standman

Donation sent. Thoughts and prayers for the family. Brian

Newest Update: ROUND VALLEY — The public meeting held Sunday had a standing room only crowd. Joe Reinarz of the Type 1 Team and Brannon Eagar of the Sheriff’s Department brought everyone up-to-date on what happened today. -A dry thunderstorm came up earlier Sunday and ran from south to north creating scattering winds and dry lightening that started a lot of spot fires north and east of Alpine and up to Highway 60 along the Arizona, New Mexico border and in remote areas and ranches. - There was no increase in activity in the interior and to the south west towards the San Carlos reservation. - Nutrioso has been impacted by the new fires and the Wallow fire. - Reinarz reported that at least one structure was burned around Nutrioso, but the fire is still too hot to go in and assess the area. There will be an update on that in the morning. - Luna, New Mexico has not been impacted at this time. - Crews were pulled from the main fire to fight the spot fires today. - Escudilla Mountain and Wilderness area has fire through parts of it. - Tal Wi Wi Lodge is still OK as is Greer, Big Lake and the Round Valley area. - The fire has entered Dry Valley in the Nutrioso area. - If the fire continues to grow to the northeast another Type 1 or Type 2 team will be brought in - If anyone is not in good physical condition, it was recommended they leave the area. - Residents were again cautioned to not waste water by wetting everything down too soon. - Those people that are cutting down trees and cleaning up their yards can take the green waste to the Round Valley transfer station at no charge. It will be open on Monday. - There was no active fire in the burnout areas created yesterday. - Congressman Paul Gosar was present at the meeting and assured residents he spent the day touring the area and will do all he can to help.

Fire Update: fires near Escudilla reportedly new; lightning caused Submitted by Josh McPeak Wallow Fire 06/04/2011 .. Posted: Sunday, June 5, 2011 1:30 pm | Updated: 5:26 pm, Sun Jun 5, 2011. Fire Update: fires near Escudilla reportedly new; lightning caused! There are reportedly two separate fires burning near Escudilla on the New Mexico-Arizona border. The fires are thought to be lightning caused. There is no containment of these fires at this time.

Newest Update: Wallow Fire Update: more evacuations in effect; fire burning 183,000 acres Submitted by Josh McPeak Wallow Fire 06/04/2011 .. Posted: Sunday, June 5, 2011 1:30 pm | Updated: 3:06 pm, Sun Jun 5, 2011. Wallow Fire Update: more evacuations in effect; fire burning 183,000 acres This afternoon officials are evacuating areas near the Arizona/New Mexico border. The areas under mandatory evacaution at this time include, the Escudilla Bonita subdivisions in Catron County, the Escudilla Bonita area, White Mountain Acres, H Bar Ranch, Dog Patch and Bar Flying Ranch. The fire is just south of US 60 near the New Mexico state line. The Springerville/Eagar and Greer areas are not under evacuation. The Wallow Fire is progressing into Catron County in New Mexico. Stay posted to WMIcentral.com for additional updates. Current Wallow Fire information: -acreage = 183,000 estimated -no further structures have been damaged or destroyed -all operation centers are being moved to the Eagar Rodeo grounds -the fire has spread to the west, somewhat to the east and to the north -the area between the two northern forks of the fire has started to burn closer to each other -the health department urges anyone with health issues or breathing problems to leave the area -no new evacuation orders have been issued. Greer and Sunrise are still on evacuation alert -Highway 260 between Eagar and Hon Dah is not currently closed at this time but if Greer and Sunrise are evacuated in the future, it will be restricted and/or closed to through traffic. -Smoke from the Wallow Fire is spreading across several states and has been affecting areas as far as South Dakota.

Not me. I have to wait till January. Brian

Latest update: Submitted by Josh McPeak Wallow Fire 06/04/2011 . Posted: Saturday, June 4, 2011 6:01 pm | Updated: 6:38 pm, Sat Jun 4, 2011. Wallow Fire Update: less active fire spread today although communites should remain alert Residents of the Round Valley area were updated at a meeting this afternoon about the progress of the Wallow Fire. Officials from the Type 1 Incident Command Team and the Forest service were on hand to present up-to-date information on the fire. Highlights of the meeting are: •The Fire has displayed much less activity today in comparison to days prior and is not moving as fast as expected. •There is a wide finger of fire spreading northwest toward Big Lake and Sunrise Park Resort and another area spreading east in the direction of Luna, New Mexico. •The recreation area at Big Lake has, so far, not sustained any damage. •Crews are building buffering areas in Nutrioso to protect structures and are actively working to protect those buffer areas. •An estimated 1,500 fire personal are actively fighting the fire and more are expected over the next few days. •Another Type 1 Skycrane helecopter is now on scene bringing the total to five Air Tankers fighting the fire. •Arizona Governor Jan Brewer visited the area earlier today and expressed complete support for the people from areas affected calling the fire "absolutely frightening." Brewer's said, "It was expansive white smoke and then black smoke. You could see fire on the ground. It's like something I have never experienced from the air before." •The community of Alpine remains intact but is in eminent danger. Crews are working round-the-clock to protect the area. •The Wallow Fire is currently burning six miles away from Greer. The trigger point for the evacuation of Greer is two miles. There is no evacuation order at this time. •Officials are looking at the option of opening up Lyman Lake early as a possible location for potential evacuees. However there are concerns about the heavy smoke in the area and whether or not it will be a suitable evacuation point. Blue Ridge High School in Lakeside has been set up as a Red Cross shelter for evacuees and if need be, the City of Show Low will open facilities for evacuees. •The fire is not threatening the towns of Eagar or Springerville at this time. The fire is 20 miles from Eagar and, although conditions may change, no pre-evacuation orders are in place at this time. Residents with respiratory problems are advised to leave the area due to the smokey conditions. •There is still a possibility of evacuation of Greer and possibly the Round Valley towns in the next couple of days depending on weather conditions and containment efforts. Stay posted to this site and 593info.org for updates. The next public meeting will be held on Monday, June 6 unless the conditions of the Wallow Fire change in the interim.

Latest reports heard was fire has reach Big Lake and has burned down Big Lake Lookout tower. Sad day. My stomping grounds where I learned to hunt from my dad now burned. Sad time indeed. Brian

What I worry about with this fire is that is burning the areas that I have hunted goulds turkeys two out of the last three years, and I wonder how the survival rate of the turkeys will be especially since they are nesting now. How much of the new hatch has been decimated? Brian

Those are some great pics! Way to make the best out of a bad situation. That is a trip the family will never forget. Oh, and congrats on the nice tom. Brian

Great job TJ! That is a beautiful bird! Brian

I was very fortunate this year, as the draw gods blessed me with my second Arizona goulds turkey tag in three years . The plan from the beginning was I was going to shoot one with my bow. Well as most good intentions, the plan didn't go that way. My brother and I got to my unit Thursday afternoon. We got camp all set up around three o'clock and headed out to do some scouting and to try to roost a bird at dark. We found fresh turkey sign everywhere we checked and also drove up on two big toms with 5 hens. Finally right at dark we were able to get one to gobble out of his roost so we had a plan of attack for the morning. Opening morning we arrived at our spot well before daylight with windy conditions. Not good. As a matter of fact the forcast for the weekend was not good at all wind wise. We finally got the tom to shock gobble. We set up on him, me carrying both gun and bow, and started giving him our best impression of a love sick hen. However, with the increasing winds he did not want to talk much at all. He would basically only gobble when my brother would cackle at him. We heard him fly out of his roost and the last two gobbles we heard were of him going up and over the mountain he was on. We decided to go hit some other spots where we knew birds were but with the increasing howling winds getting a tom to talk was not going to be easy. For the next 3 1/2 hours we were running and gunning trying to get any kind of noise out of a gobbler. Nothing. The wind now blowing so hard that hearing one was going to be a chore. We kept at it when finally around 9:15 we got a tom to answer. Problem was he was probably only 125 yards away. He was down off in a creek bottom and the next time he gobbled we could tell he was getting closer and moving down the creek. So I decided that with the weather conditions and the high wind forcast the best thing was to just take my shotgun and ease down to the side of the creek. Just as I got set down I could see a hen coming right to me, and then another, and then the gobbler. I have yet to call once at the turkeys and they were coming right to me. As they were getting closer the one hen and the tom vered off to my left into some really thick stuff. As a matter of fact all I could see is pieces of them walking through the brush. As the one hen walked through the tinyest of holes I knew the tom would be right behind her. So I eased my gun up, scrunched down and leaned over as far as I could to be able to shoot the hole. The tom stepped into the hole at 12 yards and all I could see was his head which was enough and I rolled him right there. I was tickled pink with my second goulds turkey. I was also glad that I had my shotgun because where he was going through I would have never had a shot at him with my bow. It's not everyday you kill a goulds turkey with a shotgun and a release on your wrist . He is a big mature tom, quite a bit bigger than my first one. He has a heavy, 10.5" beard and spurs that measure 7/8" and 1". It was a great, fun, exciting hunt with my brother. The only thing that could have been better was the wind. Did I mention it was bad. Here are a few pictures. Brian

Thanks everyone. I feel very lucky and blessed to get one goulds tag let alone a second one. Brian

Great story and pics (except for the snake. Pics of them even freak me out)! Looks like a lot of fun by all. I was just north of there, Pinery Canyon, hunting turkeys Friday. Chiricahuas are one of my favorite places in Arizona to visit and hunt. They need a little moisture down there or it just might blow away in a cloud of dust. Oh, did you find any turkeys? (My E-scouting moment ) Brian

Great story and congrats on your bird! Brian

Now that is just awesome! Looks like a great time. Brian

Awesome job Brian! Way to get it done! Glad everything worked out for you. I will be down Thursday and hope to have as much success as you. Great bird. Congrats. Brian

My dad and I hit Apache Lake this morning. I turned out to be a great morning. We ended up catching 18 nice bass (1 Smallie). Largest going a little over three pounds. All bass were caught on dropshot and roboworms. Water temps were around 65. Beautiful day on the water with no wind this morning. Brian

Great job Nick! Great bird! Brian

Had two friends yesterday fish nearly all day looking for nothing but crappies in the shallows and they just ended up with three for the day. Brian

I still haven't found them on the banks yet. Brian

Saw six good bucks in 3b Thursday morning and they were all packing. Know a guy in southern Utah that is picking up fresh drops though. Brian

Brian, I never caught a crappie on Roosevelt and after 4 days of fishing only boated 12 fish. It was a nice time but the catching was awful. Everyone I talked to, and that was many, said the same thing. TJ TJ, I only caught bass at Roosey. Don't think I have caught but a handfull of crappie out of Roosey since the lake filled. So I don't hardly try anymore. San Carlos this past week has been pretty dismal for everyone I know that went. The water is falling way, way too fast. Temps are good for the crappie spawn but I think the falling water is got them confused. Looking at my past notebooks on my fishing trips over the years, I noticed where we caught spawning crappies when the water was this low and falling fast. So this weekend I have got a hunch where they are going to be. Going to hit it hard. Oh and congrats on another elk tag! Brian

I really like the "YUM" type of senko. They are called dingers. Fished side by side with my dad and his yamamoto senko they do just as good. You can get these at Walmart. Brian

Fished Sat. and Mon. at roosey and it was pretty slow for us. Caught a few but not the numbers I was hoping for. Fished the Salt End. Know some people who fished the Tonto end that did fairly well. Sun. went to San Carlos and it was extremely slow. Searched and searched for spawning crappies and couldn't find any. Brian

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