Cs2 16 by Media Index Publishing Group

Worrisome SHAKE-UP On Fish & Game Commission

TARGET: VARMINTS CALIFORNIA COYOTES, FOX & BOBCATS

FANTASTIC FEBRUARY FISHING! SoCal Trout Bay Area Stripers Largies From Shore

Hollywood Hunter FREDDY HARTEIS’ Safari Adventure FROM

SOUTHLAND TO

SOUTH AFRICA

Also Inside

ARIZONA Javelina WILD CHEF’S Boar Chops A BIRD DOG’S Final Retrieve

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Sportsman

California Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource

Volume 8 • Issue 5 PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Dick Openshaw EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott

Providing the highest quality LED lighting for the most affordable prices.

EDITOR Chris Cocoles CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Brittany Boddington LEAD WRITER Tim E. Hovey CONTRIBUTORS Bill Adelman, Steve Carson, Jeremiah Doughty, Bart Hall, Brad Hall, Art Isberg, Bill Schaefer, Mike Stevens SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Grifﬁn, Steve Joseph, Garn Kennedy, Mike Smith, Paul Yarnold PRODUCTION MANAGER Sonjia Kells DESIGNERS Ciara Pickering, Sam Rockwell, Liz Weickum PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Kelly Baker INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines OFFICE MANAGER/ACCOUNTING Audra Higgins ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Sauro INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn CIRCULATION MANAGER Heidi Belew

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ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@calsportsmanmag.com CORRESPONDENCE Email ccocoles@media-inc.com Twitter @CalSportsMan Facebook.com/californiasportsmanmagazine ON THE COVER The Hollywood Hunter, Freddy Harteis, made his third trip to the African continent in 2015, and while he harvested plenty of plains game (and donated much of the meat), the overall experience of being South Africa and bonding with the locals made it even more enriching. (CLINT EASLEY/PEAK PHOTOGRAPHY) MEDIA INC PUBLISHING GROUP CALIFORNIA OFFICE 4517 District Blvd. • Bakersﬁeld, CA 93313 (661) 381-7533 WASHINGTON OFFICE P.O. Box 24365 • Seattle, WA 98124-0365 14240 Interurban Ave. S., Suite 190 Tukwila, WA 98168 OREGON OFFICE 8116 SW Durham Rd • Tigard, OR 97224 (206) 382-9220 • (800) 332-1736 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com • www.media-inc.com

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calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

CONTENTS

VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 5

WINTER TROUT TRICKS Southern California, much like its neighbor to the north, has been getting pounded by desperately needed El Niñogenerated rain. That bodes well for water-quenched lakes that are teeming with trout. Our resident guru of the Southland Craig Adkinson offers some tips. (CRAIG ADKINSON)

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 29 31 33 57 67 73 75 87 103 113

Fred Hall Shows 70 years later Bakersﬁeld sportsman show preview Lighting up your outdoor gear San Diego largemouth bass preview El Niño still aﬀecting wahoo bite SoCal yellowtail action heating up Chasing California’s big three predators Javelina hunt in the Arizona desert Q&A with an Elk Grove taxidermist Mapping out big game hot spots

DEPARTMENTS 13 35 37 95 96

The Editor’s Note Protecting Wild California: Fish and Game Commission turnover a concern for hunters’ voice Daiwa, Browning Photo Contest winners The Wild Chef: A Valentine’s Day boar dish Urban Huntress: Beaches and bucks of Mauritius

FEATURES 14

PLAINS GAME PARTY Freddy Harteis – aka The Hollywood Hunter – has made three memorable safaris (the ﬁrst with his late father, Fred Sr.). As Harteis explains in this recap, the harvesting of several plains games species, including gemsbuck, springbok and nyala, isn’t as signiﬁcant to him as the cultural perspective he and his good friend soaked up trekking through South Africa.

ALL ASHORE! With winter in full force, our trout

man Mike Stevens takes his fishing talents to plenty of bass-filled lakes and reminds anglers without a boat not to fret. Shore fishing for fat largemouth is actually a pretty productive option to catch a few lunkers until trout season beckons in a couple of months.

EARN THOSE STRIPES In and around San Francisco Bay and the Delta, striped bass are among the most popular targets for anglers this time of year. Bill Adelman is a veteran in these waters and has

all the ins and outs for bringing home a stringer of stripers.

115

A MAN AND HIS DOG One of Brad Hall’s buddies let him know of a possible canine hunting companion, a stray Chesapeake Bay retriever. It wasn’t love at ﬁrst sight, but Rusty became an eﬃcient bird dog and, more importantly, a loving family pet through good times and bad.

California Sportsman goes digital! Read California Sportsman on your desktop or mobile device. Only $1.89 an issue. Go to www.calsportsmanmag.com/digital California Sportsman is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Avenue South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Send address changes to California Sportsman, PO Box 24365, Seattle, WA 98124. Annual subscriptions are $29.95 (12 issues), 2-year subscription are $39.95 (24 issues). Send check or money order to Media Index Publishing Group, or call (206) 3829220 with VISA or M/C. Back issues are available at Media Index Publishing Group ofﬁces at the cost of $5 plus shipping. Display Advertising. Call Media Index Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Index Publishing Group and will not be returned. Copyright © 2015 Media Index Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A. 10 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

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THEEDITOR’SNOTE

Sharkie was the editor’s best friend for almost 12 years before he passed away in October. (CHRIS COCOLES)

hen correspondent Brad Hall pitched his story idea to me – “I lost my hunting dog of 15 years Labor Day weekend,” he said – it couldn’t have come at a worse time. Or maybe in hindsight it was the perfect time to offer me some perspective. This was the middle of September, and I was enduring dogrelated medical problems of my own. Sharkie, around 13 and with me for the previous 12 years, had recently been diagnosed with a tumor against his spleen; I was pondering whether or not to have surgery, given his age. So needless to say, I told Brad I wanted to run the story but would hold onto it until later. As for Sharkie, my vet warned that there was no guarantee the operation would prolong his life very long, or that he would even be strong enough to survive. But I felt like we’d been through too much together to not try. Sharkie, a Rhodesian ridgeback mix, wasn’t the accomplished hunting dog that Brad’s Rusty was (though with the way he chased squirrels perhaps he missed his calling). But he was my best friend just the same. We kept each other exercising; we road-tripped halfway across the country twice; I took him to an Oakland A’s Bark at the Park night; we shared bowls of ice cream – he waited for me so he could lick the remnants – and in the Windy City, we took a dog-themed boat tour of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River that was one of the most adorable scenes of hot-mess chaos I’ve ever been a part of. When he showed the first symptoms of being sick and then deteriorated into a life-threatening condition, I mentally prepared for the worst. Brad’s story told me a lot about the relationship between humans and their pets. As you’ll find out, Rusty, a Chesapeake Bay retriever, did so much more for his owner than track down harvested birds. He was an integral part of the Hall family. Rusty eventually had the best possible ending for any living creature – he died of old age. That’s how I viewed it – albeit with red eyes and a hole in my heart – when Sharkie was just too weak to fully recover from his surgery. On a Friday morning in October, his heart stopped and he was gone. But he’ll never be forgotten. As I type this in mid-January from my couch, Emma, my new German shepherd/Lab rescue dog, is lying down next to me. I’ve told her all about her older brother and how we’ll enjoy similar adventures. And I know somewhere Sharkie and Rusty are raising hell together. –Chris Cocoles calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

FREDDY’S AFRICAN

ADVENTURE

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HUNTING THE HOLLYWOOD HUNTER RETURNS FOR A PLAINS GAME SAFARI By Chris Cocoles

n three African safaris, like most hunters who travel there, Freddy Harteis has harvested a lot of animals. But the man known as the Hollywood Hunter – he was born in Pennsylvania but lives in Los Angeles with his TV talk show host wife, Jeannie Mai – can write a screenplay about what he’s witnessed when not tracking springbok, gemsbuck and nyala. Consider that Harteis’ Hollywood Hunter Sportsman Channel series (he also appeared on the December 2014 cover of California Sportsman) has taken him all around North America and beyond during the show’s five-plusyear run. But there’s been something special about his trips to Zimbabwe – when he hunted with his late father, Fred – and his latest adventure in South Africa. “To me, it’s not so much about the kill or the harvest,” says Harteis, who on his multiple pilgrimages to the African continent has gotten something different out of each hunt. When he went with his dad in 2000 celebrating the son’s college graduation, Harteis was unsure of the totally different world he was about to step into. He calls it a humbling experience (about the only downer was he fell ill with symptoms of bubonic plague and malaria on the flight home). The memories of that family vacation tugged at him two years ago when he joined his close friend, Matt Lingle, and his 9-year-old son, Elliott. “I learned how valuable it is to create lifetime memories with a father and son,” Harteis says. “I couldn’t help but reflect from the time when my father took me because I had lost him three years ago. The trip was around the anniversary of his death.” He and Lingle returned last year with the intention of hunting an African lion, but they had to cancel those plans (see sidebar). While the itinerart shifted to plains game, the cultural experience of engaging with the locals had a far bigger impact than he could ever imagine. “A lot of times when we go on an adventure, other good things come out of it,” he says. “And to me, that’s just so fulfilling to see something come out of it. You take a trip halfway around the world and get the experience of something you’ve never seen before.”

THIS WAS ONE of those moments when the reality that

“I haven’t been anywhere that I could really compete with the adventure and the thrill of going out day in and day out,” Harteis says, “and every day (being) a new experience as Africa gives you.” (CLINT EASLEY/PEAK PHOTOGRAPHY)

Harteis had entered a rather unique ecosystem rang true. And it was on the ﬁrst full day of the trip! After arriving in Johannesburg, Harteis and Lingle were picked up for a four-hour trip to the lodge, then quickly headed out into the ﬁeld to check out the surroundings with the procalsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

HUNTING

Harteis made his third trip to Africa last year. During each the Hollywood Hunter has marveled at the majestic terrain. (CLINT EASLEY/PEAK PHOTOGRAPHY)

a ground blind that they had destroyed. We walked up to the blind that was stomped to pieces. We had bows and arrows in hand,” Harteis says. “And my executive producer is sitting in the back of the blind – he’s a total city guy from Los Angeles – and he’s freaking out and saying, ‘OK, they’re not really afraid of us, and all we have is a bow and arrow.’” But this is why sportsmen and -women from all over the world flock to this corner of the globe – even “city folk” from L.A. In this world, an angry and potentially dangerous herd of Cape buffalo makes you feel the kind of thrill ride that’s equal parts terror and begging for more. In this case, “more” turned out to be the appearance of a large gemsbuck. And after three days of setting up and moving blinds to get in the right position in regards to the wind, the gemsbuck they’d seen on that first day was spotted again, but it wasn’t going to be easy. “There were about 40 of them together and they were not the easiest to get into bow range. All bets were off with everything else,” says Harteis, who despite the difficulty was undaunted. “No matter what came in, we were not screwing this up.” Sure enough, with some patience the animal in question got within a good bow shot at 40 yards and Harteis connected. “That was kind of the kickoff of what I looked at as my greatest African experience,” he says.

The safari party saw a giant herd of Cape buffalo on the ﬁrst full day of the hunt. “That was kind of the kickoff of what I looked at as my greatest African experience,” Harteis says. (CLINT EASLEY/PEAK PHOTOGRAPHY)

ABOUT THE ONLY other destination Harteis has hunted that

This was the second time Matt Lingle joined Harteis in Africa. Though Lingle also harvested lots of plains game like this, he was once again unable to take a wildebeest after his son did their previous trip to South Africa. (CLINT EASLEY/PEAK PHOTOGRAPHY)

fessional hunters from Frikke Du Toit Safaris (africabig5. co.za). “We decided we were going to hit the ground running,” Harteis says. But the ground was about to rumble. “We drove up on about 100 buffalo and they didn’t want to leave. The (professional hunter) had just put up 16 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

he can compare to Africa is New Zealand, another farflung locale with species you may not find anywhere else in the world, at least back home in North America. “But I haven’t been anywhere in the world that could really compete with the adventure and the thrill of going out day in and day out,” Harteis says, “and every day (being) a new experience as Africa gives you.” “I think what’s so unique is, the animals move only when it’s warm. And everywhere else in the world I’ve hunted, they only move when it’s cool – mornings and evenings. But these animals don’t start moving until late morning or midday when it warms up. So that to me is interesting.” Harteis suggests that hunters dreaming of a safari in South Africa or neighboring nations like Zimbabwe and Namibia should experience both a rifle and bow hunt. But the Hollywood Hunter’s first love is archery, and he was happy to take on the challenge of hunting with his bow. The tricky variable is how skittish and constantly on the move African game is with so many different predators that share the real estate. “I was hunting springbok and we had one at about 55 yards; he had no idea we were there. He was facing the other direction broadside. I took my adjustable sight and put it at 50 yards, even though he was at 55,” he says. “And he had no idea (the springbok) was there; I drew the bow and shot and I gave him 5 yards. So my arrow

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

HUNTING was dropping below him. As I watched him still turn his head, look in our direction, here came the arrow. And he ducks right into my arrow. If I would have shot that animal at 55 yards instead of 50 – even though he was at that range – I would have shot right over his back.” That slight adjustment can make all the difference in the world between a successful shot and a demoralizing miss. Harteis is an accomplished hunter back home, but he marvels at the PHs and trackers he’s joined on these African adventures and who were so vital to the hunt. “You never try to guide the professional. You realize no matter what the terrain is, where you are or what you’re familiar with, you’re never better than the guy who lives there and you’re letting him lead you to success,” he says. “One thing I love about hunting, too, in going to different areas is there’s such a learning curve; there are so many things that we do learn every time we’re out there that we would have never known if we stayed where we typically hunt.”

CHANCES ARE, IF you go to Africa to hunt plains game, your guides are likely to harvest some of the species you’re targeting. But respect is due to the wildlife that endures in spite of the sweltering conditions and the abundance of predators that share terrain. And in the animals vs. hunter

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Harteis is a dedicated bowhunter, but says hunters who experience a safari in Africa should use both archery and riﬂes. (CLINT EASLEY/PEAK PHOTOGRAPHY)

game, the former can come out on top even with the most skilled archers and wily PHs. The previous year, Harteis, Lingle and Lingle’s son, El-

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HUNTING liott, all tried to harvest a wildebeest. Can you guess who among the three got a successful shot in? “(Elliott) center-punched a wildebeest, and that was just awesome. I fumbled through a shot and neither one of us got one,” Harteis says of himself and Elliott’s dad. “We were both walking in for revenge because we had a 9-year-old telling us how much better he is at hunting than us. It was unbelievable. He said, ‘I’m the next Hollywood Hunter. I’ll teach you how to shoot a wildebeest.’” The next year, Harteis did get a wildebeest but the elder Lingle again couldn’t ﬁnd the range, giving his kin another opportunity to rub it in upon their return to the U.S. But that’s OK. Over the course of the trip, both hunters managed to take multiple species of plains game. And they would be around plenty of locals in need who could make good use of the harvest. Harteis’ Southern California home base is in the center square of the antihunting community (Mai co-hosts the syndicated show, The Real, and the couple has befriended many who don’t agree with his passion). But Harteis has won over a lot of his detractors by distributing meat from North American-harvested elk and other species to the homeless of L.A.’s infamous Skid Row and impoverished families in the Southland. The experience would trigger both despair and hope.

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THE TRUTH ABOUT LION HUNTING Editor’s note: Freddy Harteis had planned to hunt lions in South Africa’s Kalahari Desert, but just after the shooting of a wellknown lion by an American hunter last summer, the swirling controversy caused the hunt to be canceled. Harteis did learn a lot about the facts and ﬁction of lion hunting in Africa and shared the following thoughts:

had ﬂown over there with my executive producer and two cameramen to document this lion hunt, because this (controversy) was starting to heat up. And I thought this would be a good time to educate all the hunters out there who are wondering, “Is this something that we should be doing or shouldn’t be doing? What are really the facts?” So as I planned with Frikke Du Toit Safaris (africabig5.co.za), Frikke himself assured me everything would go as planned. We had all the right permits and he was looking to bring in some other oﬃcials. I had sent my executive producer for three days to learn about lion hunting in South Africa: Go meet up with different concessions; talk to some of the people who are really not for the hunting but had raised lions in the past. I wanted to get a good grip on what lion hunting was all about. In the process of this we started collecting more and more data. And I started realizing that just like people do when they

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

HUNTING HARTEIS WITNESSED MYRIAD scenes of plight and struggle as he traveled throughout South Africa, but he was also blown away by the resolve of those he interacted with. Greetings with a smile became commonplace. “They have huts that don’t even have walls – just a straw roof – and they lie there out in the open. And you Eat what you harvest means a lot to Harteis, as this savory nyala over charcoal reﬂects. (CLINT EASLEY/PEAK PHOTOGRAPHY)

just see a whole different type of lifestyle. There are other areas where people are starving,” Harteis says. “They understand work ethic at a different level than what we do. They live every day to survive and they do what they have to. We have the luxury of building a life-

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go to Africa, the only reason why animals do thrive over there is because there are a number of catch-fee animals. And what I mean by that is, for example, a gemsbuck might be $2,500 and a sable might be $10,000; a lion would be anywhere from $30,000 to $60,000. And when you start looking at the fact that every animal has a number attached to it, you look at (antihunters) and the people who just don’t understand the big picture. They call what we do either canned hunts or fenced hunts, or hunts that are on big concessions where we may go out and kill a lion that’s free-range or maybe along the borders of a park. That is hunting ground and it is legal, and they have to regulate and monitor animals in that area. That’s the only way in which they do so. So as we started collecting more and more info, I started realizing that, OK, when it comes to lion hunting, there are several thousand more lions in South Africa alone today than there have been anytime in the past. And the reason for that are some of these breeding programs, which some call “canned hunts,” are really ways in which we can have lions and big tracts of land fenced in so they aren’t killing other humans and killing oﬀ the livestock and the other wild animals around them. So now, on these big tracts of land, these lions can actually thrive there and be supported there and taken care of, as well as be hunted. And the numbers in South Africa have thrived. In Botswana, whenever they decided to ban lion hunting, now we’re at a place where there’s no value attached to that lion. When there’s no value to a lion, what is the purpose of us keeping that

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HUNTING style and they have the sustainability just to live. I admire them that they get through what they get through because it’s so difﬁcult.” One of the stops The Hollywood Hunter crew made was to an orphanage in Pomfret, an isolated village in the northwest of South Africa near the border with Botswana on the site of an old asbestos mine. It was a dreary place, home to many former Angolans who fought for South Africa in a series of border wars from the 1960s to 1980s. But the orphanage has given young residents hope, and Harteis and his party delivered needed supplies and candy for the kids. They also brought meat from some of the harvested animals to feed everyone. “We spent the day with them; they could speak English to a degree and we would hear them tell their stories – where they go to school and what their goals are as they grow up. It was (great) to interact with them and to see them so excited about the little things,” Harteis says. “It made me sit there and realize how spoiled I am because they take the simple things and cherish them, as (small) as a lollipop. To me that was one of the highlights, to see the good come out of the hunt and to be able to meet these kids in this village.” They also met the students at the nearby school and addressed each of the kids, ranging from grades 1 to 12.

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lion around? Because when he’s killing off all these other animals that have value attached to them, now we’re sitting in a place where there are more people shoveling those lions in the ground and keeping it quiet. That’s how we realized in some other countries they go extinct. So the lions in the parks are – and what most people don’t realize – being affected by the buffaloes because they are carrying diseases and killing lions. So when the lion is killing off the buffalo, it’s killing off the lions in these parks. So they’re still trying to figure out how to solve that problem. But in the process, as hunters and conservationists and landowners in Africa have decided to keep the lion thriving, it is these big concessions and these big tracts of land that give the ability of the lions to not go extinct. When it comes to the $30,000 or whatever this hunter would come in to hunt that lion, we’re looking at that money going into so many different resources in Africa that really helps sustain that animal. To be able to go out there and hunt this lion literally affects dozens and dozens of families and hundreds of people per hunt. This is their only way of means. In most of these African countries, the population of which works versus the unemployed is just astronomical. Like 20 percent of the population in Zimbabwe works, and now they’re trying to pull away lion hunting, which is now a big part of the economy to help the people. So I’m seeing all this unfold, with (those who speak Afrikaans) getting stirred up and angry about the fact that they might lose their careers and their means to be able to feed their families. I even heard one of them say, “Damn the Americans,” for not understanding the facts of what’s happening here. CS

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

HUNTING “They put us in an auditorium and we talked about why we went to Africa and why we were excited to be there with them and talk to them about their goals and how and why I became the Hollywood Hunter,” he says. “We all have things that are instilled in us to go out and become who we are. That’s what drives and motivates us. I had some of the most awesome conversations with these kids.” Hunters are going to be criticized regardless of their intentions, motives and charitable endeavors that become the end game of what they do. Harteis certainly wants to

return to Africa for another safari in the future and expects to meet more new friends and get a brief but lasting introduction into their world. “You’re humbled that much more seeing people live at that level, and the fact that we can help by doing little things in being over there,” Harteis says. CS Editor’s note: For more on the show, go to hollywoodhunter.tv. Follow Freddy Harteis on Twitter (@FreddyHarteis) and Instagram (@thehollywoodhunter) and like at facebook.com/HollywoodHunter1/. For more on photographer Clint Easley, check out his website, clint.peakphotography.biz. Visiting an orphanage and sharing smiles, helping out in an impoverished village and seeing the resolve of the locals despite some primitive living conditions opened a lot of eyes among the crew. (CLINT EASLEY/PEAK PHOTOGRAPHY)

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ometimes, you can have all the items on your musthave ﬁshing or hunting trip list checked oﬀ, but you’re bound to forget a critical component. It might be something for your tackle box or camping gear, but what about your vehicle? The value of having strong LED lights to assist you in early-morning and late-evening hours should not be dismissed. Enter companies like Cali Raised LED (caliraisedled.com), which helps sportsmen and -women get a better look at wherever their adventures take them. We caught up with the company’s Blake Hamar for more information on his products.

CS How long is the LED bulb life? BH Cali Raised LED uses Cree LEDs; the bulb life on a Cree

California Sportsman How did Cali Raised LED get its start? Blake Hamar Cali Raised LED started because there was a

BH LED lighting has helped a lot in the ﬁshing and hunt-

LED is 50,000 hours!

CS Do LED lights get hot enough to burn you? BH The great thing about our LED lights is that they do not get hot. All our lights have heat-dispersing ﬁns on the back of them. Because of that, you can run them for hours and they will not burn you like halogen lights.

CS How have you seen LED help in the hunting and ﬁshing world?

need for high-quality LED lighting at aﬀordable pricing.

CS Why has LED lighting become so popular? BH LED lighting has become so popular for a few reasons. LED lighting requires an extremely low amount of power. You can run LED lights on anything and not have to worry about battery draining. LED lights are also extremely bright and they produce a nice, clean white light and not a dingy yellow light, like most halogens.

ing world. Having LED lighting on your hunting and fishing equipment is a must. Usually when you go hunting or fishing you are leaving and returning in the darkness. With these lights you can have them on all your equipment so that getting to your destination is safer and easier. At Cali Raised LED we all are active hunters and fishermen, so we are always able to help you find the correct lighting solution that fits your needs. Whether it’s getting out to the hunting blind, or getting to your favorite fishing hole, Cali Raised LED will light your path. CS calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

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PROTECTING

WILD CALIFORNIA

CALI HUNTERS’ VOICE IN JEOPARDY? By Chris Cocoles

he decision of Jim Kellogg to step down from his post on the five-member California Fish and Game Commission board will surely trigger a doomsday reaction from the state’s most dedicated hunters and anglers. Kellogg, arguably the commission’s only “sportsman” in the true sense of the word – as in he’s an actual hunter – retired from his post in December after 14 years on the job. “I’m leaving pretty much out of frustration,” Kellogg told the San Francisco Chronicle. “I’m just tired of being the only one fighting the fight for the hunters and fishers. The first 12 years I won most of the battles, and the last couple of years I lost almost every battle.” Now the battle might be just beginning. Skeptics say the commission, whose president, Jack Baylis, also announced he’s stepping down, will doom the hunting community by relying less on science and more on conservation. A longtime California hunter who requested anonymity voiced concerns over the makeup of the commission and future for fellow outdoors enthusiasts. “Losing (Kellogg) was a blow to all resource scientists. His resignation, along with Sonke Mastrup’s, leaves the commission in the hands of those who rely on emotion rather than sound science to guide resource management decisions. There is absolutely no scientific data backing the need to ban bobcat trapping in California, yet the commission, with strong backing from animal rights groups, voted to implement the ban. (California Department of Fish and Wildlife) mammal scientists agree that the data shows no

need for the ban, and that data should drive the decision, not emotions.” “Back in 2014, the CDFW stated that there is no need to extend endangered species status to the wolf since there is no sustainable wolf presence in California. Animal rights groups and the Center for Biological Diversity (an organization that has stated they’d like to eliminate hunting in California) pushed the issue, courted the soft-hearted commission members and got the endangered species status extended to an animal that has barely crossed the border.” “The commission needs to be made up of those who understand the need to rely on sound science to drive commission decisions, not emotions. The anti-hunting and anti-sportsman groups

are entrenched in the wildlife groups closely associated with the commission and basically driving the decisions. We now have one individual on the commission (Jacqueline Hostler-Carmesin) who will weigh the science and vote the way the data suggests. The others are nonsportsmen or openly anti-sportsman and have been swayed (or paid) to vote with the anti-hunting groups.” “Jim fought the good ﬁght and just got tired of losing decisions to those who don’t care about the science that should drive the decisions. What we need is new blood appointed to the commission that will ﬁght for the sportsman and the scientist. Many of us are waiting for the pendulum to swing the other way before it’s too late.” CS

OUTDOOR CALENDAR FEBRUARY 6 6 13-17 18-20 26-28 29

Late-season white goose opener in Imperial County Zone Central Valley Anglers Trout Derby, Camanche Lake (centralvalleyanglers.org) Balance of State Zone late-season white and white-fronted goose hunts Rowdy Creek Fish Hatchery Steelhead Derby, Smith River (rowdycreek.com) Central Valley Sportsmen Show, Kern County Fairgrounds, Bakersﬁeld (calshows.com) End of statewide bobcat season

MARCH 2-6 6 10 12 14 17-20 18 19-21 26 31

Fred Hall Show, Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach (fredhall.com) Start of late white-front goose season in Northeastern Zone End of late-season white goose season Blake Jones Trout Derby, Pleasant Valley Reservoir (bishopvisitor.com) NorCal Trout Challenge, Lake Amador (anglerspress.com) Fred Hall Show, Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar (fredhall.com) Purple Heart Anglers Fundraiser, Foster City (purpleheartanglers.or) Lake Isabella Trout Derby (kernvalley.com) Start of general spring wild turkey season End of most furbearer hunting seasons

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

36 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

PHOTO CONTEST

WINNERS!

A beautiful, bright Columbia River fall Chinook for Kymberlee Schoonover is this issueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monthly Daiwa Photo Contest winner. It wins her a Daiwa hat, T-shirt and scissors for cutting braided line, and puts her in the running for the grand prize of a Daiwa rod-and-reel combo!

Klaye Kitchen is our monthly Browning hunting photo contest winner, thanks to this pic of wife Nicole and her Western Washington blacktail buck. It scores him a Browning hat.

For your shot at winning Daiwa and Browning products, send your photos and pertinent (who, what, when, where) details to ccocoles@ media-inc.com, or to California Sportsman, PO Box 24365, Seattle, WA 98124-0365. By sending us photos, you affirm you have the right to distribute them for our print or Internet publications. calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

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FISHING

TROUT TIME IN SOCAL

WITH RAIN FILLING DROUGHT-AFFECTED FISHERIES, ANGLING CAN BE GREAT IF YOU ADJUST FOR DIRTY WATER By Chris Cocoles

outhern California’s water-deprived lakes have been receiving a heavy dose of drought-busting rainfall this winter. More water means not only rising lake levels but also a change in water clarity, and our Orange County-based fishing fanatic Craig Adkinson suggests anglers need to be aware of how to change their presentations to combat the changing composition of many lakes. “The rain is helping because it’s creating a flow and bringing in new baitfish into the lakes,” Adkinson says. “It’s making the water a little more dirty.” And that leads us into our conversation with Adkinson about scoring one of those massive trout SoCal anglers hope to land this year.

My friends and I recently ﬁshed there and just clobbered them. I think the coolest thing there is the water clarity is very good. The lake’s taken care of and the staff is friendly. We’ve also been ﬁshing a lot at Jess Ranch Lakes (Apple Valley in San Bernardino County). We’ll go there and get

Chris Cocoles How is the fishing going and how is water clarity going to affect it? Craig Adkinson One of the techniques we’ve been perfecting is, when we mini-jig, we’ve been using mealworms. We’ll go to the pet store before we go out and get some. We’ll add one onto the mini-jig and throw it out; that seems to be working really well. Lately, with the water clarity the way it is, in most of the lakes the influx of new water is making it a little more muddy. With the dirty water, it’s easier to nail down the colors that the fish are actually going to be able to see, which helps. We’ll stick to white, chartreuse or really bright flourescent colors. That is going to give you a technique to getting bit. It stands out different in the dirty water. But if you’re going to use regular grasshopper colors, the fish aren’t going to be able to see them right now. You’re going to want to use bright colors.

CC Do some ﬁsheries have cleaner water? CA Right now the lakes with really clean water that have been very successful are (San Diego County’s) Dixon Lake (Escondido), Lake Poway (Poway) and Lake Jennings (Lakeside). But another lake we’ve been catching big trout at is Diamond Valley Lake (Riverside County’s Hemet). Their trout stocking program is incredible there.

Craig Adkinson shows off a monster rainbow he caught at Jess Ranch Lakes in Apple Valley. From San Diego to the high desert, trout will be biting as rain has helped reﬁll drought-affected ﬁsheries. (CRAIG ADKINSON)

solid limits of 3- to 5-pound ﬁsh and at least one kicker ﬁsh of about 7 pounds. And you’ll even get lucky and score a 9- to 12-pounder. The cool thing about Jess Ranch is there’s also a good bass bite. calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

Using larger baits such as 2- or 3-inch crappie jigs may decrease the number of strikes, but it should also increase your chances of landing a trophy trout, as Craig (far right) and his buddies did at Santa Ana River Lakes. (CRAIG ADKINSON)

CC Are you targeting big trout this time of year? CA We’re specifically looking for big fish. I can catch on smaller baits, but our goal is to get bigger-profile baits to limit the smaller fish from biting our stuff because the larger fish can get them with no problem. So what we’ve been using are larger-size tube jigs, almost like a 2-inch or 3-inch crappie tube jig. Or perhaps a minnow or larger trout worm that smaller trout won’t usually even attempt to eat. That helps us. Some of the small fish, if they’re hungry, they’re going to eat it no matter what. For the most part it helps you target larger fish, and the smallest fish you’re going to catch are usually in the 2- to 3-pound range. And anything bigger than that is a great day.

CC What will you do differently this year than what you did last year? CA I’ve decided to only throw either only dropshots; I use what it called a Voss weight, which is a curved dropshot weight. If we’re fishing in places with boulder and weights, and the little weights would get caught (on the rocks). But (Voss) makes his weights curved like a banana, and that’s been a huge success rate for us. I can throw my bait into areas with a sandy and rock bottom and can raise my worm or minnow like a Trout King, Mijos or Berkley minnow. And I can elevate my dropshot to where my weight is hidden in the sand or the rocks and trout can’t see it. But I can adjust my leader where my hook placement is to where I think the fish are. So if we’re fishing in an area

IRVINE LAKE COULD CLOSE BY FEB. 28 Southern California anglers face the closure of one of their favorite fishing holes, as popular Irvine Lake plans to lock the gates on Feb. 28, according to general manager Dave Noyes. “The Irvine Company exercised its option not to renew the lease with Serrano Recreation”, said Noyes. “All land surrounding the lake was donated to Orange County by the Irvine Company, and Orange County Parks and Rec will be taking over day-to-day management at the end of March. The lake itself is co-owned by the Irvine Company and Serrano Water District, and any future use of the lake for fishing or other recreational use must be agreed upon by both parties.” “Our tentative last day for fishing will be February 28, although it is possible that operations could continue until March 31, when the 20-year lease formally ends. Boat and RV storage operations will continue as normal.” –Steve Carson 40 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

Santa Ana River Lakes produced this goldencolored lightning trout. Dirty inﬂux water from the Santa Ana River forces anglers to choose their bait colors wisely if they want bites. Using very bright patterns is recommended. (CRAIG ADKINSON)

where the water is dirtier, I’ll make my leaders shorter so I can keep the bait in the strike zone longer. since it’s harder for the ﬁsh to see. But I’m more successful with dropshotting than I’ve had been in previous with mini-jigs.

CC What other impact will more rain have on the ﬁshing?

CA For the lakes that have an influx of new water like Santa Ana River Lakes (Orange County), this is going to be a tough year for fishermen if they don’t know how to adapt. They’re going to need to use either really bright or really dark-colored baits in order to get these fish to bite. That’s been an incredible place to fish since they go out of their way to put monster fish. But a lot of anglers will go there and don’t have a clue. The water comes in from the Santa Ana River and the riverbed runoff water from hills, and everyone thinks it’s dirty, the fish won’t bite and won’t be able to see the bait. But you just have to learn how to adapt when the water is dirty. You just can’t use regular colors. It’s important to also put a lot of scent on there. There’s a company called Lip Ripperz Love Sauce that makes a scent that you don’t have to put a lot on, but a little bit goes a long way. It creates that grease look in the water and gives the fish a chance to hone in on the bait and find it. CS

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FISHING

TAKE A SHORE LEAVE BASS ANGLERS WHO POUND THE BANK CAN SCORE BIG FISH

Lake Poway produced this nice largemouth. It and other Southland lakes offer lots of bass for shore anglers to target. (MIKE STEVENS)

By Mike Stevens

f there are any positives to take out of the drought and its accompanying insanely low water levels in, the addition of new stretches of walkable shoreline is a huge one for anglers. Not only does access to, in some cases, miles of new shoreline give bank pounders more room to operate, but it also grants them access to areas previously unreachable. It can also bring them within casting range of offshore structure, some of which may now be breaching the surface. I reached out to a handful of shore bassers to pick their brains on the matter. They include full-time bank guys, part-time boaters and even a full-time boater who still taps into his shore-ďŹ shing roots when casting big swimbaits from the deck of his Skeeter bass boat.

THE GRINDER San Marcos angler Chip Gilbert is a SoCal guide with over 50 double-digit bass on his resume and who specializes calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

FISHING in grinding big swimbaits for monsters. In his mind, trout season is one of the best times a bank robber can have a good shot at sticking a wallhanger. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shore ďŹ shing can be very productive with a swimbait,â&#x20AC;? says Gilbert. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tightly paralleling the shoreline with a wake-style bait can produce big bites. Also, ďŹ shing the rubber baits slow and uphill is a lot easier from the bank, and being able to creep your bait along the bank and keep it 3 to 8 feet deep is a great way to get a big bite. Trout run the banks after being stocked, so the bass will follow.â&#x20AC;? Gilbertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name might ring a bell. He received national attention when he put together a 51-plus-pound limit at Lake Perris, all on Huddleston trout-imitating swimbaits.

ACTIVITY SCHEDULE Michael White of Riverside is a bass angler who has sticking ďŹ sh from the shores of Lake Perris dialed in, but says analyzing activity and cover is something that can be applied anywhere. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What I look for when I arrive to the lake is activity,â&#x20AC;? says White. â&#x20AC;&#x153;BaitďŹ sh busting, ďŹ sh busting, birds swarming, etc. I will usually pick a spot that looks best and dissect it, and if I ďŹ nd any type of cover â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for example stumps, logs and grass â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I will ďŹ sh it. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll ďŹ sh top, middle and bottom for about 20 minutes, and if I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get bit, I will move on.â&#x20AC;?

One tip a local bass buster has for shore anglers is to look for activity in areas where ďŹ sh are jumping or birds are swooping in to snag a baitďŹ sh snack. (MIKE STEVENS)

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FISHING “I’ll start on top with a frog or a Prankster. If that doesn’t work, I like throwing an underspin in and around the grass, or I will split-shot a creature bait along the bottom. One beneﬁt to getting out and hitting the shore is you slow down and catch some ﬁsh that you wouldn’t have caught cruising by on a boat. I literally will sit out there and watch for boils, take note of the time, come back the next day and it’s on!”

STILL ENOUGH WATER John Petroski of C3 Baits is, along with Chip Gilbert, another boater who keeps close-to-shore tactics in his arsenal at all times, and much of what he does from a boat can be executed just as well from the bank, if not better. “With water levels being at historic lows due to the drought, it doesn’t always have to be a bad thing,” Petroski says. “Low water means new and never-before-seen shorelines, which is a positive spin on a dire situation.” “Shore anglers now have access to miles of shoreline like never before, which in most cases lets them cast to areas unobtainable before. Normally, in my boat I will take to the shore to check things out. I’ll start on newly exposed points and cast where I think the point continues, usually with a blade bait or spoon just to ‘spec’ the area.” “Once I get the lay of the land and determine its

50 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

ﬁshability, I begin to go through my baits of choice. I normally start with a jerkbait and fan-cast the area now that I am familiar with the depths and angles. I’ll do that for about 20 minutes and switch to a spoon, like a ½-ounce Kastmaster. If I need to change baits again, I will switch to a Carolina-rigged plastic like a C3 Baits Ice Pick, Spear or Teaser, which are all quality choices for a slow retrieve.” “If I need to, I will relocate and again look for another newly resurfaced point. Some anglers don’t give a spot the proper time, and I’ve come to recently vacated spots and done well just being persistent.” Petroski’s home waters are Castaic and Pyramid Lakes near Santa Clarita, but again, his approach can be applied to any body of water while targeting bass from the bank, especially if it’s a bank that is only there in years with low water.

POWAY POWER San Diego angler Chris Norby is a pro staffer for the Drophook Fishing App, and his home watershed is Lake Poway, which is your classic tiny, ultra clear, highly pressured spot. That being said, it has a long history of kicking out world-class largemouth, including an 18-pound, 1-ounce lunker caught by Mike Long in 2002, which still stands as the lake record. Besides the trout-fed monsters, Lake Poway can also

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

FISHING produce good numbers of bass for even casual shore pounders if they know how to attack it. “I’m honed in pretty well on how to get into bass from shore on a drop-shot rig,” says Norby. “Here’s what I’m looking for: In the spring, I’m targeting areas with shallow, flattening areas from Smaller creeks around Corona shore. Look and Chino are chock-full of 2-pound bass that are behind you; if catchable from the banks. the terrain flatThe fish have been biting in tens out on the the late afternoon from 4 to 5 p.m. when the sun is going shore, it should down. (SLAB JIGGIES LURES) continue into the water. Also look at the coloration of the water, as dark areas are usually deeper.” “During this season, bass on beds are likely to attack a

52 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

worm floated over the bed. During this time of year, I like natural colors like brown, dark blues, etc., as well as some bright whites or pink. In the summer and fall, lots of that year’s spawned fish will be hanging out in the shallow water. These fish are easy to target and sight fish. I like a wacky-rigged worm, pumpkin green color. For the larger fish, deep-water dropoffs are the key to target from shore. I still prefer those worms, same colors.” “Here are a few useful bits I’ve learned: tie the drop shot tag line long and decrease length as needed so you only have to tie once. I keep my leaders fairly long when fishing from shore, as it’s often necessary to keep the bait out of the weeds from the angle of a shore rather than boat. Also, keep it slow – a few twitches and then wait. This is a great technique for kids to learn if you’re taking them out with you. You can’t really do it wrong.”

PLASTICS MAN Eric McIntire of FishHead Custom Lures also hits Poway and has a double-digit bass from there to his credit. “In winter, I ﬁsh plastics or jigs off rocky points or anywhere that drops off quick,” McIntire says. “I might also slow roll a Hudd or slow drag 8-inch Texas-rigged plastics.” McIntire was recently ﬁshing at Poway and said, “I just saw a 4-pound bass sitting on the bottom with a tail sticking out of its mouth.” CS

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FISHING

SO YOU WANNA GO

BASSIN’...

TIPS FOR CATCHING LOTS OF PRESPAWN LARGIES

Bill Schaefer shows off a nice healthy male largemouth taken from shoreline brush. With a lot of rain helping lake levels, it could be an exciting year to catch bass near San Diego. (BILL SCHAEFER)

By Capt. Bill Schaefer

s we head from the winter months towards spring, all bass anglers anticipate the spawn time in our local lakes. Prespawn is just around the corner as water temps start to rise. The great news for this year is that the water in most lakes is on the rise too.

El Niño has not let us down, and at the time of this writing, San Diego County was at about three times its normal rainfall for January. Streams were pouring into local lakes. Only the next couple of months will tell how much of a dent we can put in this drought. So are you ready for this season? Got all your rods, reels and tackle

boxes ready to go? Now is the time to reline and oil those reels. Make sure all is OK with them before fishing the best time of year for hooking a trophy largemouth. Prespawn will bring thousands of males to the banks searching for a place to make their spawning beds. The good part is that they will also be feeding and you can be taking advantage of that. If you want to start the kids off bass fishing or have a friend who always wanted to try it out, this time of year is perfect. Prespawn time for bass can be a lot of fun. Smaller males roam the banks feeding and will eat most lures. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits and plastics of all kinds – rigged Texas-, Carolina- or dropshot-style – work well. It can be a real numbers game, as you may not get size, but you will get numbers. Remember that the shoreline water will have a lot of brush in it from rising water, and at most lakes the bass love to move up into it. Don’t be afraid to go in after them. Throw right in the middle of that bush, get them to bite and then worry about how you will get them out. Utilizing a strong rod and some good line, such as Maxima braid, will get them out. You can chase the big mama bass as well. They are usually on the outside points from the normal spawning areas of the lake. Holding a little deeper and waiting to prey on easy meals such as planted trout is the norm for the big girls. This time of year can bring a trophy to your wall if you put in the time to throw a trout bait. It is a little more work, but the results can be worth it. Whether it’s numbers or size you are after, now is the time to get out and start bass fishing at your local lakes. CS

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

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58 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

FISHING

PRIME TIME FOR STRIPERS

IN THE DELTA AND THE BAYS, ACTION BUZZES THROUGH MARCH

By Bill Adelman

o you recall that blustery and cold winter day when you were sturgeon fishing and not a ticked rod showed itself? And then you switched over to striped bass fishing. Striper fishing, no matter the time of year, enjoys a hardcore cult of avid anglers willing to brave anything to get a chance at hooking the fish that resembles the New York Yankees’ famed pinstripe uniforms.

Winter, however, presents very particular challenges – weather, rain, runoff and tidal movement. Winter ﬁsh will start in San Francisco Bay, gather in San Pablo Bay, Martinez, up into Suisun and Montezuma Sloughs, Grizzly Bay, Suisun Bay, Honker Bay, Collinsville and throughout the lower Sac River and into the San Joaquin and Mokelumne Rivers. December through March is the best time to get into some great striper action. Fish in water from 6 to 50 feet deep, and remember, the required two-rod stamp takes effect above the Carquinez Bridge, so it’s best to not attempt ﬁshing with two rods down below.

BAIT THAT HOOK

Now that winter is in full swing in Northern California, striped bass ﬁshing should be buzzing throughout San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun Bays, plus throughout the Delta. (ARGO SPORTFISHING)

This program is typically a baitﬁshing operation. After determining the area you want to ﬁsh, try calling a few local tackle shops to check on which baits are working and, even more importantly, if they’re available. Some of the hot choices throughout the system include ghost, mud and grass shrimp, bullheads, mudsuckers, shad, salmon roe, sardines, anchovies, and blood and pile worms. As a backup to the backup baits, even lamprey eel will entice a few bites. You’ve noticed how many of these baits also work for sturgeon, and incidental catch must be handled appropriately. Sturgeon require a single barbless hook, so if you’re using a two-hook system or barbed hooks and “accidentally” hook a sturgie, it must be immediately released in the water, unharmed. Consider attaching a calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

60 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

FISHING large ﬂoat to your anchor rope or chain, because if you hook a sturgeon, you’ll have to toss the anchor and chase the ﬁsh. When anchored up in water up to, say, 20 feet deep, a medium-action rod with a 17- to 20-pound rating is a perfect choice. If baiting in deeper water – holes up to 50 feet – a heavier rod is required, as a much heavier sinker is necessary and casting puts more stress on the rod.

CHECK YOUR CHART Tidal changes are critical when chasing stripers. Water movement is a must. Just as sturgeon follow a specific feeding lane, stripers are voracious feeders and offer no particular pattern. We can sit and wait for two to three hours with just a few hookups, then during the first or last hour or so of the tidal movement, the bite blows up. The grab is wide open, often with every rod getting bit. Using a balancer is a popular approach, as the rods are easy to lift and angle slightly towards the fish. Set the reel with the lock in free spool and the clicker on. A striper will pick up the bait, mess with it and swim off while deciding whether to swallow it. Your second indication is the sound of the clicker. Allow the fish to move off as the sound and speed of the clicker picks up. Experience will tell you when to lock down, wait for the

62 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

STRIPER GUIDES WORTH A LOOK If you’re up north, check out Argo Sportfishing’s sixpack boat out of Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco (argosportfishing.com, 415-361-7757). Craig Hanson has over 40 years’ experience in the lower system and is as knowledgeable as they come. His Hooked on Fishing the Golden Gate DVD is available through Amazon and local tackle shops. Also in San Francisco is Flash Sportfishing Charters (flashfishing.net; 510-881-0858), with Capt. Steve Talmadge, who has been fishing the bay’s waters since 1970. Further upstream is another sixer with about 55 years of skipper experience – Barry Canevaro’s Fish Hookers Sportfishing (fishhookers.com; 916-777-6498), launching out of Suisun City. Other party boats are available at Loch Lomond Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf, Berkeley and Emeryville. BA pressure and then slam it home. Too quickly, and it’s so long, striper. On occasion you’ll experience the suicide bite, so go get ’em. The sinker should be on a slider above a hefty swivel or clip. We like the silicone slider, as it works extremely well

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FISHING stripers from the face of our state. There’s no way to know on both mono and braid. The pyramid sinker, attached on the exact determination, but I believe stripers are right at the flat end, will hold better in moving water. Our leadthe top of the list of sought-after species. ers are in the 16- to 18-inch range. Give some thought Why eliminate a fish that has survived through thick to using at least a 5/0 hook, even a 7/0 or 8/0. The gap and thin for 137 years? CS should be at least a half-inch. The shakers and really small fish won’t swallow them and can Keep an eye on the tides, which can create an explosive striper bite during the first and last be released easily and unharmed. In most side hour or so of the tidal movement. (FISH HOOKERS SPORTFISHING) sloughs, shore fishing is viable. The small piers on Grizzly Island make it a tad easier to set up, but there are many shore spots in this area. If you don’t have your own boat or are a newbie seeking valuable information and techniques, look towards a six-pack or party boat. The six-pack will offer more individual attention and generally provides tackle and bait. Check this out when deciding, as you may have to rent gear if you don’t already have your own.

A FISH WORTH CATCHING In 1879, near Martinez, 132 striper smolt were released. Then in 1882, another 300 were cut loose in Suisun Bay. By 1900, the commercial catch of stripers exceeded 1 million pounds. Today, we’re facing a proposal to eliminate

64 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

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66 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

FISHING

MORE WAHOO ON THE WAY? WITH EL NIÑO HAVING ITS WAY IN CALIFORNIA, EXOTIC SPECIES COULD STILL BE LURKING

This wahoo was caught trolling on the party boat American Angler out of San Diego. El Niño-created weather could lead to more wahoo in California waters this year. (STEVE CARSON)

to California in mid-January, the prospect of continued success on wahoo seems possible for 2016. If not, at least it means many of our reservoirs will be a lot fuller than they have been. At any rate, trolling is the tried-and-true way to catch wahoo no matter where you find them, and California wahoo have generally responded to the same offerings Baja anglers have been using for years. Wire leaders are not absolutely required, but you will lose a good percentage of the fish that hit your trolled lures, along with the lures themselves in most cases. As wahoo are like any other fish, leaders that are too heavy for the specific lure being used or not adjusted for local conditions may mean the fish will shy away. Wahoo that are heavily pressured will also tend to be very leader-shy. But there are plenty of options for what to catch fish with.

MARLIN JIGS AND TUNA FEATHERS By Steve Carson

he mega El Niño that started in 2014 saw the ﬁrst-ever wahoo caught in California waters, and 2015 saw a veritable invasion of the toothy speedsters. They were so plentiful in some areas that targeting them speciﬁcally was possible, and at least one boat totaled more than 20 wahoo in a single day. Judging by the pounding that El Niño storms delivered

A wide variety of standard marlin and tuna trolling lures will catch wahoo. Dark colors are often preferred, but the most important factor is trolling them at a relatively high rate of speed; 8 to 10 mph is about the minimum, and wahoo chasers in other parts of the world think nothing of trolling at 18 to 20 mph. Multi-strand wire in the 130- to 275-pound range, and about 4 to 6 feet long, is pretty normal. Anglers who own very expensive handcrafted marlin lures should probably not use them for wahoo, as their teeth do a lot of damage. calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

FISHING Marlin trollers using heavy 300- to 400-pound mono or ﬂuoro leaders may land wahoo with some regularity. Unfortunately, wahoo caught incidentally on heavy marlin tackle may not be able to put up much of a ﬁght.

RAPALAS Wahoo that have been worked hard by anglers may refuse to hit any trolled lures except for Rapalas. Both SoCal and Baja’s East Cape anglers plying the waters near Cerralvo Island and the Gordo Bank have long depended on Rapalas for wahoo. Both the metal-lipped Magnum Rapalas and the newer X-Rap style produce well. This writer’s personal favorite is the deep-diving X-Rap Magnum XR30MAG. Default color is purple mackerel, with orange/gold a close second. However, wahoo are still like most ﬁsh and could change their mind to prefer mackerel color or even a black/silver scheme for no predictable reason. Wire leaders cannot be too heavy with Rapalas; multistrand 90- to 130-pound wire in the 24- to 36-inch range is the preferred choice. Rapalas also come “stock” with general-purpose treble hooks, and many wahoo specialists like to switch them out with 4X-heavy treble hooks or the new inline single hooks. If you can ﬁnd them, X-Rap XR30s made for some international markets even come

68 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

ANCHOVY, ROCKFISH FISHERIES DISCUSSED The Pacific Fisheries Management Council’s December meeting produced a few items of interest to California saltwater anglers. Several nongovernmental organizations, or NGOs, were petitioning for an emergency closure of the anchovy fishery until the federal Southwest Fishery Science Center disclosed that a tremendous amount of anchovies and sardines were showing up in various nonspecific studies. The center is optimistic due to seeing the species in abundance, just not where they are used to finding them. The California population of canary rockfish was considered rebuilt in 2015 at the federal level, which means some retention may be allowed after a long period of closure. This will still require the changes to work their way through the state regulatory process. Only yelloweye rockfish and cowcod are still not rebuilt, and cowcod are coming along better than expected. Due to improvements in electronic navigation, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is considering shrinking down the size of some of the large closure zones, such as the “Cowcod Conservation Area.” However, most of the known hotspots for both yelloweye and cowcod will still be locked down. –SC

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FISHING with the single hooks installed. Best trolling speed for Rapalas is usually 8 to 10 mph, but changing hooks or using heavier leaders may decrease the maximum tracking to 6 to 8 mph. Deep-diving models are almost always more productive on wahoo.

PREGNANT PUPPY PLUGS These staple lures of the San Diego long-range ﬂeet when trolling for wahoo are known as Marauders. In general, the bigger the lure size, the better, which also serves to deter smaller tuna and dorado from biting them and wasting valuable time on the long-range grounds. Default color is

orange/black, with purple/black also very popular. Wahoo that have had a lot of ﬁshing pressure may refuse to keep biting on these lures. Generally trolled very close to the boat, their proximity to prop turbulence can hide heavier-than-normal wire leaders. Multistrand cable wire from 275- to 400-pound test is standard. The combination of heavy wire, oversize single hooks on swivels, and heavy 80- to 100-pound test trolling tackle make this the most likely way that anglers will catch their ﬁrst wahoo. Typical trolling speed is 8 to 10 mph. CS Editor’s note: Email the author at scarson@sunset.net.

GOOD AND BAD NEWS ON FEATHER At a January meeting of the Butte County Fish and Game Commission, local CDFW biologist Ana Kastner of the Feather River Hatchery reported a relatively successful salmon season. The hatchery collected 4,444 spring-run Chinook, along with a fall run of 19,176. The total is less than last year, but survival of the young salmon produced is much better than last year, which had a 60-percent mortality rate. Some 2.1 million salmon are in the pond awaiting release. The news is not so rosy for steelhead. As of Jan. 1, only 87 fish had returned to the hatchery, two-thirds less than last year. Slightly over 43,000 steelhead eggs have been collected. For this year’s steelhead stocking, the hatchery has 332,000 fish, but this is less than the 400,000 allocated for the Feather River. As such, there will likely not be any stocking of steelhead into the Thermalito Afterbay in 2016 to support the popular local fishery. –SC

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OCEANS ’16

FISHING

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S EPIC 2015 SALTWATER FISHERY APPEARS TO BE READY FOR AN ENCORE By Capt. Bill Schaefer

land one or two. It is lining up and the tuna will be here before you know it. The yellows will explode first for anglers, and then bluefin and yellowfin, plus the wahoo. Last year we even had a good showing of marlin – and some real giants too. The time is almost here again for great saltwater fishing! CS

e made it to 2016 and the saltwater action off Southern California has kept anglers on the water even through all the storms passing by. Water temperatures are still up above normal, which is calling the fish to Southern California. Tuna are still being caught to the south in Mexican Joel King happily displays a large yellowtail waters. In fact, they were real close all the way caught in the Pacific. More fantastic saltwater into December, with three-quarter-day boats fishing seems likely this year. (BILL SCHAEFER) out of San Diego scoring fish. But it’s yellowtail action that has almost never stopped, and local anglers just keep pounding away at them. This all bodes well for another amazing year of fishing in the Pacific. Another great sign is the way the water just seems to stay warmer than normal, bringing the presence of red crabs to the waters still. And I’m talking a lot of red crab! You see them drifting by the boat inshore. While fishing a manmade reef recently, giant clouds of them showed on the bottom on my meter, and all the bass and rockfish were puking them up all over the place. This is a strong sign in my book. The yellows that remain biting are being caught in all the normal ways – even a little surface action still. Kayak anglers are doing their usual soaking or slow trolling of mackerel and sardines, scoring along the local shores’ kelp lines. These fish have been good size, as well – a lot of 20-pound-class fish. Offshore anglers are throwing surface iron at breaking fish, but this action has been a little harder to find with some rough weather passing through. You really need to keep an eye out for working birds to help you out. Meter marks and yo-yo fishing iron has been a good bet and scored some nice fish as well. I’m telling you this: It is not going to be long before all heck breaks loose again! And you need to be ready for this season’s action. Make sure all your line is checked, drags are changed if necessary and replace anything that even seems weak. Remember the wahoo show we had? I’m sure they will be back and you want to be able to

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

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California’s

HUNTING

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Coyotes can be found just about everywhere in California, and they are easily the largest of the state’s three major predators that hunters can target. (USFWS)

GETTING TO KNOW GOLDEN STATE’S PREDATOR ALL STARS By Art Isberg

ome states are blessed with high, snowy mountain ranges; others boast picturesque rivers; a handful are covered in bonaﬁde deserts; and fewer still feel the mighty crash of ocean surf on dazzling shores. One state has all these topographical features and more: the Golden State. California’s rare mix of so many different environments translates into an equally diverse variety of predatory animals classiﬁed as “game” that can be hunted and taken

under state regulations. The big three of the varmint world here are coyote, bobcat and fox. The key to successfully hunting all three comes when you learn how to match the land, its cover, elevation and timing to the particular animal you wish to hunt. Rules as to seasons, limits and methods of take do require a careful reading of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife hunting regulations for each speciﬁc animal. No two – or in this case, three – are alike, as you’ll discover here.

COYOTE The undeniable success story of Canis latrans in the state cannot be matched by any other animal, predator or not. Virtually all of California’s 58 counties has a population of coyotes, and in many of those the population is growing. One would think that high numbers of these animals would be found in lightly populated states like Nevada, Wyoming or Montana. But even with a human population of over 38 million, California has more coyotes than any other state. This is testament to the animal’s intelligence, wariness and ability to adapt and thrive close to man, often right in his urban environment. This

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

HUNTING Calling in bobcats requires a lot of patience, as 20- to 25-minute calls are the norm to attract a cat within shooting distance. (USFWS)

Author Art Isberg prefers a full-bodied coyote decoy, like this one he toted into the ﬁeld, as a conﬁdence decoy. (ART ISBERG)

has also led to the highest number of coyote/human encounters, with attacks on adults and children resulting in chilling consequences. Certainly that alone is reason enough to markedly control coyote numbers even beyond sport hunting. At 25 to 40 pounds they are the largest predator of the three we’re profiling. Although you can expect to bring coyotes in using a standard rabbit-in-distress call almost anyplace in the state, my choice for hunting these wary predators is in the high, arid sage land of eastern California, making up two-thirds of the length of the state. This is a land of just a few scattered people, brushy flats that can run on literally unbroken for miles, and flattopped buttes covered in tough, thick junipers and cedars. With a general elevation between 3,000 and 4,000 feet, it also produces animals with the finest winter pelts because of chilling temperatures and frequent

snows. Winter hunting is especially exiting and productive here. When predSmall “rabbit quiver” decoys are especially designed for both fox and ator hunting in bobcat. They jerk and bounce on spring-loaded mounts for more lifelike action. (ART ISBERG) this area I always look for those special places I call “cover breaks.” 20-minute stand, I strongly recomThese are any place the land sudmend first using a special call. It’s not denly changes from one type of covthe usual distress call, but a coyote er, terrain or elevation to another. A howler that actually mimics coyotes’ good example would be any place high, loud “yip-yips-yahooo” chants. sage flats run up against rocky buttes, Coyotes howl to friends and also ofa creek bed winding its way through ten to see if any other members of sage flats whether it has water in their tribe are nearby. If there is a it or not, and at the heads of small little “prairie wolf” within hearing canyons and basins where you have range, they will answer this big call elevation to call down into bottoms. every single time. They can’t resist it. Coyotes hunt, den and rest in places You can also use the howler aflike these. That’s what always makes ter initial calls for another five or 10 them my go-to locations for high minutes before switching to a rabsuccess rates. bit distress call as a coyote moves Should you want to get a good idea closer. These two calls used in conjust how productive any area might junction with each other are deadly be even before settling in for a 15- or one-two medicine.

76 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

HUNTING A final clincher for success is adding a coyote decoy to your calling. I prefer a full-bodied type with a faux fur tail that flutters and waves in a breeze. It adds that believable ingredient of life to any approaching animal. An addition like this is really a confidence decoy, assuring coyotes coming in that competition for an easy meal is already lining up. It can also account for the howling heard earlier. Competition for food is a common denominator in the coyote clan. This decoy gives you that in spades. Coyotes can be hunted year-round, day or night, and with no limit or season. Only a current state hunting license is required.

BOBCAT Much like the coyote, bobcats have good distribution throughout California, but in signiﬁcantly smaller numbers. While coyotes have litters of six to eight pups that have

high survival rates, bobcats normally breed only two to four kits, and half of them may not make it adulthood because of natural predation by hawks, eagles and coyotes. A cat’s average weight is between 12 to 18 pounds. In California, wolves will soon be added to cat killers as they move in from southern Oregon. Chisel that prediction in stone. Because of this smaller population, it becomes doubly important to pinpoint exactly where you choose to hunt cats, which obviously can increase your chances for success. It is true that bobcats can be found in the same high sage lands as coyotes in the eastern part of the state. But the real Valhalla for high cat numbers is found in lower brushlands and hills of the Coast Range Mountains west of the Central Valley farmlands that slice through 75 percent of the middle of the state. Here, the thickest jungles of manzanita, madrone, mesquite, chemise

78 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

and sagebrush, mixed with twisted digger pines, form a nearly impenetrable wall that suits bobcats literally right down to the ground. These cats are quick and efﬁcient killers once they decide to pounce on prey, but they can also be a long time coming to that point. Lynx rufus clearly understand their thin hide and lightly built body has to be protected from possible harm or attack by other predators. Accordingly, they move slowly and cautiously when coming to a caller. Here in bobcat country, 20- to 25-minute stands can be the rule. Patience and diligence is required while constantly checking around you for the sudden, silent appearance of a bobcat. When one shows up 10 feet away, you’ll understand why. If you are caught ﬂat-footed, the cure is to very slowly lift your weapon to take the shot. Sudden movements will frighten the animal away. The most productive stand for

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

HUNTING cats in thick cover is to get yourself some kind of elevation, be it up a tree, rocky outcrop or knoll above surrounding areas. From here you can look down even into thick cover and see a cat coming in. Cats hunt with their eyes at ground level, rarely looking up. Like coyotes, this lends itself to using certain types of decoys designed especially for them. I’ve used two with good results. The first is a small bird decoy with a flapping wing powered by a small battery in the body. It mimics a crippled bird that cannot take flight, triggering a bobcat’s killing urge. The underside of the decoy has an attachment that can be clipped to low limbs or branches at the cat’s eye level. While it holds an animal’s attention, you can slowly set up for a shot. The second solid decoy is called by various names such as “rag rat” or “whirling dervish.” This is nothing more than either a rag or faux

fur head, with large eyes ﬁxed on the end of short rod attached to a box base holding batteries. The rod whirls

and started by a handheld remote control device. A current California hunting liElectronic callers like this offer more variety of calls than mouth calls and do not require hand movement that can give a caller away, two very important pluses to have on your side. (ART ISBERG)

and twirls, jerking the head convulsively back and forth to give it lifelike appeal. Some can even be stopped

80 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

cense is required to hunt bobcats during a season that runs from Oct. 15 to Feb. 28. Five bobcat tags are

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HUNTING also required at all times in the field. The tags are $3.09 each and can be purchased either one at a time or all five together. Your season ends when you fill out all five tags, regardless of whether you’ve reached the late February date or not. If you have tags left, continue to hunt.

GRAY FOX There are two species of fox in California, the red and the gray. Both are widely distributed up and down the state, but no hunting is allowed for the red fox. Only hunting the gray – its genus is Urocyon cinereoagenteus – is legal. Fox average only about 10 to 12 pounds, the smallest of the state’s three predators. The type of country that foxes gravitate to most are those lands with plenty of woody cover and mixed brush with rocky terraces at modest elevation. This is found in abundance in the foothills of both the Coast

Range and the Sierra Nevada foothills on eastern slopes, generally at or under 3,500 feet. Gray fox do a great deal of their hunting at night. I’ve always thought this might be because of their small size and being preyed on by larger predators. This does not mean you cannot call them in during daylight hours – only that they travel and hunt more under the cover of darkness. They also are known by one other feature: their ability to climb trees to eat bird eggs, young birds and various kinds of fruit. No other animal in the dog family can make that claim. If there is one other thing that distinguishes this little predator, it is their absolute fascination responding to predator calls that are either mouth-blown or digital. It seems they simply cannot believe their eyes or, in this case, ears. I’ve had fox come running in to my calling, stop 20 yards away, turn

around and run almost out of sight. When I called again, they would come right back in. It’s a show that has to be seen to be believed, and makes them the easiest of our three predators to call in. If you do your fox hunting at night, certain rules must be followed to be legal. First, lights are legal but cannot exceed more than 9 volts, either hand-held or headlamps. You must also be hunting only on foot and not from a vehicle. Some hunters like to begin calling with the light off, then switch it on after ﬁve minutes or so of calling. I personally use the light from the ﬁrst call I make. A fox coming to a call at night has eyes that light up from well out and are quickly picked up. The trick when calling is to direct the light so the main beam is shining up in the air and just the glow or halo from the light illuminates the ground. When a fox does show up, you can continue the glow until you’re

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HUNTING eyes, which will generally stop it for a moment, giving you a clear shot at a standing target. I like somewhat lower-volumed but high-pitched mouth calls for fox, like the cottontail call and small crècher-type calls. If you are using a digital caller, two very good calls fox cannot resist are birds in distress and fox pup distress calls. The reason low-volume calls work so well is that generally you are not calling over large areas as you would for, say, coyotes, where you want to reach out a half or three-quarters of a mile. I beIn heavy cover like this, it’s always best to get some kind of elevation

ready to shoot. At that point, lower the beam directly into the animal’s

lieve most fox are called in from 200 or 300 yards, at best. This is especially true when night hunting. Night or day stands, give these little predators at least 20 minutes to reach you. Day hunters can employ small decoys like the crippled wing model I described for bobcats. Another very good one is a quiver rabbit, which vibrates and shakes on the box stand that holds it. A third is another moving-rabbit decoy that whirls and spins while powered by a battery base. This one comes with two different “coats,” which are slid on and off over the body as you would a sock. One is all white and designed for winter use. The second is natural gray in rabbit color. The season for fox hunting in California begins Nov. 24 and runs until the last day in February, spanning just over three months. You can hunt them day or night with no limit. It’s a long, generous season, so take advantage of it. CS

for safety and also a better view down into heavy cover. (ART ISBERG)

TODAY!

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HUNTING

HAVE YOU HUNTED

avelina? J ARIZONA’S DESERT LANDS IDEAL FOR CHASING NATIVE PIG

Arizona, with its rocky terrain and deserts, is one of the few states in the Lower 48 that has a population of javelinas, which live in larger numbers south of the border all the way to Argentina. (TIM E. HOVEY)

cary) can be found in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Evolving in South America and eventually migrating north, their current range spans from Arizona south to Argentina. The javelina is a medium-sized hoofed mammal belonging to the family Tayassuidae, or New World pigs. Full-grown adults can weigh between 45 and 85 pounds and thrive in the arid and harsh desert environment of the Southwest. A few years ago, my friend Mitch Atkinson invited me back down to hunt javelina near his home in northern Arizona. On my ﬁrst trip in 2008, Mitch and I took advantage of a very brief weather window and headed out to a desert hunting unit. We hiked to an overlook and glassed an adjacent canyon. As rain clouds closed in, I was able to harvest my ﬁrst javelina.

THE EXPERIENCE AND the camaraderie

By Tim E. Hovey

have always loved the desert. The unique habitat, temperature extremes and creatures that have adapted to this environment all make it one of my favorite places to be. I don’t consider myself religious, but in a lifetime of exploring the outdoors, the one place where I feel spiritual is a still desert landscape as the sun rises over it. Along with its harsh beauty, the desert has always been one of my

favorite places to hunt. Small game, upland birds and predators draw me to the hot sands and creosote bushes of California’s drylands. I’ve also been fortunate enough to hunt desert habitat in several Western states. Most of the game species that occupy these dry environments are the same or similar as those found here in California. However, one unique species that is not found here – and one that I have come to really enjoy hunting – is the javelina. In the U.S., the javelina (or pec-

of that short but memorable hunt made it easy for me to once again accept Mitch’s invitation to return to the Grand Canyon State to hunt the desert pig. Illustrating Mitch’s generous nature, he suggested I bring a friend with me. I’ve met some of my closest buddies during a lifetime of hunting and spending time in the outdoors. Of all my adventures, good and bad, I have one friend who will push as hard as I do and hunt wherever the animals are, no matter how rugged and rough the terrain. So I gave Eric Frandsen a call. He immediately said yes, and with the Arizona big game draw deadline a few weeks away, we both printed out hunting permit applications and sent them in. Arizona Game & Fish department manages fall (October) and spring (January and February) javelina hunting seasons, and the species is considered big game. Nonresident hunters have a number of permit or tag options available to them. Riﬂe hunters can apply for a permit

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

HUNTING Tim Hovey (top, middle) and friends glass and discuss potential shots at some pigs. (TIM E. HOVEY)

through the standard draw application for dozens of available units. “HAM” (handgun, archery or muzzleloader) hunts are also offered for those wishing to use specialized weapons. Over-the-counter, nonpermit tags are available for some hunting units and special-season youth hunts are offered for both resident and nonresident hunters. So with tags in hand, Eric and I drove down to Arizona the day before the season opener. We met up with Mitch and his son, Austin, at their home and went over a map of the hunting area. Mitch mentioned that while javelina can be active all day, he’s seen more animal movement during the morning. With an early start in front of us, we turned in to get some rest.

ed searching the vast desert ﬂoor. As the sun came up, the land came to life. A pair of mule deer grazed in the shadows of rock spires over a half-mile away. Several coveys of quail called in the distance and des-

ert jackrabbits came out to warm up in the early sun. Despite the abundance of life moving around our elevated perch, we had yet to spot any javelina. As the sun rose and the shadows dropped away, our search options started to change. I was glassing a green swath of vegetation over a mile from where we were. In the center of it I saw a dark spot that was perfectly round and looked like a period. While I watched, it changed shape and started to move. Our ﬁrst javelina of the trip had been spotted! With a little coordination, I pointed Austin to the animal across the canyon. After some discussion, we decided that there may be a few animals feeding in the grassy area. We decided to keep glassing, hoping to ﬁnd a group closer to our location. Eric and Mitch hiked back down to our position around lunch time. In over four hours of glassing, the only javelina that we spotted were the ones I found across the canyon over a mile away.

AFTER LUNCH OUR options were limit-

The author’s hosts Mitch Atkinson and his son, Austin, take in a beautiful Southwest sunset in the desert. (TIM E. HOVEY)

BEFORE FIRST LIGHT arrived, we loaded up and drove the desert roads back to our hunting unit. As the sun peaked over the horizon, we quietly hiked a trail to a lookout. The plan was to make our way to an elevated bluff and glass the ﬂatlands in the morning light. At the bluff, we split up and start88 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

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HUNTING ed, so we made a plan to hike to the distant group of pigs and stalk within range. We picked apart the path from us to them, loaded up on water and snacks and headed out.

It took us over two hours to hike through the brutal terrain. We had to climb over sharp rock outcroppings and weave our way through creosote and ocotillo bushes that pulled at our clothes and ripped at our skin.

Hovey and Eric Frandsen (right) found their lucky horseshoes helpful in scoring a couple of javelinas. (TIM E. HOVEY) A successful hunt in the northern Arizona desert. From left to right: Austin, Tim, Casey Knight, Eric and Mitch. (TIM E. HOVEY)

For most of our lengthy journey, our chosen path kept us from keeping a consistent eye on the group of javelina. For all we knew during our hike, the group had moved off. Still, we quietly approached the area and were able to get within 125 yards of the grassy patch I had spotted earlier in the day. After a bit of searching, we found the group of javelina nestled under a tree. There looked to be a dozen feeding and resting in the shade of a few bushes. Eric and I got set up and quietly discussed a plan. Since he had never shot a javelina, I told him that he’d be shooting first and I would follow. A majority of the animals were resting in the shade of a large bush, but a few of the animals were moving around and feeding. Eric and I picked out two of the larger javelina and got ready to shoot. The animal I chose sat down broadside in the shade. Eric’s javelina fed nearby and finally gave him a broadside shot. We fired at the exact same time and the resting animals instantly jumped up and frantically dispersed everywhere. The group was a lot larger than we first thought. I counted over 20 animals of various sizes escaping into the surrounding desert. When the dust settled, Eric and I each had a large javelina on the ground. We gathered our gear and made our way over to the animals. The surrounding area looked to be a regular spot for the javelina. The ground was rubbed down to bare dirt under the trees, and fresh and old sign was scattered around the small, green grassy area.

WE TOOK A few photos and started processing the animals. As we worked, Mitch commented on the size of our animals, especially Eric’s. He had shot the larger of the two, and it was deﬁnitely one of the largest javelina I had ever seen. Sure enough, when we got back to Mitch’s house, he measured the skull of Eric’s animal and it was large enough to qualify for the Safari Club International’s re90 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

HUNTING Peccary down! Time to get out the knives and ﬁeld dress this little porker. (TIM E. HOVEY)

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cord books. While the size of the javelina we harvested during our Arizona hunt was impressive, this isn’t the reason Eric and I hunt. I surround myself with good friends who hunt for the same reasons I do: the adventure and camaraderie. We enjoy the challenge of hunting wild places and exploring new areas. The memories we make on these hunts are the true trophies of the event; I wouldn’t want it any other way. About a month after the hunt, I presented Eric with his European-mounted javelina skull, along with an old rusty horseshoe we found during our desert hike. We talked about the trip and he commented that the horseshoe had deﬁnitely brought him some good luck during the hunt. Thinking of the Arizona adventure and the amazing time I had with great friends, I think that horseshoe had enough good luck for both of us. CS

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

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Spice Up

HUNTING

Valentine’s Day

Dinner With Boar

ast Valentine’s Day my wife and I decided that we were not going to go out and compete with the crowds and spend the money for a fancy dinner. Instead, I told her and the family that I would create a restaurant-quality meal from the wild boar I had harvested earlier in the week. Butchering the pig myself, I got some beautiful bone-in chops and knew instantly what I wanted to make – this simple and delicious wild boar recipe.

Baked garlic and Parmesan-crusted bone-in boar chops Four bone-in pork chops 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup shredded Parmesan 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs 3 tablespoons crushed garlic Salt and pepper to taste Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub each chop with olive oil. Combine the Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, garlic, salt and pepper on large plate. Press each pork chop into mixture. Take your time to make sure each side is evenly coated. Place chops in a greased baking dish and bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees in the thickest point of chop. Once chop reaches the desired temperature, set aside to rest for ﬁve to 10 minutes. While the chop is resting, it’s time to create our pesto. Garlic and Parmesan pesto ¼ cup olive oil 1 cup basil ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese 5 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon cracked pepper

Don’t have dinner reservations for Valentine’s Day? How about appealing to your signiﬁcant other’s “wild” side with this dish featuring boar, Parmesan and pesto. (JEREMIAH DOUGHTY, BOTH)

Directions Combine all ingredients into food processor or blender; blend until desired consistency. Top each chop with pesto and enjoy! Editor’s note: For more on the Wild Chef, Jeremiah Doughty, check out his website (fromfieldtoplate.com), like him on Facebook (facebook.com/Fromfieldtoplate) and follow on Instagram (@fromfieldtoplate) and Twitter (@fromfield2plate).

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

Of Beaches

AND BUCKS

A TROPICAL PARADISE OFF THE AFRICAN CONTINENT ALSO FEATURES MASSIVE RUSA DEER 96 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

The Urban Huntress takes in the sunset on Mauritius, an island off East Africa more known for tropical beaches and luxury resorts (inset) than some pretty good hunting ground for rusa deer. (JAKE HANSON)

By Brittany Boddington

ome of you may recognize the name of the little island of Mauritius from travel magazines or adventurous honeymooners, but few know that there are actually two species available to hunt there. The island is situated off the coast of East Africa, on the far side of Madagascar. It is a tropical paradise known for its beaches and resorts. The island is small, only 19.28 miles long and 13.61 wide, but it contains thick and lush jungle that is inhabited by tons of bird species, as well as the Mauritian cynomolgus monkey. The island also boasts a natural wonder and tourist attraction in the Seven Coloured Earths, a collection of sand dunes in various colors. I was interested in all these things, though not more than I was in the rusa deer that are available to hunt. The deer were introduced to Mauritius in 1639 and have kept a very pure bloodline due to restrictions on animal importation. The hunting area is massive and covers some very thick jungle terrain that my guide liked to refer to as the primary forest.

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

Mauritius is popular with honeymooners and adventure seekers, given scenes like this. But it also offers challenging terrain for hunters – that and 100-degree temperatures and humidity took a toll during the author’s hunt. (JAKE HANSON)

PARADISE FOUND

HUMIDITY AND HUMILITY

I arrived expecting to stay in a hunting camp but was escorted to a five-star resort on the beach called L’Heritage Telfair. Five stars may not do it justice; it seemed more like seven stars to me. It had pools and restaurants, as well as a magnificent beach. It didn’t make sense to me until I found out that the owners of the hotel also had recently acquired the hunting operation. Le Chasseur Mauricien (lechasseurmauricien.com/en/) is translated from French to mean “The Mauritian Hunter” and is the name of the hunting operation that Lionel Berthault guides for. He started the outfitting company years ago, but found himself doing more paperwork than hunting, so he sold the company and went back to being a guide. I was really interested to see the Mauritian landscape, because what I pictured was just beaches and lounge chairs. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the area had rolling hills and open grassy meadows, as well as thick jungle with waterfalls and hanging vines. It was gorgeous and there were plenty of deer moving through the area.

We set out hiking in about 100-degree weather and I realized quickly that nothing could have prepared me for

98 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

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down over the hills. It was intense and I should have realized the heat would be bad since I was the last hunt of the season before their real summer begins. After several unsuccessful stalks, we crept up a ridge that overlooked an open grassy area with several scattered trees. Moving across the grass were 10 or more rusa deer. There were several small groups of females and a few scattered males. We quickly backed down to make sure they didn’t see us, and then slowly but surely sneaked our binoculars up over the ridge to get a better look. There was one decent male, but it was too young to shoot. A moment later we spotted a second male lying down in the shadow of a tree. It was a big buck and it seemed to have a wounded ear. We decided to look more closely at this one. Lionel motioned for me to follow him and then shifted down the ridge and to the left. He was trying to get a better vantage point to check out the buck. As he watched the deer under the tree, he noticed that there was a blood spot visible on the neck. It looked as if the animal had been gored by another deer. Lionel decided this was going to be the perfect deer to take. It was old, wounded and huge; the timing was perfect to take it. I settled into a prone shooting position with my LAW .300 Win Mag over a pack and got steady. I was shooting downhill and I was careful to compensate for the elevation. I took off the safety and waited

The mass of the antlers on this rusa deer is heavier than most, making it quite a ﬁne trophy for Brittany. (JAKE HANSON)

for approval to shoot from both the cameraman and Lionel. When they both approved, I took my shot and the deer took it hard on the shoulder, ran a few meters and dropped right at the edge of the thick jungle.

DEER AND A DIVE I was elated! We waited a minute to make sure the deer was down and then hurried across the grassy opening to where the deer had fallen. It was a gorgeous animal with heavy antlers. Its ear was completely ripped off on one side and there was a deep puncture mark on the neck that had not yet clotted. This warrior of a deer was not doing well. The hunt worked out perfectly and I am eager to visit again. I managed to squeeze in a scuba dive before I had to leave, and all it did was convince me that I had to go back … immediately! CS Editor’s note: Brittany Boddington is a Los Angeles-based hunter, adventurer and journalist. For more info on her, please go to brittanyboddington.com, as well as facebook.com/brittanyboddington. Brittany and local guide Lionel Berthault with the former’s rusa deer. She then took advantage of her destination and went for a dive in the Indian Ocean. (JAKE HANSON) 100 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

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HUNTING

HE BRINGS GAME BACK TO LIFE

GETTING TO KNOW A TAXIDERMIST

At the time I knew very little about taxidermy, so I had no real idea how living animals had become preserved. Taxidermy has been around for hundreds of years, and its origins date back to ancient Egyptian times. Early pieces were simply the animal skin sewn up and stuffed with cotton, wool, sand or sawdust. This is the reason that older taxidermy animals were referred to as “stuffed.” These old pieces were seldom realistic, they often settled due to the inconsistent filling and didn’t last very long. In the 1970s the taxidermy industry introduced polyurethane foam models that made the finished piece lighter and more lifelike. Due to the shift from the low-tech “stuffing” method to the realistic foam molds, modern taxidermists began adopting the more appropriate phrase of “mounting” to describe their art. And make no mistake, quality taxidermy is indeed an art. I own two mounted animals: a beautiful bobcat that I am convinced is one of the best predator pieces ever produced, and possibly the worst turkey mount in existence. These two pieces were done by different taxidermists, and one was half the price of the other. I’ll let you figure out which mount was the cheapest. A quality taxidermist is much more than someone who

By Tim E. Hovey

hen I was growing up in Santa Barbara, one of my favorite things to do was to visit the natural history museum. I’d slowly walk the mammal and bird exhibits and stare in amazement at the lifelike mounts in the different displays.

Andres Gallo (with an African eland he mounted) got his start in the taxidermy business when he moved to hunting-crazed rural Northern California. (ARTISAN CREATIONS TAXIDERMY, BOTH) calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

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HUNTING will pull a tanned skin over a mold and call it good. They have to be versed in shaping and sculpting of the mold, airbrushing and intricate finish work, tanning and treating hides, and the physical mechanics of dozens of species of wildlife. This attention to detail makes every single piece unique and a true work of art. Good taxidermists are worth the price and the wait. They are busy for a reason, and when sportsmen find a good one, they usually stick by them with the dedication equivalent to that of the family doctor. Several years ago I met Andres Gallo, who operates Artisan Creations Taxidermy in Northern California. We were brought together by business, but our shared hunting passion soon turned into a friendship. Over the years we have shared hunts and times in the field, and I’ve been lucky enough to see his taxidermy work in person. And Some of Andres Gallo’s work features various California big game and upland birds like mule deer, elk, pheasant and wild turkey. (ARTISAN CREATIONS TAXIDERMY)

just like that early fascination with the mounts in the museum, I found I had plenty of questions for Andres.

Tim Hovey How did you get started in taxidermy? Andres Gallo I moved to Northern California in 2007, where fishing and hunting is very popular. That’s where my hobby really started to develop. I was looking for a business opportunity to remain self-employed and there was a taxidermist in the area who was getting ready to retire. I saw a window for an opportunity, and since I enjoyed hunting and fishing so much, I decided to find a good taxidermy school. I signed up, attended, got trained and came back home and opened up business.

TH Where were you trained? AG In 2010 I attended Northwest Iowa School of Taxidermy. I spent three months there learning every aspect of taxidermy. TH What would you consider your specialty? AG I don’t necessarily believe I have a specialty, but I do enjoy mounting birds. I like it because when you mount a bird, you mount the entire animal. With poses and head positions you can really bring the animal to life and give it 104 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

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105

HUNTING character. Mounting birds allows me to display the beauty of the real animal. When I’m doing a shoulder mount, I’m limited by the position of the foam mold, which limits the position of the ﬁnal piece. Fish skin replicas are my least favorite because they are slimy and smelly. So I guess you could say that bird mounts are kind of my specialty, but I do work in all ﬁelds of taxidermy.

TH Is it true that you offer pickup and delivery services for your customers in most of California?

TH What is the number one mistake a sportsman or -woman makes when skinning or preparing a hide to send to you to be mounted? AG One of the most common mistakes that people make is not processing the hide properly. The two biggest issues are heat and moisture. In other words, once you skin out the animal, you want to try and keep the hide as dry as possible. Using dry ice instead of regular ice in your cooler is better for hide preservation. Keeping the hide in a well-insulated cooler will also reduce issues with heat. Gallo says his specialty is mounting birds, but his work includes just about anything hunters harvest. “If I could work on any animal on the planet, I would love to mount a silverback gorilla,” he says. (ARTISAN CREATIONS TAXIDERMY)

AG This is true. I started my business up in Humboldt and when my wife was transferred to Southern California, I had to pick up shop and relocate south. At that point all of my Northern (California) customers told me to take their work with me. Since they understood that I had to move, and they stayed my loyal customers, I felt it was only fair that I offered delivery to them for free. Since I was already driving from Kern County to Humboldt County once a month, I started advertising for free pickup and delivery. Now I pick up work as far south as Temecula all the way up to Humboldt County. 106 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

TH How can a hunter best preserve a cape for eventual mounting? AG The best way for a hunter – or anyone, for that matter – to preserve any type of skin, is to roll it up, fur side out. Put the hide in a plastic bag and squeeze as much air out as possible. Tie up the bag and place it in a freezer as soon as you can. TH If a duck hunter wants a bird mounted, what can be done to keep the bird in good shape? AG That’s a good question. I get so many birds in and they

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HUNTING are packaged so many different ways. Many customers use methods passed to them by other hunters or other taxidermists. Some think they should put wet paper towels over the feet or store them in a stocking. There are two things that come into play when it comes to birds: heat and freezer burn. Heat issues start right after the bird is killed. Same as the hide, place the bird in a plastic bag, squeeze the air out and freeze it as soon as possible. When it comes to freezer burn, I recommend customers tuck the head of the bird under one of the wings to protect it before they place it in the bag.

TH What is the first thing you do once you receive a cape for mounting? AG The first thing I do when I receive a cape is pull the head out and turn the ears of the animal inside out. I then split the lips and the nose and flesh it real good. I’ll then salt and set it out to dry. Once it’s dry, it’s ready to go to the tannery. TH I’ve noticed some tremendous advancement in taxidermy over the last 20 years or so. In your opinion, what is the biggest advancement that has benefited your craft? AG I couldn’t agree with you more there. I guess the big-

“One of the most common mistakes that people make is not processing the hide properly. The two biggest issues are heat and moisture,” Gallo says. (ARTISAN CREATIONS TAXIDERMY)

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(ARTISAN CREATIONS TAXIDERMY)

gest thing would be the quality of the manikins. They are more anatomically correct and there are many more varieties and sizes available to the taxidermist now. There is also an incredible amount of eye options available as well. Just in general – the quality itself, much more detail, much better ﬁtting parts and many more options when it comes to choosing a brand or a style. Naturally, all this has beneﬁted me by making my job a little bit easier.

TH What is the turnaround time for a deer mount produced in your shop? AG I can proudly say that, even with the volume I have coming in right now, I still manage to keep my current turnaround time under a year. TH OK, one last question: If you could work on any animal on the planet, what would it be? AG If I could work on any animal on the planet, I would love to mount a silverback gorilla. They are just such an amazing animal. CS Editor’s note: For more information on Andres Gallo’s business, check out Artisan Creations Taxidermy at artisancreationstaxidermy.com or call (707) 499-4854. His shop is located at 10463 Grant Line Road, Suite 110, Elk Grove, CA 95624. 110 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

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MAPPING OUT CALIFORNIA HUNTING LAND

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ven in this age of smartphone apps and GPS technology, there’s something about a good old-fashioned map pointing out California’s most hunter-friendly private and public land that helps the planning process. Erwin Ward’s Santa Barbara-area operation, Big Game Hunting Maps (805-967-4482; biggamehuntingmaps. com), conveniently categorizes available maps on his website by zone number and targeted species in each area. Ward provided some more details about his company.

we have exhibited at several sportsmen’s shows each year.

California Sportsman Where do you get your information? Erwin Ward Practically all of the information comes from

CS Do all of your maps show migration routes? EW No. Some maps have very detailed migration informa-

state and federal biologists who work in the area being mapped. They are professionally trained and accumulate considerable knowledge through time by observing wildlife and talking to hunters. Some of our information also comes as feedback from return customers.

tion, while others have little or no migration information. In some cases, we just haven’t obtained the information, and in others, migration is not a factor in that particular herd.

CS Why should a hunter purchase your maps? EW What you would really be purchasing is hunter information. If you have tags for an area unfamiliar to you, you face this tough question: Where do I hunt? Our hunting maps face this question head on by providing you with area-specific information. The circled areas shown on each map represent good habitat and these are the areas that big game prefer. Hunting areas are color coded on the map into popular and quality areas. Briefly, the popular areas are those where the habitat is good and where some hunters are successful. You’ll often see more hunters in these areas due to the ease of access. Quality areas also have good habitat; however, they typically lack vehicle access. In addition to being more remote, they could have steep topography and tough vegetation to hunt. Quality areas offer more solitude and more difficulty in getting in and out. You can use the information displayed on each map to develop a hunting strategy and plan that works for you.

CS How long have you been in business? EW We have been in business since July 1990. Since then,

CS Do the maps show both private and public land? EW While most of the land is public, individual maps will vary. Our principal focus is “where to hunt on your public lands.” So we select areas with larger blocks of public lands that you can access. Even then you can run into private lands intermingled throughout, so it’s something to watch out for. The national forest and Bureau of Land Management maps easily distinguish between private and public lands. Private lands will always show as white on these maps. Rarely we use a USGS topographic map when BLM is out of stock. USGS maps do not show land ownership.

CS How often do you update your maps? EW Maps are updated on an as-needed basis, and as we receive new information about an area. The typical update involves adding information such as new areas or migration information.

CS What areas are included in your California wild pig and turkey maps?

EW Unlike maps for deer, elk and antelope, both wild pig and wild turkey are compiled as individual packages covering speciﬁc geographic areas. Each package includes a narrative on how to access each area and shows speciﬁc geographic areas recommended for hunting. Included are two types of maps: one showing where each area is on public land, and the other shows topographic lines and features. Most maps are color copy. CS Editor’s note: You can also contact Big Game Hunting Maps via email (huntingmaps@cox.net). calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

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HUNTING

RUSTY AND ME A HUNTER, A RETRIEVING DOG AND A LIFETIME OF MEMORIES

By Brad Hall

After much deliberation, however, I decided to take a look at this mystery dog. My 8-year-old son and I drove through the backcountry one late-summer afternoon. I wondered if this was a waste of time, while my son jabbered about our new dog. When we arrived, the dog was standing inside a fence along the side of the house, his head tilted slightly to the side, tail wagging vigorously and a plastic soda can dangling from his mouth. His eyes were a rustic brown – the same as his wavy coat. His wide shoulders, long bony legs and thick chest gave the appearance to the untrained eye that this canine was quite the specimen.

his isn’t a fairy tale, but once upon a time – almost 15 years ago – I took a phone call from an old hunting buddy who knew I was in the market for a bird dog. My friend had stumbled across a big, strapping and handsome male Chesapeake Bay retriever on the backroads of Calaveras County in Northern California. The dog was young and friendly and homeless, it appeared – he carried no identiﬁcation tags – so my friend took the dog home. After two weeks of newspaper ads that went unanswered and stops at local pet shelters turned up nothing in the way of possible owners, my friend didn’t know where to turn. Brad Hall and Rusty stare each other down after the latter performed a retrieving drill at New Hogan Reservoir. When He was in the process of training a a friend ﬁrst recommended Brad adopt Rusty, then a stray, puppy of his own and didn’t have he initially wasn’t sure about taking the plunge. (BRAD HALL) room for another. So he made some phone calls.

I WAS HESITANT to even take a look at this particular dog at first. After all, I knew nothing about his medical history, his mental makeup or bloodlines; I knew a big fat zero about any of the vital aspects which my dog-training buddies warned me to look into. Moreover, I was ignorant, to be honest, about the breed known as “Chessies’’ in general. Word had it they were hardheaded and mean. Really? I had three young kids at home. Did I really need more stress? My mind was registering plenty of doubt about this particular dog, even though I hadn’t laid eyes on him. And I still hadn’t yet made up my mind whether I wanted a flushing or pointing dog. My experiences hunting with dogs consisted mostly of Labs snaking through rows of corn, grasses and ditches while sniffing out wily pheasants; or German short-haired pointers racing across the countryside and then slamming on the brakes to point out bashful quail. While both styles thrilled me immensely, I hadn’t taken a side just yet.

More importantly, he appeared to be a people dog. I ﬁgured if he didn’t work out in the ﬁelds and ponds, at least we’d have a nice pet for the kids. We took him home and my wife and kids fell for him immediately. Fittingly, we named him Rusty. It was the perfect name. He was rusty in color and rusty in appearance, with a head seemingly the size of a small grizzly bear and a coat as thick as a winter blanket. It took no time at all for Rusty to become part of the family, chasing and retrieving anything tossed his way. We calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2016 California Sportsman

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HUNTING were a match.

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amputate. A second opinion prevailed and he was ﬁne in three days. Rusty soon became the buddy of all my neighbors and relatives, sometimes to the point of irritating them and me. While everybody loved him and gave him treats to eat, he turned over garbage cans all too often and once was caught on a trail camera in a neighbor’s garden with a

RUSTY WASN’T MUCH of a watchdog. He’d make a tremendous racket when a stranger arrived – his size and noise were indeed menacing – but one kind word from the intruder and everybody was friends forever. They became best friends forever if the stranger had a ball to throw. My primary interest, of course, was whethRusty wasn’t much of a watchdog, but he became a skilled hunting canine, and perhaps more er Rusty could or would hunt, so I contacted importantly, blossomed as a loving family pet and neighborhood prankster. (BRAD HALL) a well-known dog trainer I was familiar with. He suggested I teach Rusty basic commands, such as “whoa,” so I could control him in the field. In a matter of two weeks I had Rusty under reasonable control. He was smart and eager to learn and please. We took him to a local pheasant club to let him sniff around. He immediately went into unmistakable “bird’’ mode and jumped a rooster pheasant. He later proved to be a fantastic retrieving dog as well, both on waterfowl and pheasant. We had a slight scare when I decided to take Rusty on a dove hunt. He bolted when I touched off a shot and I thought he was gone forever. But he ran directly to the truck and jumped into the bed. I figured he was gun shy. The dog trainer suggested we start shooting blanks 30 or 40 yards away from Rusty during feeding time, and then move closer every couple of days. Rusty responded to that tactic quickly and never again flinched around firearms. In fact, huge tomato in his mouth. he began showing a love of guns and boots and vests and He probably thought it was a ball. pickup trucks. The slightest hint of loading hunting gear in Another time, he swallowed my cousin’s new leather the truck got his juices flowing. glove, left tantalizingly on the seat of his motorcycle. Rusty’s considerable size and strength provided him We took Rusty on myriad bird hunts: To Vale, Ore., a with great durability. He hunted hard and often with min600-mile drive, for pheasant, waterfowl and quail. To Butte imal consequences. Only once did he visit a veterinariCity in the Butte Sink for ducks and geese. To the hunting an due to injury: when he was 3 there was a soft tissue club just 15 minutes from home for pheasant. And to priproblem in his foot. The vet took X-rays and wanted to 116 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com

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HUNTING The Chesapeake Bay retriever went on his last bird hunt in January 2014, when he helped bag these geese. He and his hunting partner shared hunting adventures all over Northern California and Oregon. (BRAD HALL)

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RUSTY BEGAN TO decline about two years ago. His right hip went bad. His teeth were either missing or ground to nothing. He couldn’t hear a thing. Still, he managed to muster up enough strength to stand up, wag his tail, almost smile and welcome anybody who entered his line of sight. And his will to socialize took him one last time on Labor Day weekend to our neighbor who liked to feed him treats on top of the hill. There, he swallowed his treat, laid down and died. He would have turned 15 a couple months ago. He loved people, hunting, water … and my neighbor’s tomatoes. CS They spent almost 15 years together, sharing hunting adventures and fun at home. Brad will never forget Rusty; Rusty will never forget being part of a family. (BRAD HALL)

vate ground in Calaveras County for pond jumping. Near or far, Rusty was excited to go. He never got enough of riding in the back of the truck or hunting and retrieving birds.

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