California Sportsman Mag - Oct 2020

FISHING • HUNTING • TRAVEL CALSPORTSMANMAG.COM

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California

Sportsman Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource

Volume 13 • Issue 1 PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles CONTRIBUTORS Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Todd Kline, M.D. Johnson, Lance Sawa, Bill Schaefer SALES MANAGER Paul Yarnold ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Griffin, Jim Klark, Mike Smith DESIGNER Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker DIGITAL STRATEGIST Jon Hines ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Aumann INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@calsportsmanmag.com CORRESPONDENCE Email ccocoles@media-inc.com Twitter @CalSportsMan Facebook.com/californiasportsmanmagazine ON THE COVER Kelp paddy fishing off the Southern California coast can yield not just big dorado like this Josh McMahon-caught beauty, but also yellowtail and tuna. (JEFF KING)

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CONTENTS

VOLUME 13 • ISSUE 1

FEATURES 27

CALAMARI DREAMS IN JAPAN When our American Angler in Japan correspondent Lance Sawa was a youngster in Southern California, some of his most lasting memories were evening charter-boat trips in search of squid. Now as a father raising his son Nico in Japan, Sawa is still happily getting ink on his hands chasing these tasty cephalopods on the other side of the Pacific.

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PUT YOUR BLINDERS ON In part two of their series on hunting tips for rookies, From Field to Fire columnists Scott and Tiffany Haugen share the value of how ground blinds and tree stands can help newbie hunters stay stealthy in their quest for scoring a first buck or bagging a limit of birds. What to do with those grouse or quail back at camp?

Tiffany’s hobo pack recipe is just what your taste buds ordered.

48

In 1992, California was among the states where a new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service program designed to survey how many migratory birds hunters harvested and what species they most frequently targeted was first tested. Today, the Harvest Information Program is used in every U.S. state and has proven to be a valuable tool for hunting managers charting populations of ducks, geese, doves and other far-flying flockers.

MD Johnson has the details.

23

PACIFIC PADDY PARTY Boats zipping out of ports from Santa Barbara to the border with Mexico are looking to hop from kelp paddy to kelp paddy in search of the Pacific Ocean’s bounty of dorado (above), yellowtail and tuna. Our salty SoCal guru Bill Schaefer offers up his tips and tricks for pulling a few fish out of these paddies for your fall grilling parties.

(STEVE CARSON)

H.I.P. PROGRAM HELPS BIRD HUNTERS

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 9 11 15 17 19 35

57

The Editor’s Note Adventures of Todd Kline Photo contest winners Outdoor calendar Holiday Gift Guide Smoky Sierra skies from wildfires conjure up fishing memories Scott Haugen’s gundog training tips

Read California Sportsman on your desktop or mobile device. Go to www.calsportsmanmag.com/digital California Sportsman is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Avenue South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Annual subscriptions are $29.95 (12 issues). Send check or money order to Media Index Publishing Group, or call (206) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Display Advertising. Call Media Index Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Index Publishing Group and will not be returned. Copyright © 2020 Media Index Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A. 6 California Sportsman OCTOBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com

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THEEDITOR’SNOTE Sipping a pint along the Russian River gave the editor some time for reflection about everything Californians have gone through during these terrible wildfires.

(CHRIS COCOLES)

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UERNEVILLE–I spent a working getaway in Northern California as summer turned to fall, and throughout my stay the state’s wildfires were always at the forefront of my experience.

From my family’s weekend stay and fishing outing in the Sierra around Arnold and the melancholy I experienced reading the headlines about blazes in former fishing spots (page 35); to the terrifying blood-orange skies around the Bay Area due to smoke and haze from other fires; I’ve been consumed with grief for those affected throughout California.

When I spent a couple days with my great friend Norv at his family’s second home in Bodega Bay, the unhealthy air quality issues that we all experienced had vastly improved. But as Norv and I took a ride to the Russian River to have lunch and I reminisced about past trips to this quiet corner of Sonoma County, he reminded me of a sobering reality that the fires are omnipresent.

After a beautiful ride along the river on Highway 116, we eventually reached Guerneville, the riverside town my dad and I frequented with his car club in the old days. But Norv pointed to so many “Thank You, Firefighters” signs in town, as just weeks before Guerneville was under evacuation orders when the Walbridge Fire threatened the community. Though around 160 homes were destroyed, the carnage could have been worse.

After stopping for lunch at nearby Stumptown Brewing Company and enjoying a Riverview pint and sandwich on the socially distanced patio, it struck me how many Californians have been in peril from these terrible wildfires – on top of a pandemic and all the hatred and ignorance tearing apart the country in this most contentious and abnormal election year.

It hasn’t been easy; it has been tragic; it’s not over yet. But what else can we do but keep plugging away? Guerneville residents can attest to that. -Chris Cocoles

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I was just up at Clear Lake for the final FLW Toyota Series event of 2020 in the West. My go-to baits were an IMA lipless plug, a Coolbaits underspin, and a Revenge Baits swim jig. All were paired with my Okuma gear. (FLW)

s e r u t n e v d A

W The bugs were thick on the lake during the tournament. I finished in fifth place with a 15-fish, 53-pound 5-ounce bag, as well as placed second in the Angler of The Year race. (TODD KLINE)

These signs are the new normal in the COVID-19 world. (TODD KLINE)

Morning prep work before heading out on the lake. (FLW)

e’re not ashamed to admit it: Todd Kline has the kind of life we wish we could experience. Kline’s a former professional surfer, a successful co-angler on the FLW Tour and a Southern California bass guide, plus he gets to travel the world as a commentator for the World Surf League’s telecasts. Todd has agreed to give us a peek on what he’s up to each month.

For more on Todd or to book a guided fishing trip with him, check out toddklinefishing.com, and you can follow him on Instagram at @ toddokrine. –The Editor

On the first day, I had an average start with just under 15 pounds, which had me in 27th place.

But on day two I brought in the largest bag at more than 20 pounds.

That allowed me to climb 20 spots and crack the top 10. (FLW) calsportsmanmag.com| OCTOBER | OCTOBER2020 2020 California Sportsman calsportsmanmag.com

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On the final day just before sunrise I assessed my collection of rods. (FLW)

... But it still managed to produce a gorgeous sunset. (TODD KLINE)

This 8-pounder fell to a glide bait, and this is the face you make when you catch a big in practice and there are other boats in the area. (TODD KLINE)

Back home, my guided fishing trips picked up this past month. Here’s one of my clients who had a great day on the water. (TODD KLINE)

12 California Sportsman OCTOBER 2020 ||calsportsmanmag.com calsportsmanmag.com

Clear Lake, like most of Northern California, was smoky due to so many wildfires ... (TODD KLINE)

This was my glamping experience – I had a blast staying in my friend’s Airstream right on the lake. (TODD KLINE)

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PHOTO

CONTEST

WINNERS!

Paul Kearney is the winner of our monthly Fishing Photo Contest, thanks to this shot of wife Rosalie and her Washington Chinook. It wins him gear from various tackle manufacturers!

Chad White is our monthly Coast Hunting Photo Contest winner, thanks to this pic of cousin Luke and his black bear, taken last season. It wins him a knife and light from Coast!

For your shot at winning hunting and fishing products, send your photos and pertinent (who, what, when, where) details to ccocoles@media-inc.com or California Sportsman, 14240 Interurban Ave S, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. By sending us photos, you affirm you have the right to distribute them for our print or Internet publications. calsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020 California Sportsman

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16 California Sportsman OCTOBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com

OUTDOOR CALENDAR

Editor’s note: Because of COVID-19 restrictions, all events

should be checked for changes or cancellations. Below are events that had been scheduled in October and November, with websites/phone numbers for you to check for updates.

OCTOBER

3 Northeast Zone waterfowl season opens 3 Deer season opens in most X Zones 3-4 Early quail season for hunters with junior hunting licenses in Mojave National Preserve 10 Deer season openers in Zones D-11, -13, -14, -15 and -17 10 Archery-only pheasant season opens 10 NorCal Trout Challenge, Pardee Lake; anglerspress.com 17 Quail seasons open in Zones 1 and 3 (all quail) 17 Statewide chukar season opens 17 Statewide snipe season opens 19 Deer season opens in Zone X-9-C 23 Colorado River Zone duck and goose seasons open 24 San Joaquin Valley and Southern California Zones duck and goose seasons open 24 Balance of State Zone duck season opens

NOVEMBER

7 Southern San Joaquin Valley Zone scaup season opens 7 Southern California Zone scaup season opens 7-8 NorCal Trout Challenge Tournament of Champions, Collins Lake; anglerspress.com 11 Northeastern California antlerless elk (Rocky Mountain) season opens 14 General/statewide pheasant season opens 14 Fall wild turkey season opens 14 Late dove season opens 14 La Panza Period 2 antlerless elk (Tule) season opens 25 Fort Hunter Liggett Period 2 antlerless and bull elk (Tule) seasons open

Note: For more details on deer hunting seasons, go to wildlife .ca.gov/Hunting/Deer. Per the California Department of Fish and Wildlife: General bear season opens concurrently with general deer season in A, B, C, D, X8, X9A, X9B, X10 and X12 deer hunting zones. In the remaining deer hunting X zones, bear season begins October 10, 2020. General bear season closes on December 27 or if CDFW determines 1,700 bears have been reported taken. This includes bears harvested during archery season. For a list of upcoming bass tournaments, go to nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FishingContests/default.aspx.

Waterfowl seasons open up throughout California this month, beginning with an Oct. 3 debut in the Northeast Zone. (LORI DIETER/CDFW)

calsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020 California Sportsman

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DICKINSON ARMS

New Ranger Series single-shot shotguns from Dickinson Arms combine classic good looks, craftsmanship, excellent shooting performance and remarkable value. There is a full family of models for adults and youth, as well as a shortbarreled, folding Survival model – at retail prices ranging from $144-$164 MSRP. dickinsonarms.com

SMOKER CRAFT

Big water? Rough water? The Smoker Craft Phantom is ready for anything with its heavy-gauge all-welded hull, deep interior, IGTS integrated gunnel track system and toe holds for enhanced safety.

The Phantom series features an all-new, exclusive Vertex Performance Strake (VPS) hull and sets a new standard for heavygauge welded boats. smokercraft.com

SILVER HORDE

The KatchKooler Deluxe keeps your catch fresher and features a compact design for easy storage. Made from high-density closed-cell foam. Waterproof outer fabric.

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They can see you from above! With Gibson’s Blind Covers you can easily watch the ducks while staying hidden, and then simply gently nudge the covers open when it’s time to take the shot. Made from welded steel, powder coated, portable or permanent, adaptable to boats and stand-up blinds, sizes 2 through 6 feet, adjustable, sold in pairs. You see the ducks and they don’t see you. Drop more birds this season! Price $225-$425 per pair. Call (209) 712-9858 to order or visit Gibson’s Blind Covers’ website. gibsonduckblindcoversinc.com

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Boat Insurance Agency is owned and operated by Northwest boaters. They have the local knowledge needed to understand boating in the West, along with your special needs.

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PACIFIC WINGS WATERFOWL ADVENTURES

Perfect gift for the waterfowl hunter in your life is a hunt with Pacific Wings. Gift certificates available. You can purchase a hunt as a unique gift that is sure to please.

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RAD POWER BIKES

The RadRover seamlessly blends rugged capabilities and exceptional comfort. With 4-inch fat tires and a reputation for stability, Rad Power Bikes’ flagship ebike is perfect for off-road adventures, weekend spins around the cul de sac, and everything in between. It’s no wonder it’s the best-selling electric fat bike in North America. radpowerbikes.com

HAKAI LODGE

Create family memories that will last a lifetime! Share your fishing adventures at Hakai Lodge with your sons, daughters and grandchildren during multi-generation vacations, making it a family event to remember. It’s nice to have a break from your devices and what better way to bond with your family than on a fishing trip in the scenic wilderness of British Columbia? (The lodge has WiFi; whether or not you use it is up to you!)

Hakai Lodge is family-friendly and offers special rates for young adults. Their fishing trips are all-inclusive, including round-trip airfare from Seattle, Washington, and range from six days to two days. Check their website for rates. hakaifishinglodge.com

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22 California Sportsman OCTOBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com

FISHING

LET’S GO TO THE HOP! PADDY HOPPING WILL YIELD PLENTY OF SALTY TREATS FOR OFFSHORE ANGLERS

By Capt. Bill Schaefer

T

he fishing offshore for tuna, yellowtail and dorado this year has been great. The water temperature there has stayed more consistent than inshore, with temps off San Diego’s kelp beds dropping 5 to 8 degrees at least twice during a time when normally it is about 70 to 72 degrees.

These conditions have really affected the yellowtail off the kelp beds. Just when it got good the winds turned the water over. The calicos, at least off La Jolla and Point Loma around San Diego, don’t know what’s going on, so catch rates have slowed a bit, but it should return to normal with all the hot days we’re having.

COVERING A LOT OF RANGE When heading offshore, you can find paddies everywhere from about 9 miles out and beyond. From San Clemente and Catalina Islands south to the Coronado Islands and down into Mexico, it’s just a matter of how much gas your tank holds and how safe it is for your boat to traverse these waters.

You never know when a paddy might cross your path or you may never see one all day. They can be as large as a double garage door and not hold a fish, or be as small as an album cover and hold a giant school of dorado or yellows.

I should mention that when a bite starts, don’t just charge out of the

Josh McMahon shows off a nice dorado, which came off a paddy near the 43 Fathom spot. Up and down the Southern California coast, paddy hopping is scoring plenty of fall fish. (JEFF KING) calsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020 California Sportsman

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FISHING harbor and onto the ocean. Make sure your boat will go the distance, your bait tank will hold up and your tackle will do the trick.

Some of the tuna – if you do stumble across them – are giants and will surprise you and your tackle if you’re not prepared. Get ready this winter for next year’s tuna and paddy hopping and make sure all your rods and reels are in good working order and maybe reline them as well.

FALL SEASON IS HERE So how long will the paddy hopping and offshore action last? Almost every year the fishing goes into November, and sometimes it will stretch into December. It mainly depends on the water temperature and how far you can travel in your boat, as the tuna will drift south out of range of most small craft. Again, gas and size of your boat will make a difference.

Last month and up until now the hot spots have been the Desperation area off San Clemente Island south all the way to the 302 and 425, and points south into Mexico. But you never know where you may find a streak of the right water.

Last month Capt. Joel King and his boat FreeJack found a full-speed paddy of dorado at the 302. The fish there were in the 6- to 8-pound range with a few 10- to 15-pounders. Another paddy nearby held 15- to 20-pound yellows. Fishing in August, as usual, was out of this world.

HOW TO ATTACK A PADDY Once you spot a paddy, you can troll by it or just slide up on it and throw bait in the water. I like to troll by and throw a handful of bait as we pass and watch for boils. Then, when you decide to slide up on it, don’t use the motor and instead pull upwind and float with the wind past it – staying a cast’s distance away.

Most of the time your bait will swim to the cover of the paddy, and if the dorado or yellowtail are there you will know it in a second.

The rewards of a good paddy stop: yellows and dorado for the grill. (JEFF KING)

TACKLE CHECK Gear for fishing the paddies can range from light to heavy. Many anglers are now fishing with spinning gear. It’s fun fishing for the dorado since they can be line-shy at times. I have been using a set of Daiwa Proteus spinning rods with BG 4000 and 6500 reels.

I’m loaded up with Daiwa 65-pound J8 braid and run a 40- to 80-pound leader of Maxima fluorocarbon. Mustad supplies the hooks, No. 10827 bait style. But some anglers prefer a circle hook for that perfect corner-of-themouth hookup. Poppers and jerkbaits have been red hot as well.

Of course, regular tackle – from light bass gear to heavy conventional gear – works as well, but you can’t just grab that old rod you haven’t used in years and run out after these fish. You must check your drags, reline and tie on a new hook.

The points on hooks do deteriorate if they have been near salt air, even

24 California Sportsman OCTOBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com

just sitting in a package. They are so sharp the point can rust away easily.

You’re better off investing in a new pack of Mustad hooks than to keep wondering why you get bit but don’t hook that fish of a lifetime.

EXPECT ANYTHING There will be surprises, and when that happens you need to be ready.

What if the bite goes from small yellowtail to tuna or small dorado to 20-plus-pound yellowtail? Always start a little heavier, and if you’re not getting bit then go to lighter tackle, unless you are well versed in playing out a big fish and just love light-tackle action.

The fish are there in the Pacific, so you need to go if you haven’t already, find some of them and score some delicious meals for the winter. Grilled yellowtail, dorado or tuna tastes just as good in December and January as it does any other time of the year. CS

calsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020 California Sportsman

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SQUIRT SQUAD SAGAS FROM CALIFORNIA TO JAPAN, AN ANGLER LOVES JIGGING UP SQUID FOR CALAMARI

By Lance Sawa

A

full moon during a fall Friday in my Southern California youth always meant one thing for me: squid.

My dad would pick me up from school – the car already loaded with everything we needed: rods, tackle and snacks for the night – and we’d head to the marina. Together we would get on a boat rigged up with lights pointing toward the water.

After getting underway I would start preparing the rods with the squid jigs. Back then you had to tie each one separately with a bit of line between the jigs, then the sinker at the bottom. How many on each rod was up to the angler, though most had about five. Being young, I could only handle about three. (These days you can buy prerigged squid jigs with just the hooks and line. They are wonderful, fast and about the same price.)

The anchor went down after the captain found squid. Even though it was night, once the boat’s massive lights came on everything around us was illuminated. Despite the lights being pointed down, enough light still spilled out to make it painful to look in their direction. In the cold night, though, the heat from them was enough to keep us from being too cold.

Nico Sawa shows off his first squid, caught while fishing with his dad, author Lance Sawa, in Japan. It’s a tradition that started when Lance was a youngster in California. (LANCE SAWA)

calsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020 California Sportsman

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The rickety pier in Joetsu, in Niigata Prefecture on the other side of the island of Honshu from Tokyo, not only attracted anglers but beach lovers and playground warriors, including Nico. (LANCE SAWA)

Slowly creatures began to gather near each light. First were the small shrimps and other zooplankton. Then the small fish that eat the plankton moved into the light. And then came larger fish like mackerel and barracuda, which eat the small fish.

Finally, we’d have one squid, then another, then hopefully a blanket of squid would appear under each light.

At this point people had scoop nets out and pulled up squid easily.

Earlier, I had been jigging and getting one and two at a time, taking a few minutes each time to get them up. It wasn’t long before squid were being dropped into the tank by the dozens in seconds. Each time any squid was brought onto the boat, a stream of

black ink would get everywhere. The nets looked black quickly, as did the rest of the boat.

As soon as the nets came out it was time for me to retreat into the galley. I’d drink a cup of coffee that was about 20 percent coffee, 40 percent cream and 40 percent sugar, while everyone else consumed just black coffee. I’d also watch 20/20 on the onboard TV, as there wasn’t much reception out there on the ocean with rabbit ears covered in tinfoil.

Even with the coffee in me I’d find a way to get some sleep. A combination of the gentle rocking of the boat, end of the school week and the effort of pulling in squid with a rod helped tire me out.

28 California Sportsman OCTOBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com

If we didn’t fish all night and Saturday for yellowtail, halibut or white sea bass, then I was woken up to go home. Those nights I was handed a scrub brush and got to work cleaning off the endless amount of squid ink before it dried.

ONE EARLY MORNING HERE in Japan I saw that the squid were starting to bite.

Looking into where I could go catch some I found a little place an hour north of my house. The previous year I had wanted to go but never got time during the season. Still, I was able to get some cheap tackle when it went on sale. After all the rods and tackle were loaded into the car, my son Nico decided to come and go for a ride.

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Like in California, Japanese anglers love trying to reel in some tasty squid. (LANCE SAWA)

We headed to Joetsu in Niigata Prefecture, on the Sea of Japan, or inside, coastline of the island nation, where there’s a little fishing pier that is only open on the weekends and holidays. I like to fish on oddball days and since I’d never tried this place out, this was my chance.

The parking lot was huge because it’s shared with a local truck stop.

That also meant that the area contained vending machines, toilets

and everything was clean and well maintained.

I paid for two people to enter and walked up onto the pier, which had little more than metal grating for a floor. This area gets hammered by huge storms from time to time, so I guess that it helps the structure to stay in one place and not allow the wind and waves to move it around.

The structure was very solid, though, and didn’t move in the least.

The lure of the adjacent beach and play area was strong for Nico, but first he tried his luck catching squid. (LANCE SAWA)

However, the lack of rails on the far end of the pier was a little scary.

Most of the people there that day were also fishing for squid. A family next to us had caught a few before our arrival, while a couple on a date were trying to catch some mackerel or rockfish. Three men were fishing alone for squid, but it seemed that an old couple babysitting their grandchildren were just hoping to catch anything.

Unknowingly I’d come to a very relaxed and family-friendly place.

Once you paid to get in you could fish or just play on the beach, and there was even a mini ocean playground filled with seashells. Nico ended up playing in the water and sand later.

He loved finding all the different types of shells and sea sponges.

SQUID FISHING IN JAPAN is pretty different than back in California where I grew up. The lures used are called egi, which are little more than artificial shrimpshaped jigs. They are weighted and have the same type of sharp barbless hooks as squid jigs in the U.S. They come in a variety of sizes and colors, and even the shapes can vary. Some are thin like a pencil, others fat and almost round like a ball.

Fishing with these lures can be very tiring. After you cast you jerk the rod tip and reel in the slack line.

You do this a couple of times and then let the lure drop back down to the bottom. Then you wait a few seconds and jerk again a couple of times.

30 California Sportsman OCTOBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com

Squid will bite not on the jerk, but as the lure slowly drops back to the bottom or as it rests on the seafloor.

The casting and reeling is rapid; you are trying to cover as much water as you can. That’s because squid are on the hunt and move around nonstop.

Nico had been reeling for about 15 minutes and was beginning to eye the playground. Just at the edge of the seaweed was a shadow, which I cast to and hoped to get a bite. I thought the lure had drifted too far, but with Nico’s first jerk the bite came fast. On a second jerk, it was ready to play.

One, two and the squid attacked the lure just before it reached the bottom.

A staple of squid fishing in Japan is an egi jig, which is shaped like a shrimp. (LANCE SAWA)

Here is the reward after a long, ink-stained day seeking out some delicious squid meat. (LANCE SAWA) 32 California Sportsman OCTOBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com

He quickly reeled in the squid before it could escape.

The cephalopod cleared the water and ink came squirting out. Luckily, most of it went right back into the sea.

At this point it was time to try something unique to squid fishing in Japan. You take a special pick or knife and cut into the spine, killing the squid instantly. You know you’ve done it correctly if the squid’s body goes white. Next you cut into the brainstem and the head goes white.

All while the squid tries to ink you.

It took everything for Nico to wait that long before going to play in the sand and water. From where I was on the pier I could clearly see him playing and could continue fishing. He didn’t have coffee to drink or 20/20 to watch, though, like I did back in California!

I got into a rhythm and saw a little spot that the squid were travelling through the rocks. Within an hour I was able to catch a few more.

We packed up and headed home, where I’d deal with cleaning the squid and all the ink they left behind.

It has to be all cleaned up before it dries. But it’s worth it to bring home some calamari. CS

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34 California Sportsman OCTOBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com

FISHING Arnold’s White Pines Lake was a pleasant place to fish for trout on Labor Day weekend, though multiple California wildfires were on editor Chris Cocoles’ mind. (CHRIS COCOLES)

BIG TREES, BAD FIRES A SIERRA FISHING GETAWAY BRINGS BACK MEMORIES AMID DEVASTATING CALIFORNIA BLAZES

By Chris Cocoles

A

RNOLD—What I’ll remember most about here are the trees.

Huge trees. Trees at the lake I fished. Trees above the spectacular middle fork of the Stanislaus River we hiked. We even stayed in the shadows of Calaveras Big Trees State Park!

And when my sisters, brother-inlaw and our dogs relaxed on the deck of our cabin tucked away on a quiet street in the quaint community of Dorrington, the trees were always on our mind – partly because of the pine cones that kept falling and crashing down around us.

But despite not getting any cell

phone service throughout this peaceful and socially distanced Labor Day weekend, the Wi-Fi at our rental allowed a chance to follow what had become a statewide tragedy. Starting with freak August lightning storms, then an early September heatwave, the Golden State’s fire year became historically bad: 3.7 million acres

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FISHING burned by over 8,100 wildfires in 2020. My stomach churned, as some of the wildfires were in places where I’ve fished and made so many lasting memories. I’d have plenty of time to ponder them on a Saturday morning.

Though my sisters have zero interest in fishing, they all agreed to get up well before sunrise and tag along when I wanted to try my luck at nearby White Pines Lake, which has been a fairly productive spot to catch planted rainbows.

We drove in the twilight to the lake, taking an unplanned but scenic ride on a dirt road before finally

finding a parking lot and some mostly empty shoreline. Despite it being a holiday weekend – not to mention California’s second free fishing day of the year – the fishing pressure was relatively light at White Pines.

Still, I always have hope fish will bite. In this most forgettable year and feeling pessimistic about the future, holding onto good vibes is a necessity.

So, armed with nightcrawlers I’d bought at a Livermore Walmart while we waited to patch a flat tire suffered on Interstate 580, as well as some PowerBait products, I settled in for a long morning of waiting and thinking.

When Cocoles was a student at Fresno State, nearby Shaver Lake was a popular fishing destination not far from campus. This year the lake and nearby towns have been under siege from the Creek Fire. (ALEX OLOW/U.S. FOREST SERVICE) 36 California Sportsman OCTOBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com

CREEK FIRE: STARTED SEPT. 4 (FRESNO AND MADERA COUNTIES); AT LEAST 305,000 ACRES BURNED AND 955 STRUCTURES DESTROYED When I was in college at Fresno State, my weekends were typical of most college students – from dorm parties to football games at Bulldog Stadium to trips home for free laundry and a home-cooked meal.

Also, grabbing my fishing rod and joining a friend for a quick road trip up Highway 168 to Shaver Lake.

Once, my buddy Larry and I caught a few trout and a catfish, packed them in our cooler with a little bit of ice and then headed back to Fresno.

Upon returning to our on-campus dorm at Baker Hall, we were stunned to see that the catfish was still alive and well, thrashing around the cooler.

As dumb college students are prone to do, we had a brilliant idea. We decided to tote the cooler across campus and let the fish loose in the fountain that’s a meeting place for Fresno State students. Of course, since it was a Sunday it was quiet. But we highfived while watching that channel cat swim again before scooping it back out and eventually frying it up at a friend’s nearby apartment.

Shaver Lake is so beautiful and when I eventually got a job as a sports

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FISHING The Bidwell Bar Bridge at Lake Oroville was a constant backdrop during the editor’s 2018 landlocked coho salmon trip with his friend, the late Manuel Saldana Jr. For the last month flames from the North Complex West Zone Fire have engulfed the area around the bridge and threatened residents in the city of Oroville. (CHRIS COCOLES)

reporter for the Madera Tribune, one of my beats was covering Tollhouse’s Sierra High School sports teams. So I got to know many great athletes, coaches and parents who call this area home. Now as I sat in relative silence by the lake – my sisters napping nearby and keeping track of the dogs – my heart was breaking for the residents there whose lives had been turned upside down.

NORTH COMPLEX FIRE: STARTED SEPT. 8 (BUTTE AND PLUMAS COUNTIES); AT LEAST 305,000 ACRES BURNED (84,000-PLUS IN WEST ZONE NEAR LAKE OROVILLE), 2,342 STRUCTURES DESTROYED AND 15 DEATHS My first fishing experience at Lake Oroville was back in June 2012. I joined my friend Chris and guide Rick Kennedy, who then owned and operated Tight Lines Guide Service.

We caught so many landlocked coho trolling that day, and when one of the rods at the back of Rick’s boat got tugged and the others aboard were a bit distracted, I alerted our skipper to the hit and he said, “Well, reel it in, son. You know what to do!”

Fast forward six years or so and I was catching similarly sized fish with guide Manuel Saldana Jr. of MSJ Guide Service (California Sportsman, June 2018). It was just the two of us that day and we had so many great conversations between the fish we landed.

Manny, who’d become a good friend, passed away in 2019. I think about him most often when I’m fishing, reflecting about my outings with him. So it was easy to have him on my mind at White Pines.

Later that weekend I saw photos of

38 California Sportsman OCTOBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com

flames engulfing the land around Lake Oroville’s Bidwell Bar Bridge, which we had sailed under and fished around that warm spring morning.

A place that was so peaceful one day looked like the gates of hell another.

It can’t be real. But it is.

I HAD A REALLY nice morning at White Pines Lake. It didn’t matter that nobody who showed up that day was catching any trout; a father and his kids did reel up a bluegill, so that brought a smile to my face. But it was time to go. Hunger, the increasing heat and the plan to take a dip in a nearby swimming pond near our cabin chased us away from the lake.

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FISHING bakery between Arnold and Murphys and picked up a mixed berry pie to celebrate that night.

The rest of the weekend we mostly hung around the cabin, drinking beer and wine, grilling, eating pie and dodging the pine cone dive bombers falling from those big trees towering above us.

The air was smoky, conditions that seemingly everyone in California and the West Coast endured throughout September. You can guess that my family and I talked frequently that with all these trees, we were fortunate that this community wasn’t enduring the wrath of any of the many wildfires burning throughout our home state.

I can’t help but remember the good times at Shaver and Oroville I had and weep for the bad times that the locals are still suffering through. CS Though the trout weren’t biting, the quiet time at the scenic lake offered plenty of time for reflection as the state continues to be ravaged by fires in multiple locations. (CHRIS COCOLES)

40 California Sportsman OCTOBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com

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F

FROM FIELD...

HUNTING

FROM FIELD...

Pop-up or man-made ground blinds like this offer 360-degree concealment, giving hunters the edge when it comes to sitting in wait for animals to pass by. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

SEEING THE VALUE OF BLINDS

ROOKIE HUNTERS CAN GAIN VALUABLE ADVANTAGE WITH GROUND BLINDS, TREE STANDS

By Scott Haugen

I

n the second of our two-part series on big game hunting basics, we’re going to take a look at the value of hunting from a blind.

No matter your level of hunting experience, there will always be a place for ground blinds. However, if you’re new to big game hunting, ground blinds are a good place to begin your quest of putting nutritious and great-tasting game meat in the freezer.

BLIND HUNTING IS WHEN hunters rely

on a blind for cover, so they can remain hidden from game. Blinds are commonly used by bowhunters, but they are also utilized by rifle hunters in open terrain or in areas where movement may be detected by approaching animals.

Blinds can be on the ground or even in trees. Ground blinds can be manmade – they are called pop-up blinds – or crafted from natural materials. Tree stands are a common type of blind that can be hung in or positioned against a tree. Box blinds, or tripod stands, are built upon a sturdy base and can be

placed in open or wooded terrain.

The best blinds are those offering the most concealment. While a ground blind crafted of logs, limbs, brush and grass may look good, even the slightest movement can be detected by game through the smallest gaps in the blind.

Pop-up and box blinds hide your feet, break up your outline and allow some movement to be made, making them great for hunters challenged by sitting still for hours on end. Open only one or two windows of a ground blind, just enough to shoot out of, and you’ll see their effectiveness.

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HUNTING Minced garlic Corn Peas Butter Provolone cheese Salt, pepper and smoked paprika Cayenne pepper or red chili flakes (optional) Heavy-duty foil

... TO FIRE

Don’t settle for mediocre meals in hunting camp when there are upland birds to harvest. Tiffany Haugen’s hobo pack grouse will give your menu some pizazz.

ENJOY A WINGED TREAT AT HUNTING CAMP

By Tiffany Haugen

O

ne of the joys of hunting camp is cooking your quarry. While big game hunters prepare to head afield this month, don’t overlook the opportunity to pursue forest grouse and cook them up fresh in camp.

Regardless of what you’ve got in the game bag – sooty or ruffed grouse, even quail – hobo packs are a great way to cook up a meal over the campfire, charcoal or a gas grill. Preparing hobo packs ahead of time is a time-saver when it comes to camp cooking. And if all else fails and you come up empty-handed, you have a nice vegetarian meal ready to heat up at the end of the day.

Plan on two to four grouse breasts and thighs per person. A combination of any or all of the following ingredients can be included in a hobo pack. Note that some vegetables need to be cooked ahead of time, as you don’t want to overcook your grouse.

Sliced potatoes, partially cooked Sliced carrots, partially cooked Sliced zucchini Sliced mushrooms Diced bell pepper Diced tomato Minced onion

44 California Sportsman OCTOBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com

Prepare hobo packs prior to leaving for hunting camp. Partially cook potatoes in an oven or microwave until they just start to soften. Steam carrots on the stove or covered in the microwave until tender. Let cool completely before slicing. Chop all other vegetables. Cut two 18-inch sheets of heavy-duty foil for each hobo pack.

To assemble hobo packs, put two pats of butter in the middle of the foil. Spread a layer of sliced potatoes on top of the butter, about a 6- to 8-inch square. Add carrots on top of potatoes and a sprinkle of salt, pepper, paprika and any other spices you’d like.

Continue building your meal, adding any of the other ingredients desired. Add another sprinkle of salt, pepper, paprika on top of the vegetables. Finish with another pat of butter and close the foil.

Store in a cooler or refrigerator until ready to cook in camp.

Prepare grouse by removing breast and thigh meat. Chop meat into tiny pieces and inspect carefully for any shot. Sprinkle meat with salt, pepper, paprika and any other favorite spices. Tuck grouse meat into the middle of the hobo pack above the potatoes and carrots but below the other ingredients. Top with a slice of provolone cheese, reseal the package and cook on the edge of the campfire, atop of hot coals or in a medium-hot grill.

Packs should take 15 to 25 minutes to cook.

Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany Haugen's popular cookbook, Cooking Game Birds, send a check for $20 to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489, or order at scotthaugen.com.

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HUNTING If hunting from a tree stand, keep movement to a minimum. The value of hunting from a tree stand is that it gets the hunter off the ground, thereby allowing their scent to carry above animals. It also hides slight movement, but be careful not to move around too much when sitting in a tree stand.

Cover any metal parts that may potentially make noise with thin carpet or foam. Carpet can also be used to line the floor of ground blinds, which keeps things nice and quiet. When sitting in a ground blind, pick a comfortable chair that doesn’t make any noise when you move. There are specialty chairs available, designed specifically for hunting out of a ground blind.

BLINDS SHOULD BE LOCATED near trails that animals use as travel routes. Archers will position their blinds within 30 yards of a trail, or better yet, where a series intersect. Due to that close proximity, archers must make sure the wind is blowing in the right direction, from the trail toward the blind.

Rifle hunters may position a blind

Trail cameras are a great tool for monitoring the movement of big game, which allows you to strategically position a ground blind or tree stand to hunt from. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

200 yards from trails or a hillside they are hunting. With today’s shooting aids – even portable benches – getting a solid rest inside a blind is easy for a rifle hunter to achieve. The more solid your rest, the greater the chance of connecting on that first shot.

When hunting from a tree stand be sure to use a safety harness. There are

many types of safety harnesses, so try them on to see what’s most comfortable and what fits best. Once you decide on a harness, practice shooting with it on from your stand, as you don’t want any surprises come time for the hunt.

Due to the keen eyesight of deer, elk and other big game animals, many hunters prefer being in a blind.

The fact you can sit for hours in a blind, unseen, means you can relax, move a little and have a commanding view of the area in front of you. Just be sure to remain as quiet as possible, for the slightest unnatural noise can spook game.

SEVERAL HOURS, IF NOT days, can be spent hunting from a blind waiting for an animal to pass by. Then again, if in the right place at the right time, a hunt can end surprisingly quickly.

Scouting and the use of trail cameras will help you decide where blinds and stands should be placed.

The rest comes down to patience and persistence, and a little bit of good luck never hurts either. CS

Blinds and stands allow you to hunt animals like this unnoticed Roosevelt elk, with the intent of catching them as they move along game trails. (SCOTT HAUGEN) 46 California Sportsman OCTOBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com

Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s popular DVD, Field Dressing, Skinning & Caping Big Game, send a check for $20 (FREE S&H), to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489, or order online at scotthaugen.com.

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H.I.P. CHECK

48 California Sportsman OCTOBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com

L T D F

K

HUNTING LONG REQUIRED FOR MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTERS, THE HARVEST INFORMATION PROGRAM COLLECTS KEY DETAILS ON WATERFOWL AND OTHER FAR-FLYING FLOCKERS, INFORMING MANAGEMENT DECISIONS.

A mixed flock of waterfowl fly through a Northern California wetlands area. The federally implemented Harvest Information Program has provided valuable data for migratory bird hunting managers since it went nationwide in 1998. (REBECCA FABBRI/USFWS)

By M.D. Johnson

A

lot of things in life can be complicated, such as taxes and fuel-injected car engines.

Fortunately for those hunters who pursue migratory game birds each fall, the Harvest Information Program needn’t be on this list of complications.

HIP? What’s that? Glad you asked.

INTRODUCED INITIALLY AS a pilot test in 1992 in California, Missouri and South Dakota, HIP became a national requirement of all those hunting migratory birds in 1998.

“HIP is a program that allows biologists to estimate how many migratory birds – e.g. ducks, geese and doves – hunters harvest in this country each year,” said Karen Waldrop, Ph.D., and chief conservation officer for Ducks Unlimited (ducks.org). “It also tells us how many people are participating in hunting these species.”

It’s a cooperative partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state game agencies, whereby two important pieces of information are gathered. First is identifying the nation’s migratory bird hunters, and second: what types of migratory birds do these individuals pursue? Note the emphasis on the phrase migratory bird hunters and not exclusively waterfowl hunters. We’ll get to that distinction in a minute.

But getting HIP-certified is only step one in a potentially two-step process. That’s because not every migratory bird hunter will progress to the second step, a much more indepth harvest survey distributed by the USFWS. The key word here is harvest.

While HIP tells the states and the USFWS who the hunters are and what they hunt – ducks, coots, swans, snipe or doves, to name just a few birds – the in-depth survey provides accurate harvest information, such as how many and what species.

That’s HIP in a nutshell.

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HUNTING

Data for HIP is often collected as a hunter buys a new license, though in some cases that’s not always as reliable a source of information as it could be – for example, the customer service counter at big box stores, where the impetus is to get through as many people as quickly as possible. (JULIA JOHNSON)

NOW, WHO NEEDS to sign up for the program? This one’s simple – every hunter who pursues migratory birds must sign up for HIP. Who collects this information? How is it obtained?

We’ll get to that momentarily, but for now let’s define migratory birds.

Does this term mean only waterfowl – that is, just ducks and geese? Perhaps incorrectly, HIP has become associated more closely with waterfowl hunters. However, the program applies to much more than just duck and goose hunters.

The USFWS definition of migratory game birds includes any species of, well, migratory bird, including not just ducks and geese, but coots, brant, swans, doves, woodcock, rails, snipe, sandhill cranes, moorhens, bandtail pigeons and gallinules. For all of these birds there is a set season.

But wait, some California hunters might say, “If I only hunt ducks and geese – no snipe or rails, nor moorhens or gallinules, whatever in the heck moorhens and gallinules are – why is it that I have to answer questions about those species?”

“(USFWS needs) to be able to contact people who hunt various birds,” said Frank Rohwer, president and chief scientist of Delta Waterfowl (deltawaterfowl.org). “What this does is it narrows the field and allows the USFWS to ask more detailed questions about what was harvested.

They can even ask hunters to send in wings to help determine age, sex and other important data.”

One more note: Once HIP certification is complete, proof of that completion must be carried with the hunter in the field, and, like a hunting or fishing license, must be presented to a wildlife officer representing either state or USFWS offices upon their request. This proof of completion varies from state to state, and it’s the responsibility of the hunter to make sure he or she is HIPcertified and possesses the necessary documentation while afield.

WHO COLLECTS THIS info? When? Is there a cost?

Today, HIP information is gathered in a variety of ways, depending upon

50 California Sportsman OCTOBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com

the state where HIP is completed.

Often, this process is conducted either at the time a hunting license is purchased at a store, online or via a state-specific toll-free telephone number following the purchase of a hunting license.

At the license counter, the license agent should ask the HIP questions as part of the licensing process. If he or she does not, inquire as to the state requirements regarding HIP. “I usually buy my hunting license at a big box store, and I’ll call them out,” Rohwer said without hesitation.

“I’ll say, ‘Hey, I just got HIP-certified, and you didn’t ask me any of the questions.’ I know there are questions and I want to answer them because I want to be a responsible hunter.”

As for cost, the answer is yes or no.

In some states, California and others on the West Coast, for example, HIP certification comes free or as part of the license purchase price. Other states like Idaho and New Jersey charge a nominal fee designed to cover any administrative costs. Any cost, then, depends entirely on the state that

HUNTING

Better management of migratory bird hunting requires better data. Fowl populations, including mourning doves, are high at the moment, but haven’t always been that way, making HIP an important part of setting seasons that provide opportunity while guarding against downturns. (JULIA JOHNSON)

issues the hunting license and HIP certification.

H.I.P. CERTIFICATION IS only the first piece of the puzzle. The next step of this twostep process is just as basic. The name of every HIP-certified hunter in a state is placed into a general pool. It’s the computerized equivalent of a spinning drum, so to speak.

From this single drum or pool, a small number of hunters’ names are selected at random each year, and these individuals are asked to complete a much more in-depth survey; that is, the national harvest survey.

Think of it like winning the lottery.

These surveys are broken down into five separate categories: waterfowl (ducks, geese, sea ducks and brant); doves and bandtail pigeons; American woodcock; snipe, rails, gallinules and coots; and sandhill cranes.

Responses to the HIP questions allow the proper survey to go to the appropriate hunter. That means that duck hunters receive duck surveys, dove hunters receive dove surveys, and

so on. It’s important to note, however, that the occasional duck hunter might receive a dove survey, or vice versa, in order to try to sample hunters who have switched from one to the other.

The national harvest survey asks hunters to maintain a voluntary hunting record throughout the course of the hunting season. Think of it as a hunting journal or diary. For example, our Hunter X, now known to be a duck hunter by virtue of his or her HIP responses, will provide information that includes the date, county of harvest and number of ducks harvested, including any birds downed but not retrieved.

There is a third step to the process, known as the Parts Collection Survey, or more commonly, the Wing Survey.

A still smaller subset of hunters will be asked to provide one wing from each bird harvested during the season. With these, researchers can determine species, sex and age for ducks harvested, as well as other limited information for migratory bird species. This gives managers

52 California Sportsman OCTOBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com

important indications of the health of bird populations in addition to determining how many are harvested.

There’s a saying in the computer world: “garbage in; garbage out.”

It means one only gets out of the machinery what one puts in. Enter inaccurate information, and, to no surprise, the information received as a result is likewise erroneous. Similarly, wildlife managers stress the importance of having accurate HIP data in order to build upon that foundation.

“We use the information we get to estimate harvest,” begins Kathy Fleming, chief of the branch of data management and monitoring with the USFWS. “Those estimates are very dependent on the data we get and the size of those samples, so not only do we get an estimate but we want to know how accurate that estimate is.”

IT’S NO SECRET that wildlife management agencies today are being challenged to do more with less. And as agencies try to be more responsive to these challenges, HIP faces its own set of trials.

“The number of hunters has been declining, and most people are familiar with that fact,” Fleming said. “And HIP is our main source of information as a sample framework for our harvest surveys. Over the past 10 years, (survey) participation has declined across the board. People are inundated with requests to take surveys, so that’s negatively impacted our sample in that we (now) have a smaller number of hunters for our surveys, while we also have a lower response rate from those hunters selected. That’s our number one concern going forward for HIP.” But, you might be asking, what does HIP mean to me, the individual being asked to participate in this annual series of inquiries?

“The vast majority of hunters who participate are doing so because they know it’s important,” Fleming said.

“They understand why it’s important as hunters. And we view our hunters not just as people answering a survey, but as partners in data collection that directly affects their hunting

HUNTING For the first time since 1955, state, provincial and federal agencies in the United States and Canada didn’t perform the annual May waterfowl breeding population survey, but hunting managers will use long-term data to inform flock counts and wetland conditions. (CHAD ZOLLER)

WATERFOWL BREEDING, HABITAT SURVEY CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19

T

he U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service cancelled the annual Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey for the first time in its 65-year-history, due to restrictions stemming from the coronavirus outbreak.

The report came from Ducks Unlimited, which said the cancellation will not affect the 2020-21 hunting season.

This survey has traditionally involved state wildlife agencies and the Canadian Wildlife Service. Not only was this survey cancelled, but USFWS and CWS also won’t participate in the American Woodcock Singing-ground Survey, Mid-continent Population Sandhill Crane Survey, and Arctic Goose Banding Program. And the U.S. Geological Survey cancelled the North American Breeding Bird Survey, data from which is also important in monitoring bird abundance and regulating harvest of some species, the DU announcement said.

There is good news, however. According to Ken Richkus, chief of the USFWS Division of Migratory Bird Management, the agency will be using “long-term” data and models to produce a forecast for this spring’s duck numbers and habitat conditions.

“Decisions to cancel the May survey and other migratory bird monitoring this spring were based on our priority of protecting the health and safety of the American public, our partners and our employees,” Richkus said.

Another factor in this process is the current travel restrictions in Canada. They may affect some of the goose banding efforts.

Ducks Unlimited Chief Conservation Officer Karen Waldrop had this to say: “These surveys are the bedrock of effective harvest management in North America and have helped sustain waterfowl populations and abundant hunting opportunities for over 60 years. Although we will miss the anticipation and excitement that comes with the annual release of the May survey results, we don’t expect the cancellation of surveys to impact seasons and bag limits for the majority of species. The combination of healthy, robust waterfowl populations and our long-term experience with these data gives us faith that the waterfowl management community can project populations with a high level of certainty.” –Dave Workman

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opportunities. So it’s different from a survey that asks, ‘What did you watch on TV last week?’ We’re actually asking hunters to provide us with scientific data on their harvest.”

When asked what would be tangible benefits for the migratory bird hunter, Fleming said, “I would say there are a lot of benefits to hunters for providing quality information. Hunters and the public want us to make wise decisions about managing migratory birds, and that’s the number one thing we can do with good information.”

IN CLOSING, A final note: Like the migratory bird hunters upon whom it depends, HIP’s story has been one of evolution; a series of modifications and improvements have been made over the course of its history.

What hasn’t changed since HIP was introduced nationwide in 1998 is the importance of hunters providing good information. Seasons, bag limits, hunting zones, unique opportunities and habitat management decisions are all connected to you, the hunter who answers the questions.

“We’ve been in this prolonged period of liberal bird hunting seasons,” said Fleming, “with really good habitat conditions for most species. And I think a lot of hunters don’t know or remember some of the restrictive regulations that were used in the 1970s to 1990s, so they don’t see the need for getting really good information every year. They think there are a lot of birds and, with fewer and fewer hunters every year, that we don’t need good data. But nothing could be further from the truth!”

“Just because we have liberal seasons now doesn’t mean we can relax our need for information. It’s a very important part of being able to set the season framework and have an entire strategy that lets us know when we have to be conservative and when we can be liberal. But that requires data annually, not just every few years.”

So as responsible hunters, we’re in this together, and it all starts, each year, with each of us getting HIP-certified. CS

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HUNTING

Author Scott Haugen and his dog, Echo, on her first wood duck hunt. She retrieved three limits of ducks for a trio of hunters, in a range of conditions she’d never before experienced. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

VARIETY THE SPICE OF LIFE FOR GUN DOGS TOO

By Scott Haugen

W

e’re smack in the middle of bird hunting season, meaning there’s no shortage of things to do. Whether you’re a passionate upland hunter chasing chukar, pheasants or Huns this time of year, taking to the water in search of ducks and geese, or heading into the hills for grouse and

quail, there are many options to consider. And when considering the various hunting choices, think first about what it will do for your dog, not you.

Because dogs get bored doing the same thing over and over, it’s good to introduce change to them. Be it food, training times, training places, even the hunt itself, I’m always trying to vary our schedule. Of course, my

dogs would be content sitting in our duck blind every day, or working the same mountains for sooty and ruffed grouse. But I try to take them on different hunts whenever I can, as it’s not only exciting for them, but a thrill for me.

TWO SEASONS AGO I took my dog, Echo, on her first wood duck hunt. I grew up hunting woodies near my home in

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HUNTING Oregon’s Willamette Valley, but never had a dog as a kid, and figured it’d be a fun change of pace for Echo. Due to the tight confines of our setup, I wanted to only take one of my dogs for ease of control. A couple buddies invited me to hunt a small creek with them. We were in place well before daylight with a dozen woody decoys spaced out in the small creek in front of us.

Fifteen minutes before shooting light, the woodies started bombing into the decoys. By the time shooting time came, Echo and I were wound up. Ducks continued pouring in and in less than 20 minutes it was over, we had our three limits of wood

ducks. It was the most fast-paced action Echo had ever had; once the shooting started she was never in the blind, rather picking up ducks as fast as she could.

Echo was grabbing birds off the ground, amid a thick oak grove, off the water, and from beneath dense brush that lined the creek’s shore.

Crippled birds that swam into the shoreline brush gave Echo fits, but her tenacity and diligence paid off. She slept heavily the rest of the day, for the 21 retrieves in such a short time, in some very challenging habitat, wore her out. But she did so well, we repeated the hunt a few weeks later.

A change of hunting action is healthy for your dog, breaking the rut of always doing the same thing in the same place.

Here, Haugen and Echo enjoyed a ruffed grouse hunt in the spruce forests of southeast Alaska last fall. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

LAST FALL, MY wife and I moved back to Alaska, where I enjoyed some great hunts for the Vancouver variety of Canada geese, and so did my dogs.

Hunting here took place on a vast tide flat, and it was easy for both dogs to see miles in all directions. The calls of geese bounced off the surrounding snow-capped mountains, resonating throughout the valley. When bald eagles flew through, or when a tide shift occurred, hundreds of geese would take wing, their calls getting the dogs more and more excited.

Flocks of these geese would pass overhead, and often I was able to connect on doubles, which was good for both dogs. Due to the vastness of the land we hunted, it was a great joy seeing and hearing geese moving most of the day, for me and my dogs.

I also hunted ruffed grouse in the river bottom at our home in Hyder, Alaska. My dogs had never hunted river bottom grouse, only pursuing them in the Cascades, back in Oregon. In the river bottom, they loved working stands of cottonwoods and semiopen spruce forests, and they did very well.

THESE ARE JUST some of the recent hunts that offered different experiences for my dogs and me. We’ve also been to Saskatchewan where we learned all about high-volume snow goose hunting, as well as spent time in the high desert. Echo has even hunted on a couple pheasant preserves, an experience that kicks any dog’s senses into overdrive.

I’m a firm believer in change being a good thing, and such is the case when it comes to hunting with dogs.

This fall, consider taking your dog on a new hunting adventure. Not only will the experience be enjoyable for both of you, but your dog will come out a better hunter because of it. CS Editor’s note: To watch Scott Haugen’s series of puppy training videos, visit scotthaugen .com. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.

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