How to Catch and Release Tiger Muskie

Utah's DWR has produced a great new video showing how to catch and release tiger muskie. Warmwater Fisheries Coordinator Drew Cushing walks through how to safely catch and release Tiger Muskie. He also covers the necessary equipment you should have with you while fishing for this unique species.

See the tiger muskie video.

Impressive Rock Art In Snow Canyon

I enjoyed hiking in Snow Canyon last weekend and we did find a very interesting panel of ancient Native American rock art. The patterns carved into this particular rock are unique and interesting – well worth the trouble to search it out.

After raining off and on all morning, the precipitation stopped just before we started hiking. The sky became partly cloudy and it was warm. The sand was damp but that did not inhibit hiking, in fact it helped us gain footholds. It was a very nice mid-November day.

I was chasing down a lead about a large panel of rock art just west of The Ledges Golf Course and associated sub division. Just south of the Ledges, a road provides access to a right-of-way that allows hikers to move between tracts of private property and into Snow Canyon State Park. We followed that easement and then followed the eastern edge of the park up until we were on the west edge of The Ledges sub division. We then hiked west to the prominent rock where we found the ancient carvings.

This particular panel is in open country above a steep, twisting canyon complex. On a previous trip we had found rock art in a narrow slow down in the bottom of the canyon.

Talking to other hikers, we were told about the rock art panel above the canyon. One hiker mentioned a cove which he said was full of rock art, near to the slab above the canyon. We searched in that area without finding it. That country is big and rugged, and a cove with rock art could be difficult to find. Still, I'm questioning its existence because I've been hiking there for many years, talking to many people, and this one guy is the only one who has mentioned it.

At this point I've found three panels of rock art images in Snow Canyon. One is adjacent to the state park campground. Find the campsite on the north edge of the campground and look for the rock art on the cliffs adjacent to that site.

The second panel is in a very narrow slot at the bottom of the canyon complex SW of The Ledges, on the east side of the park.

And the final panel, the subject of this particular excursion, is on the rim above that canyon complex.

Snow Canyon is a great winter hiking destination. I may get back down there and poke around looking for the mystery cove, just because it is such a great hiking area.

- Dave Webb

Snow Or Sand For The Weekend

Every mid-week I start the debate, "What should I do this weekend?"

Go skiing? That's the obvious answer. Brighton opened for skiing today. Solitude will open tomorrow and several resorts will be open by weekend. There's about a foot of snow on the grass in my front yard, thanks to that nasty weekend storm. But no, I'm not all that excited about skiing. I go a time or two every winter but for now I'll wait until snow conditions become better.

Ice fish? When the storm moved out it left clear skies and temperatures plunged. It has been cold enough to put ice on the ponds in a hurry. I suspect there is now fishable ice on bays at Scofield. The fishing can be very good under new ice, but no, I prefer to wait for it to firm up and be guaranteed safe.

Hike? Yes, of course. I need to go to St. George for a business meeting (lucky excuse), and I'm not yet ready to give up on sunshine and warm sand. There is one more rock art panel in Snow Canyon I need to find and photograph, so I think I'll head that direction.

Right now the weather looks grand.

Winter's coming, but I'm still looking for a little more Indian Summer.

-- Dave Webb

Interesting Native American Events In N Utah

This weekend there will be two events that I find very interesting. Both relate to Native American culture. Here are details:

UVU Native Sons Pow Wow
The Native Sun Club will be sponsoring the 2012 Utah Valley University Pow Wow in the Grande Ballroom November 2nd & 3rd. Everyone is welcome to attend and enjoy two days of culturally enlightening festivities and fun! There will also be food vendors from our various Multicultural clubs, so come and support them as well.

More details.

Navajo Rug Show & Sale At Deer Valley
The 23rd annual Navajo Rug Show and Sale will take place at Deer Valley Resort's Snow Park Lodge, November 2 - 4, 2012. This special event provides attendees the opportunity to experience Navajo culture through demonstrations of weaving, singing and other traditions; and to help support Navajo elders by purchasing their hand-woven rugs and hand-crafted jewelry.

More details.

I'd love to attend both. Have to see how much time I can spare - work is incredibly busy right now.

- Dave Webb

Hiking In Snow Cnayon

Rock art in Snow Canyon 

I enjoyed a great weekend trip to St. George. The weather was perfect and we enjoyed relaxing in the sunshine and hiking is Snow Canyon. I also managed to fit in a couple business meetings, to justify the trip.

The weather was perfect for hiking. Cool in the morning but warm in the afternoon. So warm we quickly shed jackets and hiked in shirt sleeves.

I've made it a hobby to find and photograph Native American rock art around Utah and I'm getting quite a collection. I've found 3 panels of nice figures in Snow Canyon and today I talked to a hiker who told me about more figures. We were hiking the Gila Trail to a group of figures in a narrow slot when we talked to a hiker who pointed out a prominent rock that has many rock art figures, and the guy said there are more in that area.

We didn't have time to find them on this trip, but I will definitely get back there soon and find the new figures. It's always good to have an excuse for another trip.

Fun In The St. George Sun

I'm heading to St. George, Utah, for the weekend, to enjoy some much needed recreation. I've been pushing hard to build my business, working way to hard and not taking time out to relax and recreate.

I plan to hike in Snow Canyon - conditions should be perfect there right now. I'll also probably hit one of the nearby reservoirs and get in some late season bass fishing.

I'm curious, what do you enjoy doing in Utah's Dixie in the fall? I escape to that are often and I have my personal favorites, but I'm always interested in hearing new ideas.

- Dave Webb

Early Snow Excites Utah Skiers And Snowmobilers

Crazy heavy snow fell in some areas in Utah overnight, with more expected tonight and tomorrow.

Powder Mountain picked up a couple feet of powder and people hit the slopes with their skis and boards. We are also hearing about people skiing at Snowbasin and at the Park City area resorts. Skiutah.com provided the video below.

Snowmobile enthusiasts are also excited by the new snow. Beaver Creek Lodge, in Logan Canyon, received heavy snow and that may lead to early snowmobile opportunities, depending on the weather during the next couple weeks. I know and recommend Beaver Creek Lodge - it is my favorite snowmobile vacation lodge.

Here's the skiutah.com video:

Exploring & Fishing Cathedral In The Desert

Cathedral In The Desert

In 2005 I explored a beautiful grotto at Lake Powell, a place called Cathedral In the Desert. The Cathedral has become an icon, a symbol of everything lost when Lake Powell's waters inundated Glen Canyon.

A multi-year drought dropped the lake to a low level and the large waterfall in the Cathedral was fully exposed. Many people boated into the canyon to see the wondrous site. Some people hoped the drought would continue and the lake would dry up.

But the lake level has risen in recent years and there is now 10 feet of water over the top of the main waterfall. People can boat right over it, to a second smaller waterfall at the back of the canyon.

Last week DWR Lake Powell Project Leader Wayne Gustaveson boated into the Cathedral and caught some nice fish. See more about his report.

I'd love to get down there and see the second waterfall. It was not accessible when I made the trip in 2006.

Rattlesnake Facts and Stories

My father, LaVarr B. Webb, has written a series of fun stories about his adventures growing up in Utah's Dixie. Many deal with rattlesnakes. You can read the rattlesnake stories here.

I've also had many experiences with rattlesnakes. While growing up my family lived on the outskirts of the tiny town of Leeds, near St. George. We built a couple houses in the sagebrush on the edge of the wilderness. We often found rattlesnakes up against the house foundation, and more out in the barn.

We had animals, cows, pigs, chickens, and mice would come in to scavenger for feed grain and other food items. And, or course, snakes would come in hunting for mice. We found many a rattlesnake in the grain sack.

I've also encountered many rattlesnakes while fishing, hiking, camping and hunting. It is always exciting when you are jumping from one side of the creek to the other and midway across you see a snake tail twitching right where you are schedule to land. It is difficult but not impossible to change directions mid-flight.

When I was young we killed all rattlesnakes on sight. We chopped off heads with shovels, beat them to death with tree limbs, shot them with shotguns and otherwise dispatched them. We usually collected their rattles and often had long strings to show as trophies.

Now days I prefer to live and let live. If I see a rattler near a populated area I call animal control and they relocate the snake. If the snake is out in the wild, I leave it along. I've never seen a rattlesnake that didn't try to get away. If they are given a chance, they will flee rather than fight. In the days when I killed them I always had to chase them down. It was never the other way around.

Here are some facts and facilities about rattlesnakes, taken from my research and personal experience.

1. Rattlesnakes are aggressive and will chase you to bit you. Wrong. If they can, they will get away. If you corner them they will fight.

2. Rattlesnakes will launch into the air and strike you, even if you are many feet way. Wrong. The snakes' strike range is only about half the length of their bodies. They can't launch their entire body off the ground.

3. Rattlesnakes always have rattles. The best way to identify a rattler is to look for the rattles. Wrong. Young snakes may not have rattles. Mature snakes that have just molted may not have rattles. The coloration and pattern on the snake's skin may vary widely. The best way to identify a rattlesnake is to look at its head. Rattlesnakes have a distinct diamond shaped head. Other snakes have a rounded head. Look at a couple and you will clearly see the difference.

4. Rattlesnakes can swim. True. I've occasionally seen snakes swim across or down rivers and into lakes.

5. Rattlesnakes can climb trees. True. The snakes are most often seen on the ground but they can be found on logs and sometimes even in lower tree branches.

6. Rattlesnake bites are deadly. If you are bitten you will probably die. Wrong. If you are bitten you will probably get very sick. The area around the bite may swell up and turn black and blue. But in the United States people seldom die from rattlesnake bites.

Every year a small number of people are bitten by rattlesnakes in the U.S. One statistic I read said that 90% of bites occur while the person is drunk and trying to catch the snake. If you don't want to be bitten then don't try to catch snakes while you are drunk.

But don't hesitate to hike, bike, camp and explore. If you are lucky enough to see a snake it will probably be a fleeting view while the snake is fleeing.

- Dave Webb