Desert_Angler

Yeah a lot of people don't even know that they are there until they accidentally catch one while fishing for northern pike using anchovies.

I've never bought or sold antlers. How could you do so illegally?

It really isn't that bad if prepared properly. Believe it or not, one reason why common carp are so widely distributed across the US and world is that they were initially brought to places as a food fish. Even today they are eaten by a lot of Asians and Eastern Europeans. But, if you were to just take a freshly caught carp and cooked it on the grill like a trout or bass, you're gonna have a bad time. As jfowler99 pointed out, if you cut off the dark meat, soak the fillets in a brine, and then smoke it. It comes out pretty tasty. However, because of their feeding habits, they can often be under a fish consumption advisories for excessive levels of heavy metals, PCBs, etc.

Thanks for the replies! I shoot from the shore (no boat) so I need the fish chasing each other within a few yards of the bank. In my experience, this behavior is only done for a short window of time in the spawning process. But when the conditions are perfect, the bowfishing can be great!

Just curious if anyone out fishing has seen carp jumping or moving into the shallows yet?

Glad to hear you liked it! The owner is a really nice guy and now that I know he knows about fishkeeping and fishing, I'm sure I'll talk his ear off next time I'm there.

Or you could try Carvalho's at Pinnacle Peak & Scottsdale. It is reasonably priced and has a wide variety of Brazilian dishes and cocktails.

Fogo de Chao if you are big meat eaters. They have a good salad bar even if you are not.

Wow! That is a lot of useful information that I am sure is definitely going to help me out. Thanks for the feedback! I'll be sure to post if I have any luck.

Yeah, that is pretty much the only reason why I'm willing to drive all the way out there. Unit 31 has a year round season on Aberts squirrels which I believe is meant to thin out their population and keep them from competing with the endangered Mount Graham Red Squirrel. I also think the Unit 33 Aberts squirrel season goes until May to help out the Arizona Gray Squirrel that is native to the region.

I was thinking of going up to Mount Graham this weekend to hunt Abert (tassel-eared) squirrels. I've never been there before and from what I have read, the 366 road up to the top is closed to vehicles at the Shannon Campground. If I can get that far up, the area looks plenty high enough to hunt squirrels (Aberts only). Has anyone ever hunted squirrels in that area or just hunted that area in general during the winter that has any advice?

Good observations. I hope with all that green grass out there, the 2017/2018 season will be great. The crops and gizzards of the quail that I got were full of it. As far as tracking the Mearns harvest, I know in this seasons regulations, The AZGFD has requested hunters of grouse, chukar, and band-tailed pigeon provide feedback so they can better understand how many birds are harvested, how many hunters there were, etc. Maybe they need something similar for Mearns Quail?

Do you still have pigeons available? Are they domestic or captured feral? Thanks

Fair enough. It looks like I've got to do some scouting and/or see if a rancher/farmer will let me shoot on their property.

I recently started hunting with an air rifle and would love to start going after invasive species like European Starlings and Eurasian Collared Doves. Does anyone have any spots that you can reliably find these birds on State Land, BLM Land, or County Islands? Normally, I would never ask for other peoples hunting spots for game like deer, elk, javelina, etc. but since these are pest birds, I figured people might share. I know these birds are very common in urban areas, but I want to keep it 100% legal so I don't get cited by the authorities. Thanks.