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Wings Over Willcox ~ Whitewater Draw


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Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area

 

 Arizona Game and Fish

 

Professional Photography Guide Services Courtesy of the Wings Over Willcox Festival volunteer efforts of George Andrejko and Tom Whetton.

These gentleman were truly professionals in their photographic skills and in their people skills. They knew when to make the instructive  and constructive comment that was specific to the setting at hand as well as being appropriate to the group in general. Their presentations and style were different yet complementary, obviously there is a history here of having collaborated with one another.

I would participate on any of their photo tours without hesitation.

Wings Over Willcox is an extremely well organized and well run nature and birding festival in this, its 20th year.

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Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area

 

Arizona Game and Fish

 Tom Whetton has me convinced that all wildlife photographers and/or birders should be buying hunting licenses and duck stamps to support the wildlife areas that they appreciate and frequent. Otherwise we are freeloading on others. Those license fees go directly to Arizona Game and Fish.

Expanded Image Gallery

Cochise County, Arizona has been a way interesting area to spend some time. I would return.

Now on to Bosque del Apache NWR in New Mexico and then the great yet quirky state of Texas.

22 Jan 2013

Crossed J Ranch ~ The Heritage of Brannick and Mary Elizabeth Riggs


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Brannick and Mary Elizabeth Riggs

“Brannick Riggs was born July 10, 1828 near Tuscaloosa, Alabama. As a young man he moved to Texas where he was a teamster for the United states Army, worked on a large plantation and farmed. In 1856 Brannick met and married Mary Elizabeth Robbins. Mary Elizabeth, the daughter of a teacher, was born near Nashville, Tennessee. When the Civil War broke out, Brannick left his family in Texas and joined the Confederate Army serving under Sibley. He was wounded in the shoulder and taken to a Confederate hospital for treatment where he was captured when the Union Army seized the hospital. He was soon released and returned to Texas.

In April 1870 Brannick and his family headed for California. In July they stopped in Trinidad, Colorado where the operated a sawmill to provide timbers for mines and rail roads. Seven years later they were on the move again driving a herd of milk cows to California. Arriving in Arizona in 1879, they set up camp at a spring in Big emigrant Canyon about five miles east of Fort Bowie and sold milk and butter to the soldiers at the fort. The spring dried up and the family was forced to look for another location. Passing through Apache Pass and finding permanent water in the Sulphur Springs Valley, they established ‘Home Ranch’ along Pinery Creek and began raising cattle and supplying beef as well as milk and butter for the fort.

The area proved to be an ideal place to raise cattle. Brannick and his sons improved their herd, acquired more land and water rights and found other markets. Soon the children began establishing ranches and by homesteading and purchasing other land, Rigg’s family ranches eventually stretched along the Chiricahua and Dos Cabezas Mountains from near Turkey Creek almost into Willcox and north into San Simon Valley.

Brannick and Mary Riggs had eleven children: Thomas, Rhoda, William, Martha, Brannick B., James, Mary, John, Lucy, B.K., and Edith. Brannick and Mary felt education was of utmost importance but there were no schools in the area. Brannick built a one-room school near his home and employed teachers from the east to teach his and other area children.

Brannick Riggs dies July 3, 1907 and Mary Elizabeth died in 1935. Many descendants of Brannick and Mary Riggs still live and ranch in the Sulphur Springs Valley.”

(the above text quoted directly from material provided by Jim Riggs – WOW ’13)

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Sulphur Springs Valley below the Chricahua National Monument.

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Jim Riggs and son, Tom Riggs, and their wives, Janna and Buffi, and their grandson and granddaughters, son and daughters currently run the Crossed J Ranch.

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Crossed J Ranch stockpile and materials below the foothills of the Chiricahuas.

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20 Jan 2013

The Family That Ranches Together …


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The Crossed J Ranch

The Jim and Janna Rigg’s Family Ranch

Sulphur Springs Valley, Cochise County, Arizona

The families of Jim Riggs (4th generation Riggs) and Tom Riggs (5th generation Riggs) graciously opened their home ranch to participants in the 20th Wings Over Wilcox Festival.

Thank you.

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Jim Riggs – Fourth Generation Riggs to Ranch the Crossed J Ranch

In the Rigg’s Family Since 1879

7000 Acres of Deeded Land with 216 AUM USDA forest Allotment

Sulphur Springs Valley, Cochise County, Arizona

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Sixth Generation Riggs: Karissa, Nathan & Ashley

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Propane Branding Iron Heater

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Tom Riggs, Fifth Generation Riggs, and Family

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My Apologies to the Riggs Family Women That Their Images Are Absent

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A Potential Sixth Generation Rigg’s Family Member Destined to Live On the Land Somewhere In This Post?

20 Jan 2013

The Wild Bunch


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 Wings Over Willcox

Willcox, Arizona’s long-running nature and birding festival celebrated it’s 20th anniversary with an exceptionally cold week’s run up to the event.

On top of that The Wild Bunch came to town in the form of Arizona’s Western Caterers of Cave Creek to do up the ranch-style mid-day meal on the Rigg’s Ranch tour.

Good Food – Good People

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Biscuits to die for …

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… and the Peach Cobbler, Oh My!!

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Bob and Jeri Lyn : The Wild Bunch – Arizona’s Western Caterers of Cave Creek

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm-Mmm!!

Get yourself some!

Kudos to whomever planned the Riggs Ranch tours.

20 Jan 2013

The Willcox Wrangler


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The Willcox Wrangler

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14 Jan 2013

Buyers & Sellers ~ The Faces of the Willcox Livestock Auction ~ Vol 3


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Willcox Livestock Auction

 Willcox, Arizona

Weekly Thursday Cattle Sale

Thursday January 10, 2013

A Thank You to Sonny Shores, Working Owner & Paul Ramirez, Auctioneer

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Thank You All For Your Willingness To Allow the Lens To Capture You

 

Expanded Gallery To Follow

 

 

 

12 Jan 2013

Buyers & Sellers ~ The Faces of the Willcox Livestock Auction ~ Vol 2


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Willcox Livestock Auction

Willcox, Arizona

Weekly Thursday Cattle Sale

Thursday January 10, 2013

A Thank You to Sonny Shores, Working Owner & Paul Ramirez, Auctioneer

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Thank You All For Your Willingness To Allow the Lens To Capture You

Expanded Gallery To Follow

12 Jan 2013