Hunting, 2019 by Moscow-Pullman Daily News

A special publication of OUTDOORS SECTION | FRIDAY, SEPT. 20, 2019

MODERN AIRGUNS INJECT ENTHUSIASM INTO GAME PURSUITS

TIME TO TAKE AIM  ELK, DEER OUTLOOKS CAN BE FOUND ON PAGES 6-9

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BOTH YOU AND YOUR BIRD-DOG NEED TO STAY IN SHAPE  PAGE 4

PRIMITIVE BOW MAKER IS FINDING HIS NOTCH NICHE  PAGE 12

IT’S A MIXED BAG FOR HUNTERS OF FEATHERED GAME  PAGES 15-17

S U P P L E M E N T T O T H E M O S C O W - P U L L M A N D A I LY N E W S

OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

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Not your grandpa’s Red Rider Modern airguns are becoming increasingly popular with hunters and sport shooters By ERIC BARKER OF THE TRIBUNE

ABOVE: Nick White poses for a photograph with a cape buffalo he shot with his airgun in South Africa. RIGHT: A Modified 909 light hunter airgun in .45 caliber. Photos courtesy Nick White

ick White can talk for hours about airguns, or his preferred term, “modern pneumatic rifles,” an increasingly popular subset of hunting and shooting sports. He said it is the fastest growing shooting sport in the world and airguns are increasingly gaining a foothold with some hunters. Although their range is much shorter than those of traditional firearms, airguns can effectively kill even the largest of game. For example, White of Worley, killed a massive cape buffalo in South Africa with a modern pneumatic rifle and plans to hunt cow moose with one this fall. “Hunting dangerous game is my passion,” he said. Instead of using gun powder to propel a projectile, airguns use pressurized air or other gases to do the same. The air is precharged into the rifle and pulling the trigger releases a measured burst of gas into the barrel that propels the bullet. Most airguns can shoot several times before they need to be recharched. They are a legal hunting weapon in 16 states, including Idaho, which approved airgun regulations in 2018. But why use an airgun over a traditional firearm. White was drawn to the weapons because the challenges they present given their shorter range and the opportunity to dive deep and geek out on the technical aspects of them. “I kind of got bored with modern hunting rifles. If I can see it, I can hit it kind of lost its appeal,” he said. He considered taking up archery hunting but an injury prevents him from drawing a bow. He dabbled in black powder rifles but was more enamored with airguns. “You have to understand

Courtesy of Nick White

A .458 bullet recovered from an animal that Nick White shot in Africa. your weapon a lot better than with a modern firearm. All modern pneumatic rifles each have their quirks. You have to learn your gun,” he said. “Each one of them is a treat to learn the ins and outs of.” Using an airgun requires hunting methods similar to those used by archery hunters or muzzleloaders. “I tell everyone when hunting with a modern airgun, think 50 to 75 yards on an elk-sized animal, and you have to have a high-end gun for that,” he said. “You can take a deer out to about 100 yards. My goal is to do all my hunting within 50 yards.” Some people have taken them up to escape the stigma of firearms and the possibility of stricter government regulation of guns. Airguns are not federally regulated. “You have a broad swath of hunters and sportsmen tired of being singled out because they use a firearm,” White said. “With the political climate nowadays, a lot of sportsmen and women are really reticent to get more firearms until they find out what is going on. For a comparable price of a high-end firearm, you can get into airguns.” For example, he said a nice, big-bore rifle can run between $700 and $2,200. And like anything, if some-

> See AIRGUN, Page 3

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OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

AIRGUN

in the 25th Century.” White’s company, Airgun Adventurer LLC, was the first to figure out how to rig the weapons to shoot copper-jacketed bullets, meaning > Continued from PAGE 2 people can easily purchase one develops a keen interest bullets. He said the guns are in them, there is an endsimilar in their adaptability less number of accessories to modern sporting rifles, that can be purchased. also known as assault rifles. Idaho requires airguns “They can be rigged for used for hunting to be at least distance, power, accuracy, .35 caliber for deer, prongrecoil. You can get them horn, wolves and mountain to where a child can enjoy lions, and at least .45 for elk, shooting them, and you still moose, bighorn sheep, moun- can too,” he said. “Just the tain goats and black bear. versatility in them — most The state also recommends people don’t understand.” airguns used for hunting be White posts information capable of producing 350 and videos frequently on foot pounds of energy, but his Facebook page, Airgun it is not a requirement. “Measuring that in the field Adventurer, and said he is would be nearly impossible,” happy to answer questions about the weapons. He can said Toby Boudreau, chief of the Idaho Department of Fish be reached during business hours at (208) 755-9449. He and Game’s wildlife bureau. also has a YouTube channel The guns come in a wide at http://bit.ly/2LD6svV. variety of styles. Some carry the classic look and Barker may be contacted lines of traditional hunting at ebarker@lmtribune.com or rifles with wooden stocks, at (208) 848-2273. Follow him while others look like something out of “Buck Rogers on Twitter @ezebarker.

Courtesy of Nick White

Nick White of Worley poses with one of his airguns while on safari in Africa. White is a fan of high-powered airguns and has killed several big game animals with them.

A HUNTER’S BEST FRIEND

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OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

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Keeping bird-dogs fit is a year-round endeavor Local vet Seth Bynum makes videos of his hunts with German shorthairs By ERIC BARKER OF THE TRIBUNE

ith chukar, Hun and quail seasons opening Saturday in Idaho, and just a few weeks away in Washington, it’s a bit late to get your dog in shape for hunting season. But keeping your pups active throughout the year is a good way to ensure they will be ready when seasons open and avoid the need to work off a few pounds put on during the summer. Upland game bird hunter and veterinarian Seth Bynum said he likes to keep his German shorthairs, Shine and River, active year-round, through walks and swims during the offseason and in the field during the fall and winter. “Some of that is just for convenience’s sake, because they are better citizens in the house when they are tired,” he said of the active breed. “It’s a year-round process for most people, but the summertime definitely is about making sure they don’t get overweight and then just keeping them in good enough shape so they are not trying to make up for six months of offseason in the first day you go out,” he said. “That is a good recipe for injury and exhaustion and all the other things that go along with overdoing it, like we would probably do to ourselves.” Early in the season when air temperatures are prone to still reach the 90s, Bynum likes to keep his hunts short if he goes out at all. He restricts his outings to early morning or late evening hours, when temperatures are more temperate and there is more likely to be dew or moisture that holds scent. “I might make one- or two-hour hunts the first day,” he said. “I don’t think the dogs hunt particularly well when it’s dry and arid. I just like to build up to it for later on.” Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are dangerous conditions. In addition to limiting early-season hunts to cool morning and evening hours, Bynum

Courtesy Seth Bynum

Seth Bynum, a veterinarian at the Lewiston Veterinary Clinic, holds a client’s dog. Bynum is also a hunter who trains and cares for a number of bird-dogs. recommends carrying plenty of water for your dogs. He likes to plan hunts in places where dogs can take a swim or get a drink from a creek, river or pond at the midway point. “Bring all the water you think you will need, and bring some more,” he said. Also pay attention to your dog.

Hunting dogs will likely pant any time they are working hard. If they should be panting but aren’t, it’s time to act. Likewise, if they become lethargic or can’t move, immediate intervention is needed. “That scares me,” he said.

> See BIRD-DOGS, Page 5

> The Bird-dog Vet As his social media handle implies, Seth Bynum is a veterinarian. But in his off time, Bynum shares his hunting adventures — mostly upland bird trips with his German shorthair pointers, Shine and River, on Instagram and YouTube. He grew up in North Carolina, where he fished as a child and later taught himself to fly fish as a teenager. He calls himself an “adult-onset hunter,” meaning he didn’t grow up chasing game. Bynum was introduced to hunting by his then future father-in-law and was drawn to it by the occasional off-topic upland bird hunting column by fly fishing author John Gierach. “I could see myself doing that,” he said of his thoughts after reading Gierach’s hunting missives. “The first bird I shot was sharptail grouse,” he said. “I just kind of got hooked on it. I was in my early 20s.” He went to vet school after a short career as a reporter and photographer at weekly newspapers in Montana and the Puget Sound area. Bynum said documenting his hunts gives him a creative outlet that isn’t always available in his more scientific profession. “It’s kind of nice not having to do it for work anymore,” he said. “I get to write a little bit, a paragraph instead of a full story.” He frequently posts pictures and short videos of his hunts, where his bird dogs are definitely the stars. He does it so he can both remember his hunts and share them with others who relish chasing wild birds in amazing settings. “It all started out as a way to document it for myself, to remember it,” he said. “I go into it thinking, I want to create a really beautiful memory of what I am seeing, because that landscape is just unparalleled out there.” Like with many people who hunt with bird dogs, watching the amazing animals do their thing takes precedence over shooting birds. “After a while you just like seeing the dogs do good stuff, and it’s less about ‘I got to get my six or my eight birds,’ ” he said. Bynum and his wife live at Moscow and have young children. He works at Lewiston Veterinary Clinic. At left, he shares some tips for keeping hunting dogs healthy and active, both in the offseason and while in the field, where they can face hazards such are barbed wire fences, rattlesnakes, porcupines and excessive heat. You can find Bynum’s work online at Instagram: @birddogvet and at http://bit.ly/2kJSduP

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BIRD-DOGS

> Continued from PAGE 4

To avoid that degree of exhaustion, he said it’s a good idea to go slow, take lots of breaks and to call it a day if your dog tries to seek shade or rest during a hunt. The first half of the upland bird season also brings the danger of running into rattlesnakes. Bynum is a believer in the rattlesnake vaccination, although he doesn’t use it on his dogs. They have proven themselves to be naturally leery of snakes, and he does his best to stay out of snake-prone areas. Testing the efficacy of the vaccine is difficult. Instead of making a dog immune to snake bites, the vaccine is designed to make any bite less severe. Bynum said it’s a difficult thing to prove during a scientific trial, because all dogs react differently to snake bites and not every bite is of the same intensity when it comes to venenation. That being said, he views the vaccine as something that will give your dog a better chance at recovering from a bite. “I think, in general, a dog that is vaccinated is going to be less likely to have a life-threatening reaction,” he said. “It doesn’t mean it won’t happen. I think you are still going to have to go to the vet.” He also said the vaccination is pretty inexpensive. Most are $25 to $50, far cheaper than treating a dog with anti-venom that can run more than $300 per vial. “It doesn’t add a lot to your bill,” he said. “And I think it’s a good insurance policy.” He said hunters who are gungho about hunting hard earlier in the season or visiting places where snakes are more common should think seriously about the vaccine. “If you are putting yourself in high-risk situations, I would defi-

Courtesy of Seth Bynum

Bynum’s dog, Shine, retrieves a chukar. nitely go with it,” he said. “You still have to use your head. Don’t tempt fate; don’t go into thick brushy areas in the heat of the day.” If a dog does get bit, whether vaccinated or not, a trip the vet is required. If you are far from veterinary service, Bynum said giving the dog Benadryl is a good interim measure. “If you can get some Benadryl, pretty much in any quantity, into your dog without them vomiting it back up, that will help a lot.” Porcupines are another danger faced by hunting dogs. Many, but not all, dogs try to tangle with the rodents armed with needlelike quills. When they do, they often end up with a face and/or mouth full of quills. He recommends carrying pliers or a multitool such as a Leatherman to extract quills. Again, a trip to the vet may be necessary depending on the severity of the encounter. He said many people advise cutting the quills with scissors, which is supposed to make them easier to extract.

“I have never found that to be advantageous,” he said. Just grab the quills and pluck them out, if possible. If a dog gets quills in the mouth, remember to check under the tongue and in the back of the throat. “That is a spot where we

Barker may be contacted at ebarker@ lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273. Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker.

MARINES AND FMF CORPSMEN

Past or Present You are cordially invited to attend the next meeting of the MARINE CORPS LEAGUE

September 21, 2019 • 10:00 am Lewiston, Id VFW (1104 Warner Ave.) New members and associate members are welcome.

Check the regulations when you head out in the field and call our office with questions [208] 799-5010 or check idfg.idaho.gov/. Call the CAP hotline 24 hours a day to report violations 1-800-632-5999 and a reminder to ask for permission before crossing or hunting private land. 562565i-19

find them all the time that people have missed,” he said. It’s easy to miss a quill or two, and dogs that get hit by porcupines often require a return visit to the vet to extract hidden quills that begin to fester some days or weeks later. He caries a slip lead that can be used as a makeshift muzzle to avoid getting bit by the dog during the painful process of pulling quills. Bynum also carries a bottle of contact lens solution with him while hunting. The saline solution in a squeeze bottle is useful for cleaning wounds or flushing seeds and other foreign objects out of an eye. A skin stapler can help close a wound and keep it clean. However, Bynum said more serious lacerations, even if cleaned and closed with a stapler, should still be checked out by a vet. Anti-inflammatories like Rimadyl or carprofen are good to have on hand, especially for older dogs, to quell the aches and pains that come with hard, athletic work. Bandaging material like vet-wrap can be helpful as well, though Bynum warns he has seen many cases of complications that arise from bandages being applied too tightly.

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I D AHO O UT LOOK

Withstanding winter’s late snows Late-season storms hit mule deer especially hard, but elk and whitetails both survive By ERIC BARKER OF THE TRIBUNE

lk, mule deer and whitetail deer in Idaho’s Clearwater Region mostly escaped last winter’s late pounding of snow. According to a hunting outlook report compiled by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the animals benefited from mild conditions during the first half of the winter and were mostly able to withstand the late storms that piled snow high.

MULEYS The region’s prime mule deer hunting units, those along the Snake and Salmon river breaks in the western part of the state, require controlled hunt tags. But the agency noted there are smaller muley populations in units like 16A, 17, 19 and 20 where general over-thecounter deer tags can be used. Mule deer across the state had been riding high in recent years. A series of successive mild winters allowed the population to grow. But that changed when Mother Nature served up an epic winter in 201617. The harsh conditions hammered young deer. The next year saw another mild winter, but last year’s late winter storms and cold spring also hit mule deer fawns hard. “That record snowpack that we observed in February did not do the fawns any favors,” said Daryl Meints, the department’s deer and elk coordinator. “It was not like the winter of 2016-17, but we were below the long-term average for fawn survival.” He said only about 46 percent of the fawns radio collared by agency biologists prior to winter survived. However, doe survival was near normal. GRADE: C

WHITETAILS Department officials documented some whitetail deer mortality in the Clearwater Region but noted it was not widespread and hunters in

A nice mule deer makes its way upslope along a stringer of timber. most locations likely won’t detect declines sufficient enough to affect their chances at filling their tags. The harsh late winter conditions were followed by a cool and wet spring that “resulted in very good summer habitat conditions for regional big game herds,” the agency reported in its 2019 statewide and regional deer and elk hunting outlook. The Clearwater Region has healthy numbers of whitetail deer and lots of public land hunting opportunity. In the past, those two factors have combined to produce good hunter success rates and decent harvest rates on mature bucks with four or five points on one side of the antlers. “The most productive whitetail units in the region tend to be those units either at the agriculture/timber interface, or units with substan-

tial timber harvest and a variety of habitats (units 8, 8A, 10A, 11 and 11A),” according to the report. Unit 10A will close earlier than other units popular with whitetail deer hunters. Last year, Idaho Fish and Game commissioners shortened the season in 10A after some hunters complained that the long season, among other factors, was leading to too many bucks being harvested. GRADE: B+

ELK Elk continue to do well in many units that border agricultural ground, such as the Palouse and Dworshak zones, but struggle in the remote backcountry such as the Lolo and Selway zones. Elk herd declines have also been documented in the Elk City and Hells Canyon zones.

Robert Millage Photography

On a statewide basis, elk are doing well, according to the report. Last year, hunters in Idaho harvested 22,325 elk, which ranks as the ninth best year on record. “Elk hunting is good, and it’s been good for a number of years, and I don’t think that’s going to change,” said Meints. He said in general, elk are doing better in front country units and struggling in many of the more remote units. Many hunters have responded and followed the elk. “Elk and elk hunters have redistributed themselves across the landscape,” Meints said. GRADE: B

Barker may be contacted at ebarker@ lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273. Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker.

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IF&G trains its sights on whitetail data New management plan focuses on collecting better information about the elusive deer’s numbers and population dynamics

> More online The plan is available on the department’s website at http://bit.ly/2lYogHi.

biological data on our whitetail populations,” Blanco said. “That is the first step to getBy ERIC BARKER ting whitetails on comparable OF THE TRIBUNE footing with mule deer and elk in terms of the amount of he Idaho Fish and Game time, money and research.” Commission recently He noted hunters harvest approved a whitetail mannearly as many whitetails agement plan that will place as they do mule deer. more emphasis on collect“That is very significant, ing and tracking biological and it’s time we up our game data for the species that a bit in terms of giving them some say has been given the attention they deserve.” short shrift in the past. In the past, the departThe plan that runs through ment has tracked whitetail 2025 calls for the Idaho Dehunter success rates and partment of Fish and Game hunter reports to keep tabs to develop ways to monitor on the species with bushy whitetail deer population white tails they lift and wave numbers and various dynamwhen they sense danger. ics within the population, Blanco said hunters often such as doe-to-fawn and complained to him that the buck-to-doe ratios as well as agency lacked good data on the ratio of mature bucks. whitetails. That included In the past, the agency has information like the number shied away from gathering of whitetail on the landscape such data, largely because as well as the percentage of the thick habitat whitetails older bucks in the population. prefer makes it functionThe agency asks hunters to ally impossible to collect report all the deer they kill, it via traditional methods, if they were does or bucks, such as surveys conducted and if they were bucks how by helicopter overflights. many antler points they had. “We would like to know The agency used the permore about whitetails in cent of five-point bucks in general from a population Robert Millage Photography the harvest reports to deterperspective,” said Daryl A young hunter notches his tag after a succesful whitetail deer hunt. mine how many older bucks Meints, statewide deer and were in the populations. elk coordinator for Fish Whitetail deer hunters per Hunters have objected to that method, pointing and Game at Boise. “We know we can’t get in a that many young bucks with small antlers helicopter and conduct whitetail surveys like we square mile (2016-18) out Potlatch can still have five points on at least one side. do for mule deer in southern Idaho and elk.” Deary Meints acknowledged not all fiveInstead the agency is now using game cameras Elk River 10 Moscow 8A point bucks are mature, but he said the placed throughout whitetail territory to try to come KEY 8 measurement was still valuable. Pierce up with survey techniques that are statistically viOrofino “Not all five-point bucks are equal, able. Cameras have already been deployed across Powell 3.5-7.99 12 Lewiston we know that,” he said. “But we 10A the state to track wolf numbers, and cameras have used it as a long-term trend.” been placed in game management units 1, 6, 10A 11A Kooskia Lowell 1.0-3.49 Now the agency will try to develop a way to 11 and 15 specifically to sample whitetail deer. assess age based on antler size captured in the Agency biologists will also use a tried-and16 17 trail-camera images. Meints said those who antrue method — placing radio-telemetry col0.0-0.99 16A alyze the photos will likely place bucks in three lars on a broad age range of whitetail deer to 13 Grangeville 15 Elk City broad categories — young, medium and old. track their survival and causes of mortality. The data collected will be used to give both Dan Blanco, the former commissioner rep20 managers and commissioners more informa14 resenting the Clearwater Region, was heavily 19 18 tion as they craft hunting season regulations. involved in shaping the latest whitetail plan and 20A Riggins said it will elevate the importance of the species. 19A Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com or “One of the things I think this plan does, after a SOURCE: Idaho Fish & Game Department at (208) 848-2273. Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker. long period of time, it begins to get us collecting

OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

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W AS HIN G T O N OUTL OOK

Hunters likely to find fewer deer, elk in SE part of state Harsh weather in 2016-17 and again last year have taken a toll on Evergreen State’s herds By ERIC BARKER OF THE TRIBUNE

eer and elk numbers in southeastern Washington are still experiencing some effects of harsh weather two winters ago, and the animals were hit again with deep snow and lingering cold temperatures in the late winter and early spring of 2019.

ELK

A bull elk rests its antlers on its back while bugling.

Robert Millage Photography

According to a hunting prospects report published by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, agency biologists counted 4,115 elk during spring surveys in

> See FEWER, Page 9

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FEWER

> Continued from PAGE 8

Asotin, Garfield, Columbia and Walla Walla counties. That is down about 18 percent compared to the prior five-year average of 5,259. They tallied a ratio of 23.8 calves per 100 cows. The calf-to-cow ratio represents an increase compared to surveys in 2017, but is down from the prior five-year averages of 27.8 calves per 100 cows. According to the agency report, the decline is likely attributable to the deep snow last winter, lingering effects of the winter in 2016-17 and predation. According to the report, bull numbers are down “substantially,” and the agency is likely to reduce the number of branch-antlered bull permits it issues in the future. The decline is likely do to harsh conditions during two of the three past winters, combined with normal predation rates and summer droughts. The poor survival of calves during those winters will mean there are fewer young bulls for hunters to pursue. “A slight improvement over 2018

OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

> More online More detailed information is available in the full report at http://bit. ly/2lZeR2f. harvest is expected, but a lowerthan-average number of spike bulls is likely to continue into the 2019 hunting season,” the agency said in its hunting prospects report. GRADE: C

DEER The same harsh winter conditions last year and two winters ago have also led to a decrease in the number of whitetail and mule deer available for hunters. “Although the deer went through January in presumably good condition, we observed significant winterkill across the district, with many ranchers along the Snake and Grande Ronde rivers reporting emaciated and dying deer,” they wrote in the report. “A substantial number of the dead deer investigated were yearlings, so although we may see an average harvest this year, deer herds are still recovering from the effects of the harsh winter in 2016/2017, and the effects of this winter are expected to carry over into

A pair of cow elk are on alert. the 2020 hunting season, due to poor yearling survival and recruitment.” The agency did not document significant die-offs from epizootic hemorrhagic disease, blue tongue or other diseases. But there were a few reports of disease-related

Robert Millage Photography

deer mortality in portions of game management units 149 and 154. GRADE: C

Barker may be contacted at ebarker@ lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273. Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker.

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OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

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OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

F R I D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 1 9

SELF-MADE

ARCHER Clay Hayes has carved a niche as an online expert on all things primitive bow hunting

By ERIC BARKER OF THE TRIBUNE

lay Hayes is a jack-ofall-trades sort of guy. He grew up roaming the swamps and cattle land of Florida, exploring the outdoors and doing his best to learn about wild animals and their habitats. Hayes taught himself to hunt with bows as a youngster, bought a compound bow as a teenager and then, some would say, devolved his hunting weapon of choice. He dropped the hightech compound bow and all the advantages it brings to take up a self-made traditional bow. He eventually became a wildlife biologist and got a job with Idaho Fish and Game at Lewiston. At the same time, he dabbled with making films about traditional bow hunting and woodsmanship on the side. He nurtured and grew a dedicated online following, and his website Twistedstave.com became a go-to place for people like him who prefer scaling hunting down to its essence. “I kind of live in a small niche. Traditional archery is a pretty small community, and my brand of traditional archery — making your own equipment — is an even smaller niche within that niche,” he said. “But the thing about being in a small niche like that, it’s not difficult to be a leader in that. You make good content, you put out good information and people start coming to you. You start gaining recognition of being an authority in that world.” Eventually Hayes found himself

> Clay Hayes, aka Twisted Stave You can find his work at: Website: www.twistedstave. com/ YouTube channel: http://bit.ly/2kpIERl Instagram: @clayhayeshunter with too little time to both do his job with the department and continue to grow his web presence that had progressed into a side business of making videos, providing outdoor tips and teaching traditional bow-building classes at his home near Southwick. So Hayes faced a tough choice. “It eventually got to the point where I was working full time with Fish and Game, and I just couldn’t progress anymore with the side business doing that. So I had to make the decision, do I stay with Fish and Game and kind of just keep this side thing as a side thing? But I thought ‘If I devote myself 100 percent to this, I can make it work’ and kind of took a leap of faith, and it’s working out really good.” Now he and his wife, Liz, and his two boys, Coye, 10, and Finn, 7, split time between north central Idaho and Florida or wherever his work might take him. “As long as I have an internet connection, I’m good to go,” he said. He teaches classes in Idaho and Florida; his specialty is primitive bows in general and specifically self-bows.

“Technically, a self-bow is a bow that doesn’t have a backing,” he said. “It’s a self-backed bow.” Hayes explains that wooden bows, when drawn, are under a tremendous amount of pressure in two distinct and opposite ways — tension and compression. “When I draw this bow, back here is under tension; it’s trying to pull apart,” he said. “The belly is trying to be crushed.” He uses Osage orange, a shrubby tree from the Midwest, to make self-bows. “There is two areas that a really good bow wood has to excel in. That is tension — the ability to resist pulling apart — and compression — the ability to resist being crushed,” he said. “Osage is great in both of those forces.”

> See ARCHER, Page 14

F R I D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 1 9

OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

Tribune/Pete Caster

Students of Clay Hayes signed a wall in his shop after taking his weeklong course on bow making.

Just what’s in Clay Hayes’ elk hunting day pack? By ERIC BARKER OF THE TRIBUNE

ABOVE: Clay Hayes looks on as his two boys Finn, 7 (center), and Coye, 10, aim their arrows at a foam deer target about 10 yards away, at their home near Southwick on Aug. 27. Finn Hayes, 7, holds up an apple which he pierced through the middle with an arrow he shot from about 10 yards away. Tribune/Pete Caster

lay Hayes likes to go light but have enough gear to both survive an unexpected night out in the wilds and deal with an elk if he is lucky enough to get one down. “I don’t like to carry a bunch of stuff with me. I like to be lightweight; I like to be mobile. The total weight of this pack with all the stuff in there is only 12 pounds,” he said. “I don’t usually carry a bunch of water with me, because where we hunt there is a bunch of streams, and I just carry a water filter and use that.” He carries a bugle tube to call bulls. His is simply a whiffle ball bat with the ends cut off and covered with vet-wrap to dampen the sound of brush scraping against it. “Bugle tubes are just whiffle ball bats that sell for $45. You can get this at Walmart for like

> More online For a video on “What’s in my day pack,” visit http://bit.ly/2m0g0GX $3 and cut the ends off and you are good to go,” he said. He carries a paper topographical map and prefers it to a GPS device. “You can spread it out and see all the benches and valleys, and it’s not on a little bitty screen. Topo maps don’t run out of batteries. It will always be there with you.” He often carries a compass and is never without a headlamp. Almost never. “I made the mistake one time of forgetting my headlamp and had an elk on the ground in the evening, and skinning out an elk in the dark is something that will teach you not to forget your

headlamp,” he said. He also carries a tiny keychain photon light in his pack as a spare. He has a carbide knife sharpener. “It’s really handy for keeping an edge on your knife,” he said. “An elk is a big critter. They’ve got a lot of hair, and hair dulls a knife.” Hayes glued a piece of leather to the back of it to use as a strope. “A lot of times you don’t need to sharpen your knife,” he said. “You are just hitting it on this strope, and it’s enough to bring that edge back.” One key piece of equipment is a container, known as a Bot, made by Vargo Outdoors. “It’s a water bottle, it’s a cook pot, it’s a storage unit. Versatility is one of the things I look for in my gear. If I have the option to carry one item that is going

> See PACK, Page 14

OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

F R I D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 1 9

ARCHER > Continued from PAGE 12

Other woods used in bow making might excel at one or another. Juniper, for instance, is great for compression but not the best at tension. So to compensate, bow makers laminate a backing on it made out of sinew or another wood. Hayes recently converted a self-bow he made last year into a bow with a backing. He used the back strap sinew from a bull that he killed with the bow last fall, to add to its ability to withstand tension. For him, that is the beauty of making your own gear. “It just kind of builds a neat little story. Most people don’t have that kind of depth in their hunting equipment,” he said. Nor do they experience the degree of difficulty involved in hunting with primitive equipment or the intimacy of being super close to game. Hayes said his range for an elk is about 20 to 30 yards. For a whitetail deer that can jump out of the way of a flying arrow, it’s even closer. The arrows will travel much farther than his

Tribune/Pete Caster

Clay Hayes retrieves an arrow from the brush near a target at his home near Southwick. range. But without the numerous aids, such as stabilizers and sights, that are common on modern bows, accuracy decreases.

“It’s more difficult to master these types of bows, but the real difficulty in killing game is getting close, because there is a world of difference

between 70 yards and 20, even 30 and 20,” he said. “The closer you get to a big game animal, the less margin for error you have. The difficul-

PACK

> Continued from PAGE 13

Tribune/Pete Caster

With his son Finn, 7, (left) watching, Clay Hayes aims a traditional bow and arrow — which he made himself — at a target nearly 30 yards away at their home near Southwick.

to do multiple jobs, then I am going to pick that item. It just saves space and weight.” If it’s cold, he carries a small stove that attaches to a small isopro fuel canister. He can use it to mix up a freezedried meal or just to boil water for a cup of tea. The water for tea or meal is boiled in the Bot. A small water filter eliminates the need to carry large volumes of water. When it comes to survival and utility, paracord is one of the most important items in his pack. Hayes goes with military specifica-

ty of kind of existing in an area and not spooking the game just increases exponentially the closer you get.” He also values the simplicity of primitive equipment. “If I am careless, and I rake a broadhead (a razor-sharp, metal arrowhead) across my string and cut it and I’m out on a backcountry hunt, well I just pull another string out of my pocket and away I go,” he said. “On a compound, no. You are packing your butt up and going to the bow shop. You are not going to fix that in the woods. You need a bow press and tools and all that stuff.” And there is just something cool about weapons that have been around for as long as people have pursued game. “I like the aesthetics, the romance of it, I guess,” he said. “And it’s fun. Shooting a stick bow is fun.” In the accompanying story, Hayes shares some tips about the gear he carries that can be used by all hunters, whether they hunt with bows or modern rifles. For that matter, it’s good advice for anybody venturing into the backcountry.

Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273. Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker.

tion paracord he says is much higher quality that commercial cords. The good stuff has nine nylon strands in the center of the outer sheath. If needed, he can pull the inner strands out, separate them and use a single strand for emergency fishing line or to stitch something up. “On my hunting boots, I’ve actually got my laces replaced with paracord,” he said. “That gives me an extra 12 feet.” He carries small steel rings to pair with the cord to make a blockand-tackle, useful for maneuvering a dead elk or hanging elk quarters or his pack to keep it away from bears. A blister can ruin a hunt. Hayes heads off blisters by covering hot spots on his feet, should they develop, with

medical tape. “You can make it so you don’t get a blister,” he said. He always has a lighter with a few wraps of duct tape around it. He also caries a ferrocerium rod, as a backup fire starter. “A lot of people call this flint and steel, but it has nothing to do with flint and steel,” he said. “You can take this and put it on a carbon steel blade and make sparks with it.” A big, sturdy trash bag serves multiple purposes. It can be used to create a makeshift shelter in foul weather or as a tarp to lay elk quarters on. Of course he always has a pocket knife, some foul weather clothing and game bags in the pack as well.

F R I D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 1 9

OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

U P L A N D B IRDS OUTL OOK

Mixed bag for Idaho’s feathered game with cold temperatures and hits soon after broods have hatched, it can lead to widespread chick mortality. If that happens early enough, the birds often have a second brood. “I would say we probably had some that were probably hit early (with By ERIC BARKER cold, wet weather), and they always OF THE TRIBUNE renest a second time. A renesting would have been more successful,” pland bird populations in Ashling said. “I think overall numnorth central Idaho are likebers are up a little bit from last year.” ly to be similar to last year, acBiologists conducting the survey cording to Idaho Department counted 24 pheasants, up 83 perof Fish and Game officials. cent from last year’s dismal Recently completed count of 13, but a 37 percent surveys, in which biologists decrease compared to the drive predetermined routes 10-year average of 38.1. around dawn and count During the surveys, the number of birds and biologists counted 61 gray broods they observe, show partridge, also known as a slight uptick in pheasant Hungarian partridge or and gray partridge numbers Huns. That compares to 59 compared to last year, but counted last year or a 3 perstill well behind the longcent increase. The long-term term averages. Numbers of Jana Ashling average for Huns is 102.5. California quail were down. Quail were off by 42 perAlthough the agency doesn’t concent compared to last year. Biologists duct formal surveys of chukar popucounted 85 birds this year and 146 in lations, anecdotal information indi2018. The long-term average is 161.7. cates the birds that inhabit dry river Last year was a good one for canyons of the region are doing well. chukars. Ashling said reports from Jana Ashling, a biologist for the biologists in the field and people department, said all of the results recreating on the Snake and Salmshould be taken with a grain of salt, on rivers indicate the population because the agency hasn’t estabis likely healthy again this fall. lished they are a reliable repre“Chukars are looking good. Maysentation of bird numbers. But be not as fantastic as last year, but they can give a hint to hunters who still good,” she said. “I’ve been will soon be taking to the field. hearing from folks in the office that “You have to interpret (the data) they are still seeing some pretty very cautiously,” Ashling said. good chukar numbers, and I anShe said this past spring had a lot ticipate people will have nearly as of cool and wet weather, which can good of a season as last year.” be both a positive and negative to ground-nesting birds. The wet weathBarker may be contacted at ebarker@ er makes for healthy insect populalmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273. tions and good growth of vegetation. But if the sogginess is combined Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker.

Pheasant population is up a tick and chukars should be plentiful, Idaho Fish & Game ofﬁcials report

> 2019 upland bird survey results from north central Idaho

Robert Millage Photography

A quail sits on a fence post. Quail numbers are down this year according to surveys by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Pheasant and gray partridge are up slighty compared to a year ago and chukar hunters should ﬁnd plenty of birds.

SPECIES

2018

2019

% CHANGE

10-YEAR AVE.

% CHANGE

Pheasants Huns Quails Doves

13 59 146 444

24 61 85 261

� 85

� 37 � 40

� 42

38.1 102.5 161.7

� 38

417.7

� 38

SOURCE: IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

�3

� 78

OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

F R I D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 1 9

W ATE RFO W L OUTL OOK

Duck, geese numbers take a slight dip Hunter can expect a season similar to last year’s By ERIC BARKER OF THE TRIBUNE

Two mallard ducks, a female (left) and a male (center), sit on rocks near a river.

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aterfowl hunters can expect a season similar to last year’s, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service population surveys analyzed by the hunting and conservation organization Ducks Unlimited. Wikipedia The overall North American waterfowl population

totaled 38.9 million breeding ducks, about 6 percent lower than last year’s count but 10 percent above the long-term average. Mallard numbers were up 2 percent, gadwalls were up 13 percent and green-winged teal numbers improved by 4 percent over 2018. But blue-winged teal

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> Continued from PAGE 16 dropped 16 percent, northern shovelers were off 13 percent, pintails were down 4 percent and scaup were off by 10 percent. Regionally, numbers of breeding ducks were down 12 percent in Washington and off 14 percent in Oregon. But British Columbia saw an 18 percent jump in its numbers. Montana and the western Dakotas were up by 7 percent. “Overall both total ponds and total populations of breeding waterfowl in the Prairie Pothole Region were down slightly,” Ducks Unlimited chief scientist Tom Moorman said in a news release. “However, important breeding areas in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan were much drier than last year, which contributes to reduced numbers of breeding waterfowl

observed in the survey.” Moorman also noted that the eastern portion of the Dakotas had good waterfowl habitat and mallards, blue-winged teal, gadwalls, northern shovelers and northern pintails did well there. “Typically, when the Dakotas are wet and southern Alberta and Saskatchewan are dry, we see the aforementioned species settle in the Dakotas, reminding us that we must conserve habitat across the prairies, because it is rare for the entire Prairie Pothole Region to be wet. Ultimately, however, hunting success and numbers of birds observed will vary with the onset of fall and winter cold fronts and arrival of winter conditions necessary to force birds to migrate, and also with regional habitat conditions.” The annual survey noted that the Canadian prairies were drier than normal, but the U.S. prairies experienced near normal precipitation. Idaho’s duck and goose

OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019 seasons opens Oct. 12 and runs through Jan. 24 in Area 1, which encompasses most of the state with the exception of Valley County and most of eastern Idaho that are in Area 2. Area 2 opens Oct. 5 and runs through Jan. 15. In Area 3, which includes Bear Lake County and most of Caribou County, a geese-only season, opens Oct. 5 and runs through Jan. 2. In eastern Washington a one-day youth-only waterfowl season will be held Sept. 28. Duck season will be open statewide in Washington Oct. 12-30 and from Nov. 2 to Jan. 26. Washington’s goose season in Management Area 5, which is divided into three separate blocks and includes the state’s southeastern corner, will be open Oct. 12-28 and from Nov. 2 to Jan. 26.

Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273. Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker.

STILL MISSING ~ FaLL 2019

> 2019 Waterfowl survey In millions of ducks. SPECIES

2018 COUNT

2019 COUNT

PERCENTAGE % CHANGE FROM CHANGE LONG-TERM AVG.

Mallard

9.255

9,423

2

 19

Gadwall

2.886

3,258

 13

 61

American Wigeon

2.820

2.832

——

8

Green-winged teal

3.043

3.178

4

Blue-winged teal

6.450

5,427

 16

6

Northern shoveler

4.208

3,649

 13

 39

Northern pintail

2.365

2.268

4

 42

Redhead

0.999

0.732

 27

——

Canvasback

0.686

0.651

5

 10

Scaup

3.989

3.590

 10

 28

Total ducks

41.193

38.899

6

 10

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OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

F R I D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 1 9

COOKIN G YO UR TA K E / R ECIP ES O N P AG E 1 9 >

Grillin’ and chillin’ in Anatone Outdoor guides and cafe owners Julie and Travis De Boer share a couple of their favorite wild game recipes By ERIC BARKER OF THE TRIBUNE

ravis and Julie De Boer know something about wild game cooking. The couple enjoys archery hunting big game, pursuing upland game birds and fly fishing on area rivers in their spare time, and they cook a wide range of dishes for a living. They operate Canyon Ops, a guide service on the Snake and Grande Ronde rivers. In 2018, they opened the Anatone Trading Post and Cafe in Anatone, where patrons can get anything from a cheeseburger and fries to a smoked and seared tri-tip steak. The cafe serves dinner and lunch on weekdays and adds breakfast on the weekends. The cafe is open six days a week: Travis and Julie take Tuesdays off to either catch up on errands or head to the water or mountains to pursue fish and game. Travis is a former U.S. Army Airborne Ranger. He attended culinary school after a military injury left him with the prospect of limited mobility with one of his arms. While in school, he worked in restaurants as a sous chef. But his injury healed enough that he decided to ditch the stress of a cooking career for one guiding anglers in river canyons of the Northwest. He and Julie opened Guerrilla Guide Service and later changed the name to Canyon Ops Guiding Service. They often traveled to Alaska for part of the year to guide and work in remote lodges. In May of last year they gave up the nomadic lifestyle

Courtesy of Travis DeBoer

Travis and Julie De Boer with a lahontan cutthroat trout that Julie caught at Pyramid Lake in Nevada. The couple run Anatone Trading Post and Cafe at Anatone, Canyon Ops Guide Service and are avid hunters and anglers.

> More online https://www.facebook.com/AnatoneTradingPostandCafe/ http://www.granderondesteelhead.com/ https://www.facebook.com/canyonops/ Instagram: @anatonetradingpost and opened the restaurant at the former location of the Blue Mountain Cafe, as a complement to the guiding business. Travis meets clients

at the cafe, and they take sack lunches with them on fishing trips. Other anglers and guides often stop there for a meal or just a beer after a hard

day on the water, and Travis said the cafe is a favorite of locals and many who live in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley. “Our eclectic skill sets from traveling around and guiding all somehow came full circle and put us exactly where we are cut out to be,” he said. “It’s all been shockingly well received. It’s been overwhelmingly positive.” When not working, they en-

joy tinkering with recipes. On the next page are two of their favorites featuring wild game — a reverse-seared venison back strap with gorgonzola béchamel by Travis and a seared and braised chukar with carrot bisque by Julie.

Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273. Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker.

F R I D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 1 9

OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

W I L D G A ME RE CIP ES Seared and braised chukar with carrot bisque and spicy Italian sausage

Reverse-seared deer or elk steak with a gorgonzola béchamel, a simple pan sauce

eason and brown, but do not fully cook, a chukar breast in a hot pan. Remove and set aside. Saute 2 cups of carrots and half of a diced onion in butter. Add and brown spicy Italian sausage if desired. Deglaze the browned bits in the pan (known as the fond) with ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar. Before the vinegar reduces too far, add about 2 Courtesy Travis De Boer cups of water. Return the Chukars from the hunt, chukar to the pan, cover and ready to be cleaned, braise for a few hours. Remove the bird and dressed and prepared. sausage and set aside. Remove the carrots and onions and place in blender. Add just enough liquid to blend mixture until it reaches the consistency of fine baby food. Return mixture to pan with the remaining liquid and reduce until thickened, then add 1 cup of heavy cream. Reduce a bit more. Plate the birds and smother in sauce. Pair with an oaky chardonnay or a sweet riesling.

ravis De Boer recommends this technique for any quality red meat. The idea is to cook it low and slow in a smoker and then finish it with a high-temperature sear in a cast iron pan or broiler. He said the low and slow cook keeps the meat tender and imparts a smoky flavor, while the sear at the end adds a caramelized flavor and texture. “I did this last night with a really tough piece of mule deer, and it fixed any and all problems the old girl had with regard to tenacious connective tissue,” he said. “It came out like filet mignon from a high-end specimen.” Start by wrapping any high-quality game meat, preferably back strap, in bacon and put it in a smoker at about 170 degrees. Smoke until the steak attains an internal temperature of about 110 degrees. The initial cook can take an hour or two, depending on the thickness of the cut. The next step is an important one that is often skipped — but don’t, he said. Rest the meat for about half an hour. When properly rested, sear the meat for one to two minutes per side or until you attain your desired level of doneness. “I use a professional-grade broiler or if that’s not an option a good cast iron pan,” Travis said. “Most home barbecue grills do not achieve or maintain a hot enough environment for really pro-quality sear, so cast iron is a fantastic option.” Let the finished steaks rest another five or 10 minutes before serving.

GORGANZOLA CREAM SAUCE Pour 1 cup of heavy cream into a pan on medium-high heat and reduce, stirring “dang near constantly, as it likes to boil over.” Season with salt to taste. When the cream reduces enough to uniformly

Courtesy Travis De Boer

TOP PHOTO: Bacon-wrapped venison back strap smoked and ready for reverse sear. BOTTOM PHOTO: The finished product served with a side of gorgonzola béchamel. cover a spoon, add cup of gorgonzola (or your favorite blue cheese) and stir constantly until it is uniformly melted and thick enough to dip your steak into. “It’s no secret that blue

cheese can be a great complement to red meat, and this is especially so with lean wild game meats — a perfect match for a hardearned treasure,” he said. Pair with a good malbec.

Courtesy Travis De Boer

Grilled and braised chukar with carrot bisque and spicy Italian sausage.

OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

F R I D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 1 9

THE BENEFITS OF FIRE Forest ofﬁcials say this year’s prescribed burns will pay elk dividends in future By ERIC BARKER OF THE TRIBUNE

anagers on the Nez PerceClearwater National Forest said they are pleased with the elk-friendly prescribed burns they were able to implement on remote areas of the North Fork Ranger District in recent weeks. With this year’s nearly nonexistent wildfire season, the agency was able to start four prescribed burns last month. They started fires in the Barnard Junction area near Kelly Creek, another in the Moose and Kelly Creek areas, one at Long Creek near Hoodoo Pass and one in Weitas Creek. Each of them were designed to improve elk habitat by scorching mature brush fields and taking out some mature trees to create elk-friendly ground. Initial reports indicate the burns Andrew have been successful. Skowlund “The comment I got back from my fire management officer and our fuels/assistant fire management officer was ‘You couldn’t ask for better effects,’ ” said North Fork District Ranger Andrew Skowlund. “They just went really, really well.” Elk populations in backcountry areas of the forest have been flagging for decades. The blame as been split between declining habitat conditions and pressure from predators like wolves, mountain lions and bears. At the urging of Idaho Fish and Game officials, U.S. Forest Service managers have been trying for years to accomplish prescribed burns in parts of the forest that are generally off limits to logging or where logging doesn’t make ecological or economic sense. Massive wildfires in the first half of the 20th century created large

> See FIRE, Page 21

ABOVE: Smoke rises from the Barnard Junction prescribed ﬁre above Kelly Creek on the Nez PerceClearwater National Forest. The burn and others on the forest are designed to improve elk habitat. U.S. Forest Service/Gregg Goodland

LEFT: A bull elk bugles during the rut. Robert Millage Photography

F R I D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 1 9

FIRE

> Continued from PAGE 20 brush fields, full of the kind of plants elk favor, across much of the forest. Elk populations boomed correspondingly. But the vegetation grew tall as the decades passed, sometimes making it difficult for even elk to reach. The plants also lost some of their appeal to elk. Young trees that followed the fires matured into middle-aged trees, and the forest, once rife with openings, started to close in. Elk suffered as a result. Forest and game managers want to use prescribed fire and managed natural fire to spur new growth in the brush fields that have grown mature and are no longer as palatable or nutritious as they once were to deer and elk and to create openings adjacent to forested areas so elk can better see predators while grazing but also have cover to escape into. “The primary objective is to enhance the elk habitat in this area, and what that entails is setting back some of the brush species that are in more of a mature state. What you want to do is knock them down and let that regrowth start again,” said Gregg Goodland, a Forest Service spokesman who specializes in fire. “Another element is to create openings for the elk and create that edge effect and give them safe areas for grazing.” But starting prescribed burns can be difficult. That is especially true on the North Fork district, known for its moisture. Fuels on much of the district don’t dry enough to carry flames until late in the summer, but by that time there are often fires burning across the region and even throughout the West, stretching resources and plaguing communities with smoke. This summer’s lack of fires, and accompanying smoke, presented a green light for burning. Still, forest

officials faced an unexpected obstacle. With fire managers poised to start burns in several units, a train of mid-August storms drenched the fuels and pushed the start date back about two weeks. A drying trend that followed allowed them to light prescribed fires, starting in the last week of the month. The fires have since been hit with more rain but are all still active. At last report, the Barnard Junction prescribed fire had burned 450 acres, Moose Kelly 350 acres, Weitas 500 acres and Long Creek 250 acres. Although the ground covered is modest, Skowlund said it should have a positive impact. The fires are expected to burn moderately until a season-ending rain or snow event snuffs them out. “It definitely reset some of that decadent brush out there,” he said. “I think our outfitters and guides are going to be very happy. I think the hunting public will be very happy. It’s not an immediate benefit. It won’t be until next summer when the brush and forage is reset and much more lush.” He said the habitat diversity created by the burns will also benefit other species. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation helped pay for the burns. Skowlund said the agency has approved plans to burn more areas in the future, and it’s working on environmental documenation on others. “We are in the process of doing the environmental analysis and compliance for several additional projects coming online, with the goal being we basically have all of our roadless areas across the North Fork District covered under some sort of (National Environmental Policy Act) decisions so we can take advantage of burn windows and those opportunities as they arise.”

Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273. Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker.

OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

Chieko Hara/The Porterville Recorder via AP, File

In this photo taken Nov. 16, 2018, Duane Townsend (left) shoots a pheasant at Special Friday Pheasant Hunts, sponsored by Southern Tulare County Sportsman’s Association, at Lake Success Recreation Area in Porterville, Calif. A Utah man who has been in a wheelchair for more than three decades has created a pheasant hunt for people like him who need help getting into the outdoors.

Utah man organizes hunting event for wheelchair users ASSOCIATED PRESS

PROVO, Utah — A Utah man who has been in a wheelchair for more than three decades has created a pheasant hunt for people like him who need help getting into the outdoors. Clint Robinson broke his neck after being thrown off a horse at a rodeo 32 years ago. He’s done his best to keep getting into the outdoors to hunt and fish, the Daily Herald in Provo reports. The event he calls “Wheelchairs in the Wild” pairs people that have physical disabilities with hunters who help them with whatever they need. Many go in off-road vehicles. “What we’re trying to do is get new injured, handicapped people back out into the field, trying to get them back out, enjoying the outdoors and wildlife that’s out there and show them that there’s other things that they can do besides sitting in the house doing nothing,” Robinson said. The youngest hunter at last year’s event was 13-year-old Missy Cowley who has spina bifida. Her father loves to hunt but

didn’t know how to accommodate her wheelchair. Her mother, Cindy Cowley, said it was amazing to find a program that allowed her daughter to go hunting. “We always told her when she was little, you can do everything you want to do ... but we just got to figure out a way,” Cindy Cowley said. “(But) we really did not know how we were going to get her up there to (hunt).” Missy Cowley said it was a great experience that also allowed her to meet other people who use wheelchairs. “I was like, this is awesome. I can actually do it,” Missy said. “It was really fun. And I love being outdoors.” Division of Wildlife Resources law enforcement officer Jerry Schlappi, who helped with the event, said Robinson is a perfect role model showing other wheelchair users with disabilities that they don’t have to give up what they love. “He’s never let his disability or whatever slow him down,” Schlappi said. “I think his whole thing is just giving people an opportunity and showing them that they can still do it.”

OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

Briefly

Steelhead passage: 2019

ELK CITY — Forest Service Road No. 311 southeast of here and west of Dixie Summit is closed for a bridge construction project at Big Creek. The road is closed for about 100 feet on either side of the creek at Mile Marker 10.5. The bridge is being replaced for public safety. Forest Service officials identified stability issues that could lead to bridge failure. The work is scheduled to be complete by the end of September.

223,328 130,505 92,604 2014

2015

77,650

2017

2018

61,104 2019

200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

5 163,969

149,284 84,501 49,278 48,222 2015

2016

2017

2018

John Day 150 135 120 105 90 75 60 45 30 15 0

32,061 2019

6 127,685

107,356 61,332 28,207 33,687 2015

2016

I N T HOUS ANDS

The Dalles

2017

Sledders to conduct swap meet Saturday at Pomeroy fairgrounds POMEROY — The Mount Misery Snowdrifters will hold a power sports swap from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat-

2018

18,055 2019

McNary 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

99,160

91,965 47,716 17,772 2015

2016

2017

27,557 13,810 2018

2019

Ice Harbor

100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

8 63,344

51,811

28,850 8,092

2015

2016

2017

13,629 2018

6,449 2019

Lower Monumental 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

I N T HOUS ANDS

243,324

I N T HOUS ANDS

250 225 200 175 150 125 100 75 50 25

IN THOUSANDS

Bridge building will close Forest Service road near Elk City

Bonneville

IN THOU SANDS

SPOKANE — PotlatchDeltic Corp. lifted its summertime ban on campfires and open burning on its Idaho property. Even though cooler temperatures and recent rain have reduced fire risk, PotlatchDeltic officials are urging forest users to be cautious and responsible with fires when using its land. Additional information about PotlatchDeltic’s Idaho properties can be found online at www. potlatchdeltic.com.

Counts updated Sept. 12

10-YEAR AVERAGE

9 55,684

44,092

23,763 7,151

2015

2016

urday at the the Garfield County Fairgrounds here. Those interested in selling power sport vehicles or equipment can contact Emily Ruchert at (509) 566-7019 or weberuchert@gmail.com. The cost to have a booth at the swap is $25 for private

2017

13,844 2018

I N THOUS ANDS

STEPTOE BUTTE — Members of the Canyon Birders will lead an all-day bird-watching trip here Saturday. Those interested in attending can meet at the west end of the parking lot at the Walla Walla Community College Clarkston campus at 7:30 a.m. or in the Dissmore’s IGA parking lot in Pullman at 8:30 a.m. for carpooling. Those who attend are advised to bring a lunch, snacks, drinks and a Washington Discover Pass if they plan on driving.

5,825 2019

IN THOU SANDS

Canyon Birders to venture to Steptoe Butte on Saturday

Corporation halts its summertime campfire ban on Idaho land

F R I D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 1 9

Little Goose 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

43,205

32,277 18,106 4,490 2015

2016

2017

10,181 2018

3,826 2019

Lower Granite 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

36,043 23,021 15,374 3,368 2015

2016

2017

8,273 2018

3,599 2019

Priest Rapids 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

vendors and $50 for commercial vendors. Sellers can set up from 1-8 p.m. today or from 6:30-8:30 a.m. Saturday. There is a $5 per vehicle entry fee for those who want to attend and shop at the swap. The club is also having

12,730 10,063 4,373 2015

2016

2,489 2017

3,423 2018

2,119 2019

a vintage snowmobile and motorcycle show in conjunction with the swap. All profits go to supporting the club’s scholarship fund, club activities and local charities. Food will be available for purchase.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

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OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

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OUTDOORS / HUNTING 2019

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