Oregon Hunter May-June 2018

OREGON

HUNTER

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OREGON HUNTER

Insights for Spring Bear

Archery Antelope Blackpowder Bulls Varmint Turf War

Last Call for Turkeys INITIATIVES THREATEN OREGON GUN RIGHTS MAY_JUN 18.indd 1

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CONTENTS

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Oregon Afield: Your best bets for taking your last shot at spring turkeys and spring bear

May/June 2018

FEATURES

12

14-15

Hunts for blackpowder bulls and archery antelope: the good, the bad and the ugly

Initiatives would ban many semiautos and require your guns to be locked up

20 9 Habits of Successful Hunters

By Gary Lewis If you’re looking for a record-book buck in Oregon, don’t break these habits.

24 Photo Essay: Turf War

By Scott Haugen Oregon hunters help landowners in the relentless varmint invasion.

OREGON AFIELD 10 TURKEY: It’s last call for Oregon spring gobblers

DEPARTMENTS

16

20

Bag big bucks with these 9 habits of successful Oregon recordbook buck hunters

24

Turf War: Oregon hunters help landowners in the relentless invasion by varmints

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16 Rites of Spring

By Max Zeller Greener pastures may have bears far flung in Oregon’s backcountry this spring.

10 BEAR: The best still awaits Oregon spring bear hunters

Greener pastures may have bears far flung in Oregon’s backcountry this spring

4

vol. 36, No. 3

6 FINDING DIRECTION

Using hunters to count wolves

8 OREGON HUNTING QUIZ

Know Oregon? Win gear made here!

8 HUNTING CALENDAR

You’re invited to OHA’s Convention!

12 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Gun initiatives threaten Oregonians

13 POACHING SPOTLIGHT

OSP seeks tips in 3 recent elk cases

14 BLACKPOWDER

Plan for a muzzleloader elk hunt

15 BOWHUNTING

Antelope archery: good, bad and ugly

28 OUTSIDE OREGON

Go stag in New Zealand

30 YOUNG GUNS

Kids’ best shot at big game tags

34 OHA NEWS & VIEWS

It’s all about access in Oregon

36 OHA CHAPTER NEWS

Chapters slate projects, youth events

39 GAME ON THE GRILL

Try Orange Honey Turkey Jerky

41 NOSLER PHOTO CONTEST

Your best shot could win a shotgun!

46 PARTING SHOTS

Fun & Game

Cover: Malheur mule deer by Willy Onarheim, www.willyo-photo.com OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

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Medford (541) 732-3700

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Portland (503) 777-8700

Salem (503) 589-0800

Bend (541) 693-5000

Hillsboro (503) 844-9100

Klamath Falls (541) 273-3000

Albany (541) 928-5400

Roseburg (541) 673-0200

4/10/18 12:03 PM

Finding Direction

By Jim Akenson

Counting wolves – with hunters’ eyes

W

hile speaking at an OHA Bend Chapter meeting, I was asked a couple questions that stuck in my head. One was what is the error factor with the annual wolf population estimate, and the other was why don’t we use hunters’ sightings to help with these statewide counts? That got me thinking and looking around the region to see what other states are doing. Most western states use a method that combines aerial survey sightings with radio collar information to then generate a “minimum number.” This has become the industry standard, but in Montana they are going a step further by surveying 150,000 sets of eyes from hunters who have recently been afield in pursuit of big game.

Montana has developed a wolf population model Montana’s called Patch Occupancy Model, that combines phone survey information from hunters with standard counting Patch methods. This model divides the state into a map grid, Occupancy with the grid square sizes all being the same and based Model on known pack and home range sizes. Then each grid is given a value based on wolf sighting frequency. You can combines find excellent descriptions of this counting system in the phone survey March-April 2018 issues of MonTana ouTdoors and the information Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s BugLe magazine. from hunters Oregon seems ideally suited for this method with our annual hunt reporting required for each licensed with standard big game hunter. The timing aspect would have to be counting worked out, because Montana conducts its phone surveys between December and mid-April of each year, and methods. our reporting system in Oregon is completed the end of January.

It is noted in the articles from Montana that this system has been in practice long enough now (since 2007) to have a “multiplication factor” that can be assigned to the standard minimum number of wolves – which has been generated using the traditional survey methods. This factor or multiplier range is 1.34 to 1.46, and that is what Montana wolf biologists believe is the actual number of wolves in the state. The Patch Occupancy Model method has been validated within this estimated range. So, for example, if the minimum number was 200 wolves the estimate including sighting reports would be from 268 to 292 wolves – representing the actual number on the ground.

This system has been well tested in Montana and it seems that both biologists and hunters are happy with the results. In Oregon, we might be even better positioned for this kind of wolf population assessment. For one thing, we have a built-in recording process and a higher density of hunters than Montana to report wolf sightings.

As Oregon’s wolf population grows, it will become more difficult to maintain a radio collaring effort sufficient to augment aerial survey sightings. Oregon’s wolf plan is based on “adaptive management,” applying new techniques and knowledge to benefit management of wolves in Oregon.

Using hunter information is an ideal opportunity to enhance wolf population estimates and the relationship between hunters and ODFW. 6

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OREGON

HUNTER

Editor & Publisher Duane Dungannon (541) 772-7313 Editorial Assistants Cynthia Martinich, Bret Moore State Officers President: Mike Ayers (541) 840-3723 Vice President: John Gander (503) 474-3661 Secretary: Jason Haley (541) 601-8799 Treasurer: Mike Vallery (503) 538-8232 OHA Board of Directors Chair: Fred Walasavage (541) 296-6124 Northwest: Steve Hagan (503) 551-8645 Northwest: John Putman (503) 842-7733 Midwest: Paul Donheffner (503) 399-1993 Southwest: Vacant Southwest: Cindy Rooney (541) 430-4722 Northeast: Vic Coggins (541) 263-0335 Southeast: Gary Lewis (541) 317-0116 Southeast: Vacant OHA State Coordinator Duane Dungannon (541) 772-7313 Field Director Bryan Cook (971) 270-7035 Conservation Director Jim Akenson (541) 398-2636 Resource Director Ken McCall (541) 602-1819 Lobbyist Al Elkins (503) 780-6824

Official publication of the Oregon Hunters Association, dedicated to wise management of Oregon’s huntable wildlife. United in protecting hunter interests in the state of Oregon.

Our mission: Protecting Oregon’s wildlife, habitat and hunting heritage.

OREGON HUNTER (ISSN 1545-8059) is published bimonthly by the Oregon Hunters Association for its membership and is sold on newsstands statewide. Membership rates are: Individual: $35 a year, $65 for two years, $90 for three years, $800 for lifetime, $10 for junior, $12.50 for full-time student; family: $45 a year, $80 for two years, $900 lifetime; business membership $75. Memberships include $5 magazine subscription. Periodicals postage paid at Medford, Ore., and at additional mailing offices.

OREGON HUNTER welcomes articles and photos pertaining to wildlife and hunting in Oregon.

We are not responsible for unsolicited material.

Unsolicited material will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped return envelope.

Advertising media kits are available. OHA does not necessarily endorse advertisers, or goods and services advertised in OREGON HUNTER. Address inquiries to OHA State Office, 804 Bennett Ave., P.O. Box 1706, Medford, OR 97501, telephone (541) 772-7313, FAX (541) 772-0964. email: oha@ccountry.net

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Daryl SteWart

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OREGON HUNTING QUIZ

Helping sharp Oregon hunters hold their edge

Know Oregon? Win a knife!

1. Bifurcated antlers would be rare on which deer? a) mule deer c) whitetail b) blacktail d) all of the above

4. Which offers the shortest season? a) pheasant c) chukar b) band-tailed pigeon d) dove 5. Which grouse species does not have inflatable air sacks (apterium)? a) blue c) sage b) ruffed d) sharptail 6. If you pause at Jewell Meadows to drool over elk, you are probably hunting: a) coast elk c) Rocky Mountain elk b) Cascade elk d) antelope

WHERE IN OREGON

WAS THIS PHOTO TAKEN? Identify this reservoir that antelope hunters warm to in August, be drawn from all correct entries, and win a free Gerber knife! Send your best guess to Oregon Hunting Quiz, c/o OHA, P.O. Box 1706, Medford, OR 97501, email to oha@ccountry.net, or submit your guess online at www.oregonhunters. org, where a larger version of the photo appears. One entry per OHA member.

Entry deadline: May 18, 2018.

7. What season runs concurrent with chukar? a) pheasant c) Hungarian partridge b) blue grouse d) none of the above

ANSWERS: 1-c; 2-a; 3-b; 4-b; 5-b; 6-a; 7-c; 8-d; 9-c; 10-c.

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MAY 15 Application deadline for controlled hunts MAY 19 OHA chapter weekend projects: Hart Mountain, 541-884-5773 OHA Lake Co. guzzler project, 541-219-0614 Barney Reservoir, 503-290-6143 Sherwood bird festival & youth event, 503-453-7520 MAY 31 Turkey, spring bear seasons close JUNE 2 OHA youth & family events: Bend 541-480-7323 Grants Pass 541-218-2836 Henry Hagg Lake 503-453-7520 Lincoln County 541-648-6815

JUNE 9 E.E. Wilson Youth Day, 541-757-5255; Shed Horn Hunting, Dean Creek Viewing Station, 541-267-2577

9. The Keating Unit is where in Oregon? a) northwest c) northeast b) southwest d) southeast

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MAY 12 Bend Chapter juniper thin, 541-647-0424; OHA State Convention, A&H Statewide Deer & Elk Combo Tag auction, Seven Feathers Casino, 541-772-7313 www.oregonhunters.org

JUNE 8 OHA Hoodview White River weekend project, 503-358-7821; OHA Pioneer Chapter weekend campout, 503-710-1233

8. Which of the following can you take with a western Oregon antlerless deer tag? a) doe c) spike b) fawn d) any of the above

10. Which bird would you expect to take off horizontally across the water? a) teal c) canvasback b) wood duck d) mallard

MAY 4 OHA Capitol weekend powerline project, 503-767-3657 MAY 5 OHA Tioga Youth Day, 541-267-2577; OHA Tillamook banquet, 503-842-2475

2. Oregon’s September goose season allows you to bag what species of geese? a) Canada c) snow and Ross b) white-front d) all of the above 3. Which drake has a red head? a) wood duck c) American wigeon b) canvasback d) bufflehead

OUTDOOR OUTLOOK

LAST ISSUE’S WINNER: Randy Haflich, St. Helens

Randy’s name was drawn from among the OHA members who recognized Abbott Butte in the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness

JUNE 15 OHA Capitol Chapter weekend aspen project, 503-399-1234; OHA Tioga Chapter youth outdoor ed family camp weekend, 541-267-2577 JUNE 20 Controlled hunt results available

OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

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OREGON AFIELD Late, great spring bear ScottHaugen.com

E

merging from a brushy creek bottom in the central Oregon Coast Range, a bear caught me by surprise. It was 1 p.m., temperatures were in the mid-70s, and with only three days left in the season, things were looking good.

On the heels of the sow was a giant boar. Unable to avoid the prodding boar, the sow bolted out of the alder-choked ravine and on to an open hillside. The boar followed. She paused to catch her breath.

That’s when the boar stopped; the shot was easy, but the pack out wasn’t, as he rolled all the way to the bottom of the ravine.

Regardless of where the final weeks of Oregon’s spring bear season finds you, bears will become more visible with the onset of the rut, which later peaks in June.

Typically, by the last week in May, boar movement ramps up significantly, making

The author took this boar in the Coast Range.

The last two weeks of Oregon’s bear season can be exceptional, as big boars cover a lot of ground in search of sows in heat. spot-and-stalk hunting ideal.

Where bear densities are highest, along the coast – especially the southwest coast – expect to see more bears than in the Cascades. The open terrain of eastern Oregon also affords high bear sightings.

ODFW radio-collar studies have revealed boars will travel 25 miles a day searching for sows in the Cascades this time of year.

Glassing south-facing slopes may have been the go-to approach early in the season, but with aggressive boars now on the prowl, spend time glassing thick creek

bottoms, brushy draws and shaded areas near food sources. Grass, clover, roots and bulbs make up a large part of a bear’s diet this time of year. Bears also prey heavily on newborn calf elk and deer fawns, so distress calls can bring in bears.

Many experienced bear hunters consider the last two weeks of May the most productive, statewide. As with any bear hunting, focusing on food sources is key, but factor in the upcoming rut, and the chances of filling a tag only get better.

—Scott Haugen

Last call for Oregon’s spring toms

Photo by the author

I

A turkey’s routine changes during the season, and hunters must learn to adapt accordingly.

f you haven’t bagged your bird yet, don’t despair. Yes, it’s warm and it seems as if the “turkey rut” has passed, but often the final month provides some of the best hunting. Gobblers will be wading their way through the tall grass and underbrush in search of the last receptive hens.

Grassy pastures and meadows or fields that are adjacent to woodland lots can hold good numbers of turkeys, but turkeys will avoid them in the morning hours when the dew is heavy. Gobblers hesitate to cross grassy fields that have heavy dew and often work the perimeters of the grassy areas in search of hens, especially early in the mornings.

Late in the day, once the field or pasture has dried from the warm wind and sun, turkeys will be easier to coax across. Birds will not venture too far from the security of the woods and the umbrella canopies that offer cool afternoon shade.

A turkey’s routine slowly evolves during the season and goes through many changes in food and behavior, so stick it out. Take a sandwich, water and snack

10

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in your pack, spend the day and stay for an evening hunt. Be gentle and patient in your calling approach by using light yelps and clucks. Expect to make the late season work to your advantage and be patient.

The top five units on the west side have been Melrose, Rogue, Willamette, Evans Creek and Applegate. All of these units had good harvests, with some of the highest harvests in Melrose and Rogue. One unit to keep an eye on for this year will be Siuslaw, near Lorane, especially in the southeast portions near Drain and Creswell. Also, the McKenzie, Alsea, Chetco and Keno units have seen increasing numbers of birds on private lands near the foothills.

Northeast Oregon areas near La Grande, Imbler, Elgin, Union, Cove, Wallowa, Sumpter and Flora all hold decent flocks of birds. Units such as Catherine Creek, Sumpter, Walla Walla, Pine Creek, and Minam all saw decent harvest in 2017. Other units that showed significant increases in harvest during the past few years were the Sled Springs, Chesnimnus, Keating and Starkey. —Troy Rodakowski OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

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Legislative update

By Al Elkins, OHA Lobbyist Alvinelkins@yahoo.com Oregon’s 2018 Legislative Session ended in early March, and here is the final report on the bills that OHA was actively following. Some bills gained no traction, while others ran out of time in this short even-numbered-year session and could reappear in 2019.

HB 4030 Poaching Fines & Restitutions Final Update: The bill passed both chambers and is awaiting signature of the Governor.

Summary: The bill provides that for a misdemeanor under wildlife laws that involves taking or killing of wildlife, in addition to any term of incarceration imposed, court may impose applicable fine for misdemeanor or impose compensatory fine payable to State Fish and Wildlife Commission.

SB 1517 Tags for Disabled Vets Final Update: This bill passed both chambers and is awaiting the signature of the Governor.

Summary: This bill allows ODFW to issue up to 20 big game hunting tags per year to specified non-profit entities for use by eligible combat and disabled veterans.

HB 4015 Conservation Fund Final Update: The bill died in Ways and Means.

Summary: The bill establishes Oregon Conservation and Recreation Fund. The bill appropriates fund moneys to State Department of Fish and Wildlife for carrying out activities serving to protect, maintain or enhance fish and wildlife resources in Oregon. The bill also establishes Oregon Conservation and Recreation Advisory Committee to review department policies regarding use of fund moneys and make recommendations regarding use of fund moneys for implementing and administering department activities. —aL eLkins 12

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ScottHaugen.com

Poaching penalty bill passes, others fail

One Oregon initiative would require you to lock up all your guns, possibly even in hunting camp.

Some firearms used for hunting and recreational shooting could be banned in Oregon this fall.

Filed initiatives threaten gun rights of Oregon hunters Two initiative petitions have been filed with the Oregon Secretary of State’s office that would place restrictive new regulations on gun ownership in Oregon.

One of these, Initiative 43 (http:// oregonvotes.org/irr/2018/043text.pdf), is an aggressive all-out ban on many semiautomatic firearms commonly used for various types of hunting and recreational shooting in Oregon.

The second, Initiative 44 (http:// oregonvotes.org/irr/2018/044text.pdf), places tight new regulations on gun storage, which would affect home defense and possibly even storage of hunting firearms in the field.

Neither initiative has qualified for the ballot, and an appeal process for legal challenges must take place before petitioners can receive an official ballot title and begin collecting signatures.

OHA’s legislative committee is reviewing the impact the initiatives pose to our mission and our members, and will be ready with a position and a plan in the event the initiatives reach the November ballot.

OHA responds to new ODFW rule proposals ODFW in April conducted a series of town hall meetings around the state to present the upcoming ODFW budget and new legislative concepts, including changing nonresident caps for certain big game species, restricting leftover tags to those who didn’t draw a controlled tag for that species, exploring field check stations for big game, offering ewe tags for bighorn sheep, and removing the sunsets on the state’s damage tag program and Access & Habitat program.

With short notice to get questions answered and provide comments, OHA compiled questions for chapter leaders to pose at the town hall meetings in their respective areas.

These concepts will be discussed more before the start of the 2019 Oregon Legislative Session.

OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

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DIAL *OSP

For poaching news as it happens, find OHA on Facebook

POACHING SPOTLIGHT

facebook.com/OregonHunters

TO REPORT VIOLATIONS

OSP seeks leads in killing, wasting of bull elk near Silver Falls State Park

OHA Rogue Valley Chapter adds $500 to TIP reward in elk poaching case OHA’s Rogue Valley Chapter has pledged an additional $500 for information leading to the arrest of whoever is responsible for the illegal killing of a bull elk near Medford, bringing the total reward to $2,000.

OSP reports that Central Point Fish and Wildlife Troopers on Jan. 27 were called to the Sams Valley area near Agate Road to investigate the possible shooting of a bull elk about one mile south of Highway 234. Troopers found a four-point bull elk standing in a pasture with what appeared OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

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OHA paid a record $24,200 to informants in poaching cases last year.

oSP

Troopers from the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division received a call on April 2 about a dead elk off Silver Ridge Road west of Silver Falls State Park.

Troopers located the elk and determined it was a large branch-antler bull that had been shot and killed with a rifle. The antlers were taken and the entire carcass was left to waste. The antlers were broken off at the bases and will appear similar to a naturally shed antler.

Troopers recovered a bullet from the elk carcass and seek the public’s help in identifying a suspect. The bull was likely shot during Easter weekend.

Information can be forwarded to Senior Trooper Chris Boeholt in the Salem office of OSP Fish and Wildlife Division via the TIP line: 1-800-452-7888 or *OSP. OHA is offering a $500 TIP reward for information leading to a citation.

waste with no meat taken. Troopers from the Roseburg Patrol Office later responded to the area and discovered evidence and injuries consistent with the bull being shot with a rifle. The bull appeared to have been dead for one to two weeks.

OHA is offering a reward through the Turn In Poachers (TIP) program for information leading to an arrest in this or any other wildlife case. Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact either the TIP hotline at 1-800-452-7888, *OSP (*677) or by calling Oregon State Police Dispatch at 541-776-6111. Callers can remain anonymous.

This bull was poached near Silver Falls State Park and left to waste with only its antlers taken. to be a bullet wound just behind his left shoulder blade. Shortly after their arrival, the bull succumbed to his injury.

A witness in the area said that two hours prior to the trooper’s arrival, he had observed a newer, white, full size truck that had stopped in the roadway just east of where the bull was located. The witness reported the passenger of that vehicle fired the shot. The vehicle then left the area.

Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact either the TIP hotline at 1-800-452-7888 or by calling Oregon State Police Dispatch at 541-776-6111.

OSP asks for tips in killing of Tioga bull OSP’s Fish and Wildlife Division is asking for the public’s assistance in locating whoever is responsible for the unlawful killing and waste of a 5x5 bull elk, discovered in a clear-cut off the 7000 Road in the Tioga Unit.

An OSP Trooper from the Roseburg Patrol Office was contacted on Feb. 18 about the location of the bull elk. The elk appeared to have been shot and was left to

OHA awards $6,900 in 14 violation cases In the last two months OHA issued 14 TIP reward checks in 13 cases, totaling $6,900. Charges included: illegal take of buck deer; unlawful take/possession of bull elk and mule deer; unlawful possession of game mammal parts; aiding in a wildlife offense-unlawful take of bull elk closed season; hunting with no big game tag; exceeding limit of game mammals; waste of a game mammal; aiding/counseling in a game violation; borrowing a big game tag; lending a big game tag; false reporting; felon in possession of a firearm; taking antlerless deer closed season; unlawful take – antlerless elk; hunting in violation of criminal trespass; no non-resident boat license to take, process or deal in fish.

Last year OHA increased the standard TIP reward amounts and paid a record $24,200 to informants in fish and wildlife violation cases.

Standard TIP Reward Amounts: • $1,000 Bighorn, Mountain Goat, Moose • $500 Elk, Deer and Antelope • $300 Bear, Cougar and Wolf • $300 Habitat Destruction • $100 Game Fish and Shellfish • $100 Upland Birds and Waterfowl • $100 Furbearers To report a wildlife and/or habitat law violation or suspicious activity call the TIP Hotline: 1-800-452-7888 or *OSP. 13

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blackpowder

By GARY LEWIS

Eight elk hunts for public landowners

Easy to draw, Eagle Cap is 100 percent public and boasts a high trophy percentage.

H

unt the same way the trappers and trailblazers did, with a muzzleloading rifle in hand and a possibles bag slung over the shoulder. The best part? You can do it on your own land – on ground owned in common with every other American.

Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife lists 15 muzzleloader elk hunts in the 2018 Big Game Regulations, but a closer examination of the Oregon Big Game Regulations shows that eight hunts offer good access on public land.

WESTSIDE ELK There are three seasons in the timber of the Coast Range or the Cascades. Timed for November and December, they offer an opportunity to hunt after the centerfire rifle seasons are over. Depending on the hunt and the boundaries, a hunter can take a bull or any elk.

NW Cascade (200M1) This tag can generally be drawn with no preference points. Finding a place to hunt is easy with 63 percent public land.

Hunt outside Forest Service lands for a chance to take any elk and inside USFS boundaries for a one-bull bag limit. The season runs Nov. 10-16. Traipse through the Santiam and McKenzie units for best success, but look to the Indigo for the best trophy opportunity.

SW Cascade (200M2) This hunt, with 63 percent public land, takes in the Dixon, Evans Creek and Rogue units with part of the Indigo Unit. Harvest rates run highest (11 percent) in the Evans Creek Unit. The Dixon portion of this hunt offers the best access at 77 percent public and the lowest harvest success, but it can produce good trophies. The season runs Nov. 10-16.

Tioga (224M) Over the last few years, the success rate has run 12 percent in this December hunt.

Expect that number to spike in 2018, because the bag limit is being changed to one bull, down from a 3-point or better. Access 14

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Former OHA Field Administrator Ty Stubblefield called this bull out of its bed in the Eagle Cap hunt and felled him with an Oregon-legal Remington .54 with open breach and iron sights. is good with 35 percent public ground. The season runs Dec. 8-23 with a decent chance of a tracking snow in the forecast.

EASTSIDE ELK Over on the dry side, there are five easy-access elk options for the blackpowder hunter.

East Cascade (234M) It generally takes two or three preference points to draw the E. Cascade hunt.

For 2018, the season runs Nov. 3-11 in the Upper Deschutes, Metolius, Grizzly and Fort Rock areas. Overall, public lands amount to 70 percent in this hunt with success rates running highest in the Upper Deschutes and Metolius units.

Paulina-East Fort Rock (235M) This one can be drawn with one or two preference points. Near Bend and LaPine, this hunt takes place in the Paulina Unit and in the eastern portion of the Fort Rock Unit with 75 percent public lands. The Paulina side offers an average of 17 percent success, while Fort Rock hunters average successful harvest at a rate of 13 percent.

Pole Creek (248M) Of all the hunts in this year ’s muzzleloader offerings, the Pole Creek (Heppner Unit) hunt might provide the highest chance of success. Expect to spend eight or nine preference points to draw this one. The season runs Oct. 13-21. Public access is 100 percent and harvest success runs 28 percent. Of those elk, 41 percent were six-point or bigger.

Eagle Cap (260M) One of the easier hunts to draw, the public land access is 100 percent. Bag limit

is a bull with a visible antler. Hunters report a 10 percent success rate with the highest trophy percentage of anywhere in the state (43 percent six-point or better). For 2018, the season runs Oct. 13-21.

East Grant (265M) With 85 percent public lands, the East Grant hunt takes in parts of the Murderers Creek and Beulah units. Success rates run about 10 percent, and the tag is easy to draw with no points. The Beulah side seems to produce the most animals and the best trophies.

High Desert (278M) Plan to camp out and prepare to be highly mobile as elk herds may cover 70 miles or more in a seven-day circuit. Bring extra tires, extra fuel and dry reloads in speed loaders. Open units are 67, 68, 69, 70, 71 and parts of units 66 and 73. The percentage of public land averages 80 percent. In recent years, hunters seem to have the most success in the Malheur River, Owyhee, and Beatys Butte area. The season runs Oct. 13-21, and while tracking snow is unlikely, it could happen. Block the whole season out. The elk stick to predictable patterns.

The best play is to take a stand on a high rim and watch for the herd. This hunt pays off when a hunter takes the time to scout, spending a few days in the desert a month or more before the season starts.

To order a signed copy of Hunting Oregon, send $24.80 (includes shipping) to Gary Lewis Outdoors, P.O. Box 1364, Bend, OR 97709 or visit www.GaryLewisOutdoors. com OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

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Bowhunting

M

y first time archery antelope hunting was 1982. It was tougher then. Aluminum arrows and blooper wheelbows couldn’t shoot flat without excessive draw weights, which most couldn’t pull.

Stone-age rangefinders didn’t help, and there were no pop-up blinds. Success was less than 5 percent.

I drew in ’89 because summer was the only time I could hunt before college. I was fortunate to be guided opening day by my great uncle, Art Reed, who survived a sunken ship in the Philippines in WWII. I missed 11 times that season, mostly stringjumpers. One broad-sider was true, but a Ponderosa pine limb ruined it.

That was then!

As owner of a modern setup, I’m getting the itch again, so I investigated the dirty dozen controlled hunts. Here are the nuts and bolts: Southeast Hart Mountain (470R1) is the prize, if you’re willing to wait. It’ll take 14-15 preference points, unless you defy 100-1 odds without the max points. Somebody has to win, right? Success was good (73 percent from 2013-16) on “any buck.”

West Beatys Butte (470R2), North Wagontire (473R) and Warner (474R) occupy the next tier. You’ll need 7 to 9 points, but West Beatys and Warner sport a 72- and 62-percent success rate, respectively (any antelope). North Wagontire averaged 22 percent for buck-only. Each eight-day hunt has tons of high-desert public land. Openers vary from Aug. 2 in Warner to Aug. 25 for North Wagontire. West Beatys is slightly easier to draw than Warner.

Central Paulina (435R) is the only game in town here. It takes 5 points to draw, but there’s plenty of public land and one in four archers fill tags. That’s normally good enough for me, but there are only six tags

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PHoto by tHe autHor

Archery antelope: The good, the bad and the ugly

courteSy JaSon taylor

By Jason Haley

Jason Taylor of Redmond stalks Klamath County antelope in 2017. It’s not all fun and game.

Ground blinds are effective, but competition, courtesy and regulations are considerations.

this year. Holders of an Oregon Disabilities Hunting and Fishing Permit can harvest “any pronghorn.” Nonresidents will have equal odds for this hunt.

If You’re Desperate If you can’t wait and Wyoming is out of the question, there’s the super seven: Maury (436R), Lookout Mountain (464R), Malheur River (466R), Owyhee (467R), East Interstate (475R1), Gerber Reservoir (475R2), and East Slope (477R).

They are easy to draw, ranging from 0 (East Slope and East Interstate) to 3 points.

The Maury Unit takes 4 points (estimated 77 percent with 3). It’s 56 percent public and 17 percent success. However, according to the 2018 regulations, it’s not a red-letter hunt where ODFW specifically warns applicants not to apply without first securing a place to hunt.

East Interstate and Lookout Mountain are red-letter hunts. Lookout Mountain takes two points to be sure, but you’ve got a 34-percent shot with one. It’s only 38-percent public and 17-percent success, but there are patchwork BLM lands throughout the unit. This should appeal to the mapping experts and master scouters. Eastside folks are a little easier to get permission from, in my experience, also. East Interstate is guaranteed with a first-choice application and boasts 31-percent success. It’s 60 percent public, but the public land is almost all forest – not great goat country. This is closer to the rut and closer to cold weather and frost. This could change things for those who patterned summer antelope. There are also 55 tags, so you won’t be alone.

West into Klamath County, Gerber boasts 75-percent public land. They’re not hard to find in the wide-open scab-rock flats, but you’re looking at 15 percent kill and lots of hunters. Expect fewer isolated waterholes on an early-August opener (Aug. 4-12). Some hard-core youngsters I know tried and struck-out, despite ample scouting.

Malheur River has plenty of antelope and almost 70-percent public land. Average success for “any pronghorn” is around 18 percent. It opens Sept. 1. Owyhee is perhaps the best, on paper, at a respectable 32 percent kill and 82 percent public land.

It takes two points.

Just Say No East Slope isn’t red-letter. It’s worse.

It’s an asterisk hunt with warnings and a hunt description that’s a joke. But if you want to hunt pronghorn in the lodgepoles near Crater Lake National Park, you certainly can. It’s a sure tag and there are a whopping 55 of them in 2018 – one of the best fundraising schemes since chain letters. It’s 44-percent public and a surprising 21-percent kill.

Second Choice East Interstate and East Slope are doable, with East Slope at 85 percent on a second-choice application. East Interstate is only 14 percent. You won’t find leftover antelope tags, even in the ugly hunts, because it’s just too much fun. And it’s still more challenging than a rutty elk at 13 yards. That’s one thing to consider besides the obvious things mentioned, so it’s really whatever gets your goat.

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Rites of Spring

L

ike springtime itself in Oregon, spring bear hunting has become both hot and cool, and that’s a good thing, both in terms of management and having some of the best game meat in your freezer. With that rise in popularity, competition in the bear woods may have become a little tougher these days, but spring bear hunting success and quality time in Oregon’s breathtaking spring woods is still there for the taking.

The timing of your spring hunts can make a big difference on both sides of the Cascades, because successional green-up throughout April and May can determine where wandering bears are to be found foraging for their favorite foodstuffs. Mother Nature is one fickle lady, but when it comes to spring bear hunting, especially in Oregon’s Cascades and eastern hill country, she can be downright moody. In some years the snowpack remains heavy in low-lying drainages until the end of May, limiting green-up and access into some prime bear habitats early in the season. But this can also concentrate bears onto smaller green “islands.” Try to find these small domains.

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Greener pastures this year may have bears far flung in Oregon’s backcountry.

By Max Zeller

Other years, snow is not a limiting factor and herbaceous growth is in full swing by the end of April. Still, this can be a double-edged sword. Green-up can be so prevalent, feed is everywhere and bears are dispersed over a much wider range, which can make my style of hunting bears (up close and personal) more of a challenge. I found this to be the case the last time I hunted bears in the Cascades with an additional leftover tag in my pocket. Spring green-up came early, and by the end of April it was in full swing high into the mountains.

Regardless of the weather and greenup, scouting is the key to success.

During the first half of my three-week hunt, early morning temps were in the 40s and daytime temperatures reached the 80s. I spotted no bears and very little sign in my usual bear hunting grounds.

However, conditions were prime for hordes of mosquitos that rose into the hundreds with each step I took. To shake things up a little, I tried a favorite tactic of mine for Cascade bruins – cold-calling bears with distress sounds.

That produced 11 coyotes, numerous elk and deer, and even a weasel, but no bears.

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After crossing paths with this spring bruin, the author set up an ambush the next day.

It appeared that bears were dispersed over a wide area, so I had to change tactics, work harder and dig deeper into areas I had scouted earlier but did not normally hunt.

It happened one morning when the temperature plummeted down to 17 degrees overnight and I was still-hunting an unfamiliar game trail at daybreak. It was along a brushy creek-bottom, and the only real visibility I had was the trail before me. About 60 yards ahead and to my right I heard the slight whispers of animal movement headed in the direction of the trail ahead. A few seconds later a large bear crossed my path.

The bear was only visible for a brief second as it crossed the trail, and I needed to be sure it was not a sow with cubs, so no shot was offered. It quickly crossed with no cubs in tow, and it appeared to be a mature boar.

The bear had no idea of my presence, but patience was warranted. I let the bear go, and opted to try to determine a travel/ feeding pattern by backtracking his movements – a tactic I’ve used many times before. I knew he was headed for higher ground to bed down under breezier conditions in the heat of the day and escape the onslaught of mosquitos. After he was out of earshot and the scent conditions were in my favor, I backtracked to a couple very small meadows where I found a series of fresh

scat piles that showed he had travelled into the meadows overnight, making a big loop from a westerly direction. I made a quarter-mile sweep in that direction until I reached a junction where the terrain started climbing sharply into the hills. It was here that I found another series of smaller meadows that I thought he would enter at dusk to start his nighttime feeding. I set up

The author took this cinnamon boar six miles from the nearest road to fill his second of two tags.

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a likely ambush site for the evening hunt.

Three hours before nightfall, I was tucked into my hideout. The wind was good. An hour before dark I heard a twig snap in the already-dark forest directly in front and to the right of me. I quietly repositioned myself toward the direction of the sound. Not a minute later, the same boar I had observed on the trail from the early morning’s encounter stepped into the meadow at 40 yards.

I settled the Trijicon dot of my Accupoint scope, atop my Marlin .45-70, on the base of his neck when he turned perfectly broadside and took one last look at his backtrail. The amber dot covered his heart, and I squeezed the trigger.

Bear No. 1 was down.

With a week left in the season, I still had a leftover spring bear tag burning a hole in my pocket when Mother Nature decided to change moods once again. The next few days became frigid and wet with even a day of snow. I thought the colder temperatures and disappearance of mosquitos would stir the bears into becoming more active, but nothing changed.

I started diving deeper into the backcountry, exploring niches I had only studied on topo maps. Three days before my season ended, I was several miles behind a locked gate along the slightest trickle of a stream when I found a small herbaceous meadow that looked to be the primary

OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

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Facing a long pack out, the author was grateful this bear wasn’t any bigger. domain of a boar. It offered seclusion, good grass, sedges and willows, along with water; all tucked away in a dark swampy nook miles from the nearest road.

It was nearly 11 a.m. when I approached the edge of the hidey-hole and spotted a cinnamon boar feeding on the opposite side. With the wind in my favor, I watched him through the thick willows.

His color was stunning and he appeared to be in the low 200-pound range – a perfect size to pack out six miles from my vehicle.

I bided my time to make the perfect shot through the maze of willow switches.

When his head was down to feed, I moved, and when he faced me, I stood statue still.

Twice he stood erect on his hind legs to taste the air. I crawled my way to within 40 yards and found a small opening through which to shoot, but he was moving, too, and the windows of opportunity were closing fast. He seemed to become more agitated, quickening his pace and looking in my direction more often.

Finally, our movements coincided in my favor and I had my opening. I was already in a kneeling position with a solid hold, and the shot was solid as well. Another heart shot, and the cinnamon bear was down within 15 yards. I looked skyward and just couldn’t believe my lucky stars. I thanked the bear, not only for his life, but also for not being any bigger for the long pack out. I had just taken 50 percent of the spring bears killed in that entire unit for the season.

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OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

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9 Habits of the

Record Book

Buck Hunter How to prepare for an Oregon hunt for a trophy blacktail, mule deer or whitetail.

By gary leWis

Dennis KirKlanD/hisimages.Com

M

y quest for a record book buck started on a late-September afternoon at Bend Mapping in downtown Bend. I yarded out a map of the Rogue Unit and found the biggest roadless area.

Next I searched the corresponding topographic map and two miles from the nearest road, located a saddle and a rocky outcrop.

A week later, at dawn, I followed a deer trail up into that saddle. Two hours later, I stood on a ledge on that rocky outcrop.

I heard a sound, a buck raking antlers on the trunk of a manzanita, and spotted the buck, or rather, just a patch of its neck and the base of its antlers. My crosshair found its mark, and when I pressed the trigger, I knew it was a tremendous animal.

The Boone and Crockett Club, one of America’s first conservation organizations (founded 1887), celebrates the finest of each of the North American big game species. The Pope and Young Club (founded 1961) is the corresponding conservation group for bowhunters. The pursuit of animals for the record books had its genesis in the purest forms of the hunt, where the animal is used for its meat, and the head, hide and memory are preserved recognizing its excellence.

That big blacktail buck taken in a patch of manzanita in the mountains east of Ashland did not qualify for Boone and Crockett because it was found east of the line where the club considers true blacktails live. Instead, we call it a Cascade blacktail, and the Record Book for Oregon’s Big Game has a special category for such an animal.

Its antlers measured 22-1/2 inches wide, tip-to-tip, and with four symmetrical points on each side and good brow tines, it went in the record book at 137-5/8 inches according to the B&C method of scoring.

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Kodiak Island or Prince of Wales Island.

Gain proficiency with rifle, bow and muzzleloader. Some areas will not produce a book buck for a hunter with a centerfire rifle, but there are lower minimums for record entry in P&Y Club (archery) or the NMLRA (muzzleloader).

Learn to read topographic maps and aerial photos. Trophy deer require ample feed, water, bedding areas and escape cover. Being able to visualize the ground while scouting at a kitchen table is a skill that sets trophy buck hunters apart from the rest of their camo- and orange-clad brethren.

Hunt from mid-October to the first of December. The buck we are looking for is still out there. He got big because he is almost nocturnal. Toward mid-October, bucks, in their peak physical condition, start cruising for females and are prone to make errors in daylight hours.

Don’t shoot 3-pointers. A 3-point buck will almost never make the record book.

The trophy hunter has to pass up a 3x3 in order to take an animal with enough inches of measurable antler. It might mean not filling a tag, and that’s the chance to take.

Hunt in the rain. My friend Sam Pyke has bagged several trophy animals in his favorite hunting area because he doesn’t hunt until there is a major storm in the forecast. He bought the best rainy weather gear he could get and he is ready when the weatherman says it’s time to go. Blacktail hunting is better when it’s wetter.

The final step? Enter the buck in the record book. After the mandatory 60-day drying period, it is eligible for measurement. Entry in the books costs something around $25, which covers the clerical costs of the record book organization.

Some people scoff at record books, but there is a conservation imperative for keeping track of outstanding animals. The data gathered from record book entries shows the areas of the West where big blacktail, mule deer and whitetails make their living.

Over a century of history reveals trends biologists and land managers can use to promote better conservation and wise use of resources.

4 5

6

courteSy Scott Haugen

7

Gary Lewis took this Columbian whitetail buck on an evening hunt. By western standards, these are not large deer. Adult Columbian whitetail bucks may tip the scales between 115 and 150 pounds. Hunters who pursue this interesting subspecies of whitetail in western Oregon should expect to take a buck in the 80- to 130-inch class I don’t always hunt for a trophy buck.

Sometimes I hunt for the experience, or to spend time with the kids or friends, but in the 18 intervening years since that first book buck, I’ve put three more bucks – a Columbia whitetail and two Columbia blacktails – in the record books. Along the way, I’ve learned a few things about the places big bucks live and how to put them in the sights – especially in the rather primitive sights of my 1840s-style muzzleloader.

These are the nine habits of the successful record-book deer hunter.

Learn to score and field-judge antlers.

Look at a mule deer or a blacktail rack and guess its B&C measurement.

Target one or more record books.

Analyze the entries. Some parts of the West do not grow big deer due to genetics,

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soil content, habitat, hunter pressure and drought conditions. Record books to consider include the Boone and Crockett, Pope and Young, Safari Club, National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association (NMLRA), the Oregon Big Game and Washington Big Game record books.

Plan to hunt multiple deer each year, focusing on trophy areas. As an example, a hunter in Oregon could chase mule deer with a muzzleloader in the Juniper Unit and, with a 600-series tag, also hunt with a centerfire rifle in the Willamette Unit for blacktail deer. The same hunter could cross the Columbia and hunt blacktail deer in Lewis County, Washington, a proven producer of record book bucks, or go north to Alaska and hunt the Sitka blacktail. Sitka blacktails are easy to judge and almost any 4-point buck will make the record book on

3

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To order a signed copy of Gary Lewis’s Hunting Oregon, send $24.95 (includes shipping) to Gary Lewis Outdoors, P.O. Box 1364, Bend, OR 97709 or visit www.

GaryLewisOutdoors.com OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

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One of the best tools for the trophy hunter in Oregon is the 2018 oregon Tag guide (percentagetags.com). In the tag guide, authors Middleton and Moran lay out the projected tag draw in each unit based on the hunter’s number of preference points. Additionally, the book provides information on the percentage of public land, average harvest success for four years and the percentage of bucks taken with four or more antler points (on one side).

You can also find extensive free harvest information – right down to the number of 4-points, 3-points and forked-horns that were taken in each hunt for the past few years at ODFW’s website: https://myodfw.com/articles/ big-game-hunting-harvest-statistics General and Controlled Rifle In the general and controlled rifle hunts for centerfire rifle hunters, a big buck could be taken in any unit, but the best opportunities lie in 123A for Columbia whitetail, and the late season hunts like 141A Hood-White River, 123B North Bank Habitat, 154C Mount Emily Unit, 142B Hood Unit No. 2, 141C White River No. 2.

Muzzleloader Hunts with a higher percentage of public land, high hunter success and 4-point plus include 121M South Indigo, 128M Applegate, 151M Baker, 153M Union County, 156M N. Wenaha-E. Sled Springs, 166M North Malheur, 172M Silvies, 132M Klamath Falls, 139M1 Metolius No. 1, 168M Northeast Whitehorse, 170M Hart Mountain, 171M Juniper.

Archery Top archery trophy opportunities include: 123R1 Umpqua, 131R Keno, 139R1 Metolius, 156R2 North Wenaha, 174R1 North Warner, 174R2 South Warner, 170R1, R2 and R3 Hart Mountain, 165R Beulah. —gary Lewis

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Top Trophy Buck Hunts

This 4x4 blacktail was taken with an 1840s-style muzzleloader, which makes it eligible for the muzzleloader record books.

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TURF WAR oregon hunters help landowners in the relentless varmint invasion.

Story & Photos By Scott Haugen

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‘W

hat do you do with those squirrels, eat them?” came a question across a social media post I’d made of my family with some ground squirrels in hand. It was an honest question from a new hunter who was unfamiliar with varmint hunting in Oregon.

“No,” I replied, “these are Belding’s ground squirrels and we’re helping farmers control their populations in the alfalfa fields. Last year these varmints caused over $10,000 in sprinkler pivot damage for this farmer. He incurred over $120,000 in total equipment and livestock damage on his properties last year, due to squirrels. Hunters are often favored over poison to help keep burgeoning varmint numbers in check.”

The person was thankful for the reply. I went on to explain how my family and I took over 500 squirrels from this one field, sitting in the same spot. And how we did the same the day after that, and the day after that. I detailed how the farmer had hunters coming in virtually

every day, April through May, shooting as many squirrels as possible. This is what many farmers choose over other control options, which have not proven as effective for them in the long run as shooting, and can get pricey.

Marmots, often called rock chucks, ground hogs, or whistle pigs, are also targets among varmint hunters this time of year. Marmots are much larger than ground squirrels, and it doesn’t take long for a family unit or small colony to destroy fence lines, undermine rocky support structures, even barnyards. They also thrive in rimrock country throughout eastern Oregon.

Jackrabbits offer opportunities for varmint hunters, too. As with Belding’s ground squirrels, jackrabbits can wreak havoc on alfalfa fields. Often living on the sage brush fringes of valued crop land, jackrabbits are a worthy quarry, and at times their numbers can get out of control.

Two years ago, a buddy called. We were both hunting jackrabbits near Christmas Valley, about 50 miles apart.

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We don’t need no stinking badgers! Badger digs destroy pastures and create hazards for livestock and equipment.

“I need more ammo, we’re totally out,” he made clear. He and his son had shot more than 2,000 rounds in three hours. He sent me a video clip of all the rabbits running around, and I could see they’d need another 5,000 rounds if they truly wanted to make an impact on the population.

When jackrabbits reach such high numbers, farmers often

welcome hunters. Be sure to always seek permission from landowners prior to setting foot or firing any shots on their property. There are a lot of public land hunting opportunities, too.

Along the western slopes of the Cascades, down the Rogue, Umpqua and Willamette valleys, California ground squirrels are a varmint worthy of attention. In parts of their range, taking a dozen squirrels is considered a good day. In others, taking over 100 squirrels a day is the norm.

Last summer a buddy near The Dalles took over 200 California ground squirrels in one day off a rancher’s land.

The rancher called him and said squirrel numbers were at an all-time high and causing major damage by digging holes that his cattle and horses step in; they are also hard on farm equipment. Having to put down livestock due to broken legs is a common occurrence on ranch land overrun by California and Belding’s squirrels, as the labyrinth of tunnels that

Destructive rock chock colonies quickly wear out their welcome.

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livestock break through can run just beneath the surface.

Because varmints are left to lay for scavengers of both land and sky, non-lead based ammunition is an option. Then again, most high-speed bullets pass through small, thin-skinned varmints.

Whether you’re looking to build shooting skills with a rimfire or centerfire, varmint hunting throughout Oregon has a lot to offer. If you want to hone those archery skills, that’s an option, too, as is practicing with a muzzleloader, pistol and long-range rifle setup. It’s also great practice for spotting scope use.

No matter where or how you choose to pursue varmints, the role hunters play in helping manage populations is the real success story, and it’s a better alternative than introducing potentially harmful chemicals.

When it comes to varmint hunting in Oregon, the opportunities are out there. It’s up to you to discover them, along

Varmint hunting hits its peak during spring, offering good weather for a low-key family hunting opportunity. with the role hunters serve as tools of conservation, just as we have for decades with a variety of small game, big game and predators in our great state.

Author Scott Haugen is host of The Hunt, on Netflix. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and www.scotthaugen.com.

California ground squirrels are the bane of western Oregon landowners.

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OUTSIDE OREGON

BY Gary Lewis

Go stag in New Zealand No license? No tags? No problem!

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garyleWiSoutDoorS.com

‘I

come out here at least once a week.

I’ll take the rifle and go from hilltop to hilltop.”

Angelo Georgalli thumbed five rounds into the magazine and clicked it into the rifle, a suppressed bolt action CZ 17. We hustled from the truck to the top of the hill, and then slowed down to ease, hunched over, to the crest. We were hunting English hares near Mount Cardrona in New Zealand.

“There’s one.”

A long-eared lagomorph legged it from the green grass toward a clump of wild rose and vanished into its burrow.

“There’s another!”

Chris Sawiel, who grew up in Sisters and was with us on New Zealand’s South Island, settled in behind the scope. But the target was too fast.

Angelo was grinning like a little kid. “I love this more than anything.”

We met Georgalli by chance in Wanaka.

He told us his story after Sawiel connected on a hare.

Georgalli moved from Cypress as a boy and learned to hunt as a young teenager in London, heading out to the countryside to camp and explore on weekends. He traveled the world, cooked for a year in Italy, and then slowed down to raise his family in New Zealand. There he started hunting again in earnest while he built up a chain of delicatessens.

Today “The Game Chef” is also a television show (on the Sportsman Channel in the U.S. and Canada) and a book of the same name. But I realized, as I thumbed through his book, the game chef is anyone who takes his or her quarry from the field to the kitchen.

Georgalli signed his name to his full color cookbook, but he wanted to make sure we tasted his pan-seared venison with creamy peppercorn sauce. He fixed that

one with thin-sliced fallow deer in a sauce made from herb butter, cream, garlic, pitted prunes and peppercorns.

Hunting Red Stag Georgalli offers hunts on Dingle Burn Station in the Hunter Valley, in the Central Otago region, which is where red deer were first introduced on the South Island.

Several packages are offered, from one-day hunts to four-day hunts and more.

Most first-time hunters are keen to hunt red stag, but Georgalli also offers hunts for fallow deer, tahr, chamois, goats, wild boar and wild hare.

The habitat is similar to the open steppe of Oregon’s Heppner Unit.

Peaks, ridges and washes allow the hunter to get close. Shots may range out to 300 yards.

Hunts are conducted on foot, spot-andstalk. The guide may opt to use a vehicle till animals are spotted, but a high level of physical fitness pays off when a stag is glimpsed a quarter mile off and a 600-yard climb uphill.

Georgalli also offers blinds for archery and rifle hunters who prefer to let the game come to them.

The red stag hunt starts when the deer shed their velvet in February and continues into early July. The peak of the breeding season, the “roar,” falls between midMarch and early April.

On our day with Georgalli, I scouted

When planning a hunt in New Zealand, keep in mind, there are three kinds of settings for red stag and fallow deer hunts: free-range on public conservation land, free-range on private properties, such as large farms and stations, and hunts for pen-raised animals on game estates. for future bird hunting opportunities for valley quail and carried a rimfire rifle.

Georgalli’s enthusiasm is infectious. As fun as it was to hunt English hares, it was easy to imagine the thrill of hunting red stag and fallow deer in that country so much like the broken land I hunt in central and eastern Oregon.

Essential New Zealand’s big game animals are considered pests that destroy the landscape. No license or tags are required.

U.S. Customs allows meat from New Zealand to be brought into the country. To carry meat home, bring or buy a cooler and have the meat frozen at the ranch. Keep the total weight under 50 pounds to avoid additional baggage charges.

NZ Trip Budget 14 hours SFO to Auckland, NZ 90 minutes Auckland to Queenstown $1,600 (approx.) Airfare from San Francisco $25 (NZ) Gun registry fee, NZ police $6,040 2-day bronze medal red stag, lodge, meals, beverages, transfers $0 License/tags (not required) $4.21 Meat pie, average price Contact the author at www.GaryLewisOutdoors.com. Contact Angelo Georgalli at cardronavalleylodge@xtra.co.nz or www. wanakahuntingadventures.co.nz OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

4/10/18 12:04 PM

OREGON HUNTERS ASSOCIATION

G UN C ALENDAR R AFFLE Enter for a chance to win 1 of 52 gun prizes!

A gun every week in 2019!

Values $289-$1,500!

Chances $50 each. 2,000 available.

Each purchased chance to win includes:

✔ 2019 OHA Gun Raffle Calendar ✔ 1-year New OHA membership

(for buyer if not a member; or a gift membership – may not be used as renewal or toward pledge life membership).

✔ $20 Sportsman’s Warehouse coupon Drawing: Jan. 2, 2019, 2 p.m., OHA State Office, 804 Bennett Ave., Medford, OR.

Need not be present to win.

To purchase, call OHA at 541-772-7313 or visit OHA’s store at www.oregonhunters.org

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4/10/18 12:04 PM

Young GunS

BY Jason Haley

Kids’ best shot at big game tags

O

DFW is in the process of simplifying the big game hunting regulations. Currently, even advanced degrees won’t save you from giving relevant sections a second, and even third, reading. Until then, here’s what I’ve ascertained about how to approach youth hunts and give your kids their best shot at quality tags.

Mentored Youth Hunter Program Start with the Mentored Youth Hunter Program (MYHP), if possible. The program is intended to get youngsters interested in hunting at a young age.

Kids ages 9-15 hunt under direct Despite the supervision of a licensed adult, on confusion, the adult’s tag or our kids are bag limit, without first passing a blessed with hunter education program, with tremendous certain provisos. opportunities. OHA last year introduced and Deciphering helped pass a bill that changed the them is key. maximum age from 13 to 15. That’s more point-potential and a chance for older kids to participate in the program. Registration is free.

Mentored Youth Preference Points As an incentive, kids receive one mentored youth preference point for each year they register for the program. The maximum number the youth could receive is seven (7) points, if they registered annually. The points are banked in ODFW’s licensing system without expiration until the youth is ready to apply for a controlled hunt, even if it is after the kid turns 18. All banked points must be used at one time, toward one controlled hunt. Nonresidents can participate as a mentor or mentoredyouth hunter.

Double Preference Points Here’s where it gets confusing and it’s well disguised. Youth nine years of age or 30

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Annabelle Coates took this deer in the McKenzie Unit via Oregon’s Mentored Youth Hunter Program, which allows a youngster to hunt on an adult’s tag while also acquiring preference points. older can also apply for point savers provided they have a valid “Youth License” (Page 13 of 2018 Big Game Regulations).

All references to Youth Licenses say 12-17, but ignore that. Youth Game Bird Hunting Licenses (age 11 or younger) are free. Ignore that, too. It’s not either/or. Youngsters can still participate in the MYHP even after they have passed Hunter Education and purchased a Youth License. By choosing the Point Saver option for certain big game species (which always end in 99), they can double their bonus points each year until they turn 16.

In this situation, the youngster can only hunt under the MYHP for game animals for which he/she has no tag. For example, a 12-year-old youngster with a hunting license could hunt for deer on his/her own general rifle tag after failing to draw a controlled hunt and earning a preference point. Then, he/she could hunt for elk under the MYHP with a mentor (provided the youngster has no tag for elk). By using this strategy, young hunters could have 14 points by the time they turn 16.

Youth First-Time Hunt Program The Youth “First Time” Program, originally proposed by OHA, guarantees other big game hunting opportunities.

Young hunters can receive up to three tags one time: one buck deer (100 series), one antlerless deer (600 series) and one antlerless elk (200 series).

To qualify, a youth must be a resident 12-17 years old at the time of the hunt.

They must have applied, and been unsuc-

cessful, in the controlled hunt drawing.

They must have never drawn a controlled hunt for that respective series.

Apply for First-Time hunts beginning July 1. The hunt must be applied for and the tag purchased before the first day of the hunting season. Not all hunts are included.

Each hunt must meet a minimum tagallocation to be available to “first-time” hunters. Youth that apply for a Point Saver in the same year are not eligible for a firsttime youth tag for that hunt series.

Youths lose eligibility for a tag in a hunt series once they are successful for any hunt choice in that series (including youth hunts and LOP tags), except for leftover tags. Preference points will not be lost if participating in the program. Youth can use their “first-time” options in any combination (all in one year, one per year, skip years between tags).

“First-time” tags are not extra. Youth are still limited to the maximum number of tags per species per year. Other hunters with appropriate tags may hunt with firsttimers. Participants in this program are not eligible to participate in the Mentored Youth Hunter Program for that particular hunt for that year and cannot apply for point savers in the same series that year.

Remember: only kids 12 years of age or older can big game hunt AND participate in the controlled hunt draw. There’s nothing to all this, right? Despite the confusion, our kids are blessed with tremendous hunt opportunities. Deciphering them is paramount.

OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

4/10/18 12:04 PM

WANTED: HUNTER EDUCATION INSTRUCTORS

Remember the thrill of your first hunt?

Do you have a passion for hunting that you would like to pass on to others?

ODFW’s Hunter Education Program NEEDS you!

The hunter education program involves passing on the hunting tradition to future generations in a safe, fun, and responsible manner. n n

Firearm and hunter safety Hunter ethics and responsibilities

n n

Wildlife management and conservation Outdoor safety

Hunter education instructors are individuals 21 and older who have a passion for hunting.

You do not need to be an expert hunter to teach this course; a strong interest in introducing young people and adults to the sport is what is required.

How do I become a Certified Instructor? n

Easy process: contact the number below for an application.

ODFW Hunter Education Program 503-947-6028 www.dfw.state.or.us

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4/10/18 12:05 PM

OHA State Convention Banquet • Auctions • Raffles

Saturday, May 12, 2018

35th Anniversary

Seven Feathers Casino, Canyonville

Join us when OHA’s biggest bash returns to sunny Southern Oregon!

Enjoy a Dinner Buffet Fit for a King!

Awesome Auctions! More than 100 top-quality items in live and silent auctions – great trips, gear, fine art and much more!

Rockin’ Raffles! Over 100 great prizes will be given away – guns, optics and more! Someone has to win it – Why not you?

Great Guns! Win a Nosler Custom Rifle, 1 of 6 premium firearms in the Wall of Guns, or an OHA Howa in the Les Schwab Raffle!

Win a Nosler Custom Rifle or one of 50 other great guns!

Previous conventions sold out early, so don’t delay! Order your tickets today!

MAY_JUN 18.indd 32

4/10/18 12:05 PM

HERD BULL PACKAGE $2,500*

Bid on the Statewide Deer & Elk Combo Hunt (good for 4 months)! Enter to win 1 of 12 dream hunts for Deer, Elk, Bighorn, Antelope and Mountain Goat! All will be drawn that night!

• For the Herd Bull: 1 Ruger Vaquero .45 & 1 Trophy package • For the herd: 6 Stag packages (upgrade to 6 Lone Wolves for $1,200 more) • Table sign, special recognition & extra goodies

BENEFACTOR PACKAGE $1,500* 1 Ruger Vaquero .45 Colt & 1 Trophy package • Special recognition & extra goodies

TROPHY PACKAGE $350*

• 1 in 10 wins a Citadel 1911 pistol! ($599) • 2 Dinners & 6 Drink Tickets • 8 Party Starter Raffle Tickets • 8 Special Raffle Tickets • 72 General Raffle Tickets • 2 Commemorative Gifts

Bid on an 8-month Melrose LOP bull hunt & enter to win a guided bull hunt on TNC’s Zumwalt Prairie Preserve!

LONE WOLF PACKAGE $275* (1-person Trophy Package] • 1 in 10 wins a Citadel 1911 pistol! ($599) • 1 Dinner & 3 Drink Tickets • 8 Party Starter Tickets • 8 Special Raffle Tickets • 72 General Raffle Tickets • 1 Commemorative Gift

DELUXE PACKAGE $250*

• 2 Dinners & 2 Drink Tickets • 2 Party Starter Raffle Tickets • 24 General Raffle Tickets • 2 Commemorative Gifts

STAG PACKAGE $125*

• 1 Dinner & 1 Drink Ticket • 1 Party Starter Raffle Ticket • 12 General Raffle Tickets • 1 Commemorative Gift * OHA member prices. Nonmembers add $35 for 1-year OHA membership.

Tickets must be ordered and prepaid by May 2, 2018.

Party Starter: 2 guns ($599 & $349). Max 1,900 tickets.

Special: Rifle ($960); Knife ($40). Max 1,760 tickets.

General: 45 items (>$7,000 total). Max 24,000 tickets.

To order your tickets, contact the OHA State Convention Committee, PO Box 1706, Medford, OR 97501, phone (541) 772-7313, fax (541) 772-0964.

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4/10/18 12:05 PM

By Ken McCall, OHA Resource Director Ken@oregonhunters.org The Deschutes and Willamette National Forests started a public planning effort last June with the objective of reducing visitor impacts and preserving wilderness character on five central Cascades wilderness areas. OHA’s Emerald Valley Chapter invited a Forest Service representative to a chapter meeting March 14. Numerous concerns and questions were shared following an introduction and request of audience by chapter president Tony Hilsendager to listen to the presentation, be respectful of their guest speaker and ask questions specific to the proposal.

Wilderness area access limits are being considered for Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, Three Sisters, Waldo Lake and Diamond Peak. This effort is well underway with the Forest Service analyzing five alternatives, gathering public input on the alternatives and planning to issue a decision in 2018. The situation is apparent overuse on specific trailheads and campsites in the subject wilderness areas specific to the summer seasons.

The trend of loving the wilderness to death is not new, but the idea of restricting traditional hunter access as a response to concentrated trail and trailhead use is.

Our members pointed out we are basically a solitary, dispersed use group who want to be separated from the trail crowds to pursue our passion for the hunt. Many ideas, including using our recreational hunting permits as an alternative to trail head permits, were discussed. This is a complicated subject that has no easy answers. Our members also pointed out it is not a summer use versus fall hunting season use; our activities range from early scouting to numerous hunt opportunities in the wilderness areas from spring through late fall.

Our input on this issue as responsible 34

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hunters is important; there is a clear trend toward our traditional hunting heritage being overrun by new recreation methods and increasing human use of public lands.

Please visit the Central Cascades Wilderness Strategies 2017 project at the link below or contact either the Willamette or Deschutes national forests for more information or to make your comments known. www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=50578

2017 Tioga Bull/Ryan Daniels

USFS considers limiting wilderness access

Lane County/Brian Johnson

OHA News & Views

A new access area on the south coast will open more hunting options to hunters.

Coos Mountain Access Area opens coast lands The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission at its March 16 meeting in Salem unanimously approved the proposed Coos Mountain Access Area project.

The project was brought to the Commission with a unanimous vote of the Access and Habitat state board.

The Coos Mountain project lies south of the Elliott State Forest and north of the Coquille River, increasing the open access in the Tioga Unit by 65,240 acres. The primary landowners are Barnes and Associates and the BLM. Roseburg Forest Products and Weyerhaeuser Company are participating by including some smaller parcels.

Part of the area is the common checkerboard pattern of private and public BLM managed lands. A block of Barnes and Associates lands connecting public BLM lands near Coos Bay is also included. This is great news for the dedicated elk and deer hunters on the south Oregon coast.

The Tioga Unit has the highest elk management objective in the state, providing 3,000 regular-season 2018 elk rifle tags in addition to late-season bow and muzzleloaders hunts.

In other hunting-related business, the Commission unanimously approved an Access and Habitat small habitat project grants program and appointed Craig Ely to a second A&H state board chair term.

OHA asked to help make new Baskett Slough youth hunt successful Managers of the Willamette Valley NWR Complex have approached OHA for help in making this fall’s new youth waterfowl hunt at Baskett Slough safe and successful. Refuge managers thanked OHA for our many comments in support of the new youth hunt proposal and invited OHA to participate in preparation for the hunt, which will take place Sept. 22 and 23.

The hunt details will appear in the 201819 Oregon Game Bird Regulations and on the Baskett Slough NWR website: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/baskett_slough OHA chapters near Baskett Slough NWR west of Salem are being contacted for support and help with preparation needs, such as building blinds and recruiting youth hunters and adults to accompany them.

During the comment period for the proposed new hunt last year, many antihunting comments were countered by numerous supportive comments from OHA members who responded to a call to action in OHA publications and social media. OHA thanks our members who made it happen.

OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

4/10/18 12:05 PM

OHA to toast 35th Anniversary at Convention May 12 Dream hunts, lively auctions and raffles will highlight event at Seven Feathers

Bid on an A&H Statewide 4-month deer & elk combo hunt or a Melrose any-elk 8-month LOP hunt. To bid by phone, call 541-772-7313.

OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

MAY_JUN 18.indd 35

tiFFany Haugen/melroSe unit

T

he Oregon Hunters Association will toast our 35th Anniversary at our 2018 State Convention on May 12 at Seven Feathers Casino in Canyonville. Convention guests will enjoy a gourmet buffet, rockin’ raffles and action-packed auctions.

Exciting new raffles this year include the OHA 35th Anniversary Rifle Raffle for a Nosler Custom Model 48 in .270 WSM with a gorgeous walnut stock, and the Dream Rifle – custom-built to order for the winner. The Dream Rifle Raffle is sponsored by Centerfire Gunworks (Bryan Scott), Defiance Actions, McMillan stocks and Timney Triggers.

The ever-popular Nosler Custom Rifle Raffle sponsored by Nosler, Inc. (Nosler. com) is back, along with the Les Schwab Raffle sponsored by Les Schwab Tire Centers (lesschwab.com), Wall of Guns and many others to include 50 great guns we will raffle that night.

When the banquet room doors open at 4:30 p.m., enjoy a lively social hour with auction previews and raffles.

Enter to win one of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s 12 dream hunts for deer, elk, antelope, bighorn sheep and mountain goat. The drawings for each will be held that night. We will offer complimentary drawings for kids, ladies, and our veterans.

AWESOME AUCTIONS More than 100 items will be auctioned, including an Oregon Access & Habitat Statewide Deer & Elk Combo Hunt good for a four-month season nearly anywhere in Oregon, an 8-month LOP Melrose any-elk hunt on Seneca property donated by Seneca Sawmill Company, amazing safaris, tropical vacations, and many other topquality hunts, fishing trips and getaways.

If you can’t attend, but wish to bid on the A&H Statewide Deer & Elk Combo or the Melrose any-elk hunt, call the OHA State Office at 541-772-7313 by May 10.

The Melrose any-elk hunt is an 8-month LOP tag on Seneca timber land in Douglas County in 2018.

ROUSING RAFFLES The raffles feature some popular favorites, as well as some new and exciting offerings. Back by popular demand is the always-popular Trophy Raffle for purchasers of the Trophy or Lone Wolf ticket packages (1 in 10 wins a Citadel 1911 .45)!

At least 50 guns will be raffled during the evening, along with optics, sporting goods, fine art and more. The general raffles alone feature 45 items, including a dozen guns, high-end optics and top-quality outdoor gear donated by our generous sponsors like Leupold & SteThis year’s Les Schwab Raffle features vens (leupold.com), an OHA-engraved HOWA 1500 in 6.5 Creedmoor.

Benchmade (benchmade.com), Sig Other great auction items include an Electro-Optics (sigsauer.com), Roseburg awesome rifle and pack combo featuring a Timber Company, Waldron’s Outdoors Howa 7mm with a KUIU camo stock and (waldronsoutdoor.com) and Sportsman’s matching KUIU camo pack (kuiu.com), Warehouse (sportsmanswarehouse.com).

Enter to win a guided bull elk hunt metal art from Scott Hurley and a pair of grills donated by Traeger (traegergrills. on The Nature Conservancy’s Zumwalt com) and Green Mountain Grills (green- Prairie in 2019!

More than 100 items worth a total of mountaingrills.com).

For this anniversary convention, com- more than $40,000 will be raffled, and memorative limited-edition OHA artwork someone has to win it, so it might as well for this and previous anniversary conven- be you!

Enjoy a wonderful spring weekend with tions will be up for auction, including this year’s “Blacktails” by Seaside artist us at a top destination in sunny southern Dave Bartholet featured on the 2018 OHA Oregon, hosted by OHA’s Emerald Valley Calendar cover, and the last copies that Chapter.

Pick your ticket package on the precedState OHA owns of the 15th Anniversary “Hart Mountain Majesty” by Brent Todd ing pages, and call the OHA State Office and 25th Anniversary “Autumn Front” by at (541) 772-7313 to save your seats.

See you in camp! central Oregon artist Rod Frederick.

Auction hunts range from as near as a pheasant hunt at Southern Oregon Pheasants, a duck hunt with Dean Finnerty and a pair of varmint hunts donated by Diamond A Guide Service (predatorparadise.com), to as far as safaris in Africa (nitrosafaris. co.za and authenticafricanadventures.org) and Argentina (tgboutfitters.com).

Getaways include destinations as far as Hawaii and Mexico to as close as Cannon Beach, Chinook Winds Casino and Sunriver (sunriverlodging.com).

35

4/10/18 12:05 PM

Chapter News

OHA chapters slate local youth events and projects You’re invited to join us!

BAKER Charlie Brinton (541) 403-0402 Chapter Meetings: 2nd Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Best Western Sun Ridge Inn; optional dinner 6 p.m.

2018 banquet: held April 7.

BEND Bill Littlefield (541) 429-2950 http://www.ohabend.webs.com Chapter Meetings: 1st Thursday, 7 p.m., Kelly D’s.

2018 banquet: held March 24.

Update: We will build buck and pole fencing to protect an aspen stand May 11-13, and expect to be joined by OHA’s Capitol Chapter, RMEF volunteers and two squads from Oregon Youth Challenge; call 541647-0424. June 2 is Family & Youth Day at Cyrus Ranch; call 541-480-7323. Our chapter joins with others June 22-24 for work and camping in the Ochocos; call 541-389-1321.

CAPITOL Ed Munson (503) 580-8713 http://ohacapitol.webs.com Chapter Meetings: 4th Tuesday, 7 p.m., Marion County Fire Station #1, 300 Cordon Rd. NE, Salem.

2018 banquet: held April 7.

Update: Our Detroit Project will take place May 4-5; call 503-767-3657. The Aspen Project is June 15-17; call 503-399-1234.

The Youth Shotgun Skills Clinic will be on July 7; call 541-996-9984.

CHETCO Wes Ferraccioli (541) 450-4100 Chapter meetings: 6 p.m. 3rd Thursday,

Members of the new OHA Chetco Chapter recently helped enhance a local forage meadow. every other month; next meeting: May 17.

Update: We will hold a fund-raising barbecue and carnival on July 8. We recently conducted a local meadow enhancement project in cooperation with ODFW, Curry Citizens for Public Land Access, and Future Farmers of America. We thank State OHA and the OHA chapters that have donated funds to help our new chapter get started.

CLATSOP COUNTY Wendell Locke (503) 359-3535 www.clatsopcountyoha.com Chapter Meetings: 2nd Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. dinner, 7 p.m. speaker, West Lake Chinese Restaurant, Seaside.

2018 banquet: held March 17.

Update: OHA Clatsop County Chapter Youth Day is July 7 at the fairgrounds; call 503-359-3535.

COLUMBIA BASIN Dean Groshong (541) 377-1227 Chapter Meetings: 3rd Tuesday of the month, The Saddle, 2200 Court St., Pendleton, 5:30 p.m. meeting, dinner and drinks available.

2018 banquet: held April 7.

COLUMBIA COUNTY Frank Hupp, DTM (503) 201-7495 Chapter Meetings: 2nd Monday, 6:30 p.m., dinner 6 p.m., Village Inn, 535 S. Columbia River Hwy., St. Helens.

2018 banquet: held Feb. 24.

Update: Our chapter photo/story contest is ongoing; winners will be selected at our members picnic July 28 at Bushmen Archers.

36

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EMERALD VALLEY Tony Hilsendager (541) 729-0877 EmeraldOHA@live.com Chapter Meetings: 2nd Wednesday, 7 p.m., Sizzler, 1010 Postal Way, Springfield; Board meeting at 5:30 p.m., Social 6:30 p.m.

Update: We host the 35th Anniversary OHA State Convention May 12 at Seven Feathers Casino in Canyonville, where we will auction an A&H Statewide Deer & Elk Combo Hunt. Call 541-772-7313.

HOODVIEW Catherine Hamell (503) 358-7821 Facebook: Hoodview OHA Chapter Meetings: 2nd Thursday, 7 p.m., Elmer’s, 1933 NE 181st Ave., Portland.

2018 banquet: held Feb. 24.

Update: Our new monthly chapter meeting place is Elmer’s. The youth turkey clinic was March 31 at White River Wildlife Area. We will do a project at White River Wildlife Area June 8-10.

JOSEPHINE COUNTY Cliff Peery (541) 761-3200 Chapter Meetings: 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m., Elmer’s Restaurant, Grants Pass.

2018 banquet: held April 14.

Update: Bob Loper headed up our duck box project, with 30 new duck boxes being built by 10 volunteers, and placement/ cleaning/repairing done on March 3. We are planning a trash cleanup for a Saturday in May TBA. We will put on a Youth Day at All Sports Park on June 2; call 541-2182836. Our family campout at Willow Lake is June 21-24, call 541-582-8837.

OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

4/10/18 12:05 PM

KLAMATH Rick Vieira (541) 591-2452 www.ohaklamath.webs.com Chapter Meetings: 2nd Thursday, 7 p.m., Shasta View Community Center.

2018 Banquet: April 28, Klamath County Fairgrounds, 541-643-9788.

Update: The habitat project at Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge will be May 19-20 this year; call 541-884-5773. We are collaborating with Badger Run, JSSA and Bill Scholtes Sportsman’s Park to hold free non-lead ammunition testing July 14-15.

LAKE COUNTY Tom Zarosinski 541-219-0614 Chapter Meetings: 1st Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Eagle’s Lodge, Lakeview.

2018 banquet: held April 7.

Update: We auctioned an Oregon antelope tag at our 2018 fundraising banquet. Our guzzler work day is May 19, and Youth Day is June 30; call 541-219-0614 for both events.

LINCOLN COUNTY Todd Williver (541) 648-6815 http://lincolncountyoha.com/ Chapter Meetings: 2nd Tuesday, 6 p.m. meeting, 5:30 no host dinner at Izzy’s in Newport.

MALHEUR COUNTY Ken Davis (541) 372-5712 Chapter Meetings: 3rd Thursday, 6:30 p.m., no host dinner 5:30, location TBA in the chapter newsletter.

2018 banquet: held March 3.

MID-COLUMBIA Stanley Walasavage (541) 296-1022 Quarterly Chapter Meetings: 6 p.m., ODFW Screen Shop, The Dalles. Next meeting is May 17.

MID-WILLAMETTE Jacob Williams (541) 740-5992 www.facebook.com/midwillamettechapteroregonhuntersassociation Chapter Meetings: 2nd Thursday, 7 p.m., Old Armory, Albany.

2018 banquet: held April 21.

OCHOCO John Dehler, III (541) 815-5817 Chapter Meetings: 1st Tuesday, 7 p.m., Room 1868, 152 NW 4th St., Prineville.

2018 banquet: held Feb. 17.

OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

MAY_JUN 18.indd 37

Update: We will join other OHA chapters June 22-24 for work and play in the Ochocos; call 541-389-1321.

PIONEER Bill Park (503) 730-7650 www.oha-pioneer.org Chapter Meetings: 1st Wednesday, 7 p.m., Canby Rod & Gun Club.

2018 banquet: held March 3.

Update: We scheduled our Youth Day at Canby Rod & Gun Club for April 28. Our Family Campout at Millican takes place June 8-10; call 503-710-1233. Chapter volunteers gathered for a highway cleanup March 24.

REDMOND Carrie Stewart (541) 678-3178 http://oharedmond.webs.com Chapter Meetings: 3rd Tuesday, VFW Hall. Dinner starts at 5:30, meeting at 7.

2018 banquet: held Feb. 24.

Update: Members volunteered for planting at Priest Hole/Bridge Creek April 22 and April 28-29.

ROGUE VALLEY Ron Sherva (541) 878-2986 Chapter Meetings: 2nd Thursday, 6 p.m. social & dinner, 7 p.m. presentation, Eagles Club, 2000 Table Rock Rd. 2018 banquet: held March 3.

Update: Our chapter offset some costs of the Jackson County OSU Extension Hunt to Home classes in March, providing advertising, two goats, and OHA branded aprons for the participants. Chapter members staffed a booth at the February Sportsman’s Show, bringing in 106 memberships.

We donated $1,000 for startup of the new Chetco Chapter. Our board pledged $500 toward a local deer poaching case TIP reward, which was then matched by Crime Stoppers of Southern Oregon, bringing the reward to $2,000.

TILLAMOOK John Putman (503) 842-7733 Chapter Meetings: 3rd Monday, 7 p.m., Tillamook PUD. 2018 banquet: May 5,Tillamook Fairgrounds, 503-842-2475.

TIOGA Marcey Fullerton (541) 267-2577 Chapter Meetings: 4th Tuesday, 7 p.m., 6 p.m. no host dinner, Gino’s Pizza Inn, North Bend.

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WISH YOU WERE HERE! This ad was seen by some 60,000 Oregon hunters!

IT COULD HAVE BEEN YOUR AD!

2018 banquet: held April 14.

Update: The Tioga Chapter Youth & Family Day is May 5 at Myrtle Point Gun Club.

Outdoor Education Camp is June 15-17 at Laverne Park.

TUALATIN VALLEY Steve Hodges (503) 453-7520 www.TualatinValleyOHA.com Chapter Meetings: 3rd Wednesday, dinner at 6 p.m., meeting at 7, Coyote’s Bar & Grill, Hillsboro.

2018 banquet: held March 17.

OHA State-Level Sponsorships Please support the sponsors who support OHA’s mission of huntable wildlife for present & future generations.

Platinum Les Schwab Tires www.lesschwab.com

To find out how you can reach our readers, call (541) 772-7313 for a free advertising kit, or download it at oregonhunters.org/ publications Promote your business and help support Oregon’s wildlife and sportsmen.

New Bonus Exposure!

The whole wide world can see your ad in OREGON HUNTER on our website: oregonhunters.org/publications/

Update: Chapter members will volunteer at two youth events: Sherwood Bird Festival on May 19, and I’m Hooked at Henry Hagg Lake on June 2-3; call 503-453-7520. We will do Scotch broom cleanup at Barney Reservoir on May 19, and cleanup on the Tillamook Forest July 14; call 503-2906143.

UMPQUA Cindy Rooney (541) 430-4722 www.umpquaoha.org Chapter Meetings: 3rd Tuesday, 7 p.m., Roseburg ODFW office. Board Meetings: 2nd Tuesday, same place.

2018 banquet: held April 14.

Update: Volunteers signed up 10 new members while staffing a booth at the Douglas County Sportsmen’s and Outdoor Recreation Show in February.

UNION/WALLOWA COUNTY Morgan Olson (541) 786-1283 Chapter Meetings: La Grande Library, next date TBA. 2018 banquet: Held March 17, when we raffled a guided elk hunt, won by Dennis Turmon of Powell Butte, on The Nature Conservancy’s Zumwalt Prairie Preserve.

Gold Leupold & Stevens www.leupold.com

In Memoriam

Silver

Contributions made recently to the

Nosler, Inc.

OHA Memorial Wildlife Fund

Benchmade

IN MEMORY OF WILLARD IVANOFF from Buck & Gerri Teasley

www.nosler.com

www.benchmade.com

Bronze Pronto Print

www.gopronto.com

Sportsman’s Warehouse sportsmanswarehouse.com For information about OHA state-level sponsorship opportunities, call the OHA State Office at (541) 772-7313.

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Send contributions in honor of loved ones who loved wildlife to: OHA Memorial Wildlife Fund P.O. Box 1706 Medford, OR 97501 OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

4/10/18 12:05 PM

Game on the Grill

By Tiffany Haugen

Orange Honey Turkey Jerky

O

ur motto for jerky: “Never leave home without it!” It’s a great source of protein while on hikes and easy to eat with a fishing pole in one hand or while hunting in a blind. This slightly sweet version is very popular with the kids, and of all the jerky we make, turkey is one of our favorites.

2-3 pounds wild turkey breast, sliced to jerky size 3 cups water 1 cup orange juice 1/2 cup honey 1/4 cup Morton’s Tender Quick or curing salt 1/2 tablespoon granulated onion 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder 2 teaspoons white pepper (optional)

Jerky is a great source of protein on hunting trips. It requires no refrigeration during your hunt, and it won’t melt in your backpack.

When slicing meat for jerky, the traditional cut is in strips that go with the grain. For an easy to chew cut, meat can be sliced across the grain.

In a large ceramic or glass bowl, mix all brine ingredients with a wire whisk until tender quick and sugar are dissolved. Add meat, mix thoroughly, and put a plate on top to be sure all meat remains submerged. Soak 8-10 hours, stirring occasionally.

Drain brine and remove meat. Do not rinse meat. If additional pepper flavor is desired, sprinkle white pepper or other seasonings on meat at this time.

Pat dry or place on racks and let air dry for up to 1 hour. Follow smoking directions on your smoker.

Cooking times vary greatly and depend on make and model of smoker and outside weather conditions. Try to keep the temperature of the smoker between 150º and 200º. Check for doneness after 3 hours. Larger cuts of jerky can be finished on a baking sheet in the oven at 165º, check every 15 minutes. When jerky is done, place in a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap until cool. Keep refrigerated or freeze (vacuum sealing works best) if storing for an extended period of time.

For 150 more great bird recipes and signed copies of Tiffany Haugen’s popular cookbook, Cooking Game Birds, send a check for $20 (free shipping) to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489 or order online at www.scotthaugen.com.

find us, like us, follow us OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

MAY_JUN 18.indd 39

Ask about items with OHA’s new branding!

PUT YOUR LOGO ON OUR ITEMS!

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4/10/18 12:05 PM

Premium Hunt applications due by May 15 Deer, elk, and pronghorn Premium Hunts available (see page 66-69 of Big Game Regulations)

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Extended season (Aug. 1-Nov. 30) Any-sex bag limit Draw is not based on preference points Cost: $8 per application

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4/10/18 12:05 3/26/2018 11:53:30 AMPM

30 AM

NOSLER PHOTO CONTEST Give us your best shot, and we might give you a shotgun!

FINALIST PRIZES

Prizes will be awarded in general and youth categories.

1ST PRIZE: CZ over & under shotgun 2ND PRIZE: Case (10 boxes) of Nosler Trophy Grade Ammo 3RD PRIZE: $100 discount code good at www.nosler.com 4TH PRIZE: $50 discount code good at www.nosler.com 5TH PRIZE: One box of any Nosler bullets Each finalist will receive an OHA-engraved Coast knife.

All entrants will receive Nosler caps.

Two finalists in each category will be chosen and published in each issue of OREGON HUNTER, beginning with the March-April issue and ending with the November-December issue. From the 10 finalists in each category, five finalist prize winners will be chosen. These will be announced in the January-February issue of OREGON HUNTER. Photos received after the entry deadline will be judged for the next issue.

PHOTO CATEGORIES

GENERAL: Any aspect of hunting, including but not limited to preparation, camping, hunting situations, game and packing.

YOUTH: Same as above, except photos must feature a person who was 18 or younger at the time the photo was taken.

RULES (Failure to follow will disqualify)

1. Entries must be hunting photos.

2. If photos feature game, it must be legally taken.

3. Entrants must be OHA members.

4. Professional photographers are not eligible.

5. Entrants may enter no more than three photos in each of the two categories per year.

6. Entrants may win no more than one finalist prize.

7. Photos entered in any previous Nosler Photo Contest may not be reentered.

8. Entries will be judged by the photo submitted and not by its reproduction in OREGON HUNTER. 9. This is a photographic competition and photos will be judged on the usual photographic criteria of imagination, lighting, composition, exposure, focus and attractiveness.

10. Entrants grant OHA and Nosler, Inc., rights to use photos for editorial or promotional purposes.

11. Employees of Nosler, Inc., OHA state officers, state board members and employees are ineligible.

12. Winners of a first-place prize in any of the last three years are ineligible to win the first-place prize in this year’s contest.

13. Prizes of equal or greater value may be substituted.

14. Photos must be high-resolution.

15. If required for a youth’s hunt, orange must be visible.

Next Deadline: May 18, 2018

ENTRY INSTRUCTIONS

Get a Nosler hat just for entering!

Go to OHA’s website at www.oregonhunters.org Click on OHA CONTESTS. Read the rules, and fill in the required fields.

Click CHOOSE FILE and attach your photo. Click SUBMIT. That’s it! You will have a Nosler hat coming your way and be entered for a chance to win more great prizes courtesy of Nosler, proud sponsor and OHA supporter for more than a quarter century!

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4/10/18 12:05 PM

NOSLER PHOTO CONTEST General Category finalists OHA member John Cham of Wilsonville wins an OHA Coast knife and a spot in the finals of the 2018 Nosler Photo Contest for this photo of Kyle Cham with a blacktail buck taken in 2016 in the Trask Unit with a .270 Winchester and 130-grain Nosler AccuBond bullet.

Kurt Wilhelm, OHA member from Portland, bags an OHA Coast knife and a place in the finals of the 2018 Nosler Photo Contest for this photo of himself with a Utah tundra swan taken over decoys on a “bucket list” controlled hunt after three years of applying.

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OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

4/10/18 12:05 PM

NOSLER PHOTO CONTEST Youth Category finalists OHA member Ralph Buckingham of Salem scores an OHA Coast knife and a spot in the finals of the 2018 Nosler Photo Contest for this photo of OHA member Michael Hurley and grandson Sean Gray with Sean’s first biggame animal, a handsome pronghorn taken in Klamath County.

Halie Wytcherley, OHA member from Grants Pass, claims an OHA Coast knife and a place in the finals of the 2018 Nosler Photo Contest for this photo of herself with a blacktail she tagged last October.

OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

MAY_JUN 18.indd 43

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4/10/18 12:05 PM

NOSLER PHOTO CONTEST honorable mention OHA member Roger Points of Bend earns honorable mention for this photo of John and Weston Winstead and their buddy Briar on a shed hunting trip in Lake County.

Enter your favorite hunting photo!

www.oregonhunters.org

John Cham, OHA member from Wilsonville, collects honorable mention for this photo of Kyle and Bryan Cham with a blacktail taken last fall in the Trask Unit with a .300 WSM and a 180-grain Nosler AccuBond bullet.

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OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

4/10/18 12:05 PM

Karsten Johnson of Astoria took this bull in the Glass Hill youth hunt.

OHA member Mike Mordell and William Mordell teamed up to take this cougar in Utah in December.

Randy Whiting of Chiloquin, with hunting buddy Kenai, took this bobcat in Klamath County.

Joseph Schaefer of Molalla took this spike elk in the Alsea Unit.

OREGON HUNTER, May/June 2018

MAY_JUN 18.indd 45

Daniel Moncrief of Joseph and daughter Brooke enjoy her Sled Springs bull taken on the last day of the season last year.

Lewis Carlson bagged this spike bull last October in the Cascades.

Victoria Collman claimed this bull in Jackson County.

45

4/10/18 12:05 PM

PARTING SHOTS

By Dewey Delaney

Fun & Games with Glow-inthe-Dark Paint

Clever pranks are the stuff that makes a hunting camp a memorable experience.

W

hen I was young, my dad warned me that women are crafty. I thought I knew what he meant, but I didn’t realize until it was much too late that he was referring to their annoying habits they call arts and crafts.

My wife Dorey has brought a plethora of crafty plagues into our house that have lasted much longer than whatever she crafted with them. I’m talking about her beastly beads that inevitably go everywhere – particularly under foot – and seem to multiply, begetting feral populations throughout the house.

Even more glaring is the glitter that gets on everything I own, including my hunting clothes, so I look like a walking disco ball in the woods. Glitter is now banned from the house, as is anything involving confetti!

I don’t mind sprinkles, as long as they stick to the icing.

Recently though she came home with something that I instantly recognized for its crafty potential – a can of glow-in-the-dark spray paint. The stuff is almost invisible during the daylight, but at night it emits a ghostly glow on whatever it covers.

I went right to work spray painting a few predator skulls I had scattered around the house, and I’ve noticed that lately my wife’s annoying friends don’t stay the night as often. That gave me some more great ideas.

I’ve had occasional trouble with trespassers snooping around the property behind the gate on the other driveway, but since I hung up a Brahma bull skull painted with glow-in-the-dark paint with a pair of red reflectors in the eye sockets, the frequency of trespassing has declined markedly.

If I hear again that the local cemetery is experiencing problems with nighttime vandalism, I just might suggest that they 46

MAY_JUN 18.indd 46

spray paint some glowing ghostly silhouettes on the tree trunks. That ought to scare the living daylights out of the still-living at nighttime.

It didn’t take me too long to start thinking about crafty applications for glow-inthe-dark paint in hunting camp. My first thought was to spray paint the camp throne so I could find it at night after perhaps too many nips of Pendleton.

Local game officer Pat McNailum once visited our camp because he saw white trash bags that he thought were deer bags hanging from tree limbs. He obviously didn’t recognize whose camp it was. That gave me the bright idea that I should paint the trash bags to glow in the dark, thinking they might look like ghosts flying about camp on the nighttime breeze.

Sure enough, when I painted the beer bottle bag, the recycle bag and the garbage bag with the ghastly green paint, the bags looked like Casper’s three uncles – Fatso, Stretch and Stinky. Clearly the leanest, the recycle bag must have been Stretch, because the beer bottle bag was by far the fattest and the garbage bag was certainly Stinky. They seemed to make quite the impression, because vehicles driving by our camp at night always hit the gas hard when our camp came into view.

That made me think that maybe the State Police could deter poaching by spray painting a few of their wildlife enforcement decoys to glow in the dark. Being

haunted by ghostly demon deer from hell would be enough to make any poacher repent and stay home hiding under the bed.

I thought of spray-painting rocks to guide me to my hunting spot before daylight, but then I realized I might as well put up a neon sign that says “This way to Dewey’s hunting spot.” Then again, anyone who knows me and my success, or rather lack thereof, wouldn’t venture near the spot, so the sign might be preferable.

A better idea, I thought, would be to spray paint large glowing eyes on tree trunks that would mark my way from camp to my hunting spot in the dark and make other hunters avoid both places like the plague.

Clever pranks are the stuff that makes a hunting camp a memorable experience.

You know, like the rubber snake on the seat of the camp throne, or the alarm clock set for 8 a.m. you drop into your buddy’s backpack before he leaves camp at dawn.

So I think this spring it might be fun to paint the outside of my buddy Mutt’s camo turkey mask with glow-in-the-dark paint.

Since the stuff is invisible in the light, he wouldn’t see it when he got dressed, but there he’d sit, glowing ominously in the shadows. No gobbler would fly off the roost toward a hunter in hiding who’s wearing a glow-in-the-dark mask that makes him look like an alien or Jason from Nightmare on Elm Street. I’m thinking it might even attract mosquitoes.

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