River waters . It was a great tournament, hard fishing but with everyone catching fish. First place was taken by Harold Wah with a total weight of 12.10 lbs while 2nd place went to Robert Murray with a total weight of 7.67. The #1 Big Fish award went to Wah with his 6.23 bass while 2nd place Big fish went to the team of Curtis Cernik/Travis Sherman with a 2.98 lb. bass. A very special thank you to CNC Molds N. Stuff for providing awards to the winners. This club promises to be well worth taking part in with the next bass tournament planned for Feb. 17 at Mitty Lake with sign ups open until 5 p.m. Feb. 16th at Sportsman’s Hideaway. For details, call Obney at (928) 750-7081. Good fish’n everyone!
• Yuma High School Bass Fishing Club: A great way for any youngster to learn all about fishing for bass. Members of both the Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club and Desert Bass Anglers assist the kids in providing boats and equipment as well as guiding the youngsters, both guys and glas, in gaining a good share of fishing know-hows. Call Terry Hurt, school sponsor, at 580-6567 or visit StudentAnglerFoundation.com to get started. Any interested H.S. student will be a part of a exciting year for our next generation of anglers at Fisher’s Landing/Martinez Lake.
• American Bass — Yuma Division: Hopefully I’ll have results of the 1-27th tournament by next week or you can call Jeff Woods at (951) 824-0553. The next ABA tournament launching out of Fisher’s is March 17th. Contact Woods for details.
Shooting sports
• 4-H shooting sports: For information on a great organization for youngsters, call the Yuma 4-H office at 726-3904 or Stan Gourley at 344-0740.
• Renegade Archers of Yuma: Please give us a call if you’d like to shoot the trail of 3D animals at the Foothills Archery Range. Call Kevin at 726-0953 or Jean at 247-4450 for shooting times and directions to the range. “Free” archery instructions are always available. Call us — we’ll be glad to assist in your learning. • The practice range at the Foothills Archery Range is open (also free) daylight hours all week for archers much needed practice and enjoyment. PLEASE do what you can to prevent vandelism while at the range so all can enjoy.
• Yuma Trap and Skeet Club: Anyone interested in trap and skeet? Shoot 8 a.m. to 12-noon Saturdays and Sundays. Tuesdays and Thursdays noon to 4 p.m. matches at Adair Park. A Marine Shoot will be held at 2 p.m. Feb. 16th. Call Bob Avila at (928) 919-0622. For information on the Yuma Young Guns with the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), active at the trap and skeet range with practice shooting at Adair Park at 6 p.m. Mondays Feb. 4, 12, and 19 will be more practice sessions also at the Adair Park range. Feb. 27th will be a practice. Call Head Coach H. McNutt at (928) 580-0918. The board meeting is 6 p.m. Feb. 26th.
• Yuma Territorial Longrifles Club: Regular “open” black powder matches are 1st and 3rd Saturday’s at the Adair Park range at 8:30 a.m. Call Roger Bickel at 726-7453 and ask about .22 matches.
• Cholla Gun Club: Shooting is ongoing at the Adair Park metallic silhouette range — get your firearms in order and join in the shooting. All shooters welcome. Sign-up at 8:30 a.m. for shooting at 9 a.m. sharp. Matches open to the public with instructions when necessary. All firearms must comply with NRA guidelines. Membership in NRA is not required. No belted magnums — cartridges must not result in damage to targets. Small bore defined as .22 long rifle. Ammunition (no .22mags). The club business meeting is 7 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday now through March at Villa Alameda RV Park on Ave. 5E. Call Glenda Graves at (928) 580-0915. Matches are: • 4th Saturday with shoot fee $5 per gun: Big bore long range pistol; Cowboy lever action rifle, small bore hunter pistol; hunter pistol. Pistol cartridge lever action rifle; .22 lever action rifle. • 4th Sunday with shoot fee $5 per gun: Black powder cartridge and Vintage Military rifle silhouette or fun match. Vintage military rifle is any military built up to 1952. No M-14’s. Chickens shot standing. Pigs, turkeys, rams shot off ground rest - replicating military positions while standing. • Alternating Tuesdays 9 a.m. — Schutzen .22 rifle match on the black powder range with 20 shots bench rest at 100 yards, 20 shots standing at 100 yards. Bench rest match 50 shots @ 50 yards. • Wednesdays 9 a.m. — Informal get-togethers for fun and plinking off the bench or standing. Practice shooting skills, test ammo for the gun you want to shoot. Everyone welcome. • Wednesdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — BPCR silhouette, vintage Military rifle and cowboy lever action rifle and .22 long range silhouette practice and/or match. • Fridays 9 a.m. — .22 rifle and pistol silhouette fun matches. Informal get-together for .22 rimfire rifle and pistol only.
• High Power Rifle and Pistol Club of Yuma: Check with joseph Murek at umpire1@q.com or Gerald Brooker at brookergerald@att.net or call Paul Lerma at 580-7456 or Brooker at 1-858-349-1311. Club Junior Shooters activities as well as other matches are listed on the club web site at hprifleyuma.net. Check it out!
• Yuma Matchmasters: A variety of matches are offered each month at the range, all open to shooters at 7 a.m. with the steel challenge the 1st Saturday, Multi-gun matches the 1st Sunday. IPSC combat matches held the 2nd Sunday with the Cowboy Fast Draw the 3rd Saturday and SASS cowboy matches the 4th Saturday. Interested in Cowboy Action shooting? Call Irene Snyder at (209) 613-4598 or George Wagner at (719) 660-9466 with questions.
• Southwest Bowhunters Archery Club: Archery is offered to archers on Sundays with their practice range also open all week. Call Keith Parsels at 782-1097.
Contact Jean at jeanrenegade@gmail. com or call 247-4450.