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Sportsman

California Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource

Volume 6 • Issue 2 PUBLISHER James R. Baker ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Dick Openshaw EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles CONTRIBUTORS Rachel Alexander, Brittany Boddington, Steve Carson, Chris Cheng, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Tim E. Hovey, Luke Kelly, Randy King, Al Quackenbush, Bill Schaefer SALES MANAGER Brian Lull ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Becca Ellingsworth, Mamie Grifﬁn, Steve Joseph Mike Nelson, Mike Smith, Heidi Witt, Paul Yarnold DESIGNERS Dawn Carlson, Beth Harrison, Sonjia Kells PRODUCTION MANAGER John Rusnak INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines OFFICE MANAGER/ACCOUNTING Audra Higgins ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Sauro INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn CIRCULATION MANAGER Heidi Belew ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@calsportsmanmag.com CORRESPONDENCE Email letters, articles/queries, photos, etc., to ccocoles@media-inc.com. ON THE COVER Freddy Harteis hails from the hunting-crazed state of Pennsylvania. But he eventually settled in the less than hunting haven of Los Angeles. Chronicles of Harteis’ adventures are shown on his Sportsman Channel show, The Hollywood Hunter. (THE HOLLYWOOD HUNTER) INSET Trinity River steelhead will bite far more frequently going forward if there is a rainy winter. (KIRK PORTOCARERRO/SACRIVERGUIDE.COM) MEDIA INC PUBLISHING GROUP WASHINGTON OFFICE P.O. Box 24365 • Seattle, WA 98124-0365 14240 Interurban Ave. S., Suite 190 Tukwila, WA 98168 OREGON OFFICE 8116 SW Durham Rd • Tigard, OR 97224 (206) 382-9220 • (800) 332-1736 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com • www.media-inc.com

8 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

CONTENTS

VOLUME 6 • ISSUE 2

43 OUTFOXING

WINTER PREDATORS As Ed Davis will surely attest, December is a great time for chasing predator species like coyote. For the patient hunter with electronic calling devices, you can have a productive outing. Tim Hovey provides the details on this species management-style hunting. (TIM E. HOVEY)

FEATURES 16

HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 95

Freddy Harteis and his wife, television host and fashion expert Jeannie Mai, are well-known personalities in their Los Angeles home base. But Harteis is also a renowned big-game hunter and Sportsman Channel host of the aptly titled Hollywood Hunter. Learn how Freddy has thrived in not very hunter-friendly Southern California.

HUNTING THE QUAIL TRAIL The California quail is not just the state bird but one of its more popular attractions for hunters, especially in the northern part of the state, where valley and mountain varieties thrive in the mountainous sections of the Coast Range and Cascades. Scott Haugen knows hunting as well as anyone, and he teams with his wife Tiffany in their Field to Fire feature, topped by a juicy bird recipe.

FISH THE “LOWER O” If trout anglers are spending their winter marking off the calendar until April of 2015 when most Eastern Sierra lakes and rivers reopen for business, Mike Stevens has the remedy. The lower Owens River from Bishop 40 miles south near Lone Pine remains open through December and beyond. The rainbow and brown trout are waiting for your arrival.

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THE PACIFIC FRENZY El Niño continues to turn the Pacific from Orange County south to Mexico into a delightful chaos of exotic species like yellowtail and wahoo. Saltwater guru Steve Carson estimates at least 60 wahoo – traditionally a dweller of far warmer waters – have been caught in California’s waters this season, and he says the weird weather phenomenon means the wacky fishing will continue as 2014 winds down.

13 31 35 39 40 51 69 103 107 109 121

The Editor’s Note Book excerpt: Shoot to Win, by Chris Cheng of History Channel’s Top Shot The lead bullet issue The Dishonor Roll: Selfies with bears? Browning, Wright & McGill Photo Contest winners Dove hunting for rookies Two waterfowlers’ special bond Trinity River steelhead primer Trout-imitation bass baits Catch surf perch off Southland beaches Sand bass biting in SoCal bays

COLUMNS 75 85

Urban Huntress: Brittany Boddington on her favorite winter conventions So Cal Bowhunter: Al Quakenbush’s ultimate holiday gift wish list

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) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Back issues are available at Media Index Publishing Group ofﬁces at the cost of $5 plus tax. 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 © 2014 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 DECEMBER 2014

DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

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THEEDITOR’SNOTE

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Denver Area’s Award Winning Hobby Store, Where We Do What We Sell! Freddy Harteis has harvested several game animals in Africa, and the meat has fed needy families, which he hopes will educate the anti-hunting sentiment around his Los Angeles home. (HOLLYWOOD HUNTER) reddy Harteis, who grew up in Harrisburg, Pa., knows he’s not the typical Los Angelino, but as I got to know the affable host of the Sportsman Channel’s Hollywood Hunter for this month’s cover story, I had the sense he was just fine with being the square peg in a rather tight-fitting round hole. Harteis has brought a little bit of reality to the big city and bright lights of Los Angeles. He understands he’s not going to be able to change the overall thinking of those who are vehemently opposed to hunting, but that’s also not necessarily his biggest priority. “It’s not so much hunting but the conservation behind it or the good behind it,” Harteis says. “L.A. is all about going organic. But most of them believe when you walk into a grocery store meat just comes from a grocery store. So to be able to say that this is that much better for you and the fact is that we can do it ourselves.” In our conversation, you’ll learn more details of Harteis’ charity work (last summer, he donated 2,000 pounds of meat from a water buffalo harvested in South Africa to Johannesburg-area hospitals). In January, he’ll provide his TV personality wife Jeannie Mai’s co-hosts on their Fox daytime talk show, The Real, with goodie bags of elk meat products like summer sausage and jerky from a hunt on his family’s Colorado ranch. “Believe it or not, a few generations ago, everyone did what we are doing,” he says of he and fellow hunters who make good use of the meat they harvest. “So get off your high horse and accept the reality that this is the world we’ve come from. People are very good when it comes to being very visual and learning through experiences.” Bravo to Freddy in his quest to educate and enlighten. –Chris Cocoles

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Freddy Harteis (with his wife, makeup artist and television personality Jeannie Mai) has brought some of his central Pennsylvania roots to Los Angeles. The host of the Sportsman Channel show, The Hollywood Hunter, lives in the Hollywood Hills and hopes heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s educating skeptics about what he does. (HOLLYWOOD HUNTER) 16 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

HOLLYWOOD MEETS THE HUNTER OUTDOORS TV PERSONALITY FREDDY HARTEIS FINDS A HOME IN L.A.

By Chris Cocoles

reddy Harteis was once in his element growing up in Harrisburg, Pa. “It’s the most populated state in the country for hunters. There are over a million licensed deer hunters in that state,” Harteis says of Pennsylvania. “It’s the complete opposite of where I live today.” That would be in the Hollywood Hills, and L.A. is nothing like PA. “Back there if you don’t hunt you’re not cool. Now, if you hunt, you’re not cool. It’s been a unique transition.” Harteis and his wife, talk show host and celebrity makeup artist Jeannie Mai, are living the life of a hunting fish-out-of-water existence in Tinseltown. He’s the host of an aptly named Sportsman Channel show, The Hollywood Hunter, which at first glance is quite the oxymoron. Anti-hunting sentiment is omnipresent among many celebrities and Los Angelinos in general. But Harteis hopes his connections in his new home base will be educated and informed by what he does. “Hollywood may not like what he does,” Hollywood Hunter’s narrator says during episodes’ opening introduction, “but they will respect him.” And it’s winning over the skeptics in his adopted hometown. Harteis gives back to his local community in the form of donating meat from harvested animals to homeless shelters and other charitable endeavors. And whatever backlash he receives, such opposition is business as usual for hunters, most of whom will never be able to convince some that they’re not the black-hatted villains. “You realize about perspective. All we have do is give them a different perspective and something different than what hearsay is,” Harteis says. “And that’s what’s been so powerful in building our network of friends out here who support us and will fight for us. Hey, there’s no way we’re going to take over L.A. and everyone is going to believe in what we do. But it’s pretty amazing how much progress we’ve made in our community.” DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

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The Harteis Ranch in southern Colorado was a vision Freddy’s late father Fred had years ago. (HOLLYWOOD HUNTER)

We caught up with Freddy and picked his brain about life in Hollywood, bonding with his late father, hunting with his wife and reflecting on the family’s cherished Colorado ranch.

Chris Cocoles You’re a long distance away – geographically and culturally – from Harrisburg, Pa. What was life like 18 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

for you growing up? Freddy Harteis I spent all my time in the woods. I was very fortunate that we had farms to hunt on. I ran around all the time with my BB guns and just started learning the trade of the game. I was very fortunate that my dad (see sidebar) took me to British Columbia when I was about 12 and started tak-

ing us on different adventures. And probably the highlight of it all was going to Africa (Zimbabwe) the year I graduated college (Clarion University). I had lots of different experiences in the hunting world. But what I was most passionate about when it came to hunting were the relationships. Everyone that we connected

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with in business would get involved in the outdoors with us. There’s a unique avenue to really cultivate and grow relationships by giving back to nature.

CC I’ve met and read about so many folks who have hunted for the first time in Africa and gotten so much out of it, and not just from a sporting standpoint but the cultural experience. Can you share some of your trip? FH It was my dad’s 10th safari and he had taken myself and one of my sisters and we’d gone in July of 2000. It was something that, as much hunting as I did throughout North America, I had no idea what it was like to hunt in a thirdworld country or hunt such a diversity of species of game. We had the opportunity to bring down an elephant apiece, a leopard apiece, a buffalo apiece, in the course of that month. What I remember most is I bonded with my father and we took that to another level and understood each other’s passions as to why we were doing this. CC And what was the cultural part of the trip like? FH You see the villagers there and the (harvesting) of an elephant, and in the course of six hours there’s nothing but a spot of blood left. That taught me what it really meant to take advantage of every piece of that animal and not waste

20 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

Harteis had an appreciation for living in the U.S. when he hunted with his father in Zimbabwe just after he graduated from college in the early 2000s. (HOLLYWOOD HUNTER)

it. There were a lot of lessons about how much we should appreciate living in America and the different perspectives you gain when traveling.

CC You have a marketing degree. What were your goals when you graduated from Clarion?

FH It was one of those things where I always wanted to work

and understanding people’s needs; and also about understanding goals and how to sell people on what they really need. When Jeannie and I got married and moved to Los Angeles in 2007, it was a turning point for me, and I realized if I was going to live in the city as a country boy who’s not belonging, then I was going to have to get back to doing something that I was passionate about. One of the greatest things I’ve been taught is to chase my passion and not my pension. I thought this was the chance to build something and stand out in a culture and a city that doesn’t get it, and I’m tired of it not getting it. And I didn’t care if they were with me or not, but they’re going to have to respect the fact that I was going to stand out, which was kind of the vision for Hollywood Hunter.

CC I know you’re proud of getting some Southern Califorwith my father. And that being said: he had become very successful, self-made, and built a great business. I was always wanted to follow in his footsteps. I went to college to not just get a degree but to grow up. I started building my own networking business and moved to Colorado. We started to expand it to the next level. I didn’t realize it was a steppingstone to teach me about understanding people

nians passionate about what you and others are doing in your industry. FH It’s exciting to see hundreds of people who are now shooting archery because I wanted to teach a bunch of people how to do it. And to see people out here now part of hunting clubs growing in Los Angeles and the new ones going out into the woods. It’s just the ability to (positively) affect the next generation. I have 10 nieces and neph-

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MIXED BAG ews between my two sisters, and I’m getting them involved. I have five of them going hunting this year. I have an (archery) event that I do in Ohio every year, the Deerasic Classic (740-4359500; deerassic.com), and to me, I’m as passionate about that as I am about any of this. I don’t get the high of being on TV the way I do about seeing other people excited about what we do.

CC What does your family’s Colorado ranch mean to you?

FH Harteis Ranch is a massive passion of where my foundation is. That’s the place where my father and I created a big part of my memories. The fact that we’re moving forward and growing a legacy out there, that motivates me. It’s exciting to be a part of something that’s much bigger than me or what I can do. It’s also rewarding that we can grow that and build it to the next level.

CC Can you share something special from your times in Colorado? FH We had a pastor, Dave Gibbons of Newsong Church in Irvine, who came out to the ranch after my dad passed. He watched me work with clients and saw the whole ranch kind of come alive when I was there. And what he said was, “You know, Freddy, this ranch is not a hunting ranch; it’s a ranch that’s your mission. This is something that’s a calling on your abilities to be able to serve other people and give them that spirit.” I realize that hunting is not just about a kill; it’s about an experience that’s something bigger. When you research our property, it’s a five-star, high-end destination. People want to go, but few people are blessed enough to be able to financially go there. I say this very humbly, but the people who do are the CEOs of Gillette and California Pizza Kitchen. I understand who they are, what they want and what they expect.

CC And what about what you hope you’ve accomplished and will accomplish on Hollywood Hunter? 22 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

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THE HUNTER AND THE MAKEUP ARTIST How’s this for an only-in-Hollywood love story: central Pennsylvania-born big-game hunter meets and falls in love with Northern California-born makeup artist, fashionista and daytime talk-show host. Meet Freddy Harteis, host of Sportsman Channel TV’s Hollywood Hunter, and his wife, Jeannie Mai. Harteis met Mai through his work in the marketing industry. She was a makeup artist for celebrities such as singers Christina Aguilera and Alicia Keys and actress Rosario Dawson and previously hosted How Do I Look?, a fashion show on the Esquire Network. These days, the 35-year-old San Jose native joins four other women as hosts of the The Real, which is syndicated on several Fox networks around the nation. If their personalities seem like oil and water, it didn’t affect their relationship. “We had similar goals and we were driven and had come from completely different worlds, which made it very interesting,” Harteis says. “People don’t think we’d ever be together, but when they do see us together they wouldn’t see it any other way.” The décor of their Hollywood Hills home is “our two worlds colliding,” Harteis jokes of the taxidermy mounts and plant pots made out of rusted Quaker State oil cans, but coupled with the elegant style of his California wife. It also brings a smile to Harteis’ face when he’s working in his downstairs home office and guests come by. Mai has embraced her husband’s hunting and love for the outdoors. “Friends will come in and take in the scene of the monster elk on the wall, and I can sit in that office and grin and see her stand up for me,” Harteis says. “She explains and shares why we do it and how we do it and why she’s proud of what I do.” That didn’t mean there wasn’t a transition period for Mai understand-

The husband-and-wife team of Freddy Harteis and Jeannie Mai came from completely different backgrounds, but the professional hunter and makeup artist fell in love anyway. (THE HOLLYWOOD HUNTER)

ing what her husband did in the field. “She had zero experience. She’d never been on a farm and never been outside the concrete jungle,” Harteis says. “But she thought it was incredibly interesting. And what I love most about her was her naïve innocence when it came to the outdoors. She helped me understand what I had forgotten long ago and took for granted.” It may sound corny, but Mai reminded her new boyfriend and soon-to-be husband to take time to soak up the atmosphere, take in the aroma of wildflowers and stop to listen to birds chirping at each other. Whatever you may be thinking – remember that we’re living social media-driven world of passing judgment just because the 140 characters of Twitter allow you to do just that – don’t worry about Freddy and Jeannie; it works. “We got married because we were going to encourage either other’s dreams and we’re not going to hold each other back,” he says. -CC

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800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com “Hey, there’s no way we’re going to take over L.A. and everyone is going to believe in what we do,” Harteis says. “But it’s pretty amazing how much progress we’ve made in our community. (HOLLYWOOD HUNTER)

FH I didn’t realize what I know now, that in the beginning when I started Hollywood Hunter it was for all selfish reasons: to get back to nature and back to the outdoors – to do what I love. But over the course of the last seven years, the real reason I got into Hollywood Hunter was to influence kids, to help charities, and I think that’s why I’m so passionate about this. I look at it like what you can do, not what you can get. We’re acquiring things that are able to bless 24 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

other people. I want to be able to do that for other people.

CC So I asked about what life was like in Harrisburg. How has Freddy Harteis handled Hollywood? FH [Laughs] It’s a ton of fun. Now that we’ve built roots here Jeannie and I understand each other’s focuses – like her being a host of The Real and being (a top-rated talk show). She’ll bring me up and discuss the outdoors and that her husband is a professional hunter.

She can share that through her panel of other women on the show. She brought me on the show and it was humbling to be able to give my two cents to people who are willing to listen and allow you (to reach) other demographics with your thoughts. I’ve also really enjoyed the black and white of living two different worlds. Because it makes life very interesting to be able to do it in a city with my No. 1 girl and enjoy things together – the food and the adven-

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REMEMBERING DAD On their sprawling Colorado ranch, two Harteis family members, both named Fred, took one last hunt together shortly before Fred Harteis passed away at 63 on June 7, 2013. “My father and I were very different people,” son Freddy Harteis says. “We’re both driven, but where we bonded and connected were the (hunting) memories that we had. The majority of things I learned from him were through the outdoors.” Fred Harteis was a shop and agriculture teacher in Pennsylvania when he began working for network marketing company Amway in 1977, eventually becoming the president and then starting his own company, Harteis Enterprises. “My father was fanatical about the outdoors. He worked his life to create the freedoms to be able to go hunt in style,” Freddy Harteis says. That included taking big-game hunts around the world, but also a vision for opening the ultimate hunting ranch in Colorado, “to be able to do what we do best, and that is to create conservation methods and to be able to build a property that could sustain the herds of animals we really wanted,” Freddy says. Thus, Harteis Ranch became reality in 1995, when the Harteis family estab-

lished 3,000 acres in southern Colorado’s Great Stonewall Valley. The land is filled with game, notably herds of elk and mule deer, and the ranch hosts hunts throughout the year. It’s a living and breathing place of peace and nostalgia whenever Harteis is there. “The Harteis Ranch is a massive passion of where my foundation is. That’s the place where my father and I created a big part of my memories. The fact that we’re moving forward and growing a legacy out there, that motivates me. Freddy says his father was the biggest alpha-type personality he’s ever known. But he also had a sentimental side that was so evident on that last time on the ranch together for a turkey hunt, which became a regular part of their reunions in Colorado. Their lives had become East Coast meeting West Coast, but Harteis Ranch was where they found common ground. “Losing him a year ago was the hardest thing I ever dealt with in my life,” he says as he now assumes what he hopes is an extension of his father’s dreams being fulfilled in Colorado. “There’s been a lot of change in my life in the last yearand a half. It’s so humbling to be in these shoes and being able to carry these things on.” -CC

ture. We’re into hiking and mountain biking, going to her show and different shows and attending cool dinners. The atmosphere of being city-like is fun. She enjoys the outdoors now.

Jeannie and me. We started talking and I knew the husband was with me and I could tell his wife was not. And before you know it he was kicking me under the table because he was so passionate about a lot of the things I was talking about. And (the man’s wife) is a great gal who couldn’t see herself going out and harvesting an elephant or the things we do as hunters. And we got into such deep discussion about this and we’d learn to respect each other’s views. She couldn’t help but accept and understand what we do even though she wouldn’t do it. Her husband has become a dear friend of mine and he’s

CC Are you friends with a lot of anti-hunting folks in L.A.?

FH Yeah, I can think of a few instances of that. But you’d be amazed how many of them are with us. It’s pretty mindboggling to think how many people keep quiet about it until they get around someone who is outspoken like me. I was sitting down with a very influential couple in L.A. through another friend who connected us with 26 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com coming on his first elk hunt with me next year.

CC Have you and/or Jeannie received a lot of negative backlash?

FH Here’s the thing – and I’m not saying I have it figured out, because I don’t – we have not had that much backlash, and the reason why I believe we have not is, I go the extra mile to share the good that goes with it. Compare that with the (anti-hunting side) that does nothing. Doing nothing is way worse off than doing what we’re doing as hunters preserving the ground and growing the ground. I’m fortunate to be able to carry this.

CC One of those ways of doing something is I love that you distribute a lot of harvested meat for charity around Southern California. FH We did a feed for the homeless in Los Angeles and fed them elk burgers down there on Skid Row (in Downtown). Just to hear people’s stories and be able to help them on a small level, it really taught us all about relationships.

CC Jeannie has been on some hunts with you, right?

FH I took her on an alligator hunt in South Carolina. It was something that created a lifetime of memories. We went to a hunt in New Zealand last year and she’s going with me to Africa next year. To be part of each other’s worlds and to grow together because we are so different, it allows us to stand behind each other.

CC Was it a reversal that she was the fish out of water on the gator hunt?

FH [Laughs]. No doubt. CS Editor’s note: The Hollywood Hunter can be seen on the Sportsman Channel on Saturday mornings at 7 a.m. For more information on Freddy Harteis and his Colorado ranch check out hollywoodhunter.com.

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HISTORY CHANNEL SERIES CHAMPION CHRIS CHENG ON MARKSMANSHIP Chris Cheng is a UCLA graduate who did technical work at Google for six years before pursuing a dream of shooting competitively. His break came on Top Shot on the History Channel. (CHRIS CHENG) Editor’s note: Chris Cheng, a UCLA graduate and former Google employee, appeared on the History Channel competition series Top Shot, and won the show’s Season 4 title in 2012. The San Francisco resident remains an avid shooter who is sponsored by Bass Pro Shops as he travels the country for competitions and guest speaking engagements. The following is an excerpt from Cheng’s new book, Shoot to Win, published by Skyhorse Publishing and available online (amazon. com/Shoot-Win-Tips-Tactics-Techniques/ dp/162873699).More information on the author can be found at topshotchris.com.

BY CHRIS CHENG ’m staring down a line over 100 yards long, with seven tables full of guns and ammo. There are 150 people there to watch what’s about to go down. All of a sudden, I hear someone yell “GO!” and I take off running. At the first table, I start loading a Kentucky Flintlock pistol and remind myself that

trigger control is immensely important with this weapon. As I blow up two jugs, I move on to the 1860 Henry Repeating Rifle, where I focus on good cheek weld to make sure I get consistent hits (cheek weld is the idea of solidly placing your cheek in the optimal place on the comb). After taking down six metal rings, I run to a third table with a double-action Webley revolver. My job here is to shoot at a moving jar rack with nine targets. This whole time I am not alone. I have a fierce competitor trying to beat me, an Air Force veteran and federal police officer who is highly trained. He is right on my tail as we move through each station. I run to the next station, where the Colt Peacemaker single-action revolver is waiting for me. I have to shoot two rows of steel plates down without missing. I have fallen short on this exact challenge a few weeks earlier, and I know I have to stay focused with a positive, winning attitude.

I have a perfect run, but so does my competition and we head into a fifth station with a crossbow. With three moving targets to hit, I take aim through the optical scope and get a shotgun-type lead to make sure I get solid hits. My competition gets two beats ahead of me as we move into the sixth station, a fully automatic machine gun, the M1919. Here again I know that trigger control was going to be important so that I could control my sight picture through the iron sights. As we explode our targets 100 and 125 yards down range, I am still a beat or two behind at the final station, a Milkor M32A1 grenade launcher. I had never fired a grenade launcher in my life, and here I am competing against the 2003 World Grenadier Champion. Not only that, I am behind. The writing may have been on the wall, but I have never been one to give up without a fight. I believed that I could win. I had visuDECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

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alized myself getting to this point and pulling it off. My competitor blows up his first platform and was already working on his second and final platform before I even get my first shot off. I bring up the grenade launcher and looked through the scope, acquire a solid sight picture of both targets, and start ripping off rounds. The next thing I know, my platforms explode and that is it.

I HAD JUST claimed the title of Top Shot champion, a $100,000 grand prize, and a professional marksmanship contract with Bass Pro Shops. Just six weeks prior to this, I was working my day job at Google, (sitting) behind a computer eight to 10 hours a day, and now all of a sudden my entire life had just changed. Throughout this book I’ve introduced firearms and sports psychology concepts I focused on to build my marksmanship skills, and maintain a fierce, competitive edge. I imagine you may be unfamiliar with many of these concepts. I’m excited to share my experience going from self-taught amateur to professional marksman. What were the techniques and mechanics I focused on? How did I train? What kind of mental exercises did I go through to help me beat 17 other experienced competitors? A lot of what I hope to share is how I drew on my other life experiences. I’ve inserted anecdotes throughout the book to draw connections between baseball, work, music, and firearms. I’ve always taken a holistic view of my skills and capabilities when tackling a problem at hand, and I hope it’s a concept you will find insightful and useful in your own life. CS

32 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

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Lead Bullets Coming Under Increasing Criticism GUN CONTROL TACTIC OR REAL THREAT? By Rachel Alexander here has been more and more attention drawn lately to the use of lead bullets for hunting and at gun ranges. Since lead is a toxic substance if ingested in large amounts, there is a fear that it will harm humans and wildlife. If pregnant women are exposed to high levels of lead, it can result in miscarriage or birth defects. However, society has used lead in everything from cooking pans to plumbing for centuries, and it has never posed a serious problem. Why the scare now? The Center for Disease Control and Prevention performed a study analyzing whether there was a link between lead levels and wild game consumption. The more fragmentation of a bullet inside the game animal, the more the lead spreads. The study found that certain types of bullets fragmented more than others, and recommended trimming back bullet-damaged meat, but nothing was ever found indicating people had become sick or died from eating it. The Seattle Times conducted an investigation of lead poisoning that occured at shooting ranges in 2010. They released the results in a three-part series timed to come out right as voters in Washington state were getting the ballots to vote on gun control initiative I-594 earlier this fall, which ended up passing. A Times’ editorial called for a complete ban on lead ammunition. The editorial cited the death of 5-year-old Serenity Romo from lead poisoning as a reason why lead bullets should be banned. Her father worked at a gun range where he was exposed

to lead poisoning, which he apparently passed along to her. However, it is unfair to ban lead bullets at all gun ranges based on a couple of ranges – out of 10,000 ranges all over the country – that did not follow proper procedures. The couple of ranges that were irresponsible were indoor ranges with poor ventilation and poor hygiene practices. California will ban lead in hunting ammunition by 2019, ostensibly due to concern over the California condor ingesting lead while scavenging on carcasses. There has been no evidence yet that lead bullets endanger the condor. Gun owners fear that the alarm over lead bullets is being artificially driven by gun-control advocates using scare tactics and junk science to push through their agenda of eliminating guns. One of the articles by The Seattle Times was titled, “Loaded With Lead: Young Shooters at Risk.” However, there has never been a single verified case of a child who obtained lead poisoning from shooting at a range, only speculation. The couple of incidents at ranges where proper procedures were not followed involved full-time employees who worked there, not children casual-

ly shooting. The lead scare is already being used to shut down gun ranges. The Kitsap Rifle & Revolver Club of Bremerton, Wash., is the only range in the state with an environmental lab and a (retired) environmental engineer running its environmental stewardship program. The range exceeds the EPA BMP Guidelines. Yet the city is trying to shut it down, citing lead. The state Department of Ecology told KRRC there is no safe level, all the lead must be removed. This zero-tolerance standard will effectively shut down every range in the state. There are primarily three alternatives to lead bullets, also known as “green bullets:” bronze and brass solids, copper or gilding metal hollowpoints, and sintered metal bullets with a jacket. However, they are more expensive, and will drive up the price of copper. Copper bullets are already about twice the cost of standard lead bullets. Law enforcement and military ranges also contain residue from lead bullets, but other than gradually switching to green bullets, virtually nothing is being done to clean them up – evidence the alarm may be more about gun control than a real problem. CS DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

36 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

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SELFIES WITH BEARS? WHY? s there anything more annoying in the social media era than themed selfBY CHRIS COCOLES ies? It’s one thing to be alone in front of the Eifel Tower or to be with your significant other during a gorgeous sunset and snap an iPhone shot to capture the moment. I’ve selfied a handful of times, so I get it. But when is a trend that’s here to stay bordering on the absurd, if not insane? Selfies behind the wheel; selfies at somber places of reflection like concentration camps and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum; selfies at funerals (Google it); selfies at the gym; selfies in the audience at the Academy Awards (thanks, Ellen). Granted, some of those are mostly silly, others repulsive, but by and large harmless. Now, we take you to Lake Tahoe, which is now dealing with a rash of bear selfies (no kidding). The U.S. Forest Service’s Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit never used the term “selfie” in a release sent out in October. But this is 2014, and we all knew what was implied here. The Forest Service is asking visitors to keep their distance when encountering bears,” the statement read. “Visitor center staff routinely encounter unsafe situations as guests ignore their instructions and get too close to bears to take photos and videos.” And it’s not enough to simply get a smartphone photo of a bear in its natural habitat. A Twitter or Instagram feed just wouldn’t the same without you actually turning around despite the presence of an unpredictable wild animal a few feet behind and make sure your followers know you were the center of attention, not the bear. Attacks from bears and mountain lions happen in remote wilderness but also on hiking trails a few minutes from your local neighborhood Starbucks – it’s real. So attention selfie seekers: that bruin you’re trying to get the perfect shot with couldn’t care less if it goes viral.

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OUTDOOR CALENDAR

DECEMBER 6 Start of American crow season 6 Start of most bighorn sheep seasons 7 End of fall turkey season 13 Raahauges’ Chukar Hunt, Dunnigan (530-724-0552) 20 Start of Northeastern Zone late scaup season 21 End of general pheasant season 22 Start of archery pheasant season 22 End of late dove season 22 This date in 1976: state record for steelhead; 27 pounds, 4 ounces, caught by in Smith River in Del Norte County by Robert Halley of Crescent City 31 End of fall rockfish, cabezon and greenling season for boat-based anglers in Northern, Central and Southern Management Areas JANUARY 1 New fishing license required 1 Opener of Topaz Lake trout derby 1 Online harvesting reports available for spiny lobster, North Coast salmon and steelhead 3 This date, 1959; state record for coho salmon; 22 pounds, 0 ounces, caught at Paper Mill Creek (Marin County), by Milton Hain of Fairfax 8-11 International Sportsmen’s Exposition, Sacramento (sportsexpos.com) 16 End of Northeastern Zone duck and scaup season 23 Start of Humboldt Steelhead Days (madriveralliance.com) 25 End of waterfowl season in most zones

California’s archery pheasant season begins on Dec. 22. (TIM E. HOVEY)

No, this bear doesn’t want to be a part of your profile photo on your social media page. (JAN DAWSON/CDFW)

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As California’s king salmon season wraps up, Larry Swanson of Escalon will look back at it fondly, thanks to this memory. Larry was boondoggling roe in the Sacramento River when he landed this nice Chinook. Congrats to Larry, our monthly Wright & McGill/Eagle Claw photo contest winner. We’ll send Larry a prize package that includes lots of fishing swag!

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For your shot at winning Wright & McGill/Eagle Claw and Browning products, send your photos to ccocoles@media-inc.com or 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. 40 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

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HUNTING

COLD-CALLING COYOTES WINTER MEANS CALIFORNIA PREDATOR HUNTS

By Tim E. Hovey

hen the days start getting shorter and the weather starts to cool, my attention starts to shift to predator hunting. I’ve been calling predators for over 15 years, and of all the different types of hunting I participate in, predator hunting challenges me the most. Winter is my favorite time to call predators. The longer nights and cooler temperatures means the animals are more active, needing to feed frequently to stay warm. Fall into winter is an excellent time to use all types of prey-in-dis-

tress sounds, either with a hand call or an electronic caller. I like the ease of using a hand call during the early season. It’s a great opportunity to try out new calls that I’ve collected during the off season. As with most types of hunting, the more opportunities you’re presented with, the better you’ll get. On an average two-day trip, I’ll make about 20 different stands. On good trips, I’ll get a handful of opportunities to take predators, but, more importantly, I’ll add more data to my extensive predator hunting data set. Animal behavior, frequent travel corridors, quality stands and sounds

that produce responses are all factors I pay attention to and learn from. Just like with any game you chase, the more interactions you experience, the better you’ll know your prey.

REGULATIONS The California Department of Fish and Wildlife designates predators into nongame mammals (coyote and bobcat) and furbearers (fox). Coyotes are open year-round with no limit. However, many predator hunters participate in a self-imposed season and stop pursuing coyotes from February to September, giving the adults

Alyssa Alys Al y sa H ys Hovey ovey ov eyy ssits itss in pposition it osit os itio it ionn for io for incoming inco in comi co ming mi ngg ppredators reda re dato da tors to rs dduring urin ur ingg a wi in wint winter nter nt er hhunt. untt. un t. Though Tho houg uggh coyote hunting coyote hunting is is allowed alllo lowed year-round, yeear a -rouund, many many hunters hunterrs stay staay away ay from fro rom m February Feebr brua u ryy through thr hroough thhe summer. the summ su mmer er. But But December Dece De cemb m er is is an ideal ideeal time tim me to hunt. hun untt. (TIM (TIM E. E HOVE HOVEY) VEY) Y)) DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

HUNTING

Jose De Orta ﬁnds a good spot to wait out predators in snowy conditions. (TIM E. HOVEY)

a chance to raise their young unmolested. California has a bobcat season that runs from October 15 until the last day in February. The state also requires a hunter to purchase tags to pursue bobcat. Gray fox season opens up on November 24 and extends to the last day of February as well. Regulations specify that when in pursuit of gray fox, only hand calls can be used; electronic calls of any sort are prohibited. Speciﬁc species regulations and seasons may change from year to year, so make sure you stay updated on the appropriate regulations if you decided to give predator hunting a try.

JESSICA’S FIRST COYOTE Earlier this year, I took my youngest daughter, Jessica, out for her ﬁrst real hunt. A few months before, she had passed her hunter’s safety course and wasted no time in asking me to take her hunting. We planned an overnight father/daughter trip in January. The plan was to drive out to the Bishop area, stay the night and then hunt our way home. That next morning, I found a great-looking spot to start off our day of calling. Two hills created a shallow canyon that emptied out to a ﬂat area and stretched for over a mile. The wind was perfect, and sitting half 44 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

way up one of the hills would put the sun at our backs. We quietly hiked to the shady portion of the hill and readied ourselves. I set up Jessica with my Ruger .204 and her shooting sticks. I was shooting my Remington 22-250 as backup. I looked over to Jessica, nodded and told her to stay alert. I started calling and we both began scanning the area carefully on the lookout for movement. After about two minutes, I spotted a ﬂuffy white object bouncing in and out quickly at 600 yards. I slowly turned to Jessica and told her we had one coming in. I could see she was excited. I had her slowly move her set-up a bit left to intercept the approaching coyote. The coyote was bounding in as fast as the animal could run. Jessica A coyote whistle call (right) is just part of the process of hunting these predators, which have excellent sight and smell senses. Facing downwind is an integral part of the process to coax a coyote within shooting range. (TIM E. HOVEY)

finally spotted it coming quickly at about 300 yards out. I knew for her to have a chance, this animal needed to slow way down. Around the 150-yard mark, I dropped the volume on the call. The coyote kept coming but slowed to a quick trot. At 120 yards, I muted the sound from the electronic caller. The instant silence only added to the tension. I quietly asked Jessica if she was on him. “Yes!” she answered. Now 90 yards out, I let out a bark and the coyote slammed on the brakes. He stopped and looked up at us on the hill and right into the sun. I was watching him through the scope of my rifle. Either way, via me or Jessica, this animal was done. “If you have the shot, take it,” I whispered. Jessica squeezed the trigger and hit the coyote just left of center chest and he fell over dead at 90 yards. We tried to keep calling the stand, but she was too excited and we had photos to take and hide to take care of. Her first coyote ever was down.

THE BASICS While I really enjoy the pursuit of predators, a large part of the reason I hunt them is the amount of time it allows me out in the ﬁeld. I enjoy searching for new spots and scouting areas for animals in the offseason. I seek out the soft soil around water sources, often a great place to evaluate the type and size of animals in the area. I dissect possible stands and determine where I’ll sit and what time of day would be best to call the location to put the sun at my back. And when all that offseason work pays off, it is beyond exciting. When it comes time to hunt, there is a lot more to it than just sitting down and blowing on a plastic whistle. All wild predators have amazing senses and they rely heavily on sight, smell and hearing to survive. As a hunter, you have to fool these senses if you want to be successful. Coyotes and foxes play the wind

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HUNTING and will circle downwind to make sure it’s safe to approach your calling area. If they get any whiff of a human, you probably won’t even see them as they leave. I make sure I know the wind direction and set up so that I can face downwind and see approaching predators before I start calling. Bobcats are less concerned with

The author with his daughter, Jessica, who took her ﬁrst coyote on a hunt earlier this year. After patiently calling in the coyote from the 600-yard mark, Jessica eventually hit it from about 90 yards out. (TIM E. HOVEY)

46 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

the wind and all about movement. Frequently, they will just appear during your calling sequence, using every single bit of cover to silently approach. When I target bobcat, I make sure that I pick an area that has a natural gap between where I’ll sit and approaching animals. Approaching bobcat love to come to the edge

of an open area and just sit down and observe. If you’re still, they’ll get close. How close? I’ve had them walk within 3 feet of where I was sitting. Staying still and quiet are probably the two most important factors when predator hunting. And while wearing camouﬂage clothing is an advantage, it’s not mandatory. When staying hidden and motionless, frequently most predators will not be able to ﬁgure out what you are. I usually wear earth tone-colored pants and a camo shirt when calling. When I locate a good calling spot, I’ll sit down and make sure that I can adjust to incoming predators without detection. I’ll move rocks or leaves away from my feet and make sure I can rotate to running animals silently before I start calling. Then there are the nerves. Unlike any other type of hunting, predator hunting is an activity where

DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

HUNTING

Hunters who stay completely still can sometimes be rewarded by bobcats that will sometimes close within a few feet of them. When targeting bobcat, the author chooses areas with a natural gap between where he sits and approaching animals. (TIM E. HOVEY)

you are calling a predator towards you. If you’ve only ever briefly seen these animals running away from you when encountered, your first called predator, running quickly towards you’re position, will definitely rattle your nerves. For me, it’s exhilarating. Calming yourself when you spot an incoming predator is crucial

48 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

to avoiding detection. I’ve seen experienced hunters get coyote fever when they see approaching animals, which usually results in a poor shot.

MANAGING SPECIES I enjoy the diverse steps involved in predator hunting. There are many aspects of this type of hunting that

you need to pay attention to in order to be successful. The challenge of getting everything just right is one of the reasons I enjoy it so much. The anticipation of what may come in and the unpredictability of what may happen when they get there is what makes predator hunting so exciting. To me, it will never get old. Hunting is one of the largest tools in the resource management tool box. By using solid biological science, well-established seasons and limits, hunters assist in keeping game animal populations balanced. Hunting predators is no difference. Coyotes, foxes and bobcat hunt the same animals we hunt and they pursue their prey all year-round. Managing their numbers using hunting is as important as managing game species. The bottom line is, if you hunt small game, deer, upland game, wild pig or turkey, and you’ve had a successful season, you should probably thank a predator hunter. CS

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HUNTING

IN WITH THE NEW DOVE HUNTING A PERFECT ROOKIE TRIP By Tim E. Hovey

he sun was just peaking over the horizon, but we were well within shooting time. I watched a trio of mourning dove clear the almond orchard across

the canal and spot the decoys. The group dipped their wings in unison and dropped in to land. They were fooled. John and his son, Tanner, were seated behind a makeshift blind; from where I was, it looked like the birds were about to land in their laps. Both hunters stood as the birds cupped their wings and began ﬁring. The birds scattered, gained altitude and glided unscathed

over the tree row we’d set up near. Even from where I was, I could see that the two brand-new hunters were excited.

IT WAS THE second Saturday of November and the beginning of the second mourning dove opener. California breaks up its dove seasons – one that starts on Sept. 1 and continues for 15 days, and a second season that begins on the second Saturday in November and extends for 45 days into

Jim Dining was eager to make his hunting debut by seeking out mourning dove in California’s late season that runs through mid-December. (TIM E. HOVEY) DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

HUNTING

The author’s daughter, Alyssa Hovey, has become quite the seasoned hunter for upland birds like dove. Motion and static decoys allows birds to slow down and make the transition easier for inexperienced hunters. (TIM E. HOVEY)

days into December. I don’t normally hunt the second opener. I’m usually out chasing other game during the season, but this year was a bit different. I believe if done right, hunting dove can be an excellent way to introduce new hunters into hunting. Using motion and static decoys, dove can be drawn into range and fooled into slowing way down, even landing. Placing new hunters near the decoy set will greatly increase shooting opportunities and potential success. I was sharing a blind with my daughters, Alyssa and Jessica, for this opener, and we were set up about 100 yards away from John and Tanner. Both my girls have hunted dove before and have dropped birds during 52 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

previous hunts; but anytime they ask me to go, I take them. Alyssa had the left side covered and Jessica the right. I was seated behind them and I smiled as I watched them carefully search the sky for birds; my girls are hunters. My shotgun was leaning up at the back of the blind, out of reach and unloaded. Yet I wasn’t there to hunt. I wanted to spot birds, adjust decoys and assist the hunters however I could. My mission was to see these new hunters shoot their ﬁrst birds. Another group of dove skirted our decoys and approached John and Tanner. I whistled to them and watched them get ready. Just like before, the birds committed and the hunters started shooting. I watched one bird fall and the

others leave. I saw John and his son give each other a high-five as Tanner walked out to pick up his first dove ever. Mission accomplished. The morning flight started to slow way down and was essentially over by 9:30 a.m. We collected up all the decoys and gear, and gathered for a few photos. John and Tanner had each shot four birds and, overall, our group shot over 30 dove. But it wasn’t about the numbers or limits; it was about smiles. It was about opening that door of excitement that I have known since I was 10 and sharing that with first-time hunters. On the drive home, I called my cousin, Jim Dinning. Over the last year, Jim had started to become interested in hunting. He had recent-

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HUNTING ly received his hunter’s safety card; during a recent family gathering,

I told him I’d take him out for his ﬁrst hunt. The action had been good The father-and-son team of Tanner and John Matilla were happy ﬁrst-time dove hunters. (TIM E. HOVEY)

enough during the opening-day shoot, and I was hoping to get him out on the dove ﬁelds the next morning. With only about 20 hours’ notice, I knew it was a longshot for him to be able to make it. I guess I underestimated his excitement.

BEFORE SUNRISE THE next day, Jim was seated in the blind next to me, with his new California hunting license and a borrowed shotgun. We spent a little time gathering tumbleweeds and shoring up our natural blind. We set up the decoys and got things ready. I set up Jim at the front position and had him take two shots at a small shrub out at 30 yards. I wanted him to get a feel for the shotgun pattern. As the sun peaked over the horizon, the birds started flying. At first light, small groups of dove started crowding the decoys and seemed to be fighting for position. I watched all of Jim’s shots and

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HUNTING

The author (second from right) is a longtime hunter, but it brings him plenty of smiles that he’s gotten his daughters and friends involved with hunting doves and other species. (TIM E. HOVEY)

saw that he was coming up just a bit short. After some advice and a little adjustment, Jim dropped his ﬁrst bird. It was a privilege to be there

56 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

to see him take his ﬁrst animal as a newly licensed hunter and he was beyond excited. Just like the previous morning,

the flight shut down at about 9:30. Jim ended the short hunt with four birds and a new appreciation for hunting. Before we were packed and on the road home, Jim and I made plans to hunt again together. An aspect of being a sportsman and the responsibility of anyone who enjoys hunting or fishing is to pass their knowledge and share their experience with anyone who shows an interest. When my daughters started showing an interest in hunting, it was assured that I’d show them what I know about the outdoors. That’s my job and I take that responsibility seriously. I’ve had the privilege of taking several first-time hunters out on their first hunt and it’s very rewarding. I get to see that spark of interest and I hopefully get to pass that hunting heritage on to family and friends. Any weekend I can add three new hunters to the fold is a weekend to remember. CS

DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

58 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

HUNTING THE CHALLENGE OF QUAIL HUNTING

FROM FIELD:

By Scott Haugen

TOUGH MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB

Mountain quail can be found in both the Coast and Cascade ranges of Northern California, and usually drop in elevation as winter conditions intensify. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

ounding a corner in the logging road, I brought my mountain bike to a slow halt. Moving forward on foot, I confirmed that what I’d seen from the bike was, indeed, the head of a mountain quail. Inching toward the bird, one head materialized into two – then three. The birds grew nervous and headed to timber’s edge, so I quickly followed. Just as I got within shotgun range, the small covey flushed. I dropped the first bird, cleanly missed the second, and they were gone before I could get a third round off. I’d already taken a mountain quail earlier in the morning, as well as a brace of valley quail. The day was off to a good start. In their mountainous home of Northern California, both mountain and valley quail are survivors. From clover to stray berries to willow buds, insects and more, both quail species feed on just about anything they can find. This time of year, grasses and clovers are a delicacy, but something that’s more prevalent as winter progresses. Of the two quail, mountain quail are the most challenging to hunt. Because they live in brushy, often steep terrain, and the fact they are more apt to run from danger than take wing, hunting them can be a challenge. In fact, many upland bird hunters rate mountain quail the toughest of all North American quail to pursue. But one thing both birds have in common is their need for gravel in the gizzard to help grind food, and where many birds gather grit is along the edges of logging roads. This time of year, locate some fresh, green grass and clover growing near a logging road, and surrounded by forest or brushy thickets, and the conditions are prime for finding both valley and mountain quail. DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

HUNTING Northern California and southwestern Oregon offer the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best crack at getting a quail double, as both mountain and valley quail thrive in this habitat. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

Power line right-of-ways are also great quail habitats, and valley quail often frequent them year-round.

60 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

Mountain quail will also migrate to these habitats late in the year. These areas offer a variety of grass seeds and

insects, and cover is usually good, meaning upland birds love it. Hunting quail in these habitats

means hitting logging roads, either by truck, mountain bike or on foot. For the best results, focus on spur roads running through logged areas with a mix of reprod or brush, places that have had little or no trafďŹ c, with grass growing at least a couple inches tall. Secluded roads are prime locations early in the morning and late in the evening, a time when most upland birds gather grit. While both quail actively gather grit in the early morning hours and later in the day, they might be found feeding any time of day, especially on cool, overcast days. As winter conditions prevail at higher elevations, quail will often tuck themselves into the safety of thicker cover. Also, search willow thickets and river bottoms at lower elevations, where quail often congregate. If the weather is bad in the high country, mountain quail can drop a surprising distance in elevation. Mountain quail lead a less social lifestyle than valley quail. While valley

DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

HUNTING

TO FIRE

BAG A JUICY BIRD

By Tiffany Haugen

couple months remain to get after quail, and both mountain and California valley quail offer plenty of opportunities. They’re also some of the best eating upland birds around. Due to their low fat content, game birds can be challenging to cook. Cooking them to proper doneness without drying them out is difficult unless a moist cooking method is used. Oven cooking bags offer a foolproof way to cook any lean cuts of meat and work wonders on grouse and other game birds. Here’s a quick, flavorful meal our family loves. Add fresh herbs to boost the flavors as desired. Once the bird bones are picked clean, they make a

62 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

nice soup stock, which we really like this time of year. 6 to 8 quail (or 2 to 3 grouse), dressed ⅓ cup butter, softened 1 onion, sliced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 lemons, quartered 1 cup dry white wine Salt and black pepper to taste Place one-eighth of lemon in each quail cavity along with some of the onion slices and all of the garlic. Place remaining onions and lemons in oven roasting bag. Place the bag into an oven-safe casserole pan. Cover the outside of the birds liberally with salt, pepper and butter. Lay birds atop onions and garlic. Add wine to the bag. Seal

bag and make several slits on the top for steam to escape. Bake in a preheated, 350-degree oven, 45 minutes or until meat thermometer reaches 150 to 160 degrees. To brown birds, carefully slice open the bag down the center, tucking into the sides of the pan during the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes. Serve birds with gravy from the bag, as is, or thicken on the stove to make “pan-gravy” style. Editor’s note: For a signed copy of Scott and Tiffany Haugen’s popular cookbook, Cooking Game Birds, which features 150 bird recipes, send a check for $20 (free S&H) to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489, or order online at scotthaugen.com.

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HUNTING quail join big ﬂocks with winter’s onset, mountain quail tend to remain in single family units. Also, once mountain quail ﬁnd a place they like, they’ll remain there for some time, so if it’s a big

family ﬂock you may have only taken one bird from, go back with the idea of securing more in the near future. Valley quail are more social than mountain quail and can be found

Late in the season, as valley quail gather in larger ﬂocks, shooting opportunities can increase. Here, the author is more than happy with this bunch of birds. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

66 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

from lower elevations to high-ranging peaks in the Coast and Cascade ranges, throughout the northern part of the state. Late in the year the two species’ ranges are more likely to overlap, making it prime time for a prized double. Hunting for mountain and valley quail, the blue bombers of the West, is exciting and challenging. Rays of sunlight slicing through the forest, the chill of winter in the air and the distinctive silhouettes of these special birds, all combine to make this a memorable hunt. For a dose of quail – and some very tasty meat – lace up the hiking boots, put in the time and see what this type of hunting is all about. CS Editor’s note: Scott Haugen is the host of Trijicon’s The Hunt on the Sportsman Channel; in 2015, he will cohost Alaska Outdoors Television on the Outdoor Channel. Go to scotthaugen.com for more.

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68 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

HUNTING

Power of Pink

They may not sneak up on any ducks haunting the waterways in that pink canoe the author and his cousin picked up for hunting, but it sure will make them more visible for a family member on high. (RANDY KING)

quickly head back to our comfort zone of Nerf Guns and Legos.

By Randy King

E: Craigslist Ad: Canoe, 16ft with oars, Great Shape, Pink Me: Did you get the Craigslist Ad I sent to you? Jamie: Yep, you are now ½ owner of a pink canoe! Lol Me: Dude! That was a joke, you’re kidding right? Jamie: You owe me $150…I picked it up after work. Me: FML

It was the last day of duck season when Jamie and I deployed the pink canoe for the ﬁrst time. The plan was to ﬂoat a stretch between two small towns, jumping and shooting ducks along the way. Jamie is my paternal cousin, and is, for lack of a better word, eccentric. She is an avid hunter and angler – last year she accompanied me on a crazy let’sgo-hunt-the-tundra-just-because-wecan Alaskan caribou adventure (and managed to get us a free ride off the tundra from a passing airboat – all with just a smile).

She buys camouﬂage with pink interlay, uses pink lures for grayling and even has pink ﬂetching on her arrows. Pink and hunting/outdoors stuff is her thing. Oh, and she has a sponsorship with The Front Hunters. So the fact that she bought a pink canoe off Craigslist should not have come as a surprise to me, but it did. As a man, hunter and father of three boys, the color pink and I do not see each other that often. When we do it is usually because I have turned down the girls’ toy aisle at Target. My boys and I shriek in terror and we

JAMIE AND I launched the pink boat three minutes before shooting hours and began our drift hunt. As the light slowly increased, I could see flocks of ducks on the water with my binoculars. Every head was looking our direction. I spied a solitary snow goose on the bank. It was giving me the “Well, you don’t see that every day” look. I think this snow goose was a little touched in the head, since it did not fly soon enough and I managed to get a shot off. I missed. At this point so late in the season ducks are weary of being shot at. They scare quickly and fly off fast. As soon as the birds recognized that we were moving toward them, they would bust, oftentimes at hundreds of yards away and in hundreds at a time. Pink is not a color normally seen on the rivers of the West. DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

HUNTING

The author’s aunt, Glenda Johnson and her daughter, Jamie, in a happier moment before Glenda passed away from breast cancer in September 2013. (RANDY KING)

Then the calls and shooting began all around us. The river is a popular spot for sportsmen to set up semipermanent blinds for the season. Access is normally restricted due to

70 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

private property, but often hunters will wade and ﬂoat to premium locations. The day was perfect duck weather: cold, windy and a chance of rain, the three elements that will bring ducks

onto decoys quickly. Eventually we started to see hunters and decoy spreads on the water. We would wave as we passed by, hearing chuckles and hoots. But we would wave and smile. We pulled the canoe off the river to hike an island we had spotted on Google Earth. It looked secluded and hard to access, the kind of place that late-season ducks love. The edges of the island were thick brush, hard to clambor through, while the interior of the island was classic sagebrush ﬂat. Starting at its top, we began our hike to the downriver tip, where the ducks would be holding. The ducks jumped too soon and the geese held too high for a shot. Jamie and I climbed back into the pink canoe for the last leg of our hunt.

IT WAS THEN that we talked about the death of Jamie’s mother, a few weeks prior, to breast cancer. Glenda Johnson is the reason that I love my pink canoe. The color

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Get your head down and don’t peek, was the order by your caller for the hunt. There were four of us, we had turned a small flight of geese with calls and flags. Our caller said, get ready they have set their wings and dropped their feet don’t move get ready TAKE EM! We all started shooting, we only dropped six. We Sent Rambo our black Lab, he took the nearest goose the first one to go down, that two of us had claimed after our first shot. Now, it looked like most of us indeed had hit the same goose. Does this remind you of some of your Hunts? With all the confusion and rush when you come up BLIND on the call TAKE EM, and you hadn’t been able to watch those birds come across the field set their wings and drop their feet to land. Only the caller had that adrenalin pumping thrill and was able to see those birds come across the field set their wings and drop their feet to land. Does this remind you of some of your hunts?

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HUNTING pink, of all the colors, was chosen for breast cancer awareness. Its symbolism is cemented in our culture, and rightfully so. The pink ribbon symbolizes solidarity and hope for breast cancer survivors and the families of those not so fortunate. My family has an unhappy history of breast cancer. Two of my aunts have been diagnosed; unfortunately one did not survive. Glenda passed away from breast cancer on Sept. 14, 2013. The world lost a great person that day. Whenever I see the canoe I think about all that my family lost with her passing. But I remember all that she gave to this world. Glenda was an avid hunter and angler, and passed those skills on to her daughters. But mostly, from my perspective, she was a great wild game cook. One of my fondest memories from childhood were the ﬁsh fries that Glenda put on. She would cook dozens of fresh-caught

72 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

redband rainbow trout. Ingrained in my love of food and cooking are dishes Glenda would prepare – memories of bear sausage, duck jerky and venison spaghetti (but only when her husband was out too late). Glenda was there for my second, third and fourth deer. She was there for my ﬁrst elk and countless grouse. Even so, I wasn’t afforded the pleasure of being raised by her. Instead Glenda raised two strong and faithful daughters, Jamie and Katie. As the pink canoe ﬂoated us to our pickup location, Jamie and I talked of many things. But mostly about Glenda. About how we needed to paint some breast-cancer ribbons on the pink canoe, about how proud we were to have bought it, about Christmas parties and stolen alcohol, about how Glenda would have given us hell for coming back emptyhanded from this hunt. We beamed with pride, faces

flush from emotions and strain as we schlepped the canoe over fences and up to the road. We know that our decision to keep the canoe pink will lead to shooting fewer ducks, as visible as we are above the water. But I like that Jamie and I are visible. I want Glenda to look down from heaven and see us, sticking out of the green water like a brave bald head. I want Glenda to know that we are kicking ass and taking names, for her. I want Glenda to know that we are out doing what she loved to do, hunt and be in nature. I want the world to know about the fight that an untold number of women have to go through and how my family stands with them. Pink is the color of beating breast cancer, even on a canoe. CS Editor’s note: The author is an executive chef at a major Western agribusiness company. He writes about fishing, hunting and cooking wild game.

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URBAN

THE SHOWS MUST GO ON HUNTRESS

The author and her dad, renowned biggame hunter and outdoors writer Craig Boddington, are regular visitors to the winter cavalcade of sports and outdoor shows. (BRITTANY BODDINGTON)

By Brittany Boddington

ou may think about the holidays when it starts to get cold, but I think about convention season. It’s my favorite time of the year. Each year I struggle to decide which shows to attend and I’m always sorry that I can’t make them all. Let’s take a tour of what options are available to the California sportsman. This is not a complete list, but rather a list of suggestions and shows that I personally enjoy and hope you will too. First up on my list is Dallas, which is scheduled for Jan. 15-18. What a great way to kick start a new year. Dallas is always a nice show with lots of exhibitors, but of course, from California it does require a plane ticket and a hotel room. Dallas is a fun city

to visit, so if you are in the mood to do a vacation and can mix in a visit to the show, then this one is for you.

Next up is the popular SHOT Show in Las Vegas from Jan. 20-23. This one is an easy drive from the

The SHOT Show in Las Vegas is a huge event in the gun and hunting world each January. (RACHEL ALEXANDER)

DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

URBAN HUNTRESS

SUCCESS IN CANADA Editor’s note: Last month, Brittany Boddington wrote her first new column, Urban Huntress, about her trip to Canada to pursue Rocky Mountain goat. Regrettably, a production error cut off a key portion of the story, so while we apologize for the error, here’s the column again in its entirety:

The author and her Rocky Mountain goat, taken on a September hunting trip to British Columbia, Canada. (BRITTANY BODDINGTON)

Every now and then something new and awesome hits the market. I got lucky enough to do the first successful hunt with a rifle produced by the new Legendary Arms Works. The rifle is lovely, but what really sets it apart is the action. To tell you about this I should first give you a little history lesson for those of us who are not gun history buffs. Mark Bansner and his wife started making guns in 1980; Bansner built quite the reputation in the gun industry and has joined forces with Trop Gun Shop (717-367-5585; tropgun.com) owner Dave Dunn. Mark is the legend behind Legendary Arms Works. What makes this gun special to me is the controlled-round feed action. This action grips the bullet casing and feeds it into the chamber. Cartridges come up from the magazine, and the case rim slides into the slotted bolt-face rim and is held there as the bullet is chambered. When closed, the bolt rotates and supports the cartridge from underneath. This makes a seriously sturdy and reliable combination. I got the opportunity to try out the system in a .280 for my Rocky Mountain goat hunt in Canada in September; it did not disappoint. This would be a unique opportunity to hunt the elusive white goat in British Columbia with my dad, Craig, because he did the same with his dad over 40 years ago. I have not done very much hunting in North America but have always wanted to hunt the Rocky Mountain goat. They are such beautiful creatures and, for me, they are as close (in looks) to a polar bear as I’ll probably ever get. This hunt was to be the first episode of the upcoming 2015 series, The Boddington Experience, a fitting start to a family endeavour. We flew into Smithers, B.C., and took a floatplane into the hunting area,

76 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

Golden State, and it has everything the gun enthusiast could imagine. It is considered more of an industry show in that this is where all the big important meetings for people within the outdoor industry take place to plan out their year. It’s not open to the public, but it is a wonder to behold the sheer size of the show. It covers over 600,000 square feet! Directly after SHOT Show and actually overlapping by a day is the Houston Safari Club event from Jan. 23-25. This show is a great place to sit down with outﬁtters and plan out upcoming adventures; it has a friendly vibe and the youth outreach program is really something. Houston is the home of some of the most accomplished hunters I know, and I always learn something there. I will be speaking this year for their youth education event and can’t wait! Next up is the OVIS Sheep Show

2015 SPORTSMAN SHOWS For information, check out these sportsman shows’ websites: • Sacramento ISE Show Jan. 8-11; sportsexpos.com • Dallas Safari Club Jan. 15-18; biggame.org • SHOT Show Jan. 20-23 shotshow.org • Houston Safari Club Jan. 2325; houstonsafariclub.org • Grand Slam Club/OVIS Show Jan. 28-31; wildsheep.org • SCI First For Hunters Feb. 4-7; showsci.org • Fred Hall Shows March 4-8 and March 26-29; fredhall. com

DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

URBAN HUNTRESS

where Love Brothers & Lee (604-541-6332; goabc.org) has been operating since around 1970. The area is only accessible by floatplane, and therefore the resident pressure is nonexistent. The area is beautiful and the camp is right on the edge of Duti Lake. We were just in time to watch the colors change and the mountains were brighter every morning. The plan was pretty basic: spot from camp, spend the day getting up the mountain and hope that the goat spotted from below would still be there by the time we reached the top. I got lucky on day two when we spotted a pair of goats high up on the mountain to the right, across from the camp. We got our things together and jumped in the little outboard motorboat and headed across the lake to start our climb. Our guide Ron must be part mountain goat; he made the climb look easy, but I struggled to keep my footing as I followed behind him. I have had the luck of never hunting in an area where I had to walk across loose shale; I hate it and it felt like I was walking on running water, I slipped and slid and ended up on my hands and knees more than a couple times. My dad tried to instruct me to put my walking stick across my body and into the side of the hill in the shale to help balance, but it is a difficult technique to master without practice. The rest of the hike was difficult but not too difficult; I used my hands almost as much as my feet to get through the brush and trees and to work my

in Reno Nev., Jan. 28-31. This is a must for any current or aspiring sheep hunters. This is a unique show in that it caters exclusively to the hardcore sheep and mountain goat hunters. It’s a pretty easy drive from most parts of California; I have driven there from Los Angeles several times – just make sure you pack snow chains if you are going over Donner Pass on Interstate 80. It’s a very fun show. Finally, to wrap up my season is the Safari Club International. It is possible that I saved the best for last. I am also a bit partial because it was the very ﬁrst convention I ever attended, but nonetheless it is a powerhouse show. They recently switched venues from Reno to Las Vegas, making it a no-brainer for California residents to attend. If you are looking to book a hunt,

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way around rocky outcrops. We reached an area with giant sharp rocks jutting out of the mountain and saw that the goats were resting just 600 yards beyond them. We had to get around the rocks to get a shot but we would be very obvious if we went straight around. It was freezing where we watched the goats for a while; one of them wandered out of sight and the other got up and started feeding. We waited until the goat had his head down and moved around the rocks one person at a time, freezing whenever the goat looked up. Staying tense and moving slowly for as long as it took for us to get everyone around the rocks was exhausting. Everyone was tired. The group knew it was only one more push to where we could set up for a shot. It was the last push we had in us. There was a saddle in the hill ahead and we hoped that we could use it as a rest. We trudged up the hill, and just as we got near the top, Ron stopped and motioned to us and decided it would be best if my dad and I went to the top together. He thought it would be more meaningful if my dad and I got set up for the shot together, just like he and my grandfather had done so many years before. We agreed and shimmied up the last few yards to the top and peeked over. My dad slid his pack out in front of me and I steadied myself over it and prepared to take my shot. The goat had fed into a sunny, green patch of grass and looked like a postcard as we got ready. It was perfect.

80 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

check out taxidermy, see the latest and greatest in hunting riﬂes or simply visit with anyone and everyone that you have ever hunted with, this is the spot. It falls late in the calendar, Feb. 4-7, but it’s a must-see option. Three shows within the state are also worth checking out – starting with the International Sportsman’s Exposition in Sacramento on Jan. 8-11. There are also the popular Southern California Fred Hall Shows, scheduled for March 4-8 in Long Beach and March 26-29 in San Diego. If you have never attended a hunting convention, I feel bad that you haven’t experienced one yet. I encourage you to take the leap this winter. It is a wonderful time of year, and in an industry that is constantly being attacked, it is amazing to go to these shows and see how many hunters there really are.

DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

URBAN HUNTRESS

The closest goat was the biggest – another lucky break. My dad sized it up in the binoculars before giving me the green light to go ahead. It was a fullgrown billy with long fluffy white fur, black horns and thick body. We guessed that it was about 120 yards, a perfect distance. I held right on the shoulder and took a deep breath, let it out and squeezed. The goat took the shot hard and everyone got excited, but those things are tough and I was nervous it would run before it died; I asked if I could shoot again. Ron advised against a second shot, but my dad said I should shoot again. I hesitated but realized that they couldn’t hear each other’s advice, so I made a split-second decision and took a second shot. The goat somersaulted down the mountain in spectacular fashion. I was thrilled but realized that this was exactly what Ron had been afraid of. If the goat gained too much momentum, the trophy would be lost or destroyed by the fall. My final fortuitous break was upon me: the goat hit a shallow rock quarry and stopped with no real damage. The horns were a little roughed up, but nothing broke and the hide was intact. I learned a lot about mountain hunting and made history by being the first to successfully take an animal with a Legendary Arms rifle. That final shot was a risky move. Then again, it was my lucky day. BB

82 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

There are seminars and award banquets and exhibitions – plenty to keep the whole family entertained. It is also a great way to get kids interested in the outdoors. It is also important to point out that besides the fun part of attending the shows, the SCI Foundation and others are hard at work behind the scenes the yearround working tirelessly to protect our right to hunt; these shows are great way to show your support for their effort. I hope to see a lot more California Sportsman readers at the conventions this year; please don’t hesitate to say hello if you see me there! CS Editor’s note: Brittany Boddington is a Los Angeles-based hunter, journalist and adventurer. More information can be found at brittanyboddington.com and facebook. com/brittanyboddington.

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The author’s daughter gets introduced to a Minox MD50 spotting scope, which is worth including on hunters’ holiday wish lists. (AL QUACKENBUSH)

A CHRISTMAS WISH LIST By Al Quackenbush

portsmen and sportswomen tend to have specific wants and needs for their passion. Whether it is for hunting or fishing, there are some awesome gift ideas out there. My brain is full of ideas because there are so many cool new toys, gadgets, apparel, and quality merchandise out there for us. This guide is full of interesting gift ideas and many I have field-tested myself (some items are too good to leave off). Some of you may want gear, some may want food, and some may want to go on an adventure. Overall, I think you will all be able to find something worth giving to your

The author is hoping for a RaptoRazor biggame skinner knife when he scores a big buck or pig. (RAPTORAZOR KNIVES)

special outdoorsman this year:

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shares some great video footage on the company’s website. It cuts through pig skin like butter and makes the job that much easier. I really want to test this out on a big boar hide this year. There is the original aluminum combo pack ($129.99), and, as a big fan of lighter-weight gear, I am looking at the injection-molded pack ($59.99).

SuperFEET Insoles Take care of your feet! Blisters, swollen arches and bruised bones are the last thing you want to be thinking about, because they will totally ruin a hunt. A couple years ago, I didn’t have the right insoles and my feet paid the price. I have DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

been using the SuperFeet Merino Grey insoles, and my feet are the happiest they have ever been! They retail for $45.99 and, let me tell you, I am putting these on my Christmas list every year.

model retails for $9.99, and both the 4-by3-inch and custom tag are $14.99. Wildlife Tag donates $1 of each tag purchase to Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry in support. What a great way to give back to the community.

The HHA King Pin is a great option for single-pin sights. (HHA SPORTS)

Wildlife tags Does your hunter have a mount that needs a little something extra? Wildlife Tags, which hang like keychains from your trophy, are great for showing off who took the animal, when they took it and where. Prices for each wildlife tag are very reasonable. The 3-by-2-inch

Trail cameras A hunter can never have too many trail cameras.

Pocket-size digital camera

Almost everyone these days wants to share a photo of their hunting or fishing adventure. Most people I know do not want to lug around a DSLR and array of Some gifts lack the pizzazz factor. A first-aid kid isn’t a fancy lenses. Why not find a great gadget, just a practical gift all sportsmen and women can use in the field. (AL QUACKENBUSH) point-and-shoot that you can take with you hunting, fishing, hiking, or just use at home? There are a wide variety out there, so do your research first.

Three-day deepsea fishing trip Many of the best trips leave out of Southern California, and everyone I talk to loves going on these. Plus, they come back with some of the tastiest fish I have ever had. With many of the fish like tuna and yellowtail moving north, the fishing reports have been great. This is one of the items on my list this year, as I have never been on one and would really like to.

TightSpot quiver

Havalon Piranta Edge knife

This quiver will be the last quiver you buy. You can adjust it forward and back to eliminate the need for a stabilizer, too. For $162.95, they are worth the money. I own one for each bow I own, but if you wanted to use one quiver, you could swap them from bow to bow by simply adding a mounting kit to the second bow.

This knife can do it all – from field dressing, skinning and caping, to filleting fish. It has a blaze orange handle, which I believe is critical for any backcountry hunter. If you have ever set your black-handled knife down on the ground, had to walk to your pack and turn around to try to find it again when it’s dark, you know what I’m talking about. It is extremely lightweight, so you’ll probably never feel the weight in your pack or on your belt. This is a major plus! The $45 investment comes with 12 replacement blades, and they fit right in the knife case so you won’t misplace them.

Fly-fishing gear Flies, a new reel, leaders, and basically anything a fly fisherman might go through over the course of the year all make the list. I am constantly going through leaders and looking 86 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

for different hatches for different areas. Having a variety of ﬂies at my disposal would be great.

First-aid kit Now why would I mention this? Because most of my hunting buddies fail to put even a Band-Aid in their

packs, let alone a ﬁrst-aid kit. This particular kit has saved me (and my friends) more than once, and I pack one on every hunt I go on. On one a couple years ago, a friend sliced his finger nearly to the bone. Fortunately for him, I carry a first-aid kit in every pack. These work great for fishing and family outings, too.

Because if you can get the small, You can get it all!

Cube It Or Lose It!

Real Avid Revelation lighted knife Right out of the box, the Real Avid Revelation is sharp, and I mean really sharp. It has a 4.0-inch drop-point blade made of 440 stainless steel. The lights on either side of the blade are rad! This is a knife I really could have used on my elk hunt two years ago. I can’t tell you how difﬁcult it is to get a headlamp to cooperate when you are trying to gut an animal. The lights are very bright and the on/ off switch is right at the back of the handle. The handle is rubberized and easy to grip, which is a beneﬁt in colder weather and with your hand covered in blood. I really like how the design allows you to grip the knife well, but also see down the entire blade as you are cutting. Retailing for $44.99, this is a gift that every outdoorsman will love.

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JetBoil cooking system Having a warm meal on a cold day will do wonders for you! These have been around for a while and I love mine. It’s a simple and easy way to boil water in the backcountry. The JetBoil retails for $75 to $100.

HHA single-pin archery sights Quality products like this are worth every hard-earned penny. With the recent release of the new King Pin, the single-pin world is now looking at the best sight on the market. You can count on quality craftsmanship, solid construction and a wellperforming, single-pin sight that has certainly increased my conﬁdence DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

on the range. This is one archery product I highly recommend to any bowhunter looking to increase their ability of consistently hitting the center of your target.

MINOX MD50 spotting scope You can expect quality German glass, with an emphasis on quality. I like the MD50 because of its compact size and ease of use in the ﬁeld. With a range of 15x to 30x, it works great for hunting in California and out of state. Retailing for $299.99, this is a great addition to any backcountry hunters’ pack.

SoCal. I have hiked 6 miles with 90 pounds on my back with the Eagle Cap Hikers on my feet, and my feet felt great! My feet were more comfortable in the BOGS than sneakers (most people call them tennis shoes out here, but this native of upstate New York doesn’t play tennis). I have worn them walking on concrete, sand, and rock. I have worn them in 50-degree weather and 100-degree weather, and I have to say that my feet stayed comfortable. Sure, on the 100-degree days my feet do sweat, but they stay fairly dry, and I never had a blister or hot spot. Let me tell you: I have been putting these through some serious tests. They retail for $150.

SealSkins waterproof socks BOGS Eagle Cap hiker boots I have been hiking with these in moderate to high temperatures in

88 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

The socks are incredible and have an investment value of $45 a pair. For a pair of socks that will protect your

feet in different situations like they do, I will gladly pay that knowing what I know now. I have used these socks for all of 2014 and I love them. SealSkinz offers a two-year warranty on the socks against defects. That’s a pretty awesome warranty for a sock.

Hi-Country Wild Game jerky seasoning Have a hunter who likes to make his or her own jerky? These spices are top-notch and full of ﬂavor and kick. I liked it so much I am going to give some other Hi-Country products a try. You don’t need to be a psychic to see that there will be plenty of tasty homemade jerky in my future.

Jerky from House of Jerky Don’t want to make your own, but love jerky? I can tell you ﬁrsthand that HOJ offers perfectly dehydrated and ﬂavorful meat. I would recommend their products to anyone, especially outdoors enthusiasts. It tastes great

HUNTING

ARCHERY

Ammo, Guns & Calls • Winchester • Glock • Primos • Smith & Wesson

Bows & Arrows • Bowtech • Hoyt • Elite • Easton Arrow

FISHING Fly Fishing & Traditional • Redington • RIO • Berkley • Fenwick

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Bag Kooler, LLC, or from one of the retailers listed on the TBK website. For under $10 you get a six pack. Trust me, it’s a sound investment. and is good for you, it packs extremely well and is a perfect snack.

Camp Dog cajun seasoning Papa Scott sells this seasoning – you can add some to all kinds of game meat – in different sizes and offers other products on his website. The 8-ounce canister of original Camp Dog seasoning sells for $7.50. That’s the one I buy every year. Everyone I know who tries it loves it. Be sure to get some!

KoolerGel Now why would I put KoolerGel on a list like this? I use it each and every time I go out hunting. I have saved hundreds of dollars from not having to buy extra ice for my hunts. You can buy KoolerGel directly from Trophy

90 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

OnXmaps A system that tells me if I’m hunting public land is worth not venturing onto private land, getting a ticket or being shot at. Check out their website for more details on the mapping software and how it can work for Pat’s Backcountry Beverages carbonator kit allows you to make your own beer during that hunting, ﬁshing or backpacking trip. you. The investment is (PAT’S BACKCOUNTRY BEVERAGES) worth it in my opinion. A $99.99 price gets you the map on an SD card, Pat’s Backcountry Beverages carbonator and it’s $129.99 for the BaseCamp bottle starter kit download, but one of the best is the This is one of the coolest products maps for Google Earth. They also I have purchased and it is certainly release updates regularly to keep one of the most unique. There your maps current. are different ways to combine the different products available for

Photo: Ed Sozinho

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purchase. You can brew your own soda or beer in the backcountry or on a ﬁshing trip. I think that overall, the system is offered at a very reasonable price at $49.99. Just imagine how incredible it would be to hike into the backcountry and use cold spring water to make your own beer.

you a 20-degree sharpening guide (in yellow) and a 25-degree honing guide (in black) to make certain you have the correct angle for your blade. It has a leather strop on one side, and the ceramic rod feature is an added bonus. Not only can you use it to get a knife edge back, but it has a ﬁshhook sharpener built in. The broadhead wrench is nice to have built in because then you know exactly where it is at all times. It retails for around $35.

Gift subscription to California Sportsman

Snow Peak Mini Hozuki lantern

You get some great hunting and ﬁshing information with the magazine and it’ll only cost you $29.99 for 12 issues. Share the wealth and send your buddy a gift subscription. They’ll be hooked!

It’s compact, bright, and easy to use. My hunting partner used one this year and I was a bit jealous at how well it worked versus my headlamp. This is something any hunter or angler could utilize, especially if you are camping out. I want one! I had a small metal lantern that costs half the price that I really liked because it works as a ﬂashlight, lantern and ﬂashing beacon. The only problem is

Work Sharp guided ﬁeld sharpener The Work Sharp guided ﬁeld sharpener is not like any sharpener I have used before. First off it gives

if you drop it, it’s done for. This one is durable.

LENSER H7.2 LED headlamp The light uses the patented Advanced Focus System can be adjusted from a wide beam to a tight, focused beam of light. At 250 lumens it is very bright. There is a power adjustment lever on the back of the head strap that is designed to adjust the strength of the beam of light. They retail for around $70. I know how difﬁcult it can be for someone to have to buy a gift for a hunter or ﬁsherman, like me! Being picky when it comes to my gear is a fault, but a good one. I know many of you face the same dilemma and hopefully this list will help you make some great decisions this year. CS Editor’s note: For more on the author, check out his website, socalbowhunter. com.

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FISHING

‘DIP-N-STRIP’ TROUT T Byy M B Mike ikee St ik Stev Stevens evenns

MOST EASTERN SIERRA TROUT FISHERIES ARE SHUT DOWN UNTIL APRIL, BUT THE LOWER OWENS REMAINS OPEN TO PERFECT A LOCAL TECHNIQUE TO SCORE BROWNS, ’BOWS

he h e ggeneral eneral Sierra ttrout rout sseason e came to an end on November Nove 15, and there is one word for those who hang up their waders and disassemble their ﬂy rods until the opener next April: Suckers!

A ﬂy ﬁsherman on the lower Owens River uses the “dip-and-strip” technique to get his offering near a trout-holding seam. (SIERRA DRIFTERS GUIDE SERVICE)

DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

FISHING Even without taking the waters that were relatively recently opened to year-round fishing – Hot Creek, upper Owens River, east Walker River – into consideration, there is an outstanding fishery at a lower elevation that produces numbers, variety and trophies. The lower Owens River (which is now sometimes referred to as the middle Owens now that stretches further south on Highway 395 have been re-watered) starts at the dam on Pleasant Valley Reservoir near Bishop and runs 40 miles south to Tinemaha Reservoir near the town Big lower Owens rainbows and browns offer incentive to break out the fishing gear in winter, when many Eastern Sierra rivers of Big Pine. and streams at higher elevations are shut down until the April trout opener. (SIERRA DRIFTERS GUIDE SERVICE)

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FISHING It is open year-round, and since temperatures rarely drop below freezing down there, you don’t have to get all exotic with your gameplan like you would up the hill; the higher-elevation streams are usually surrounded by snow and hold ﬁsh that aren’t particularly interested in putting a lot of effort into chasing something in that chilly water.

Assorted flies do the trick Just like ﬁshing the upper Owens during the general season, you can have outstanding days drifting nymphs – mayﬂy, caddis, and midge patterns – running into an afternoon blue-winged olive hatch and beating them up on

Besides planted rainbows, lower Owens River winter anglers will also have an opportunity to score a wild brown trout. (SIERRA DRIFTERS GUIDE SERVICE)

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dry flies, or enticing aggressive, larger models with a meaty streamer. Typically, the winter dry-fly bite becomes so predictable, local tackle shops – in person or in their online reports – get to the point where they can actually tell you what time the hatch will go on with stunning accuracy. Usually it’s somewhere between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and it is almost always bluewinged olives. While anglers can find success wading the river or fishing from shore, far and away the most productive tactic is to utilize a drift boat, ideally with a guide. Since the Owens is a source of water, as well as hydroelectric power for Los Angeles, the L.A. Department of Water and Power governs the flow rate, and quality of winter trout fishing isn’t very high on their list of concerns. So getting the latest flow information is always a good idea, with the best range for drifting being between 125 and 300 cubic feet per second. Monitoring this will be more important than usual this year with the state’s drought conditions, as the LADWP is more likely to act more conservatively with how much water they are sending downstream. “We drift the Owens River around Bishop, with 25 miles of river that are accessible,” says Tom Loe, owner of Sierra Drifters Guide Service (760-935-4250; sierradrifters.com). The best time for drifting is during fall through early spring when flows are low.” Along the Owens, there are no formal “put-ins and take-outs” or launch ramps, and some sections are fenced off to keep vehicles out. Sierra Drifters uses winches to lower their boats from steep banks down to the water, and, from that point, anglers have the best access possible to fish-holding spots, many of which are not accessible from shore.

Techniques to consider While guides will opt for whatever technique is most productive, Sierra Drifters does a lot of damage on big winter trout by fishing streamers on heavy or moderate sinking lines and targeting deeper pools and undercut banks. That alone is a widely used technique, but Sierra Drifters guides do it in a very specialized manner that they’ve developed over three decades of drifting the “lower O.” “A technique I developed called the ‘dip and strip’ is used to lower the fly in the water column and achieve angle,” says Loe. “Basically, you cast into the current and swing your fly into the seam where the fish are holding. The rod tip is then inserted below the surface 1 to 3 feet, and a ‘strip set’ is used to come tight to the fish because it is difficult to move the rod quickly enough in the water to set the hook.” Loe mentions Loebergs, SpruceA-Bu’s, Punk Perch, Crystal Leeches and Woolly Buggers as the top flies for mimicking the tui chubs, sticklebacks, mosquito fish and even carp fry that you are trying to imitate while using this technique.

Watch the trees One thing to keep in mind is that most of the inaccessible-from-shore areas are that way because the banks are heavily lined with thick willows and trees, so while a drift boat will put you in the zone you need to be in to catch planted rainbows or wild browns, back-casts aren’t always possible, so employing a roll cast is the way to go. Whether you want to drift the Owens, or just walk the bank, winter is a great time to go with the bare minimum of angling pressure. If you are into throwing lures or bait, that is completely legal, and you can also ﬁsh Pleasant Valley Reservoir – which always produces winter lunkers – if you want to mix a lake setting in to your trip. CS

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BRP unveils completely new Evinrude E-TEC G2 Outboard Engines and announces partnership with KingFisher Boats! BRP has signed an agreement to provide Renaissance Marine Groups’ KingFisher Boats with Evinrude outboard engines. The welded heavygauge aluminum boats, manufactured in a stateof-the art facility in Vernon, British Columbia, are known for their custom-built quality. “This partnership is exciting for BRP. Showcasing our Evinrude E-TEC technology and innovations alongside a leader in heavy-gauge aluminum boats allows us to continue expanding our presence in the industry, and reinforces our commitment to providing a superior consumer experience across multiple segments and markets,” said Alain Villemure, vice president and general manager of BRP’s Marine Propulsion Systems division. “We’re confident this agreement with KingFisher Boats and The Renaissance Group is a strategic one and we look forward to the mutual opportunities it represents.” “We’re very excited about this partnership because BRP’s newest offerings with its Evinrude brand bring outstanding technological innovation to our product,” said Byron Bolton, CEO of Renaissance Marine Group and KingFisher. “Our boaters require top performance for that hole shot, and the reliability of Evinrude engines is something they can count on.” KingFisher and Renaissance have a broad West Coast distribution network of dealers. New to their line-up this year is the KingFisher multi-species boat line offering the next generation of all-welded aluminum fishing boats using their industry-leading Pre-flex hull. Their tougher, more durable performance fishing line is an ideal partner for Evinrude E-TEC engines. California Sportsman recently had the opportunity to see the new Evinrude G2’s in action on the back of a 29-foot

KingFisher. This engine is a complete rededication to the innovation Evinrude brings to the two-stroke outboard market. The Evinrude E-TEC G2 outboard engine delivers unrivaled performance with best-in-class torque and fuel efficiency and lowest total emissions. The new E-TEC G2 engine offers the ﬁrst and only customizable look, the only clean rigging and fully integrated digital controls. These innovations now allow consumers to choose the absolute perfect combination of boat and engine by selecting top and front panels, as well as accent colors that match your boat. Check them out at your local Evinrude dealer.

DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

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FISHING Trinity River anglers are looking for some December rain to aid the cause this winter steelhead season. The NorCal stream can yield some pretty big ﬁsh. (KIRK PORTOCARRERO/SACRIVERGUIDE.COM)

‘LOOSEN UP’ ALREADY! IF MA NATURE WOULD JUST GIVE US SOME RAIN, TRINITY STEELHEADING SHOULD PERK By Luke Kelly

s fall turns to winter, expect steelhead ﬁshing on California’s Trinity River to pick up and produce some trophy ﬁsh –

just as long as the region gets the winter rainfall that it badly needs. The lack of precipitation has made autumn fishing on the river difficult. “So far this fall, the river has been very low and real clear,” says Liam Gogan of Trinity River Outﬁtters (530-623-6376; trinityriveroutﬁtter.com). “We’ve had a couple of rainfalls that really haven’t

done much for the river, as far as bringing it up. We certainly need some more rain.” Minimal precip, coupled with low water levels, has resulted in below-average fall ﬁshing, which obviously spells bad news for anglers. “When the river is low and clear, it hasn’t rained much, which means that the days have been cold,” explains Gogan. “The cold water temperature makes for a tough bite.” The good news, however, is that the arrival of late fall often brings rain, so there is hope this month for some storms to come through Northern California. “We usually get rain between Thanksgiving and Christmas,” the longtime guide says. DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

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Air temperatures tend to be warmer when it rains, raising the water temperature, and “loosening up the fish,” as Gogan puts it. The overcast skies combined with the rushing creeks cause the steelhead to become more active. “They are more likely to come out and play,” he says. Once the rain comes, Gogan expects this year’s steelhead run to be strong. “We should have a pretty good run that lasts into March, at least,” he says, noting that when returns are strong, the Trinity tends to be one of the Golden State’s best for winter metalheads. “The Trinity’s a solid river for steelhead fishing,” says Gogan. “I think the Trinity, compared to most rivers in California, our average time spent fishing is probably better than any other river in the state as far as catching goes.” When the steelhead fishing does pick up this winter, look for certain lures and techniques to produce your bounty of the sea-run trout. “The number one technique used on this river is a two-fly setup underneath an indicator,” says Gogan. “It’s used by 99 percent of the guys.” If you’re fishing for steelhead from the banks, Gogan recommends that as well as bouncing cured eggs. And he says “throwing little spinners, little 2s and 3s – these are all effective also.” Aside from using these techniques, be sure to pay close attention to the precipitation that falls in December. When the water levels on the Trinity are high enough, the fishing should be exceptional, and should remain so through January and February. In addition to Gogan’s guide service, check out Kirk Portocarrero’s Sac River Guide (1-800-670-4448; sacriverguide.com). Portocarrero fishes the Trinity out of Weaverville, among other Northern California rivers like the Sacramento. CS

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FISHING Big trout baits mean big bass, even some that just think they’re big enough to swallow a swimbait resembling a stocked trout. (ACTION JACKSON FISHING)

THE BASS WINTER BUFFET SWIMBAITS RESEMBLING TROUT CAN SCORE BIG FISH

By Bill Schaefer

SAN DIEGO— It is that time of year when a lot of the Southern California lakes plant trout for the benefit of fishermen. Usually, winter in the Southland can bring difficult fishing for largemouth. But who do the trout benefit more, the trout fishermen or the bass fishermen? Now that most bass anglers have adapted to winter fishing by using trout imitation lures, it’s anyone’s ball game. Some lures look so real they look like a taxidermist made them. When thousands of pounds of trout stream into the lakes at planting time, it’s like a dinner bell went off. If you’ve ever seen it, it’s hard to believe there are any trout left when they are done. The trout plants wake a lake up and

the normally sleepy larger ﬁsh are now on the prowl for an easy meal. That’s where the trout swimbait lures come in. They just attract giant bass. You may not get a giant every time you go out, but if you put in the time, you will eventually score a record for yourself. It may be cold and rainy or sunny and warm, but it seems like the transition right before a storm – and maybe just into the storm – is the time to score bass. For lures, the list is endless now that the swimbait explosion has taken place over the last several years. There are inexpensive lures to ones only a few can afford, but many in between that will work well. Sizes vary from 4 inches to a 2-pound rainbow trout. If the lure looks like a trout or close to it, they will work. Do a little homework and ﬁnd out what the lake you’re plan-

ning to ﬁsh is going to plant; this will help with color selection. Most lakes plant rainbows, so a variation on this will do well. Throw parallel to the shoreline, as most trout will cruise along the shore and the bass will use the shallows to trap them. For the heavier trout lures, a medium-heavy to heavy triggerstick will do the trick. Load it with a heavily braided line like the new Maxima braid in the 50- to 60-pound range and a ﬂuorocarbon leader of at least 30 pounds. You don’t want to throw that expensive lure into the lake after a few casts. Always keep checking your line as well for nicks or cuts. The tackle can match the lure size you are throwing. It will wear you out a bit, but just keep thinking of the reward and the adrenaline rush you will get with a giant catch! CS DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

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FISHING

BEACH WEATHER FORECAST SURF PERCH A NICE WINTER OPTION By Tim E. Hovey

ou have to love California. A few weeks back, during a slight Southland October heat wave, I decided to head to the local beach to see if the surf perch were still biting. The current elevated water temperature was hovering around the high 60s, and shorts and a T-shirt were the attire for the day. I’m not sure what the air temperature was, but I know it wasn’t snowing. As a lifelong Californian, I sometimes forget what winter is. I do have family on the East Coast, and whenever I see their winter weather featured on the evening news, I just shake my head. For the last several years, California winters have been mild; at times it has just seemed like an extended

fall. Some may miss the sometimes abrupt seasonal changes; I don’t. As a sportsman, I look to hunt and ﬁsh here whenever the weather allows. And when the typical winter weather rolls in, I look for cooler temperatures to clear out the beaches of swimmers, surfers and overall crowds. I absolutely love surf ﬁshing

Ah, winter in Southern California, where anglers can wade into the Paciﬁc and cast from a beach for species like surf perch (above). In many beaches around the southern part of the state, cleared-out shorelines allow for plenty of casting room. (TIM E. HOVEY)

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FISHING Alyssa Hovey with a large surf perch, which can be caught using both baitcasting and spinning gear. Surf perch are resilient ﬁsh that live in a world of predators. (TIM E. HOVEY)

during the winter, when the beach is deserted and you feel like you have the place all to yourself.

UNFORTUNATELY, THIS FALL the mild weather did little to dissuade the beach crowds, and the warmer water temperatures filled the ocean with those looking to enjoy the unusually warm weather. In my opinion, there’s enough beach for everyone. Earlier this fall, I took my daughter Alyssa to the beach to try our luck. The summer bite was amazing, and we both hoped that the larger fish we usually see in the winter were hungry. We rigged up, found an open spot on the beach and started fishing. I watched Alyssa cast with the exuberance she always uses when casting at the beach. She engaged her reel and waited for a bite. Over the years, I’ve watched Alyssa become a fairly accomplished angler. She has the patience of a veteran and owns one of the fastest hook sets I’ve ever seen. She slowly reeled in some slack and then dropped the rod tip slightly. She whipped the rod back quickly and started reeling. The bend in her rod indicated she had hooked something solid. The rod tip bounced, she took several steps towards the water and the fish started fighting. I reeled in my rig and walked over for a closer look. Whatever she’d hooked, it was definitely putting up a fight on her light spinning gear. A minute later, she pulled up the massive surf perch on dry land. A small family nearby clapped at her accomplishment. She grabbed the fish by the tail and smiled in triumph. It was by far her largest surf perch. I took some photos, and if you had to guess which month we were fishing by what she was wearing in the picture, you’d likely guess wrong. The unseasonably warm weather had it feeling like summer, and we weren’t complaining. We spent the afternoon catching and releasing several large-sized surf perch as the tide shifted. It was an enjoyable fishing session with my 110 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

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FISHING daughter. In winters past, the colder water usually chases me off the beach after an hour. I’ve always waded barefoot, and, during the colder months, I pay for being casual. This season, that hasn’t been the case. Alyssa and I spent a few hours walking the beach, catching ﬁsh and enjoying the day. Off the coast, I spotted a couple of whale spouts in the ﬂat channel, and dolphin pods cruised and surfaced just beyond the breakers. It indeed was an amazing day.

The author with a surf perch, caught on a sunny day. If there is a lot of empty stretches of beach to ﬁsh, cast a few times and you should know fairly quickly if the bite is there or not. Keep moving until you ﬁnd a spot. (TIM E. HOVEY)

AS MY LIFE gets busier with work, family and a diverse number of hobbies, I tend to look for convenient opportunities to get outdoors; thus, I go whenever I can. Shore ﬁshing in California is an excellent way to get a quick ﬁshing session in with minimal effort. The areas we frequent are yards away from where we park; during times when I can get away, a pair of rigged rods and a bucket of

tackle never leave my truck. The rig of choice for these quick trips is a standard Carolina rig baited with a Berkeley Gulp! 2-inch camo sand worm. A few casts made in the right area with this rig will let you know if the fish are biting or if you need to move on down the beach. I use both baitcasting and spinning gear, and I love my little baitcasters and feel I fish better with them. But I keep spinning tackle with me as well, especially since my daughters are comfortable with the spinning gear. The type of fish that most shore anglers target is the barred surf perch. This fish is a very robust species and lives in a seriously rough environment, where almost everything is looking to prey upon whatever’s swimming in the vicinity. Almost without fail, I’ll catch a perch with an extensive wound that has healed up just about every time

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FISHING

Walleye surf perch are sometimes encountered off the Paciﬁc Ocean coast when trying to catch surf perch. Mild-weather ﬁshing along Southern California’s beaches can make for a great experience. (TIM E. HOVEY)

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I fish the shore. Leopard sharks and large predatory fish like halibut readily feed on surf perch in this turbulent environment. Years ago, I hooked a large halibut in the surf; just before I landed the fish, it coughed up a 10-inch surf perch. Besides being tough, this species also has another strategy for surviving in the surf zone. Barred surf perch are live-bearers, meaning they give birth to live young. In a world where rough conditions are the norm and predators abound, entering the world being able to maneuver and evade the second you’re born is a huge advantage to survival. During the summer, it’s not unusual to catch a female that is just bursting with juvenile fish. Within days of being born, these small fish are chasing the same lures the larger fish chase. During these periods the bite is literally wide open, but quality fish are tough to catch

due to the high number of young in the water.

WINTER SURF FISHING is one of my favorite ways to spend a day. The Southern California weather conditions can vary from chilly to downright summer-like, and, if the fish are biting, it can be as wide open as the summer bite. The convenience of this type of fishing is what really draws me to the beach. I’m never without a rod and tackle during the winter, and I make as many trips to the shore as I can during the season. And being at a place where I essentially learned to fish when I was a boy connects me to that carefree time. Sharing that with my daughters, so many years later, brings me a peace that goes beyond words. Through life’s ups and downs, if I need to get away and recharge, the beach is where I go. CS

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FISHING

PACIFIC’S WILD YEAR YELLOWTAIL, WAHOO STILL SWIMMING OFF CALIFORNIA COAST By Steve Carson

his year’s El Niño brought an amazing array of exotic species to California waters, and the lion’s share of attention understandably went to once-in-a-generation action on yellowfin tuna, dorado, and even wahoo. As amazing as the exotics were, it overshadowed what was undoubtedly the best action in local waters on quality-size yellowtail in at least three decades. Local yellowtail are usually 4- to 10-pound “firecrackers,” when they are even around at all that far north. The firecrackers indeed were around inshore by late spring, but the quality-grade fish, those running 15 to 30 pounds or more, were at the offshore islands as early as February. By midsummer, the bigger fish had begun dispersing as far north as the Channel Islands. During September and October, 25-pounders were the norm, and some half-day boats scored 50 or more per trip, with three-quarter-day boats often getting limits. What all of this means is that local inshore anglers were experiencing bigger yellowtail that they simply were not able to handle. Lots of bass rods and discount store rods, reels, and line simply blew up; more importantly, local anglers may have missed chances at the biggest fish of their lifetimes. The best way to catch yellowtail just about anywhere they gather is almost always “fishing the yo-yo iron.” Not only will it trigger otherwise reluctant biters, it also allows using relatively heavy tackle (Note: this is not the heavily promoted “Asian-style jigging” or “speed-jigging,” which is a different technique, utilizing substantially different lures and tackle).

Yellowtail that normally top out at 10 pounds were being caught in the 15- to 30-pound range as far north as the Channel Islands this year as El Niño’s impact on offshore ﬁshing continues. (STEVE CARSON)

Lures The standard lures are California iron-style jigs that are “heavies” made of zinc, but not the “lights” that are made of aluminum. Most popular models are the midsize Sumo JR, Salas 6Xjr, or Tady A2, which handle most circumstances and water up to about 180 feet deep. For deeper water up to about 300 feet, the larger

Tady 4/0 or Sumo 6 get down better; for ﬁrecracker-grade or skittish local yellowtail, the smaller Sumo C2 or Tady 9 come into their own.

Technique Overall it’s a pretty simple concept, with a couple of variations. Don’t worry about casting, just drop the lure over the side and let it sink to DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

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FISHING the bottom, which will normally be about 100 to 180 feet. Then simply crank it back to the surface as fast as you possibly can; it’s really that simple most of the time. If the boat is drifting, you may need to cast upcurrent about 50 feet, or you can simply go to the down-current side and drop it down with the current pulling the lure down and away from you. When fishing offshore where the bottom is thousands of feet down, the skipper will usually call out the depth the fish are holding at; simply drop another 30 feet or so. Often the fish will be moving up and down the water column, so this technique allows you to fish every inch of fish holding water. Other times they will be suspended at a specific depth – say, 30 feet above the bottom. In that case, simply crank the lure up an additional 40 to 50 feet, and then drop back down to save yourself the effort of coming all the way to the surface. When you get a bite, do not set the hook. Keep cranking until the rod is fully loaded up and the fish is taking line against a snugly set drag.

Reels Speed, speed and more speed, but don’t forget the power. Use a conventional-style reel with an absolute minimum rate of 32 inches per turn; anything over 40 inches per turn will need to be a two-speed due to loss of torque in the super-fast reels. For Baja-grade fish, the narrow 4/0 size Penn U.S. Senator 113N is the longtime standard, but many anglers like the downshifting of a two-speed Penn Fathom FTH40NLD2. For the local-grade fish, the smaller star-drag Penn Fathom FTH25N is very light, but it can handle surprisingly large fish. In any case you want a reel with no less than 20 pounds of max drag. Again, more drag is better, and levelwinds generally are unsuitable. 118 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2014

The author estimates about 60 wahoo have been caught off the California coast that have moved north this season. About 20 of those were landed as far north as the waters off Orange County. (KIRK KEARNEY)

the primary target, blue/white or scrambled egg (brown/yellow/white) are about all the colors you’ll need. If ﬁshing offshore with tuna added to the menu, then chrome/blue complete the short list. In most cases, size 2/0 or 3/0 treble hooks are the way to go. If tuna exceeding 40 pounds, yellowtail exceeding 50, or wahoo of any size are present, stepping up to a 7/0 to 9/0 single hook adds greatly to your hooking and holding power.

California wahoo redux

Rods and line Most anglers go with a moderately stiff 6½- or 7-foot conventional rod rated for 20- to 50-pound or 30- to 60-pound lines. Just about all rods perform best when fished as close to the middle of their line rating as possible. A rod that is too soft will make it much more difficult to drive the hook home, and hold a big yellowtail out of structure. Probably 90 percent of the time, yo-yo fishing will involve 40- or 50-pound monofilament. Sometimes small local fish can be handled with 30-pound line, and occasionally bruiser long-range yellowtail will require 60-pound topshots. Opt for a long topshot of 100 yards, installed on superbraid backing that is at least one “bump” heavier than the topshot. Fluorocarbon isn’t necessary for this technique.

Miracles never cease to appear in the ocean. After this column was completed for the November issue, and I had declared the 2014 El Niño over, I did not realize that the wahoo themselves had not read about it. The last two weeks of October and the first week of November saw yet another flurry of wahoo biting in California and northern Baja waters, centered off the Coronado Islands but ranging as far north as Orange County. It’s difficult to determine exact numbers, but it is possible that as many as 60 wahoo have been caught in California waters in 2014, with at least 20 of those off Orange County. Many of these ‘hoos were very good size, mostly in the 40- to 50-pound range. California now has a pending state record for the species, an impressive 84-pounder caught in November by Alex Dupre of Dana Point. At one point during October, anglers were actually able to target the toothy critters, with one overnight party boat having a confirmed tally of four fish in a single trip, and rumors of one private boat decking seven in a single day. All of this on top of continued excellent action on yellowfin tuna, yellowtail and dorado. The polar vortex finally ended this year’s offshore bite, but the capper to everything was the formal announcement in November by NOAA of an El Niño for 2014-15. CS

Colors and hooks Color selection is pretty basic. For inshore ﬁshing where yellowtail are

Editor’s note: Email the author at scarson@sunset.net.

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FISHING

TURN THE TIDE FOR SAND BASS

The author prefers to ﬁsh the medium tides in Southern California’s bays when barred sand bass are swimming inshore. (BILL SCHAEFER)

SOCAL’S INSHORE BAYS WELCOME FEEDING FISH By Capt. Bill Schaefer

SAN DIEGO— This time of year can get a lot of inshore bass fishermen excited. Cooling waters move large numbers of barred sand bass into Southern California bays. Whether it’s sunny or raining, these guys eat with the tidal movement, which can be nonstop action on light to medium bass gear. One of the best bays to target the sand bass is San Diego Harbor. This 9-mile-long bay has a lot of room to fish and every different type of structure you can imagine. As previously mentioned, the bass feed with the tides, and it’s no trouble to find moving water in the winter, when some of our largest tides move in and out. But I personally try to stay with the medium tides for best fishing results. For example, if the tide is coming in and going from 2 to 6 feet high, this is 4 feet of total

tidal movement – a perfect tide in my book. Also, I like the incoming tide better than an outgoing tide since the rising tide brings the fish to the shallows to feed. A large tide going out from 7 feet to minus 1 is 8 feet of tidal movement; we’ll call it a toilet flush. The fish hunker down as the water is moving so fast and stirring up so much silt they tend not to eat. So the most basic way to fish for sand bass is with swimbaits on appropriately weighted jigheads, ranging from ½ ounce to 1½ ounces. Brands and colors of swimbaits are so plentiful you should go out and grab an assortment. Each designer – Reebs Lures, Big Hammer, Western Plastics, MC Swimbaits or any of the others – pride themselves on designing the best kicking tail. It’s this tail action that brings the bass to the lure to eat it. So if you have a variation of lures, eventually

you will find the tail vibration that works the best for you at a particular time. You can fish for sand bass with the same gear that is used for their freshwater cousins. Swimbaits are usually on a medium-heavy to heavy triggerstick. I use a Daiwa Lexa reel with a Lexa triggerstick, for example. For line, mono from 10- to 20-pound test is used regularly, or sometimes I like to go to Maxima braided line with a fluorocarbon leader. The most popular fishing method is “wind and grind.” That includes drifting with the tide, letting your line out the back of the boat, dispensing about half the spool, and then winding at a slow yet steady pace. When you feel some heaviness on your line, it is most likely a fish. You’ll want to start reeling faster and you will soon feel the heaviness get even heavier. This is you making contact with the fish. Now set the hook! CS DECEMBER 2014 California Sportsman

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