2016 SPORTSMAN CALENDAR INSIDE!
LAST CHANCE WATERFOWL Duck Hunting Tips Imperial Valley Snow Geese
2016
WITH
CELEBRATE
STEELHEAD! Klamath, Smith, Eel & Chetco River Previews ALSO INSIDE
URBAN HUNTRESS Stalks S t lk Sik Sika D Deer In France
SMALL BAITS TRIGGER SALTY BITES RETURN OF EL NIﾃ前 = MORE PACIFIC WAHOO!
PREDATORS & PRINTS
Using Trail Cameras To Spy COYOTE, BOBCAT, FOX Teach Kids To Track Wildlife
UxaHBEIGy01291rzuv!:,
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Sportsman
California Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource
Volume 8 • Issue 4 PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Dick Openshaw EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott
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EDITOR Chris Cocoles CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Brittany Boddington LEAD WRITER Tim E. Hovey CONTRIBUTORS Bill Adelman, Brittany Boddington, Steve Carson, Jeremiah Doughty, Simon Guild, Brad Hall, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Bill Schaefer, Randy Wells 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, Kaitlyn Chapman, Jackson Conard 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 last couple years of drought and low water have certainly affected the steelhead bite, but more rain in early winter should return things more back to normal this time around. Rivers like the Smith, Eel, Klamath and Chetco (just across the border in Oregon) will be fished with steelhead running this month and throughout the rest of winter. (GREEN WATER FISHING ADVENTURES)
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CONTENTS
VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 4
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ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 15
SEEKING A SIKA
19 33 37 49 55 73 93 101
Family ties bond at bird hunting preserve Burn local firewood and prevent invasive species infestations Klamath River steelies Q&A with boat builder Travis Brandt, part II Try smaller baits to entice saltwater bites Tips to shoot late-season ducks All about animal tracks 10 questions to ask your New Zealand outfitter Australian big game hunter’s paradise
DEPARTMENTS 13 23 23 25
L.A.-based Urban Huntress Brittany Boddington continues her visit to the south of France with a stop in the department of Aveyron, featuring these rolling hills, forests and rocky slopes. Hunting out of a 13th century chateau, Brittany and her guide seek out a sika deer. It becomes a rather painful experience,mentally and physically. But does she score the buck she works so hard to find? (BRITTANY BODDINGTON)
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The Editor’s Note California drought watch: Big names stealing water from fish to water their lawns Outdoor calendar Browning, Daiwa photo contest winners The Wild Chef: Vension Salisbury steak is comfort food for hunters
FEATURES 27
STEELHEAD SLAMMERS As Northern California river guide Tony Sepulveda prepared for January’s first real run of winter steelhead, he had the feeling things would be a little different this time around. After two years of low water on his favorite fisheries – the Smith, Chetco and Eel – some much-needed rain in December meant the rivers are expected to have more water this winter. That should make things a little different, but Sepulveda provided a few tips for catching your prized steelie along the North Coast this month.
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RETURN OF THE WAHOO? Pacific Ocean long-range angler
Steve Carson and his colleagues have enjoyed a remarkable run of El Niño-affected exotic species like wahoo that have filled the coolers of party and private boats throughout the waters off the Southland for two years. So are these catches still going to be a part of the 2016 agenda? Carson thinks so and tells us why and how to catch what might be still lurking in California waters.
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TALK TO ME, GOOSE Our lead writer Tim E. Hovey and his buddy Darrin Bergen have become regular duck hunting partners at the Imperial Wildlife Area. One year they decided to forego shooting ducks to see if snow goose would come near their blind. It made for a long
early-morning wait for birds to get within shooting distance. It was a classic moment of quality beating quantity that the friends still remember today.
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DON’T BE CAMERA SHY Tracking California predators like coyote, fox and bobcat is made easier when you can post trail cameras out in the field. But as Scott Haugen explains in his Field to Fire feature, proper placement is everything when it comes to following the movements of the critters you want to hunt. Find a spot where you think something will roam and you might just score a winter predator, thanks to technology.
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 JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
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THEEDITOR’SNOTE When Quality & Service Matter... Visit So Cal Gun!
Guide Tony Sepulveda’s (left) optimism that rain will fill NorCal rivers this winter provides reason to feel better about 2016. (GREEN WATER FISHING ADVENTURES)
I
s it just me or does everyone wake up New Year’s Day with high hopes? I know a lot of us – including myself – roll out of bed exhausted, stuffed and generally beaten down after a busy holiday season of family time, overeating and – ahem – overdoing it on the Auld Lang Syne circuit. But by the time we’re ready to watch a few college bowl games and deal with the reality that the holidays are over for another year, I’ll wake up and at least think 2016 will be better than 2015, for me personally and for the state. Maybe I just take too much out of watching It’s A Wonderful Life – I can never resist it that time of year – and think mass shootings, drought, social media meltdowns, traffic and general mayhem will disappear. But you have to start somewhere, right? Maybe I was inspired by my conversation with Green Water Fishing Adventures steelhead guide Tony Sepulveda, who thought that the rain that fell in December would make the once dangerously low rivers he’ll fish this month full of water. I do have high hopes that the next time I drive from the Bay Area to Fresno for a football game that San Luis Reservoir will have a lot more water than when I made the same trip on Thanksgiving weekend. I want to keep going to the gym I joined in the fall. I want to adopt a new dog (more on that another day). I want my beloved hockey and baseball teams to get back to the playoffs. I want to go fishing in the Delta with MSJ Guide Service’s Manuel Saldana Jr. after we weren’t able to do it in 2015. I want to do more fishing, period, than I have had a chance to do. Will all this happen? I hope so. All I know is this: Hope emerges all over again on Jan. 1, and that’s the attitude we should all adopt (along with my anticipated new dog). Happy 2016, everyone. –Chris Cocoles
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MIXED BAG
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
help him make the club a success. Together, they purchased, planted and plucked birds by the dozens to make financial ends meet. The club featured different names over the years, including Playfair Hunting, Bean Hollow and Rabbit Creek. Various investors came and went; the constant has always been Larry and his family. “I just had a pure love of hunting,” says the 73-year-old Skinner, his blue eyes twinkling with joy. “I’ve been around game and fish all my life. I’ve met a lot of great people and really enjoy it. I don’t know if there’s a better field to be in. It’s been a real pleasure. I’d probably do the same damn thing if I started over again. When you’re a kid, you don’t even think about potential problems. You just jump right in.’’
It’s a family legacy with the Skinners. Larry, the patriarch (above, left with grandson Keith in the middle a few years back) has gotten everyone involved in the hunting preserve he founded in 1962, including (inset, from left to right) daughter-in-law Stephanie, wife Joyce and son Marshall. (CAMANCHE HILLS HUNTING PRESERVE)
A BIG OPERATION
FAMILY-OWNED NORCAL HUNTING PRESERVE SURVIVES THE TEST OF TIME
By Brad Hall
I
t’s a real family affair at Camanche Hills Hunting Preserve in Amador County’s Ione. And it’s been that way for more than 50 years. Larry Skinner and his family are highly educated folks and have backgrounds in public relations, road construction, business and wildlife management. Neither Larry nor his wife Joyce, nor their sons Matt and Marshall, nor daughter-in-law Stephanie, nor grandson Keith are college graduates in any of those fields, yet they all have enough experience to make even the most veteran of professors jealous. And that’s a good thing for regional upland game bird and waterfowl hunters. The Skinner family owns and operates Camanche Hills (209-763-5270; camhills.com), where family members practice their skills in PR, business and the like on a daily basis. Larry, Joyce and Marshall, co-owners along with Ron Haynes, often can be seen greet-
ing members and their guests in the club’s restaurant prior to a morning shoot. Conversation normally revolves around birds, shotguns and dogs. Throw in a little politics, religion and handshaking, and the restaurant is a lively place most days.
FATHERS AND SONS Larry started the club almost six decades ago. As a teenager in 1962, he leased 1,500 acres from the Camanche Regulatory Park Board and opened a hunting preserve. Larry’s love of the great outdoors and bird hunting was a natural fit. His father, Ernie, was the local game warden in Amador County, and Larry spent hours as a youth riding in his dad’s truck through some of the most gorgeous country in the north state. Bird hunting was different then. Pheasants roamed local fields, ditches and marshes in bunches, and the need for licensed bird clubs was a far cry from what it is today. Larry had just one parttime employee in those early years to
Today, the club employs between 15 and 18 full-time employees and another half-dozen part-timers. The club needs each and every one of those employees to serve and please the estimated 60 shooters per day who bring down some 25,000 to 28,000 pheasant annually at the multi-million-dollar business. Although Larry is still a handson manager – he released birds last month at a junior mallard shoot – he’s handed off the majority of the club chores to his 38-year-old son Marshall, who coordinates the daily planting of pheasant, quail and chukar during the season. In the off season he schedules field maintenance, which is so critical to a club’s success. Marshall also manages the club’s flighted mallard shoots. “We have to have somebody who knows what the heck they’re doing,’’ says Larry. “This is our livelihood.” Marshall certainly has plenty of experience; he began chipping in at age eight. “We run into all walks of life here,’’ says Marshall. “Everybody is here to have fun and a good time in some aspect. You’re working hand-in-hand with nature.”
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“Everybody is here to have fun and a good time in some aspect. You’re working hand-in-hand with nature,” Marshall Skinner says of what he and his family have created. (CAMANCHE HILLS
Camanche Hills has offered sporting clays courses since 1999 and fields several successful teams. (CAMANCHE HILLS
HUNTING PRESERVE)
HUNTING PRESERVE)
Like other game-bird clubs, Camanche Hills welcomes women and young shooters. The club features special women and youth pheasant and waterfowl hunts to help entice additional members. Two of the club’s biggest converts are family members Stephanie and Joyce Skinner. Stephanie, the club’s office manager and Marshall’s wife, wasn’t a particular gun lover when she met Marshall. “Things change,’’ says Marshall. “I gave her a gun for her 24th birthday and she cried. She says it was the best present of her life.” Joyce Skinner, a former escrow officer with a real estate company when she met Larry nearly 50 years ago, is another total convert. Joyce and Larry have been married 44 years and lived on the club property ever since. “She’d never been around birds or guns or hunting or anything like that until she met me,” says Larry. “We turned a city kid into a country girl.” Another family member, Larry and Joyce’s granddaughter Aerial, is a country girl through and through. Like her dad Matt, Aeriel spent much of her youth traipsing around trap, skeet and sporting clays courses, gaining acclaim as an expert shotgunner. Matt once wowed family and friends with his shooting prowess, gaining “Masters” stature as a sporting clays shooter. Aeriel is currently a member of the University of Arizona’s bunker trap-shooting team.
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started in 1999. Today, they rank as some of the finest in the country, featuring three courses for shooters of various levels. They’re so good, in fact, that Camanche Hills has hosted such prestigious shoots as Zone 7 and the California state championships. In addition, the club features skeet and trap courses, as well as five-stand and grouse bunker disciplines. The club continues to grow, offering a 3-D archery range this year. Also in the works are overnight cottages, Larry says. Camanche Hills has been a private hunting club since 1993. Problems with the general hunting public stealing birds and vandalizing property prompted Larry to limit the club to 800 members. Potential problems are a lot easier to handle that way, he says. “I decided we had to get out of the business or do something different,” Larry says. “Now we have members who are honest. We have no bird theft and they take care of the property.” Keeping with the close-knit family theme, the club remodeled its clubhouse three years ago. Most of the work – electrical, plumbing, concrete, roofing – on the 4,400-square-foot facility was donated by club members. A plaque on the wall in the clubhouse acknowledges the donors. “Everybody feels a part of it,’’ Larry says. “It’s more like family.” CS Editor’s note: For more on Camanche Hills, go to facebook.com/Camanche-Hills-HuntingPreserve-Sporting-Clays-534517309949740.
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COMPAN
KNOW WHERE YOUR FIREWOOD’S FROM PROFILEY
W
inter is officially here, and while we don’t have to endure the kind of constant bone-chilling cold that engulfs the Midwest and Northeast, our state can experience the kind of temperatures that beg for a warm fire. Just be careful when you stack your fireplace, especially if you don’t know where the wood came from. “We know that firewood is a primary pathway for invasive species spread, which has killed millions of trees nationwide and caused billions in economic damages,” says Katie Harrell, chair of the California Firewood Task Force (firewood.ca.gov).
Many of us take our firewood for granted, but if it’s not locally sourced, it may host potentially damaging invasive species that could escape and harm our trees. (CALIFORNIA FIREWOOD TASK FORCE)
Harrell provided more information on the organization’s goals for Californians to burn wisely.
California Sportsman How did CFTF get started and how is it structured?
Katie Harrell The CFTF is a task force of the California Forest Pest Council (CFPC), which is a nonprofit advisory group to the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection that is committed to forest health issues in the state. The task force was formed by the CFPC in December 2010, with the first meeting held in January 2011. The task force was formed in response to a growing national movement to keep firewood local, as it is clear that firewood is a pathway for invasive species spread.
CS Why is buying it where you burn it so important? KH Buying firewood that is locally sourced to where you will be burning it is important, because keeping firewood local means keeping the pests and pathogens found on that wood local. Using the goldspotted oak borer (GSOB) as an example, it was believed to be moved to California on firewood from Arizona, where GSOB is native. In Arizona GSOB has natural predators, so the population is kept in check. But in California, where it is not a native pest, there are no known natural predators. GSOB was first detected in California in 2004. Since 2008, it has resulted in the death of tens of thousands of susceptible oak trees. Firewood typically comes from trees that are dead or dying. Whatever issues were present to make the tree fall into a state of decline are often still present in the wood for a period of time once it is cut for firewood. By not moving the wood around, you aren’t introducing those issues to other areas or potentially putting those urban or wild forests at risk.
CS What can Californians do to help? KH Firewood dealers can help by collecting wood from local “Keeping firewood movement local is one tangible way we can all help slow the spread of invasive species, thereby protecting our urban forests and homes. Dead trees are hazardous trees to people and property, they are expensive to remove and can greatly impact property values,” she says.
sources and selling it locally. If they are in an area where invasive species are present, then they should avoid selling firewood sourced from the invasive pest host tree species. Curing/drying wood for two years is ideal whenever possible prior to selling it, as it allows any pests that were present in the wood at the time of its felling to emerge before the wood calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2016 California Sportsman
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is moved. Homeowners and recreationalists can help by only buying firewood local to where they will be using it and not moving it from location to location. They should ask key questions of firewood dealers (firewoodscout.org/docs/FirewoodScoutCAhandout.pdf) to be sure the wood was sourced locally or has been heat-treated or cured. Learning about the invasive species local to where they live and/or will be recreating will inform them as to what pests are present that are of greater concern. When buying firewood, they should ask the firewood dealer whether the wood they want to purchase is host wood to nearby invasives.
800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com questions to ask of dealers prior to purchasing the wood (as mentioned above). We also have links to invasive species present in the state so consumers can be aware of them and find out more about each issue. CS Editor’s note: You can contact California Firewood Task Force chair Katie Harrell at kpalmieri@berkeley.edu or (530) 350-7147.
CS Tell us about the firewood scout program. KH The National Firewood Scout program (firewoodscout.org) was started in the summer of 2015. California was the first pilot state for the program. It is a firewood dealer database by participating state. Dealers interested in participating can register to join. Consumers looking for local wood can go to the website using their computer or smartphone and can find firewood dealers local to the area where they live or are recreating, helping to support the Buy It Where You Burn It model. California’s site has a list of consumer questions posted to its Firewood Scout page, informing consumers about those key
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A mature larva of the goldspotted oak borer in the outer phloem of a coast live oak. The bug is native to Arizona and has no predators in California. It’s important not to spread these invasive pests. (USFWS)
California forests are threatened by non-native insects and diseases. These invasive species can be transported on firewood to new areas where they can become established and kill large numbers of trees.
• Leave firewood at home – buy or collect firewood where you camp. • Use firewood in the same county or region where it was cut. • Locate local firewood vendors at firewoodscout.org. • Bring only what you’ll need, and burn responsibly.
.org calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2016 California Sportsman
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GIANTS CATCHER DROUGHT AMONG EXCESSIVE CRISIS WATER USERS California’s
By Chris Cocoles
W
hen I read the Contra Costa Times’ latest list of some of the Bay Area’s most guilty wasters of water during this drought – and most seem rich, famous or both – I wasn’t expecting one of the names. The guy who invented the Jacuzzi (fun fact that I didn’t know: his real name is Jacuzzi)? I bet he has (at least) one in his house. Longtime Motley Crüe frontman Vince Neil? I figured he was still “raising hell at the Seventh Veil” down south, and I imgaine he still has some wild if messy pool parties. But San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey? Didn’t see that coming, though rival Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane was reported as another water hog earlier this year. I have a personal – as in a 10-minute interview – connection with Posey. I traveled to Scottsdale, Ariz., for the Giants’ spring training a couple years ago and featured Posey, an avid angler and hunter, in this magazine (July 2014). Posey seems like the last guy who would be needlessly consuming water. He was a cordial interview subject, but is known for staying out of the limelight. In an era of look-at-me celebrities, Posey has quietly focused on his young family and being one of Major League Baseball’s premier players for a team that’s won three World Series trophies since 2010. But Posey, who lives in Lafayette – adjacent to Walnut Creek in Contra Costa County – reportedly consumed 3,390 gallons of water a day (unless you own a camel zoo or used a hose to fill a trout pond, that seems insanely high, doesn’t it?). That’s more than Neil (2,293 gallons) and Jacuzzi (2,605), per the Contra Costa Times. But these guys weren’t even the worst offenders around the East Bay. Former NFL running back Maurice Jones-Drew (4,263 gallons a day), 24 Hour Fitness-founder Mark Mastrov (a gym-sized 10,465) and someone nobody’s heard of (11,000-plus gallons). What does all mean? I wouldn’t consider any of these folks as evil (though the East Bay Municipal Utilities District is issuing financial penalties for consuming more than 1,000 gallons a day, so there’s that). I enjoyed learning about Buster Posey’s love for hunting deer and fishing growing up in Georgia, but let’s hope for his sake that there are multiple rainouts at San Francisco’s AT&T Park this season and we’ll all feel better about this drought. CS
DROUGHT BY THE NUMBERS Figures courtesy of the California Department of Water Resources
27.1 Reduction in overall water use by Californians (as of Dec. 1) since Gov. Jerry Brown requested a decrease of 25 percent and emergency regulations took effect last June. 1,013,968 Food boxes delivered to community food banks in drought-affected counties and delivered by the Department of Social Services Drought Food Assistance Program since June 2014. 8,184 Amount of wildfires (as of late November) CAL Fire and the U.S. Forest Service responded to in California in 2015. 825,720 Acres burned by those fires. 63 Number of drought emergency proclamations received from combined city, county, tribal governments and special districts for the year.
OUTDOOR CALENDAR JANUARY 1 1 1
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First day 2016 fishing license required Opening of Topaz Lake Trout Derby Online harvesting reports available for spiny lobster, North Coast salmon and steelhead Sacramento ISE Show, Cal Expo (sportsexpos.com) Final day for Northeastern Zone duck hunting season Opening day of Humboldt Steelhead Days (madriveralliance.org) Final day for several duck hunting season zones, including Balance of State Zone, Southern California Zone and Southern San Joaquin Zone Final day of snipe season
FEBRUARY 6
13-17 26-28
Late-season white geese opener in Imperial County Zone Balance of State Zone late-season white and whitefront geese hunts Central Valley Sportsmen Show, Kern County Fairgrounds, Bakersfield (sportsexpos.com)
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PHOTO CONTEST
WINNERS!
Tara Allen’s pic of daughter McKenzie Dwyer with a Pacific Ocean Chinook is this issue’s monthly Daiwa Photo Contest winner. It wins Tara 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!
Jeremy Race is our monthly Browning hunting photo contest winner, thanks to this pic of he and son Caleb and their spring gobbler. 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 | JANUARY 2016 California Sportsman
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Celebrating 1 Celebrating 100 00 Y Years ears o off B Best est iin nB Boating oating www.wooldridgeboats.com Bob, Glen and Grant Wooldridge
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FISHING With steady rain falling in December and water levels looking solid, fishing on the Smith and Eel Rivers and the Chetco just across the border in Oregon look solid. (GREEN WATER FISHING ADVENTURES)
WE HAVE WATER HERE DECEMBER RAIN MEANS NORCAL RIVERS LOOKING HEALTHY FOR STEELHEAD
By Chris Cocoles
N
ot that low water conditions prevented his clients from scoring some nice steelhead in the last two years, but longtime North Coast guide Tony Sepulveda expects rivers to have a lot more water this season. A series of rainstorms that swept through in late fall and December was sorely needed after the extended drought. The Smith River got enough water in December that it crested over flood stage, “the biggest we’ve seen in quite a few years,” says Sepulveda of Green Water Fishing Adventures (707-845-9588; greenwaterguides.com). “It’s been a wet December, so hopefully it keeps going.” From a pure fishing standpoint, Sepulveda prefers lower water conditions when it comes to catching steelhead. “I didn’t feel like it was a huge run last year, but the low
water kept those fish spread out and they moved slow,” he says. “The year before that, we had really low water combined with a really big run of fish. Two years ago was the best steelhead fishing I’d seen in 20 years here.” “Steelhead are interesting. They’ll sit where they want to sit and a lot of times there are spots that are really low, froggy spots they’ll like to sit in. These are big flats that go for 2 miles in either direction, and a lot of times with just a little bit of a substrate change and no perceivable change of current,” Sepulveda adds. “It just comes down to knowing a river and knowing where those fish want to sit.” But the rainy season at the beginning of winter was much needed, so more water certainly won’t be frowned upon and can still make for a productive season. One of the only negatives in more rain is perhaps losing a few days to inclement conditions. calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2016 California Sportsman
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FISHING “The last couple winters I can count on one hand the number of days I lost to weather,â€? Sepulveda says. “I just think this year is going to be a different one in terms of conditions since we’ll be back with more normal weather.â€? He will mostly focus his attention on three popular area rivers: the Smith, which empties into the PaciďŹ c just north A positive for many of Northern California’s rivers like the Smith, Eel and Chetco is their rather rapid clearing after heavy rain. You can usually bounce right back to the Smith as fast as 24 hours after a storm. (GREEN WATER FISHING ADVENTURES)
of Crescent City; the Eel, south of Eureka; plus the Chetco, owing just across the California border in Oregon. During the mostly sporadic rainfall of the last two years, Sepulveda primarily concentrated his efforts on the Eel. “The Eel tidewater has kind of been my bread and butter,â€? he admits. Depending on water conditions, he’ll also “bounce aroundâ€? to smaller rivers and creeks this season, but the aforementioned three are his holy trinity during the winter steelie run this month and next. “We’re really lucky here in Northern California; we get a really good progression in terms of the clearing time of all our rivers,â€? Sepulveda says. “The Smith is the ďŹ rst one that comes into shape always; after a really big deluge, maybe 24 to 36 hours you can be back on that thing and ďŹ shing again. And the Chetco’s a little bit behind it. Then the Eel starts to come into shape on the upper stretches of the south fork, and you can follow a wave of green water for about 2½ weeks as you work your way down the south fork down into the main stem. I suppose the name of the game in winter steelhead ďŹ shing is following that progression and being ready to move as you need to.â€? Each of the three has its own distinct personality and unique challenge in relation to the other. “To break the differences down in real deďŹ nitive fash-
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FISHING ion, we could write a novel,” jokes Sepulveda, who did his best to provide a CliffsNotes version of the best steelhead waters. The Chetco can be a much simpler river to fish. If you see something that looks like good water you are likely to be in a good spot. The river bottom is also lots of smooth gravel, less susceptible to snagging and not super deep. The Smith can be a totally different prospect and carries a higher degree of difficulty. Sepulveda tells clients who play golf that fishing the Smith can be equivalent to playing 18 holes at Spyglass Hill, the tricky course among the Pebble Beach links on the Monterey Peninsula. “The fish there sit in peculiar waters a lot of times. It’s just a much harder river to get to your bait to run (on),” he says. “It’s snaggy if you’re fishing too heavy. And when it’s big and pushy it’s hard to get to your baits to drift without drag because there’s so much water flowing.” The Eel’s south fork and main stem are different rivers in their own right in how they are fished. On the south fork, smaller and easy to read when it gets lower, fish will usually sit right in the heart of deeper buckets of water. But on the main stem you’re catching more fish when rolling over shallow breaks and little ripples. What really isn’t different is the technique and tackle used from river to river.
30 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
The rivers might have their own personalities, but the presentations won’t change too much to catch a steelie. Drifting roe or a yarn ball usually does the trick. (GREEN WATER FISHING ADVENTURES)
“Steelhead fishing is steelhead fishing. We’re still rolling the same stuff most of the time. I’ll do a little bit of plug fishing here and there,” Sepulveda says. “For the most part we’re just rolling bait and drifting roe or even just a yarn ball. That part of it doesn’t change much. It’s just more about where I fish more than anything else.” CS
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32 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
FISHING
HORN IN ON KLAMATH STEELHEAD FISHERY By Randy Wells
A
“Anglers can expect to hook-up with plenty of steelhead throughout January and February on the upper Klamath River,” says Caldwell. “There are so many steelhead on this section of the Klamath you can truly have a ton of success with many techniques in the same day.”
s the fall salmon run comes to an end on the upper Klamath River, steelhead show up in big numbers, says full-time local fishing guide Scott Caldwell. He says that anglers can catch steelhead and trout all year, but the bigger fish show up between fall and winter on THE FIVE MAIN techniques he uses are fly fishing, pulling the Klamath. These steelhead/trout range in sizes of 1 to plugs, casting plugs, diver with bait, and bobber fishing 12 pounds. with jigs, pink worms, eggs or soft beads. The operator of SC Guide Service, Scott targets these If you’re looking to use your fly rod try indicator fishing abundant fish on the river near the Iron Gate Hatchery with nymphs, big bugs, Soft Beads from BnR Tackle and down to the Scott River west of I-5. The hatchery is in you will certainly hook up. Caldwell recommends either Hornbrook, which is about 8 miles east of the interstate. a Copper John, Golden or Coffman Stone, and the Prince During the winter the middle or lower Klamath may Nymph. In addition, toss flesh patterns and Soft Beads afblowout, but the upper river is almost always fishable beter the salmon spawn. A Lamiglas 10½-foot 5/6-weight fly low the Iron Gate Dam. The Klamath, especially the upper section, Up near the Oregon border lies the upper Klamath, a is a top destination for fly and gear anglers in dam-protected river that features good winter fishing for steelhead and trout. (OREGONFISHINGADVENTURE.COM) search of big numbers of hook-ups and low numbers of boats during winter steelhead season. In November, Caldwell was reporting huge numbers of steelhead – and that was just the beginning of the season. For example, on Nov. 15th he landed 44 steelhead/ trout, 43 of which were native and one was a hatchery fish. I asked Keith Pimeroy, an employee of the Iron Gate Hatchery, about what appeared to be a lack of hatchery steelhead on the Klamath River. His response was that the goal is to release 200,000 clipped steelhead into the river each year from returning hatchery fish. He then stated that there has been no hatchery steelhead return since 2012. Pimeroy was unable to give reason for the decline in hatchery steelhead; he also said that there are reports rod is perfect for these fish. of hatchery steelhead being caught, but for some reason When back-trolling plugs, try lures like the Mag Lip there are none returning to the hatchery. Moreover, Pi3.0, and crawdad-style plugs with the Pro-Cure Crawfish meroy said that Bogus Creek, a tributary near the hatchGel added. Use a light mainline and a 6- to 8-pound-test ery has big numbers of native steelhead that are entering leader. Back this up with a light plug rod and get ready for the Klamath River. This data was obtained from counting heavy action. steelhead in the fish traps located on Bogus Creek. “These steelhead are aggressive, and casting plugs into All the traditional methods for catching steelhead work areas where back-trolling won’t work creates hard hits on this river but some will outperform others, so go preand jumping fish,” says Caldwell. pared and be versatile. Because of the moss on the river bottom, side-drifting calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2016 California Sportsman
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FISHING is tough, so instead try using a diver with bait. Caldwell uses a No. 10 Jet Diver followed by a threaded nightcrawler and a single Pro-Cure Bad Azz egg. He says they’re cured so well, they won’t fall off even under heavy current. Another killer behind the diver is the Holey Worm from BnR Tackle. Available in many sizes and colors, the fact that they are hollow makes them easy to change without destroying the worm. When bobber fishing try the Nightmare Jig from Yakima Bait – it’s deadly. While gear fishing you want a light rod due to the average size of these fish. The Lamiglas Infinity 6-10-pound spinning and 6-10-pound plug rods will be a blast. Always consult the regulations before fishing. Anglers can only use barbless hooks and there is no native steelhead retention on the Klamath.
IF YOU HIT the river on your own, there are many boat ramps and areas with access. However, for ease of shuttling with minimal technical water, Caldwell recommends floating from the Iron Gate Hatchery to the Fish-Hook Restaurant for a half day, or to the Klamathon Bridge for a full day. From I-5, take the Henley-Hornbrook exit and head east past the Chevron on Copco Road until you see the hatchery on your right. The boat launch is just before the bridge over the river to the hatchery. The water
34 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
on these floats is not too technical; however, fishing with a guy like Caldwell is a good deal and recommended for your first few trips down the river. Contact him at (530) 905-0758. CS Editor’s note: Author Randy Wells is a full-time fishing guide on the Chetco River in Oregon and in Seward, Alaska. His website is oregonfishingadventure.com.
Fly fishing, back-trolling or casting plugs, float fishing and running a diver and bait – in this case, a nightcrawler – all work well for the river’s steelies. (OREGONFISHINGADVENTURE.COM)
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The Xtaero brand means roomy cabins, deep cockpits and plenty of headroom for anglers wanting a sturdy craft for their fishing trips. (XTAERO BOATS)
By Chris Cocoles
L
ast month we introduced you to Travis Brandt, who owns Seattle-based Xtaero Boats (xtaeroboats.com). We learned that Brandt, despite being a landlubber from Iowa, quickly became enchanted with the sea on trips to the East Coast before he became a Coast Guard diver and then a pilot in Alaska, before eventually going to college at the University of Iowa. All the while he was fascinated by both aviation and boats. In part II of our interview, Brandt talks about the business of building rugged aluminum boats and what is the perfect boat for California anglers.
Chris Cocoles What are some of the features of your boats that make them special? Travis Brandt The Xtaero boat has lots of special features, but I like to use this famous quote: “Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” The utility in the boat is found mainly in the way the hull cuts rough water, and in the stability that one feels when on deck while the boat is in big water. Everyone who has ever been on it or near it says that it’s much bigger than the stated size would suggest. The cockpit is deep, the cabin is roomy, the cuddy ample, the headroom unmatched.
But even with these simple designed-in elements, there are a few details that can’t be seen with the naked eye. We install two independently wired bilge pumps. The wiring is installed in such a way to keep the connections as far above any incoming water as possible. Every wire connection is insulated by hand with oxide-inhibiting Cual-Gel; all wire connectors use adhesive shrink-wrapping; all fasteners including the T-barb on the gas tank vents, is a special item made from stainless steel. These intricate items take time, but they make Xtaero boats uniquely special for long-term, maintenance-free operations. Having said this, the “main” feature is by far the hull design. We are still the only company doing modified constant deadrise with variable-width chine flats. This is precision in boat building that has taken us years to perfect. Put simply, the center of the lower hull is wider midship than at the transom. This precision allows us to manage what we call a floating center of gravity over a 16-inch draft on a 20-degree hull with a 5,500-pound boat and 125.7 gallons of gas. These features alone set us apart.
CC Your designer, Jarek Kanios, seems to have a pretty interesting backstory too. What’s his background and how has he impacted the company? TB Xtaero Boats currently builds exclusive designs by Jarek Kanios (conradyachts.com), who attended the prestigious Landcalsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2016 California Sportsman
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ings School, specializing in yacht and boat design. Mr. Kanios has over 25 years of experience designing boats that have been built in Europe, Australia, Canada and the United States. Jarek is one of us in the sense he’s looking for better ways to solve old problems in boat building. He takes advantage of technology but is anchored deep in successful design elements. The most notable is the “breast hook” that is incorporated in the Xtaero and usually only found on much larger ships. There are several proprietary reasons to use the breast hook, though the reasons hardly stand alone. The design is completely integrated, meaning every part Travis Brandt (right) named his company Xtaero, which of the boat ties “represents the extreme airborne abilities of the into every other raven.” Of the bird and how it pertains to the boats, he part. This lowers said, “There are so many parallels between humans noise, vibration, who go out on boats and the raven, which goes out to hunt, to eat and to survive year after year. (XTAERO BOATS) creates smooth
38 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com and accurate control inputs, structural integrity for a long life and, of course, aesthetics.
CC What is the best benefit for California anglers to purchase an Xtaero boat? TB The Xtaero Baja is the perfect boat for SoCal because the attributes are so deep into what anglers are looking for. First, the offshore hull design, length-to-beam ratio, deadrise and ergonomics make the boat efficient in the water and comfortable to be on for many hours. Because we build features into the boat in a semicustom way, nobody is locked in to a certain boat. We offer major configuration options that drastically target any particular taste. For example, the windshield can be forward or aft leaning, and this is and always will be a no-cost selection. Just tell us which way you want the windshield oriented and we’ll do it. No charge either way. The cabin can easily get a backwall or no backwall. The engines can be single, twin or single with kicker. All of this with a click of a button on our end. The transom comes in two configurations. We do 22-, 24and 26-foot models of all these configurations. This means about 24 model combinations. The benefit here is each owner gets what they want. We have large below-deck fish boxes, bait station, wash down, rodholders, downrigger pads, electronics and every
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conceivable thing anyone could want, including heads, heaters, freshwater and possibly air conditioning. The thing that real fishermen will notice is the rugged aspect of the boat. Gel coat isn’t going to scratch or crack; the aluminum will wear for 20-plus years untouched. There is no polishing, coating or anything. When you get it back to the dock, wash it off with freshwater, put the engine in the up position and walk away. It’s a usable and abusable platform.
CC You chose the Xtaero name to honor the raven. Explain the symbolism for the bird and how it pertains to Xtaero boats. TB To me, a boat is a thing that can take you out, but only the best will bring you back. There is an allure, I think in each of us, to face that fear of being stranded at sea. If we’re unprepared or the boat isn’t worthy, we die. In the raven I find the spirit of living in those moments. There are so many parallels between humans who go out on boats and the raven that goes out to hunt, to eat and to survive year after year. Ravens live long and mate monogamously. Raven individuals have this spirit of survivability that is shared with a certain type of people who I believe will be attracted to the Xtaero because of their approach to life. I think the mindset of the Xtaero entrepreneurial customer isn’t going to afford or aspire to an Xtaero unless they are driven and
One of Xtaero’s in-construction crafts. “To me, a boat is a thing that can take you out, but only the best will bring you back,� owner Travis Brandt says of his boats’ quality. (XTAERO BOATS)
have overcome bigger than average obstacles in life. I believe that the defining moments in our customers’ lives will seem extreme at first, but when acquainted with each other over the years, I’m confident a deep respect for other Xtaero owners will be cultivated. Xtaero is a new word in boating; there is nothing like it. This concept of quality and craftsmanship is uniquely invulnerable to the forces of time and nature. This resolute spirit of the raven is in each of us, and it drives us. CS Editor’s note: For more on Xtaero Boats, call (855) 915-2628. Follow on Twitter (@XtaeroBoats) and like at facebook.com/xtaeroboats.
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FISHING
American Angler crewman Andrew Viola (left) does the gaffing honors for author Steve Carson on another nice wahoo, caught on a live sardine near Alijos Rocks. With El Niño, will we see more of these unique fish caught in California waters? (STEVE CARSON)
THE RISE OF WAHOO
IS THERE ANOTHER YEAR OF EXOTIC CATCHES AHEAD?
By Steve Carson
B
efore 2014, no wahoo had ever been caught in California waters, but in that year several hundred were landed. In 2015, probably over a thousand were caught, and numerous anglers targeted them specifically while fishing out of San Diego and Newport Harbors. Some anglers successfully went wahoo hunting out of Long Beach, and at least one of the toothy speedsters was caught by boat off Redondo Beach. Of course, there is no way to tell for certain if the wily “ono” will return to California coastal locations in 2016. But some amazing catches were also made in traditional Baja spots like Alijos Rocks and the Ridge, along with areas where they were uncommon, such as the San Benitos Islands. Several different techniques work well for wahoo, like trolling, casting lures and live bait. In past years, trolling and casting lures took the lion’s share of attention, but the art of live bait fishing should not be ignored.
LIVE BAIT 101 Wahoo will eat any number of bait species; this writer has
caught them on live sardines, live mackerel (several species), live anchovies, live squid, live bonito, live skipjack, and even chunks of all of the above. The overwhelming majority of California- and Baja-caught wahoo succumb to live sardines, mainly because that is what is in the bait tanks. As with almost any gamefish species, selecting the absolute liveliest bait is key to success, and even more so with wahoo, which really love to chase things. When wahoo are thinking about lunch, the faster it is moving, the better. All the popular hooking methods – nose-hooking, chest- and belly-hooking, tail-hooking and the latest hot choice, shoulder- or yoke-hooking – have their proponents. My personal choice generally is nose-hooking if longer casts are in order or if using any kind of sinker. When you want the bait to jet off and dive down quickly as soon as it hits the water, chest-hooking creates that effect. When doing a “long soak,” shoulder-hooking is often best, although is more often used for tuna than for wahoo. In most instances, live baits are flylined with no sinker and gently cast as far as possible without damaging the bait with a hard re-entry. The aim is to get the bait to immediately swim off quickly to get the wahoo’s attention. Once the bait slows down, their interest often wanes. calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2016 California Sportsman
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FISHING A mistake most beginners and many veterans make is cranking in bait too soon after feeling a bite and thinking the fish has spit the bait out. If you crank the bait in and it looks cleanly cut in half, you blew it. A common tactic of wahoo is to zoom past at full speed and chop the bait in half. Knowing it has killed the bait, there is no hurry; simply visualize the wahoo making a lazy 30-foot turn and circling back to eat the two halves of its prey. The second pick-up is often surprisingly subtle.
SIZE MATTERS Hook styles and sizes vary mostly on the bait size and species, rather than the size of the fish, and J-hooks are generally preferred. With sardines, a size 1/0 or 2/0 Owner Ringed Gorilla hook is a good choice, and if the wahoo are finicky, drop down in wire diameter to an Owner Go-
rilla Light hook. If mackerel are in the bait tank, move up to a 3/0 or 4/0 Ringed Gorilla hook. With anchovies, stick with the Gorilla Lights and drop even further in size down to a size 1 or 2. Wire leaders can be considered mandatory when live bait fishing for wahoo. Some anglers claim to be able to time the bite perfectly, and using circle hooks get the fish right in the corner of the mouth to avoid a bite-off using plain monofilament. This certainly happens accidentally from time to time, but I have yet to see anybody who can pull it off consistently. Wahoo can still bite through lightweight wire leaders, so choosing the happy medium between bite resistance and spooking the fish can be important. Multistrand cable wire is the easiest to work with, but often draws fewer bites. You should never use plastic-coated wire for wahoo. Single-strand stainless is the most popular choice,
GUADALUPE ISLAND UPDATE When describing the new permitting process for fishing at Guadalupe Island in my last column (December 2015), I mentioned that the island holds a large number of different fish species. It should be clarified that the fishing permits for the island cover only the highly migratory pelagic species such as yellowfin tuna, yellowtail, wahoo, etc. Anglers should carefully note that in the biosphere it is strictly against regulations to catch the local resident species, such as calico bass, sheephead, etc. –SC
44 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
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FISHING although a bit of practice is needed to be able to execute the “haywire twist” method. The new titanium wire is the best of all, and is well worth the extra cost over the other two wire types. For sardines, 45- to 55-pound wire is about right, but with anchovies it may be necessary to drop down to as little as 25 pounds. With mackerel, 60- to 80-pound wire is just fine. The ideal leader length is 18 to 24 inches; something shorter may result in bite-offs, while one longer may restrict the bait’s movement. Best connection of the wire to the main line is via a size 5 or 6 black Owner Solid Ring. Another interesting option is using a short 18- to 24inch leader of heavy 120-pound-test fluorocarbon. This method has seen some mixed success, but more experimentation is needed to balance the heaviest possible fluorocarbon to avoid bite-offs without having the wahoo shy away from the bait. A rigging option this writer almost always has at the ready is a live-bait rig, with a 1- to 3-ounce sliding egg sinker above the wire leader. Quite often, after a boat has been anchored in a spot for awhile, a wahoo or two will literally lurk directly underneath the hull. Simply dropping this sinker rig straight down can get a bite, while anglers casting away from the boat are getting skunked.
46 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
Watch next month’s column for wahoo tips when trolling or using casting lures. CS
WACKY WEATHER’S FINAL ACT? As I write this, the first major destructive storm of the season was hitting the coastline, with the Ventura Pier being badly damaged. Yet well into the second week of December, boats out of San Diego were still getting good catches of yellowfin tuna. Beachfront buildings and piers are likely in for a severe pounding for the next few months, but with luck the state’s reservoirs will get some much-needed runoff. In a final farewell to the exotic tropical visitors to California, a rainbow chub was caught in late November by an angler fishing near Newport Beach, yet another first-ever moment for California waters. Viva El Niño, 2016! –SC
Editor’s note: Author Steve Carson is looking forward to meeting California Sportsman readers at the International Sportsmen’s Exposition show at Sacramento’s Cal Expo Fairgrounds from Jan. 21-24. Steve will be presenting one-hour seminars on San Diego long-range fishing. See the show program for exact times. Email him at scarson@sunset.net.
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FISHING
DON’T BE AFRAID TO GO SMALL
SCALING DOWN BAITS AND LINE SIZE COULD LEAD TO SALTWATER SUCCESS
Depending on the time of year, there can be all types of prey for larger bass in the bays. This can be everything from the smaller sardines and pinhead anchovies to the fry of various species. If sand bass, calico or spotted bass are keying on smaller bait, then all those larger swimbaits in your tackle box won’t work as well. Learn to scale down when you need to. If you drop a sand bass on the deck of your boat and a half-dozen small, 3-inch fish drop out of its mouth, “match the hatch,” as they say. Go with smaller plastic baits. For baits, whether it be plastics, crankbaits or jigs, a smaller version is made and there’s a time to use it. When you see a ball of bait hitting the surface, you can bet something is chasing it from below, pushing it up. For example, even though sand bass or spotted bay bass are traditionally found on the bottom, they will still rise up to feed on the various balls of bait found in the bays. I often have clients fishing these boils of bass. Some may argue that smaller baits will not fit on the jigheads they are using, or the hooks are too big, or the water is too deep and smaller jigheads don’t weigh as much. Whether you’re a tournament angler or just a fun fisherman, you need to be prepared with the right tackle to keep your day going. Companies make heavier jigheads for smaller baits for getting down deeper. They are made to have smaller hooks in them as well. If the fish are in shallower water, then it can be a little easier to scale back to fit your needs.
our favorites. The size of these baits can matter just in the shape of their tail. A larger swimbait with a big tail, such as a Big Hammer, will throw out a different vibration than the more streamlined tail of an MC swimbait. And if you drop down in size to perhaps a 3-inch Western Plastics bait, you will get an altogether different vibration from the lure. Vibration can be important, because not just bass but all fish feed by the feel of their lateral line. It helps them key in on their prey, especially in the stained waters of a tidal movement. If the vibration that the bass pick up with their lateral line isn’t close to the same as the prey they are chasing and keying in on, then they may not even come look at your lure. The bass feel first, target the prey and then feed by sight. The variations in vibration can apply to all the different baits used for chas- Sometimes a little bait means a big sand Author Bill Schaefer caught this one on ing saltwater bass. bass. a 3½-inch Big Hammer. (BILL SCHAEFER) Take spinnerbaits, which come with many different blade combinations and size options. You may need to size down from that giant northern pike spinnerbait to a regular bass spinnerbait, or go even smaller. Crankbaits and jerkbaits run the gamut, as well. Some rattle, some don’t. Some are 10 inches long, some are an inch long. On many occasions I have had bass only want a tiny crankbait because they were feeding on smaller baitfish.
SEEK MOVEMENT IN LURES
WATCH YOUR WEIGHT
There are so many companies out there now that make swimbaits in every shape, size and color, and we all have
Line size can also definitely make a difference. Larger weight lines take longer to sink than smaller, thinner
By Capt. Bill Schaefer
B
ig baits, big fish. We have all heard that old saying. Granted, while it is true, small baits pull in their share of the load as well. Going to them in the right situation can turn a terrible day into a wide-open bite. Being prepared with a large selection of baits from small to large can make a difference in your day of “catching.” Right now, bays from the Mexican border north to Santa Barbara and beyond are turning on for sand bass and spotted bay bass, along with even calicos.
PLENTY OF MEAL OPTIONS
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FISHING diameter lines, and braid takes even longer than both of them put together. This can change the way the bait falls and the vibration the tail is putting out. Changing it up from time to time and experimenting will help you find the perfect line and lure combination for the brands of lures you utilize. The structure you are fishing around will also make a difference; it could be weeds, rocks, docks or even just a contour in the sandy bottom. There are always exceptions to the rule. In open water, you have a better chance using lighter line with smaller baits than in the shallows because of all the obstructions that could cut your line. I generally use lighter line all the time and do break some off, but not as many as I used to, and I get more bites. As you get better at playing large fish on light tackle, you will feel better in staying down a little in line size. I also will use Maxima fluorocarbon leaders, which help hide the line.
caught monster bass on 6-pound test and a spinning rod. The longer the rod, the easier it is to cast a lighter object. Learning when to switch from larger baits to smaller baits will come with experience. Don’t be afraid to try new things. If you are not catching too many fish, throw one in your livewell or bait tank. Usually, they will spit out someSchaefer shows off a healthy spotted bass that fell victim to a Western Plastics bait that measured just 3½ inches. (BILL SCHAEFER)
GO SMALL OR GO HOME EMPTY Finally, even your rod might have to be downsized with small baits. The smaller you go, the lighter the lure usually is. It’s hard to throw them on a heavy triggerstick. You may have to go to light spinning tackle. Purists who love conventional gear will have to adapt, but don’t worry; I have
50 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
thing sooner or later, and that may give you a hint about what they are feeding on. Then size your bait to that food and you will catch more fish. CS
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54 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
HUNTING
POINTERS FROM A VETERAN WATERFOWLER FROM WHERE TO SET OUT DEKES TO BLIND DECORUM, FOLLOW THESE LATE-SEASON TIPS FOR BEST SUCCESS By Bill Adelman
J
ust what would you do after being shot at four times and losing a few tailfeathers in the process? Vigilance will be key, and waterfowling is no exception. Cold weather as well as rain or snow will move northern ducks right into our laps. If all is well here and food is still available, many will hang around. This doesn’t mean, however, that they’re easy targets. Changes in technique are critical. Many of these ducks are already in the mating mood, especially mallards. Change up your spread – leaving smaller areas of open water and lanes – and limit the number of dekes sitting together. Try one hen and two or three drakes off to the side by themselves. Don’t hesitate to set dekes out as far as 100 yards, but leave smaller landing areas inside of them. Excellent cover is a must. Movement will spook ducks far more quickly now than during the first month of the season. If you see passing birds with their butts down, they’re gone. Reduce calling, especially if a duck turns or looks.
With waterfowling seasons wrapping up soon, now’s the time to make a last push to bag fat geese, like Steve Adelman managed to shoot on a Northern California hunt, and ducks. (BILL ADELMAN) calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2016 California Sportsman
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HUNTING turn and circle, don’t call unless they flare. Patience is the key here. If other ducks are landing in or near your set, let them be. Don’t move around in the blind, even though you think you’re completely hidden. You’ll hear whistling as sprig circle, and sooner or later they’ll either be well within range or actually landing. What’s more fun than this? Slow down calling for woodies and wigeon, and once teal are ready, they’ll come to your dekes without provocation.
GET SOME MOJO GOING After rainfall, the matted hay makes for easy walking to your blind. But once you’re there, be still and patient and call when you need to. (BILL ADELMAN)
They’ve heard it all by now. Quieter calls will work better. Let ‘em work.
ON CALLING When the magical day of a 20 to 30 mph south wind combines with fog or sky cover, sit still and be patient. As soon as you see birds coming your way, stop everything. When calling, know your stuff. Sprig, woodies, wigeon and teal will respond to whistles, but each require a slightly different sound. Once sprig
56 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
As for getting the attention of birds that can be anywhere from 5 to 600 yards out, a number of years ago a spinning wing-shaped attractor was set at both ends and would spin horizontally. And they worked. Then came the windwacker, a pole with a dangling spinner at each end of a fixed arm, which required very little wind to activate. One spinner would be black and the other white. They worked even better. Wonderducks that float while legs appear to be thrashing in the water activate water movement and attract attention. Bring a bunch of spare batteries in your pack. Duck Buddys’ new Wing-It, with three spinning black and white blades that actually attach to the body of a decoy is
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HUNTING be at your blind well before shooting time, as it isn’t out of the latest innovation. They’re so sensitive that they spin the realm of possibility that a complete set-up adjustment when the dog runs by one. could take 30 to 45 minutes. As of Dec. 1, you can use battery-activated decoys Set your decoys out and spread them a little bit to leave smaller areas of COVERING UP AND TOUCHING UP above water level – such as open water and lanes. (BILL ADELMAN) Rather than paint our faces, the Mojo duck – attached to we just use our turkey hunta pole with spinning wings. ing pullover facemasks to Combinations of these eneliminate glare. Consider nonhancements will give life to reflective sunglasses for those a spread. bluebird mornings, especially Have you ever stopped if you draw the short straw by a store and bought two and have to look towards the white and two black hesun. A camo cap also helps, as lium-filled balloons? Usthe brim can be pulled down ing mono fishing line, attach one of each color and let so as to somewhat assist in avoiding direct sunlight. them gain about 40 feet of altitude. A tent stake stuck After the morning shoot – and only if the decoys are dry into the ground will hold in place. Set one on either – try spraying white paint on the snows and white-fronted side of the levee. ducks (bull sprig). This will freshen up faded color garThe Mojos and Wonderducks need to be set within the nered from sitting out every day – that is, if you have a dekes at the edge of a landing lane or hole, while the spinpermanent blind. Take out a small jar of Vaseline and doll ning types should be on the edges and not too close together. up just the green heads of all your mallard dekes. The The plan is to pull in birds to the center of the shooting shine will be very noticeable to approaching birds. lane, where even I might be able to down one without For the season’s final month, consider refreshing a set harvesting just a few tailfeathers. They also require you to with no more than a dozen brand-new dekes. You can
58 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
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HUNTING pull the nasty-looking ones, and while you’re out in the dark doing all your other chores, check for dekes floating on their sides or even upside down ones. If waterlogged, pull them and set on the levee. Possibly the last thing on our minds is our weapon. All too often a semiautomatic will clog up or jam in the blind, especially in really cold weather. Tools should not be in the quad – 300 yards away – when this happens. Keep the gun clean and happy, thus avoiding me and my pump 870 getting all the shots while you’re looking for the trigger mechanism pin on the floor of the blind.
MEMORIES OF A SUCCESSFUL HUNT Back in the late 1970s we had access to the Behring Ranch, long before it became a private club. My hunting partner Cliff and I had a blind reserved for a day, and were able to hunt it as drop-in hunters the previous evening. We did our deke adjustments after shooting time and left. We went back in the morning, walked the levee in complete darkness and got all set. A single greenhead came in from the right and Cliff nailed it. His Lab leaped from her spot as the bird started to fall and both hit a solid sheet of ice at almost the same moment. If only we had YouTube back in the day.CS
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Getting a kid out on a duck hunt and basking in the glow of a successful bag of birds makes all the work you did to set up the blind and your decoys worth the effort. (BILL ADELMAN)
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HUNTING
TEASED BY GEESE WOULD A LONELY MORNING IN THE BLIND FINALLY PAY OFF?
By Tim E. Hovey
I
had lost count of how many trips we had made to the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area, owned by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, near the town of the same name in Imperial County. In the foggy, pitch black, I rolled into the dirt parking lot at 2:30 a.m. I spotted Darrin’s blue Ford truck and pulled in next to it. A dozen other trucks, some with campers, were spread out over the large parking area. I doused the engine and lights and crawled to the back of my SUV for a little sleep. The parking area would be buzzing with activity in about an hour and I was hopeful I could catch some sleep before the hunt started. Darrin and I had been hunting ducks in the stateowned area all season and we had become used to the early hours and the protocol for assigning blinds to duck hunters. However, this trip was focused on a species that neither one of us had killed before.
A NEW BIRD TO HUNT During regular duck hunting trips at Wister, we had no-
ticed generous flocks of snow geese flying high over the wildlife area. They’d lift off in white clouds of hundreds and fly over the duck hunters, far too high for a shot. As we watched them, we’d sit in the duck blind and pore over maps of the hunting area to try to locate blinds near their flight path. We started to see a slight pattern in their movement after several trips. We noticed that once they took flight, they seemed to fly right over two of the blind locations and return a few hours later over a third. We marked those three blinds on our map and decided the next time we hunted the Wister Unit we’d be hunting snow geese. Voices in the dirt parking lot had me up before my alarm. I wrestled myself out of my sleeping bag and stepped into the cold marsh air. Darrin soon got up and together we headed over to the main office to get ready for our blind assignment. Blinds are handed out at the state wildlife area on a first-come, first-served basis. To make sure hunters have plenty of time to find theirs in the dark and set out their decoys, managers start giving out blind designations at around 3:30 a.m. To assure we didn’t get the leftovers, I
Friends Tim Hovey and Darrin Bergen had a plan for hunting the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area for snow geese. The question was, would it pay off in the end or would all those ducks that came into their blind and flew off without a shot in their direction be a lost opportunity? (TIM E. HOVEY) calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2016 California Sportsman
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HUNTING problem was that they were flying straight away from us. We watched the entire field of geese take flight, fly approximately a mile away and land in another field, way off the hunting area. Darrin and I had studied the maps and had noticed another field on the far side of where they settled for the night, but the field had been fallow and didn’t hold any feed. Through binoculars I confirmed that almost all the geese were now in a field made up of mostly dirt. Darrin and I briefly discussed the situation. We concluded that the feeding areas were on the other side of
had left my house in the coastal town of Oceanside at 1:30 and headed inland. We had gotten a pretty good draw spot and anxiously awaited our turn to select our blind. One by one, other hunters who had arrived earlier than us approached the large wall map to make their selection. Gradually, blinds were removed from the board, indicating they were no longer available. Most hunters opted for blinds in the center of the hunting area, some had special blinds they routinely frequented and still others had no real preference. Finally, our turn came and we Snow geese (shown here with Ross selected one of the three blinds bor- geese) can average between 3½ and just over 7 pounds. (STEVE EMMONS/USFWS) dering the hunting area. We jumped in Darrin’s truck and headed for the edge of the property. Once at our spot, we made the decision to give all ducks a pass for this hunt.
SILENCE IS GOLDEN We hoped that staying quiet before the morning flight would give the snow geese the impression that the blind we occupied was vacant. As we kept things still, we hoped that they’d continue to make their daily flight out to the marsh to feed straight over our heads. Our blind had a small amount of water in front of it and a row of tall cypress trees that bordered the goose field. In the darkness we could hear the thousands of snow geese squawking and feeding less than 100 yards from where we sat. We unloaded our gear, set up our hunting chairs and waited. As the sun came up, the ducks began to move. We had a handful of decoys set out, but we had dedicated ourselves to the snow geese, so we let the ducks land at will. A pair of pintails came in close and gave us the perfect flair for a double, but we resisted. The shotgun blasts in the distance and in the next few blinds over made it tough to sit and wait, but that’s what we did. I can clearly remember the frustration of seeing a solid limit of quality ducks move through our set and then watching them leave without ever firing a shot. About an hour after sunrise the goose chatter became louder. Something was definitely happening. I took a peek through the cypress fence. Every single snow goose was still shuffling around the field, feeding and squawking. But as I watched, two lifted off and started flying in the opposite direction. Less than a second later, a huge portion of the flock followed them in a symphony of honks and squawks. The only 64 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
the marsh. Unless they changed their flight pattern, they would need to fly right over us to put food in their bellies. Now that they were close to a mile away, when they did take flight, their elevation might be higher than we could shoot. It was unfortunate, but we continued to wait. The morning shooting slowed way down, and we even saw other hunters making their way back to the station to log in their kills and check out. The geese had stayed put in the far field and didn’t seem at all interested in moving.
FROM DESPAIR TO DELIGHT At noon we decided that maybe our dedicated goose hunt was a bust. We started to talk about the ducks that moved through earlier and how opportunities had definitely been lost focusing on geese. We broke out sandwiches and sat in silence. It didn’t stay silent for long. The sound of squawking geese started to buzz in the distance. Within minutes it seemed to be getting louder. I took a peek through the cypress and noticed a white cloud coming straight at us. It almost looked like they were going to light back in their original field. That still wouldn’t
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HUNTING do us any good since that area was off limits. I watched as the mass of geese approached the field. When they got over it and about the time you would expect them to drop in altitude to land, they kept flying.
REMAINING GOOSE SEASONS The following zones still have active goose seasons: NORTHEASTERN ZONE Regular season for dark geese and white geese ends Jan. 17 Late season for white geese is from Feb. 7-March 10; for whitefronts, it’s March 6-10 SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN ZONE Season ends Jan. 31 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ZONE Season ends Jan. 31
On a day that no other hunters bagged snow geese at the Imperial Valley wildlife area, Darrin and Tim got their birds. (TIM E. HOVEY)
They were headed out over the marsh to feed – and on a path to soar over us. Darrin and I stood in the shadows of the cypress trees and waited. The honking became deafening as the flock
COLORADO RIVER ZONE Season ends Jan. 24 BALANCE OF STATE ZONE Regular season ends Jan. 31; late season for whitefronts and white geese is from Feb. 13-17 Check bag and possession limits at wildlife.ca.gov/ Hunting/Waterfowl) –CS
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HUNTING started to fly over our blind. The first few were too high, but then a large group came through within range. “Take ‘em!” Darrin yelled as we both started blasting into the white cloud. I hit one with my first shot and it splashed into our decoy spread. It was still alive and making an effort to escape when I finished it off. Darrin hit one that he also had to chase but returned half a minute later with a large white bird and a huge smile on his face. I added a third with a quick shot at a straggler before the flock split and moved out of range. We gathered up our birds and checked them out. They were beyond white, pretty big and perfect specimens for our very first snow goose hunt. After that, the action at the state-owned hunting area completely died. We gathered our gear and hiked back to the truck. On the way out, we stopped off to record our kills and check out. The attendant inspected our trio of snow geese and mentioned that of all the birds recorded for the morning hunt, our three were the only ones killed. Patience paid off! That hunt occurred over a decade ago and I still remember everything about it. I’m sure a great deal of luck played into our success, but paying attention to the flights,
After years of waterfowl hunts to Imperial Wildlife Area, this proved to be a nostalgic trip, one that Hovey and Bergen continue to remember a decade later. (TIM E. HOVEY)
identifying good blind locations and patience all helped in adding game to our game bag. Showing restraint during the early-morning flight and letting ducks pass may have helped as well. To this day, one of my all-time favorite hunting photos is of me and my good friend Darrin and our very first snow geese. CS
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HUNTING
GET ON TRACK
WHERE AND HOW TO FIND ANIMAL PRINTS IN THE FIELD No, this is not a wildlife version of Grauman’s Chinese Theater’s famous handprints. But if you’re in the right place, you may find these tracks (clockwise from top): brown bear in Wyoming, fresh coyote tracks, bobcat prints, Western pond turtle. (TIM E. HOVEY)
By Tim E. Hovey
D
uring grade school I spent a lot of time at my grandparents’ house. They had a small home and some land in a rural area near Carpinteria. They lived next to a sycamore-choked creek and I spent many afternoons exploring the drainage near their house. One afternoon, I was walking the sandy shore downstream when I spotted some tracks near the water. I knelt down and examined the cloven prints pressed into the wet soil. I was all of 9 years old and had never really seen wild animal tracks before, but remember being fascinated that one had recently walked right where I was standing. I wasn’t sure what kind of animal left the tracks, nor did I know which direction they were headed. All I can recall is that I was excited about the discovery. When I got home, my dad produced an old tracking book and we looked through the pencil sketches of the prints. Within minutes I identified the tracks calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2016 California Sportsman
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HUNTING I’d seen as those of a mule deer, a very common species in the foothills of Southern California. After that, whenever I was outside I studied the ground looking for animal tracks. Early on, I realized that the best place to find fresh tracks was at or near a water source. Even today, if I spot water, I head over to look for tracks. All animals need to drink and the soft soil around water records the comings and goings of all creatures in the area. Within a year of finding those mule deer tracks, I discovered raccoon, coyote, bobcat, opossum and ground squirrel all in the same creek bottom. When I became interested in hunting, I realized how valuable tracking and being able to read tracks was to hunting success. It didn’t matter what I was chasing, being able to read the sign in the area told me if the game was there or not.
WHILE I DO enjoy exploring wild areas looking for
AS A HUNTER, it’s very important for me to identify animal tracks out in the field. Almost as important as being able to identify tracks is identifying scat as well. Many predators – mountain lion, coyote and bobcat – like to mark their territories with their scat and will return to the same area to make deposits. Illustrating the importance of scat identification in tracking animals, most descriptive tracking books also include a detailed section on animal scat. In some situations, the soil may be too loose to hold
When the author finds a mule deer print, it conjures up memories of his childhood. Exploring around a creek is when he first discovered evidence that wildlife were in the same spot. (TIM E. HOVEY)
tracks, my primary reason for learning how to track was to become a better hunter. I’d head out before the hunting season started and do some scouting. I wanted to see what animals were moving through the spots I hunted and which game trails they were using. If I could spend a couple of days out in these areas, I felt confident that I’d know what was there and how they were moving. I’m always looking at the ground, even if I’m just headed out for a day hunt. If tracks are absent or old, I pick up and move on. If you learn how to identify the tracks of the game you’re chasing, you’ll be able to determine their movements during normal behavior. And if you understand their movements, you can be there during opening day. Understanding how to track will make you a better hunter. One thing that has helped me identify animal tracks in a given area is knowing common local species. Searching through the coastal hills you’ll find deer, rabbit and quail tracks. Where you find herbivores, you’ll also find predators. Mountain lion, coyote and bobcat tracks are almost always present where you find prints of the prey. Smaller mammals like squirrels and mice will leave delicate tracks that don’t last long. Birds can be identified by the size of the prints and their pattern of movement. Feral dogs and cats may also make up the print mosaic, depending on where you’re searching. If you can locate a water source, then every animal in the area will make its presence known there. Second in importance to the identification of the print is its freshness. Understanding when the animal was there is as important as knowing which animal was there. Fresh prints are sharp and have a well-defined edge. In some cases, you may be able to see the pad pattern or the sharpness 74 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
of the hooves in the mud if the track was left within hours. As the print ages, the edges get dull, definition drops off significantly and debris will occupy the print cavity, usually blown in by the wind. If the print is in soil that is now dry, this tells you that the print was left when the soil was damp, and is older.
identifiable tracks or it may be tough to age a track in this type of ground. This is where I like to do something I call “track refreshing.” I’ll take a straight piece of lumber – no more than a couple of feet long – out in the field with me. Finding an area in the loose soil where animals are moving, I’ll smooth over the area with the piece of wood and leave a clean slate for fresh prints. I like to do this towards the evening and then return in the morning to see what creatures have come through between dusk and dawn. This is a great way to gauge animal movement in really loose soil. Conversely, if the ground is hard pack and too firm to hold prints, I head to the kitchen for a little cheap assistance. I make my own tracking stations with baking flour. If I’ve identified a travel corridor that I’m interested in and the ground is too hard to read, I’ll pour out a baggy full of flour over the area and smooth it out over the ground. Just as in track refreshing, I create these stations in the evening and return the next morning to gauge movement and to identify animals. Weather permitting, I can return
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HUNTING Just as Tim Hovey discovered when he was young, one of your best opportunities to spot animal tracks is near a water source. (TIM E. HOVEY)
to the flour tracking station for several days to get a feel for how often animals move through. Earlier this past hunting season, I was quietly searching a large pig bed. All the scat and tracks were very old, and I was convinced the area was vacant. Halfway through, I noticed a very fresh set of tracks cutting down a game trail through the bed. I could tell that the tracks were only hours old. I checked the wind and quietly followed the new tracks. Eight feet from where I noticed the prints, I snuck up on a sleeping boar hidden in the bed. If I hadn’t been able to read the ground and understand what was left there, I would’ve walked right by that pig.
KNOWING HOW TO track can sometimes leave you feeling a bit uneasy. Last year I was exploring some new areas in the coastal range near my house. I was looking for some new areas to hunt and was hiking a very old fire road. In the fine dust of portions of the trail, I found the regular animals common to the area. I also found plenty of deer sign. And where you find deer, you also find mountain lion. Sure enough, near a well-worn game trail, I discovered some older mountain lion scat. After a few miles, I decided to turn around and head back. I stayed on the trail and essentially followed my own tracks back to the truck, something I do often. A half-mile from the truck, I noticed a set of animal tracks that had crossed mine. The mountain lion print was laid out almost perfectly over my boot print. The cat had cut across my track on the fire road after I had passed and had continued down a game trail into the canyon. If that wasn’t unnerving 76 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
enough, I found where the cat had dropped onto the road behind me and followed my tracks for almost 50 yards before he left the road above me. The mountain lion was essentially stalking me. Discovering that sign was scary enough for me to grab a baseball-sized rock and to stay alert during the rest of the hike. It doesn’t matter if you hunt or just enjoy the outdoors; learning to identify tracks or understanding how to track can definitely add an exciting element to being outside. Every creature, no matter how small, leaves evidence of its movement through the wilderness. So add a new angle to your outdoor travels and follow those tracks! CS These are tracks hunters and others may see more of as wolves move back into California. Note their large size. (ODFW)
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HUNTING
MASTER THE ART OF WILD SALISBURY STEAK By Jeremiah Doughty
I
was watching MasterChef on TV and saw a contestant attempting to make a venison version of an old comfort food staple: Salisbury steak. I watched as he killed the steak, and not in a good way. The whole time I kept saying to myself, “He’s doing the game meat all wrong; he needs to add a fat or it will dry out.” Needless to say, the judges hated it and said it was too dry. Unsurprisingly, the wannabe chef was voted off the island. Then the judges said, “Venison should not be made into Salisbury steak.” I took that as a challenge and created what I felt would have changed their minds. Give it a try and let me know what you think of this chef’s attempt. The key to cooking any lean wild game or domestic meat past the temperature of medium is adding some fat to the process.
Ingredients 1 pound ground venison (or any other game meat) ¼ pound pork fat (or ground sausage) 1 egg ½ cup bread crumbs 3 cloves garlic minced 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce Salt and pepper ½ pack French onion soup mix For gravy One pack baby portobello mushroom, sliced One pack French onion soup mix 2½ cups stock (game stock, veggie stock or beef stock; get low sodium if bought at store) ½ cup Worcestershire sauce ¼ cup unsalted butter (unless you need the added salt) 1 teaspoon cracked pepper 2 cloves minced garlic ¼ cup flour Mix game meat and pork fat together (I love using my hands or getting the kids involved). Add egg, bread crumbs, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and
The key to cooking lean wild game meat past medium temperature is including some element of fat. What you get is a tasty version of comfort that food hunters can enjoy from their harvest. (THE WILD CHEF)
French onion soup mix. Once mixed throughout, form meat into oval-shaped patties, ½-inch thick. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the patties. Once both sides are browned remove from skillet and set aside. In same skillet add butter and mushrooms, and sauté mushrooms for two to three minutes. Stir in flour, cooking until flour starts to brown but not burn – about three minutes. Add 1 cup of stock, stirring briskly until flour has dissolved. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Once mixed, add meat back to gravy, reduce heat and simmer until meat reaches your desired temperature – about 10 to 15 minutes If gravy is too thick, add more water or stock; if gravy is too thin, take a third of a cup of water and 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk until smooth and add to gravy. CS 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 | JANUARY 2016 California Sportsman
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HUNTING Logging and farm roads are primary travel routes for predators. Here, a coyote uses a secluded logging road, but this camera also captured gray fox, bobcat, cougar, raccoon and skunk using the same road. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
FROM FIELD ...
YOU OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES TRAIL CAMS ARE A VITAL TOOL IN TRACKING PREDATORS By Scott Haugen
H
ow many of us have set trail cameras for big game and been shocked at the number of predators caught on film? While the majority of trail cams are set for deer and elk, the amount of predators inhabiting these areas have an impact on big game, small game and game bird populations. If looking to get out for some end-
of-season predator hunting, here’s how trail cameras can help.
DON’T BE CAMERA SHY I’ve talked with lots of people around the West who set trail cameras to help locate predators, be it for hunting or trapping. One thing many agree on, and I concur, is camera placement and position. Because predators utilize a wide range of trails, setting cameras at
the intersection of multiple trails increases the odds of catching them on film. Find where two or three trails intersect and place the camera at that point. Single, primary trails are also good places to set trail cameras. Fence rows and trails bordering creek beds, brush and timber are where primary trails are often found. Game trails leading from high to low elevations – meadows, farmland, pastures and river bottoms – are also good places to secure cameras. Remember, a predator’s existence centers around food, so getting trail cam-
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HUNTING
... TO FIRE
FIRE YOUR JERKY GUN FOR FLAVOR
By Tiffany Haugen
J
erky is a favorite in the Haugen house, and with waterfowl season winding down we’re making lots of it. After bringing home fresh ducks and geese and cleaning out the freezer of birds taken earlier in the season, now is the time we grind it and then run it through the jerky gun. When everything is going into the grinder, uniform slices are not a worry. Jerky guns use ground meat, so there is more of a risk for improper cooking with this method. The meat must get to 165 degrees to be properly smoked. I have used my oven and my smoker at 160 to 180 degrees to assure a steady temperature. Keep a close eye on propane smokers – one of my favorites is a Camp Chef Smoke Vault – as this jerky will become brittle if cooked too quickly at too high of heat. 2 pounds ground duck and/or goose 2 teaspoons canning salt ¼ cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon liquid smoke 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon granulated garlic 1 teaspoon granulated onion 1. Skin waterfowl and remove all breast, leg and thigh meat 82 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
cleanly from bones, tendons and ligaments (some of these pieces are very small, but it doesn’t matter as they will all be ground up). 2. Grind meat on finest grinder plate or pulse in a food processor until ground. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. 3. Refrigerate 12 to 24 hours. 4. Set up jerky gun and have all racks lightly greased with cooking spray. 5. Place cold meat in jerky gun and squeeze out strips of desired length. It is helpful to use the spine of a knife to stop the flow of meat from the jerky gun. 6. Place racks in a preheated 160-degree oven or smoker (keep under 180 degrees) and cook an hour for thin strips, two hours for thicker strips. Remove racks, flip jerky strips and return to the oven or smoker for an additional one to three hours or until jerky reaches desired doneness/texture. If you like your jerky dry, it can take up to five hours, depending on outside temperature and the insulating value of your smoker. 7. Refrigerate or freeze jerky for long-term storage. Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany Haugen’s popular cookbook, Cooking Game Birds, send a check for $20 (free S&H) to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489 or order online at scotthaugen.com. Follow Tiffany on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
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HUNTING eras on trails leading to such habitat is important. As for how high to set a trail camera off the ground when targeting predators, that depends on the habitat in which the trail exists. In open pastures or meadows, I like positioning trail cameras 4 or 5 feet off the ground and tilted slightly down to ensure they hits the trail(s). Hanging a trail cam up high increases effective range. If looking to catch predators in thick habitat, refrain from positioning cameras near tunnels in the brush or near confined areas. You don’t want to spook a predator by having the scent of the camera alert them, nor do you want to make them nervous by having a camera go off in their face. Hanging cameras high helps keep scent off the ground and is less likely to spook animals than when positioned low. To further eliminate the possibili-
ty of human odor alerting predators, wash the camera with a mild detergent and use rubber gloves when handling from that point on. This includes washing straps, brackets, cables, locks and anything else you might use to secure cameras.
FIND YOUR SCENT Sprinkling some scents in the area can also help take the attention off the trail cameras and perhaps slow the animal down for a closer look. Anise oil is an all-around favorite of mine for attracting predators. Mind you, when trying to capture predators on trail camera it’s not like when targeting deer, where we’re often trying to assess the size of a buck’s rack. With predators, the goal is to catch them, period. It’s often a blurred shot as an animal moves swiftly by, which is another reason I like setting up trail cameras so high at about 10 to 15 yards off the trail. This allows a lot
84 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
of the trail(s) to be covered. Since predators often move quickly along trails, position cameras so they shoot up or down a trail, not straight into it at a 90-degree angle. This will eliminate empty frame shots that record the passage of a predator when it moves through faster than the camera’s shutter can respond. While coyotes are the big attraction when it comes to predator hunting, don’t forget other toothsome critters. Gray fox can be effectively called in, as can red fox, raccoon, skunk, badger and bobcat. And don’t overlook bears, the biggest predator of them all, which can also be called in with predator calls during the fall season.
CONTROLLING POPULATIONS It’s important for hunters to help keep predator populations manageable. The number of mule deer and blacktail fawns taken by coyotes and
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HUNTING bobcats each spring and summer is shocking. Fox, raccoons and skunks are some of the biggest marauders of upland game birds and their nests. Many turkey, pheasant and valley quail populations have experienced major declines due to the impact of these predators. Once you’ve caught a predator on trail camera, get out and start hunting. As with big game, set up with the wind in your face or in a crosswind, and keep movement to a minimum. There’s nothing like starting a calling sequence after having checked trail cameras with the knowledge that a predator is nearby. CS Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s popular big game hunting book, Life In The Scope: The West, send a check for $15 (free S&H) to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489, or visit scotthaugen.com.
86 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
When positioning trail cameras for predators, the author likes setting them 4 to 5 feet off the ground and 10 to 15 yards off the trail to optimize the amount of ground covered. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
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HUNTING IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE
The spectacular fall colors, steep mountains, rolling hills and patches of thick forest in this part of France speak to a hunter’s soul as powerfully as the “roar” of the landscape’s stags and abundance of game. (FRANCE SAFARIS)
A MISSED SHOT AND A DOWNHILL SPILL CAN’T PREVENT SUCCESS ON A SIKA DEER By Brittany Boddington
M
y hunting adventures in France started with the Pyrenees chamois that you read about in last month’s column, but they didn’t end there! I left the high mountains and traveled north to a 13th century castle to continue my hunt in style. My guide and friend Guillaume Roques-Rogery inherited this magnificent castle and, along with it, a big chunk of hunting land. He runs a company called France Safaris (francesafaris.com) with his wife, Lisa. The area is in the Aveyron department in southern France, between Toulouse, where Airbus is headquartered, and Lyon, and has steep mountains and rolling hills, as well as thick forest. The landscape makes the hunting challenging, but there are plenty of animals and species to choose from. We went for a drive around the hunting area the evening I arrived and spotted some animals, which got me excited for the next day. One of the most exciting species for me was the sika deer. They are originally from Japan
and this was the first time I had ever seen one. Sika are a dark brown deer with some light spots. Their antlers are similar to those of rusa and axis deer, but smaller and thinner. The area also has red stag, mouflon and fallow deer, and an occasional roe deer moves through. They also have a serious pig problem. Wild boars are in such high numbers that they’re destroying the ground, and it is difficult to make a stalk without bumping into one.
MY FIRST PRIORITY was finding a sika deer. We started early in the morning and walked along the edge of the forest. The light twinkled through the trees as the sun rose, making the area look heavenly. We were hoping to catch some deer moving into the forest as they started to look for places to bed down during the hot part of the day. We spotted some mouflon first, a bunch of females with babies. When they were spooked, they ran off downhill. Unfortunately, in the area we were walking, the leaves were pretty loud under our feet, so the animals heard us coming. calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2016 California Sportsman
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THE SIKA WAS gorWe next spotted a sika deer, but it was a young one and it disappeared in a flash. We continued walking for a few hours and it started to get hot, so we decided to leave the area alone so we wouldn’t spook everything for the afternoon. All the animals start to lay down in the thick forest – it gets hot here – and if pushed, they might disappear into mountainous areas we couldn’t reach by foot. In the afternoon we set out on a sika mission. I was determined to find a big male sika deer. We walked along the forest edge again, and this time we saw a ton of animals, a sign that things were beginning to happen. There were mouflon everywhere. We also saw some beautiful fallow deer, and as the afternoon passed, the red stag roar started. The sound filled the woods as the sun twinkled through; it was eerie but beautiful. Then we spotted a big mature male sika deer bedded on the edge of the forest. We were on a ridge above it and had a great vantage point. I took my time getting set up. I was laying prone with my LAW .300 Win Mag and set up over a pack. I was rock solid. We watched the sika for an hour while it lay there chewing. The deer was blissfully unaware of our presence, so much so that I started to get stiff from laying there so long. My neck was killing me and I kept shifting and wiggling in an attempt to get comfortable. During one of those wiggles the sika stood up. I panicked and missed the deer completely. There was no time to regroup and try again once the sika disappeared into the forest. I lay there, dumbfounded at how I could miss such a perfect opportunity, but it happens, so I collected myself and we continued the hunt. We headed back to the ridgeline we had walked that morning and started moving through the area slowly. The sun was starting to slide down in the sky, making it difficult to see into the woods without looking straight into the sun. We carefully peeked over every ridge until Guillaume spotted a sika deer. I couldn’t believe that I would get another opportunity after I had blown it so badly earlier, but the hunting gods were smiling on us that day. I wasted no time dropping to one knee and resting my elbow on the other knee. I actually prefer to shoot from this position whenever possible. Guillaume checked out the deer in a split second and gave me the green light. I knew the sika wouldn’t stand for long. We had been spotted and were in a staring contest. As soon as I got the green light, I fired. Hit, the deer rolled down the hill. We shuffled down the incredibly steep slope toward where the deer had fallen. I started to feel something stinging on my leg but was too excited to let it slow me down. I slipped and slid, but at last we made it to the deer, which had only stopped rolling because it was caught on a tree. 90 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
geous. It had ivory-like antlers and extremely dark brown fur. It was a big male, and Guillaume thought it might have been Red stag were also scattered throughout the the biggest they hunting area, along with some mouflon and fallow deer. (BRITTANY BODDINGTON) had shot in that area. We tagged it, took some photos and then attempted to make it down the hill to a nearby road. I had my rifle over my shoulder as I carefully worked my way downhill, but at one particularly difficult point I hesitated. Guillaume took my hand and I took a careful step onto what looked like a secure rock. But the rock rolled and I fell straight down the hill. I smacked down on my back and my rifle, with my feet dangling over an edge. Only Guillaume’s hand held me from falling straight down to the road. I almost took him down with me, but fortunately he caught hold of a tree as I fell. We finally made it down with the deer and called for help, which turned out to be Guillaume’s dad coming to rescue us. In the car I started to feel the bangs I’d taken from my fall, and then the stinging in my leg again. I decided it was worth asking the question: “Do you guys have stinging nettle here?” “Yes, we do,” Guillaume answered. “Did you find some?” Yes, I had found some nettles. A lot, in fact; my shooting position had been right in a patch of it. I had been so excited about the deer that I had not even looked where I was kneeling. That was an itchy lesson I will not forget anytime soon, but at least I got my sika deer. CS Editor’s note: Brittany Boddington is a Los Angeles-based hunter, adventurer and journalist. For more, go to brittanyboddington. com or facebook.com/brittanyboddington.
Brittany and her deer get quite a dramatic backdrop at Guillaume Roques-Rogery’s 13th century hunting estate. Brittany took a fall that left her sore and dinged up, but happy to be taking a sika deer out of the forest. (BRITTANY BODDINGTON)
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92 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
HUNTING
KIWI HUNTER’S BIG 10
KEY QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR NEW ZEALAND OUTFITTER FIRST | Last of a four-part series Make sure you’re in the right place for the species you want to hunt in New Zealand. For example, if you’re after not deer but chamois or tahr, head to the country’s South Island. (HIGH PEAK HUNTING)
By Simon Guild
T
his is the fourth and final installment of our guide to turning your dream New Zealand hunt into a reality. In the September, October and November issues, we discussed what makes a dream New Zealand hunt, looked at the right type of hunt for a given hunter and highlighted seven mistakes that hunters often make when booking a
New Zealand hunt. In this issue, we’re going to try and tie it all together with 10 key questions to ask your outfitter. But before we get into the detail, it has to be understood that the below questions should be utilized in the context of common sense and gut instinct. Instinct is probably the most important factor in any decision-making process. Claims can be embellished and testimonials fabricated, but it’s hard
to fudge genuine, well-meaning intentions. If your instinct tells you that this isn’t the right guy for you, then trust it – regardless of his big promises or his sharp price. In addition, these questions can be used anywhere in the world. With a bit of simple substitution, the information here can be applied from Alaska to Zambia. Remember that these questions are the result of 30 years’ experience in the hunting in-
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HUNTING dustry, listening to clients’ stories and experiences from around the world. We have distilled them into what we think are the mandatory “table stakes” an outfitter must provide to ensure a positive experience.
1. Who are you (and what are your credentials)? The crook masquerading as an outfitter (who plans to take your deposit and run) notwithstanding, this question pertains to the fact that the barriers to becoming a guide or outfitter are very low. In New Zealand, anyone can throw together a website, get a firearms license and be in business. If you want to hunt with someone who has some experience and a proven track record, you need to ask this explicitly. Ask them how long they have been operating as an outfitter/guide and what their relevant qualifications are – which leads us into the next query.
sure that you’ll be given a fair-chase hunt is to hunt on New Zealand Association of Game Estates-accredited properties. NZAGE audits its member properties according to firm industry standards relating to size, cover, terrain, animal welfare and fair-chase hunt principles. To hunt on an unaccredited property means you could be “hunting” on a few hundred acres or less – fine
yours first. Where genuine free-range hunts are concerned, many will be conducted on public land by guides with a concession in play. Guides who claim an exclusive concession are purporting a fallacy. You cannot hold a “sole concession” for guided hunting on a tract of public land in New Zealand; the fact that it’s public means it is open to all.
Some lodges are owned directly by the proprietor and guides you’re hunting with. If a larger conglomerate owns the property, you might not get the personal touch you were hoping for. (HIGH PEAK HUNTING)
2. Are you a member of the New Zealand Professional Hunting Guides Association? The NZPHGA is an association that takes an inclusive attitude to the guiding sector in New Zealand. The vast majority of New Zealand hunting guides and outfitters are members, and between them probably host 95 percent or more of the international hunting clientele visiting New Zealand. Membership is voluntary and neither overly hard nor expensive. As long as applicants meet criteria pertaining to guiding experience, character, training and qualifications, they will be accepted. The point is, if someone is not a member, there’s likely to be a reason why, which is one reason to avoid him or her.
3. Will I be hunting on an NZAGE-accredited game estate? Most hunts undertaken by international clientele are held on enclosed private land. The only way to en-
for a collector, but not for a hunter. As an aside: If you’re after a freerange hunt on private land, make sure that the area and animals are on genuine free-range hunts and treat any implausible guarantees – such as a stag over 300 Safari Club International – with real skepticism.
4. Who owns the property where I will be hunting? Some outfitters own their own properties. Some outfitters have exclusive agreements with property owners. Others act as brokers between their clients and a number of properties, maximizing their margin. Simply, the greater number of competing interests involved in the hunt, the greater the chance that yours will take a back seat. To eliminate this risk, book with the guy whose reputation and investment in the industry suggests that it’s in his best interests to put
94 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
5. How many hunts do you conduct each year? This question will give you an idea of how busy the operation is. Depending on the type of experience you seek, this could mean anything from a private, exclusive experience to a bustling lodge. This will also depend on the time of season you visit. Think boutique restaurant versus McDonald’s; you get fed either way, but the delivery of the meal can be vastly different. The kicker is the amount of land you’ll be sharing with your fellow guests; it doesn’t take a mathematician to work out that a busy place in mid-April with a relatively small acreage can become a logistical exercise of “You’re on at 1 p.m., buddy.” Every outfitter has their niche, so consider the type of experience you want, and remember that no one operator can be all things to all people.
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HUNTING 6. Where are you located in relation to the species I seek? The location of your outfitter or game estate is important if you wish to minimize internal travel within New Zealand. If this isn’t an issue, experiencing the whole country can be a great option. However, if your time is limited, a single base makes sense. This will be dictated by the target species. Broadly speaking, red deer, fallow deer, elk, rams, pigs and goats can be found across the whole country, while the North Island is the place for sika, sambar and rusa deer, and the South Island is for tahr and chamois.
7. Whom will I be sharing the hunting areas with? Unless you’re booking a place exclusively, chances are you’ll be hunting alongside other people – especially if
it’s during a peak time, such as the roar, or rut, in April. The obvious safety considerations aside, if you don’t have sole rights to a certain tract of land, whether free-range or game estate, you may be competing with others for potential trophies. This can be an issue if you have your eye on one particular trophy, only to find someone else took it that morning, so it’s best to limit this possibility where you can. It goes without saying that is the case on all public land, where you’ll be sharing the hunting resource with locals, as well as other international hunters. There are, however, 4 million or so acres to go around, so you should be OK.
8. What is there for my spouse to do? If you’re bringing family members who are nonhunters, your hunting enjoyment will be directly correlated with their happiness. That’s a
96 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
fact. Make sure there is a dedicated person who understands what your significant other(s) might like to do when not hunting and will make it happen with style. If you’re staying in busy shared lodgings, find out who is staying at the same time. A family won’t appreciate being housed alongside a rowdy guys’ trip, and by the same token, if you’re traveling with friends, you want to be able to let your hair down without feeling awkward about it.
9. Do you have any testimonials or references to recommend you? This is a big one. The hunting industry in New Zealand and around the world is full of claims of being “the best.” The only way to be sure what an outfitter says is true is to get a qualified opinion from someone who has been there. Any reputable outfitter should be able to provide you with a substantial
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A New Zealand hunt means a long flight halfway around the world and presumably an expensive trip overall. Whatever your idea of a dream hunt is, do as much research as you can to improve your chances of a memorable experience. (HIGH PEAK HUNTING)
list of clients from recent seasons that they are happy for you to contact. Make sure they are real people who you can identify with; ask them to describe their experiences in full, and be sure to ask them if there is anything you should watch out for.
10. Questions to ask yourself. Here’s where we come back to your instincts. Think these questions over: Do you have a good feeling about the person you are dealing with? Do their testimonials check out? Do you like and trust them? If the answer to these is yes, then go ahead, work out a trip and start making your New Zealand dream hunt a reality. Season is just around the corner and we’d love to see you visit New Zealand in 2016! CS Editor’s note: Simon Guild is a director of High Peak, one of the oldest hunting estates in New Zealand. He and his brother Hamish cowrote The Hunters’ Guidebook to New Zealand with the aim of providing quality decision-making guidelines to visiting international hunters. Find out more at huntingredstag.com.
98 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
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HUNTING
AN AUSSIE-STYLE SAFARI COMPAN
PROFILEY
A
ustralia seemingly has something for everyone: cosmopolitan cities, surfing, wide-open spaces, football without helmets and “shrimp on the barbie” (if you believe how Hollywood views the land down under). The continent is also home to one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems and some untapped hunting for unique species of big game.
California Sportsman How long have you been in business and how did you get involved in this? Greg Coyne Broadsound Safaris is just coming into its sixth year of business. However, the ranch where we have our base camp has been in the family for well over 50 years. The property is based right on the shores of the Coral Sea, midway along the Queensland coast of [northeast] Australia.
CS What hunts do you offer? GC The main thing that we have
The chance to hunt the rugged landscapes of Australia and harvest a rusa deer attracts sportsmen to outfitters like Broadsound Safaris, based in the state of Queensland. (BROADSOUND SAFARIS)
Our Urban Huntress, Brittany Boddington, bowhunted Australia (September 2015 California Sportsman) for both Moluccan and Javan rusa deer with Queensland-based Broadsound Safaris (bowhuntingsafarisaustralia.net). We caught up with operator Greg Coyne for more about an Aussie hunt of a lifetime.
perhaps it would be a good idea to branch out into guided hunts, since we were well positioned to do so. At the time there were only a handful of other outfitters in the country that offered trophy deer hunts. As I have been an avid hunter all my life, I guess that it was a natural progression that saw us move into the safari business.
It’s halfway between Cairns to the north and Brisbane to the south. The land originally was used for farming cattle, and then around 25 years ago we changed direction and ventured into crab fishing. We got rid of the cattle and concentrated on managing the wild game and utilizing the meat for bait in our crab traps. Some 10 years ago we decided that
been specializing in has been Javan rusa deer. However, we can now offer all the species of game animals that are available in the country. In our local area, besides the Javans, we offer hunts for Moluccan rusa, axis deer, hog deer, red stag, Hungarian fallow (deer), Persian fallow (deer), alpine goats, banteng, scrub bull and wild sheep. Of these species, all are free-ranging, except the Moluccan rusa and the Hungarian fallow, which we offer as closed-range hunting. Good specimens of all trophies can generally be taken on a two-day hunt. In seven days of hunting, five to 10 species are possible. In the mountains in New South Wales, we offer five-day hunts for free-range sambar deer. Clients are met at Sydney airport and either driven to camp or can take a short helicopter flight. We (also) have a partner in the Northern Territory, where we offer free-range buffalo and banteng hunts. These are seven-day hunts in some of the most remote areas of the country. This truly is the last frontier in Australia. We use local Aborigi-
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HUNTING nal trackers and guides to “sort” after these huge bovines. Hunters fly into Darwin and are either picked up or can take a helicopter flight to the hunting concession. We also offer free-range hunting for wild camels, goats and pigs in northwest Queensland, on cattle properties that can cover an area of over a million acres. These are normally seven-day hunts that involve a lot of driving; it’s where clients can truly experience the great Outback.
CS What kind of hunting area is on your Queensland location?
GC Our two family properties cover an area of just on 40,000 acres. Then we have a half-dozen other properties that are within an hour’s drive of us that we have access to hunt on, as well. The total area we hunt locally is well over 250,000 acres. All of these properties are cattle ranches, so the game is entirely
free-ranging. On our base property, although we have no domestic livestock, we also have only standard cattle fencing around most of our boundary. As the property runs around a large estuary system, over half the boundary has no fencing at all. The deer are great swimmers and can and do come and go as they please. We do have an area of high fencing where we keep mainly Hungarian fallow and Moluccan rusa so that they are available for hunting, but do not interbreed with other closely related species that are free-ranging. On our base property, the land is mostly flat, open marine plains that run into low-lying hills clothed in thick bush. Around the estuaries there are dense mangrove forests, where the deer and most other animals like to hang out during the heat of the hot summer days. The balance of the local ranches are mostly the same; however, a few consist of open forest country which runs back into the mountains, where
the terrain can be quite rugged with thick bush.
CS How do you differ from other safari operators and areas in Australia? GC First, we offer 16 species of game animals in total, which is everything that is available to hunt in the country except black buck, and those are only available in a couple of highfenced farms anyway. Most other operators only offer a couple of species, with five or six species being the maximum anyone else in the country would offer. We specialize in producing highquality trophies for our clients, and each year we are moving from strength to strength. Being professional fishermen, we can also offer clients the opportunity to experience commercial crabbing and sportfishing at its best in both fresh- and saltwater. CS Editor’s note: You can call Broadsound Safaris via mobile phone at +61447843377.
Specializing In: Red Stag, Fallow Bucks, Wapiti, Apawera Rams, Tahr & Chamios
Leithen Valley Trophy Hunts New Zealand is a family run and operated business located in the south island of New Zealand. Contact Rach and Olly Burke: www.leithenvalley.com ^ 102 California Sportsman JANUARY 2016 | calsportsmanmag.com
Info@leithenvalley.com
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