Northwest Sportsman Mag - Oct 2021

FISHING • HUNTING • NEWS

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Sportsman Northwest

Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource

Volume 14 • Issue 1 PUBLISHER James R. Baker

Your Complete Hunting, Boating, Fishing and Repair Destination Since 1948.

ALUMAWELD

EDITOR Andy Walgamott THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS Dave Anderson, Jason Brooks, Scott Haugen, Randy King, MD Johnson, Buzz Ramsey, Dave Workman, Mike Wright, Mark Yuasa EDITORIAL FIELD SUPPORT Jason Brooks GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak SALES MANAGER Paul Yarnold ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Griffin, Jim Klark, Kelley Miller, Mike Smith DESIGNER Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker OFFICE MANAGER Katie Aumann INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGER Lois Sanborn WEBMASTER/DIGITAL STRATEGIST Jon Hines DIGITAL ASSISTANT Jon Ekse ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@nwsportsmanmag.com

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ON THE COVER Chad White bagged this Eastern Washington mule deer in a recent season, a trip and buck that hooked the blacktail fanatic on hunting the dryside species. (COAST HUNTING PHOTO CONTEST)

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CONTENTS

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VOLUME 14 • ISSUE 1

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FEATURES 77

STRAY SOUTHWEST FOR SILVERS With good numbers of coho expected to return to Lower Columbia tribs this fall, Mark Yuasa details the best rivers, their forecasts and how to catch your share of salmon.

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THE FALL FISHIN’S FINE OUT OF OROFINO, IDAHO There are more hunters than trout anglers in a trio of Idaho Panhandle watersheds this time of year, but that doesn’t mean the fishing sucks.

In fact, Kelly Creek, the Lochsa River and North Fork Clearwater just might offer salvation after a rough summer for Inland Northwest fishermen. Mike Wright shares how to work them.

119 LESSONS I’VE LEARNED HUNTING MULEYS Sitting on his butt all day last fall led Andy Walgamott to his biggest buck yet, the culmination of past seasons’ observations and kills (and, yes, a lotta luck). Learn how to put everything together to be at the right place at the right time.

120 NORTHWEST DEER PROSPECTS Read what state biologists are forecasting for this fall’s mule deer, whitetail and blacktail seasons in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

145 GET READY FOR RIFLE ELK Dave Anderson, a former hunting guide, shares some of his top tips for pursuing mature bulls, spikes and cows east of the Cascades.

146 WASHINGTON, OREGON ELK FORECAST Where are the best and toughest prospects for wapiti this fall? We surveyed the Northwest landscape for clues ahead of 2021’s seasons.

131 BLACKTAILS IN THE BACK 40 Burned out trying to find bucks high up in the Cascades? Don’t want to pay for private timberland access? There’s an option closer to home, albeit with safety caveats.

MD Johnson has the details.

56

RAZOR CLAM HOW-TOS

With massive numbers available for harvest on the Washington Coast and nearly two months’ worth of open days from now through the end of 2021, Mark Yuasa has everything you need to know to dig up limits of these tasty bivalves!

(DAN AYRES, WDFW)

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NORTHWEST SPORTSMAN is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Avenue South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Periodical Postage Paid at Seattle, WA and at additional mail offices. (USPS 025-251) POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Northwest Sportsman, 14240 Interurban Ave South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Annual subscriptions are $29.95 (12 issues), 2-year subscription are $49.95 (24 issues). Send check or money order to Media Index Publishing Group, or call (206) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Back issues may be ordered at Media Index Publishing Group offices at the cost of $5 plus shipping. 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 © 2021 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.

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Northwest Sportsman 17

BUZZ RAMSEY

Advanced Twitching Tips For Coho Bob Kratzer discovered twitching for coho nearly three decades ago while trying to catch big Alaska rainbows with marabou jigs. Since then he’s refined both the presentation and where to deploy the technique – and not just in the frogwater you think coho can only be caught in. Buzz shares advice from Kratzer and two other silver sharpies.

COLUMNS

67

(ANGLERSGUIDESERVICE.COM)

109 ON TARGET

October Means Venison!

Riflemen are heading afield across the Northwest this fall in hopes of filling their tags, and Dave will be out there in the pumpkin patch too, this season carrying a somewhat sentimental rifle.

153 CHEF IN THE WILD Long Live The Mountain The discovery of an old spearpoint highlighted a weekend bowhunt for Chef Randy and his family, linking them to that Idaho mountain’s long history of providing sustenance for local peoples. He shares the story of that landscape – as well as a recipe for roasted deer front shoulder with a nice seasonal pumpkin soup.

159 GUN DOG How To Hunt Fall Turkeys With A Dog Fall turkey season is far less popular than the spring edition, but in Oregon you can bring along your four-legged hunting partner – Scott details “an addictive, thrilling way to hunt for that holiday bird.”

167 NORTHWEST PURSUITS Late Opener May Mean More October Grouse The two-plus-week delay of the start of Washington’s grouse season may mean more are available for harvest during this month’s deer and elk hunts, and that has not gone unnoticed by Jason.

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(BRENT LAWRENCE, USFWS)

THE BIG PIC:

The Art Of Mentoring How to get new hunters – and not just kids – afield.

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THE EDITOR’S NOTE Shellfish overlimits need strong response from courts

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PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS Coast Hunting, Fishing monthly prizes

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THE DISHONOR ROLL Men cited for killing elk with rifle during Oregon archery season; New eyes in Washington’s woods, along waters to deter poaching; Jackass of the Month

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DERBY WATCH Buoy 10 Challenge yields salmon, prizes, fundraising dollars; King Of The Reach live-capture derby coming up; More upcoming events; Recent results

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A Newport Police Department photo shows some of the 135 Dungeness crabs a Salem man allegedly hauled out of Yaquina Bay on September 15-16. Seventy percent were illegal-to-retain females. (NEWPORT PD)

THEEDITOR’SNOTE

L

ast month’s news that a poacher tried to make off with 135 Yaquina Bay Dungeness crabs – including 95 illegal-to-keep females and a number of too-short males – was infuriating but also emblematic of the chronic shellfish overlimits we’re seeing during the pandemic. The disgusting greed and sheer gluttony – not to mention blatant disregard for the regulations and conservation concerns – made the allegedly caught-red-handed suspect an instant Jackass of the Month candidate.

That man was named by the Newport Police Department as Dave R. Langimeo, 35, of Salem. He and three other males were contacted at 1 a.m. on September 16 near the Rogue Brewery, gateway to the public pier. Langimeo was initially deceitful, per police, claiming he hadn’t been crabbing and then when he OKed an officer to look inside the cooler he’d quickly sat down on, he opened and closed the lid in a flash – but still revealed females and undersized crabs. Inside Langimeo’s vehicle were two more coolers bulging with illegal crabs.

While the Dungies were placed back in the bay, police reported that it was “doubtful many of them survived, as most had been out of the water for some time.” It’s a potentially concerning loss of females during what’s become “a really bad year” for low oxygen levels in the ocean off the Oregon Coast due to a major hypoxia event.

THE CASE INCITED overwhelming anger on social media, but in the midst of all those beet-red faces, I want to give a big blue thumbs up to officers and personally thank them for routinely patrolling the area around the pier at all hours. Newport is my adopted home away from home and I crabbed off that same pier in early September. I’d been looking forward to it for months, but in the end I only ended up releasing several females, short males and midsized red rocks.

Who knows if any subsequently ended up in Langimeo’s coolers, but his case serves to highlight another increasingly serious problem on the coast. In last issue’s Dishonor Roll we detailed the Waldport trio criminally cited in June for possessing 77 female and 13 undersized male Dungeness, the seven people on Tillamook Bay’s tide flats with a combined 851 clams more than allowed – the equivalent of 46 personal limits – and the guy caught in Newport with roughly 280 nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 25

more mussels than the daily bag.

Argh! Maybe it’s time put up a giant billboard next to Newport’s “The Friendliest” sign – KNOW YOUR SHELLFISH LIMITS.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. This new case can help stop the overlimits issue by making a widespread impression there are in fact restrictions and poachers will pay through the nose for breaking the rules. The Salem Statesman-Journal reported Langimeo was “charged with three Class A wildlife misdemeanors, which each carry a fine of up to $15,000 and a year in jail.” The newspaper also noted that a Newport officer said the judge and county prosecutor have discretion on penalties.

I, for one, have faith in the Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office.

Deputy DA Kenneth Park there knows the importance of Dungeness to the local economy. The August Dishonor Roll highlighted his prosecution of a Hermiston couple who were sentenced to pay $1,200 each for their cheeky scheme to illegally sell sport-caught crabs by offering them for free with an $11 suggested donation.

It’s not just the huge haul that comes in off the commercial boats either. I don’t know how many dollars the average tourist drops on the Oregon Coast, but we once again contributed our fair share during the extra time we spent in Newport so I could go crabbing last month during what is the prime part of season. Multiply that by the dozens on the pier that day, the one before that, the next day ...

Unfortunately, poachers also know about the abundance of crabs and they take advantage of it. So now it’s time for the Lincoln County court system to make abundantly clear to Langimeo and all other shellfish scofflaws that there are limits to follow and that massive penalties await those who do not. –Andy Walgamott

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The Art Of Me

A mentored duck hunt a couple falls ago at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge near Vancouver was a chance for Sal Trujillo (left), a former 101st Airborne soldier who served five years in Iraq, to try out the sport with a seasoned waterfowler. (BRENT LAWRENCE, USFWS) 28 Northwest Sportsman

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entoring

PICTURE How to get new hunters – and not just kids – afield.

By MD Johnson

N

ot all new hunters are young hunters. What I mean is, when it comes to new hunters – or anglers or campers or off-road drivers or skydivers, for that matter – not all mentoring shines the spotlight on, say, a 13-year-old. Or, in the case of my father and me back in 1972, an 8-year-old.

True, lots of new hunters are in fact kids, but more and more in this modern age, many of those getting into hunting aren’t kids – and they haven’t been for a decade. Maybe two. Or more.

Many of them now have the financial means necessary to become hunters; that is, they can afford licenses and clothes, guns and ammunition, decoys and buck grunt calls. They have a vehicle, money for fuel and the ability to go, more or less, any time they wish, depending on 1) if they’re gainfully employed, and 2) if they wish to stay gainfully employed.

But wait, wait, wait! What’s all this have to do with anything? Let me explain.

This month, I’d like to address the art of mentoring new hunters; rather, how to introduce new hunters to our chosen recreational pastime, hunting. Now, not too long ago, new hunter and kid, aka young person, were pretty much synonymous terms. Things, as things are want to do, have changed. Which, then, brings us full circle back to mentoring in the 21st Century.

So how do you do it, this mentoring gig?

Sounds easy enough, eh? Get a potential recruit some gear, send ’em through Hunter Ed, show ’em a thing or two about a shotgun or rifle, and they’re ready to hit the field, right? Same scenario with a 30-something, only they can get all their own stuff; all you have to do is show ’em the proverbial ropes, yes? And without revealing any of your hard-won public hunting hotspots. You

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long as those mistakes don’t involve safe firearm handling, hunter/outdoor ethics, and licensing or regulatory issues, well, then make them. Look at all of it as a learning experience, as it truly is. For the both of you.

PICTURE

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE

A great goose outing along the Lower Columbia led author MD Johnson’s grandson Tristan to immediately ask to go out again the next day, but by the time they awaited that second morning’s flocks, the lad’s enthusiasm had waned. It reminded Johnson that not everyone shares his level of commitment and that in mentoring, patience is required – and often rewarded. (JULIE JOHNSON) know, the ones absolutely no one other than you and God him- or herself knows about.

Ummm, huhhhh…

As many of you mentors have discovered, it’s usually – translation: typically and/or always – not that simple.

There’s more to it than that. There’s the preparation. The psychological aspect; that is, is your soon-to-be mentee ready for everything involved in the act of taking 30 Northwest Sportsman

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a wild life? What about a wounded animal?

A poorly hit deer? A crippled goose? What then? And you? Are you ready?

Some – nah, perhaps many – will disagree, but in my mind, a mentor does the mentoring, while the hunter, young or not-so-young, does the hunting. It’s tough, at least for me, to do both as a mentor and do a good, effective job at either one.

There will be questions – lots and lots of questions. There will be mistakes, and, as

Of all the things a mentor must have, patience is by far the most important. Lack patience, and all parties involved are going to get frustrated, and, worst-case scenario, the mentee will say the hell with this and find something else to do – something involving smartphones or TikTok or YouTube, no doubt, and you don’t want to be responsible for that, do you?

So, it’s all about patience. Remember, no matter how well you prepare your new hunter, they will be relatively unprepared.

It’s just that simple. And this seeming lack of preparation, despite all your best efforts, on your mentee’s part will be frustrating.

Take, for instance, my 10-year-old grandson Tristan. The boy and I go on a goose hunt, his first, a year or so ago. We get up early, set up decoys in the dark, stubble our layout blinds, drink all of our coffee and hot chocolate prior to legal shooting time, pee in the weeds – you know, typical goose hunter stuff.

It’s great, only made better by tons of cooperative Canadas and a four-bird limit before 11 o’clock. “What do you think?”

I ask the boy as we’re picking up. “Man, Poppy” – he calls me Poppy – “that was awesome! Can we do it again tomorrow morning?” Absolutely, I tell him, my inner self grinning ear to ear.

Tomorrow comes. Same program.

Early, set up in the dark, touch up blinds, drink hot beverages, pee in the weeds.

But 30 minutes into shooting time I hear this: “Poppy, I’m tired of goose hunting. We should probably go home.”

Ugh! My inner self, once all giggly, is now bitter. Hour drive. Set up. A light misty rain.

Everything’s damp. The birds are already starting to move, and now it’s“Let’s go home.” ?!?!

Quickly, I remind said inner self the boy’s only 10, he’s not a goose hunter so he’s at this point considered normal by the rest of society, and, well, he’s 10. Tell you what, I say. You close those doors. Eat your

PICTURE Pop-Tarts. Slowly! And when you’re done, we’ll go home.

Some might have handled it differently.

Some might have made the boy stay. It was, after all, his wish to go. But, and while I’m not straining to pat myself on the book, I had to remember he’s 10. Fickle. Flighty.

Like a grasshopper in a hot skillet.

My thought was, he’d seen it. He’d liked it. And he enjoyed himself enough to want to go again, but only one day at a time. I myself learned that just because I’m OK with going day after day after day, ad nauseam, that doesn’t mean everyone else, 10-year-olds included, shares my enthusiasm. Learn, we did.

So have patience with your charge, young or not-so. Again, they’ll ask questions. Lots of questions, some of which may make you stop, look, point a finger,

and say, “Ahhhhh, and why would you ask that?” They don’t know, and it’s your task to explain things to them in terms they can readily understand. Remember, you were a nimrod once. You asked questions of someone. It’s your turn to be Mister or Miss Answer Person now.

BEGIN WITH THE PAPERWORK And don’t just go out and buy your mentee the necessary (regulatory) paperwork.

Get the current hunting regulations. Go through them thoroughly. Determine, with their help, what it is they need in terms of licenses, and why they need that particular document. Explain to them where the money goes and how it’s used.

Tell them that hunters were, and continue to be, the first advocates for conservation, and that without our dollars, most, if not all state game and fish agencies, along with their many diverse programs for both game and non-game species, would be in a world of hurt. Now’s the time to blow

True, there aren’t as many game wardens as we’d like to see in the Northwest, but running into one can be a “fantastic learning experience for your new hunter,” writes Johnson, and a reminder about having all the correct paperwork on hand. After checking these release-site pheasant hunters’ licenses, Sergeant Rich Phillips, now retired, may have made the young BB gun-toting lad’s day with a quip about how to warm up the bright green grub he’d found that cold fall morning.(ANDY WALGAMOTT) 32 Northwest Sportsman

OCTOBER 2021 | nwsportsmanmag.com

our own horns and pat ourselves on the collective backs. We do indeed deserve it.

Then, the bookwork, we’ll call it, aside, take them to Bob’s Sporting Goods, Mom ’n Pop’s Gunworks, or – yes – perhaps the Big Box Store, and walk them through the licensing process. To you it’s old hat; to them, especially if it’s their first paperwork of this kind, it’s a big deal. A huge deal.

Something to be proud of. Explain how to carry their licenses and transport tags. Where to sign. What to sign. And what needs to be shown to an individual representing themselves as fish and wildlife law enforcement in the field.

Which brings me, albeit briefly, to the game warden. Mister or Miss Green Jeans in Washington, Mr. or Ms. Blue Pants in Oregon. Truthfully, the chances you and your mentee will encounter fish and game law enforcement in the field are slim, and by no fault of the fish and game agency. Money’s tight, and has been for years. Law enforcement officers are

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Northwest Sportsman 33

PICTURE spread ridiculously thin across the whole of the vast Northwest. Me? I’ve been checked but once in 49 years, and that by the late Officer Steve Ver in my native northeast Ohio.

That said, the chance you’ll be checked does exist, so be prepared. Have your paperwork in order. Do exactly what the officer asks in precisely the manner he or she asks. Yes, ma’am. No, ma’am. Yes, sir. No, sir. It goes a hell of a long way to making the encounter a “good” 15 minutes rather than a “bad” quarter of an hour.

Sure, some will disagree, but these folks in green and blue have a job to do. and it will be – should be – a fantastic learning experience for your new hunter.

Ask questions. Let the officer know your hunter is new to the game. Are there opportunities the officer might suggest for your new hunter? Does everything check out, and what might your mentee do differently if they’re checked alone in the future? It ain’t a bad thing; it’s a good thing. Use it to your advantage.

Along with the physical aspect of gearing up to begin hunting – acquiring clothes, guns and ammo, etc. – there’s a mental one in which a new hunter needs to strongly consider if they’re ready for what it’s all about, killing another living being for your own sustenance.

Here’s where a good mentor should ask a lot of questions and do a lot of listening. (TINA SHAW, USFWS)

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GET ’EM WHAT THEY NEED As a wildland firefighter, I need to know I have everything necessary when I get the call, not to mention when I step up to the fireline. My engine is checked. Fuel and water full. Fluids topped off. Tools rehabbed and organized. Hose. Fittings. Drip torches.

Pumps. I, too, am ready. PPE. Line pack.

Helmet. Gloves. Boots. Another pair of boots. Fully charged phone. Portable power for said phone. Extra prescription glasses.

And on and on and on.

OK, so maybe it’s not as urgent for the hunter as it is the firefighter, but here’s

my point: If your mentee has what he or she needs to meet the challenge that is hunting and the outdoors, it’s more likely they’re going to enjoy themselves, not to mention be successful. Simple as that.

So, get ’em what they need. For an adult, it’s easy. Often, they can get their own gear from A to Z, with, of course, guidance and suggestions from you. Goose hunting but no so-called goose gun? Voilà, you just so happen to have an extra one or two lying around. Loan it to them, but not without time spent on disassembly, assembly and safe operation. Don’t forget, it’s all part of

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PICTURE the entire outdoor experience.

Kids and hunting gear might present a little bit more of a challenge; not impossible, but a little more complex.

Fortunately, there are ways other than quick-drawing your billfold to outfit a young hunter. A note on any of the hundreds of hunting websites, i.e. Hunting Washington and The Duck Hunter’s Refuge, aka The ’Fuge, asking for help with dressing a young person for the outdoors will (typically) be met with an outpouring of offers. I know I have years of hand-medown clothing and gear, and have passed much of it along to up-and-comers. Not looking for an attaboy; just glad to get rid of the stuff, so – yes – I have room for more.

FINALLY, ARE THEY READY UPSTAIRS? There is a psychological component to getting an individual – kid or otherwise – prepared for their first hunting experience

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Trujillo and his mentor show off their harvest from that day at Ridgefield NWR. Just as Trujillo had begun taking fellow veterans fishing after getting into angling programs himself, he hoped to do the same for them with ducks and geese after being tutored at the refuge. (BRENT LAWRENCE, USFWS)

PICTURE that’s often overlooked, and that’s the matter of death and killing something.

Maybe I’m looking too deep into the subject; y’all tell me. Truthfully, I can’t recall this being an issue when Pop first started taking me into the field.

Mine, I reckon, was what might be called a traditional upbringing in terms of hunting. A wood-stocked Daisy BB gun.

Tagging along with the Old Man – me, age 7 – and being allowed to “shoot” the fox squirrels he bagged in the hardwoods back of his home place. My first game at age 8 – another fat fox squirrel – and Pop painting my face with blood and letting me know I had become a hunter. So, yeah, and to be honest, I don’t remember the concept of death – the death of a game animal at my hands – being much, if any, of a variable.

But things have changed. Again, you tell me. Young people are more aware of death. More sensitive, perhaps. Adults, too.

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Attitudes about hunting have shifted to varying degrees, and all people, regardless of age, are being constantly bombarded by information – some of it right, and some of it radically wrong.

My point here is, talk to your new hunter. Ask them questions. Present possible scenarios that might come up in the field. How do they feel about – and call it what it is – killing an animal? Maybe they haven’t thought about that element, a situation, I think, more prevalent with kids who just want to get out and do what the grown-ups are doing.

Adults? I’ve experienced a little more of a challenge when introducing adults to the concept of hunting. They want to, but they’re unsure. Sometimes, I’ll put them in the role of observer. “You watch for a time,” I’ll say, “and then we’ll talk about what took place.” More often than not, the excitement level will rise, and they’ll want to step out of the on-deck circle and up to the plate.

There have been occasions – one or two – where an individual has told me, “You know what? I really enjoy being out here, but

I’m not sure I want to do ‘that.’” And I’m OK with that because at least they were openminded enough to see, firsthand, what it is I do as a hunter. That I’m conscientious and mindful of my environment. That I genuinely care about the world and all of the critters that call it home, not just the one or ones I’m pursuing on any given day.

My goal isn’t that they become the next Steve Rinella, though that might be nice. My objective is an experience and knowledge. Then when it comes time to vote consumptive or to do away with something I hold dear, i.e. hunting, they’ll make what I hope is a decision based on fact rather than hearsay.

I’d love to know y’all’s thoughts on the subject of introducing new hunters to the field. What went right? What went awry?

What would you have done differently?

Did your nimrod stick with it, or try and say, “Ah, it ain’t for me?” Anyone? NS Editor’s note: Send your thoughts to me at awalgamott@media-inc.com and I’ll forward them to author MD Johnson.

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Northwest Sportsman 43

MIXED BAG

2 Cited For Killing Elk With Rifles In Bow Season

T

wo Southern Oregon men were cited for illegally killing a pair of bull elk with their rifles early in the 2021 bow season, according to state wildlife troopers.

In the first case, troopers were tipped off in late August about a big bull killed in the Powers Unit between Roseburg and Grants Pass, and by early September they identified Jeremy Pritchard, 39, of Dillard and another man as suspects. During an interview, Pritchard confessed he’d used his Tioga Unit archery tag on the six-point. He was cited for hunting by prohibited method and in a prohibited area, criminally trespassing while carrying a firearm, failing to validate his tag and unlawfully possessing a trophy elk.

The other man, Dean Hicko, 62, of Glendale, confessed to helping process and transport the animal and was cited for aiding in a wildlife violation.

In the second, Jase Billman, 20, was cited

JACKASS OF THE MONTH

H

Troopers seized this trophy bull elk rack and rifle from Jeremy Pritchard. (OSP) for unlawfully taking a five-point off a road near Elkton in early September with a .270.

Two of three friends and family members who helped pack it out were cited for aiding.

Rifles and the bulls’ antlers and meat were seized from Pritchard and Billman.

New Eyes In The Woods To Deter Poaching

G

ame wardens have some new eyes in the woods and along the waters of Washington – tiny motion-activated cameras that can livestream video and alert officers to poaching in progress.

The devices were highlighted during a recent news segment on Seattle’s KING 5. It focused on the northeast Olympic Peninsula’s Dungeness River, closed to fishing during summer to protect its Endangered Species Act-listed Chinook but attractive to scofflaws bearing long-handled nets.

The cameras, described as An image from a new generation of WDFW trail cams shows a “little bigger than a deck of man in the act of illegally netting and pulling a Chinook out of an cards” by TV reporter Drew Olympic Peninsula river. The devices can livestream video to fish and wildlife officers. (WDFW) Mikkelsen, allow officers to beat feet to the scene of potential crimes after receiving a heads up on their phones.

The units are well-camouflaged to help evade detection, but the point of the story was to make it very clear to poachers that wardens could be watching them in real time.

The effort was welcomed on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police’s Facebook page by many commenters, some of whom had ideas for where other cameras could be placed.

andbook for a Coos Bay deer poacher (subheadline: Based on true events!): Step 1) Slowly and repeatedly drive up and down a road at night in search of blacktails; this will not alert local residents that something fishy’s afoot.

Step 2) Stop, whip out your jacklight and snap off a shot at four-point buck; this will not cause any said already alert local resident to yell at you.

Step 3) Panic and drive up dead-end road; turn around, as this will not allow any said already alert local resident to now get a real good glimpse of you and identify you to Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division troopers.

Step 4) When said troopers stop by for a chat, act deceitful; this will force said troopers to have to prove their case in the form of evidence.

Step 5) Damnit, they had said evidence.

Step 6) And now they also have potential charges – trespassing; unlawful take of a deer; hunting prohibited hours; hunting with an artificial light; shooting across a road; wastage – for the district attorney to consider.

Step 7) Meanwhile, have rifle and shells seized; put more on shopping list?

Step 8) Try to remember that troopers now have the cape of the buck you shot and are going to use it as one of their wildlife enforcement decoys; recall that decision-making isn’t your best suit.

Step 9) Read that said alert local resident received a $500 reward for turning your jackass of the month poacher-ass in.

nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 45

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Buoy 10 Challenge Yields Salmon, Prizes, Fundraising Dollars

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t was a win-win-win at this year’s Buoy 10 Salmon Challenge.

“The event was a success not only for the good catch rates but also for the significant amount of money raised that will be instrumental in promoting sportfishing and protecting healthy fisheries that will provide angler opportunity for years to come,” reported Liz Hamilton of the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association in the wake of her organization’s mid-August derby-fundraiser.

Some 150 fishermen participated in the resurrection of the event – the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the

pandemic – and they got into a good Chinook and coho bite at the mouth of the Columbia River.

Steve Lehotta, who said on a video that he bought an entry ticket just two days beforehand, won $1,000 for his 18.6-pound fall Chinook (gilled and gutted weight), the biggest fish brought in.

In the team competition, first place went to John Elder, whose boat’s average salmon went 13.39 pounds, followed by Todd Staver with a 12.60-pound average.

The fishing was followed by a spaghetti dinner and awards ceremony.

“Seemed like everyone had their arms full of great merchandise and even with

King Of The Reach Coming Up

A King of the Reach participant delivers a fall Chinook at a broodstock collection point during 2018’s event. (WDFW)

S

almon anglers will once again be able to help Mid-Columbia hatchery managers reach their fall Chinook broodstock goals later this month at the annual King of the Reach live-capture derby.

Deadline to register for the October 29-31 event, held after the Hanford Reach has otherwise closed to salmon fishing for the season, is the 15th and there are 80 slots for boat teams of up to four members, including captain.

Now in its ninth year, the derby is a collaboration between the Grant County Public Utility District, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Coastal Conservation Association Washington. Chinook that anglers catch in the free-flowing stretch of the Columbia are transported alive to the utility’s Priest Rapids Hatchery to keep the stock as genetically similar to wild upriver brights as possible.

Last year saw 299 participants bring in 1,175 bucks and hens, the third most on record.

The three-day event wraps up with a Sunday afternoon awards ceremony. Guide John Plughoff was crowned 2020’s King of the Reach for the 68 fish he and his boat delivered.

For more, see ccawashington.org/kingofthereach.

By Andy Walgamott

masks on, smiles were shining!” NSIA reported on its Facebook page.

Hamilton says that contributions to the derby and other activities help the Portland-based organization represent sportfishing interests before government.

“We are especially pleased to have worked with the Northwest Senate office in Washington and Oregon to add millions to hatchery programs,” she told sponsors, a list that includes Northwest Sportsman, Fisherman’s Marine, The Guide’s Forecast, STS and Duckworth, among others. “As this letter goes out, we are still working on a $1 billion funding package for hatchery infrastructure!”

MORE UPCOMING EVENTS  Now through end of various seasons: Westport Charterboat Association Fishing Derby; charterwestport.com  Now through Oct. 31: WDFW 2021 Trout Derby, select lakes across Washington; wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/ contests/trout-derby

RECENT RESULTS  GRWB STEP Annual Salmon Derby, Lower Umpqua, Sept. 4-6: First place: Riley Tubbs, 24.4-pound Chinook, $650; second: Keena last name unknown, 23-pound Chinook, $150  Edmonds Coho Derby, Central Puget Sound, Sept. 11: First place: Paul Grey, 11.48-pound coho, $5,000; second: Sam Brenden, 10.54-pound coho, $2,500; third: Shay Davidson, 10.46-pound coho, $1,000

nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 47

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1

Salmon, steelhead opener on numerous Oregon streams; Coho opener on Oregon Coast’s Siltcoos, Tahkenitch and Tenmile Lakes; Oregon razor clam opener on Clatsop County beaches north of Tillamook Head 2 Western Oregon (formerly Coast and Cascade) and most controlled Eastern Oregon rifle buck openers; Washington muzzleloader elk opener; Eastern Washington quail, partridge openers; Eastern Washington youth waterfowl day 3-11 Tentative razor clam digs scheduled on select Washington Coast beaches – info: wdfw.wa.gov 9 Oregon quail, pheasant, partridge, fall turkey, Zone 2 snipe and early duck, and High Desert and Blue Mtns. Zones Canada, whitefronted goose openers 10 Deer and delk rifle openers in many Idaho units 15 Last day of Oregon recreational ocean crab season (bays open year-round) 16 Washington rifle deer season opener; Last day of bottomfish retention off Washington Coast; Washington Goose Management Areas 1-3 opener 16-17 ODFW Youth Pheasant Hunts, Ontario (free, registration) – info: myodfw .com/workshops-and-events 16-24 Washington early general duck season dates 16-26 Youth three-point-minimum or antlerless whitetail deer hunt dates in select far Eastern Washington units 16-31 Oregon Zone 1 early duck season dates 19-25 Tentative razor clam digs scheduled on select Washington Coast beaches – info: see above 23 Eastern Washington pheasant opener 23-26/29 Youth, senior and disabled hunter whitetail season dates in select far Eastern Washington units (legal deer varies by unit) 23-31 Northwest Oregon Permit Goose Zone early season dates 27 Washington duck season resumes 30 Eastern Washington rifle elk opener 31 Last day to fish many Washington lowland lakes listed in regulations

NOVEMBER 1

Mussel harvesting opens on Washington Coast beaches outside of Olympic National Park; Various trapping seasons open in Washington 3-10 Tentative razor clam digs scheduled on select Washington Coast beaches – info: see above 4 Oregon Zone 1 duck season resumes 5 Last day to hunt deer with rifle in Western Oregon 6 Oregon West Cascade and Rocky Mountain elk second season openers; Oregon Zone 1 snipe opener; Western Washington rifle elk opener; Washington Goose Management Areas 3-5 reopener 6-7 Extended Western Oregon youth deer season 6-19 Northeast Washington late rifle whitetail season dates 9 Oregon Southwest and Mid-Columbia Zones goose reopener 13 Late bow deer opener in select Southwest Oregon units 13-16 Oregon Coast bull elk first season dates 15 Last day to hunt black bears in Washington; Start of Oregon Zone 1 second mourning dove season 16-24 Tentative razor clam digs scheduled on select Washington Coast beaches – info: see above 18-21 Western Washington late rifle blacktail season dates in select units 20 Late bow deer opener in select Oregon Coast units; Oregon Northwest Permit Zone goose reopener 20-26 Oregon Coast bull elk second season dates 24 Late bow, muzzleloader deer, elk opener in many Washington units 26-27 Oregon Free Fishing Weekend * With Covid-19 restrictions in flux, always confirm public events before attending. nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 49

DESTINATION ALASKA

DESTINATION ALASKA

DESTINATION ALASKA

DESTINATION ALASKA

DESTINATION ALASKA

Razor Clam How-tos With massive numbers available for harvest on the Washington Coast and nearly two months’ worth of digging days through the end of 2021, here are expert tips for limiting.

By Mark Yuasa

T

he distinct smell of ocean water against the pounding surf is breathtaking alone, but spice it up with the digging of millions of delicious razor clams and you’ve got the perfect Northwest Coast experience.

It’s a treasured tradition that sees thousands flock to 56 miles of Washington’s Pacific beaches. Whether you’re an expert or newbie, you’ll

56 Northwest Sportsman

OCTOBER 2021 | nwsportsmanmag.com

definitely dig this escapade as the 202122 season is expected to be fantastic.

Yet even with an estimated 56.3-plus-million razor clams in the sand, some will have difficulty finding these bivalves, while others will simply come to the coast ill-prepared.

“There are a lot of considerations people don’t realize when it comes to digging razor clams, and I’ve seen it all,” says Dan Ayres, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s

head coastal shellfish manager, who has 41 years at the agency and is a veteran razor clam expert. “The appropriate gear to use, weather and surf conditions, and what to wear are just several things to ensure that you’ll have an enjoyable outing.”

INITIAL ADVICE FOR FINDING CLAMS The best digging occurs about one to two hours before low tide, but there are instances where you can

FISHING find them earlier or just after the tide changes to incoming.

“Razor clams are intertidal animals, with the majority of clam beds located where the ocean meets the land,” Ayres says. “That is why the best digging occurs during a low tide, although some old-timers will find them higher up on the beach.”

Once you get to the water’s edge, you’ll need to look for “shows” – indentations called dimples that are essentially a depression in the sand, also referred to as keyholes or doughnut holes. An old saying goes, “The bigger the hole, the bigger the clam.”

“The doughnut show looks like a big bull’s-eye with raised sides and almost like a keyhole in the sand (usually occurs in drier sand and

resembles an hourglass),” Ayres says.

“It is a gentle depression and once you’ve tuned your eyes to it, they’ll become much easier to see.”

During certain instances, right along the surf line you’ll even spot clam necks literally sticking out of the sand. The exposed siphon is the darkest colored part of the neck, and is used to gather food and nutrients from the seawater.

Diggers will also stomp on the sand to see where the clams spew water; this works especially well when it’s been raining. Razor clams don’t like freshwater running across the sand and tend to hunker down, so pounding on the sand gets them to show.

Be sure to dig quickly, as clams tend to burrow down if disturbed.

Most can be found 6 to 24 inches under the sand.

Lastly, don’t be fooled by all the holes you see up high on the beach.

These are actually most likely to be sand shrimp burrowed underneath.

“I’ve seen people start digging before they even get near the water’s edge,” Ayres says. “You’ll notice a difference, as a sand shrimp hole looks like a volcano with a pinprick hole in the middle.”

EFFECTS OF GRAVITY ON CLAMMING Ever wonder why the majority of fall and winter clam digs occur at night while others, especially those in the spring, happen in the morning hours? No, WDFW isn’t trying to screw working stiffs out of clams.

Razor clam populations on Washington beaches are at record or near-record levels and diggers can look forward to many glorious sunset and evening outings in October, November and December. (TOM COLLINS, FLICKR)

nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 57

FISHING The simple answer is that outgoing and incoming tides are influenced by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun. The moon’s influence on tides is about twice as big as the sun’s because it is closer to the Earth. Winter low tides usually happen at night due to the tilt of the Earth’s axis relative to the sun. Springtime low tides occur in the daylight.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the result of this pull is a pair of bulges of water in the ocean almost in line with the position of the moon. One bulge is on the moon side of the Earth, and the other is on the opposite side of the planet, away from the moon.

When observing the tides, what you’re actually seeing is the result of the Earth rotating under this bulge.

Wind and weather patterns also

A Long Beach razor clammer taps the sands with his shovel during a February 2020 opener to try and get the shellfish to reveal themselves through a “show.”

(LUKE WHITTAKER, CHINOOK OBSERVER)

58 Northwest Sportsman

OCTOBER 2021 | nwsportsmanmag.com

affect tidal levels. Strong offshore, or easterly, winds can move water away from coast, exaggerating low tides.

Onshore, or westerly, winds can push water onto the shore, making low tides seem less noticeable.

DIG THESE FIVE ESSENTIALS The gear for a razor clam outing is relatively inexpensive. In fact, a lot of it is likely stored in your closet or garage.

1) To dig, you’ll need a clam shovel (no, not the round, square or snow shovels for your garden and driveway) or a razor clam gun (found at most tackle and outdoor stores) with a minimum outside diameter of 4 inches, or 4 inches by 3 inches if elliptical. A razor clam gun ranges from $20 to $100, while a shovel costs $35 to $50.

2) Bring a bucket or mesh clam net

to keep your own clams.

3) Fall and winter digs occur in the dark, so it is vital to carry an extremely bright lantern or headlamp. A flashlight works, but can be cumbersome since you need both hands when digging clams, though you can put it on a lanyard to hang around your neck. Better yet, make it a team effort by having a partner hold the lantern or light while the other digs, and then switch off.

Lastly, don’t head straight to the clam beds without paying attention to where your vehicle was parked.

This often leads to confusion when returning at night, so some put a battery-powered colored strobe light on their dashboard. Others simply beep their vehicle’s key fob. However, it may be hard to hear the beeping noise with the roar of the ocean in

FISHING the background.

4) It’s a good idea to wear a waterproof jacket and rain pants, a warm hat and a layer of warm clothes underneath. Be sure to have an extra change of clothes in your car. The last thing you want after a chilly night is a long drive home in wet clothes.

5) Rubber boots or waders are the most important gear while walking along sandy and wet beaches. Often, diggers venturing to the surf line encounter big puddles of standing water and the rush of incoming waves. Surprisingly, Ayres says, others simply walk barefoot or in old tennis shoes, but the water can be numbingly cold, even in springtime.

WHEN TO GO WDFW set a liberal 62 days of digging that began on September 17, and additional dates will be added from early January through May. Upcoming morning low tide

digging dates include: October 3 and 5 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Copalis; and October 4 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks.

Evening low tide digging dates include: October 6, 8, 10, 20, 22 and 24; November 3, 5, 7, 9, 17, 19, 21 and 23; and December 2, 4, 6, 8, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23 and 30 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks; October 7, 9, 11, 19, 21, 23 and 25; and November 4, 6, 8, 10, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24; and December 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 31 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Copalis.

Kalaloch Beach is closed for the 2021-22 season due to low clam populations.

To view when low tides occur, go to wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfishingregulations/razor-clams#current.

Note that final approval for all beaches is usually announced a week before the dates, pending marine toxin test results.

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TIPS FOR USING CLAM GUNS, SHOVELS So now that you know when to go, the right gear to pack and what to look for on the beach, it’s time to actually start digging for razor clams.

Here are step-by-step guides for using a clam gun and a clam shovel.

Tips for clam guns: 1) Face the ocean and place the gun tube off-center over the clam show.

2) Make sure the gun’s air hole is open, then drive the gun tube straight down.

3) Place your thumb or finger over the air hole, sealing it, and lift the tube of sand slowly. Wet sand is very heavy. Lift using your legs.

4) Uncover the air hole and shake the sand out of the tube.

5) With your hand, sift the sand for the clam. Oftentimes you’ll see the clam in the pile of sand that comes out of the gun.

Tips when using a shovel: 1) Place the shovel perpendicular

FISHING to the clam’s position on the beach.

2) Push the shovel blade straight into the sand while dropping to one knee. Keep the blade vertical to keep from breaking the shell.

3) Pull the handle back just enough to break the suction in the sand. The sand will crack.

4) Remove sand by diagonally pulling the shovel upward. Repeat this two to three times.

5) After enough sand has been removed to partly expose the shell, use a hand to find and remove the clam.

The above image from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s “How to dig razor clams” video on YouTube illustrates one of several types of shows. This one is a dimple, an indention as the clam hastily withdraws its neck from the surface, while others are known as doughnut holes, which have raised rings, and keyholes, which have wellformed edges. (MARK YUASA)

SAFETY A MUST ON THE COAST While it may look nice at the house, likely well inland from the ocean, before leaving for the beach always be prepared for inclement weather like wind, potential rain or nasty surf

Author Mark Yuasa (right) and crew demonstrate the correct usage of clam guns, one of the two best ways to excavate razors from their beds half a foot to 2 feet under the surface of the beach. Others use thin-bladed shovels made specifically for clamming. (MARK YUASA) 62 Northwest Sportsman

OCTOBER 2021 | nwsportsmanmag.com

conditions.

“It usually takes a few days for the ocean to settle down, especially when there’s a long stretch of stormy weather,” Ayres says.

“The best resource is the National Weather Service website. They’ll post up-todate storm warnings, and surf and swell conditions for the entire coast.”

If there is a high surf advisory, Ayres advises it’s best not to venture to the coast, as you’re less likely to dig up a batch of razor clams.

“We don’t cancel clam digs because of stormy weather or high surf,” Ayres notes. “Folks need to realize that we’ve got a lot of days to dig this season, and it’s wise to postpone a long drive to the coast.”

If you bring the kids, be sure to keep them close by your side, as

FISHING there are dangers you need to be aware of. Avoid potential areas near riptides or sneaker waves or where water runs strongly up and down a beach line. These areas can be hazardous and are known to sweep people off their feet. In rare cases people have been pulled out to sea.

The best way to stay safe is to never fully turn your back to the surf.

NOW FOR THE REGS AND RULES

With the tips on these pages, plus cooperative weather and a little luck, you’re well on your way to digging a limit of razor clams! (WDFW)

SURVEY SAYS?

G

oing into this fall-winter-spring season, state surveys found massive numbers of razor clams on Washington’s four primary South Coast beaches.

Last issue Mark Yuasa reported that the combined total of recruit-sized clams – those 3 inches or longer – was a whopping 56.3-plus million, with a total allowable state-tribal harvest of 22.5 million.

It breaks down by beach thusly: • Long Beach, 21.6 million recruits, of which 8.6 million are available for harvest; both figures are just below last year’s record; • Twin Harbors, 8.5 million recruits, a record, of which 3.4 million are available for harvest; • Copalis, 16.5 million recruits, a record, of which 6.6 million are available for harvest (half for state diggers); • Mocrocks, 9.7 million recruits, of which 3.9 million are available for harvest (2.0 million for state diggers).

Kalaloch, on the central coast, does have razor clams available for harvest this season, but more in theory than reality. As Yuasa reported, “biologists saw very few clams anybody would want to take home.” –NWS

64 Northwest Sportsman

OCTOBER 2021 | nwsportsmanmag.com

Due to the large abundance of razor clams on open beaches, WDFW raised the daily limit to 20 clams through December 31.

Diggers must keep the first 20 clams dug, regardless of size or condition.

Diggers need to keep clams in their own bucket, container or clam mesh net. Sharing is illegal.

Diggers age 15 and older must have a shellfish or razor clam license (yearly or three-day temporary). You don’t need one if you’ve purchased a combination fishing license. For details, go to wdfw.wa.gov/licenses/ fishing/types-fees.

During evening low tides, digging is allowed from noon to midnight each day. Morning digs in the springtime are open from midnight to noon.

Cover your holes with sand after digging.

Wastage kills millions of clams each season, and it is illegal to dig up a clam and reinsert it into the hole. Shellfish biologists say 80 to 90 percent of wasted clams die because their shells are broken, necks are cut off or they’re improperly replanted into the sand.

CLEANING AND PREPARING CLAMS And finally, you should clean your clams as soon as possible. They don’t have to be left in water to purge sand like other clams. Keep them cool by placing them in a refrigerator or putting them on ice right away.

There’s a wealth of information – including yummy recipes – that can be found on WDFW’s website, wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfishingregulations/razor-clams.

Happy clamming this season! NS

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COLUMN Bob Kratzer discovered twitching for coho while trying to catch big Alaska rainbows with marabou jigs nearly three decades ago. Since then he’s refined both the presentation and where to deploy the technique, and not just in the frogwater fall silvers tend to hold in.

(ANGLERSGUIDESERVICE.COM)

Advanced Coho Twitching T

here can be no doubt that twitching is now the dominant fishing method used by anglers when targeting coho BUZZ migrating through RAMSEY rivers toward the hatchery or natural habitat that produced them. Sure, traditional spinner, float, plug and drift fishing methods still work for the salmon, but twitching, at least for those schooled in the proper use, can outproduce other approaches much of the time.

Forks-based fishing guide Bob Kratzer (360-271-7197) is regarded as the father of twitching since he has been doing it effectively while guiding clients for nearly 30 years. Kratzer first caught coho on jigs when using them for trout while guiding in Alaska. You see, black- or white-colored marabou jigs can be very effective for river trout. This first coho-catching experience sparked his interest in modifying jigs such that coho might respond to them even more aggressively. Understanding that coho like hoochie squids, he first tried adding those to his custom jig designs.

Kratzer kept experimenting with

different dressing materials and the amount used. He discovered that rabbit fur worked best because it was more durable than marabou, and it performed especially well when combined with a silicone tail and a few strands of reflective tinsel added to the mix. After a lot of onthe-water experience, Kratzer discovered that a darter jighead would produce more fish than a round jighead design.

“When targeting coho with spinners, the fish would refuse to strike them after a time, but when twitching jigs they would continue to bite all day long,” says Kratzer.

“It was incredible! Of course, using the right

nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 67

COLUMN Kratzer, who guides throughout the year both on the Olympic Peninsula and tributaries of the Lower Columbia, teamed up with Yakima Bait to develop the Twitcher jig, released last year. (YAKIMA BAIT)

jig color can be important. I recall one day catching 47 coho in a row while twitching after the bite had died with spinners.”

And while Kratzer kept his custom jigs and unique way of fishing them quiet for years, he later promoted their use at his many fishing technique seminars and worked with manufacturers, like Yakima

Bait, to help bring twitching products to the market that really work.

TO TWITCH, YOU cast your jig out and allow it to fall freely to middepth or near bottom, wherever the fish are holding, at which time you need to lift your rod tip up sharply with a get-their-attention snap. This means

moving your rod tip up 12 to no more than 24 inches. It’s then that you quickly drop your rod tip while reeling a quarter turn of the reel handle. This allows the jig to freefall straight down. The reeling is about keeping your line tight enough to keep your jig from sinking all the way to the bottom where it might hang up.

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OCTOBER 2021 | nwsportsmanmag.com

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COLUMN

Anglers are discovering that fall Chinook, along with steelhead, also bite twitched jigs. Guide Jack Glass and daughter Shanna Glass smile over a nice king caught twitching. (BRANDON GLASS)

Since the fish will most often take the jig while it’s falling or at the bottom of the fall, it’s important to keep close tabs on what’s happening and to set the hook the instant you feel any hesitation or tightening up of your fishing line. A leaf catching on your jig hook might feel similar to the drag felt when a fish bites your falling jig. If you have experience jigging for bass, you will likely catch on to this fishing method pretty fast.

Your rate of retrieve will likely vary depending on the water depth and influence the river current has on your line and jig. For example, if you are hanging bottom while using a ½-ounce jig, you might pick up your retrieve a little, say, from a quarter to a half turn of the reel handle, or switch to a 3/8-ounce jig. When fishing river current, from boat or bank, Kratzer has his clients cast at a slight downriver angle and constantly twitch their jig cross current towards them with repeated casts in areas where coho linger. Doing this helps keep the jig moving along and not catching bottom.

Likewise, if you are fishing deep water or in heavy current, you might switch to a 5/8- or ¾-ounce jig size. However, for most river applications, 3/8- and ½-ounce jigs are the most popular.

And while river coho are known to accumulate in slackwater pools and hide among log structure and under overhanging trees or brush, you can catch them just about anywhere when they are navigating rivers. Kratzer twitches every kind of water, but he finds the most success for coho by targeting them in moving water – the same water you would fish when going after steelhead.

TWITCHING NOT JUST FOR COHO

T

witching has become so popular for coho that anglers are now using this fishing method for steelhead and Chinook too. Bob Kratzer’s favorite color for steelhead is purple. For Chinook, it’s the chartreuse or fluorescent green colors he first tries.

According to fellow fishing guide Brandon Glass (503-260-8285), twitching works surprisingly well for fall Chinook. As you might know, Glass runs trips this time of

70 Northwest Sportsman

OCTOBER 2021 | nwsportsmanmag.com

year on Oregon’s coastal rivers and he has caught more than a few kings in both tidewater and in the streams he frequents.

In tidewater areas, he focuses on depths ranging from 10 to 18 feet where he employs 1/2- and 5/8-ounce jigs.

“What colors work best really depends on the water color, but overall the black and purple color combinations are my favorites,” Glass tips. “These dark colors are especially effective in the dark or stained tidal wa-

ter we frequent, while bright fluorescent green, orange and red colors are worth trying in the clear-water conditions we often find in the rivers, at least for Chinook.”

Just as Kratzer notes with coho, Glass reports that he has had a lot more success in the rivers by targeting migrating Chinook in moving water, the same water where you would think steelhead might be holding, and not in the deep holes. He looks for depths ranging from 3 to 6 feet. –BR

COLUMN What I found interesting is that Kratzer says he doesn’t keep pounding what many consider to be classic coho holding water. Sure, he makes five or six casts in these slow-flow sections of rivers, but he catches most of his fish in the same water steelhead use.

AS FOR RODS, reels and lines for twitching, most anglers employ one-piece, fasttaper spinning rods in the 7½- to maybe 8-foot range, rated for 8- to 17-poundtest monofilament, in combination with high-quality spinning reels loaded with 30-pound-test super braid. These short,

Hunter Higginbotham shows off a Klickitat coho he caught while twitching a jig. (JAROD HIGGINBOTHAM) 72 Northwest Sportsman

OCTOBER 2021 | nwsportsmanmag.com

somewhat stout rods facilitate strong hook sets and reduce the fatigue associated with the brisk lifting and then lowering of the rod tip while twitching.

Given clear water, and because you will be attaching the jig to the end of your line, most anglers splice a 5-foot mono leader, called a “bumper,” in 15-pound test to the end of their braid. A uni-to-uni knot works best for this. Keep in mind that your bumper should be kept in the 5-foot range so the splice cannot reach the reel, where it might catch strands of mono and pull a wad off the spool when casting.

According to Kratzer and other anglers I interviewed for this article, bright-colored twitching jigs will likely produce best when searching/prospecting for coho, while darker colors are the go-to when fishing clear water or when encountering reluctant-to-bite fish.

Keep in mind that coho can be finicky about what colors they do and don’t like at any given time. For example, bright pink might be too intrusive when fishing ginclear water but work great when the light is low or when fall rains cause rivers to cloud up. And while tackle manufacturers offer a wide assortment of twitching jig color options, the don’t-leave-home-without ones for coho include: purple with chartreuse head; purple/black head; hot pink/cerise; all white; and fluorescent green/black head.

These are Kratzer’s favorites.

FOR A REALITY check on how other river fishing methods might fit in with twitching for coho, I contacted Tom Nelson of The Outdoor Line (theoutdoorline.com) radio show fame. Nelson does employ the technique, but insists it’s just one of several he’ll use on streams such as the Skagit, Snohomish, Stillaguamish and Skykomish that empty into the north end of Puget Sound.

What technique Nelson uses at any given time depends on conditions and where the fish are holding. When fishing in and around trees that have fallen in the river, where coho are known to hang, he casts and retrieves spinners or plugs. Of course, retrieve speed determines how high in the water column a spinner will travel and likewise how deep a plug will dive.

nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 73

Nelson believes diving plugs are much more forgiving when fishing around downed trees and limbs because you can more often work the lures through these areas without getting hung up. You see, deep-running plugs have big diving lips that can bump underwater structure/trees and, providing you stop reeling or give them some slack, can back or float away from these hang-ups.

According to Nelson, coho are great followers and you want to stay with your retrieve all the way to the boat, as the fish will sometimes strike within a foot of your rod tip. For this reason he wears polarized sunglasses so he can more easily spot following fish.

Nelson also drift fishes salmon egg clusters in steelhead-type riffles, pools and tailouts. One tip that might help you catch more coho when drift fishing is to not be in a hurry to reel in once your drift is complete; just let your bait set motionless at the end of your drift for up to a minute to see if a coho might then bite.

And like most chasers of coho these days, Nelson also twitches for them, with his favorite color being hot pink/cerise. He often tips his jig with a small sand shrimp tail.

Now that I’m mostly retired, I should have time to hone my twitching skills this season, thanks to the advice of anglers and guides like Bob Kratzer, Brandon Glass (see this story’s sidebar) and Tom Nelson. NS Editor’s note: Buzz Ramsey is regarded as a sport fishing authority, outdoor writer and proficient lure and fishing rod designer.

74 Northwest Sportsman

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FISHING

Coho fishing should be good this fall in the Cowlitz, Lewis and other Lower Columbia rivers, thanks to big numbers of returning salmon. A client of guide Todd Daniels shows off one from a recent season. (TALLTAILSGUIDESERVICE.COM)

Stray Southwest For Silvers

‘A phenomenal number of them returning’ to Washington’s Lower Columbia tributaries.

By Mark Yuasa

A

utumn has officially arrived, and that means there’s a mass of feisty, mint-bright coho salmon migrating into Lower Columbia tributaries.

More than 1.5 million adult coho are expected at the mouth of the big river – the best and largest return

in many years – with 338,833 of those destined for streams below Bonneville Dam. This compares to a total prediction of 181,000 in 2020, and an actual return of 363,600, and a historical average of 377,900 from 2009 to 2020.

“Even if we’re off on the forecast by a good margin, it’ll still be a decent return of coho to the lower river

tributaries and elsewhere on the Columbia,” says Quinten Daugherty, a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist.

While too early to make an actual judgment on the run, what we do know at press time is that Buoy 10 anglers knocked the socks off of coho in late August and early September.

Many of the fish were large, too, 13 nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 77

FISHING

Bankbound and boatborne anglers work the mouth of the Toutle River on the Cowlitz with plugs, spinners, cured eggs and other baits. (CHRIS SPENCER)

to 20-plus pounds, and mint-bright, which indicates robust conditions and ample feed in the ocean.

“Compared to historic data, the coho fishing has been going well this season, sprinkled with some aboveaverage days at Buoy 10,” Daugherty says. “Catch rates ranged from a high of 0.65 to 0.47 per rod to a low of 0.19 on slower days.”

COLUMBIA COHO ARE comprised of two components – the early, or A-run, and the late, or B-run. The earlytimed silvers show up in September, while the late run makes its entrance in October and November.

The Cowlitz River late-timed hatchery coho forecast is 156,690, with a spawning escapement of 1,126. There is also a small late-timed wild coho run of 808.

“On paper, it looks nice for the Cowlitz, and anytime you see a return of 20,000 or 30,000, then fishing should be pretty good,” Daugherty says. “There is a big spread on the run 78 Northwest Sportsman

OCTOBER 2021 | nwsportsmanmag.com

timing, and you’ll see some earlytimed Toutle coho first, and then you have a varied stretch of Cowlitz latearriving coho.”

The Cowlitz is closed for Chinook retention, but there is a possibility it could open later in the season, if the hatchery meets its spawning escapement goals.

The Lewis River is the runner-up for the “silver show” in 2021 with an adequate number of early and late coho for anglers to target. Look for a projected 71,329 early-timed coho (4,820 is the spawning escapement goal) and another 57,984 B-runs (7,549).

The North Fork Lewis also should see a fair number of stray hatchery Chinook and is expected to be very good when a large return of wild kings arrives in the lower river from October through November.

The North Fork Lewis switches to nonselective for Chinook beginning October 1.

Coho must have their adipose fin

clipped to retain.

Projections for other Lower Columbia tribs on the Washington side are also noteworthy.

The Toutle is expecting 12,587 early-timed coho (93 is the spawning escapement goal); the Elochoman River (Beaver Creek) should see 7,917 late-timed adult coho (847); and the Kalama River should have about 17,312 late-timed coho (509).

The Washougal River prediction is 15,014 late-run coho (84).

All the coho projections are based on expected ocean and Columbia River preseason forecasts – also known as the Oregon Production Index – for the stocks, and are estimates of the returns by tributary.

Expect ample coho fishing in the Washougal, which can be a valid spot through Thanksgiving and fish will trickle in well into early December.

Depending on rainstorms, the Kalama coho typically show up in suitable numbers by the first or second week of October.

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FISHING

Thanks to a strong late-run component of this year’s return, coho opportunities should stretch deep into fall. Ron Cady enjoyed a great post-Thanksgiving 2020 day twitching jigs with buddy Gary Lundquist on the upper end of one major Southwest Washington river.

(FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)

TODD DANIELS, OWNER of Tall Tails Guide Service (talltailsguideservice .com; 206-437-8766), has more than 30 years of river fishing experience and is looking forward to the fantastic coho run. Last month he reported fish had already appeared in the Cowlitz.

“We’re going to have ample fishing opportunities on the Cowlitz, and we’ve got a phenomenal number of them returning,” Daniels says.

“Historically it starts to really pick up about the third week of September, 80 Northwest Sportsman

OCTOBER 2021 | nwsportsmanmag.com

and peaks by the middle of October, after we see the first autumn rainfalls.

You can even find good coho fishing from the end of October and well into November, with water conditions permitting.”

The Cowlitz coho are notorious biters of gobs of salmon eggs, Daniels says, though it’s wise to keep your twitching rods in the boat.

“It’s all about eggs, eggs, and eggs,” he says. “There are times when you get a back eddy of dead frogwater

(sections with virtually no current) and the coho will stack up in those areas. In this situation, eggs aren’t the right presentation and this is when you get out the twitching jigs.”

Twitching isn’t your traditional bobber-and-jig fishing. Instead, you cast out a ½-ounce jig (go heavier or lighter depending on the current speed) and let it gently swing through the current, occasionally lifting and dropping the jig. Putting the jig in front of the coho is vital, as it triggers them to bite with a little twitch.

While Snohomish River coho will readily take a small Dick Nite-type spoon, it just doesn’t work on the Cowlitz – and not for a lack of effort either. Other techniques anglers utilize here include running Wiggle Warts or Brad’s Wigglers, especially at the mouth of Toutle.

“I like to move around constantly, as the coho themselves are always on the move,” Daniels says. “Whenever you’ve got big numbers coming through, and you have the typical fall rainfalls, you can twitch jigs or use wigglers and spinners.”

Swinging a spinner remains one of the most popular ways to catch coho in faster-moving water. Try a size 3 in clear conditions, and a size 5 in murkier water.

You’ll tend to hear about one color working better than others, but the truth is colors attract anglers at the tackle shop and not coho. Coho tend to be aggressive biters, and engulf just about any colored lure. By this part of their spawning migration, they aren’t feeding and instead merely lashing out at something that invades their location.

Lastly, if you aren’t having any success, keep a sharp eye out on what other anglers and guides are doing to catch fish.

In most instances, respect your distance from the other anglers (binoculars are handy to have on the boat), and see if they’re willing to help you out with advice when the bite slows down. Oftentimes, they’re more than happy to chat fishing! NS

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FISHING

e

There may be more hunters than anglers on a trio of Idaho Panhandle trout streams, but that doesn’t mean the fishing’s bad this time of year. In fact, these waters just might represent salvation after a rough summer. (MIKE WRIGHT)

Fall Fishin’s Fine Out Of Orofino

Three North Idaho backcountry streams offer plentiful and aggressive westslope cutthroat, along with rainbows and even a few bull trout.

By Mike Wright

I

f you were to survey avid fishermen in Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho about their angling success this past summer, the answers might range from very slow to absolutely pathetic. Most would agree the extreme heat, along with

a number of other factors, played a major role in this lack of success.

From the first part of June through most of August, the heat was unrelenting, setting numerous records in its wake, along with record low rainfall during these months.

Snowpack in the mountains of Eastern Washington and Northern

Idaho quickly disappeared, reducing stream flows and allowing the waters to warm drastically. In the Priest River, well over 150 fish died, due to excessively high water temperatures.

In Montana, time restrictions were instituted in order to reduce stress on any fish that were caught. Under these “hoot owl” rules, all fishing activities nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 83

FISHING

These waters are home to a recovered population of nicesized westslope cutthroat trout, and by this time of year they’ll be moving downstream into lower stretches of Kelly Creek and the Lochsa River and into the North Fork Clearwater above Dworshak Reservoir. (PAUL ISHII)

needed to end by 2 p.m.

Wildfires also created major obstacles for intrepid lake and stream anglers. In Idaho, several roads were closed due to fire activities, including those in the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene, as well as the road above Avery on the St. Joe. Access to some of the top fishing areas in Washington’s Okanogan was also closed.

BUT DESPITE ALL of the problems and woes of fishing this summer, there 84 Northwest Sportsman

OCTOBER 2021 | nwsportsmanmag.com

is a brighter outlook for fall. There are several spots in and around the general area of Orofino, east of Lewiston, that could prove to be very productive.

Kelly Creek, the North Fork of the Clearwater and the Lochsa all offer good fishing opportunities.

The dominant species in all three is westslope cutthroat, well known for their ability to find cool water in even the warmest weather conditions. The cutts in the Lochsa will migrate long

distances to the upper reaches of the river and stay there until the water starts to cool. They then migrate downstream with the onset of fall temperatures.

In the North Fork of the Clearwater, the trout will usually seek out the cooler waters of the Black Canyon section of the river (unfortunately, the road into Black Canyon is closed due to a landslide).

Here there seems to be more shade, and a number of tributaries keep the water cooler. This section of the river also attracts a sizeable number of cutthroat from lower Kelly Creek.

Then as the water cools further, the trout begin to migrate to the deeper holes closer to Dworshak Reservoir in order to winter.

September and October also mark the spawning run of kokanee out of Dworshak. The trout will often follow these red-colored landlocked salmon in order to feed on their eggs. A small egg pattern or bead tied just above a bare hook will work well if fished around or behind a kokanee school.

October caddis also start to appear during this period of time and present a sizable meal for the trout as they prepare for winter. Although it is hard to predict, a prolific spruce fly hatch may make an appearance in early to late fall. A light-colored Elk Hair Caddis or foam Spruce Fly pattern should work well if a hatch does come off.

Late summer and well into the fall is also a prime time for terrestrials, such as hoppers, beetles and ants.

Standard terrestrial patterns in sizes 10 to 14, as well as attractors in the same sizes, can elicit a powerful take.

The cutthroat in these backcountry streams are not known for their dainty table manners.

If no surface action is occurring, nymph patterns such as Pheasant Tails, Princes, Hare’s Ears, Rubber Leg Halloween leeches and dark brown Rubber Leg Leeches can be productive, particularly in the deeper holes, which are also the best areas to catch the larger cutthroat.

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FISHING

Tobey Ishii-Anderson sizes up the Lochsa River before taking a cast. Flyrodders should pack a mix of dry flies, terrestrials and nymphs for this time of year. (PAUL ISHII)

THE FACT THAT cutts now predominate in the North Fork, Kelly Creek and Lochsa is nearly miraculous. In the late 1960s the westslopes were on the brink of extinction, but through good management, such as the implementation of catch-and-release regulations and habitat preservation policies, the species has made a spectacular recovery.

However, they are not the only species in the watersheds; there are also rainbows and bull trout present in all three streams. The rainbows seem to prefer the pocket water and shallower riffles, while the bulls, like the cutthroat, are usually found in the deeper recesses of the major holes.

Bull trout make up only a very small percentage of the trout population in all three rivers; if caught, they must 86 Northwest Sportsman

OCTOBER 2021 | nwsportsmanmag.com

be released immediately. However, if you’re really determined to catch one, the best spot to try is the Selway River, which flows into the Lochsa to form the Middle Fork of the Clearwater River. The Selway has the highest population of bull trout in Idaho.

THESE MOUNTAIN WATERS are crystal-clear and although the fish are not overly leader-shy, it would be advisable to use fluorocarbon leader and tippet to avoid detection. This is especially true on Kelly Creek, which also receives a great deal of angling pressure, making the fish a little more wary.

Because of the popularity of the stream, more precise casts and a dragfree drift is often required. A 3- or 4-weight rod and 4X or 5X leader and tippet are usually sufficient to land

cutts and ’bows, which generally run between 10 to 16 inches. However, since there is always the remote possibility of hooking into a much larger bull, it might be advisable to consider using a 5- or 6-weight rod.

While Kelly, the North Fork and, to a lesser degree, the Lochsa are best known for their dry fly action, there are certain sections where nymphs and streamers are more effective.

Since it may be necessary to get the flies deeper, it could require the use of full sink or sink tip line in order to get your offering closer to the fish. For this reason, it might be advisable to include a spool of intermediate full sink or type two sink tip line in your fishing gear.

One of the common physical features of all three streams is the vast number of boulders and large, slippery

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Northwest Sportsman 87

FISHING convenience stores, fly shops or gas stations available, especially near Kelly Creek, it would be wise to make a list of the things that might be needed for the trip and, like Santa, check it twice.

But while there is a distinct lack of services in the backcountry, there is no shortage of campgrounds along the rivers, so finding a suitable place to stay should not be a problem. By

rocks. Considering there is not an overabundance of medical attention available in the backcountry, it is very important to watch your footing as you wade and navigate these waters.

A walking stick might be a valuable piece of equipment to be included with your gear, especially if your balance is a little suspect.

And since there are not many

INLAND CHINOOK, COHO ON TAP TOO

I

f by chance the trout fishing on Kelly, the North Fork or the Lochsa is a little slow, the Clearwater River is welcoming its annual run of steelhead and salmon.

Judging from the counts coming over the downstream dams, there should be an excellent number of fall Chinook and coho by October.

“This might be the best run of coho since at least the 1990s,” says Joe Dupont, state fisheries biologist for the Clearwater region. “In addition to the coho run, the number of kings counted is just about double the amount of an average year.”

While the steelhead count does not look particularly promising, the salmon run should more than make up for it. –MW

October, many anglers’ attention has shifted to hunting, so you may have vast stretches of the river entirely to yourself.

REACHING THESE WATERS ranges from easy – just follow US 12 along the Lochsa almost to its source – to not quite as easy. There are two routes to reach Kelly Creek and the North Fork. One way is through Superior, Montana, and over Hoodoo Pass, Forest Road 250. Ordinarily you could take FR 255 at the Cedars Campground to the North Fork, but since the road has been closed due to a landslide, FR 250 is the only road to both Kelly and the North Fork.

For those coming from the Orofino or Greer side, follow Highway 11 through Headquarters or FR 250 out of Pierce. There is a third way through Powell, but I was told it is not a road for the fainthearted. Whichever route you take, the fishing should be good. NS

Fishing for Walleye, Trout, Pike, Pan Fish, Bass, Stripers, Salmon and Whitefish with Bay de Noc Lures

WWW.BAYDENOCLURE.COM Dealer Inquires Welcome!

90 Northwest Sportsman

OCTOBER 2021 | nwsportsmanmag.com

The Salmon & Steelhead spinners & spoons that Fishermen can rely on every time for high quality and dependability.

You can find these incredible American made lures at these fine sporting goods stores, Sportco, Sportsman’s Warehouse, and Englund Marine or at

mcomiescustomlures.com

mcomiescustomlures.com | 971-271-3860 nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 91

2021 FishRite 21 Performer

The Fish Rite Performer 21’ is a multi purpose machine. Powered by a monster 250hp Yamaha, this boat is a flyer. The top is a rigid soft top.

Pole holders and a spreader light are welded on top and it has nice big side trays to hold stuff. Three spring seats and a huge bench make the inside inviting for the whole family.

Add the open bow into the equation and you have your family runabout covered as well. Dual batteries, floor fish box, transom fish box, transom door, washdown and dual batteries and switch. Get out on the water.

$69,995

2021 16’ Angler

Super huge 16’ Angler ready to hit the water. Powered by a 40hp Honda four stroke, this boat will get you there. Supported by a Karavan all welded trailer with LED lights. Options include the green paint inside and out. 15-gallon internal fuel tank. Electrical package with navigation lights, bilge pump, battery tray and switch panel with 12v plug. Get out on the water.

$20,995

9316 Portland Ave. E, Tacoma, WA, 98445 253-301-4013 • www.tacomaboatsales.com

Rad Power Bikes

2021

radpowerbikes.com The RadRover 6 Plus is the latest advancement of Rad Power Bikes’ flagship fat tire model and a nextlevel riding experience. Get more uphill capabilities, better stopping power and a semi-integrated battery that easily pops in and out. More rider refinements maximize comfort, making this the biggest evolution in RadRover history!

Verle’s Westview Marina & Lodge

westviewmarina.com Now available for purchase is the 2022 Early Bird Drive-in Fishing allinclusive special package at Westview Marina & Lodge in Tahsis, BC. With a price of $1,900 USD for four fishers, customers save $200 each. The package includes four nights of lodging and three full days of guided fishing for salmon, halibut and lingcod. All meals are included. Says the team at Westview, “You will need your large coolers when you fish with us!”

verles.com Verle’s has the Big Chief front or top load package for you.

Smoking is made simple with the Big Chief, as all you have to do is plug it into a standard household outlet. Just place your food (after brining or preparation) on one of the five racks that sit over the top of the drip pan. The smoker’s capacity is a whopping 50 pounds of meat or fish!

Includes: smoker, five easy-slide chrome-plated grills, electric cord, drip pan, wood flavor pan, free bag of Smokehouse Alder Wood Chips, and recipe booklet.

MSRP $134.99, including holiday special of four extra bags of smoking chips– a $20 value!

Silver Horde

silverhorde.com No bait, no problem with the Herring Aide Ace Hi Fly and Gold Star Hoochie from Silver Horde. The bait every angler needs at the end of their line to put fish in the box. These are super popular because they are extremely effective. Get some for the fishermen and fisherwomen on your list.

Sea Sport seasportboats.com

Whether you’re cruising or trophy hunting, in summer or winter, the Sea Sport Explorer 2400 provides the best performance of any boat in its class due to the signature of the Sea Sport “Deep-V” hull design. The wide walk-around, built-in cockpit steps and a huge hardtop are just a few of the features you will find on a long list of standards. Features include a full dinette and galley, an enclosed stand-up head and increased bunk space. nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 93

2021

Black Hills Ammunition black-hills.com New for 2021 is the Black Hills Ammo 6.5 Creedmoor 130-grain Dual Performance. Upon impact, the bullet expands quickly; the petals then fracture and continue penetrating, cutting through stressed tissue. Adequate penetration is assured by the projectile’s solid copper shank, retaining a uniform weight, which continues on to a depth of up to 27 inches. Velocity is 2,800 feet per second from a 22-inch barrel.

Western Spirit Ranches

huntsouthernidaho.com Western Spirit Ranches, a pheasant hunting and shooting preserve in Shoshone, Idaho, has been going strong since 1998. The preserve features 600 acres of farm ground and natural habitat full of rivers, streams and ponds. Western Spirit Ranches raises and releases only quality, hard-flying pheasants.

Solo, corporate and group hunts with highly trained guides and dogs are on offer.

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Stocky’s Stocks

stockysstocks.com At under 24 ounces, Stocky’s new Carbon Hunter is sure to find its way into some very nice rifles. The UltraLite NextGen CF Hunter is a full-size hunting stock designed for any barrel you might want to run on it, from sporter to M24/Proof carbon (or even larger).

Truly the next generation of carbon fiber layup: they are stronger, lighter and more precisely machined than ever before.

2021

Leelock

leelock.com The new Crab Cracker tool from Leelock will allow you to measure your Dungeness crabs to determine which ones are legal to keep. Then use the “cracker” to crack them in half, separating the two clusters from the shell and guts.

The Cracker has been designed so that it sits nicely on top of a 5-gallon bucket, perfect for when you clean crabs. The bucket gives you a stable base, which makes it easier to clean – the guts and mess go into the bucket, making cleanup a snap. Crabs cleaned this way take up half as much space as whole crabs, so you can cook twice as many in your kettle.

The Crab Cracker is a unique tool made from solid aluminum, and comes in handy for cleaning Dungeness crabs.

CDNN Sports

cdnnsports.com The Rem Squeeg-E Operator Field Cleaning System is tailored to the AR and handgun enthusiast who needs the benefits of the revolutionary Remington Bore Squeeg-E cleaning system in a compact, ready go-bag. The kit contains essential cleaning tools for ARs, rifles, shotguns and handguns in .22/.223/5.56mm, .30/.308/7.62mm, .357/.380/.38/9mm, .44/.45 and 12-/16-/20-/28-gauge.

Designed with help from former US Navy SEALs, the compact pack is constructed of heavy-duty, water-resistant canvas, and features quiet zipper pulls and MOLLE-mountable rear velcro straps.

Everything you need for field cleaning with the Rem Squeeg-E system without carrying patches.

Summer Boating Starts At

NEW • USED • REPOWER

Specialists in Marine Repair & Outboard Sales Alumaweld Boats, Marlon Boats and EZ Loader Boat Trailers Certified Mechanics for Service Located on Hwy 101 South in Garibaldi, OR • gregsmarineservice@gmail.com

503-322-3643 • GregsMarineService.com Always wear a personal flotation device while boating and read your owners manual.

96 Northwest Sportsman

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All boats are powered by Honda motors.

OREGON

WASHINGTON

CULVER Culver Marine (541) 546-3354 www.culvermarine.com

PORTLAND Sportcraft Marina, Inc. (503) 656-6484 www.sportcraftmarina.com

CHINOOK Chinook Marine Repair, Inc. (800) 457-9459 • (360) 777-8361 www.chinookmarinerepair.com

MOUNT VERNON Tom-n-Jerry’s Boat Center, Inc. (360) 466-9955 www.tomnjerrys.net

SEATTLE Rick’s Master Marine, Inc. (206) 762-0741 www.ricksmastermarine.com

FLORENCE Y Marina (541) 590-3313 www.ymarinaboats.com

SALEM CPS RV and Marine (503) 399-9483 www.cpsrvmarine.weebly.com

EVERETT Boat Country (800) 697-4252 www.boatcountry.com

PASCO Northwest Marine and Sport (509) 545-5586 www.nwmarineandsport.com

TACOMA Tacoma Boat Sales & Service (253) 301-4013 www.tacomaboatsales.com

GARIBALDI Greg’s Marine Service (503) 322-3643 www.gregsmarineservice.com

nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 97

2021

Dri-Z-Air

Vortex Optics

vortexoptics.com Western hunting demands an optic built for long range and the long haul, and the Razor HD LHT 4.5-22x50 FFP delivers. You still get the core of the Razor HD LHT, including a stunning HD optical system and rugged build in a scope that’s among the lightest in its class.

Diversified Innovative Products

diproductsinc.com The folks at DIP Inc. are not content with the cheap plastic parts that many firearms companies produce to cut production costs for rimfire firearms. At DIP, they make drop-in metal replacement parts and accessories that are both high quality and affordable. All products are made in the USA. DIP manufactures parts for the following brands: CZ, Marlin, Savage, Ruger, Remington, Tikka, Steyr, S&W, Howa, Marlin, Sako, Anschutz, Henry and others.

98 Northwest Sportsman

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drizair.com/boatrv.html Dri-Z-Air dehumidifier system is designed to prevent condensation, musty odors and mildew in your boat or motorhome’s interior, without any electricity or moving parts. It uses nontoxic salt (calcium chloride) to reduce cabin moisture quietly and with little monitoring. It’s a simple solution that is ideal for use while your boat or motorhome is in storage. Dri-Z-Air recommends using one Dri-Z-Air unit for every 10-foot-by-10-foot space. A 35-foot motorhome or boat will use three to four units during winter layup. When used as directed, the units are effective enough to reduce harmful humidity without drying the air to an uncomfortable level. Refill crystals are available in large quantities to get you through the seasons. Each refill lasts approximately 30 to 60 days, depending upon the amount of moisture in the air. DriZ-Air recommends monitoring each unit every 45 days for maximum effectiveness.

Made in the USA out of recycled plastic.

Sage Canyon Outfitters

sagecanyonoutfitters.com A Sage Canyon gift card is the perfect way to give the hunter in your life exactly what they want! Gift cards can be used toward anything on the ranch, including bird packages, guides, lodging and much more!

NEW FROM TODD A. VANDIVERT FOR YOUR PROTECTION Wildlife Justice Series, Book 6

FOR YOUR PROTECTION is retired Fish and Wildlife Detective Todd Vandivert’s sixth book of his Wildlife Justice Series. In this book, Washington Fish and Wildlife Officer Mike Fetisov works to apprehend a serial poacher who has been killing, mutilating, and leaving big game animals to rot. While Officer Fetisov tirelessly works to identify and apprehend the poacher, other fish and wildlife officers in Okanogan County attempt to determine the true intentions of a group of heavily armed right-wing extremists living and operating a business in Okanogan County.

Todd began his career with the Washington Department of Game in 1979. Todd served as the editor of the Washington Game Warden Association magazine, the editor of International Game Warden Magazine. Todd served with the WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife for 34-years, the last eight of which he worked undercover.

Check out other books by Todd Vandivert and from the Wildlife Justice Series.

Available at amazon.com

Peet Family Dryer

2021

Todd Vandivert

amazon.com/author/toddvandivert Retired Washington Fish and Wildlife detective Todd Vandivert has written seven books, including the nonfiction Operation Cody and the six-book fiction series Wildlife Justice. Operation Cody details an actual undercover operation conducted in Washington. The fictional Wildlife Justice series is centered around fictional game wardens in Okanogan County, Washington.

Available now on Amazon!

peetdryer.com Introducing the only shoe dryer on the market that dries three pairs of boots or shoes at once. New multiport base with push-button digital display allows for easy operation. Works with all DryPort accessories (excluding Helmet).

Dries in one to four hours with heat/no-heat settings. Up to four tubes can be shut off manually when not in use. Doing so will increase fan velocity of tubes in use. New handle and space-saving design make for a more portable unit.

Nootka Marine Adventures

nootkamarineadventures.com West Coast saltwater fishing at its finest with Nootka Marine Adventures! Gift certificates are available for three luxurious resorts on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada. Target salmon, halibut, lingcod, albacore tuna and more. Allinclusive stays with gourmet meals. The perfect gift for any angler!

Custom Boat Trailers Reliable Quality Service & Craftsmanship For Over 50 Years!

• NMMA Certified • All Steel Weld Frame, Fenders & Bunks • 2 YEAR WARRANTY

343 Thain Rd., Lewiston, Idaho • www.gateway-materials.com • 208-743-0720 100 Northwest Sportsman

OCTOBER 2021 | nwsportsmanmag.com

OREGON

WASHINGTON

EUGENE Maxxum Marine (541) 686-3572 maxxummarine.com

EVERETT Performance Marine (425) 258-9292 perform-marine.com

OLYMPIA Puget Marina (360) 491-7388 pugetmarina.com

PORTLAND Sportcraft Marina (503) 656-6484 sportcraftmarina.com

MOUNT VERNON Master Marine Boat Center, Inc. (360) 336-2176 mastermarine.com

SHELTON Verle’s Sports Center (877) 426-0933 verles.com

SPOKANE VALLEY Spokane Valley Marine (509) 926-9513 spokanevalleymarine.com

nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 101

2021

American Turbine

americanturbine.com American Turbine manufactures six models of jets for welded aluminum and fiberglass boats. American Turbine produces repair parts for all domestic jets, as well as repair parts for Hamilton models HJ212, HJ213 and HJ241.

Boat Insurance Agency

boatinsurance.net The Boat Insurance Agency is an independent agency representing the best marine insurance companies. They carefully compare a number of policies to find the lowest premiums and best values for your boat insurance needs.

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.

Contact them for an insurance quote and to learn more about the value and service they can offer.

US Marine Sales & Service

usmarinesales.com US Marine Sales and Service is the Puget Sound’s leader in providing the friendliest service backed by years of expertise in both the salt- and freshwater environments. It is their goal to work closely with their customers to save them time and money while creating excellent value in their products and service. For over 30 years, the familyowned and -operated US Marine Sales and Service has been passionate about boating.

Stop by and check out their wide variety of parts and accessories. They also carry Yamaha boats, Yamaha WaveRunners, Yamaha outboards, G3 boats, SunCatcher pontoons, Weldcraft boats and EZ Loader trailers.

INLAND BOATS & MOTORS

111 N. Kittitas St. Ellensburg, WA 509-925-1758 • M-F 9-5pm

inlandboatsandmotors.com

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SERVING YOU SINCE 1975

2021

Gibson Duck Blind Covers Inc.

gibsonduckblindcovers.com Stop birds from flaring off when they see you from above. Flip-Flop Blind Covers allow you to stay hidden but still move around and track ducks and geese until it’s time to take the shot. Made of welded steel, powder-coated and easy to install. Sizes range from 2- to 6-foot pairs.

You see the birds; they don’t see you!

Schooner Creek Boat Works

schoonercreek.com Schooner Creek Boat Works is a dealer of the Ewincher. Its electric handle is designed to perfectly assist sailing maneuvers without altering natural movements. It’s waterproof, lightweight and ergonomic, and locks into the winch. You can sail all day without a problem, allowing you to fully enjoy the pleasures of sailing.

Davis Tent

davistent.com Find canvas hunting tents, stoves, cots, panniers and accessories at Davis Tent.

Deception pass Marina MOORAGE: Call for availability FUEL DOCK: Non Ethanol (90) octane) gasoline & diesel STORE: Groceries, bait, tackle, charts, beer & wine Picnic areas and hiking trails in the area

200 West Cornet Bay Rd Oak Harbor, WA 98277 104 Northwest Sportsman

OCTOBER 2021 | nwsportsmanmag.com

360.675.5411

LIGHTWEIGHT. The lightest 200-hp four stroke on the market LIGHTWEIGHT. The lightest 200-hp four stroke on the market POWERFUL. 2.8L displacement and Variable Camshaft Timing give it the best power-to-weight ratio POWERFUL. of any 200-hp four stroke 2.8L displacement and Variable Camshaft

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Show the water who’s boss with the F200 In-Line Four. Incredibly light, responsive and fuel efficient, it serves up plenty of muscle to handily propel a variety of boats. On top of that, its 50-amp alternator offers Show the water boss the F200 In-Line Four. Incredibly responsive and fuel efficient, the power to addwho’s a range of with electronics, and its 26-inch mounting light, centers and compatibility with either itmechanical serves up plenty of muscle to handily propel a variety of boats.

On top of that, its 50-amp alternator offers or digital controls give you the flexibility to easily upgrade your outboard or rigging.

Experience the power to add a range of electronics, and its 26-inch mounting centers and compatibility with either legendary Yamaha reliability and the freedom of forward thinking, with the F200 In-Line Four. mechanical or digital controls give you the flexibility to easily upgrade your outboard or rigging. Experience legendary Yamaha reliability and the freedom of forward thinking, with the F200 In-Line Four.

OREGON

COOS BAY Y Marina (541) 888-5501 www.ymarinaboats.com

WASHINGTON

GARIBALDI Greg’s Marine Service (503) 322-3643 www.gregsmarineservice.com

EUGENE Maxxum Marine (541) 686-3572 www.maxxummarine.com

YamahaOutboards.com/F200InLine

AUBURN Auburn Sports & Marine Inc. (253) 833-1440 www.auburnsportsmarineinc.com

EVERETT Everett Bayside Marine (425) 252-3088 www.baysidemarine.com

OLYMPIA US Marine Sales & Service (800) 455-0818 www.usmarinesales.com

CHINOOK Chinook Marine Repair, Inc. (800) 457-9459 www.chinookmarinerepair.com

MOUNT VERNON Master Marine Boat Center, Inc. (360) 336-2176 www.mastermarine.com

PASCO Northwest Marine and Sport (509) 545-5586 www.nwmarineandsport.com

EDMONDS Jacobsen’s Marine (206) 789-7474 www.jacobsensmarine.com

MOUNT VERNON Tom-n-Jerry’s Boat Center, Inc. (360) 466-9955 www.tomnjerrys.net

SHELTON Verle’s Sports Center (877) 426-0933 www.verles.com

Follow Yamaha on Facebook® and Twitter™

REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal

YamahaOutboards.com/F200InLine

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intended to be an endorsement.

2013 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.

REMEMBER to always observe all©applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal intended to be an endorsement. © 2013 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.

nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 105

2021

Pacific Wings Waterfowl Adventures

pacific-wings.net Hunt corn pond mallards in Eastern Washington with Pacific Wings Waterfowl Adventures. All private property with 16 private ponds and deluxe steel pit blinds. On these fully guided hunts, hunters average over five ducks per day in most years. See their videos on YouTube @PacificWingsHunting and @JayGoble.

Alaska Marine Highway System

Velocity Precision Engineering

velocitytriggers.com Velocity Precision’s Recoil-less Bolt Carrier is designed for accuracy and performance.

Their unique patent-pending design is stronger and lighter than other low-mass bolt carriers on the market, and when paired with their adjustable gas block, you can expect recoil and muzzle rise to be nearly zero.

ferryalaska.com The Alaska state ferries make up a large part of Alaska’s highway system, covering 3,500 miles of coastline and providing service to over 30 communities that stretch from Bellingham, Washington, to Dutch Harbor.

The state’s ferries are diverse and provide daily links between communities, allowing riders access to their communities of choice.

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106 Northwest Sportsman

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UNION GAP

Demo Rides Always Available!

2021 Thunder Jet 185 Luxor

Mercury 115hp 4-Stroke, Partial Hard Top, Canvas Backdrop, Offshore Bracket w/Welded Kicker Mount, Dual Wipers, Rear Bench Seats on Storage Boxes, Downrigger Brackets & Much More!

2021 Lund 1800 Sport Angler

Mercury 115hp 4-Stroke Motor, Sport Top w/ Full Canvas Enclosure, Side Rod Storage, Rear Bench Seat on Storage Box, Washdown, Bait Station & More!

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Mercury 115hp ProXS 4-Stroke, Sport Top w/ Walkway Curtain, Livewell in Bow & Transom, On-The-Go Rod Storage, ProRide & AirRide Upgrades, Kicker Bluetooth Stereo, Vinyl Floors

2021 North River 22 Seahawk Fastback

Yamaha 250hp V6 4-Stroke, Yamaha 9.9hp 4-Stroke Kicker w/ Helm Controls, Kicker Tie Bar, Full Hard Top w/ Canvas Backdrop, Walk-Thru Transom Door, Side Rod Storage, Aluminum Floors & More!

2021 Duckworth 21 Discovery

NEW MODEL! Honda 200 V6 4-Stroke, ¾ Hard Top, Mariner Suspension Seats, Canvas Backdrop, Livewell, Washdown & More!

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COLUMN

October Means Venison!

O

ctober’s full moon is called the “Hunter’s Moon,” and it arrives right in the middle of the modern ON TARGET rifle deer season this

By Dave Workman month, which opens statewide in Washington on Saturday, October 16, while Oregon’s kicks off two weekends before, October 2.

The full moon falls on the 20th, and if the Northwest is blessed (cursed?) with fair weather that week, it will give deer an opportunity to feed at night and be back in hiding.

Yours truly will be somewhere in the

woods by the big tree, watching the edge of a clearcut for a fat blacktail, or over in Eastern Washington’s Chelan or Okanogan, or maybe on BLM land in upper Douglas County, watching for a big mule deer buck along the ridges above orchard or farm country.

In the event of stormy weather, deer will likely bed down to ride it out and then they’ll be feeding early morning and late afternoon/evening.

I’VE DECIDED TO hunt deer this fall with my vintage Savage Model 99 lever-action chambered for the often underrated .300 Savage. It was my grandpa’s gun until he gave it to me for a high school graduation

present. It is capable of very good accuracy and any buck within 250 to 300 yards is in trouble, especially since I mounted a scope on it some decades ago to get the full measure from rifle and cartridge.

Yeah, I’ve got a .308 bolt-action Savage, and a couple of .30-06-caliber rifles, but this year I’ve got a touch of nostalgia.

Developed just over a century ago – it was introduced in 1920 – and quickly offered in the Model 99, the .300 Savage is capable of putting down deer decisively.

The key will be finding deer.

Pay attention to where there have been forest fires this year. You might hunt along the outskirts of the burns, where displaced game may be hanging around.

.. .

Riflemen will head afield across the Northwest this month in hopes of filling their tag. (CHAD ZOLLER) nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 109

COLUMN

Author Dave Workman is planning to hunt this season with his vintage Savage Model 99 in .300 Savage, a choice that might be a bit nostalgic for him, as it was given to him by his grandfather, but with its scope, “any buck within 250 to 300 yards is in trouble.” (DAVE WORKMAN) In the timber country west of the Cascades, hunt along the edges of new and old clearcuts. Blacktails like living on the edges, not far from food, close to cover and typically near water. They will be somewhat alert because of grouse season gunfire, and also because bowhunters have been busy.

East of the crest, some of the region’s healthiest mule deer populations are found in the aforementioned Chelan and Douglas Counties, but don’t give up on Teanaway Ridge in Kittitas County. And if you’ve got access to private farmland over in the Columbia Basin, that’s a good place to notch a tag. Last year my brother scored, and a couple of years back, I bonked a twoby-three over there.

I’ve also hunted on private land over in the steep Snake River country, where my scorecard includes a couple two-by-threes and a four-by-five monster, and my hunting partner scored as well or better. That’s ’06 country for sure, or .300 Magnum, 7mm Rem. Magnum, .270 Win. or something in the 6.5mm family, because you’ll often be 110 Northwest Sportsman

OCTOBER 2021 | nwsportsmanmag.com

shooting across a canyon. My longest shot was 355 yards and my shortest was 209 yards, downhill. Of course, I would also be well-armed in that country with my trusty .257 Roberts or a .243 Winchester, as both are flat shooters and proven deer busters.

Northeast Washington is like hunting the Westside in a lot of respects. Lots of timber, clearcuts and plenty of access roads: USFS, private logging mainlines and two-tracks and roads on state/federal game lands. You’re well-armed with a .308 Winchester or something similar ballistically.

Here are Washington’s deer seasons, pulled from the online regs: Westside blacktail, October 16-31: • Units 407, 418, 426, 437, 448, 450, 454, 460, 466, 501 through 505, 506, 510 through 520, 524 through 556, 560, 568, 572, 574, 601 through 621, 624 (except Deer Area 6020), 627 through 654, 658 through 699 are open for any buck.

• Units 410 through 417, 419 through 424, 564, 655 and Deer Area 6020 are open for any deer.

• Unit 578 down in Klickitat County has a three-point minimum requirement.

Eastside mule deer, October 16-26: • Units 101 through 145, 149, 154, 162 through 186, 203 through 272, 278, 284, 328, 330 through 368, 372, 373, 379, 381, 382 (except closed in Deer Area 5382) and 388 are open with a three-point minimum.

Eastside whitetail, October 16-29: • Units 101, 105, 108, 111, 113, 117, 121 and 124 are open for any whitetail buck.

Eastside whitetail, October 16-26: • Units 203 through 284 are open for any whitetail buck.

• Units 127 through 145, 149, 154, and 162 through 186 have a three-point minimum.

• Units 373, 379 and 381 are open for any whitetail deer.

ELK SEASON, WHEN I was a young man, ran for a couple of weeks with full weekends and we would often get back over Chinook Pass heading west just days before that popular route closed for the winter.

Nowadays, the seasons are earlier but they can still get some snow up high.

COLUMN Frank Workman, the author’s brother, conked this mule deer buck on the Snake River a couple of years back.

One uphill shot from his Ruger boltaction chambered in .308 Winchester anchored this healthy three-point.

(DAVE WORKMAN)

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The prevailing wisdom likes heavier bullets for deeper penetration, though it’s not likely your shots will be more than 200 to 250 yards. In the .30-caliber arena (including the Winchester and Weatherby magnums), any bullet weighing 180 grains or better ought to do the job, and keep your eyes peeled for guys hunting with such things as the .338 Win. Magnum or the .35 Whelan.

The Schneider Springs Fire has been burning right in the middle of some of the best elk country in the Southern Cascades, in western Yakima County. It’s west of Nile and southwest of Cliffdell on Highway 410, in the upper reaches of the North Fork of Rattlesnake Creek. As this was written, the fire was still going, and the outlook was for this to continue well into October unless we get some heavy rain and/or snow.

Don’t overlook the Blue Mountains.

There is a lot of elk country down in far Southeast Washington, and the farther one gets from a road, the better the odds.

That principle really applies anywhere, whether in Yakima County in the Naches

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River drainage, or up on Bethel Ridge, or over on the Colockum north of Ellensburg.

Over on the Westside, where the season begins six days later, eastern Lewis County and upper Skamania County are traditionally good bets, and the timber country of Southwest Washington gets a fair amount of pressure.

Here’s a look at the general modern rifle seasons.

Eastside, October 30-November 7: • Units 101, 105, 108, 111, 113, 117, 121 and 204 are open for any bull.

• Units 145, 149, 154, 162 through 186, 249, and 336 through 368 are open for spike bulls only.

• Units 251, 328, 329, 334 and 335 are open for true spike bulls only.

• Units 124 through 142, 372 plus 382 and 388 are open for any elk.

Eastside, October 30-November 15: • Units 203, 209 through 248, 250, 254 through 272, 278, 284, 290, 373, 379 and 381 are open for any elk, primarily to control elk migration into those popular deer regions.

Westside, November 6-17: • Units 407, 564 and 666 are open for any elk.

• Unit 454 is open for any bull.

• Units 460, 466, 448, 503, 505, 506, 510 through 520, 524 (except closed in Elk Area 5066), 530, 550, 560, 568, 572, 574, 578, 601 through 618, 624 (except for Elk Area 6071), 627, 633, 638 (except Master Hunters only in Elk Area 6064 portion of GMU 638), 642 through 651, 652 (except for Elk Area 6014), 654, 658, 660, 667 through 681, and 684 are open with a three-point minimum.

• Units 501, 504 and 663 and Elk Areas 4601 and 6014 are open for antlerless elk or bulls with a minimum of three points.

Be sure to take along a .22 pistol or revolver, or a shotgun, because you’ll likely see a lot of grouse in many areas, and they make great camp table fare – Jason Brooks has a lot more on that in his column. And also watch for snowshoe hares to start turning white, at least during the elk seasons in the higher elevations.

Good luck, stay safe and shoot straight.

Be sure to take some good success photographs and share them with Northwest Sportsman. NS

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HUNTING

The four-by-five Eastern Washington mule deer I killed last October sits in the bed of my truck.

If there’s such a thing as ground shrinkage, then I experienced ground gainage walking up to the buck after downing it, so surprised was I by the size of its antlers.

(ANDY WALGAMOTT)

Lessons I’ve Learned Hunting Muleys Sitting on my butt all day last fall led to my biggest buck yet, the culmination of past seasons’ observations and kills – and, yes, luck.

By Andy Walgamott

J

ust a lucky lazy deer hunter or a learned one?

I’m still wondering where I fall on the spectrum after tagging my biggest-antlered buck yet.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m extremely grateful to have harvested the Okanogan County deer, a gift from the wild. I vowed to it that I would always work to protect its herd and habitat.

But prone to overthinking things like I am, my question has vexed me since the middle of last October.

I killed the four-by-five muley (five-by-six counting eyeguards) in midafternoon on Washington’s opening day of rifle deer season after sitting in one spot for five hours.

Five … very … long … hours.

It was only my second stop of the day on that steep forested slope too.

I sat in the first spot for about two and a half hours before slowly moving a couple hundred yards over and sitting. And sitting.

And sitting some more.

In past seasons I would have hiked 8 miles all the hell over by that time of

the afternoon; or checked on a halfdozen favorite spots and seen a dozen or more deer; or been up the mountain for the morning, back to camp for a sandwich and coffee at lunch, and back at it again for the late shift.

YES, THERE WERE short stops along the way to my spots, but I essentially planted my butt cheeks in all of two places – a rocky perch in the trees and a spot in the dirt underneath the bushy lower branches of a Doug fir.

Lemme tell you, seven and a half hours is a long damn time to do not nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 119

HUNTING

NORTHWEST DEER PROSPECTS

D

isease impacts and wildfire access restrictions may play big roles in some fall rifle deer seasons.

At press time, key areas of Okanogan and Chelan Counties, Oregon’s Cascades and the Blues were still shut down due to summer 2020 and ’21 fires. And bluetongue and epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD, were killing whitetails near Spokane, Colfax, Lewiston, even parts of Central Oregon. In Washington’s whitetail heartland, Colville, there were concerns this year’s outbreak could be as bad as 2015’s.

Before that EHD outbreak, hunting prospects were looking decent for Pend Oreille, Stevens and Ferry Counties, where harvest has been stable to rising slightly in most units, with popular Huckleberry and 49 Degrees North Units seeing more of an uptick than others. Only whitetail bucks can be harvested, but a bid to reimplement antler restrictions was denied. Note that after a fall without any game stations, additional stops will be set up in Colville, Ione and Usk to increase monitoring for chronic wasting disease. It’s not known to occur here, but has been detected in Northwest Montana.

Please stop and have your deer sampled.

Where whitetails west and south of Spokane will also likely be impacted by bluetongue, the somewhat overlooked and large mule deer herd in these mostly private parts is reported at near long-term averages.

Fires on the Blues’ northeast side may impact hunting in the national forest, but overall prospects are good, thanks to recent easy winters. “The district saw improvements in both total whitetail and mule deer harvests in 2020, beyond our expectations, and we expect this trend to continue into the 2021 season, especially for whitetail deer bucks that have a shorter lag time to become legal three-points than mule deer,” report biologists Paul Wik and Mark Vekasy.

“Depending on the effects of the drought this season, we are still expecting mule deer harvest to improve through the 2022 hunting season.”

In the Columbia Basin’s big Beezley and Ritzville units, good posthunt buck and fawn:doe ratios last year have biologists

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expecting an average year for muleys.

The Okanogan is home to “improving postseason fawn:doe ratios and higherthan-average estimated fawn recruitment over the last two years,” and that could boost the number of 2½-year-old bucks available, per biologist Scott Fitkin. Heat and drought may keep them well up in the heights until forced down by snow. Of note, while several fires burned in Fitkin’s district – Cedar, Cub, Walker, Muckamuck – he notes collar data from recent studies show just “modest short-term displacement from fire or little displacement at all; fidelity of individual deer to their summer range is high.”

Mild winters and rebounding herds has Chelan and Douglas Counties “2021 mule deer season ... shaping up to be as good or better than that of 2020,” which was also the best back through 2016. Along with pointing out migratory corridors north and south of the Wenatchee River, bios suggest hunting the edges of 2020’s Pearl Hill Fire.

In the Klickitat, rising deer harvests and fawn survival back to average are good signs.

In Southwest Washington, deer hunting “should again be good,” with Coweeman, Lincoln and Winston Units all yielding a regional-best buck a square mile for rifle hunters in recent falls. Harvest has been rising in the Mason Unit and generally steadyish elsewhere, but San Juans deer are suffering from a big disease outbreak, though it may better align islands’ herds with habitat.

In Northwest Oregon, biologists say blacktail densities are “favorable” in Saddle Mountain, while they’re increasing in Wilson and stable to increasing in Stott Mountain, western Alsea and north Siuslaw. Best ops, they say, will typically be in the middle to east sides of the units.

In the Willamette Valley, the general trend has deer numbers maintaining at or higher than buck:doe ratio goals, while biologists say recent research in Southwest Oregon units shows “the local deer population is stable or slightly higher than previously projected.” They say Tioga, Sixes and Powers deer numbers are “fairly high” compared to the start of the millennium.

In the Roseburg area, fawn ratios have

been stable or increasing and biologists are forecasting “fair to good” deer hunting in the Cascades and Umpqua watershed this year and, essentially, coming years, thanks to wildfires refreshing forage. Note that there is no longer a break in Cascade blacktail season for elk hunting; it runs continuously October 2 through November 5.

Buck ratios are “well above benchmark” in the Applegate, Chetco, Evans Creek, Rogue and nearby units. These are generally migratory animals that push out of the heights starting in mid-October, and last year some saw a big jump in hunter success, though that might have been related to the rule change allowing spikes to be harvested.

West Biggs and Maupin mule deer ratios are above goal at 22 and 23 bucks per 100 does. Using trail cams, biologists last year estimated the Hood Unit outside its main valley had 1,295 deer and they expect a similar number there this year.

Buck ratios are at or above benchmarks in Central Oregon’s Maury, Ochoco and Grizzly, but fawn survival dipped due to late snows, meaning fewer young bucks this fall. Things are even less rosy around Bend, where buck ratios are decent but fawn recruitment issues, poaching and other factors are keeping the herd below goal.

Indeed, generally speaking, mule deer are below goals for much of the rest of Eastern Oregon, but a bright spot is the whitetail bounce-back in Umatilla County from 2019’s huge bluetongue outbreak, while flagtail buck hunting is expected to be “fair” in northern Wallowa County units.

In Idaho, biologists say hunters will see “the usual healthy herds of whitetails” in the northern Panhandle, thanks to good fawn recruitment and winter survival. But EHD turned up there late, and given the situation near Lewiston, where several hundred deer died, Clearwater Region prospects were on hold. They were also encouraging hunters with either-sex tags to exercise that option for productive Unit 39 east of Boise, where deer numbers are increasing and overwinter survival is typically high, but fawn production and body size is decreasing, pointing to looming carrying capacity issues. –NWS

HUNTING much of much. Should have brought the book I was reading at the time, Duck Season, which, it turns out, is more about the food of southwest France than hunting quackers (one chapter does describe the unusual machinations chasseurs use to bring in wood pigeons).

Instead I sat there in the woods and texted my wife Amy; watched as two does and a fawn all but galloped off the mountain; took some fruity nature pics; texted a long morning update to a good friend who used to be part of our Deer Camp; checked EPL soccer scores; watched geese honk their way past, high overhead; moved several hundred feet; watched a doe and two fawns glide past above me right to left; had some snacks; took a piss; drank some coffee to stay awake; watched another doe go the other way; ate my lunch; took more fruity nature pics; drank the rest of the coffee to stay awake; considered going for a midday walk to glass a basin; decided against it; drank a full water bottle so none would slosh around and scare the deer, I guess, while I sat on my butt; clipped the limbs of a downed tree to make a better shooting rest; thought again about going for that walk; and wondered if I had totally and utterly blown my opener on two sits, wasting the best day of the season.

What the hell sort of deer hunter had I become?!?!

Apparently a couch potato of one.

I’ll admit I’d probably see and bag more deer if I wasn’t so busy snapping fruity nature pics and soaking up the season, but that’s a huge part of why I get out there. Snow falls a couple Octobers ago in a place I like to sit. (ANDY WALGAMOTT)

Muleys are the deer of the West’s wide-open spaces, but I’ve taken to hunting them in relatively much tighter quarters. The limited visibility puts a premium on my senses for detecting them, especially my ears. (ANDY WALGAMOTT) 122 Northwest Sportsman

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No wonder I hadn’t tagged any bucks since 2015’s.

After getting a nice four-point that year I thought I’d turned the corner. I’d seen a ridiculous number of bucks, at least for me, and killed what I believe to be the same one I’d taken a shot at seven days earlier on opening weekend (it has a distinctive “crab pincer” on one antler beam). I was a Big Hunter now, three in seven years, putting me above average for general season Washington riflemen.

Then I whiffed four years in a row and sunk back to where I was before.

A below-average Washington deer hunter.

And somehow sitting on my bum

nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 123

HUNTING typically and predictably move several times a day. It may vary where you hunt, but where I do it’s right before shooting hours begin; around 9 a.m.; sometimes around 11 or 12; again near 3 p.m.; and at the end of shooting light.

I have had far, far more deer encounters by getting to a good spot before those movement times, sitting down, shutting up and letting the woods settle down again than I have bumbling around.

One of my aforementioned bucks on the mountain was a 9 a.m. deer, and the one I believe I had two runins with in 2015 was both a 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. muley. A third also moved in midafternoon, as did a fourth.

So it went with this latest buck.

A friend and I drag a buck out of the woods during a past season. This deer served as the initial reminder to me that afternoon can be a good time to hunt instead of hang out around the campfire with the guys. (MIKE ARMSTRONG)

A SHEER JOY of deer hunting for me is

all of opening day was supposed to change my luck?!?

AHEM, I’M MY own harshest critic, which ensures that my head never gets too bloated. My 2020 buck also represents the culmination of all those I’ve now taken on that mountain, lessons learned over that time and a refining of my hunting tactics that, essentially, led me to the very rational decision that my best bet was to just sit tight on that particular slope.

Despite the care I take to hunt as scent-free as possible and watching where I walk in the woods so I don’t set off too many noise-making “land 124 Northwest Sportsman

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mines,” I have figured out that I’m really bad at reading the wind and only so-so at sneaking around, not a good combination, so I’ve given up on still hunting, which isn’t as still as it sounds, and I never really got into spotting and stalking muleys either.

My model of .308 is known for its accuracy, but I also have less than zero interest in taking long-range shots and possibly losing an animal or just failing to find it, so instead I’ve learned to wait for bucks to come to me, and the closer the better. All my shots have been within 80 if not just 60 yards.

This will come as no surprise to fellow hunters, but I’ve found deer

immersing myself in Mother Nature at the peak of her glory. Fall really is the best season of all. I love it.

Yet even as I take in the beauty of clouds passing over peaks and valleys, relax to the sighing of the conifers and the clattering of willow leaves as summer yields to winter, and all the smells trigger memories of hunts past, I’m also listening for clues of what else might be in the woods. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard deer well before I’ve seen them. For how I hunt, I actually think my ears are more important than my eyes.

The woods are incredibly noisy, I’ve learned, and it seems like 99 percent of sounds can be attributed to the busywork of squirrels and chipmunks, the pecking of woodpeckers, flickers and nuthatches, the fussing of grouse.

Grouse are the absolute worst.

As daylight dwindled several falls ago, I was further back than I wanted to be at that hour because a blue had me absolutely frozen for half an hour or more in anticipation that a buck was just about to come up the mountain to me. Eventually I realized the rustling was actually coming from partway up a tree below my position and not ground level, which I’ve discovered deer more commonly inhabit.

So anyway, last October, after about

HUNTING

I hunt for the meat, not for the horns, which are a lot less nutritious for my family come dinnertime, but I also had a Euro mount done with last year’s buck and it has an honored place inside our home.

It represents the culmination of lessons I’ve learned over the seasons, but I’m also unhappy with how lazy, per se, my hunting tactics have become. (ANDY WALGAMOTT) 126 Northwest Sportsman

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five hours in my second spot, I’d heard enough non-bird and non-bushytail sounds – a noise I can only describe as a “brushing,” the occasional loud crack and an odd knock – to convince myself that something big (but also not one of the guys from camp sneaking in to poach in my hunting grounds) might be just below me and screened by trees. ... And it was just as easy to convince myself I’d been a fool to expect a deer to be today where I’d seen them pass in the distant past.

So I gave it a little more time because the time on my phone showed me it was coming into one of those deer movement periods I target.

Soon there came the sound of something slowly moving through dry foliage. My first thought was grouse feeding back upslope, but after what felt like forever I finally saw antlers, then the body of a buck within 70 yards.

It was browsing its way upslope, giving me time to count antler points several times over to make sure it had the requisite three tines on at least one side. The last thing I wanted to do was have to call Sergeant Dan Christensen, the former Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife lead game warden for the district, and self-report a too-small buck. But with forks front and back there was no denying this one had enough points.

The question was, would I get a clear shot? Even as the part of the slope the deer was climbing was open, there were enough branches between us that I needed to wait for the right moment.

When that came, I fired.

The best thing that can be said about my shooting that afternoon was that at least I’d had the foresight several years ago to switch to allcopper Barnes TTSXs. Otherwise, there would have been lead fragments throughout the gut cavity. Ugh. I’d used lead bullets since I began hunting deer, but my wife Amy asked me to change. When Buzz Ramsey, the noted Northwest angler who spends his falls chasing bucks and

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Northwest Sportsman 127

HUNTING bulls across Oregon, Washington and Idaho, mentioned to me that he used Barnes, it was all the easier.

I’ll admit my 2020 buck wasn’t my biggest bodied one, but I was grateful for the help I got from the boys back at camp who helped me pull it out of the woods. We hung and I skinned the deer, and the next day John showed me how to make heart hors d’oeuvres.

After a quick turn around from Bellevue’s Golden Steer Meats, the family and I enjoyed delicious venison backstrap, tenderloin, summer sausage, Italian sausage and pepperoni, and John also did a kickass Euro mount that is the highlight of our living room.

THINKING BACK ON the hunt and my original quandary – lucky lazy hunter or learned one? – in terms of ground covered I was definitely lazy, and I feel guilty about that on multiple levels.

Getting a buck shouldn’t be easy. This is hunting, not cozying up to a vending

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machine. It was embarrassingly more like sitting in a treestand and waiting for a whitetail to parade on by than the workout that mule deer hunting should be.

I also didn’t get to check on my favorite spots on the mountain – The Pinecone Pile, The Aspen, The Corner, The Saddle, The Bowl, The Slope That Has No @$%@$ Reason To Be So $%@$# Steep, The Old Twins – places I have longterm relationships with.

Seeing those each fall is as important to me as the hunt itself.

And by tagging out early I missed out on the coveted final four days of a season that all but knocked on Halloween’s door because Washington’s 2020 rifle deer hunt started as late as it possibly can, October 17, the first Saturday after the 10th of the month. I really, really had been looking forward to that. Salivating, in fact.

True, I didn’t have to shoot, but being a meat hunter I’m not passing

up a chance to fill our freezer either.

As much as I love fall, the drive, Deer Camp and getting together with the guys, I’ve got a job to do for my family. Peach-fuzz two-by-threes and moss-horned high-country migrators are all the same in my book.

That the wind was in my favor and a buck just happened to walk through my 100-yard-wide shooting window in the forest were both pretty lucky.

But the ground I chose to put myself in for an extended sitting session was where I’d taken bucks in the past, and last year’s made three midafternoon tagouts in a row. I guess that’s the ultimate point I’m trying to make with this story: Think back over seasons gone by; find linkages; consider deer movement timing; put it all together; be there. I may be a slow learner but I think I’m on to something.

I’ll take that and luck any day, but the lazy thing does bother me. We’ll see what I do about it this month. NS

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HUNTING

It’s not what you traditionally think of as blacktail hunting, but with those ghosts of the forest making themselves at home around our homes, there are opportunities to hunt them – with extreme care. JD Lundquist thinned the local herd on his family’s San Juan Islands farmstead, where high numbers of deer have led managers to offer second tags. (COAST HUNTING PHOTO CONTEST)

Blacktails In The Back 40

Burned out trying to find bucks high up in the Cascades? Don’t want to pay for private timberland access? There’s another option closer to home, albeit with safety caveats.

By MD Johnson

T

his story actually begins in Iowa ’round about 2000, maybe 2001. A good friend of ours, Rich Patterson, who managed the Indian Creek Nature Center at the

edge of Cedar Rapids, called me.

“MD,” Rich began, “I have a lady with a deer problem. She’s outside the city limits, has plenty of ground, and is willing to allow hunting.”

“But,” he paused, “she’s not accustomed to hunters and hunting.

In fact, and until very recently, I would have considered her rabidly anti-hunting.”

“My plate’s full,” he added, “and I just can’t find the time. If I introduced you and Julie to her, could you help?”

Absolutely, I told him; glad to do it. nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 131

HUNTING

Neighborhood bucks might be tempting targets, but in addition to getting landowner permission and scoping out adjacent properties for red flags, hunters also need to research no-shooting and no-hunting areas. As the below map from a Western Washington county shows, no-shooting (yellow) and other areas can intermix. (TOM WALGAMOTT, ABOVE)

Enter, then, Marilyn K. Marilyn owned 66 beautiful acres of mixed hardwood valleys, rough and tumble bedding cover, and pasture land – she’s a horse person – on the edge of town. She was an extremely nice lady; articulate, educated, professional and cared deeply about Mother Nature, her piece of it and her role in it. Rich introduced my wife and I to Marilyn, and turned it over to us. Immediately, she began asking Julie questions.

“I didn’t know girls hunted,” she said. “Why do you do it? When did you start? Who taught you how to hunt?

How do you stand the cold weather?

What happens if you get a deer?”

The questions may have gone on and on, but by the end of that first meeting, Julie and Marilyn had genuinely hit it off.

“If the weather gets too cold,” the landowner told my wife, “you just come into the house and sit there at the dining room table. Make yourself a pot of coffee. And when the deer come into the backyard, just slide that door open and shoot one. Or two.”

We had a good chuckle at that, after, that is, giving the idea some serious consideration, given the 132 Northwest Sportsman

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temperatures in eastern Iowa often dropped to -20 or below during the late muzzleloader season in January.

Over the next 10 years, our relationship with Marilyn K. grew into a downright friendship. A single lady, Julie and I helped her throughout the year with various projects; come fall, we had 66 deerfilled acres to ourselves beginning

with archery season on October through the close of muzzleloader season on January 10.

How many deer constitutes deerfilled? On the first evening we hunted Marilyn’s ground, Julie counted 76 animals from her treestand alone, including some monstrous bucks.

During that decade, we used the ground as a training facility, per

HUNTING se, for any number of novice and/ or physically challenged hunters, incredibly controlled as the situations typically were. As for Julie and I, Marilyn’s farm provided hours upon hours of enjoyment, not to mention some of the finest tasting venison available. It was, I would venture to say, the ultimate suburban hunting location, and we’ve missed both the opportunities, as well as a wonderful landowner and good friend, since moving back to Washington in 2015.

Washington’s entire Stella Game Management Unit is a firearms restricted area, but that hasn’t stopped Emily and Bryce Foytack from bagging a number of blacktail bucks there with their shotguns in recent years, including this pair from 2020. The small unit encompassing Longview and nearby lowland woods “has been … productive for both kids,” reports their grandfather, Earl Foytack. (COAST HUNTING PHOTO CONTEST)

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SO WHY BEGIN a piece about hunting blacktails in the ’burbs with a tale about Iowa whitetails? Well, it’s actually quite simple. There are opportunities in Western Washington and Western Oregon to hunt blacktails in the same manner as we pursued whitetails in Iowa; that is, within earshot of afternoon school buses dropping off the kids at the end of the day. Within sight of rooftops, in-use outbuildings, swing sets and inflatable swimming poles.

Toby, the yard-bound Labradoodle that insists on barking at the most inopportune times? Yep, he’s there, too. Sometimes.

Before you throw up your hands in disgust, screaming, “It’s not deer hunting when you can watch the neighbor’s television from the stand!” give me a chance here, OK? I’ll be the first to admit that suburban deer hunting isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. If you’re looking for peace and quiet, this probably ain’t it. A wilderness experience? Umm, no. Remote camping, fly fishing for native cutthroat trout and listening to grouse go to roost in the evening?

Again, I’m going to say not here.

It’s a different kind of critter, this suburban setting, and to repeat myself, it’s not for everyone. (To clarify, for the purposes of this article we’re using the Merriam-Webster definition of suburbs, “an outlying part of a city or town,” rather than encouraging you to hunt, say, the suburban Portland and Seattle communities of Tigard, Gresham,

HUNTING Shoreline, Burien, etc.)

That said, some incredible blacktail bucks, if that’s your personal gig, spend their entire lives on these suburban fringes, and if you’re willing to do what it takes to get to them, you just might be in for the hunt of a lifetime.

I’LL GO OUT on a limb here and say the two most limiting factors to suburban hunting opportunities come in the form of 1) legal issues – can the ground legally be hunted? – and 2) obtaining landowner permission.

Not all suburban properties are open to hunting, even should the landowner be receptive to the idea.

Often this prohibition relates to a local or county no-shooting ordinance.

Maybe the property, though considered a part of the ’burbs, still lies wholly or in part within the municipal city limits. In Iowa, all hunting had to take place a minimum of 400 yards from any occupied or residential dwelling, unless permission from all of the residents was first obtained. Three of the four isn’t going to cut the mustard, so to speak.

The reasons why a parcel can’t be hunted, despite seeming suburban, are lengthy and varied; however, I’ve found my county assessor an invaluable source of information when it comes to researching a parcel in order to answer the can-I-orThere are other options for blacktails in or near the ’burbs, including select county and community forests, while certain Willamette River Greenway properties are available for deer hunting. Best bet is to get a good map and do your research to figure out what’s OK where. (TROY RODAKOWSKI, BELOW)

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can’t-I question.

What I’ve done in the past is, via the assessor’s website, taken a parcel number to my local sheriff, and just asked him, plain and simple, is there any reason why, should I get permission, I can’t legally hunt deer on this property?

Here in Wahkiakum County, I also have the luxury of having a retired Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officer nearby, and I’m not shy about asking him the same question. Due diligence here is the key.

HUNTING Besides shotguns, another short-range option for blacktails is a muzzleloader, which Holly Merclich used to take this blacktail in Washington’s Snoqualmie Valley during the general rifle season.

(COAST HUNTING PHOTO CONTEST)

NINE TIMES OUT of 10, the suburban properties we’ve gained access to came as a result of deer/landowner conflict. That is, the property owner is tired of the deer eating his or her flowers, and, after exhausting all nonlethal deterrents, comes to the conclusion that maybe there are a few too many browsers and a drop in numbers might be a good thing.

Take, for instance, a local couple upon whom I’ve hunted for two seasons now. Mister and Misses X own but 5 acres on the edge of town; however, it is literally crawling with blacktails, some of which are downright impressive, and, as I’m discovering, are not unaccustomed to hiding from hunting pressure.

But I digress. A couple years back, a friend of Couple X sent me a text that read, “So and so is having a 138 Northwest Sportsman

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deer problem, and wondered if you might have a solution?” Not knowing where Couple X lived, I called the lady of the house, told her of her friend’s text, and asked if I might come up and see what I could do to help. Friends, met with open arms is an understatement. I learned in short order that the couple did indeed have what I’ll call an overpopulation issue. I discovered, via the assessor, that the property lies entirely outside city limits, and, according to the local constabulary, carries no legal reasons, per se, prohibiting the discharge of firearms and/or hunting.

But I wasn’t done there. I asked Couple X a series of questions, such as, How are the neighbors going to react to gunfire, albeit rare? How do the neighbors feel about hunting? Is there any one individual I need to be

aware of, i.e. an anti-hunter or, for lack of a better phrase, an essentially crabby person? And what about that 40-acre open pasture adjoining their property? If a deer doesn’t drop immediately and gets into the field, are there any problems with retrieving said animal?

And then I asked questions specific to them and their property: Are there any deer you don’t wish me to shoot? There was one, the wife said. A weeeeeee little spike that hung around.

Its two antlers were the size of No. 2 pencils, with a body to match. Left him alone. Anything else? Stay away from this spot. Don’t go there. Treestands?

Ladder stands? Ground blinds? Could I set a ground blind up and leave it in place for the duration?

To me, and in no other form or style of hunting, is the ability to practice exemplary public relations – hunter/ landowner relations – more important to overall success and, perhaps most significantly, to the continuation of a good working relationship or, in the case of my wife and I and Marilyn K., a friendship, than in the suburban hunting situation.

It’s a tall order, this finding a place to hunt in the ’burbs. Researching the legality and/or feasibility of hunting said parcel. Locating the landowner.

Obtaining permission. Developing that relationship. It’s a lot, and I know I’ve only touched on it briefly – skimmed, actually – here. It is, and as much as I hate the phrase, a fluid and dynamic situation. It’s important to be flexible. To be able to accept the word no or, in frequently rare circumstances, a “Get the hell off my property!” kind of reaction to your “Might I hunt here?” query.

BUT LET’S ASSUME you’ve accomplished all this. You’ve located property.

Done your due diligence. Obtained permission. Talked to the landowner and, best-case scenario, gotten introductions to the neighbors, one of whom has also asked you to hunt on their place. Schwing! Now what?

My local property is tight; by that,

HUNTING I mean there are houses on three sides – north, west and south. A big pasture lies to the east, but it’s rimmed by houses, all occupied by residents.

My ground blind, used when I take my grandkids as observers, and treestand can’t be more than 30 to 40 yards from my landowner’s garage and shop. Oh, yeah; I can hear and in some cases see everything that’s going on around the neighborhood.

My first and biggest imperative on this property was where to position a stand both to take advantage of deer movement and, more importantly, provide safe fields of fire. Information pertaining to deer movement was, fortunately, taken care of by the landowner.

A semi-professional photographer, Mister X enjoyed deploying a series of trail cameras around the grounds, and could – and did! – provide me with details on this trail, this staging area, this small clearing, and what blacktails were

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using what when and where.

Helpful? Absolutely. True, I could have done it myself using the same technology, but hey, why look a gift horse in the lips, eh?

With this information, I knew where to set a stand, but what sort of stand?

Because I’m not an archer – which, by the way, is often the ideal choice of weaponry in a suburban setting due, of course, to the silence – I had to think hard about stand positioning and fields of fire. Ultimately, I chose an Ol’Man Assassin 18-foot dual ladder stand (millennium-outdoors .com) for my vantage point. One, the height would allow increased visibility over Washington’s notoriously thick Westside. Two, the height would also provide a downward angle or trajectory to my shooting; that is, not quite vertical, but nothing horizontal and potentially dangerous to the surrounding homeowners. And three, the double seat lets me put Julie or

one of the grandkids up there with me. Nothing like a little company in the deer woods, eh?

WITH THOSE SIGNIFICANT variables addressed, let’s round out this blacktails in the ’burbs tutorial with a look at a handful of other considerations, such as: Firearms: Suburbia typically means short-range shooting. At Marilyn’s in Iowa, 60 yards was about as far as we’d shoot. Here in Southwest Washington and on my initial suburban parcel, 40 yards is far; however, and while the distances might be short, I do want something that will drop a deer in an extremely short distance, if not in its tracks. Why? Well, the neighbors might be understanding, but having a nice four-point stagger into their yard and drop dead next to their petunias might be – well, that might not be cool.

True, I could pack a 105mm howitzer into the stand and still have one run,

HUNTING but I’ll be as prepared as I can be.

This all said, I shoot one of three firearms when I hunt the ’burbs.

The first is a Marlin 336 in .30-30, a tackdriver topped with a 1.5-4x scope that sucks up every ounce of available light, a good thing given the increased deer activity we all see in those final 30 minutes. The second is a CVA Accura V2 muzzleloader in .50 caliber, this one carrying a 3-9x Konus scope and packing a 300-grain PowerBelt poly-tip overtop 100 grains of Hodgdon White Hot pelletized powder. And the third is a Mossberg M835 12-bore outfitted with a red dot sight and filled with Winchester Double X #00 buckshot. All three are incredibly accurate, reasonably shortrange firearms that, should I do my job, do theirs just fine.

Scents and cover scents: So here’s where you can get a bit lax. Because suburban blacktails hear and see humans every day all day long, the

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bugaboo that is scent and scent elimination, to my mind, doesn’t come into play. Much.

Oh, ’burb deer still know, if deer do indeed “know” things, human scent isn’t a good thing. However, if they ran from it continually, they’d be – well – continually running. This what it is, I don’t pay much attention to eliminating my human scent when hunting suburbia.

In fact, and a trick I read years ago, I’ll often leave my truck running when I arrive on location and step, albeit briefly, in front of the exhaust, leaving the fumes to wash over me and my clothing. Suburban deer smell vehicle exhaust every day of their lives; what’s one more whiff of petroleum fumes?

What I do believe in is the use of natural scents, specifically curiosity or sex-based deer attractants. Halloween, and I’m hanging Wildlife Research or Hunter’s Specialties scent wicks with

doe-in-estrus formulas; maybe not blacktail specific, though H.S. and Wayne Carlton both offer blacktail specific lures, but just something to grab a passing buck’s nose.

Scrapes, rattling: I’ll make a mock scrape or two at the edge of the property. Rattling? I’ve done it, but am still waiting for success to come and visit. However, I’ve talked to plenty of diehard blacktail hunters who are firm believers in both rattling and calling.

NO, SIR. HUNTING suburbia isn’t for everyone. Truthfully? I do enjoy the quiet and serenity of an off-thebeaten-path backcountry jaunt. Just me and Mother Nature. However, when that stranger calls and tells me, “Say, Mister X told me you were helping him with a deer problem.

Well, I have this big bear, you see, that’s tearing up my Asian pear tree, and, well, would you…?

I mean, who am I to say no? NS

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HUNTING

Get Ready For Rifle Elk

Author and former Northern Rockies hunting guide Dave Anderson’s number rule for pursuing elk is to watch the wind. “Elk spend their lives constantly avoiding predators and humans, so they know how to play the wind game very well,” he writes. (RICK SWART, ODFW)

Tips and tactics for hunting wapiti east of the Cascades this fall.

By Dave Anderson

W

hether this is your first fall chasing elk or you’re a seasoned veteran of the elk woods, there are a lot of things that must align in order to notch a tag.

Elk are large animals, but luckily for us they are used to hearing a lot of noise in the woods. If you have ever been close to a herd of elk, you may have witnessed the constant chatter back and forth between cows and calves. Or perhaps you have been lucky enough to hear an angry bull bugling his brains out while pushing around cows and chasing off other

bulls. Compared to other aspects of nature, the elk woods are not silent by any means.

However, in my opinion, the number one rule when chasing elk is to always be conscious about the wind, regardless of which type of weapon you’re hunting with. If the wind is in your face, you’re in the right place. Elk spend their lives constantly avoiding predators and humans, so they know how to play the wind game very well. In the mornings, when the air is cooler, thermals flow down the mountains. When the sun and daytime temperatures begin to climb, so will the air, moving back up the mountain.

Once the evening temps start to cool again, these thermals will drive the air and your scent back downhill.

You always want to be conscious of your wind because an elk can sometimes smell over 600 yards away.

There are several external variables that can change how effective their noses are, such as hunting pressure, wind speed, temperature, humidity, type of terrain and human/vehicle activity, but regardless, an elk’s sense of smell is powerful. Therefore, I always have a wind puffer bottle in my bino harness. Whether I am closing in on elk with a rifle or a bow, I am watching my wind every step of the way. nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2021

Northwest Sportsman 145

HUNTING DIFFERENT TIMES OF fall call for different tactics when chasing elk with a rifle.

These tactics can also vary depending on which state you’re hunting in.

If you have a general elk tag, live in Washington and will be hunting east of the Cascade Crest, you will be hunting for a spike, though there are also a few any-bull and any-elk units.

For this tag, you will want to focus on locating a herd, as spike bulls generally

hang with large groups of elk. They are not like big bulls that are tired from the rut and off seeking solitude.

This also holds true with cows.

If you were lucky enough to draw a cow tag, which seem to be fewer every year, you will focus on areas that hold herds of elk. That’s not to say that you won’t find small groups of cows, but elk love to find safety in numbers. The more eyes and noses

they have, the safer they will be. The benefit of trying to locate herds of elk is that they are generally easier to see and hear the larger the group.

Now, when it comes to mature bulls, there will be a difference in how you approach the hunt depending on whether your season occurs during or after the rut. If you drew a quality tag and it is after the rut, you are going to want to hunt the steep and

WASHINGTON, OREGON ELK PROSPECTS

I

t will be another tough fall for most elk hunters in Eastern Washington due to continuing calf survival issues.

“The low number of calves being recruited into the population in 2021 will result in a low number of yearling bulls (spikes) available for harvest. This fall will be another below-average year for yearling bull harvest,” forecast Blue Mountains biologists Paul Wik and Mark Vekasy.

Troubles with their herd sparked a large study this year (see Northwest Sportsman, July 2021) involving the radio-collaring of 125 neonates to better suss out key factors in why elk numbers are declining.

As for the Yakima herd, it’s not apples to apples because of surveying differences, but this past winter’s calf count at feeding stations was 27 per 100 cows, up from the “record low” of 19:100 the previous February.

“There should be improved harvest in 2021 over 2020, but still below average,” biologist Jeff Bernatowicz reported.

The Schneider Springs Fire should – key word – be well under control by the start of the late October season, but Forest Service closures may still impact access to the Bethel, Bumping and Nile Units.

Northeast Washington elk aren’t surveyed due to thicker forest cover, but “increasing hunter harvest, documented expansion of elk distribution, and anecdotal information indicate that elk populations are stable and possibly increasing,” per biologists Annemarie Prince and Ben Turnock.

Elk harvest across the more open Spokane and Palouse region has generally been rising in recent years, and there are areas of strong calf recruitment, such as Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, but hunters will need to sort out access –

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whether through permission from farmers, permits from Inland Empire Paper or other sources – beforehand.

West of the crest, the elk kill in the western Willapa Hills is on a gradual longterm increase and without weather worries, should offer decent prospects.

Take in the eastern Willapa Hills and South Cascades has been steady in recent years, though below the highs seen a decade ago when high numbers of antlerless permits were available to reduce the size of the St. Helens herd and hoof disease may not have been as widespread.

Speaking of, this fall hunters have an incentive to harvest limping elk in all Westside units and turn in the animal’s hooves for testing. Those who do could be drawn for special Westside bull tags next year if their sample is positive for TAHD. Oregon biologists report that after more Wilson and western Trask Units bulls made it through last season, hunting should be “okay” in the North Coast units this fall. On the Central Coast, bull ratios are below goal (10 per 100 cows) in the Alsea but meet the benchmark in the Stott and Siuslaw Units, though animals are hard to find in the latter. Numbers are also above goal in the eastern Trask and Scappoose Units, while they’re close to it in the South Coast’s Sixes, Powers and Tioga Units.

While elk numbers in the Cascades are generally low, note that the general season has been moved out of October to November’s second week, which may boost harvest numbers.

In Central Oregon, the Ochoco bull ratio was above goal, but below in the Maury and Grizzly. Biologists say that late winter snows impacted local herds and

Kalee Brown, then 19, bagged this Eastern Washington spike on opening morning of a past general rifle season. Most units east of the Cascades are limited to young bulls, but some offer a shot at cows and even any bull during the late October/ early November hunt. (COAST HUNTING PHOTO CONTEST) calf recruitment was a bit below average.

In contrast, Baker County’s elk came out of winter “in good shape,” with bull ratios at or near goal and calf:cow ratios “good in all units,” with Keating, Pine Creek and Lookout Mountain herds growing and offering “good opportunity for hunters.”

To the west, prospects are “average” in Desolation, Murderers Creek, Northside and West Beulah, while calf ratios increased in Heppner and Fossil over 2020, “so hunters should find a few more spike bulls.”

In the northeast corner, elk numbers were reported as “stable” in Union County and “doing well” in most northern Wallowa County units. –NWS

HUNTING changed elk habits. Twenty years ago, during the rut, the mountains would come alive with bulls screaming across every canyon. However, once the wolves started moving in, elk began to adapt in order to survive. In a lot of areas where the population of wolves has grown, elk have gone silent. The bugle will not only let us know the location of the bull, but it will also alert a pack of wolves.

LASTLY, I’LL TOUCH on selecting a rifle

Along with finding safety in numbers, elk will gravitate to thick patches of forest, typically on north-facing mountainsides, for the protection offered against those trying to sneak up on herds. (DAVE ANDERSON)

deep, where large bulls find safety in solitude. These areas will typically include thick forests where they can use the windfalls as a security system.

But if you were lucky enough to draw a rifle tag during the rut, you will have a huge advantage. When hunting with a rifle in the rut, it’s no secret: Find cows and you’ll find your bull. Be patient and follow herds until you find the herd bull you are looking for. He may not be with them early but eventually he will be there.

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an area has the potential to hold. I have been lucky enough to guide a lot of wilderness hunts for elk. MidSeptember is generally when the rifle season starts and it almost seems like you are cheating with the advantage of the rut, but as anyone who has ever hunted elk knows, they are not easy, regardless of the season.

Hunting elk today has changed significantly from when I started hunting and guiding elk hunts over 20 years ago. For one, wolves have moved into a lot of the areas I used to guide, greatly impacting the sheer number of elk. The wolves have also

caliber for hunting elk. My number one rule is, do not get more gun than you can handle. During my years of guiding elk hunters, I cannot tell you the number of times people showed up at camp with any of the .300 calibers and were too scared to shoot their gun. This is the worst possible scenario.

When shooting 200 to 400 yards there are so many things that can go wrong when someone is intimidated by their rifle. Flinching and improper trigger pull can cause a lot of issues real quick. No matter what caliber you choose, you need to be proficient with the rifle and put in a lot of time at the range shooting different distances.

Chasing a wounded elk is one of the worst things you could do. Elk are resilient and can cover a lot of ground very quickly, even when wounded.

I am a firm believer in having more horsepower, but you need to be proficient at shooting a larger caliber.

My main elk hunting rifle is a .300 Weatherby and I shoot 180-grain Accubond bullets. The combo does a fantastic job of dispatching elk quickly. There is not a whole lot of tracking involved.

However, I have also killed a handful of elk with a .270 WSM and 130-grain Ballistic Silvertips. When hunting with a smaller caliber, it is all in how you place your shot.

Indeed, we need to be smart and know our rifles as well as our own personal limitations. For instance, just because you have a gun that can shoot 500-plus yards does not mean you have any business winging a shot

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Northwest Sportsman 149

HUNTING

While Anderson says his primary elk rifle is a .300 Weatherby loaded with 180-grain Accubonds, as a hunting guide whose clients sometimes hesitated with such a relatively powerful caliber, he advises, “do not get more gun than you can handle.” (DAVE ANDERSON)

because your gun can do it. Also, when shooting a smaller caliber, you should study and understand what your effective range is. The standard energy needed to kill an elk is 1,500 foot-pounds. Know where that

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number is in regard to your rifle and bullet ballistics. You just need to be smart and ethical when it comes to pulling a trigger and trying to take down such a large, beautiful animal.

Good luck to you all this upcoming

season. If you are a first-time elk hunter, I hope your experiences this fall will have you hooked for life. Elk are by far my favorite animal to hunt, and know this: Success will come to those who prepare! NS

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COLUMN

Long Live The Mountain A

s I looked into the powdery dirt at my feet, a series of expletives quickly left CHEF IN my mouth. There on THE WILD the ground was the

By Randy King single best stone tool I had ever found. The spear tip was all but perfect. It wasn’t a little flake of stone indicating that a tool was made here, but a perfect Native American tool.

I called over my children, wife and mother to gander at what I had found. My dirt-stained hand almost trembled in the knowledge of what this meant. This was a hunter’s tool.

We broke into a conversation about just how long people had been hunting and living in this area. The ShoshoneBannock Tribe lived here. They hunted here, just like me. It was not lost on us just what we had stumbled upon.

We were on the mountain to bow hunt deer that weekend, following in a long tradition. That mountain had long provided the habitat that deer like, and the deer had long provided food for the humans who ventured there.

MY HUNT THAT weekend was short lived.

On the drive in my wife spotted some deer. I was dropped off along the side of the road and began my stalk on a small herd of mule deer does. The plan was for the family to go and unload the truck, then swing back and get me to help set up camp. Theoretically we were only 10 minutes from camp on the dirt two-track.

While this seemed like a good idea at the time, I was ill-prepared to hunt. I was wearing shorts and flip flops. I’d dressed to set up camp that night, not put on a deer stalk. When driving to a hunting spot I don’t put my boots on until the last minute, if I can help it. I find this helps me keep my feet cool and dry longer. If I put my boots on in the truck and drive for a while, I end up getting more blisters.

The discovery of a spearpoint highlighted a weekend bowhunting trip for author Randy King and his family, linking them to the Idaho mountain’s long history of providing sustenance for local peoples. The stone projectile was left at the site. (RANDY KING)

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COLUMN

SPICE UP ROASTED DEER LEG WITH PUMPKIN SOUP

A

few years back, my buddy Hank and I broke a deer down into usable chunks. As we stood there in my kitchen with both hind legs trimmed out and in bags, I began to break down the front legs.

Hank looked at me curiously. “I just cut the shank off and freeze them whole, then roast the whole shoulder. Super easy and really speeds up putting a deer in the freezer,” he said.

I was not opposed to the idea at the time; I had just never done it. My go-to method for the shoulder was to debone and grind. So I brushed off Hank’s suggestion for a few years, but in a hurry one time I decided to follow his advice – boy, am glad I did.

A whole shoulder might seem like a lot of meat to freeze at one time. But with the size of the bones and amount of cartilage, it really is not that much “meat” at all. I have found you can get about two meals for a family of four from an average mule deer shoulder. Cook once, eat twice.

Roasted Deer Front Shoulder 1 tablespoon butter 1 front shoulder of a deer, shank removed 1 large yellow onion 1 pound carrots 10 garlic cloves 2 sprigs rosemary 10 sage leaves 24 ounces beef stock 1 tablespoon “Cajun” seasoning (optional) Salt and black pepper Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. When oven is up to temperature, place the shoulder in a buttered 13x9 cake pan.

Roast for 30 minutes until the leg is evenly browned on the top.

Take the leg out of the pan and place on a cookie sheet. Next add the yellow 154 Northwest Sportsman

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Roasted deer front shoulder with pumpkin soup garnished with butter, sage leaves and roasted pumpkin seeds. (RANDY KING) onion, carrots, garlic, rosemary and sage to the bottom of the cake pan. Place shoulder on top of the vegetables. If any juices formed on the cookie sheet, pour them back into the pan. If you elect to use Cajun seasoning, sprinkle the top of the shoulder evenly. Then season with salt and pepper.

Cover the pan with oven-safe wrap or parchment paper. Then cover shoulder tightly with foil. Drop the heat in the oven to 375 and cook for four hours.

Remove from oven and serve with a seasonal pumpkin soup.

Pepper to taste Melt butter in 2-quart sauce pan on medium.

Add onions and cook until translucent. Add red chili flakes. Get them hot and let them “bloom,” but do not burn them. Add the remaining items. Stir well with whisk to fully incorporate the soup. Simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and see if it needs more salt and pepper. Adjust as needed.

Garnish

Pumpkin Soup

¼ cup butter 20 sage leaves ½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon butter ½ onion white, small diced (¾ cup) 1 teaspoon red chili flakes 1 29-ounce can pureed pumpkin 1 16-ounce bottle heavy cream 1/3 cup maple syrup 1½ tablespoons pumpkin pie spice 12 ounces chicken stock 1 tablespoon salt

Melt additional butter in sauté pan on medium-high heat. When the butter starts to brown, add the sage and fry until crispy.

Remove from heat and reserve.

Garnish the soup with pumpkin seeds, sage and melted butter.

For more wild game recipes, see chefrandyking.com. –RK

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Curling my toes to avoid the “flop” sound of the sandals striking the soles of my feet, I snuck into about 26 yards from the herd. The willows of the ravine gave me a little cover to hide. Stepping out but avoiding eye contact, a young doe in the group turned broadside. Her tail flickered when she noticed me. The elder doe stotted off with her fawn. I thought my stalk was busted.

But the young doe nearest to me stood and watched. This was not her best decision. A well-placed arrow in her ribs sent her down the ravine.

I chuckled to myself at the silliness of it all. My attire was not suited to hunting, but here I was, finding my broken arrow on the ground and following a goodlooking blood trail. I knew I was successful by the shot placement.

It was a short blood trail. Only about 100 yards down the ravine I came upon the doe, dead under the willows. I had the deer gutted and next to the road by the time the family picked me up an hour later.

BUT NOW I was in a strange position: tagged out at the start of the trip. So it was my job to entertain all the nonbowhunters the rest of the weekend.

What to do? Well, options on public land abound. We went on UTV rides, we hunted rabbits, we cooked really good food and we talked about the tribes that made this mountain their home.

What did they eat? How did they acquire the food? What tools did they use? What about the native rocks in the area? Obsidian is not found here; they had to trade with other tribes to get it.

As it turned out, my flip-flop feather fling was the only successful hunt that weekend, so that is what my family will eat. And when we do, we will think of the land and those who came before us. It’s a long tradition that we will continue to uphold.

That mountain feeds my family and fed many generations who came before us. With proper care, it will keep feeding many generations of my family and those of others’ well into the future. NS

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COLUMN

Sending in your dog to bust up a flock of fall turkeys, then setting up to call the birds in, is a great approach – if your dog can sit still and be quiet. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

How To Hunt Fall Turkeys With A Dog T

he whites of Echo’s eyes rolled to the left as she tracked movement, but I dared not budge.

In front of us, eight GUN DOGGIN’ 101 paces away, stood a

By Scott Haugen hen turkey that had responded to a series of kee-kee calls,

coming in as planned. What I didn’t anticipate was how effective the calling would be.

Echo, my then-3-year-old pudelpointer, and I sat against the base of a fat Douglas fir tree. Fifteen minutes prior I’d sent her to flush a big flock of turkeys more than 150 yards away.

The flock was feeding away from us,

into a strip of open meadow bordered on both sides by fir trees. The plan was to send Echo in to bust up the flock, call her back to me, then go in together and call the flock to us using assembly calls.

It worked. But what I didn’t plan for this November day were so many birds responding all at once.

First came a hen, which stood right in

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COLUMN

This flock of fall turkeys is in perfect position to send in a dog from below. Hunters can’t run fast enough to bust up a flock like this, but your four-legged partner can. (SCOTT HAUGEN) front of us. I was tempted to shoot her but knew there were several young toms and a monster gobbler in the flock of more than 50 birds. Echo was laying beside me, head near my left knee.

When I saw Echo’s eyes roll to the left, I knew more turkeys were silently approaching. She held solid, not twitching her head or lifting an ear. When a pair of jakes strode into view, 15 yards away, I eased off the safety. Then they paused. I didn’t want to swing and send a muzzle blast over Echo’s head, so I waited.

I let out some soft yelps with a diaphragm call and a hen replied with a crisp, loud kee-kee. The woods came alive.

From all directions the flock started talking in their reassembly chatter. Birds started dropping from the trees, headed our way.

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wasn’t sure how long Echo could maintain her composure. As I nestled my cheek into the shotgun, ready to pull the trigger on a jake, the big tom came striding out of the timber. A number of birds were between us and the longbeard, but when an opening developed, I fired. At 35 yards the tom crumpled.

Through a flurry of turkeys going in all directions, Echo managed to mark the big tom, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t pick it up for the retrieve. Later I found out why – the tom tipped the scales to 23 pounds.

THAT EXPERIENCE MARKED one of my most memorable turkey hunts, not because I’d filled a tag, but because of how well Echo performed. The scenario proved how effective and fun fall turkey

hunting can be with your gun dog. Note that while Oregon, Idaho and California allow hunters to use dogs in autumn for turkeys, Washington does not.

Busting up a flock and calling them back in is one way to hunt Merriam’s and Rios in autumn. There’s another approach I’ve enjoyed over the years with both of my dogs, and that’s getting them to point a turkey.

Turkeys lay down a lot of scent, and if you want to see a dog work with utmost focus and intensity, cut them loose in the turkey woods. The challenge here comes in running across a bird in the right habitat so it holds rather than runs and then flies. To best achieve this, I’ve learned the element of surprise is the ticket, for if a turkey can see you from a long way, it’ll often take off running, then fly as pressure increases.

COLUMN A COUPLE SEASONS ago I was catching a lone tom on trail camera. Every day for three days it walked a deer trail between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The next day I took Kona, my male pudelpointer, to the place but we never found the tom; nor did we see it the next day, or the next. Then, things came together.

We worked into the wind, along the base of some rolling hills. Timber and hardwoods dominated the upper hillside habitat, while we hunted through dry grass laden with 3-foot-tall briar patches.

The briars were sparse enough to weave our way through.

We covered over 200 yards with nothing, then Kona’s tail started wagging and he was off. He ran as fast as his nose would allow, never leaving the scent trail.

I lost sight of Kona over a hill and when I eventually caught up with him, he was on solid point, hindquarters shaking with intensity. Slowly I worked behind Kona, searching for a turkey. Finally, I found a lone tom, neck stretched out, body flat to

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Hunting turkeys in autumn predates today’s highly popular spring season. And while nearly all states hold a fall hunt, not all allow the use of dogs, including Washington, per the National Wild Turkey Federation. (NWTF) the ground inside a tangle of briars. This is a common position for pressured toms to assume.

As I moved around for a clear shot,

Kona stood firm. At the shot, Kona was on the tom, quickly nabbing the 18-pound bird and bringing it to me.

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COLUMN Author Scott Haugen and Kona pose with their “trail cam tom,” a Western Oregon turkey they hunted four days straight before their plan came together. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

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tracking moments, however, isn’t when they hold tight; rather, it’s when they get nervous and flush. Having a turkey, or flock of turkeys, erupt at your feet is an upland hunter’s dream. I’ve encountered moments like this many times with my dogs, including twice last season. It’s happened in heavy brush, fern-laden timber, tall grass – even snow. It’s turkey hunting like many folks never imagine, but would love once they got a taste of it.

Whether you’re looking to hunt fall turkeys with your dog in the traditional way, on point, or more aggressively with an intentional flush and calling birds back in, the options are there.

Just be warned, it’s an addictive, thrilling way to hunt for that holiday bird, one you won’t be able to get enough of, and neither will your dog. NS

Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s popular book, Western Turkey Hunting: Strategies For All Levels, visit scotthaugen.com. You can follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.

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COLUMN

The delayed start of Washington’s grouse season this year may mean more are available for harvest during this month’s deer and elk hunts, an incentive to pack a Thompson Center Contender .410 pistol, like this one author Jason Brooks totes, or a shotgun. (JASON BROOKS)

Late Opener May Mean More October Grouse L

ast month we celebrated Labor Day, a traditional holiday marking the unofficial end of summer for some, but NW PURSUITS for most Northwest sportsmen it is the

By Jason Brooks kickoff to hunting season. First up for many is grouse – or at least used to be. I can’t remember a single Labor Day weekend where I didn’t at least go up and hike a ridge and look for birds.

This year, however, Washington wingshooters found themselves sidelined for the heart-racing flush of a ruffed or a large blue landing in a nearby tree. The Department of Fish and Wildlife decided to push back the 2021 season opener until September 15, following a four-year study on the birds. That research found that in late summer, broods were still with their mother come September 1, the longtime opener, which often led to their early demise and/ or the mature hen being taken, leaving the younger birds to fend for themselves, with

the longterm result being a decreasing population.

However, I would argue that these are birds, not fawns or calves, and they don’t need their parents to feed them once they molt their subadult feathers.

Some hunters pointed to the fact that Labor Day also happens to be one of the busiest hiking weekends in the Evergreen State and accused WDFW of playing politics by moving the popular hunting opportunity to later in the month to avoid hiker-hunter conflicts. Lending a bit of credence to that

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COLUMN particular theory, the change was approved by a Fish and Wildlife Commission that is increasingly populated with nonhunters, in particular the latest two appointees.

In many other Western states, including Oregon, grouse hunting continues to open September 1, apparently with no issues of younger birds being easy pickings.

Still, for those late-season upland bird hunters, WDFW did extend the season an extra two weeks into January, though that really doesn’t help much since blue grouse can live in high snow-covered elevations, eating pine needles and sitting comfortably above several feet of white powder where hunters can’t easily get to them.

ALL THAT SAID, it is now October and rifle deer and elk hunters should also bring along a shotgun, as there should be more grouse available than usual this fall, thanks to the later opener.

Ruffed grouse tend to be more prevalent in Western Washington and the northeast corner of the state, but they are also found

throughout the region. Preferring lower elevations and deciduous trees, the ruff is a fun bird to hunt with dogs. These midsized birds tend to hold for a point and then flush, often flying out of sight. Alder, birch and oak groves are common places to find them and if you find a patch of clover, be ready, as the birds prefer to feed on the green leaves.

Like other birds, grouse also love to eat bugs and it seems ruffies really like spiders.

One fall day, back when we could hunt early September, I hiked along an alder grove and kept running into spider webs. It made for an uncomfortable but ultimately successful day as I limited on ruffed grouse and flushed more on the hike back to the truck.

Blues are a favorite for grouse hunters.

This can be because of the high-mountain vistas they tend to live in, or because it is our best revenge of the day when they flush.

Blues might not seem like the smartest birds but you have to admit that they often flush just after walking past them, causing the heart to jump. I think my boys learned more swear words while we were out deer hunting from the flush of a blue grouse

than from any other source, words often followed up with, “Now where did that sonof-a-b!&$h go?”

The “fool hen,” or spruce grouse, is even dumber than their blue cousin, in my opinion. They are also the one grouse I won’t shoot. It’s not because I have any sympathy for them. Rather, unlike blues, which eat bugs, grass, clover and some fir needles, and ruffies, which eat clover and have some of the best wild bird flavor of all of the upland species, spruce grouse primarily feed on spruce needles. The breast is dark, much like a dove, and to me it tastes terrible.

These smaller, black-plumaged birds will often just sit on a branch and never move, giving them their nickname. While grouse hunting one day, I came to a bubbling spring and knew that birds would be close. I was wearing a camo coat and as I approached the spring, three birds flushed up, two of which decided I was the nearest tree and tried to land on me. Indeed, spruces are not smart birds but I leave them alone, while other hunters I have talked to like them and often fill their limits with the species.

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COLUMN A male dusky grouse struts his stuff.

It can be hard to tell the difference between dusky and sooty grouse, two subspecies formerly known as blues, but range, tail feather count and color of throat patch can help. (JACOB FRANK, NPS)

BLUES CLUES

T

here are actually two types of “blue grouse” in the Northwest. It can be hard to tell the difference between them and because of that, they are considered one species when it comes to bag limits in Washington, where you are allowed four grouse per day but only three of one species.

“Sooty” grouse tend to live in Western Washington, while “dusky” grouse live in the eastern part of the state. However, near the Cascade Crest, the subspecies will interbreed and hybrids are common. In Oregon, duskies occur in the Blue Mountains, with sooties across forested areas elsewhere in the state.

The dusky grouse is lighter in color than the sooty, but both tend to have that “blue” or gray color to them. The only way to really tell is by their tail feathers, with the sooty having 18 and the dusky sporting 20, and the cervical apteria, or throat patch, that male grouse inflate during their “strut” in the mating season. Those of sooties are yellow, while duskies are red.

Sooty grouse like thick forest and stay primarily in trees, while dusky grouse like open timbered areas and are often found on the ground. Both nest on the ground.

You might have heard of the spring sooty season in Alaska. Hunters locate birds by hooting, listening for a response and then hiking towards the sound. Male sooty mating calls are loud and can be heard up to half a mile away and the birds tend to hoot while up in trees. Earlier this year and in response to the proposal to delay the fall season, a “hoot” hunt was proposed in Washington for the sooty grouse, but without much support it didn’t make it through the Fish and Wildlife Commission’s rule-setting process. –JB

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AS FOR HUNTING grouse, there are a few schools of thought. The first are the “purists,” as I like to call them, good-hearted upland bird hunters who would rather go without a grouse than to shoot one off a branch.

A good friend of mine is like this and as we hunted together one day, he toted his side-by-side Charles Daly 12-gauge. Each time we found a bird, he would approach with caution and have that double ready for the flush. There would be a quick glimpse of the ruffs as they flushed and an even faster shot. No birds were hit and he still had a fun.

Maybe someday I will follow and become a purist, but I’m an opportunist and have no problem using a .22 handgun or my Thompson Center Contender .410 pistol and filling the camp cooking pot with grouse taken off of a tree limb. That is what makes hunting the birds so much fun, especially when out chasing deer and elk. It passes the time and makes for a good opportunity.

Grouse need gravel to help digest food, which is why so many are found along logging and forest roads. You cannot shoot on or across roads, and should never shoot at birds in the road. But hiking along gated and decommissioned roads is a great way to find birds. If they run into the brush, I go after them and have no problem taking them once found.

Sometimes ruffed grouse will flush into trees, but most of the time they are gone once they get up. Blues, on the other hand, often head for a nearby tree. It is a good idea to have a pair of binoculars along to help relocate the bird. A .22 rifle with a scope is a perfect grouse gun, as you can shoot the birds in the head and also make sure that if you miss, you will hit the tree and not send a wayward bullet somewhere off into the horizon. A .410 tends to be a fantastic grouse-getter, as the shot won’t travel far, the shotgun has only a light recoil and a dozen shells can fit into your jacket pocket.

While hunting in Idaho last fall with turkey tags in our pockets, we came across a grouse. My son Ryan decided to try a shot with his Stevens .410 turkey shotgun that has a long barrel and an extra-full turkey choke. I must say at 50 yards that bird didn’t have a chance. With more birds available this October, it is finally grouse time! NS

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