FISHING • HUNTING • NEWS NWSPORTSMANMAG.COM
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Buck Preview Oregon Bow Bulls Long-range Shooting Tips
SALMON SPECTACULAR
BAG MORE BIRDS!
Head ‘Strait’ Across For Silvers
KINGS
Tillamook, Nehalem, Lower Columbia, Gorge Pools, Hanford, Duwamish, San Juans, Nooksack, Humptulips, Carbon & Cowlitz
OR, WA Fall Flight Forecast North, South Sound Grouse
U|xaHBEIGy01292ozXv!:^
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Sportsman Northwest
Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource
Volume 9 • Issue 12
Your Complete Hunting, Boating, Fishing and Since 1948. Fi hi d Repair R i Destination D i i Si
PUBLISHER James R. Baker ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Dick Openshaw EDITOR Andy Walgamott LEAD CONTRIBUT0R Andy Schneider THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS Kristin Bishop, Jason Brooks, Brinton Cary, Dave Graybill, Scott Haugen, Doug Huddle, Sara Ichtertz, MD Johnson, Randy King, Buzz Ramsey, Eva Shockey, Mark Veary, Terry Wiest, Mike Wright, Dave Workman, Mark Yuasa EDITORIAL FIELD SUPPORT Jason Brooks GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak
HEWES CRAFT 220 OCEAN PRO
SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Nancy Ekse, Mamie Griffin, Garn Kennedy, Mike Smith, Paul Yarnold PRODUCTION MANAGER Sonjia Kells DESIGNERS Sam Rockwell, Jake Weipert PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker OFFICE MANAGER/ACCOUNTING Audra Higgins COPY EDITOR/ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Sauro
SMOKERCRAFT OSPREY
INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGER Lois Sanborn WEBMASTER/DIGITAL STRATEGIST Jon Hines DISTRIBUTION Tony Sorrentino, Gary Bickford ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@nwsportsmanmag.com CORRESPONDENCE Email letters, articles/queries, photos, etc., to awalgamott@media-inc.com, or to the address below. ON THE COVER Kyle Hurst harvested this moss-horned mule deer in North-central Washington a few seasons back. Reports friend Jason Brooks, “Best part was when they were deboning it, (his brother) Chad’s two daughters were hungry, so they built a fire and started eating steaks from that buck on the spot!”
HEWES CRAFT SEA RUNNER
(JASON BROOKS)
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Northwest Sportsman 9
CONTENTS
VOLUME 9 • ISSUE 12
FEATURES 57
LOCHSA RIVER CUTTS The crystal-clear waters of this North-central Idaho river flowing alongside Highway 12 provide ample spots to fish for westslope cutthroat, and the angling action peaks this month. Jump in back as our resident trout hound Mike Wright takes us up Lolo Pass in search of the bite!
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THE CHINOOK TRAIL Gas up that fishing truck, Portland and Vancouver anglers, because it’s time to head out for salmon! From Oregon’s North Coast bays to the Columbia between Cathlamet and Bonneville Dam to the coolwater plumes entering the Gorge pools, there are Chinook to be had, and Andy Schneider knows how to catch ’em!
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HEAD ‘STRAIT’ ACROSS FOR SILVERS Biggest misnomer in Northwest salmon fishing? That Sekiu’s closed for coho this month. Yes, you’ll have to bone up on rules for bringing fish back from Canadian waters – and yes it’ll be worth it, thanks to a bigger forecast than 2016 when the north side of the Strait of Juan de Fuca was “on fire.” Mark Yuasa makes his debut in our pages with a look at how to get in on the action!
131 FALL FLIGHT FORECAST What’s in store for Northwest waterfowlers this season? How was local production? What’s going on up north? Any changes to the bag limit? Oregon and Washington bird bosses talk shop with our expert, MD Johnson.
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(SARA ICHTERTZ)
CALM SEAS, CRAZY ACTION
The banks of her Southern Oregon rivers are Sara Ichtertz’s happy place for many reasons, so she was a little hesitant to cross the bar and head way out onto the Pacific to fish for albacore. But with her hubster along for the day and a flat ocean, Sara survived to tell the tale of some pretty darn good albie action out of Winchester Bay!
140 EASTERN WASHINGTON BUCK PREVIEW As mule deer and whitetail seasons begin this month across the 509, what can archers, muzzleloaders and riflemen look forward to? We yapped with biologists in six top districts to get a feel for how the 2017 campaign will go down, and it’s not looking too shabby! 147 HAVE BOW, WILL TRAVEL The odds are stacked against Oregon bowhunters when it comes to elk, but there’s a way to up your chances. Brinton Cary admits it’s risky, and there’s always the temptation to chase bugle reports, but done right, becoming more mobile could just put you in the driver’s seat for bulls this season.
SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Go to nwsportsmanmag.com for details. 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 $39.95 (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 © 2017 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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Come and Join our 6th Annual Halibut Express!!
Our area offers some of the very finest Halibut and Ling Cod fishing on the whole BC Coast, including Alaska. We are offering a special early season COMBO Halibut and Ling Cod package for the 2018 season. The dates we have selected for our 2018 Halibut Express are from May 1st to May 5th, May 5th to May 9th, May 9th to May 13th, May 13th to May 17th, May 17th to May 21st, May 21st to May 25th, May 25th to May 29th, May 29th to June 2nd, June 2nd to June 6th, June 6th to June 10th, June 10th to June 14th, June 14th to June 18th and June 18th to June 22nd 2018. This will be a 4 night/5 day package and will include up to 40 hours of guided fishing, all meals and 4 nights accommodations. An added bonus will be that the VACUUM PACKING and FLASH FREEZING of your fish are included in this pricing. This is a heck of a good deal and this package would make a wonderful gift for the fisherman in your family. We will also have our fly-in service available from Seattle, Wash., or Vancouver, BC for these dates. You will also have the opportunity to target the early runs of CHINOOK and COHO that will be coming through our waters at the time of the season. The pricing for this exciting package is as follows: Party of 2 fishing, 2 per boat…$1875.00 PP + 5% tax. Party of 3 fishing, 3 per boat…$1675.00 PP + 5% tax. Party of 4 fishing, 4 per boat…$1475 PP + 5% tax. To make your reservations or for more information please give us a call at 1-800-429-5288 or send an email to: rodgersfishinglodge@yahoo.com Best regards, Doug Rodgers PS: With Halibut selling for upwards of $25.00 per pound at your local fish market, you should easily be able to pay for your trip. You are allowed up to 6 Halibut, new for 2018, 4 Ling Cod and 8 Salmon in possession per angler. The biggest Ling Cod this past season was a 60 pounder. Come and fill your freezers!
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COLUMNS
83 CENTRAL
(DAVE GRAYBILL)
WASHINGTON
Looking to get in on the bounteous return of upriver brights to the Hanford Reach? Dave knows a thing or two about catching fall kings upstream of Tri-Cities! 67
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KAYAK GUYS With hundreds of thousands of Chinook headed past Portland and Vancouver, the Columbia between the cities will be fertile ground for kayak anglers. Mark shares how to score your share of URBs in the ’burbs!
121 CHEF IN THE WILD OK, the Sage Hen Hat may not have been Randy’s best idea for sneaking up on open-country mule deer, but the same cannot be said for his delicious recipe for grouse meatballs and sauce!
101 WESTSIDER As the Mariners try to hit lots of triples and push their way into the playoffs, just upstream from Safeco you can try your hand at turning a triple play this month – Terry talks pinks, coho and Chinook in the Duwamish!
127 GUN DOGGIN’ 101 Quartering, a productive and efficient way to cover ground, is a key skill for your budding hunting dog to learn, and Scott shares how to minimize your training time and maximize the number of upland birds you and pup will encounter!
107 NORTH SOUND It’s a “quarry cornucopia” in San Juan, Whatcom and Skagit Counties – Doug has the deets on landing kings, coho and trout, bagging grouse and geese and tagging bucks and bulls up North Sound way!
151 BUZZ RAMSEY You know Buzz as an inveterate fishing tackle tinkerer, but he’s also a handloader and increasingly confident in taking longer shots at deer, elk and pronghorn. Find out how he upped his game – and began harvesting more of it.
113 SOUTH SOUND Get out your frying pan and turn on the oven – Jason serves up a scrumptious mix of ruffies, blues and chantrelles, and gets us ready for Humptulips, Carbon and Cowlitz salmon!
155 ON TARGET In the market for some new binoculars this hunting season? Dave’s looked through a few in his time and has four keys to consider before purchasing a new pair.
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20
(THEFISHERE.COM)
THE BIG PIC: KEITH MOEN DOESN’T QUIT This Western Washington hunter, angler, carver and husband is bound to a wheelchair, but he knows no bounds.
DEPARTMENTS 17
THE EDITOR’S NOTE Changes on WDFW commission
19
CORRESPONDENCE Reader reactions to recent news
28
BOOK EXCERPT Taking Aim, by Eva Shockey
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PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS Browning, Fishing monthly prizes
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THE DISHONOR ROLL Thieves try to steal hatchery’s salmon; Charter high-grading investigation; Kudos; Jackass of the Month
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DERBY WATCH 16th Annual South Sound Derby; Recent results; Upcoming events
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OUTDOOR CALENDAR Upcoming openers, events
41
BIG FISH Record Northwest game fish caught this month
89
RIG OF THE MONTH Hanford Reach egg set-up
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THEEDITOR’SNOTE
O
ne of the longest serving members of Washington’s Fish and Wildlife Commission ever stepped down last month, and sportsmen owe her a huge debt of gratitude. Miranda Wecker of Naselle had been on the citizen panel more than a dozen years, and while everyone has only so much time and energy to give, her resignation is a significant loss for the state’s recreational fishing and hunting community.
HER SERVICE WAS notable for the commission’s thoughtful balancing of WDFW’s twin mandates of conservation and harvest in trying times; many unanimous decisions; listening to local concerns on wolves and cougars, while also looking at the big picture and buying tens of Miranda Wecker speaks before thousands of acres for habitat and the Washington Senate’s Natural recreation; acting immediately on Resources and Parks Committee during a 2014 hearing. (TVW) state lawmakers’ requests to allow ranchers and others to shoot a wolf caught in the act of attacking stock; and issuing several rare statements, including a position paper on wolves, and letters of thanks to past commissioners and a former director. This past winter, she looked into opening up the annual North of Falcon salmon negotiations with the tribes. In her resignation letter, Wecker said that she was particularly proud of “the major policy reforms that were adopted to emphasize conservation and accountability” during her tenure. Those included the state wolf management plan, Puget Sound shrimp and crab allocations, hatchery reforms, the 21st Century Salmon and Steelhead Initiative, and revising salmon policies in Grays Harbor and Willapa Bays. While internet fish and wildlife commissioners belly-ached, those in the know, like Tony Floor, fishing affairs director of the Northwest Marine Trade Association, were giving Wecker nothing but gold stars. “Miranda has demonstrated unprecedented leadership during her tenure on the commission,” he said. “She never ducked the tough issues and embraced conservation, while setting refreshing direction of managing the resource for wise economic use. She will be missed for her leadership, direction and intellect.” Certainly, she may not count many of her neighbors on the coast in the commercial fishing community among her friends. Twice in recent years her seat was in grave danger, once in 2015 when the Governor’s Office said her resignation was “pending,” and again earlier this year after the commission voted to continue reforming Columbia River salmon and sturgeon fisheries. But she wouldn’t be bullied and stayed on, choosing her time to leave when it made the most sense to her legacy and our resources.
WECKER’S DEPARTURE WAS initially worrisome from the standpoint of whether Governor Jay Inslee would appoint a person with similarly strong credentials to fill her seat. Continued on page 19
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SOCIAL
SCENE
Comment from the www
By Andy Walgamott
and Follow the Law It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3...
WILLAMETTE STEELHEAD EXTINCTION RISK It’s not like we don’t know what happens when sea lions camp where fish passage is blocked (see Locks, Ballard, circa late 1980s), but last month the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife warned that Willamette River wild winter steelhead stocks are at “high risk” of extinction due to Herschel’s sons, grandsons, nephews and other male relatives gathering at the falls. The agency’s announcement came as local Congressmen have introduced bills to amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act. “They are sea lions not river lions,” noted Kelly Johnson on our Facebook post. “Take action.” Proposed Don McEldowney, “Let’s change this law to end protection half mile from saltwater.” Johnathan Long was a more circumspect: “Although I truly believe they need to get a handle on the sea lion population, it is hard to believe that last year was a good return, and this year hardly anything due to the sea lions,” he said, suggesting native fish interbreeding with hatchery ones was the problem. It’s been a long time since clipped winters were released above the falls, and only 512 made it past this year. As someone who lost the opportunity to steelhead on a local stream due to sea lions, trust me, PDX, we should not let it happen again.
NORTHWEST OUTDOOR WRITERS DROPPING LIKE FLIES
1.
The ONE place not to be is in the path of whales. Don’t position your vessel in the path of oncoming whales within 400 yards of a whale.
2.
Stay at least TWO hundred yards away from any killer whale (200 yards = the distance of two football fields or about 200 meters).
3.
Remember these THREE ways to Be Whale Wise: follow the guidelines for viewing all wildlife, check for local protected areas and restrictions, and always be safe.
The pool of writers covering fishing and hunting here is shrinking rapidly as newspapers like The Seattle Times and Bellingham Herald reduce or end coverage and longtime scribes retire. (Hat tip to Al Thomas at The Columbian, and to that paper for recognizing the importance of that position and seeking a replacement for Thomas after he called it after 39 years). Word that Tony Floor of the Northwest Marine Trade Association was down to his last two monthly newsletters drew disbelief from Rory O’Connor: “Whhhat? Tony’s column has kept me entertained and informed for years. Definitely gonna miss it.” Added Tim Cronk, “I look forward to reading it every month – a wealth of knowledge from a super guy.”
MOST LIKED READER PIC WE HUNG UP ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE DURING THIS ISSUE’S PRODUCTION CYCLE Richelle Risdon says she’s been fishing for ocean salmon her entire life, but it wasn’t until this summer that she hooked her first Columbia Chinook. Readers gave her many thumbs up. (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)
Editor’s Note, continued from page 17 That concern was put 6 feet under when Larry Carpenter, former owner of Master Marine and commission vice chair, was reappointed to fill her term. (He simply must get another at the end of 2018.) And we’ll see how Inslee’s latest appointment performs. There are reasons to be positive about Donald McIsaac. He’s the retired longtime director of the Pacific Fishery Management Council, which oversees West Coast salmon and other species, and is a former fisheries biologist in both Washington and Oregon, so he knows a thing or two about fish, process and policy. Meanwhile, hats off to you, Miranda, for a job well done, and best of luck, Mr. McIsaac, it’s a pretty high bar. –Andy Walgamott
Visit www.bewhalewise.org to learn more, download the laws, regulations, and guidelines, and to report violations. Report Violations: Enforcement 1-800-853-1964 or online at www.bewhalewise.org
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Keith Moen Doesn’t Quit Western Washington hunter, angler, carver, husband is bound to a wheelchair, but knows no bounds.
In the 44 years since his accident left him in a wheelchair, Keith Moen says he’s only cried once over his condition – on opening day of elk season that year. The Western Washington man is more focused on the beauty of nature and notching his tag. (KEITH MOEN) 20 Northwest Sportsman
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PICTURE By Kristin Bishop
I
t was the second day of elk camp as Keith Moen wrestled out of his cot, pleasantly surprised to find the wind had died down. Sometime in the middle of the night a storm had passed through, bringing with it just a little rain but heavy winds that had thrashed the walls of the tent, nearly pulling up the stakes. The only sign of the night’s rampage was a few scattered branches and a light fog settling into the sparse trees. At nearly 5,000 feet the morning still had a little bite to it. Keith, joined by his hunting partner Bob and his son, set out for the day, determined to fill his any elk tag. After a few missed opportunities the day before he was optimistic. Driving into the woods, it couldn’t have been more than 50 or 60 yards off the narrow jeep road that Keith saw what looked like a log lying in the grass. It was light brown and almost hairy, though – convincing enough to back up for a second look. That second glance confirmed the log was in fact an elk sitting tucked in the grass, not yet having taken heed of their presence. Trying not to be too eager, Keith pulled off the road as far as he could get, rolled down the window and killed the engine. Gently balancing his Browning A-Bolt .30-06 on the mirror and, careful not to make a sound, he took aim on the animal’s shoulder. Although he couldn’t see the head he knew he was covered with the any elk tag. He hooked his bent spoon around the trigger, settled in to take his shot, pulled his arm back and sent the 180-grain Nosler partition bullet flying. The bullet struck its intended target, and although confident in his shot, Keith racked another round into the chamber and watched the elk closely, but it never got up to run off. Keith spotted one small antler tine and thought to himself, “Man, I just shot myself a little raghorn bull.” He rushed Bob out of the Bronco to check just in case it decided to run. As he approached, Bob yelled back, “It’s a three-point; no, four; no, five; no,
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MIXED BAG make that a six-point bull elk!” Bob’s son offered to clear a path to the elk, but being his first-ever six-point, Keith said, “Screw that,” hit four-low and barreled over the brush and stumps. He pulled up beside the elk, lowered himself out of the truck into his wheelchair and wheeled next to the magnificent animal. With tears streaming down his face he stroked the elk, paying reverence to the animal and nature around him.
KEITH MOEN’S PASSION for hunting and the great outdoors came along far before that memorable day and long before he found himself seated in a wheelchair. He was raised by an “old school” Norwegian father in a time when the woods were his playground to explore, climb trees and build forts. It was a simpler time, when the only rule was to be home by dinner. His dad raised him to respect the woods and the rules regarding it. It wasn’t until he was 13 years old and had passed hunter safety course that he was allowed to take his first deer. From then on he was hooked. He looked forward to taking a week off from school for elk camp, and more often than not, he could be seen racing for the hills after playing under the Friday night lights. Standing 6-foot-4 with a chiseled body, dark hair and a square jaw, Keith was far from your typical teenager. Although he loved to play football, basketball and baseball, he was not one to shy away from work. At the local gas station, blessed with what his sister Stephanie calls “pure charisma,” he quickly worked his way through the ranks, earning the title of assistant manager at just 16 years of age. After a short baseball career at Bellevue (Washington) Community College he felt it was time to move on. He packed his bags and headed off to join his father, building houses on the Crow Indian Reservation in Big Sky Country. Little did he know his life was about to change. AUGUST 29, 1973. Just after midnight. Driving home to Hardin, Montana, about an hour away from Billings. His roommate’s two friends had driven out from Seattle, and had wanted to go dancing. “I was seated in the front passenger 22 Northwest Sportsman
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With limited use of his hands, Moen has had to find creative solutions to things you and I would find simple. He uses a bent spoon taped to his glove to hook over the trigger, and then pulls his arm back to fire his rifle and take bucks like this fine muley. (KEITH MOEN) seat, thankful for the extra leg room,” Keith remembers. “All four of us passed out from carbon monoxide entering the cab through a faulty rear taillight. The driver started to come to just as she drove off the right side into the gravel shoulder. She swerved the wheel back, overcorrecting and shooting us across the two lanes into the median. The car flipped three times, coming to rest on its side. When I came too I realized that something wasn’t right. I was on top of the driver. I couldn’t move. I moved my head around and felt a weird crunch in my neck. The two back-seat passengers crawled out. The driver and I were stuck in the car. I was unable to move, and she couldn’t move with me on top of her. It was far before the days of carrying
a cell phone, and the closest town was 20 minutes away. A passerby frantically rushed to the closest gas station and called 911. When the ambulance arrived, it was like music to my ears. They had to punch out the windshield and drag me out on a board. No one else was hurt.” Keith spent the first two weeks in traction at the hospital in Billings before being transferred to the University of Washington Medical Center. “It was difficult walking into the hospital room and seeing my brother, who I had looked up to my entire life, laying there with two screws in his head where the traction attached, still covered in dirt and grass, looking so vulnerable,” recalls Stephanie. She was there when the doctors told
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MIXED BAG him he would never walk again and that he would be lucky to live to see 40. Keith never blamed anyone or felt sorry for himself. “I only cried once over it,” he admits. It was opening day of elk season. He asked the nurse to open the blinds, and from his room at the rehab center he could see a light dusting of snow on the mountain. He knew that meant elk camp would have 4 or 5 inches of fresh snow. It would never be the same.
There are hidden talents in all of us just waiting to come out, and though the price was steep for Keith’s to emerge, they include woodcarving and drawing. Here’s one of his Haida-inspired pieces. (KEITH MOEN)
I ASKED KEITH how his outlook changed after the accident and his answer surprised me somewhat. “It only amplified my love of the outdoors and made me want to do more in it, not less,” he replied. Adapting to his new life was not easy, though. It took close to a year to figure out how to shoot, to become a road hunter instead of a hiker, and, most importantly, how to do it safely. If Keith’s not physically able to do something, he just finds a way that works for him. Take shooting, for example. He has limited use of his hands and is unable to pull the trigger, so instead he tapes that bent spoon to his glove, hooks the trigger and pulls his arm back. Without a doubt, the major contributing factor to being able to do what he does is his beautiful wife of 33 years, Mary, as well as a strong support network of family and friends. Keith and Mary were set up by his brother Brian. Keith says that for their first date they went over to Mary’s house for dinner and she cooked stroganoff. When I asked Mary about it, her response was, “Silly, Keith! Our first date was watching the Sonics playoff game in some tavern. Stroganoff was the second or third date.” I guess it’s true what they say – that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Born and raised in Colorado, a scuba diving instructor and social worker, Mary loves all things that have to do with the water. She grew up fishing with her dad. I asked how Keith wooed her, and right off she said, “Well, those gorgeous blue eyes.” They started off friends, and then dated for about a year before he asked her to marry him. It was not something she took lightly. “I gave it a lot of serious thought, and 24 Northwest Sportsman
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did some soul searching,” she says. What she loves most about Keith is that he is always so positive. He never let’s being in a wheelchair get in his way, and always wants to go do things. “I would say, ‘Let’s go,’ and he says, ‘OK, I’m ready.’ Doesn’t even ask where to.” Mary filled me in on the amazing trips they’ve had, including multiple adventures fly fishing and exploring Yellowstone, a road trip through the Redwoods, a Hawaiian vacation, and most recently, an Alaskan cruise. Together they develop techniques for what works best – like the spoon for the trigger finger, and a modified seat cushion to prevent sores. They put those ideas to use when out in the woods hunting turkeys or scouting together. Through Keith, Mary’s learned to be more patient. She has to let him figure out how to do something and allow him to struggle in a new situation. For example, their first time snorkeling in Hawaii, when he did more sinking than floating. Years ago, they visited a local heritage fair. In one of the booths was an instructor teaching how to do Haida wood carvings, totem poles, etc. The instructor saw Keith watching and came over to him. In a deep husky voice, he said, “Hello. My name is Ralph. Do you want to learn to carve?” Through lots of practice, and many BandAids, Keith has learned to carve amazing works of art. He has produced over 50
commissioned pieces that can be found in Philadelphia, Chicago and even the Denver Art Museum. His artistic talent doesn’t stop there. Adorning the walls of he and Mary’s house are gorgeous colored-pencil drawings of everything from trout to the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings. Keith had no idea that he had such talents before his accident.
NOT ONLY DID Mary and Keith raise a successful son Spencer (who is currently in his third year of medical school), but he practically raised his nephew, Shea Fisher. Shea was born a few years after Keith’s accident, so he’s only known his uncle in his chair. Combine the two of them and their love for fishing and they are unstoppable on the water. Perhaps I am a biased girlfriend, but I think Shea is an incredibly talented guide (TheFisherE.com). I asked him what contributed to him wanting to be a guide, and Shea replied that hands down it was his uncle Keith. After his dad left around the age of 12, Keith stepped in to fill that role. Every weekend they were either out hunting or fishing together. Shea remembers going to the river with Keith and his boat, at just 12 or 13 years of age. Keith would back the boat down the ramp, and Shea would throw him in the boat and take it from there. “I learned to be a guide from fishing with my uncle,” Shea credits.
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Destination Alaska
Western Washington fishing guide Shea Fisher credits his uncle Keith as the reason he wanted to get into the business, and says that fishing with Keith helped him become a better guide. (THEFISHERE.COM) Learning to run the boat while helping Keith cast or bait up helped him fine-tune the skills he uses today. It still only takes him a few extra minutes to pitch his boat sideways and “throw” his uncle in. If you hadn’t guessed by now, there’s very little that can stop Keith – sometimes not even the brakes of his wheelchair! He’s gone over the rocks towards the bank at Barrier Dam, the whole time with a smile on his face. There are so many more Keith Moen stories. I’d love to recount the time when, fishing out of his pontoon boat on Fish Lake, his rod sunk to the bottom after he momentarily set it on his lap to pour another cup of coffee and – of course – a fish had to hit at that moment. He got it back three weeks later when another fisherman hooked it, still with the Wicked Willy fly tied to the end. I’d also like to tell about the year he scouted seven bears prior to opening day, and about how he loves to call in turkeys and convince them they need to come to him and get shot. Maybe next time I can tell the good one about fishing
Puget Sound in their glass-ply boat, or even show you the technique he uses when side-drifting for steelhead with us out of Shea’s boat. You can’t be too proud to take a handoff from Keith after he’s already caught his limit. Perhaps all those stories are better left for a book, though, or a conversation of your own. For Keith his upcoming goals are as simple as his “next trip” – hopefully an antelope hunt, or shooting one of the four chocolate-faced bears he’s already scouted. Or maybe just fine-tuning his nine-monthold Lab Shadow’s shed-hunting and bird-retrieval skills. Whatever it is, he’s guaranteed to have a smile on his face, and loving friends and family by his side. When I thanked Keith for being an amazing man, and giving me the opportunity to get to know him a little better, he replied, “No. Not amazing. I just love life and being able to get out and enjoy it. I’m not afraid to put myself out there, having an ultra-supportive wife and network of family and friends to be there for me and help me on my journey.” I rest my case. NS
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Eva Shockey is sharing her story of growing up on Vancouver Island with the dream of becoming a dancer, her initial hesitance about going hunting with her father – outfitter, author and later TV host Jim Shockey – and her embrace of the outdoors lifestyle. (EVA SHOCKEY)
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MIXED BAG
Eva Takes Aim Daughter of famed hunter Jim Shockey shares her journey from little girl growing up in the Pacific Northwest to cohosting show in new book.
By Eva Shockey Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt Eva Shockey’s new book, Taking Aim: Daring to Be Different, Happier, and Healthier in the Great Outdoors, published by Convergent, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, and currently on sale.
A
s a little girl with dreams of becoming a ballerina, never would I have imagined that I’d be scaling rugged mountains and glassing deep valleys for a fifteen-hundred-pound bull moose. And I couldn’t have imagined the thrill of it. Not in my wildest dreams. I’ve always loved the maxim “Man plans. God laughs.” It’s how this story begins. Ever since I can remember, I’d gone on hunting trips with my father, a world-class hunter and creator of the TV show Jim Shockey’s Hunting Adventures. A pioneer in the hunting-media industry, Dad has traveled the world to film his adventures. As a professional big-game outfitter, he owns the guiding rights in several exclusive hunting territories across Canada, so he and others from our family business guide fellow hunters on excursions of their own. I was proud of Dad, but that didn’t mean I planned to join his ranks. I didn’t “get” hunting and had zero desire to even try it. My friends thought it was plain weird to abandon the convenience of a grocery store and the comforts of home to spend days in the wilderness, cold, wet, and tired, for the mere possibility of harvesting an animal – and, frankly, so did I.
But once I got it, I never looked back. Today, hunting is one my passions, handed down to me through generations of hunters on both sides of my parents’ families. I was fortunate to go on many hunts with my mom’s father, Grandpa Len, and Dad’s father, Granddad Hal, before they passed away. These men truly appreciated and exemplified the joy and passion of hunting and filling their families’ freezers with wild game. Not to mention that they had a lot of fun in the process. It was an honor to share this pastime with two great men. Contrary to what I thought at first, hunting isn’t easy. No one warned me how uneventful some hunts would be. Or how bitterly cold. Or how much hiking might be required. Or how much I’d need to practice shooting, whether with a gun or a bow. I, too, assumed, much to my naïveté, that a hunt was simply about killing an animal. Period. End of story. In this book, I share how I came to realize that the harvest is but a small piece of a larger puzzle. Hunting encompasses every single moment leading up to the one in which you take the shot. Like the training, the hours upon hours spent practicing your craft. Like the time and the money that go into pulling off a successful hunt. Like the incredible memories made. Like the fresh air of the great outdoors that invigorates you and forces you to breathe, really breathe. Hunting is also about the moments that follow the shot: the skinning, the gutting, the butchering, and the cooking of wild game that eventually satiates your senses
with every mouthwatering bite, making the bone-chilling cold, the achy muscles, the grime, and the fatigue all worth it. I read somewhere that “An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward.” In other words, anything worth doing in life will come with resistance. You may hunt. You may not. But if you’ve worked hard to achieve a goal or a dream or are right now in the midst of fighting for or striving for something you believe in, you can relate to the challenges I’ve faced. You know what it’s like to go up against the status quo. You know the discipline required, the struggle that follows. You know the detours. You know the critics who tell you to quit or that you’ll never make it. You know the self-doubt that creeps in. And one day you’ll know what it feels like when you wake up and realize that you’ve created your own life, your own future, and left your own mark on this world. My story is not solely about hunting nor intended only for would-be hunters. It’s for all you women and girls who yearn for a life full of adventure. It’s about discovering your dream, following your personal passion, mastering your skills, taking aim no matter who thinks you’re crazy . . . and then letting the arrow fly. If you’ve done all you can, I can tell you from my own experience that you’re almost certain to hit your mark. Editor’s note: For more on author Eva Shockey, follow her on Twitter (@EvaShockey) and Instagram (@ evashockey), or like her at facebook.com/ eva.shockey.395. nwsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2017
Northwest Sportsman 29
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SEPTEMBER 2017 | nwsportsmanmag.com
PHOTO CONTEST
WINNERS!
Les Logsdon’s photo of wife Bertha and her stringer of Rowland Lake rainbows is this issue’s Fishing Photo Contest winner! It wins him a pile of loot from the overstuffed office of our editor!
Jim Testin’s pic of himself and his 2016 British Columbia grizzly is this issue’s Browning Photo Contest winner. It wins the Camano Island, Washington, hunter a Browning hat.
Sportsman Northwest
Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource
For your shot at winning Browning and fishing products, send your photos and pertinent (who, what, when, where) details to awalgamott@ media-inc.com or Northwest Sportsman, PO Box 24365, Seattle, WA 98124-0365. By sending us photos, you affirm you have the right to distribute them for our print or Internet publications. nwsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2017
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MIXED BAG
Men Caught Stealing Chinook From Holding Pond
Y
ou probably spent the Fourth of July holiday fishing, grilling burgers, maybe firing off some bottle rockets and otherwise celebrating Independence Day. Three men, however, thought it would be a good time to allegedly steal a bunch of summer Chinook from a Washington hatchery. According to a Department of Fish and Wildlife report, Officer Michael McQuoid spotted the trio acting suspiciously near the Wallace Salmon Hatchery west of Gold Bar, and upon contacting them, two ran off.
A Washington fish and wildlife officer poses with nearly two dozen Chinook found after three men attempted to steal salmon from a holding pond. (WDFW)
Charter Allegedly High-graded
A
charter business on Washington’s South Coast is under suspicion of high-grading halibut last spring. According to a local newspaper, crews aboard two boats are alleged to have allowed clients to bring in more fish than the daily limit allows and then threw back smaller ones before returning to port. No charges have been filed, so we aren’t naming the charter, but the case came to light after state and federal officers served search warrants on the company’s office in July. It began in May when, according to the Chinook Observer, Idaho anglers who fished with
By Andy Walgamott
For good reason – they had allegedly hauled 19 kings out of the holding pond. The next day another 15 were found hidden in the brush. No water anywhere near the hatchery was open for Chinook. WDFW reports that one of the runners was a “well-known offender” from up Skagit County way. He was picked up by deputies while walking down the highway in his waders. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is “partnering” in the investigation, according to WDFW.
the outfit contacted WDFW afterwards. On their trip, they allegedly saw seven small discarded halibut float off belly up. An undercover state officer then went out and saw suspect activity. When challenged by wardens at the dock, the crew allegedly admitted to high-grading.
KUDOS
(OSP) (OSP)
Game wardens protecting a large swath of north-central Oregon were named the state police’s Fish and Wildlife Division Team of the Year for 2016. In receiving their award, the troopers of the Mid-Columbia Fish and Wildlife Team out of The Dalles were lauded for their part in getting on top of a poaching ring responsible for killing as many as 30 deer and other animals in Oregon and 50 in Washington. Troopers also made several arrests and seized fish and gillnets that had been used illegally in sanctuaries around river mouths. Members include (above, left to right, back row) Senior Troopers Swede Pearson and Justin Frazier, Sergeant Les Kipper, (front row) Senior Troopers Mark Jubitz and Brent Ocheskey, Trooper Jason Walters and Senior Trooper Thad Routson. The team’s Senior Trooper Craig Gunderson wasn’t present for the above pic. The crew was called “highly motivated, dedicated and tenacious.” Keep it up!
Chicken-sized halibut may not show up on many magazine covers, but the average flattie only weighs 16 to 18 pounds, according to recent data. “If you’re not happy with the size of the fish, you can release it right away and try for a bigger one,” WDFW Capt. Dan Chadwick told the Observer. “But the minute you retain a fish, it’s yours.”
JACKASS OF THE MONTH
T
alk about a bad guide! One who took two Texans out on the Sol Duc for salmon by the hatchery allegedly did so without a current license to guide, told them it was OK to keep kings snagged in the side and tried to hush it all up when a fish and wildlife officer checked things out. No tip for you!
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By Andy Walgamott
Pitman Tops At South Sound Derby
P
eter Pitman picked a proper time to land a prodigious Chinook. His 20.60-pounder won last month’s 16th Annual South King County Puget Sound Anglers Salmon Derby. He walked off with the grand prize of $3,500 for the largest fish weighed at the Aug. 5 event held on Marine Areas 10, 11 and 13, as well as a bonus $500 for being a member of the venerable conservation organization. Pitman’s fish was more than 3 pounds heavier than last year’s winner, and the catch was up too. Organizer Terry Wiest reports 72 fish were checked – 31 more than 2016 – and that numerous anglers had two, though they could only weigh one. Second place and $1,500 went to Ryan Kies, who caught a 20.45-pounder, while third and $1,000 went to Jacob Schuster for his 17.30. Annie Marcihyok had the biggest in the women’s division, a 13.90-pounder that won her a Mustang Inflatable PFD. Joseph Gutierez took first place in the kids division with his 15.75-pound Chinook, which was almost twice as big as last year’s youth winner, scoring him $300. Wiest says that everyone who showed up at the ceremony
RECENT RESULTS
2nd Annual Baker Lake Sockeye Shootout, Baker Lake, July 28-30: Average weight: David Sitton, 4.05 pounds ($1,000); Largest fish: Kenny Jans, 6.44 pounds ($500); second largest: Adam Adkinson, 5.77 pounds ($250) Deep Canyon Challenege, Oregon Tuna Classic, Ilwaco, July 28-29: First place: Team Fat Cat ($6,000) 12th Annual Brewster Salmon Derby, Upper Columbia River, Aug. 4-6: First place/King of the Pool: Joel Grafe, 28.76 pounds ($3,500), second: James Jester, 24.85 pounds; third: Corey Maynard, 24.78 pounds
2017-2018 NORTHWEST SALMON DERBY SERIES
Aug. 26: Columbia River Fall Salmon Derby Sept. 2: Willapa Bay Salmon Derby Nov. 4-5: Everett No-Coho Blackmouth Salmon Derby Jan. 5-7, 2018: Resurrection Salmon Derby Jan. 18-20, 2018: Roche Harbor Salmon Classic Feb. 8-10: Friday Harbor Salmon Classic
For more information, see nwsalmonderbyseries.com.
Peter Pitman Jr. hoists his derby-winning Chinook, for which he scored a nice overall $4,000 payday, and his dad did well too, nabbing $500 for the largest king weighed in by a military member during the 16th Annual South King County Puget Sound Anglers Salmon Derby last month. (SKC PSA) held at Point Defiance Boathouse got paid, including 72nd place, who walked off with a prize worth more than $100. The derby benefits salmon and conservation work. Sponsors included 7Up, Silver Horde, Scotty and Dick Nite, among others.
MORE UPCOMING AND ONGOING EVENTS Ongoing through the end of season: Westport Charter-
boat Association Weekly Derbies – info: charterwestport.com Ongoing through the end of salmon season: Chateau Westport Fishing Derby – info: chateauwestport.com Ongoing through Nov. 1: 2017 CCA Oregon Salmon Round-up – info: ccaoregon.org/derby Sept. 1-2: Garibaldi Oregon Tuna Classic, ocean off Garibaldi – info: oregontunaclassic.com Sept. 1-3: 14th Annual Slam’n Salmon Derby, ocean off Port of Brookings Harbor – info: captaincurry1@hotmail.com; (541) 251-4422 Sept. 9: 18th Annual Coos Basin Salmon Derby, Coos Bay and environs – info: facebook.com/Coos-Basin-SalmonDerby-200180133368625/ Sept. 11-14: 1st Annual Coho Enhancement Derby, Esperanza Inlet, Vancouver Island – info: nootkamarineadventures.com
More events: wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/contests/index.html. To have your derby or results listed, email awalgamott@media-inc.com.
nwsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2017
Northwest Sportsman 39
40 Northwest Sportsman
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OUTDOOR
CALENDAR
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SEPTEMBER 1
Washington statewide cougar, deer (bow), Northeast A, Blue Mountains, Long Island bear, dove and grouse openers; Grouse opener in Oregon; Numerous Northeast Oregon streams open for hatchery steelhead (but see dfw.state.or.us for updates) 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17 Family Pheasant Hunting Workshops (registration, $), EE Wilson, Fern Ridge, Sauvie Island Wildlife Areas – info: odfwcalendar.com 9 Washington elk bowhunting opener 9-10 Free Youth Pheasant Hunts (registration), Gateway Canyon Preserve near Madras and Fern Ridge Wildlife Area – info: odfwcalendar.com 10 CAST for Kids event on Henry Hagg Lake – info: Jay Yelas (jay@castforkids.org) 14-17 2017 Seattle Boats Afloat Show, South Lake Union – info: boatsafloatshow.com; 34th Annual Portland Fall RV & Van Show, Expo Center – info: otshows.com 15 4th Annual Pierce Co. Chapter Coastal Conservation Association Banquet & Auction – info: ccawashington.org/PierceCounty 15-23 Bandtail pigeon season in Oregon, Washington 15-25 High Buck Hunt in several Washington Cascades and Olympics wilderness areas, Lake Chelan National Recreation Area 16-17 Free Youth Pheasant Hunts (registration), Upper John Day Valley (Prairie City), Denman, Klamath, Ladd Marsh, Sauvie Island and White River Wildlife Areas – info: odfwcalendar.com 16-17 Washington youth waterfowl hunting weekend 23 45th Annual National Hunting & Fishing Day – info: nhfday.org 23-24 6th Annual Salmon Tales Festival at Westport Maritime Museum – info: salmontales.info; Free Youth Pheasant Hunts (registration), Baker City area (call 541-963-2138), EE Wilson and Irrigon Wildlife Areas – info: odfwcalendar.com; Washington youth pheasant, quail, partridge hunting weekend 24-29 Washington senior and disabled hunters pheasant hunting week 30 Oregon Coast and Cascade rifle deer openers; Washington statewide muzzleloader deer opener; Last day of 2016 pikeminnow reward fishery – info: pikeminnow.org
OCTOBER 7
Washington statewide muzzleloader elk, Eastside quail, partridge openers; Oregon statewide partridge and pheasant, Eastside California quail and Northcentral mountain quail openers 7-8 Chetco Bubble open for Chinook 10 Deer, elk rifle openers in many Idaho units 14 Washington modern firearms deer opener 14-15 Chetco Bubble open for Chinook
RECORD NW GAME FISH CAUGHT THIS MONTH Date 9-9-89 9-13-87 9-17-80 9-19-92 9-22-99 9-27-15 9-28-14
Species Halibut Chinook* Channel catfish Coho* Atlantic salmon** Opah*** Bluefin tuna
Pds. (-Oz.) 288.0 42 36.5 6 14.38 35.67 39.20
Water Swiftsure Bk. (WA) L. Coeur d’Alene (ID) McKay Res. (OR) Cascade Res. (ID) Green R. (WA) Westport (WA) Westport (WA)
(WDFW)
Angler Vic Stevens Jane Clifford Boone Haddock Ted Bowers Ron Howard Jim Watson Sam Ellinger
*Resident; ** Sea-run; *** Image nwsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2017
Northwest Sportsman 41
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FISHING
Calm Seas, Crazed Action Sara gets in on a good albacore bite while ďŹ shing 36-plus miles out of Winchester Bay.
By Sara Ichtertz
H The sun peaks over the horizon as a boatload of anglers head for the tuna grounds off Winchester Bay, on Oregon’s South Coast, with skipper Travis Marsh of Southern Oregon Anglers Charter & Guide Service. (SARA ICHTERTZ)
eading out over the bar makes me feel little. Very, very little. Every time I leave my river, the Umpqua, and go over the bar I get that same semi-helpless feeling. This time, though, the deepest emotion came over me as I looked to the horizon from the deck of the boat. Nervous, outside was where I needed to be. Along with my husband LeRoy, we were headed far out to sea, and that gave me
FISHING
The trip was a rare chance for author Sara Ichtertz to fish with her husband, LeRoy, here working a handline. It was also trial by fire – or at least a fired-up albie for young deckhand Jaxun Newsum, here with his first tuna, and the first of the run as well. (SARA ICHTERTZ)
goosebumps as my babes’ sweet faces flashed in my mind. The fact is, the ocean makes me feel itty bitty. It intrigues me, but at the same time it intimidates me, and I do not like the fact that I am not in control. I love how the river allows me to call all of my shots – where I fish, how I fish, how long I fish. I am in control of my fishing and I like it, a lot! I read my water, rig my set-up and try to think like a steelhead to find them. The ocean is none of these things. I am placing my fishing in someone else’s hands. I call no shots, I have no rocks to frolic on, no beautiful pockets to bounce, or tailouts to feel. That constant beautiful roar of the river is nowhere to be heard out here, and the forests are all underwater. If I think about it, there isn’t much that I do not love about chasing steelhead and salmon on the rivers. The ocean is nothing like any of that, and yet I’m excited. The ocean truly is so 44 Northwest Sportsman
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beautiful and mysterious. Stepping away from the riverbank and ripping off into the blue when the time is right is good for my soul, and this trip just confirmed it for me.
THE DAY WE went out of Winchester Bay, the water was unbelievable. The sea had truly lain down, and there were moments where, yes, it looked like glass – beautiful blue glass in this most calm yet powerful motion. The side of me that was semiscared I would be seasick was relieved to see lake-like conditions as we reached the fishing grounds just after sunrise. Looking at the rigs we would be running made me chuckle. I honestly wouldn’t have guessed those massive jigs would just be basically skimming the surface of the water. But with four set-ups and two handlines out, we were fishing. As we trolled, we began to see albacore tuna jumping everywhere! But going through a couple of solid
schools of fish our rods did not go off. Watching skipper Travis Marsh of SOAcharters.com work, I could see he wanted fish. Of course, he did – we all wanted fish. Travis is determined in his pursuit on the ocean, and that’s one of the things I like about him: He is constantly learning, gaining knowledge from many angles and getting better and better. This was only his fourth trip for tuna, and the rest of us didn’t have much more experience. Sixteenyear-old deckhand Jaxun Newsum hadn’t caught a tuna, I had one tuna trip under my belt, while LeRoy had taken a few when he was younger. But together we were all in, searching for tuna on an ocean of glass. Taking that calm ocean into deep consideration Travis had his hand move the lines back – way back! Within moments there it was, that unmistakable zinging of a screaming reel with a tuna on the line. It instantly
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Northwest Sportsman 45
FISHING Sara was initially uncertain about going over the bar onto the wide Pacific, but soon put it behind her as the fish started chewing on tackle, providing a test unlike any she’d previously experienced. (SARA ICHTERTZ)
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charged all five of us up and we encouraged the fisher whom had yet to fight an albacore to take the first one of the day. Little torpedoes of beauty and strength, these fish test you in ways that are unlike a steelhead. They test your gear. They test your strength and your all-around knowledge of bringing big fish to hand. They are unlike any fish I have ever fought. The adrenaline that comes with the fight allows you to block out what hard work it is cranking them in! You notice that afterwards, but not a lick when the fight is on. All you care is that you get them to the boat! As they come swimming at you, crank down and do not stop until you must raise that rod to gain your ground! Land the fish, listen to it slapping the deck and take in the moment, because it truly is one of a kind! The angler landed his first tuna and the slapping of the deck was under way. Keeping those lines well back from the boat we all got our first tuna of
the day. They came in as singles, but honestly, I was perfectly fine with getting one fight under way before the other rods all went to zinging!
INTO THE BLUE – the bluest of blue – is where we found the tuna. Out here in the land of albacore, the soap opera of the radio is unique. Switching channels, checking in with each other, sharing catches, methods, locations, luck – and lack thereof – the captains all communicate 40 to 60 miles off the coast. The radio’s on from the mouth of the Umpqua out into the middle of nowhere to find others all in pursuit of the same fish. Makes perfect sense. In a way, it’s like a river on the drop in the cold of winter, only different. Listening to the boats, we realize that even though the sea was in beyondbeautiful shape, the catching wasn’t. There was no structure to the water, no wind, no noise, leaving the fish semi-skittish. We continued our pursuit
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Northwest Sportsman 47
FISHING optimistically, though. Hunting into the blue, the rod went zinging once more. As angler Tom Walton went to fight his fish, both handlines went off simultaneously! Our first triple of the day – and first triple for every one of us on board the boat! Hand-lining average-sized albacore is easy work in comparison to fighting one on a rod and reel. Getting the three fish on the deck was incredible! That sound of them slapping the deck marked the beginning of a true bloodbath, unlike anything I had ever witnessed! I have to say, I loved it. Photographing such a sight was incredible to me. We laughed and took in the moment for all that it was! Very intense and fulfilling, those fish share their fire with you 40 miles off the beach! It’s something any passionate angler should indeed experience at least once in their lifetime – yearly, if possible! Once in their icy, rock-salty, slushy box, they go crazy bleeding
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CLARIFICATION An image in our July 2017 issue’s Table of Contents (page 10) may have led to some inadvertent confusion. The photo of a skipper on the flying bridge of a well-stocked Northwest tuna boat was chosen as representative of the meat of the article, tips from an albacore expert, a private boater. However, the gentleman in the photo is in fact a charter captain, Bret Dickerson of the Ilwaco- and Garilbaldi-based Oregon Tuna Charters (oregontunacharters.com; 360-600-8257). He took photographer Jason Black out and subsequently Black offered his stunning imagery to Northwest Sportsman for editorial use. Ultimately, the editor should have been wiser in his choice of supporting imagery so that readers wouldn’t confuse one expert with another. –AW
themselves out without any need of help from a human. Wild!
GETTING THE LINES back out and spraying down the bloody deck, we were coming to life and feeling good about the five fish we had in our possession. With our lines way out, Travis decided we were not going to make a loop again, but rather follow the blue. “In this blue is where we will find the tuna, Sara!” And he was right. No sooner had he said those words than a rod went
off! As I began to fight it in from way back, we kept trolling and I thought, Wow, I thought fighting them without the motor was tough, but it was well worth it! A few hard cranks into that beauty and both side rods went off, giving us our first triple on rods! The motor stopped and the crankfest began! We brought them to the boat, and the back-to-back triples had us fired up – and at the same time, covered in blood. My blood-splattered REEL Lifestyle hat will forever be a reminder of that action – I’m pretty
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FISHING sure it’s my tuna hat for life! Even as I loved the sounds and sights of the fishery, I was so happy to be sharing the moment with my husband. I often go on adventures without him and I always love the day for what it is worth, but slaying tuna together gave me a huge smile inside and out. These shared moments are worth more than he will ever know. The fear that had tried to dominate me as we crossed the bar was nonexistent at this point. I was living in the moment and absolutely loving it! I also had a chance to get to know the young deckhand a little better. Hearing Jaxun’s passion for winter fish warmed my heart and gave us endless conversation as we hunted for tuna. Allowing him to experience the fish he tended others’ rods and lines for, for his first felt so good. I love being a part of people’s firsts on the water! It might have been
50 Northwest Sportsman
SEPTEMBER 2017 | nwsportsmanmag.com
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Albacore blood was flying for Sara, splattering not only her hat but rain pants as well. Will this lover of river fishing head back offshore? You bet! (SARA ICHTERTZ)
an average albacore, but everything about the fish was sheer, natural beauty! Perfectly clear dorsal fin, aqua blue and turquoise that would not stop – the colors of the creature make you wonder, How can this be real? But it was! Their eyes, their shape, their fins, their color – these fish are engineered to be those beautiful badasses that they are! We landed a couple big boys weighing every bit of 24 pounds, some say 30. I never like guessing a weight but a solid 24, no doubt, and they were scrappers! It’s amazing – you give them almost everything you have and yet they still want more.
I LOVE A good challenge, and even though calling the shots was not my department this day, I feel like I was in great hands and the memories we made were ones that will be forever with me. Getting to truly experience tuna, and in the company of LeRoy, was worth more than the 100 pounds of tuna we took home. Having three triples with him and Tom was incredible. Indeed, allowing a guide to help make dreams of bloody decks come true was a pretty smart move. We let Travis worry about the logistics of it all so we could truly enjoy the day. The cool part was, I know the captain enjoyed the day as well. We finished up 19 for 19, his best day yet. Most boats that day were under
charters & Guides 10 fish. Call me crazy, but I actually love seeing people finding what sets their soul on fire and watching them accomplish their goals. I will be fishing for tuna with him for many, many years to come! While he also runs charters for multiple ocean species, on this day and through Travis, I realized how truly worthy albacore and this massive body of water actually are to my river-bound heart. As we reeled in for the last time, I looked towards shore and what do you know, 36 miles out on that calm, most beautiful day, I could see the sand dunes and fir-covered hills of home. That shows you just how very clear and calm it truly was out there for that slay date with the tuna. I am thankful I didn’t let fear overcome my chance to experience other angles to angling. Even though I could feel that fear inside me, never had it washed away so quickly as when I heard one, two, three rods a’zinging with firedup fish screaming off to see what we were made of, over and over. What I can learn and experience through fishing is as deep as the ocean itself. Now each year when the steelhead bite slows and the ocean warms, I wholeheartedly know I will go out and continue to chase tuna! They have found their place in my heart, and that means they will forever be a part of it! Finding a reason that justifies stepping away from the river is good for me! The beauty of the sunrise over the Coast Range. Fighting fish that undoubtedly let you know how incredibly strong they are! Tuna tails slapping the deck like crazy! Blood flying literally everywhere, along with peels of laughter! Bringing forth that excitement from inside me was good. Surprisingly enough, it was found somewhere other than the river. Not so surprising, it was found through the sport of fishing. My heart is on the river, and I couldn’t change it, even though the tuna tried. NS Editor’s note: For more on Sara’s adventures, see For The Love Of The Tug on Facebook.
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Northwest Sportsman 55
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FISHING
Discover Lochsa’s Cutts Late summer and early fall is prime for westslopes on the way up Idaho’s Lolo Pass.
The crystal-clear waters of the Lochsa pour out of north-central Idaho and provide ample opportunities to fish for westslope cutthroat, which tend to concentrate in its headwaters this time of year. (MIKE WRIGHT)
By Mike Wright
O
n the Lewis and Clark Expedition, one of the most arduous sections of the entire journey was the trek over Lolo Pass. Thick stands of pine, fir and cedar, along with steep terrain, huge boulders and nearly impenetrable brush made for a slow and exceedingly difficult endeavor. It is in this remote wilderness setting that the source of Idaho’s Lochsa River can be found. From its headwaters near the Powell Ranger Station to its
confluence with the Selway River at Lowell, the Lochsa flows some 70 miles, weaving its way through steep, heavily timbered canyons and valleys. The river drops in elevation from 3,441 feet at Powell to 1,453 feet at Lowell. With this steep gradient and with no dams to impede its progress, the river is a very powerful and fast-moving stream. Indeed, in the Nez Perce language, Lochsa means “rough water,” which seems very appropriate. The rough water has made the river a favorite for whitewater rafters and kayakers. It’s not gone unnoticed by anglers
over the years either. In the official journals of the expedition, Clark made mention of coming across an old Indian fishing spot not far from present-day Powell. This would seem to indicate that there were large numbers of fish present at one time, even in the upper Lochsa. Since this area is so remote and difficult to get to, it is highly unlikely there would have been a fishing camp this far back in the wilderness unless there was adequate reward.
NOT MUCH IS known about historic salmon runs in the Lochsa, but damnwsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2017
Northwest Sportsman 57
FISHING
Though paralleled by Highway 12, an Idaho biologist says that Lochsa anglers who head well away from pulloffs and parking spots “may very well be casting over fish that have never seen a fly before.” (MIKE WRIGHT)
building projects essentially ended these runs early in the 20th century. However, westslope cutthroat fared far better. Without predation from salmon and steelhead, cutthroat prospered and expanded into other waterways. In addition, the rugged wilderness location of the river presented a formidable barrier to all but the most intrepid anglers. This scenario changed drastically in 1962 with the completion of US 12. Now anglers had complete and relatively easy access to the river all the way to Powell. Unfortunately, that plus very liberal limits led to a dramatic reduction in cutthroat numbers. 58 Northwest Sportsman
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According to Joe DuPont, state fisheries biologist for the Clearwater region, creel surveys went from a high of just under 6,000 down to a paltry 700 by 1976. It was feared that the westslope cutts were on the fast track to extinction. In 1988, catchand-release regulations were placed on the Lochsa above the Wilderness Gateway Campground, and in this area of the river, cutthroat made a remarkable recovery. The lower 30 miles of the Lochsa was placed under wild trout management in 1992, which allowed for a limit of two trout a day, minimum size 14 inches. Similar regs on other Northwest rivers have shown excellent increases
in westslope populations, indicating that with proper management, this feisty and resilient species will be around for a long time. Westslopes are particularly sensitive to water temperature and will migrate many miles in search of cooler water. During the warmest summer months, the upper Lochsa is the beneficiary of this migration. The cutthroat population increases dramatically and the influx usually lasts through September. By October the water has cooled enough that many of the cutthroat begin to migrate downstream. By the middle of October they have dispersed throughout the drainage and the
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FISHING fishing on the lower river becomes much better.
THE LOCHSA FEATURES large boulders along its sides, with many stretching well into the stream in most sections. Eddies and deep pools are often
found behind these boulders, which providing excellent holding water for the resident trout. Although drifting a caddis, Adams, Griffith’s Gnat or small attractor pattern around these large rocks can entice a rise, nymphs tend to be more effective. Standard patterns such as Hare’s
Ears, Pheasant Tails, Princes and Woolly Buggers all work well. Early in the season a golden stone nymph is highly effective and, although they are sporadic, during a hatch, dry fly patterns mimicking the adults will produce fish. In late summer and early fall,
IDFG CLEARS UP CONFUSION ON BULL TROUT FISHING They’re big, they’re hard fighting, and they’re one of Idaho’s most overlooked trophy fishing opportunities, but many anglers are still confused whether they can target bull trout for catch-andrelease fishing. The short answer is yes. When bull trout were listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act in 1998, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined state fishing regulations provided sufficient conservation benefits. In Idaho, that meant bull trout fishing was allowed, but harvest was not. Those regulations are still in place, so bull trout can be caught, but they must be immediately released unharmed. While they’re not as abundant as other types of trout, Idaho’s bull trout populations are generally in good shape and capable of supporting some great catch-and-release fishing opportunities. Though you can’t take them home, fishing for bull trout can be exciting because they’re large fish and aggressive by nature, and they can be caught on flies, lures and bait, if the body of water is open to bait fishing. Bull trout are widespread in Idaho, mostly in rivers and streams, but they can also be found in lakes and reservoirs. They are in most river drainages in central
and Northern Idaho that flow into the Snake and Columbia Rivers. They’re most common in coldwater rivers, which in summer often means upper-elevation streams. Bull trout need water that’s 60 degrees or cooler, and water that’s around 54 degrees is ideal habitat for them. Many bull trout will seasonally migrate through watersheds. Some will winter in a large river, or lake or reservoir, then move into tributaries and headwaters during summer. They spawn in early fall and then slowly migrate downstream to complete the cycle. In some systems, this round trip can be 50 miles or more. Because of their migratory nature, bull trout can be a challenge to locate, but if you know their seasonal patterns, especially as they move into the high country during summer, they can congregate in relatively small streams. When young, bull trout eat insects, but as they grow larger, they shift their diet to other fish. Bull trout evolved with whitefish, sculpins and other trout, and consume them as food. How large a bull trout grows depends on where they live and how much food is available, but even in relatively small streams, they can dwarf other resident trout species. The state-record bull trout is 32 pounds, which was caught in 1949 from Lake Pend Oreille when harvest was legal. The current state record for catch-andrelease is 23.5 inches from the Salmon River. Bull trout’s relatively large size and the water clarity where they often reside means anglers To catch bull trout this size of this one, anglers should remember that the can spot them in char species is piscivorous, so use lures or fly patterns that resemble small fish. (ROGER PHILLIPS, IDFG) holding water. But
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A Department of Fish and Game map shows that the distribution of bulls is best in Central Idaho and the northern Panhandle, where cool waters provide the best habitat. (IDFG) they’re remarkably well camoflauged and become almost invisible, even in shallow, clear water. You can often spot the white tips of their fins, and the shadow of a large fish might give away its location. Anglers targeting bull trout should focus on their predatory nature by using lures or streamer flies that imitate their prey, especially imitating a wounded fish that makes an easy meal. Anglers targeting bull trout shouldn’t expect high catch rates. The fish are often solitary and well dispersed throughout the river systems, but they can occasionally be found in small schools. While landing one can be a challenge, their size and weight can sometimes rival salmon and steelhead, and catching a large bull trout in one of Idaho’s cool, clear mountain streams can be an unforgettable experience.
–Roger Phillips, IDFG
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FISHING terrestrial dry fly patterns such as grasshoppers and ants become more effective. And like Kelly Creek and the North Fork of the Clearwater to the north, the Lochsa has an October caddis hatch. These colorful insects usually begin to appear in early to mid-September. Representing a substantial meal for the trout, they are eagerly consumed. To enhance your chances, it might be advisable to tie on a small nymph, such as a caddis or Prince as a dropper, a few inches below the dry fly. It may be necessary to frequently mend your line in order to achieve a drag-free drift. Since the water in the Lochsa is crystal clear it might also be a wise choice to use fluorocarbon leader and tippet. And because of the clarity of the water you should be very careful when wading the river. Depths may be much greater than they appear. Since the river current is very
The river’s cutts are thriving under catch-andrelease regulations in the upper half and twofish daily limits in the lower section. The trout average 10 to 13 inches, and 30-plus-fish days are not uncommon. (MIKE WRIGHT)
powerful and the rocks can be slick, a walking stick might be a useful piece of equipment. Most Lochsa cutthroat average 10 to 13 inches, somewhat smaller than those in Kelly and the North Fork.
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But what they lack in size, they more than make for in numbers. Reports of 30-fish days are not unusual, with even higher catches occasionally occurring. Since bull trout can be found in the river, considerably larger fish can also be caught. The bulls will be found near the bottom of some of the deepest holes and must be released immediately. And in an effort to restore (as much as possible) the original Lochsa fishery, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game has again begun stocking summer Chinook with the hope of establishing a viable salmon fishery. Although it is too early to tell whether this will be a successful venture, there is the possibility of some much larger fish being available to anglers in the near future. Hopefully this will not have too much of a negative impact on the cutthroat.
THOUGH PARALLELED BY Highway 12 over nearly its entire course, the Lochsa is considered by many ardent anglers to be a bit of a sleeper stream. “If you venture more than 500 yards from a pull-off or parking area, you may very well be casting over fish that have never seen a fly before,” IDFG’s Pat Denton points out. Perhaps it’s the remote location,
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In addition to the usual late-summer terrestrials, a good September fly for the Lochsa is a Goddard caddis, which features the forward-facing antennae that a bushier Elk Hair Caddis lacks. It represents a large snack for winter-prepping trout. (MIKE WRIGHT)
or maybe it’s because there are a number of other excellent fishing destinations in the general area, but whatever the reason, the quality fishing on the Lochsa is often overlooked. Even those who do fish the river will often limit themselves to the water adjacent to parking areas, make half a dozen casts, then move on to other activities. That changes in September and October. In September, many of the migrant cutthroat are still in the upper Lochsa, and with the onset of cooler water and the October caddis hatch, they become much more active feeders. This is also the time when hardcore fishermen and -women will head up Lolo Pass. Although the river is never really crowded, there are even fewer fishermen to be found there in the fall. With the onset of hunting, many avid outdoorsmen forsake their fishing opportunities in favor of the hunt. Although the weather can be a little unpredictable in the high country, fall really is an outstanding time to try your luck on the Lochsa. NS 64 Northwest Sportsman
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COLUMN
URBs In PDX’s
’Burbs
With hundreds of thousands of fall Chinook headed through the Portland and Vancouver areas this month, the Columbia River between the cities will be fertile ground for kayak anglers and others looking to hook bright kings like this one landed by author Mark Veary. (MARK VEARY)
A
s the outdoor honey-do season races to its impending close, I find myself with the pressing THE KAYAK GUYS dilemma of how to By Mark By Mar arkk Vear VVeary earyy spend the precious few remaining weekends. I should be working on the yard, garden or doing household chores, but my salmon jones has only intensified after July’s surprisingly good ocean fishery and August’s frenetic Buoy 10 season. It doesn’t help to know that coastal estuaries are brimming with Chinook this month either. What I need is a nearby fishery where I can paddle out at dawn, drag my trolling gear around or sit on anchor for a couple
of hours, possibly feel the long pulsating tugs of a big fish, and make it back home in plenty of time to check off another “must do while the weather is nice” item from my list. Is this too much to ask? Lucky for me, and for other kayak anglers in the greater Portland/Vancouver area, this unicorn actually exists. It’s called the Lower Columbia, and the salmon moving through are the same ones that we began chasing in the ocean at the end of June. What’s more, the early morning bite in this fishery can be superb.
LATE SUMMER DAWNS on the Columbia like a pastel painting. No water skiers, sailing regattas or families on the beach. Only a few diehard fishermen racing for first water on the established trolling
grounds and proven hoglines. Water temps this time of year tend to hover in the high 60s to low 70s, meaning the need for immersion gear is dictated purely by the weather forecast and your tolerance for evaporative cooling. There are a number of successful approaches and techniques that can be employed, depending on the tide, time of day and location fished. First light: At first light, I target Chinook closer to the surface, whether it be on the bottom in 25 or less feet of water or suspended over the deeper holes and channels. Think warmwater spring Chinook techniques, like Toman and Fatal Flash spinners, Brad’s Cut Plugs or herring with a Sure Spin helmet. Tide usually isn’t a huge factor in these areas.
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COLUMN Once the sun hits the water, look for Chinook to run deeper. Action on the shallow bars will slow down and the bite will move into the deeper channels. Depending on the tide, I’ll either fish deeper slots on the hook or troll around the edges of the channel. Late morning outgoing tides: Midday techniques on the Lower Columbia are strongly influenced by tides. During the height of the outgoing, your only option is to anchor up and fish “on the hook.” Because most areas have a soft sandy bottom, I use a 10-pound pyramid anchor with two buoys separated by at least 24 inches of line, on a quick release. The second buoy will often be the only one visible when the flow is heavy. For terminal tackle, I’m partial to Alvin’s or Brad’s wobblers in lemon head (chrome with a chartreuse tip) or copper watermelon (copper and chartreuse with black dots). Deploy these on a 5-foot leader above a 5-foot dropper with 6 to 10 ounces of weight, and bounce the whole thing back
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until your line angle is about 30 degrees. Late morning incoming or slack tides: During slack or incoming tides, trolling the deep channels can be very effective. I’m not so worried about staying right on the bottom for these fish. While Chinook will be running in the deeper and cooler waters at this time of day, it’s not necessary to dredge sand to get their attention. Because of the amount of drag imparted on 70-plus feet of line, I stick to 6-inch triangle-style flashers and braided line. If you paddle your kayak, especially without a rudder, this makes a huge difference in your stamina. When fishing the mouth of, or immediately below, a colder tributary, such as the Lewis River, you’ll find fish suspended in the pooling outflow. Use your fish finder to ID the depths of suspended fish and drag a Pro-Troll or other similar dodger with a scented Brad’s Super Bait to draw a bite. I prefer the dodger when targeting these suspended fish because the action that it imparts is worth the extra drag.
JUST BE ADVISED to pay attention to the regulations! There are very different rules for the Columbia above the Warrior Rock line versus below it. There is only a one-Chinook limit until Sept. 15 downstream of an imaginary line from the lighthouse on Sauvie Island’s north end to red buoy No. 4 to the orange marker atop a dolphin along the Washington shore. Natives are allowed to be retained through Sept. 7, but it’s hatchery only between Sept 8 and 14. Afterwards, it’s closed to all Chinook. The idea is to protect weaker Lewis River stocks. Above the Warrior Rock line, however, you’re allowed to keep any two adult Chinook through September.
AND AS ALWAYS, we need to take a moment to talk about safety. The Columbia River is a major highway for commercial freight. Always pay attention for approaching freighters and avoid anchoring up in the shipping channel. NS
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Northwest Sportsman 69
70 Northwest Sportsman
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FISHING
September Shines For Salmon Oregon’s North Coast bays, the Lower Columbia and Gorge tribs’ cool plumes all offer good fishing this month. By Andy Schneider
T
he Northwest has got to offer some of the best living our planet offers, especially this time of year. As our days gradually grow shorter, the list of things to do outdoors seems to grow longer. That bit of crispness in the morning air makes afternoon warmth that much sweeter. Sunrises and sunsets are some of the year’s most picturesque. Waterfowl, deer and elk start their migrations, and from the misty North Coast bays to the dusty, sagescented mid-Columbia, there are more salmon fishing options than any other time of year.
TILLAMOOK AND NEHALEM BAYS While October was always considered to be “peak” month on many Oregon estuaries, salmon have been regularly returning earlier, making September one of the most productive months to pursue Chinook. The Columbia has almost always been the favorite, but Tillamook Bay holds its own with some phenomenal fishing throughout the month. All the usual haunts will produce in September, from Memaloose through the Ghost Hole, right along the North Jetty and straight out into the ocean. Salmon move in and out of the bay throughout the tides, so it’s just up to where you want to fish. The upper bay is always more productive during larger tides, like the series that starts Sept. 16 and runs through the 20th. However, the lower bay and ocean fish better during smaller exchanges, like those from Sept. 24th through the 30th. While seaweed plagues the bay in fall, fishing the lower end during smaller tides tends to provide some
Whether September finds you on a North Coast bay, the Columbia between Bonneville (here) or Cathlamet, or tucked into a cold-water plume of a Gorge pool tributary, the salmon fishing this month is some of the best of the year. (ANDY SCHNEIDER)
reprieve from the abundant weeds. When you can’t escape the baithiding grass, consider the West Channel, especially its upper sections, which can sometimes bring relief. Nehalem Bay is known for its “summer Chinook” fishery that starts in July, slowly ramps up and begins producing good results throughout August and September. The reality is, those fish are just early-returning fall Chinook. There is no clear distinction between those that come back early and later, but needless to say, September tends to be one of the most productive months here. Trolling herring tight along the south jetty is the most productive technique on softer tides and when the ocean is calm. When there are larger exchanges or rough ocean conditions, fishing further up the bay is better. Try in front of Wheeler and Nehalem all the way to the Highway 101 Bridge during larger tide swings or when the ocean sends a lot of suspended sand into the lower bay. Whichever estuary you hit, upper sections can be more productive on the large swings. While trolling
herring works, running spinners tends to be the most productive and easier. Fish can be caught at any stage of the tide with spinners, but an ebbing is the favorite of hardware anglers – and one that turns into a “negative tide” can be especially productive. Those concentrate fish into deeper holding waters and narrow slots, which can make for some extraordinarily good fishing. As for herring, plugcuts trolled closed to the bottom of Tillamook and Nehalem Bays is the most effective technique near the ocean. Rigging starts with 50- to 65-pound braided mainline (or 30-pound monofilament) tied to a bead-chain swivel. On your mainline slide on a tee bead in front of a plastic weight slider and an 8mm bead. From the other end of your chain swivel, tie 16 inches of 40-pound mono to another chain swivel. Then tie a 5- to 6-foot leader of 30-pound fluorocarbon or monofilament to two 5/0 hooks. Adding a protective sleeve over the bead-chain swivel will help keep everything spinning when trolling through seaweed. From your plastic nwsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2017
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FISHING weight slider tie a 12- to 16-inch dropper line to an 8- to 20-ounce lead, depending on depth.
LOWER COLUMBIA As the surge of upriver brights progresses up the Columbia, anglers from Cathlamet to Camas form hogline after hogline on the outgoing tide. While this tactic has proven very effective the last five decades, there may be an even better option – one that is not so tidally dependent. For years, it seemed that anchoring with metal wobblers was the best way to catch URBs. Yeah, there were always rumors of anglers catching fish while casting wobblers or slowly trolling them, but the technique of waiting for a salmon to swim to you and attack your swinging piece of copper or chrome pretty much remained unchanged. But after four years of consistent success, a “new” technique is piquing the interest of
even diehard anchor anglers. Trolling for URBs is productive at any stage of the tide, but is best closest to tide change, on smaller exchanges and when the tide is flooding. Herring, spinners, 360-degree flashers and Super Baits, and 360 flashers and small spinners are the most effective baits to troll for kings above the estuary. But you must run your gear where the fish are moving through the water column. On ebbing tides, URBs will move upriver within 5 to 7 feet of the bottom. On flooding tides, those same fish will suspend throughout the column, from rubbing their bellies on the sandy-bottomed depths to porpoising and skimming the surface. Pretend to be a pilot flying into the clouds and trust your instruments – in this case, your fishing electronics. If you are marking fish at 15 feet, fish your gear at 15 feet deep. “Yo-yoing” your set-ups gets tiring, but it’s the most effective way to catch a URB.
Trolling herring and large spinners tends to work best close to trib mouths – the Cowlitz, Kalama, Lewis, Sandy and Washougal are all productive. Run size 5, 6 and 7 spinners in red/white, lightbulb, rainbow, and brass blades with different colored highlights. Brining your herring will keep them from blowing out in the September’s warmer waters. Trolling 360 flashers like the 11inch Pro-Troll or Shortbus Super Series in a variety of colors will help dial in the bite if the salmon get finicky. Any color flasher can be effective – it seems that the attractor’s action is what triggers the bite. Behind the flasher, Brad’s Super Baits work exceptionally well. The Super Bait, Cut Plug and Mini Cut Plug filled with tuna, herring, sardine, anchovy or salmon roe are top choices for many anglers from I-5 downriver. A 3.5 spinner trolled behind a 360 flasher tends to be favored by anglers fishing directly
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FISHING below the Bonneville Dam deadline down to PDX. Luckily, manufacturers have ramped up production to keep supplies of Super Baits and 3.5 spinners at levels that will sustain us through the URB season. Rigging a 360 flasher starts with 50- to 65-pound braided mainline tied to a plastic spreader. From the lower hole of the spreader clip on a large duolock snap to attach 8 to 20 ounces of lead. Tie in 24 inches of 40- to 50-pound monofilament between your spreader and flasher to allow the flasher to properly rotate. Behind it, slide any product in the Super Bait line down a 36-inch leader of 40-pound fluoro or mono. Utilizing 5mm beads, position 4/0 single barbless hooks or 2/0 treble barbless hooks into a position that ensures that when a fish bites, the lure doesn’t interfere with the hooks. When fishing a 3.5 spinner, tie the lure 30 to 36 inches behind the
flasher with 40-pound fluorocarbon leader. You may need to adjust the length of the leader to get good “surge” action as the flasher rotates.
GORGE POOLS In September, almost every single Columbia tributary has Chinook staging, holding or moving through their cooler waters. Since there is little current above Bonneville, hover fishing is one of the most effective techniques to use for staging salmon. Eagle and Herman Creeks, Drano Lake, and the White Salmon, Klickitat and the Deschutes Rivers are some of the most popular places to hover fish. (Remember, Drano is scheduled to remain closed for steelhead retention this month.) This tactic takes a lot of work to get everything right. Boat control is probably the most challenging, as hover fishing takes place in one of the windiest places in the Northwest. Fishing rod control is the second
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toughest thing. You need to keep the rod at a slight downward angle to allow good swing for a hookset but also to be able to detect the lightest of bites. Many times staging Chinook will just lightly pick up your offering. Bait control is also important, as you have to keep your presentation just off bottom in 20 to 30 feet of water without letting it sit on bottom where sturgeon will eat it. Indeed, the hover bite is not your traditional salmon bite. If you are used to Chinook chomping and chomping on your herring as you troll, it’s nothing like that at all. Neither is it like a bobber that twitches and soon sinks into the murky depths. And it’s nothing like a back-bouncing bite that can last for upwards of a minute as a Chinook progressively consumes your bait. No, the hover bite is more of a “hold.” Oftentimes a staging salmon will pick up your eggs and mouth them repeatedly before either moving on or maybe – if you’re lucky
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FISHING – try to swallow them. The hover bite is usually detected by paying close attention to the action of your rod tip as the boat bobs and drifts with the wind swells and current. When the tip does something different, it’s most likely a salmon mouthing your bait, and that’s when a swift hookset is needed. Rigging up for hover fishing isn’t much different than you would for back-bouncing. Starting with 50-pound braided mainline, thread on a weight slider and an 8mm bead above where you tie it to your six-bead chain swivel. From the swivel tie 48 inches of 25-pound fluorocarbon leader to a 2/0 barbless hook. On your weight slider, attach a 2- to 5-ounce (depending on drift) cannonball sinker directly with a duolock snap – no dropper line needed. While this is a lighter set-up, the smaller line and hooks are needed to keep wary fish from
spooking. A small, firm cluster of eggs complimented with a sand shrimp, sardine chunk or coon shrimp tail is what’s needed to consistently hook staging fish. Corkies or Spin-N-Glos are not needed, and may buoy your baits out of the zone.
SEE YOU ON THE WATER September is a month of transition, from summer vacation back to school, from fishing alpine lakes to hunting big game in heavy timber, from warm, dry weather and family barbecues to cooler nights, morning dew and the NFL. Welcoming these transitions and planning ahead for your new pursuits is one of the best things about living here in the Northwest, where we are in a continual state of change and everything old becomes new again with each passing season. What never gets old, though, is getting out and fishing for fall salmon as the sun sets on summer. NS
There’s something for almost every kind of salmon angler this month, from the tradition of trolling herring in estuaries to anchoring up and running old-school wobblers, from joining the new wave that’s dialing in 360-degree flashers and Super Baits or 3.5 spinners to hover fishing off the Klickitat and elsewhere. (ANDY SCHNEIDER)
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COLUMN
Try These Techniques For
Tri-Cities Fall Salmon O nce more, tens of thousands of upriver brights are coming home to the Hanford Reach. Every CENTRAL WASHINGTON fall there are anglers By Dave Graybill who take full advantage of this fishery and fill their freezers, while others still struggle to put fish in the boat. There is no lack of salmon, so it is a matter of knowing how to catch them. I have written about the great fall fishing in this free-flowing part of the Columbia River for many years. This time I want to focus on the proven techniques that successful anglers use to catch them.
THE MOST WIDELY used lure in the Reach nowadays is the Super Bait. This hard plastic lure is hinged and packed with tuna to attract strikes, and is fished in combination with a flasher. It comes in the original banana shape, the newer Plug Cut style and the Mini, and all can be effective in a given day. Most anglers load their reels with 20to 30-pound-test line, but first take these steps: wind on 20 yards of monofilament line to the bare spool, and then fill it to three-quarters of capacity with 50- to 60-pound braid. The braid lasts forever and you must put that small base of line on the bare spool to prevent the braid from slipping on the spool. You only need to add 50 to 100 feet of mono to have a full reel, and you can change that last bit of mono frequently to have fresh line and over the long run save money on reloading your reel. The reel is then mounted on a 10½-foot, slow- to moderate-action rod to give you a good shock absorber. Your main line goes to your flasher, if you are using downriggers. Attach your clip to the mono, as it holds much better than the braid. From the flasher to the bait start with
Author Dave Graybill and guide Shane Magnuson show off a nice upriver bright taken above the first reactor below the Vernita Bridge. Early in the Hanford Reach fall Chinook fishery, Super Baits rule the day, but as season continues eggs become a good bet as well. (DAVE GRAYBILL)
44 inches of leader. You can always shorten it if the fish like a faster roll on the flasher. There are several ways to rig the Super Bait that goes on the end, and I’ll describe three. Remember, this is a barbless hook fishery and the guides I know are trying all kinds of hook arrangements to cut down on the number of fish lost by their clients, many of whom are very new or brand new to salmon fishing. They often drop their tip when the rod is passed to them or do so when pumping the rod “like they have seen on TV.” Most still rig their Super Baits like they come in the package, that is, with two treble hooks, except with trebles of their own and better leader material. Don’t skimp on the quality of these hooks – the stronger, the better. A size 1 goes in the garage, on the underside of the lure, and the second, a size 2, should be just behind the tail of the lure. Trebles are a pain to get out of the net, but if you get both sets of hooks into a Chinook’s jaw, you probably won’t lose that fish. Another way to set up the business end of a Super Bait is with two sickle
hooks. These now come barbless, and their shape hooks fish very effectively. A large bead is put on ahead of the first hook, which places it behind the garage. The second should wind up behind the tail of the lure. I use 5/0s for both the lead and trailing hook. I like these sickle hooks. They penetrate well, and if constant pressure is kept on the line and a good bend in the rod is maintained, the fish winds up in the net. The last method is with a single siwash hook. You have to use beads and either black surgical tubing or colored tubing to space the hook so it clears the end of the lure, and I always put a barrel swivel on the eye of the hook so it will run straight behind the Super Bait. Use at least a 5/0 siwash and sharpen it. This will penetrate a fish’s jaw better than other hooks, but it is the easiest to fall out. You really have to maintain pressure on the fish. There are no problems removing this hook from the jaw of a fish that you want to release. Super Baits are typically trolled upstream on downriggers, against the cur-
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COLUMN rent. You should be making some headway, but forget the speed indicator on your fish finder. When fishing in current on the Columbia, your speed gauge is your rod. Try to keep it at a pulse a second and see how the fish react. Another very effective way to troll these lures is with lead balls instead of downriggers. On your main line attach a sliding barrel swivel, and then a 25-inch shock leader, and add your Super Bait leader to this. Attach an 8- to 16-ounce lead ball to the slider. Your flasher will work fine behind the shock leader. Many people prefer to troll this set-up downstream. It will work either way, and in the Hanford Reach there are very long stretches of water that you can run it. I have found that the old Shimano Convergence rods I have used for years that are rated for 12- to 20-pound line, are a bit light for this technique.
THE NEXT MOST popular method of taking kings in the Reach is with eggs. As the season matures, these become more
Some solid Super Baits include Plug Cuts, rigged with two Big River hooks, in hot tamale and lemon lime, the original Super Bait in hot tamale (note the vents that leach out the scent), and a Plug Cut and Mini Plug Cut, both in Mountain Dew. (DAVE GRAYBILL) and more effective. Of course, you need to have taken some females to have a supply of eggs. Have a lot on hand, as you will use an ample amount and they go fast. If
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you haven’t cured eggs before, I suggest you visit my site, FishingMagician.com, and click on the How To page. There is an instructional video with Pro Cure on quick-curing eggs. On the Fishing TV Page, check out the video “Shane Magnuson on Fishing with Eggs at Vernita.” He gives a more advanced version of egg curing. The best egg presentation is behind a diver. The large, 50-foot model will put your lure near the bottom where the fish will take the bait. When using a diver always put a wire leader ahead of it, on a sliding barrel swivel. This will prevent the blades of the diver from nicking your line. For how to rig an egg set-up, see Rig of the Month on page 89.
THE OTHER TOP method for taking fall kings is with plugs. The most popular lures in this category are the Kwikfish and FlatFish. These both have a similar look and action and some anglers prefer one over the other, while most experienced anglers have a good supply of both. For fall salmon, Kwikfish sizes that work best are the K-14, K-15 and K-16. FlatFish sizes range from the M2 to the Mag Lip 4.5 to the even larger Hawg Nose. One thing that is common between all of these lures is that they work best for fall salmon when wrapped with sardine. It is a simple thing to attach a small piece of a
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The Tri-Cities has developed a reputation as an outdoor recreation destination in Eastern Washington – and for good reason! Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy trails designed for day hiking, horseback riding and water trails. The Columbia, Snake and Yakima Rivers wind through the Tri-Cities region and offer opportunities for fishing, water skiing, kayaking, paddleboarding, boating and more. With the area’s moderate climate and scenic landscapes, there is no reason to stay indoors! Hikers, bikers and horseback riders have options when it comes to outdoor recreation in the Tri-Cities region’s endless open spaces. Badger Mountain Centennial Preserve is a popular trail system, winding through one of the last remaining shrub-steppe habitats in the United States. Hike, mountain bike or horseback ride up Badger Mountain for spectacular views. Candy Mountain, the newest trail in the Tri-Cities region’s open space network, offers a more leisurely summit, but the view is just as rewarding. The Sacagawea Heritage Trail, a scenic 23-mile paved loop along the Columbia River, is another low-impact option for trailblazers. The Tapteal Greenway/Chamna Natural Preserve is a 30mile corridor along the Yakima River. Hikers and mountain bikers exploring the area often catch a glimpse of the diverse wildlife in this area, including many bird species, beavers, river otters, jack rabbits and deer. The Yakima River provides water explorers an intimate setting, winding through farmlands and thickly vegetated riparian areas. Kayakers can ex-
plore countless sloughs, islands and rapids on a river that is a popular breeding area for waterfowl. Other points of interest for wildlife watching include the McNary Wildlife Refuge and the Audubon Nature Trail. The more adventurous may enjoy an afternoon exploring White Bluffs along the Columbia River, overlooking the Hanford Reach National Monument. The Hanford Reach is the last non-tidal, free-flowing stretch of the Columbia River in the United States. The 195,000 acres have remained untouched by agriculture and development since the early 1940s as part of the war effort. The pristine landscape is home to a variety of wildlife – rare is a trip along the river that doesn’t produce sightings of mule deer, coyotes, bald eagles, great blue herons or white pelicans. The Hanford Reach also offers world-class fishing for salmon, trophy bass, steelhead and sunfish. Beyond the Hanford Reach lies the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. The park's highlight is a commemoration of the Manhattan Project’s history of incredible scientific engineering ingenuity and great human collaboration, highlighting the Tri-Cities region’s important role in ending World War II. Tours through the park are offered April through November, taking visitors through a beautiful desert landscape to historic sites such as the B Reactor, the world’s first fullscale plutonium production reactor. Whatever your outdoor interests may be, you can enjoy a bolder, brighter, better getaway in Tri-Cities!
To plan your stay in the Tri-Cities, log on to www.VisitTRI-CITIES.com for more information or to request our Official Tri-Cities Visitornwsportsmanmag.com Guide. | SEPTEMBER 2017 Northwest Sportsman
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sardine fillet on the underside of the lure, which is kept in place with Magic Thread. It makes a huge difference in the number of strikes you will get compared to a naked lure. The larger plugs are designed to dive to a certain depth, and I know that the Mag Lip 4.5 will get to 20 feet in good current. There are times when you can flat line them behind the boat while back-trolling. However, I most often will run these behind the same diver and setup I use when fishing eggs. I use a 4-foot leader from the diver to the lure. Whether you are fishing Super Baits, eggs or plugs, I advise using scent. I put the scent directly into my tuna mix. I add scent to the eggs and plugs just before they go in the water. I add more scent every time I do a bait check or change lures. There are a bunch of scents available, but for fall kings I will have the Graybill’s Guide Formula, which was first developed by my brother Rick Graybill, in salmon, craw anise, sardine and sand shrimp on board.
IF YOU WANT to see how the guides do it on the Columbia for fall kings, there are several videos on my Fishing TV Page. Go to the archives and you will find videos on fishing Buoy 10, the mouth of the Klickitat, the Deschutes and more. Also, there is an excellent guide to fishing the Hanford Reach written by my brother. It has lots of tackle descriptions and even excellent maps of fishing areas. You can find out how to get a copy by going to hookedontoys.com. Rick was a guide, fishing the Reach and other Central Washington waters for 15 years, and really knows his stuff. Fish will be showing up in the Hanford Reach before you know it. There will be traffic jams at the White Bluffs and Vernita launches as anglers line up to put their boats on the river. It is a wild time on the mid-Columbia. When you hook into your first upriver bright, you will know why so many people are scrambling to get at them. I hope that my tips on tackle and techniques gives you an advantage this season. Now go out there and get at ’em! NS Editor’s note: Dave Graybill is a longtime North-central Washington angler and fishing writer, and he is also a member of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission.
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Hanford Reach URB Egg Set-up NOTES While some Hanford Reach fall salmon anglers use fluorocarbon leaders as light as 15-pound test to tie their egg leaders, most use 20-pound monofilament or better. With the large gob of eggs that will be attached above them, hooks should be 4/0 or 5/0. Some will put some yarn on the lead hook, which can be an attractor and also will stick to the fish’s teeth and aid in hooking. Also slide on some large Corkies above the hooks. When the current is running swift, these will help keep your bait from being right on the bottom, put it in the right zone and prevent hang-ups, which can occur often when fishing eggs. –Dave Graybill
Size 4 Corkies 15- to 20-pound-test leader
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FISHING
Head Strait Across For Coho Silvers aren’t open in Washington Marine Areas 5, 6, but they are along Vancouver Island – and September’s the best month.
By Mark Yuasa
I
f there was one place to pursue salmon in the Pacific Northwest, it is located in the iconic western Strait of Juan de Fuca off Sekiu – often regarded as the Mecca for brawny, hook-nosed coho. However, in recent years this salmon fishing destination has been
hit by prolonged closures to protect dwindling wild coho and Chinook returns. While the Strait on the U.S. side is a lost cause for salmon fishing between now and March 31, 2018 – including the bread-and-butter fall coho fisheries – a revelation has come to light allowing anglers to journey into Canadian waters.
This could be a much-needed economic boost to businesses and small towns from Sequim to Clallam Bay-Sekiu in the weeks ahead, and all it takes is a boat ride to legally seek out salmon that know no boundaries. “There isn’t a reason to say the town of Sekiu is closed while salmon fishing is thriving in Canada, and it’s so easy for an angler to still get
Washington salmon managers have closed some of the best coho water in the state, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, but the Canadian side is open, making a run out of Sekiu and across the international border for silvers an intriguing option. (JASON BROOKS)
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FISHING out and fish,” says Brandon Mason, the owner of Mason’s Olson Resort (olsons-resort.com) in Sekiu. “By boat it’s a short 7-mile (25- to 30-minute) ride to find some great fishing opportunities.” Between September and October, the best coho sport-fishing area is the migration path located in deep-water shipping lanes along the middle of the Strait. In past years, anglers would ply the U.S. inbound shipping lane, and now anglers have the option to pursue fish along the outbound corridor on the Canadian side. “The coho fishing was on fire last year in the Canadian waters of the Strait during our closure period, and I’m expecting to see similar results if not better action this season,” says Mason. He is banking that the state Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Puget Sound coho return forecast of 590,336 – compared to a poor forecast of 255,403 last year – turns into a reality.
WHAT MANY U.S. sport fishermen don’t realize is that the first step to access salmon in Canada is a few simple
September in the Straits is prime time for hooknoses – this wild one was caught off Sekiu by Chris Shaughnessy aboard Chuck Spani’s boat several years back – and a local resort owner is expecting similar or better fishing than last year’s “on fire” action on the Vancouver Island side. (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)
computer clicks and a toll-free phone call away. “We’re trying to make this as easy as we can for anglers who want to give it a try, and we even have a kiosk set up at the resort where they can buy and print out Canadian licenses,” Mason says. “All it takes is just a few minutes to do. The interest has really picked up since we’ve
implemented the kiosk.” “We’ll even help the guys who don’t know where to fish in the Canadian waters,” Mason adds. “They can follow us over or we’ve got the GPS coordinates to get them on the fish. It’s super easy once they figure it out.” The most commonly fished area is the shipping lane off Port Renfrew
NEW CANADIAN RULE COULD SOON EASE BORDER CROSSINGS Back in late June the Canadian Parliament passed a bill that no longer requires a U.S. boater to report to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) on all waters separating the two countries. At press time, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife was creating a new process for anglers who plan on fishing in Canadian waters to follow, but as of now making the phone call to Canada Border Services Agency (800-CAN-PASS) to get a clearance number is no longer necessary. “We are getting closer to having an idea how this might play out,” says WDFW’s Ryan Lothrop. “The clearance number is no longer active, so a change will occur. In the meantime, anglers should ‘document’ that they fished in Canada, such as take a screen shot of their 94 Northwest Sportsman
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GPS with a date stamp.” Brandon Mason of Mason’s Olson Resort in Sekiu also points out that until the new ruling takes effect, each person aboard the vessel should carry a valid passport, enhanced driver’s license or Nexus Pass. This will provide anglers with documentation just in case they are checked on the water by Canadian authorities. For updates on new ruling, go to wdfw.wa.gov/news. The aforementioned bill was passed after a study revealed nearly 4.3 million U.S. boaters annually in the Great Lakes region alone traveled back and forth between the two countries, and led to the CBSA being inundated with phone calls. Reporting to Canadian customs is no longer necessary under certain conditions unless you leave your
vessel, anchor, moor or set foot on Canadian land. Lothrop also pointed out that cooperation by anglers who head to fish in Canadian waters has been a sore spot. “Our sampling unit had incidents by those who went across the border,” Lothrop says. “We had anglers tell our samplers to take a hike and refuse to report their catch. All it takes is one person to ruin a day, and technically they are required to do this when coming back from fishing in Canada.” “Those who refuse to report their catch give Canada a freebie, as it doesn’t help us account of a catch in the end game,” he said. “Submitting their catch maximizes season opportunities, and benefits the Pacific Salmon Treaty and North of Falcon process.” –MY
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FISHING
LODGING, INFO Mason’s Olson Resort: (360) 963-2311; olsons-resort.com Van Riper’s Resort: (360) 963-2334; vanripersresort.com Curley’s Resort and Dive Center: (800) 542-9680; curleysresort.com Straitside Resort: (360) 963-2100 Clallam Bay/Sekiu Chamber of Commerce: clallambay.com Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: wdfw.wa.gov British Columbia fishing license info: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/ licence-permis/application-eng.html. Fisheries and Oceans Canada FAQ: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/ licence-permis/faq-eng.html DFO Sport Fishing Guide: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/index-eng. html#location
State fishery officials ask that if you hit BC waters to please cooperate with creel samplers back at the dock. “Submitting their catch maximizes season opportunities, and benefits the Pacific Salmon Treaty and North of Falcon process,” says WDFW’s Ryan Lothrop. (MARK YUASA)
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east to Sombrio Point (Canada’s Marine Area 20-3); and Sombrio Point to Sooke (20-4 and 20-5). A one-day B.C. Tidal Water Fishing License costs $7.35 CAD; three-day is $19.95 CAD; and fiveday is $32.55 CAD. An annual license will set you back $106.05 CAD. Prices are for everyone age 16 and older, and youth under age 16 can fish for free. For those who want to purchase their license
ahead of time or aren’t fishing out of Sekiu, you can obtain them in British Columbia at a license dealer or go online. Before heading out anglers should look at page four in WDFW’s 2017-18 fishing regulation pamphlet, which explains how to legally transport your catch. “The rules are more liberal in a sense to allow that opportunity for anglers who fish in Canada,” says Ryan Lothrop, the agency’s recreational salmon manager. “It added more flexibility due to the restricted seasons that were coming about.” According to the regulations, it is lawful to possess Canadian-origin salmon if you have a Canadian license and salmon-conservation stamp. Anglers aboard may deliver Canadian-origin salmon into Washington, regardless of whether the salmon meet the current regs for the area where delivered. The daily limit in Canadian waters depends on the location you’re fishing. In general, it is four salmon daily, and only two may be a wild or hatchery Chinook or hatcherymarked coho. The minimum size limit is 17.7 inches for Chinook and 11.8 inches for hatchery coho. Barbless hooks are required. Typical set-ups for September silvers in the Strait include Coho Killer and Coyote spoons, Ace Hi Flies or hoochies in greens, blues or whites, or herring, all trolled behind a flasher. All in all, a good deal, eh? NS
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COLUMN
Triple Play’s On! Where? Duh, The Duwamish! W
hen was the last t i m e anyone can remember being able to target WIESTSIDER Chinook in the Duwamish River? By Terry Wiest Anyone? Anyone? How about fishing for coho there at the same time? Or better yet, do you remember chasing pinks with the chance of hooking into a coho and Chinook too? Yes, it’s been awhile – since 2009, to be exact – but the triple play is on again this month not too far south of Safeco Field. Kings, silvers and humpies are all in this King County river at the same time, and what’s more, all are available for retention, whether they’ve got their full complement of fins or not. Now, that said, don’t expect to see masses of pinks this year. A pitiful 118,000 are expected to return, literally a tenth of the huge runs that got us all hooked on fishing for them over the past decade and a half or so. As for the Chinook and coho forecasts, overall those call for about half as many salmon. With a six-fish limit (up to three coho but only one Chinook), I’m not sure how many anglers will actually punch out, but I know I’m going to give it a good shot.
TWITCHIN’S THE GAME for pinks and has been an absolute blast in the past. With over a million fish in the system at any given time, fish would literally battle each other to see which could attack the jig first. But with paltry numbers coming back this year it’s going to be tough. Myself, I’m going to be moving, and moving a lot. Instead of waiting for schools to swim my way, I’m going to
Pinks provide the most productive salmon fishery on the Duwamish River, though with a down forecast, they may be challenged by Chinook – open for the first time in eight years – and coho. The author caught this humpy near the mouth of the river. (TERRY WIEST) be cruising up and down the Duwamish from the Boeing walk-over bridge down to the 1st Avenue boat launch, looking for jumping fish. The idea is to cast the jig right at them and then twitch to get a reaction. All those side channels where the barges tie up will be prime spots. Make sure you’re using bright pink jigs or pink worms. Hit them with your best
shot, as they’re not playing around this year. I’ve had past outings where we’ve released over 50 pinks in a day, along with keeping our 12 fish between two guys. This year if you plan on keeping pinks, I personally wouldn’t be releasing any in hopes others bite afterwards. Although twitching is a highly effective technique, too many anglers
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COLUMN take the action to the extreme in hopes of actually foul hooking a fish. There’s absolutely no need to sink to this level, as pinks as well as coho will readily take a properly twitched jig. Six to 18 inches is all the movement you need – and yes, the gamies are watching (see sidebar).
Duwamish coho are partial to spinners, specifically blue or chartreuse Blue Foxes, but they will also bite trolled Wiggle Warts and twitching jigs. (TERRY WIEST)
THE BEST OPPORTUNITY this year just might be for coho, as almost 44,000 are expected back. Get those plugs ready, boys and girls! Bright red or orange Wiggle Warts flat-lined 100 feet behind the boat has been what most silver seekers have used in years past, and with great success. When coho hit, they slam these things and generally come flying out of the water. But if the rod buries and just keeps going, well my friend, you probably have hooked a king, as they also have been known to attack Warts. From the banks, twitchin’ jigs works in those deeper, slow-moving pockets and along the edges of the river where there’s at least 4 feet of water. But don’t leave out those spinners and spoons! A size 5 Vibrax in cerise or chartreuse will draw some body slams, as will BC Steel spoons tossed into
faster currents.
THE CHINOOK FORECAST is calling for approximately 16,400 to return this year, up from about 10,000 in 2016. If you’re salivating at the thought of fishing out of a boat for them, the only water open for kings at this writing is between the Tukwila International Boulevard/Old Highway 99 bridge and I-405. That’s above the main trolling area for silvers and pinks and, believe it or not, a class II rapid at
Cecil Moses Park that emerges at low tide. The restriction is partially to prevent gear conflicts with tribal fishermen netting below the bridge, but also at the behest of anglers who prefer this section’s bank access, says biologist Aaron Bosworth. Indeed, thanks to the Green River Trail and paralleling roads, the banks will be lined with anglers looking to take advantage of this rare king opportunity. Eggs under a float would be my best bet, as it is in most rivers when trying to lure
SNAGGERS, BEWARE Salmon runs bring all kinds down to the water, pinks in particular, with some anglers using less than lawful ways to land fish. Indeed, state fish and wildlife officers will be looking for those who get frustrated by lower numbers of humpies or fewer biters and are attempting to snag them instead. I recently spoke with Mike Cenci, deputy chief of enforcement with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. He offered this explanation when asked if one could be cited just for the “act” of snagging, with or without a fish: “The short answer is, yes. Both snagging and attempting to snag are illegal (gross misdemeanor versus misdemeanor). The trick, of course, is being able to articulate that the technique used constitutes snagging, which is ‘an effort to take fish with a hook and line in a manner that the fish does not take the hook or hooks voluntarily in its mouth,’” says Cenci. “Sounds easy, but the officer will need 102 Northwest Sportsman
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to be able to compare how the actions of the angler are inconsistent with the norm. Sometimes, it’s an easy story to tell because the gear itself is obnoxious – treble hook with lead wrapped around the shank. But when legal gear is used, and it’s employed in a nontypical way, connecting all the dots for a judge or jury becomes crucial.” What do officers look for? “Things like the number of times a person attempts to set the hook compared to what a person would normally experience when getting a legit bite, the force used to facilitate setting the hook, how the angler is reacting to the presence of fish when he can see them, etc.,” says Cenci. “I have written a number of citations for attempt, or snagging, where no salmon were kept – the angler was snagging and releasing fish until he hooked one in the head (or mouth when fish are
oxygenating). Even though the fish was legal, the method in which it was caught was not.” Should you legitimately incidentally snag a fish, don’t keep it. “The possession of foul-hooked fish can be an outcome unrelated to intentional snagging – coho that slap bait with a tail and become hooked,” says Cenci. “In other words, you can find yourself with a snagged fish, but that doesn’t mean you were engaged in snagging, and as long as you don’t retain it, no harm done. Snagging should always be treated as a separate issue. If you can make that case, any foul-hooked retained fish only strengthens the case.” “It boils down to describing the person’s intent well enough to reach the probable cause standard for an arrest, and beyond a reasonable doubt for a conviction,” says Cenci. –TW
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COLUMN in a pig from shore. Make sure you have plenty of scent with a shrimp or krill base, which bodes well for Pautzke lovers out there, since the company’s base ingredient happens to be krill. I’ll be fishing this setup in those deeper slots where the kings should be. Most likely the water will still be very warm, so the kings will probably lay in the cooler depths until we get some rain to push them up further. “If I was going to fish from the shore, I don’t think you can beat a slip float setup with a herring suspended 8 to 12 feet under it,” adds Gabe Miller at Sportco (sportco.com). “I know guys catch them off the piers and Spokane Street bridge with that set-up, so fishing it farther up in the river would work too. It has been a while since we had the option to target Chinook in there, so there will be a bit of a learning curve for everyone this year.” This is not to say that boaters won’t be able to take advantage of this king fishery. It might be possible to troll herring behind a Fish Flash or dodger or
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It’s been so long since the south King County river has been open for Chinook that we have no images of one in our photo archives, but what’s notable about this year’s fishery is the open stretch means it will primarily be a bank opportunity. (BRIAN LULL)
Columbia-style Super Bait and Pro Troll set-up, but only at high tide and likely at the expense of lost tackle (the Duwamish is lousy with logs). It will also be tough because of how small the river becomes and competition for holes with bankies. Anchoring up and running plugs or a diver and bait, or casting eggs, might be a better option, again under the right tidal conditions.
THIS MONTH OFFERS lots of salmon and tactics to use on the Duwamish. Question is, which species will you target? Why not all three and pull off a triple play?! NS Editor’s note: Terry J. Wiest is the author of Steelhead University: Your Guide to Salmon & Steelhead Success and Float-Fishing for Salmon & Steelhead, and is the owner of Steelhead University, SteelheadU.com.
nwsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2017
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COLUMN
‘Quarry Cornucopia’ Arrives In North Sound
S
eptember always brings dilemmas for ardent anglers and By Doug Huddle hunters. Options for furred, finned or feathered targets, both here and elsewhere, abruptly peak. Not everyone considers them the best opportunities on the annual calendar for game, but there’s no doubt about the breadth of September’s salmon, trout, big game and fowl smorgasbord. A consequence of this quarry cornucopia is the apparent faster passage of time. With all our principal familial and work obligations, there seemingly just aren’t enough days in the ninth month to get after everything. Here’s a synopsis of critters on the fairchase list:
NORTH SOUND
SALT AND RIVER SALMON Marine Area 7 fishers may already have noted that with the arrival of September and a glance at the personal-use fishing regs, there are now just 30 days left of 2017’s salmon season. That means the time is nigh for either plumbing the depths around William Point (Samish Island) or along Chuckanut for fall Chinook, as well as casting for coho from greater Cherry Point beaches. A little farther from the mainland several venues associated with Guemes Island are especially known for their yields of Samish and Nooksack Rivershoming late kings. Jiggers using dart-style lures gravitate to waters in Bellingham Channel off the old Indian Village to get at shore-hugging Chinook coming off the 5-fathom bay shelf to the south. Off Guemes’ variously named Casperson Point, across from the Anacortes refineries, hardware pullers trolling dodger/spoon combos intercept Chinook skirting around the southeast
September represents the last month in 2017 that San Juans salmon seekers will be able to plumb the salt for specimens like this Chinook. Joel Nymeyer caught it last September near Point Roberts on a herring behind a flasher. (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST) side of the island. A second locale near Southeast Point (aka Casperson) where Chinook bunch to pass is the channel hole between Hat and Saddlebag Islands. Fish-finders alleviate the depth guesswork in dropping downrigger balls, but if your
craft lacks such sonar, simply vary depths on each pass. Also focus passes in close to both islands along the margins of the 45-fathom hole between them. In the run’s home stretch through the shallows of Samish Bay itself, these fall kings often succumb to Buzz
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COLUMN Bombs cast into the channel in the submerged tideflats, on high tides, west of the river mouth. In freshwater venues, the Nooksack and its smaller neighboring stream to the south, the Samish, will host the only fall salmon options north of the Snohomish system. As a result of the contentious 2017 North of Falcon agreement, this fall the Skagit River is entirely shut down, and Stillaguamish River reaches (except below Marine Drive) that do stay open are limited to catch and release for trout only – no salmon retention at all. In September, mainstem Nooksack anglers may keep both hatchery fall kings, as well as similarly marked coho. The king run is returning from releases into the river around Lynden, while the Nooksack’s silvers are homing largely to Lummi Nation’s Skookum Creek salmon production on the South Fork. The lower Samish’s annual sometimesa-snagfest for kings is fed by survivors of annual releases of 4.5 million 90-daywonder Chinook juveniles. River-coursing fall kings are pushovers for drifted eggs. Afloat in the Nooksack, the presentation is no more sophisticated than anchoring up square in the main current and dropping a good-sized cluster straight off the transom or bow if you’re on a drift boat. Use just enough weight to keep the gob from kiting off the bottom. Some fishers will add large SpinN-Glos in low and no visibility water, but I favor just adding a sprig of bright yarn (orange, pink, chartruese or yellow) to plunked or drifted eggs.
HIGH LAKES RAINBOWS While lower elevation waters are only just starting to cool from their summer swelter, high lakes are coming into their prime for their bountiful trout. So too are the above-barrier reaches of streams in the upper Nooksack Basin. Among the noteworthy hike-in stillwater fishing waters in the North Cascades outside the national park are the Watson Lake cluster in the Baker River Valley, Sauk Lake overlooking Rockport, and Granite Lakes southeast 108 Northwest Sportsman
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of Marblemount. For family-oriented outings for mountain rainbows or cutthroat trout, try Blue Lake in the Baker Lake Valley, Upper Bagley Lake near Heather Meadows and Little Gee Lake in the Finney Block. If you’re looking for beaver pond or stream-dwelling trout, try the challenging Anderson Creek beaver pond complex in the upper North Fork Nooksack above the falls.
GROUSE AND GEESE It’s difficult to draw firm conclusions about how the hunt will go from casual preseason forest grouse observations, but a wetter than normal spring may account for a decline in spottings, which may not bode well for harvests. With the return of a more typical snowpack last winter, access to blue grouse territory was delayed until early July, at which time I had fewer than normal breeding-season sightings of adult birds. Secondly, almost no early broods were observed. In late July we did begin to see some very small newly fledged chicks that had just taken to wing. That may mean early spring broods failed and breeding hens then laid second clutches. In Western Washington, daylong drives for ruffies may not be fruitful this season. On clear warm days in low cycle years, it’s in the very early morning or late evening just before sunset that grouse whose territories overlap roads will make their appearances. The key exceptions to this are rainy days just after showers stop. Regardless of the hour on the clock, both blue and ruffed grouse that have gotten wet emerge from cover to dry out, forage or take grit from road shoulders. In clearcuts, hens with their broods often hop up on stumps to steward their young. This year’s crop of resident Canada geese in Whatcom County appears more plentiful than ever, which should make for a lucrative six-day early hunt beginning Sept. 9. Flocks ranging from single families up to gaggles of 40 to 50 of these stay-athome honkers are seen daily in a number of upriver locales. At the beginning of
August, honkers on Wiser Lake numbered more than 550 birds. To maximize the likelihood of a successful hunt, day-before scouting will be an absolute must, not only to locate birds but also to arrange access to private land. The best strategy for hunting upvalley birds, since they’re not prone to moving, is to stalk them. To prosecute to a shot use the L-shaped ambush technique, positioning shooters parallel to a swimming pathway or winged departure line, while one hunter makes an overt stalk that will push the birds past gunners through their field of fire. Always take note of the wind when positioning gunners or making approaches. In west county fields under morning flight paths, decoys strings and calling will work but knowing flight path tendencies is critical to a successful set. Morning flights tend to be short, a matter of a few hundred yards to a mile from watery night roosts to forage fields.
BUCKS AND BULLS With this year’s deer and elk season structure, September’s going to be the best chance to hunt higher deer haunts in Northwest Washington. Bowhunters get their crack at Game Management Units 418 and 426 at the start of the month, while modern firearms hunters’ initial entrée comes midmonth with the high buck hunt in the Mount Baker Wilderness. The 418 again will be open for the general season but it’s not available for the leaves-off season in November, nor the late bow hunt. There are some splendid branchantlered blacktails in the high country around the namesake volcano. One of the more attractive aspects of the high buck hunt is how close forest roads get to the wilderness boundary here. With the wide selection of North Cascade basins and ridgelines on the Mount Baker Ranger District that hold amazingly large numbers of deer, day trips here can be every bit as lucrative as high camp “safaris.” The majority of these animals loiter in remote locales until late October, holding until the last of the leaf browse drops and the snow
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COLUMN gets to be a foot deep. Only does with late-dropped fawns seem to descend earlier, together with their small charges, pointing their noses downhill by late September. If the dryness holds from the prolonged July/early August rainless period, animals will be centering on north- to northeast-facing cirques (cooler relative to other slopes) near ridge crests. Usually there’s at least one creek still with surface flow, or a spring or two where water perks to the surface. As the timberline transitions to open ground, there’s an abundance of browse in wet swales that remains succulent long after the ground cover elsewhere and at lower elevations has shriveled. This hogsback terrain also has elevated strips of stunted mountain hemlock and alpine fir that offer dry perches from which animals bedded down with their backs to trees can cover remaining approaches. These high-country habitats are isolated and have little human intrusion.
They do not have maintained trails through them and forest roads terminate some distance away. The terrain also limits access, with clifflines and steep slopes dictating the ways in and out. On the north end of the Mount Baker Ranger District such summer/fall deer digs can be found in the upper reaches of Canyon, Dobbs, Barometer, Grouse and Anderson Creek basins. These locale types are less numerous in the Baker Lake basin but can be found in the Marten and Shuksan Lakes areas, as well as the midreach section of Rocky Creek on the northeast side of Loomis Mountain. Timber harvest has produced similar ground in the upper West Fork of Iron Creek in the Illabot Creek basin, but the old 1620 road is still accessible.
portion of the fall black bear hunt, but visitors can expect those barriers to swing back to closed on Sept. 1 or sometime a little later in the first week. On federal national forest lands, unrepaired storm damage still has Canyon Creek (FSR 31) and Wells Creek (FSR 33) roads closed on the north side of the Mount Baker Ranger District. The Marten Lake Road (FSR 1130) also is damaged. As temperatures drop and moisture returns in the fall, logging will pick back up on state forest lands, so traffic will be restricted on Department of Natural Resources roads.
NEXT ISSUE: General deer season opportunities, Nooksack forks coho fishing, set up for waterfowl and more high lakes.
ACCESS STILL PROBLEMATIC Approaches to foothills and mountain venues, whether to fish or hunt, remain largely the same as last year. One timber company opened gates on some of its road accesses in August for the early
Editor’s note: Doug Huddle lives in Bellingham, is retired from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and has written about hunting and fishing in the Northwest for more than 34 years.
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September, Fall Bring Mouth-watering Ops I
f there was a month purposely created for Northwest sportsmen, it would be September. All three of our major outdoors activities SOUTH SOUND By Jason Brooks – hunting, fishing and gathering – are on tap this month. Grouse open up, one of my most favorite hunts. Elk begin to bugle, while archers and muzzleloaders prepare for the hunt. Chinook and coho are heading for Puget Sound and coastal rivers. Berries and mushrooms are plentiful. Indeed, September is a bountiful month.
SOUTH SOUND WINGSHOOTERS will find a good hatch of ruffed grouse this season. Unlike summer 2016, when temperatures were in the 90s from June through August, creating very dry and low grasses, more normal summer temps along with the extremely wet winter and spring made for tall grass for chicks to hide in and provided a lot of bugs and other foods. To find grouse, simply drive along the many dirt roads where they will come to get gravel during the late afternoon and evening hours. Grouse tend to hang around water, especially streams with alder groves. Fir trees are also a favorite, as they tend to eat the needles, along with bugs, berries and other plants. Yearling ruffies will often just step off of the roadway while older, savvy birds flush to nearby trees. I prefer my side-by-side Charles Daly 12-gauge shotgun with a full choked barrel and a modified barrel holding 7½ shot. The heart-thumping flush of grouse makes them a fun bird to hunt. If just filling the camp stew pot is the goal, then a .22 makes quick work for birds when the
As fungi sprout anew this month, so too do opportunities to chase ruffies and blues on state, federal and private timberlands in the South Sound. Adam Brooks has all the fixin’s for one of his father’s favorite September dinners – stir-fried grouse and chantrelle mushrooms. (JASON BROOKS) backdrop is safe. Popular places include Capitol State Forest near Olympia and Elbe State Forest south of Elbe. Skate Creek Road between Ashford and Packwood leads through national forest lands, with several spur roads where the grouse hunting is good. High Rock and the surrounding areas often produce a few birds for me each fall. As you climb into higher elevations, you start to find blue grouse as well. These birds are much bigger than ruffies and often don’t flush as quickly. They also tend to fly a shorter distance and land in nearby trees, offering a second chance.
stir-fried grouse and fresh mushrooms in olive oil. Like Chef Randy says, if it grows together, it goes together. The chanterelle is easy to find and identify. They prefer heavy fir and cedar duff in shaded areas. When you find one keep an eye out, as there are usually more nearby. Be sure to cut the stem of the mushroom with a sharp knife to leave the root system in place, as the fungus will grow back. If you pluck it all from the ground, they won’t grow back. Keep a paper bag handy, as it is best to haul the mushrooms home in a breathable container so they don’t mold.
WHILE OUT CHASING grouse keep an eye along cool, north-facing slopes and creek drainages for chanterelle mushrooms. Last year we found several pounds worth in a weekend hunt, plus a few blue grouse to go along with them. It is almost like grouse and chanterelles were made for each other, as one of my favorite meals is
IF YOU LISTEN intently while out in the woods, soon you will be hearing the unmistakable bugles of bull elk while cows mew and chirp. The elk rut is mostly brought on by the fading daylight and colder night temperatures. For archery hunters the hunt can be on the leading edge of the bugle season. This works to
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COLUMN your benefit, as young bulls will come to your calls, as will the older bulls that are getting ready to breed but don’t have their harem of cows just yet. The Willapa Hills and surrounding areas are popular elk haunts, but don’t overlook the small pockets of herds near the town of Ashford or the Skookumchuck Wildlife Area. The Margaret and Winston Units, which share a border, are two of the most popular areas. Units that yielded decent numbers of elk and had the highest success percentages last year were Snoqualmie (26.4 percent), Ryderwood (19 percent) and Bear River (17.6). No matter where you go on the Westside, it’s likely other hunters will be joining you.
The Willapa Hills and St. Helens herds have more elk, but don’t overlook the Mt. Rainier herd either. Joe Fisher (right) and his pack crew – Jolinn, Mia, Samantha and Max – prepare to pull his bull out of the woods of eastern Pierce County a few seasons back. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
MID-SEPTEMBER’S YOUTH HUNTS have become a family tradition for me and my boys. If you know of any young hunters just starting out, make sure to get them out afield for these weekend opportunities. First up is the Sept. 16-17 youth duck,
coot and goose hunts across the state, and while there’s not the sheetwater of fall and winter, this is an opportunity to get young guns on unwary local waterfowl. The South Sound region has produced a plurality of
such ducks in recent years, and there are scattered federal and state wildlife areas open for business, as well as a hunt-byreservation plot in Mason County. The following weekend is the youth upland bird hunt, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife plants extra pheasants at designated release sites. Quail have done extremely well this summer and make for a lot of fun and fast action for kids. Check out the WDFW website (wdfw.wa.gov) and regulations for more information on where to take a kid hunting.
BY THE MONTH’S last week, our rivers are full of Chinook and coho, with more arriving in steady numbers. On the south side of the famed Olympic Peninsula you will find the Humptulips River. Head towards the hatchery along Highway 101 and you will find some great bank access, especially along the gravel bar near Hanson Road and Reyanvanns’s gravel bar just upriver from Copalis Crossing. Floating eggs is a top-producing technique but if you have a drift boat, floating the river will get you to the many small slots and holes where twitching 3⁄8-ounce Mack’s Lure Rock Dancer jigs creates a coho-catching frenzy. Anglers near Tacoma or those in the Seattle area who don’t want to drive that far can head to local rivers. The Green 114 Northwest Sportsman
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Salmon opportunities abound in September, and whether you stay local or hit the highway, you should find a mix of coho and Chinook as well as pink salmon to fish for this month. (JASON BROOKS)
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River above I-405 opens in September, and the pinks will keep you busy till more coho show up. The Carbon, a small river near Orting, also has great bank access, and during the early parts of the month it will be full of pinks about to spawn. Chinook heading to the Voight Creek Hatchery will also be in, and the first mile of the Carbon below the small tributary is really good for kings, but expect a lot of people too. Then, in the latter part of September, coho arrive. Last year saw a high number return, nearly 24,000, way above expectations, but also a result of restricted fisheries in the system and salt. This is a small river with a lot of good access along the Foothills Trail through Orting. Float fish eggs and throw spinners into tailouts. On hot days, the water will be a bit murky because its headwaters include the Carbon Glacier on Mt. Rainier. This is another reason why the river fishes better in late September than the first few weeks of the month: cooler night temps turn the water to a deep green instead of
brown. Try first light. The Cowlitz also has a good run of fall Chinook and coho, as well as late summerrun steelhead. After fishing for a day near Blue Creek and catching several summers a few Septembers ago we went back the following day and found the Chinook had pushed the sea-run rainbows out of the area. Keep this in mind if you don’t find steelies in their normal spots and adjust accordingly. Switch up to plugs and bait divers and back-troll through the deeper water for salmon.
THERE’S SO MANY options to get outside during September, and as the month wanes towards October even more opportunities present themselves. It is time to fill the freezer with Chinook, coho, pinks, and chanterelles, then stretch the legs and hit the hills for grouse or take a kid bird hunting during the youth hunts. Our warm days and cool nights make for perfect outdoor activities. September is truly a month created for those who enjoy the outdoors. NS
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With little to no cover in the country he hunts mule deer, author Randy King struck upon the idea of using the tail fan of ubiquitous boss tom sage grouse to camouflage his noggin while peaking out of arroyos to close the distance on bucks. (MAC CHRISTIAN, BADGUIDANCE.COM)
The Saga Of The Sage Hen Hat I let the arrow fly quicker than I thought I could. The grouse, a big CHEF IN THE WILD sage hen tom, By Randy King had busted up directly in front of me at about 20 yards. My arrow flew a little right but came remarkably close to hitting the bird. Then I watched as it sailed from one hilltop to the other – the arrow, not the grouse. Still, my shot had been close enough to get my hopes up – I might be able to create the Sage Hen Hat after all. Now, to be clear, I do not have a weird fascination with crypto-taxidermy. I am not making some strange clown costume.
What I do want to do is create a custom piece of camouflage out of sage hen feathers. That’s not weird, right? Stick with me here. In the canyon lands that I call my home, sage hens frequent the gully-washed valleys and so do muleys. When I hunt the deer, I creep below the lip of gullies, using their elevation changes as cover, one of the only forms available out here. Generally, I can get within 50 or so yards from deer before I am busted. They bound off before I can even nock an arrow. It is not the wind that signals my presence to the deer. It is not my camo. It is not my stalking skills. I am usually busted because the top of my damn head has to peer over the rim of
the wash to check up on where the deer are. No matter the facemask or the camo makeup I wear, deer do not like the shape of a human head next to them.
IT WAS AFTER one of those busted stalks, perhaps around the campfire with a little firewater, that my father came up with the idea of a sage hen hat. You see, a deer is not frightened by a sage hen. In fact, they are best buds out in the desert. The leks – breeding grounds and common meeting locations for the birds – are ideal watering holes and food sources for deer. Hell, I shot a deer with my bow one time over the top of a flock of sage hens. We theorized that if the sight of a sage hen doesn’t make deer nervous, if I were to use a dead bird as a decoy on my head, it would allow me to peek over the top of the rim and maybe harvest more deer. Good idea, right? Look, I know that for about a week a year this is quite possibly the worst idea ever. I have no intentions of getting shot by a fellow sage hen hunter. But I do think
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Grouse meatballs with elderberry and red wine barbecue sauce. (RANDY KING)
GRIND TOUGH GROUSE INTO DELICIOUS MEATBALLS This recipe calls for ground grouse. Sounds odd, right? But what about all those grouse legs? It is a shame to just toss them – unethical, really. Or those breasts that are shot up a little too much? I use those for the ground grouse. It might take a small rabbit or something else to bulk up the meat if you only have a single-grouse day, like most of mine turn out to be.
by hand. Form the mixture into 1-inch balls. Coat a cookie sheet with pan spray and place the meatballs on the tray. Space them about an inch apart. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Wash the mixing bowl. Add the meatballs back into the bowl when they are done cooking. Add about half the elderberry barbecue sauce (see below) to the bowl and gently toss to coat them all.
Grouse Meatballs 1 pound ground grouse 1⁄3 cup bread crumbs 1 egg 1 teaspoon cumin 1 small onion, diced fine 1 teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon red chili flake ½ ear corn, kernels removed from the husk (about ½ cup) Salt and pepper Pan spray
Elderberry Red Wine Barbecue Sauce
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add all the ingredients, except pan spray, into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix all very well
Wash the elderberries very well. Remove all stems, which can be slightly toxic if eaten, especially raw. Next add
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2 cups ripe elderberries (depending on your altitude these ripen about the same time grouse season opens) ½ cup brown sugar 2 cups red wine (I use merlot) 1 bay leaf 2 cloves garlic Pinch of salt ¼ cup “store bought” barbecue sauce (I use Sweet Baby Rays)
the elderberries, brown sugar, red wine, bay leaf and garlic to a medium-sized sauce pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Lower heat and reduce the mix until it is just slightly thick. Strain the mix through a fine-mesh sieve. Squish – the technical term for this action – the elderberries into the strainer to get the extra juice out of them. (At this point the elderberry syrup is a “concentrate” and good for lots of stuff. Add it to Karo Syrup and you have elderberry pancake syrup. Add it to cream and you have a great sauce.) Reserve and measure the amount of syrup you have. Combine it with a 50/50 mix of barbecue sauce and elderberry concentrate. A ratio of roughly ¼ cup to ¼ cup will give you plenty of sauce for this recipe. Note: The concentrate will keep for months in the fridge. Place meatballs on a tray, garnish with the remaining sauce. Serve. For more wild game recipes, see chefrandyking.com. –RK
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this hat idea has legs, so to speak. To make a sage hen hat I first needed a sage hen. In Idaho the season is only a few days long and the bag limit is one per day. Also, because I have a huge head, like a cannot-find-a-cowboy-hat-that-fitsmy-dome-without-a-special-order-sized melon, a little yearling grouse would not work. I needed a big tom for my hat.
BLASTING A GROUSE that I would use for camo during archery season with my 16-gauge sounded a little cheap, so I clearly needed to shoot the bird with my bow. With a plan hatched, I headed out with my buddy Hank and my brother Kris. As we reached the bottom of a gully that often holds birds, Hank dusted a nice yearling hen. One shot, one kill. I quickly surveyed the area and charged directly up a sage-covered hill. Tom grouse do not hang out with the main flock. They tend to hold 50 to 100 yards out from the group, often in pairs. As a father I understand this urge to let the kids play while I hang out with a buddy a short distance off. These birds are kind of like my spirit animal in that way. In the same vein, the toms will be four to five times the size of a yearling – nearly as big as a hen turkey. I nocked an arrow as I got closer to an open grassy area. A bird will bust before he runs through grass, most times. Then I waited. Hunting without a dog in the desert means you need to be patient when chasing grouse. They will often hide, feet from you, and let you walk right by. A good vantage and some patience can lead to a flush that might not have otherwise happened. This was the case with my bird, but alas, I missed, sending my arrow over a far hillock. The next morning I awoke before sunrise, grabbed my shotgun and slipped out of my tent to a nearby pond. Grouse often get a drink first thing in the morning. I waited. Eventually as more light spread over the landscape, the rocks around the pond began to move – the rocks were grouse. As the first rays cracked over the top of the mountains behind me I dusted a small yearling for the pot. The hat will have to wait until next year. NS 124 Northwest Sportsman
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Working On Quartering T
eaching a pup how to quarter can start at about three months of age. Some pups will quarter naturally, GUN DOGGIN’ 101 while others will have to be taught. A lot of By Scott Haugen what a dog is naturally capable of doing comes down to genetics. Structured teaching optimizes these traits and educates all dogs on what behaviors you want. Once your pup knows the sit, stay and come commands, and has spent time being led on a leash or check cord, it’s OK to start teaching them how to quarter. Echo, my first Pudelpointer, naturally quartered. I never spent more than 15 minutes with her as a pup, total, teaching her to quarter. Kona, my most recent pup, on the other hand, took some work.
Once a gun dog learns to quarter, they are able to optimize the amount of ground they can cover and thus the number of birds they can locate. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
KONA’S A HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, curious male with lots of energy. I started him with a very light, 30-foot-long check cord at three months of age. I clipped the lead to his collar, making sure the clip I used was very small and lightweight so it didn’t fall under his neck. You want the clip to stay on top of the neck so the pup is not tripping over the cord. Quartering is a skill the dog will use when hunting upland birds. It’s an efficient way for them to cover ground, sniff air currents for bird smells and tracks, and is much more effective than simply walking in a straight line. At this stage the goal is to get the pup to zigzag back and forth as it moves forward, sniffing the air and the ground the whole time. Start by letting the pup move ahead of you, naturally exploring. It’s OK if the pup starts playing around a little as long as it’s moving left or right; let it explore its new territory. As soon as the pup gets close to the end of the cord, slightly nudge it
and say, “Hup!” Don’t let the cord come tight then abruptly jerk on it. You want to warn the pup that an expected change is coming up, not confuse them by making a harsh yank that will conflict with leash training drills you may be teaching them, like heeling. As the check cord draws tighter, move it opposite the direction the pup is traveling in. This will teach it to change direction. Repeat this a few more times and call it good. It only takes a couple minutes a session, two times a day, for a few days and the pup will get the hang of it.
NEXT, PROGRESS TO a 50-foot-long check cord and introduce a bird wing or skin. Put
the wing or skin on a drag line, and pull it on the ground for 30 yards or so. Be sure to drag it into the wind. Drop the wing in a clump of grass or a bit of brush, so the pup won’t see it too quickly. Now, get the pup, clip the cord to the collar and start tracking down the center of the drag line. The pup may follow the drag line, straight to the wing, but likely will sniff it then head to one side of it. As it reaches the end of the cord, draw it tight and say, “Hup,” changing direction and getting it back on the scent trail. Zigzag your way to the wing, changing direction multiple times. After a dozen or so sessions of this over the course of a week, next drop the wing in a field, so
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COLUMN there’s no scent line to go on. Working with a crosswind is also a good way to teach a pup how to detect scents. As the pup matures and learns what you want, it will start trotting, and you’ll want to move faster to keep up with it, making sure not to give any forceful yanks on the cord that will take away from what it’s learned. The sooner you can start teaching a pup to quarter, the better, because if you wait too long, handling a big, strong, six-month-old pup with a lot of drive can be very difficult and send many mixed messages. Remember, keep teaching sessions brief and stay positive. By doing this you’re on the way to developing a disciplined dog that will hunt very efficiently when the time comes. NS Editor’s note: To watch some dog training tips, check out Scott Haugen’s series of short videos on his website, scotthaugen. com. Also, watch his TV show, The Hunt, now on Netflix.
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By teaching a pup to quarter – change direction on command – you increase its ability to detect scents and efficiently cover ground. Here, a 13-week old Pudelpointer is prompted to make a change in direction while continuing to move forward. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
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HUNTING
Fall Flight Forecast What’s in store for Northwest waterfowlers? Oregon, Washington bird bosses share details. By M.D. Johnson
I
Geese take flight off a Western Oregon marsh, and soon so too will the 2017-18 waterfowl seasons in the Northwest. (GEORGE GENTRY, USFWS)
expect a lot out of the men and women who serve as the waterfowl section managers for the various state game agencies. Among these expectations, I want them, each year, to pull out their crystal ball, dust ’em off, and tell me in no uncertain terms what I, along with all the other waterfowlers coast to coast, can expect to run across once the seasons open in October, November, or what have you. Not asking much, eh? The truth of the matter? They do it. These wildlife professionals brush off those omnipotent orbs, and give me numbers. Mallards, pintails, grey ducks, and teal. Canvasbacks and redheads. Limits now. Limit packages for the upcoming three-year cycle. What I might expect to see come October and beyond. And, perhaps more importantly, what I might not expect to see. They give me the reasons behind the seasons. The numbers. One pintail in 2017? They explain it, and in terms even the most bull-headed ’fowler can understand. Still, there’s an element of guesswork involved here. When I talk to these men and women in late July, some of the numbers – the all-important counts, surveys, data, and results – aren’t available. And even when armed with numbers, monitoring wild populations spread across the United States and north to Canada, Alaska, and beyond, can still prove a crap-shoot. That’s the disclaimer on this one, hopefully
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HUNTING explaining why the guns on the Skagit Delta see X, while the folks at Sauvie Island Wildlife Area see Y. Or the Tri-Cities versus the Sacramento Valley. Where were the green-wing teal in 2016 for Western Washington hunters? They were living it up in California early, as in October early, because it got cold up north. Early. That one was easy to reason. Explaining why I saw so few common mergansers – note: not necessarily a bad thing, but quite the radical change from those we encountered in 2015-16, and in the same areas – during the 2016-17 season, and why so many more common goldeneyes last year as compared to the year before? That’s, and to get technical here, a head-scratcher. But what can ’fowlers in the Pacific Northwest expect to see during the 2017-18 season based on data gathered throughout July and August? Waterfowl program managers Kyle Spragens and Brandon Reishus of the Washington and Oregon Departments of Fish and Wildlife, respectively, take a look at how the feathered cards fell this go-round.
FIRST THINGS FIRST: THE PROCESS The fact that there are, each year, new numbers of ducks and geese raises the question as to how that data is gathered. Or at least it does to me. Actually, the process of collecting the information, albeit time-consuming, is quite simple. Spragens explained it this way, and to paraphrase: Since 1955, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been collecting this numerical waterfowl data from the states. Each year, pilots fly set routes, known as transects, back and forth over the countryside. Two observers, one on each side of the aircraft, look out to what Spragens describes as a “set distance,” and call into a microphone recorder the “composition and number” (species and number) of birds seen. For the sake of consistency, which, as 132 Northwest Sportsman
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Thanks to last winter and spring’s precipitation, breeding conditions were “exceptional” in the Northwest, and while managers counted fewer local mallards, that may have been because there was so much more water for birds to spread out on. (JULIA JOHNSON)
Spragens explains, is ridiculously important to the project as a whole, the flights are conducted the same way over the same ground and, if possible, at the same time each year. Starting and stopping points are identical from year to year; however, the distances between the transects can and will differ from region to region. “The spacing,” says the biologist, “is dependent upon the habitat, the terrain. In the Columbia Basin, for instance, the transects are further apart than they are, say, in the Chehalis Valley, where the wetlands are in relatively close proximity to one another.” So, the fliers fly, and the observers observe and take notes. Back on the
ground, the process of actually using this information kicks into high gear. And mind you, what you’re about to read is an intricate and multiagency process very much simplified. The states, and I asked Spragens to double-check and sign off on my understanding, send their findings to the USFWS. The feds analyze this data, and then sends back to the states parameters within which they can then set their seasons. You, Washington, says the USFWS, are allowed X-number of days to hunt ducks, e.g. 107. Your season, Oregon, can begin no sooner than Date X, and can end no later than Date Y. Now, have at it. While all species play into the
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HUNTING grand scheme to some extent, it’s the number of mallards recorded by the biologists that actually serves to set not only the length of the seasons, but the bag limits for all the duck species as well. “There are three exceptions to this procedure,” says Spragens, “and that’s in the case of pintails, scaup and canvasbacks. These species each have their own harvest strategy dictated by (comprehensive) numbers compiled by the USFWS.” Washington waterfowlers will see this “exception” part of the equation firsthand in a couple of different ways during the 2017-18 season. The first is the one-pintail daily bag limit. Many have grumbled already about the change, with many more to bellyache throughout the season about the single sprig restriction. I, like many ’fowlers, will from time to time sit and watch thousands of pintails descend onto the marsh or bay or what have you, raising the simple quandary, Why? The explanation is really quite simple. Five straight down-years in terms of production have reduced pintail populations to approximately 34 percent below the USFWS longterm average. This, combined with anticipated harvest, particularly in California where pintails are the duck du jour throughout much of the season, prompted the move. And that’s that; one pintail. Secondly, and in a move to which Pacific Flyway ’fowlers are already attuned, scaup, or bluebills, will once again feature a season within a season, yet another populationbased limitation, as is a bit of good news, this year’s two-canvasback daily bag. And that, Virginia, is how ducks are counted, and seasons and bag limits established. Geese are a similar yet different situation. “Geese,” says Spragens, “are indeed a separate process, a beast of their own.” 134 Northwest Sportsman
YACKING WITH A QUACKER MANAGER The email said simply – “I’m in Naselle doing a band-tailed pigeon survey. I’ll stop by, if you’re going to be around.” While coastal rain put a damper – ugh! – on the bandtails, the mentioned stop and ensuing conversation, one of the best I’ve had in years regarding the state of waterfowl and waterfowl hunting, both did happen. Across the kitchen table, Kyle Spragens, coffee in hand, helped himself to my wife Julia Carol’s homemade banana bread. Now 35, Spragens sits at the helm of WDFW’s Waterfowl Section, a seat vacated last summer by longtime agency veteran Don Kraege. I never met Kraege during his tenure, despite interviewing him via telephone many times beginning with my move to Southwest Washington in ’93 and continuing through his retirement. Big shoes to fill, I was sure. Kraege’s reputation was nationwide; the consummate professional, and an excellent addition to the agency’s employee directory since his start as the waterfowl section manager in 1983. The proverbial new kid on the block, Spragens is understandably busy with waterfowl surveys, seasons, regulations, politics, and policy, not to mention familiarizing himself with the 71,299 square miles that is Washington. As for background, Spragens is originally from the northern San Francisco Bay area, and is a graduate of Humboldt State University (BS/MS) with an emphasis in Natural Resources and Wildlife Management. He’s worked as a wildlife biologist for six years with the U.S. Geological Survey at the San Francisco Bay Estuary Field Station, and clocked three years as senior wildlife biologist for the USFWS’s Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge in Bethel, Alaska. His projects have involved “cooperating with partners across the Pacific and East AsianAustralasian flyways conducting monitoring and research efforts related to nesting waterfowl, habitat use, migration, and avian influenza ecology.” “I’m excited to be in this position,” Spragens told me. “I have had the great fortune to see and work on different sides of the Pacific Flyway, with a wide range of waterfowl species, and part of the attraction to Washington state is the
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Washington’s new waterfowl manager Kyle Spragens took over from longtime bird boss Don Kraege last summer. (KYLE SPRAGENS) diversity of waterfowl species, habitats and topics that are present year-round. In general, we have to have the waterfowl ecology perspective right in order to implement appropriate management and drive effective conservation.” “This is all the more important in Washington. We not only host hundreds of thousands of waterfowl during the winter time but we serve as a conduit for wintering birds to the south heading back to their northern breeding grounds, and as nesting habitat for a wide diversity of waterfowl species,” he continued. “While we often think of mallard, wood duck and Canada geese, we often forget about species like cinnamon teal, redheads and harlequin ducks that rely on everything from coastal estuarine wetlands to the forested scablands to alpine river systems of the Cascades.” And in Spragens’ immediate future with the department? “I hope to better communicate the on-goings of the Waterfowl Section to the public, both hunters and waterbird advocates, in order that the annual monitoring efforts we conduct can better inform those interested in learning more about waterfowl species and our management activities throughout the state. We are incredibly fortunate to have a dedicated staff that devote time and effort to ensuring we have the information necessary to make informed decisions, and we certainly intend on continuing that tradition and responsibility to the resource.” –MDJ
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HUNTING Management plans, he explains, are written specifically for the different populations, i.e. Canadas – featured on this season’s Federal Duck Stamp – white-fronts, snows, and brant. Brant, for instance, are so widely dispersed throughout much of the year that hunting opportunities for them in Washington are based on wintering counts – how many are spotted during December aerial surveys over major wintering areas like Padilla, Samish, and Fidalgo Bays in Skagit County, and Willapa Bay in Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties. “These winter concentrations (of brant),” says Spragens, “are a better barometer of the population.” Conversely, Canada and whitefronted goose populations are based on breeding numbers, as again observed by biologists. “The ability to control goose seasons,” says the biologist, “is much more in-state. The boundaries are still set by the USFWS, but they’re much broader.” Thus, states like Washington are afforded much more leeway when it comes time to set seasons and bag limits for the various goose species. And during the 2017-18 season, Evergreen State goose hunters will be allowed to take four Canada geese, along with six snows and 10 whitefronted geese, aka specklebellies, daily. That’s 20 geese per man per day, and in the Lower 48. That should make for some tantalizing images on hunting-washington.com this fall.
FLIGHT FORECASTS So what do this year’s prospects look like? Let’s look to last spring first. “From a habitat standpoint, there was water everywhere,” says Spragens. “Breeding conditions instate were exceptional. Good numbers of birds – so many that it (took) a long time to get through the data.” There was so much water during the spring nesting period and into the July aerial survey period, Spragens explains, that birds “may 136 Northwest Sportsman
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Waterfowlers will be looking back on larger pintail bag limits, as this season’s will only be one. (JULIA JOHNSON)
have dispersed into areas not on our (WDFW) transects,” and thus weren’t counted. This was the case, it’s surmised, to the south in Oregon and California and the variable that may have been behind the lower mallard counts for 2017. “A good chunk of Alberta was and is in a good habitat condition, and I would expect the numbers (this year) to be in line with what we expected in 2016-17,” Spragens adds. Though annual USFWS survey results weren’t out at press time, a blog post by a longtime federal observer echoed the point about the quality of habitat in Wild Rose country, especially the further away from the Montana border he flew. “All in all,” Spragens says in summary, “things look really
good in Washington. Numbers for several species went up. Mallards in particular saw a substantial boost over 2016-17. Because Washington was so wet, we were hopeful we’d see the numbers we did. The other species you’d expect to see with an uptick (during such wet years) would be gadwall, which did increase. Cinnamon teal stayed about the same; however, sporadic nesters in the state like northern pintail saw a bit of an increase, as well.” “In the Columbia Basin, and the Tri-Cities area in particular, everything appeared to remain consistent or slightly up. We were driving back (to Olympia) from several meetings in Eastern Washington recently, and man, the age-classes of the (mallard) broods
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HUNTING we were seeing was very wide. There were several young broods right now on the landscape, which probably benefited from a later-than-normal agricultural harvest. This meant nesting cover stayed intact longer.” Like Spragens, Oregon lead waterfowl manager Brandon Reishus speaks optimistically of the coming season, despite some lower than expected numbers. “It appeared to us that the total duck count was up a bit but near (the) average,” says Reishus. “Mallards make up the largest portion of our count, and they were down 15 percent from the previous five years. As for an explanation, we don’t count everywhere (across the state). That would be too expensive to get done. Normally, we count the best of the best – the Willamette Valley and the wetlands in Eastern Oregon – as examples. Maybe the birds were scattered across the basin
in places we don’t count. But from a habitat standpoint, it looked very good, the best it’s been in four or five years. (My guess is) production will be pretty good.” But ample water at home does not an above-average season make. “Based on the habitat alone,” Reishus says, “the season will be good. Production should be up. Young birds should be up. But much of our hunter success is driven by migrant birds from the north. In fact, most of the harvest in Northwest Oregon is made up of migrant birds. You can take good wetland conditions and weather, and the crystal ball is still kind of fuzzy. Overall, we had good local production, but that won’t drive the season.” And again like his colleague across the Columbia, Reishus has had to endure the bellyaching, something I’m certain he does quite professionally. “One pintail? There’s been a lot of grumbling. At least 90 percent
(of the people I’ve talked with) are grumbling. They don’t like to watch the birds fly by Oregon. We’re hoping conditions are good up north to get us out of this one-bird situation for future seasons.” Reishus finishes on a very good note, especially for big-bird fanatics. “Geese are a little more stable,” he says. “We have around 50,000 adult residents; however, that might be a (somewhat) biased low count of our resident goose populations. This 50,000 birds is what we count, where we count – the larger wetland basins. The Klamath Basin, the Baker Valley, the Columbia Basin, Summer Lake, and the Willamette. This doesn’t include the Rogue or Umpqua Valleys, or the High Cascade Lakes.” It’s all good news for the youth waterfowl weekend in both states this month, the September goose hunts, and upcoming fall and winter seasons. See you in the marsh. NS
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Reasons For Hope Though some Eastern Washington mule deer and whitetail herds took a hit last winter, hunters shouldn’t see much of a dropoff overall this fall. By Andy Walgamott
A
s last winter dragged on, and on, and on, and on some more, concerns arose that Eastern Washington’s mule deer and whitetails could take a pretty serious hit from the worst cold weather in two decades. Some did – those on the eastern flanks of the Blue Mountains and in Klickitat County, where cold, snowy conditions lasted months longer than usual. But herds elsewhere appear to have escaped the brunt of it, and they should produce decent to good hunting as bow and muzzleloader seasons begin this month and continue with October’s rifle hunt and November’s late buck opportunities. The point may be best illustrated by a survey from about as far north in the 509 as you can get without leaving the Evergreen State. At press time, Dana Base, the district wildlife biologist for the state’s best whitetail country, had just begun the 20 annual late-summer surveys he and fellow bio Annemarie Prince run. He reported spotting 37 deer on the Aladdin route, up where Pend Oreille and Stevens Counties take on shades of northern British Columbia. “When we have bad winters, deer up there die,” Base notes. Now, 37 deer spotted amongst a statewide population of an estimated 300,000 doesn’t mean very much, but when you consider that that’s above average for that survey route since 2011, and three times as many as in 2015, well, there just might be reason for hope this season. And really, that’s all a deer hunter needs. 140 Northwest Sportsman
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Here’s a roundup of prospects from around Eastern Washington:
REPUBLIC, COLVILLE, NEWPORT Admittedly, last year’s deer harvest was down in this corner of the state, but there was no way 2016 was ever going to top 2015, when the four-point minimum for whitetail came off two breadbasket units. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife reports the all-weapons general-season harvest at 6,238 last year, well below the prior hunt’s 7,960, a fair portion of which was on the backs of a “windfall” of spikes, forked horns and three-points that were back in the bag in Huckleberry and 49 Degrees North Units. While Base believes there will be lingering effects from 2015’s deerkilling blue-tongue outbreak, especially in the valleys, year after year, the only part of the state that can match the annual harvest here is the Mt. Spokane Unit, which is right next door. And there’s no reason to believe that that won’t be true again in 2017, though you might fine-tune where you hunt. Northeast Washington presents a mosaic of high- and midelevation federal and state forests, corporate timberlands, valley-bottom ranches and farms, and large private residences. If you own or have access to land in the Colville Valley, you should be OK, but Base is advising freelancers to maybe avoid Haller Creek, Monumental and Williams Lake Road, where the deer are still in recovery mode from disease two years ago. “You find the right places in the national forest, you’ll find deer,” he tips. “There are actually whitetail up at Bunchgrass Meadows – not a lot, but
more than you’d expect … There are deer up Smackout – not 20 to 40 per square mile like elsewhere here, but a huntable population. An experienced hunter will get into them.” Get ahold of his game prospects and you may notice that he rates the Aladdin Unit pretty highly. Another sleeper spot may be the backside of the Selkirk Unit, at its lower, southern end, where it’s primarily national forest land shot through with logging roads. Just be sure you’re on the Washington side of the border before pulling the trigger. It may be a bit early yet, but don’t forget that some of the best mule deer country in Base’s district has also seen big fires in recent years. The Stickpin Fire of 2015 on the Kettle Crest of the Sherman Unit was a “stand replacement” blaze. It’s not the easiest place to get into, but may bear more watching as it revegetates. One major change this year is that there will be no general season antlerless opportunities for 65-andolder archers, muzzleloaders and riflemen, as in recent years. Base says that local whitetail stakeholders actually lobbied for the restriction: “‘Hey, we’ll take the hit, we want to promote youth hunters,’” he says they offered magnanimously. On a side note, you might bring your scattergun come the Oct. 7 topknot opener. Base says he thought the snowpack would kill off the quail, but he’s been seeing “tons of broods under 3,000 feet.” Bottom line for Northeast Washington deer hunters this fall? “Don’t give up, especially if you’re a buck hunter in November,” says Base. “It’s not the glory days of the
HUNTING Eastern Washington deer hunters will find decent prospects by and large this fall, with good hunting for muleys and whitetails expected in key districts, though some southerly portions of the 509 may see impacts from the harsh, long winter. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
early 2000s or the 1980s, but there are fewer hunters now.” Top 2016 general season harvests: Huckleberry: 2,014, all weapons (259 five-plus-pointers, 759 four-points, 412 three-points, 184 two-points, 241 spikes, 159 antlerless); Hunter success: 38.2 percent, Douglas, modern firearms; Days per kill: 12.2, Douglas, modern firearms.
ODESSA, CHENEY, COLFAX While deer harvest was down in the units of the upper Channelled Scablands, Palouse, Snake River breaks, and fields and forests north of Spokane last year over 2015, it wasn’t as sharp of a dropoff as it was to the north. Hunters hung 4,817 whitetails and muleys in 2016, compared to 5,660 the previous season. It was more of an across-the-board dropoff, likely due to widespread blue-tongue impacts. But look for the herds to bounce back this year. “I suspect white-tailed deer hunters will have better success this year relative to last year, but still lower than prior to 2015,” says biologist Michael Atamian. “The population is recovering, but is not back to pre-outbreak levels.” Some more good news: “This winter was a hard one, but we did not see or get reports of high
numbers of mortalities like we got in the severe winters of 2007-08 and ’08-09,” says Atamian. “Mule deer appear to have weathered the winter fairly well in my district, moving south and west as the winter worsened and taking advantage of winter wheat and the south-facing slopes that opened earlier. I suspect success will be similar to last year for mule deer hunters in my district.” As you likely know, Atamian’s beat probably has the lowest percentage of public land in the state, so most deer come from private farmlands, ranches and woodlots. If you haven’t already secured permission to hunt those, your next best bet is to turn to WDFW’s Private Lands Hunting Access pages to scout out Feel Free To Hunt, Register To Hunt, Hunt By Written Permission and Hunt By Reservation properties. Also scope out the agency’s Go Hunt map for scattered WDFW, Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service parcels in areas like Swanson Lakes, Lake Creek, Crab Creek, headwaters of Sprague Lake, fringes of Mt. Spokane, and along the south shore of Lake Roosevelt and its Spokane Arm. On Mt. Spokane and to the south around Mica Peak are Inland Empire Paper
lands (iepco.com) that may or may not require a pass to access. Top 2016 general season harvests: Mt. Spokane: 2,176, all weapons (295 fiveplus-pointers, 581 four-points, 376 threepoints, 201 two-points, 303 spikes, 420 antlerless); Hunter success: 39.8 percent, Roosevelt, archery; Days per kill: 9.2, Almota, modern firearm.
DAYTON, POMEROY, ANATONE Unlike elsewhere in Eastern Washington, Blue Mountains units did not see much of a drop between 2015’s and 2016’s harvests. Hunters bagged 2,758 during general seasons two years ago and just one hundred fewer last fall. Riflemen killed just seven fewer last October, 2,118, over the previous one. That points to a pretty darned stable population of muleys and whitetails, but this year will probably see a bit of a turbulence. “The winter definitely took its toll, especially in the Grande Ronde River drainage and other parts on the east side of the district,” says assistant wildlife biologist Mark Vekasy. “In general, deer went into winter in good condition, and that kept the situation from being truly catastrophic. We expect to see harvest declines on the east side of the district in GMUs 169 nwsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2017
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HUNTING (Wenaha), 172 (Mountain View), 175 (Lick Creek) and possibly parts of 181 (Couse).” “Over the rest of the district,” he adds, “we had enough periods of snow melt-off in the foothills, and only short periods of thick snow crust elsewhere, that deer generally were able to reach forage, and seemed to come out of the winter in good condition.” So, unless you’ve already scouted out a buck there, you might adjust away from the core and eastern side of the Blues. That’s too bad, because Vekasy says the Tucannon and Wenaha units had been showing signs of improved harvest. However in Lick Creek, he says hunter numbers have nearly doubled since 2001, but harvest stats are going the opposite way. “We are likely harvesting a high proportion of the legal deer in the unit,” Vekasy reports. “There is no antlerless opportunity in the unit, except for the Youth Blue Mts. Foothills East tags, so there’s not much we can do to limit harvest in this unit. The Asotin Creek Wildlife Area has had some recent land additions, and with weed treatments and other habitat work, we hope to see some response from the mule deer herd.” On the northwest side of the Blues, the Dayton Unit’s hunter success has
held above 23 percent the past two years, and he expects good hunting. “Most of the increase in success and harvest per unit effort in this game management unit has been due to the white-tailed deer harvest, presumably indicating healthy whitetail populations. Mule deer harvest in GMU 162 has been variable with no definitive trends, but deer went into winter in good condition, and winter range conditions in that GMU were not too severe, so we’re looking for a slight uptick in harvest this year,” Vekasy says. He expects the consistent 30 percent success rate in Blue Creek to continue, thanks to a “stable to gradually increasing whitetail population” and stable muley herd. He notes that the harvest has held steady even as hunter numbers in the unit just east of Walla Walla have climbed by several hundred. The Marengo Unit in the middle Tucannon Valley saw a bit of a decline in 2016, possibly because of extra antlerless permits two years ago as well as blue-tongue, but Vekasy says that with deer having gone into last winter in good condition, he expects harvest to tick back up. He’s also forecasting a steady-as-sheflows harvest in the remote Grande Ronde Unit, which is tucked on the southern side of the river, with good
Whether you’re an archer, muzzleloader or rifleman, the key is to put in time in the field. Many of us will tag out on the openers, but those who stick to it and do lots of glassing like Logan Braaten here increase their odds of successfully tagging out. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST) 142 Northwest Sportsman
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amounts of state and federal land. As you fan away from the Blues, deer harvest climbs while public ground fizzles out. A surge in permits in Prescott and Mayview in 2015 may have led to pruned-back success rates last year a bit, but Vekasy still expects 36 and 30 percent of the units’ hunters, respectively, to tag out again this fall. Peola will probably hold steady at 42 percent. Those three units are his top choices for continued good hunting, but he advises getting on the Go Hunt site and checking out private land access. Vekasy reports losing some properties in Prescott that are being pulled from the Conservation Reserve Program, a trend that could intensify next year, he warns. Finallly, if you’re looking to get away from the crowds in Lick Creek, you might head for the WenahaTucannon Wilderness. “GMU 169 has low deer densities, annually, but we did see a surprising number of mule deer in the high country during elk surveys, so I’m not sure it will be that much different than usual – low densities but some good quality in the backcountry,” he says. Consider it scouting for a few more years from now, when 2015’s Grizzly Bear Complex wildfire scar really starts regenerating. “Forage conditions were difficult to assess this year during aerial surveys, and I haven’t been out on the ground yet to check the large burns in the wilderness. The burns were already looking good last year, and we expect habitat conditions will only continue to improve, as long as we get adequate moisture, and hope to see a response from the mule deer herds in the wilderness,” Vekasy says. Top 2016 general season harvests: Prescott: 553, all weapons (95 five-pluspointers, 222 four-points, 173 threepoints, 66 antlerless); Hunter success: 51.2 percent, Mayview, muzzleloader; Days per kill: 6.9, Peola, modern firearms.
MAZAMA, TONASKET, PATEROS Stop me if you’ve read this already,
but the horrible wildfire and drought conditions that led to a stellar season two years ago were never going to return for an encore in 2016 – thank goodness – and indeed may have been a once-in-a-generation harvest under the current three-point muley minimum. Last fall saw a harvest of 2,717 deer in the Okanogan, down from 3,603 the previous season. But it wasn’t as bad as the numbers make it look. “Although a decrease from the banner harvest in 2015, this total is still right at the five-year average and about 14 percent above the 10-year average,” notes district bio Scott Fitkin. What’s more, he expects things to hold steady in 2017. “Heavier than average fawn mortality (67 percent versus the longterm average of 53 percent) during the 2015-16 winter could potentially mean a dip in 2½-year-old buck availability,” Fitkin reports. “However, this was offset by an uptick in postseason buck escapement, as evidenced by an observed sex ratio of 20 bucks per 100 does, as compared to 16 per 100 the previous year. Total harvest and success rates overall are anticipated to be near the 2016 numbers and around the 10-year average.” He says the population of the state’s largest mule deer herd, as well as the Okanogan’s whitetails, are doing fine because of great summer range, regular fall green-up and only moderate winters up here. While the middle ground scorched by massive conflagrations of recent years may still be a few years away from producing the points and pounds of the legendary Tripod Buck, don’t overlook hunting the older backcountry burn scars of the Thirtymile, Farewell and Needles Fires up the Chewuch River, Eightmile Creek and Lost River, the biologist advises. Those pastures, if you will, as well as those on the divide between the Chewuch and Okanogan drainages, are good bets. Otherwise, bucks tend to be a bit scattered in the early bow
general season – similar to what hunters saw in 2015.” Yep, boss, I may be gone through that second Tuesday, Oct. 24. Top 2016 general season harvests: Okanogan East: 739, all weapons (128 five-plus-pointers, 254 four-points, 196 three-points, 42 two-points, 47 spikes, 72 antlerless); Hunter success: 29.2 percent, Chiliwist, muzzleloader (low sample size); Days per kill: 15, Pogue, muzzleloader (low sample size).
CHELAN, PLAIN, WATERVILLE
The backcountry of Okanogan and Chelan Counties is known for producing bruiser bucks, thanks in part to regenerating burns but also vast escape cover. Dan Gitchell downed this muley on the edge of the Pasayten Wilderness on last year’s fifth day. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
and general rifle seasons, not moving towards the lowlands till late in October or even November. In a bit of a contrast to elsewhere in the state, the public-land units here compete pretty well, including Chewuch, Pearrygin, Sinlhakein and Chiliwist. Tops of all is Okanogan East, which does include a large percentage of ranches and hay farms but also a lot of national forest, BLM and some state ground. It’s also home to a 50-50 split between muleys and flagtails. In that unit, as well as across the river in the Pogue and Chiliwist, Fitkin says WDFW is managing towards a stable to slightly declining deer herd to keep it in line with available winter browse. If there’s a wild card for this season in the Okanogan, it was the extended hot, dry conditions of summer. From the vantage point of early August, it’s hard to predict October, but there’s a whiff of 2015 in the air, and not just smoke from the Diamond Creek fire in the Pasayten Wilderness. “If this weather pattern continues, expect the high country to be drier than usual,” says Fitkin. “If so, then deer might start moving toward winter range early – tail end of the
Whether it’s payment coming due after a string of good seasons or something else, you may not have as easy a time finding a legal buck on the Chelan County side of WDFW’s District 7, but the Douglas County quarter should continue its productive pace, thanks to a stable population. The agency reports last year’s general season harvest was 1,691 (1,148 for modern firearms hunters) in the North-central Washington neighbors, down from 2,275 (1,631). If there’s good news, it’s that the coveted upper Entiat Valley is once again open after being closed by the Forest Service’s district ranger for the past two High Buck Hunts due to fires and burn-scar safety concerns. Biologist Dave Volsen says that last fall’s postseason surveys south of Highway 2 in Douglas County found 20 bucks for every 100 does, including some dandies. That part of the Waterville Plateau contains more public land than you might imagine, though a lot of it is wide open or steep and rocky talus, making hunting more difficult. “Once we moved into the portions of the county with high road densities, open habitat and increased access, the majority of the bucks observed following hunting season were spikes and two-point bucks,” Volsen notes. He reports high fawn production last year, and says that good foraging conditions probably helped most of them make it through the heaviest winter here in about seven years. That’s good news for 2018’s 2½-yearnwsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2017
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HUNTING Unlike elsewhere on the Eastside, Blue Mountains units didn’t see the sharp drop in harvest between 2015 and 2016, and things are looking good for whitetails and mule deer this year. Madelynn Olson bagged this four-by-five on private land near Waitsburg with a 200-yard shot last fall. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
on Go Hunt. Top 2016 general season harvests: Entiat: 296, all weapons (29 five-pluspointers, 88 four-points, 108 three-points, 71 antlerless); Hunter success: 57.2 percent, Moses Coulee, muzzleloader; Days per kill: 4.9, Moses Coulee, muzzleloader.
TROUT LAKE, GOLDENDALE, BICKLETON
old bucks, assuming this coming cold season isn’t a doozy. Over in Chelan County, spring surveys south of the fjord found fewer deer this year than last, 11,000 versus 15,000. Why? Hard to say, but while last winter didn’t come close to the bad one of 1996-97, which drove implementation of the three-point restriction, it was “more significant” than any in the past half decade. “This past winter, snow depths were higher, they extended farther downward onto winter range, and their duration lasted into spring much longer. As a result, there was a decrease in the mule deer population in Chelan County,” he reports. It comes after a string of good years. “That fact, in combination with the fact that we harvested a
EASTSIDE DEER SEASONS Early archery: Sept. 1-15/24/29 High Buck: Sept. 15-25 Early muzzleloader: Sept. 30-Oct. 8 Early rifle: Oct. 14-24/27 Late rifle: Nov. 11-19 Late muzzleloader: Nov. 20-30/Dec. 8 Late archery: See regs for dates See the pamphlet for full details on species, antler restrictions and season dates.
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larger portion of the older ageclass of bucks accumulating in the population, means that we will have to work a little harder to find bucks this year in Chelan County,” says Volsen. “We cut back on antlerless opportunity this fall to allow the population to rebound faster, minimizing any additional decrease in the productive part of the population. We also reduced this year’s late-season buck permits, not for the purpose of recovery, but because these are quality hunts, and if hunters are going to use their points on a permit, it gives those hunters drawn the potential for increased success.” Featuring a largely migratory herd, the public-land-rich county’s top units are actually in the front country, the well-roaded Entiat, followed by Swakane and Mission. The more forested Chiwawa Unit kicks out fewer bucks, but a higher percentage are five points or better. In Douglas County, Big Bend has a fair amount of state land and produces the most bucks, but the knock on it and most units here is the overwhelming percentage of private land and roads around many sections. Still, there are a fair number of access options to consider
Few places in Washington saw the winter that the eastern flanks of the Southern Cascades did, and that, along with a possible adenovirus outbreak this summer, will have ramifications this season and in coming ones. “Success may be lower this year mainly due to our severe, prolonged winter on both sides of the Cascades,” predicts biologist Stefanie Bergh. “Klickitat County saw snow on the ground December through March, which is unheard of and very hard on all wildlife species, including deer. We had more calls than normal about winterkill, so success in the next couple of hunting seasons could be lower.” That’s unfortunate, because the three units here are something of sleepers. In 2015, West Klickitat, Grayback and East Klickitat yielded 1,214 deer (798 for riflemen), though last year saw fewer tags notched (828 and 612, respectively). West Klickitat has the most public or publicly accessible ground, but the Klickitat Wildlife Area in western Grayback is popular too. Bergh warns that this fall will see some logging in its largest unit, Soda Springs. How that will affect access or deer movement remains to be seen. Also, be aware that the new Simcoe Mountain Unit, which was open for all hunters last year, is now a draw-only opportunity. Top 2016 general season harvests (east of Cascade Crest): East Klickitat, all weapons (30 five-plus-pointers, 101 fourpoints, 184 three-points, 24 antlerless); Hunter success: 33.6 percent, East Klickitat, archery; Days per kill: 12.7, East Klickitat, modern firearm. NS Editor’s note: Next issue we’ll look in depth at Western Washington prospects.
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HUNTING The author’s sister-in-law, Rihana Cary, capitalized on this great bull in Eastern Oregon last season after deciding to move to a different hunting area. (STANDING BUCK PRODUCTIONS, LLC)
Have Bow, Will Travel!
Be prepared to move locations to get your elk during this month’s archery season in Oregon, elsewhere in the Northwest.
By Brinton Cary
F
ew things can beat the feeling of a sunrise on Oregon’s opening day of archery elk season after 11 months of preparation and anticipation. For many hunters, unfortunately, the season will come and go with their elk tag still intact. Success odds are stacked against us here in the Northwest, but sometimes it just may be the chosen area we decided to hunt. Plenty of
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HUNTING factors may dictate poor hunting conditions. Try not to let your stubborn unwillingness to switch locations be one of them.
SCOUT MULTIPLE AREAS There is no replacement for effective scouting. It is important to get out, during the summer months if possible, and see where the elk are frequenting and look for signs of activity. If you cannot get out to physically scout, analyze Google Earth and maps to ďŹ gure out topography, elevations, etc. Try to speak with U.S. Forest Service representatives from the area to gain some intel on any recent changes to the environment. They usually have good insight on animal behavior, as well. Using phone apps, such as On X Hunt, will allow you to use layering technology and see land ownership boundaries. These are effective because you can scout from home and access the same information on your mobile device in the ďŹ eld, with or without cell service. When it comes to hunting in Oregon, hunters are fortunate to be able to pursue both Roosevelt and Rocky Mountain elk during archery season. Each species inhabits different environments, of course, and comes with its own challenges. I enjoy hunting the western and eastern parts of the state, although access becomes a major factor in my decision-making each season. Scouting multiple areas allows me to be prepared with backup plans should the need arise. Excessive pressure by fellow hunters, or other outdoor recreational enthusiasts, newly established logging operations, private timberland closures, wildďŹ res and limited water sources are just a few issues that could affect your
ability to have an effective hunt in your No. 1 area. These things are out of your control but become less of an issue if you don’t depend on a single area to hunt. Knowledge gained through scouting will give you the ability to make quick and informed decisions on moving to Plan B or C, if necessary.
TO MOVE OR NOT TO MOVE? Having to decide whether or not to change hunting locations can be a tough call for a hunter to make in the middle of their season. In general, my belief is that you should not leave elk to try to ďŹ nd elk. If the sign is there, often mere persistence can lead to an opportunity later in
the bulls are going crazy in the Coast Range. Undoubtedly, if you head to the coastal areas, you will start hearing about how they are screaming in the eastern units. My advice is to never chase the bugle reports. One guy on one day may hear a bull bugle at that one location. He may tell someone and that information will spread rapidly. That information, in itself, should never be a reason to pack up your camp and move out. Every elk is different, which means that bulls will not be ďŹ ring off from every ridge across the state at the same time. Predators, the aforementioned hunting pressure, moon phases or simple biology may contribute to minimizing their vocalizations.
“If action is slow or you’re ÂżQGLQJ PLQLPDO VLJQ PRYLQJ DUHDV FRXOG EH \RXU DQVZHU ´
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the hunt. However, hunting elk requires a hunter to put the pieces together in an attempt to gain an upper hand. If action is slow, or you’re ďŹ nding minimal sign, moving areas could be your answer. You won’t always have to relocate several hours away. You may ďŹ nd better hunting only a few miles from your current location or possibly just a single drainage away. Rely on your predetermined backup plans to aid in making this decision.
CHASING THE BUGLE REPORT Hunting elk during the rut is appealing to bowhunters, as it comes with the thrill of chasing bugling bulls. Every year, as the season progresses, I get text messages or see social media posts about how
MOVE SMART
The bottom line is that hunting elk is a mental game. A hunter must give his best effort in his hunting area, analyze the sign and remain focused on ďŹ nding their quarry. If you reach a point where you are thinking more about what elk are doing somewhere else than you do focusing on ďŹ nding them where you are, it will likely be more productive to pack up and move locations. Relocating to a new hunting area needs to be an informed decision. If not using your own backup plans, then you should only leave to meet up with another hunting partner who has accurate, real time updates on the area you are headed to. Making such moves can be risky, but they just may come with a reward in the form of a notched tag. NS
Editor’s note: Brinton Cary is an outdoor writer living in SpringďŹ eld, Oregon. He can be found on Instagram @brintoncary or subscribe to his blog at Hunt-Blog.com.
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Extend Your Effective Range
I
’ve kept a diary of my annual hunting experiences since tagging my first deer back in 1977. According BUZZ RAMSEY to my entries, I didn’t try shooting an animal at over 250 yards until 23 years later, when in the fall of 2000 I missed hitting an elk at what I thought was 300 yards but realized, after pacing off the distance, was closer to 425. That’s when I swore to never again try shooting an animal at long range without first confirming the distance with a range finder, which I soon purchased. Don’t get me wrong, 250 yards is a long shot for most hunters, including me. Being able to hit a target accurately out to 250 takes practice at the range, knowledge of rifle-hold positions, being confident in your shooting ability, and knowing that the ammunition you’re feeding your rifle is accurate. The good news is that most hunting rifles, like a .270 or .30-06, when sighted in to hit 2 inches high at 100 yards will likely hit only a few inches low out to 250 yards – meaning you can hold dead on out that far. It’s when the bullets from most cartridges get out past 300 yards that they begin to quickly drop.
IT’S IMPORTANT TO realize that most game you’ll shoot will likely be within a couple hundred yards, so having the ability to extend your range is not mandatory for achieving hunting success. It’s just that having the ability comes in handy when it’s impossible to close the distance. For me, purchase of that range finder, combined with knowledge of how bullets drop gleaned from reloading manuals or ballistic calculators (available free on the internet), along with long-range shooting practice helped extend my confidence level out past the 250-yard mark. Still, it wasn’t until 2008 that I actually shot an
A rock-solid rest, broadside target, dialed-in rifle and scope and confidence in taking and making longer range shots led to this nice Oregon mule deer for author Buzz Ramsey last season. It fell to a single 430-yard crosscanyon shot from his .338 RUM an hour before dark. (BUZZ RAMSEY) animal at over 250. Although I tried to get closer, given the open terrain, 379 yards was as close as I was going to get to the somewhat nervous buck antelope staring in my direction. The animal fell in its tracks from a single, carefully aimed shot. My shooting ability made another leap forward in 2010 when I purchased a 6.5-20 Leupold VX III rifle scope – a scope with click adjustments accurate enough to adjust the reticle for hold-on shots based on a ballistic calculator tailored to the flight of my cartridge and confirmed via field shooting. This allowed me to down a six-point bull elk at 550 yards that same year. It wasn’t long before I sent my VX III in to have a custom turret made, so I no longer had to count clicks to adjust the reticle for long shots, but just dial in the distance for hold-on shots.
IN ADDITION TO having practiced, practiced, practiced shooting at long range, the key to hitting targets out past 300 yards is having an accurate rifle, one capable of fir-
ing three-shot groups of an inch or less at a 100-yard target. In addition, you should realize velocity has everything to do with how much a bullet will drop at long range, which is why you want the velocity of your bullet to vary little from shot to shot. If you shoot factory ammunition, you will likely need to try several different brands and/or bullet weights in order to find one that will group within an inch. Realize that Winchester, Remington, Federal, or other ammo of the same caliber and bullet weight may all shoot differently in your rifle – some producing 2- to 3-inch groups, while others could group within an inch. While some midpriced rifles might group well with factory ammunition, others may require finely tuned ammo only achievable by handloading. It’s also true that better accuracy might be had by having a gunsmith rebed the action of your rifle, install a new trigger, and/or free float the barrel. Some hunters, after trying several options with no luck, give up and
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COLUMN trade their rifle in for one that will shoot accurately. Although more expensive, there are rifles guaranteed to produce inch or smaller groups at 100 yards. If you handload, you should be able to tune your loads to group within an inch. The key is to eliminate all variation in your ammo by making every component as consistent as possible. Some things to consider include: • Having all cases weigh within a gram of each other (I’ve found Nosler brass to be the most consistent); • Selecting a rifle powder that will nearly fill the available space; • Making sure all cases have equal case neck tension (which might mean turning the case necks to an equal thickness); • Having all previously fired brass trimmed to identical length; • And weighing each and every powder charge. In addition to the above, overall cartridge length has everything to do with accuracy. You see, barrels flex when fired and you want your bullet to kiss off the end of the barrel when this gyration is at a stable point in its flexing – a position called a node. Exactly when your bullet exits the barrel can be adjusted many different ways, with one being how deeply
You know Buzz as an inveterate fishing tackle tinkerer, but he’s also a handloader. He reports that groupings fired out of his .338 Remington Ultra Mag at 100 yards shrank from 2 to 3 inches to less than an inch by adjusting the overall cartridge length. (BUZZ RAMSEY) you seat bullets when reloading. While you want your finished cartridge to fit the magazine, many rifles shoot the best when bullets are seated close to the rifling, say, within .010 inch. If this setting doesn’t produce tight groups, try shortening the overall length in .010-inch increments until you find a length that produces the smallest groups, and then fine-tune the overall length from there. For example, I was able to reduce group sizes produced by my .338 Remington Ultra Mag from 2 to 3 inches to less than an inch by simply
adjusting the seating depth of the bullet.
BEING CAPABLE OF shooting at long distance paid off for me last season while chasing deer in Oregon, Idaho and Washington, resulting in one-shot-kills at 430, 370 and 200 range-finding yards, respectively. My success would have been much different had I not extended my effective range. NS Editor’s note: The author is a brand manager and part of the management team at Yakima Bait. Like Buzz on Facebook. Despite building confidence in his equipment, it wasn’t until over 20 years into his hunting career that Ramsey shot an animal at more than 250 yards, this Oregon pronghorn. It was by necessity, as the open terrain and antelope’s demeanor meant he wasn’t going to get much closer than 379 yards out. It fell to a single shot from his .300 Weatherby. (BUZZ RAMSEY)
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COLUMN Whether you’re patrolling backroads for grouse or backcountry basins for bugling bulls this month, you’ll undoubtedly be hoisting a pair of binoculars, perhaps as well-used as this one, to your eyes. But if you’re shopping for some, author Dave Workman has some tips to check out before you buy. (DAVE WORKMAN)
4 Things You Should Know About Binoculars
S
eptember brings with it grouse hunting season in the Pacific Northwest, along with early deer ON TARGET and elk hunting By Dave Workman opportunities, and it is also a traditional time for hunters
to be mounting scopes, zeroing in their rifles, and maybe picking up a new pair of binoculars. Before getting too far out in the weeds, if you’re shopping for some new ones, there are four things you need to know. I use binoculars all the time, from opening day of grouse season to the last day of elk and late buck seasons. If you hunt anywhere there are antler
restrictions, you need binoculars because a riflescope is not a spotting scope, and it is not designed for that purpose. If you instinctively – and almost reflexively – raise your rifle to look at something, say, across a canyon, you’re aiming a loaded rifle at whatever got your attention, and it could be another hunter. I’ve had people do this to me, and it is mind-numbingly stupid.
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Workman says to buy the best you can afford, and you won’t go wrong, and he’ll attest to the quality of Swarovski Optik’s EL family of binoculars.(SWAROVSKI)
®
As I drive along old logging roads early or late in the day looking for grouse that might be picking up pea gravel or just waiting for somebody to follow them back into the brush, there is always a binocular on the seat or dashboard. If you can spot a grouse or two in the road early enough, it’s easy to devise a strategy to get them when they move back into the bush, as they almost always do. Since it’s not legal to plug them in the road, it’s necessary to flank them, and I have never been surprised by their stupidity. Many times, instead of flying, the fool hen will trot off the road and scurry back into cover. If they do fly, it’s often onto a tree limb within 25 yards or so. I’ve plugged a fair number of them with a .22 rifle or pistol, or managed to get them with a shotgun if they did fly up into a tree. I’d never have seen many of those birds without binoculars. As for deer and elk, it is important whether hunting big timber or wide-open spaces to be able to glass the landscape. Many times I’ve seen deer from a distance that later ended up in my freezer, but only thanks to my binoculars.
IF YOU’RE SHOPPING for a new binocular, here are some things you should consider: • Know the difference between roofand porro-prism models. Traditionally, porro-prism binoculars – those with the “dogleg” bodies – have provided a slightly brighter image, but thanks to remarkable advances in roof-prism designs and the quality of glass lenses, that may not be the case anymore. But it will cost you. Truthfully, I own both types and cannot always tell much difference. I think the human eye may not be capable of discerning differences in binoculars. Porro-prism models are inherently bulkier than roof-prism models. The latter might be more expensive than the former. There is a trade-off, so examine both types and see which you prefer. • Binoculars needn’t be big and heavy, and don’t overpower yourself. That is, 8X or 10X binocular models get the job done, 156 Northwest Sportsman
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The new Stevens break-action Model 301 is available in 12- or 20-gauge, or .410 bore. (SAVAGE ARMS)
TIME FOR A SINGLE-SHOT SMOOTHBORE? Lots of old timers, and a fair number of younger hunters got started with singleshot shotguns, and Savage Arms has recently introduced a new Stevens breakaction model that is available in 12- or 20-gauge, or .410 bore.
Three versions have 26-inch barrels and there’s a compact 20-gauge with a 22-inch barrel. All feature tough synthetic stocks with a thick recoil pad, exposed hammer and bead front sight. The Stevens Model 301 started
shipping in July, so they will be on dealer racks right now. With an MSRP of $173, this new smoothbore is priced just right for the entry-level hunter, or someone looking for a handy knock-around shotgun that offers a challenge. –DW
and I like lower power models for hunting in timber because they have a wider field of view. I once actually won a 10X binocular with a well-known name brand from the manufacturer. I asked that they send me an 8X instead, and that binocular has proven itself more than once by allowing me to see movement at a distance (you rarely see a whole animal immediately) that led to a notched tag. Out on the Great Plains, the highest power I’d opt for would be 12X, and that would not be for running around the landscape, but for glassing the countryside from a fixed position. If I really need to see something so close I can “touch” it, that’s a job for a good lightweight spotting scope. • Smooth center focus is a must. I’ve used binoculars with center focus knobs that felt like a wrench or pliers were necessary to rotate. A stiff/tight center focus control is a pain in the neck, especially while wearing gloves, and it just might ruin an opportunity. Before you buy, try the focus wheel, and do it with gloves on.
Likewise, make sure your eyecups adjust smoothly. Good binoculars have adjustable eyecups, and twist up/down models are the best. I wear eyeglasses these days and a binocular needs to accommodate my specs. If they can’t be adjusted quickly, that’s a problem when you need them to work. The neck strap should be made of neoprene or be of the wide padded variety. Your binocular may hang from your neck for long periods. That can be a problem when it’s time to shoot, and you won’t sleep too well with a stiff neck, either. My hunting partner carries his binocular via a shoulder harness. These are available at most sporting goods stores. • Fully multi-coated lenses are best. This layered coating contributes to a good sharp image edge to edge. These coatings help with light transmission from the objective lens to the ocular (eyepiece) lens.
one can afford to spend. The prevailing guideline is buy the best you can afford and you will not be disappointed. Swarovski Optik’s EL binocular family has models in 8X, 10X and 12X. These are all roof-prism models, and having used Swarovski binoculars on various occasions over the years, I can attest to their quality. The EL models all feature Swarobright, Swarotop, Swarodur and Swaroclean optical coatings. They deliver 90 percent light transmission and have a rough exterior. Weaver offers the Kaspa binocular series, with models in 8X or 10X (the logical choice for someone setting his riflescope at 9X). They have rubberarmor exterior surfaces, and all are roofprism models. Bushnell’s latest binocular family is called the Engage series, and I recently had the chance to try out an 8x42mm model that provided a remarkably sharp image, with BaK-4 prisms. There are also 10X and 12X models available. New this year from Leupold is the BX-4 Pro Guide HD binocular family, with two 8X models, three 10X models and a single 12X model. They are waterproof and fogproof and have BaK-4 prisms. Leupold also introduced the BX-1 Yosemite binocular series, the BX-5 Santiam HD binoculars and BX-2 Tioga HD. Whichever brand of binos you raise to your eyes this season, here’s hoping your pair reveals plenty of game. NS
THERE ARE PLENTY of good binoculars available, depending upon how much
NEW LOADS FROM FEDERAL Federal Ammunition has unveiled two new loads in its Power-Shok Copper ammunition line, one in .300 Winchester Short Magnum and the other in .300 Winchester Magnum. Both new entries are topped by 180-grain lead-free copper projectiles with a hollowpoint design for expansion. These cartridges also feature lead-free primers. These new entries expand the number of loads available to six in as many calibers, starting at .243 Winchester. There are also offerings in .270 Winchester, .308 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield. –DW 158 Northwest Sportsman
SEPTEMBER 2017 | nwsportsmanmag.com
nwsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2017
Northwest Sportsman 159