FISHING • HUNTING • TRAVEL CALSPORTSMANMAG.COM
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California
Sportsman Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource
Volume 13 • Issue 2 PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles CONTRIBUTORS Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Brandon Honig, Art Isberg, Todd Kline, Bill Schaefer, Dave Workman SALES MANAGER Paul Yarnold ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Griffin, Jim Klark, Mike Smith DESIGNER Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker DIGITAL STRATEGIST Jon Hines ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Aumann INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@calsportsmanmag.com CORRESPONDENCE Email ccocoles@media-inc.com Twitter @CalSportsMan Facebook.com/californiasportsmanmagazine ON THE COVER Freshwater bass anglers aching to get on the water should consider heading out to the Pacific for an outstanding saltwater bite for calico and other bass species. (BILL SCHAEFER)
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calsportsmanmag.com | DECEMBER 2020 California Sportsman
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CONTENTS
VOLUME 13 • ISSUE 2
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A ‘CLEAR’ SALMON RESURGENCE’ From Gold Rush-era ’49ers to gravel miners, Sacramento River tributary Clear Creek has taken plenty of haymakers over the years. The watershed’s salmon runs have also suffered, but in the last few decades a federal reclamation project has transformed the stream into a recreation haven for humans and created sustainable habitat for Chinook salmon. Brandon Honig of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tells the Clear Creek comeback story.
(JOHN HEIL/USFWS)
FEATURES 21
SWITCH IT UP FOR SALTY BASS! With winter water temperatures dipping in Southern California, largemouth anglers who figure to put away their gear and store the boat until spring are missing out on some outstanding bass fishing – on the Southland’s bays and harbors! Bill Schaefer shares how to repurpose your bucketmouth tackle to get in on the outstanding calico, spotted bay and barred sand bass action on the saltwater.
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GIFTS THAT KEEP ON GIVING The holiday season is upon us, and for outdoor lovers in your life, Scott and Tiffany Haugen have some great gift ideas. From outstanding salmon and trout lures to a meat grinder to process your big game harvest, the Haugens help cross off anglers and hunters alike on your list. Also check out Tiffany’s tasty holiday brunch recipe in their From Field to Fire column.
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PROPS FOR POPPING PREDATORS Last month, veteran Redding hunter Art Isberg shared his tips for setting up perfect duck decoy presentations for each part of the long fall-winter waterfowl migration. This issue Isberg’s decoy demonstrations continue with his quintessential guide to using faux bunnies, birds and fellow furbearers to attract predators like fox, bobcat and coyote – whose pelts just happen to also be prime this time of year!
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 9 10 12 13 27 43 53
The Editor’s Note: Reflections on 2020 The Adventures of Todd Kline Photo contest winners Outdoor calendar Shadow Cliffs Lake trout fishing SHOT Show news, new gun offerings, Christmas ideas Stocking stuffers for gun dogs
Read California Sportsman on your desktop or mobile device. 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. Annual subscriptions are $29.95 (12 issues). Send check or money order to Media Index Publishing Group, or call (206) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. 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 © 2020 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. 6 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com
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A camping getaway to Joshua Tree National Park offered some relief from the insanity we’re suffering through right now. (CHRIS COCOLES)
THEEDITOR’SNOTE
W
hen my good friend Norv suggested we take an early November camping trip to Joshua Tree National Park, I wasn’t sure if that was the best choice. I knew there wouldn’t be water for me to find a spot and cast a fishing line, but the idea of social distancing at a campground amid one of the most spiritual places in the state sold me. As it turned out, it was a great choice to stop and reflect about the final days of 2020. Nothing has come easy for any of us, even a peaceful transfer of presidential power it seems. Mercifully the year is almost over, but the four-plus days we spent in the Southern California high desert offered an escape from the tough times we’re all enduring. The weather was perfect – sunny days, chilly but tolerable nights – and a nightly campfire and spirits kept us warm, plus our daytime exploring around Joshua Tree NP was enlightening. The park is truly a hiker’s and photographer’s dream destination. The Black Rock Campground was pretty much full – November is Joshua Tree’s high season with more reasonable daytime temperatures – but everyone was spread out nicely, enjoying a little peace away from the chaos back home (Norv and I had internet access and checked the early returns of a still contentious despite decided election on the night of Nov. 3). In the midday heat I was able to find a shady deck chair adjacent to the campground’s nature center, where I read a few chapters of a book and chatted about fishing and dinner options in town with a local ranger – while we both wore masks, of course. But I felt most at peace during an easy hike to the Wall Street Mill, which was a gold ore mining operation that dates back to the Great Depression. The walk took me through a valley of wildflowers, adorable dusky chipmunks – we didn’t see any coyotes but their howls serenaded us at night in camp – and the national park’s famed namesake Mojave River trees. At the end of the trail I found the remnants of the mill and a rusted-out old pickup truck from the late 1920s. It was a bit warm when I found a shady spot to drink some water and take in the scene by myself. I kept thinking about the simplicity of the moment in a rather complicated time we’re living through. -Chris Cocoles calsportsmanmag.com | DECEMBER 2020 California Sportsman
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s e r u t n e v d A
Riverside County’s Lake Perris is one of Southern California’s best bass lakes, so it’s always a great lake to fish. (TODD KLINE) The fall has been awesome for fishing. (TODD KLINE) There’s nothing like some solid tunes from the Scosche Boom Bottle MM while fishing Temple Bar, Lake Mead. (TODD KLINE)
Sunset at Perris can be awesome. (TODD KLINE)
W
e’re not ashamed to admit it: Todd Kline has the kind of life we wish we could experience. Kline’s a former professional surfer, a successful co-angler on the FLW Tour and a Southern California bass guide, plus he gets to travel the world as a commentator for the World Surf League’s telecasts. Todd has agreed to give us a peek on what he’s up to each month. For more on Todd or to book a guided fishing trip with him, check out toddklinefishing.com, and you can follow him on Instagram at @toddokrine. –The Editor 10 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2020 ||calsportsmanmag.com calsportsmanmag.com
One of my favorite topwater baits, the IMA Skimmer Fish, has scored some nice largies, including these two. (TODD KLINE)
Just me and a few SoCal chunks on a good day. (TODD KLINE)
A swimbait scored me this hawg. It’s been a good month to catch big bass. (TODD KLINE)
My fall guide trips have been awesome. (TODD KLINE)
It’s been a tough year for all of us, but hopefully you’ve been able to get out for some socially distanced fishing. Happy holidays and stay safe. (TODD KLINE) calsportsmanmag.com calsportsmanmag.com|| DECEMBER 2020 California Sportsman
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PHOTO
CONTEST
WINNERS!
Jacob Ross is the winner of our monthly Fishing Photo Contest, thanks to this shot of daughter Zoe and her stout trout. It wins him gear from various tackle manufacturers!
Pistol Bullets and Ammunition
Marc Ling is our monthly Coast Hunting Photo Contest winner, thanks to this pic of sons Matthew and Mitchell and their California quackers. It wins him a knife and light from Coast!
Zero Bullet Company, Inc.
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P.O. Box 1188 Cullman, AL 35056 Tel: 256-739-1606 Fax: 256-739-4683 Toll Free: 800-545-9376 www.zerobullets.com
12 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com
For your shot at winning hunting and fishing products, send your photos and pertinent (who, what, when, where) details to ccocoles@media-inc.com or California Sportsman, 14240 Interurban Ave S, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. By sending us photos, you affirm you have the right to distribute them for our print or Internet publications.
OUTDOOR CALENDAR
Most of California’s limited bighorn sheep hunts open on Dec. 5. (TIM GLENNER/CDFW)
Editor’s note: Because of COVID-19 restrictions, all events should be checked for changes or cancellations. Below are events that had been scheduled in December and January, with websites/phone numbers for you to check for updates. DECEMBER 5 7 13 17 19-27 22 27 28 31
Most bighorn sheep hunting seasons open Balance of State Zone American crow season opens Fall wild turkey season closes Second Northeastern Zone scaup season opens South Area band-tailed pigeon season dates Fort Hunter Liggett Period 3 tule bull elk hunt season opens General bear hunting season closes Second archery-only pheasant season opens Last day 2020 hunting and fishing seasons are valid
JANUARY 1
First day 2021 hunting and fishing licenses are valid
1
Online harvest reporting begins for steelhead, sturgeon and North Coast salmon report card 1-MARCH 31 Mad River Steelhead Derby (707-496-2948) 13 Last day of duck and scaup hunting seasons in Northeastern Zone 16-17 Northeastern Zone veterans and active military personnel waterfowl hunting days 27 Opener for falconry rabbits and varying hare 31 Last day of primary season for falconry take of ducks (including mergansers), geese, coots and common moor hens (limited February openers in some zones) 31 Last day for duck season in most zones 31 Last day for most general quail hunts 31 Last day for statewide tree squirrel, rabbit and varying hare hunting seasons
Note: For more details on hunting seasons, go to wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/. For a list of upcoming bass tournaments, go to nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FishingContests/default.aspx. calsportsmanmag.com | DECEMBER 2020 California Sportsman
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PROTECTING
WILD CALIFORNIA
A male Chinook, with red coloration, strikes another buck on Clear Creek in Redding during the spawning season in October. Long unavailable as fish habitat, the tributary of the Sacramento River now sees salmon returns and people are able to better enjoy the waterway, thanks to restoration work by multiple parties. (BRANDON HONIG/USFWS)
A CLEAR (CREEK) SUCCESS STORY By Brandon Honig
C
lear Creek has been transformed multiple times in the past two centuries, but the transformation of the past few decades was designed to last. Ravaged first by gold-seekers and then by gravel miners, the Sacramento River tributary is today a haven for fish and
people alike. “You get to see big male salmon chasing each other away from females and see females digging redds, or nests. It’s exciting,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Charlie Chamberlain. “It’s something a lot of people would not expect to see in California except on National Geographic.” Thirty years ago, it wasn’t something
you’d see in Clear Creek either. There was little water flowing, and Saeltzer Dam closed off more than 11 miles of potential habitat for sensitive species like Central Valley steelhead and spring-run Chinook salmon. The Bureau of Land Management, however, acquired most of the lower Clear Creek channel bottom in a series of deals in the 1990s. At the time, the creek was mainly
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PROTECTING
WILD CALIFORNIA
Bureau of Reclamation biologist Derek Rupert shows BOR guide Amy Holland how gravel injections have helped create fish habitat on Clear Creek. (BRANDON HONIG/USFWS)
Creek looked “thrashed.” There were pits and piles of dredger tailings everywhere, and the water was shallow and warm, with virtually no riparian vegetation. Reports of people lurking there also kept locals away. To clear the way for the restoration program, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office teamed with the state and BLM rangers to tighten security and clean up Clear Creek. As the restoration work progressed, residents saw trails, restrooms and parking lots installed. “Now when we go out there, there are families utilizing the area, swimming with kids, fishing, mountain biking, hiking with dogs,” Chamberlain said. “That greenway vision BLM had is being realized.”
A FOOD-BASED EXPLOSION
known as an out-of-the-way place for illegal trash dumping and suspicious activity. “Some smart people at BLM understood Clear Creek’s potential for restoration, and they got a good deal on it because it was an industrial wasteland,” said biologist Derek Rupert, who oversaw the final phase of the project for the Bureau of Reclamation. “They made some good choices, so now the public owns the majority of this land.”
PLANNING A PARTNERSHIP
and Wildlife, who joined the Clear Creek Technical Team in 2001. “They really put in some good thought on what restoration should look like, how it would function and the goals associated with all of that.” Before the work began, she said, Clear Workers plug a ditch dug by gravel miners last century, redirecting its water into a new channel on Clear Creek’s original path. (BRANDON HONIG/USFWS)
In 1992, Congress passed a massive fish and wildlife restoration program for California, the Central Valley Project Improvement Act. Among other measures, it singled out Clear Creek for an overhaul to be funded jointly with the state. The planning process involved a large group of landowners, stakeholders, consultants and agency experts, which delivered a multipronged approach. The plan would reconfigure part of the creek channel, raise the water level, open up areas for fish habitat and increase the stream’s complexity and food production. “My hat’s really off to those people who were involved in the late 1990s,” said Tricia Bratcher, a habitat restoration coordinator for the California Department of Fish 16 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com
Restoration began by increasing water flows through BOR’s Whiskeytown Dam, then removing the privately owned Saeltzer Dam. Those steps brought fish to Clear Creek in the thousands, but the stream was nothing like its former self. “Miners basically dug a ditch here along the valley and diverted the creek into it so they would have room for gravel extraction,” Chamberlain said of one part of the restoration area. “They took a creek that used to have this dynamism to it
PROTECTING
WILD CALIFORNIA
Local anglers search for steelhead in Clear Creek, where restoration has created diverse conditions and habitats for fish, and improved recreational opportunities for people. “Now when we go out there, there are families utilizing the area, swimming with kids, fishing, mountain biking, hiking with dogs,” USFWS biologist Charlie Chamberlain said. (BRANDON HONIG/USFWS)
and serve a lot of ecological functions, then dumped it into a little chute where it had very little ecological function and no dynamism.” Creeks are naturally complex. They change speed and direction, pull in branches and move sediment. That action creates gravel bars, riffles and side channels, which foster plant and insect growth. The channel the gravel miners dug, on the other hand, was like a swiftly moving canal that only eroded downward. It didn’t change over time, and it didn’t create much habitat. The restoration plan called for filling in the miners’ ditch and restoring the creek’s original path. It also required lowering the floodplain to create longer-lasting habitats and nourishment for rearing fish.
“If you change the shape of the creek so it spreads out and trickles into the floodplain or side channels, you get extraslow areas where you’ve wet new surfaces, and those floodplains generate a lot of fish food and grow vegetation,” Chamberlain said. “You get a food-based explosion.” Workers have placed downed trees and more than 180,000 tons of gravel in Clear Creek since the 1990s to help create habitat. Salmon spawning habitat was the original focus, but the work has created diverse conditions that benefit fish in multiple life stages. The latest phase focused on juvenile salmon, but will also provide homes for beavers, song sparrows and pond turtles. “For juvenile fish, woody debris provides refuges from predators and spots
to hold and wait for food to float, swim or fly by,” said Matt Brown, who managed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s program on Clear Creek from 1995 to 2017. “There will also be areas for adult fish to hang out and rest before they spawn and other areas with good spawning habitat.”
LONG-TERM COMMITMENT The 2.2-mile Lower Clear Creek Floodway Rehabilitation Project took more than two decades to complete. Along the way, the multiagency tech team overcame challenge after challenge, culminating in completion of the final stage in October. “I’m proud of the work that came before me and the perseverance they showed,” said Chamberlain, who has worked on the project since 2015. “People
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PROTECTING
WILD CALIFORNIA
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service crew members from the Red Bluff office clear the way for and install (right) a rotary screw trap, which will help assess the abundance of juvenile Chinook in Clear Creek. (BRANDON HONIG/USFWS) aren’t always resilient enough to insist that ‘There’s a great opportunity here,’ even when the naysayers can’t see it. A vision was implemented here, and it’s working.” In addition to USFWS, BOR and the state, the project received significant
contributions from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service, the National Park Service, California Department of Water Resources, the Yurok Tribe and a variety of local organizations, including the Western Shasta Resource
Conservation District. The experience often felt like a marriage, Bratcher said. “Sometimes it drives you crazy, but you love the place, so you work through the problems and will be stronger for it,” she
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PROTECTING
WILD CALIFORNIA
A beautiful sight for those who have collaborated on this project: A Chinook swims in Clear Creek during spawning season in October. Restoration work that began in the 1990s has turned the stream into a salmon-producing hotspot. “You get to see big male salmon chasing each other away from females and see females digging redds, or nests,” said USFWS’s Chamberlain. “It’s exciting,” (BRANDON HONIG/USFWS) said. “We’ve had some really good people, some really knowledgeable people, who have continued to stick it out and really love Clear Creek.” Also like a marriage, she said, the commitment to Clear Creek should be
Angler Creighton Smith of Redding casts for Clear Creek steelhead in October. Wild steelies must be released unharmed when caught in California. (BRANDON HONIG/USFWS)
eternal. “I’d hate for people to say, ‘We’re done on Clear Creek,’” Bratcher said. “Any time you implement a change, it disrupts the patterns and you have a responsibility. You are beholden to watch over it and be
a steward.” CS Editor’s note: Brandon Honig is an external affairs specialist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For more on the Pacific Southwest Region, check out fws.gov/cno.
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FISHING You already have that freshwater bass gear in the garage, so as the largemouth bite slows down, give saltwater bass a try. Sand bass love your tackle box’s spinnerbaits, but spotted bay bass and calicos will attack them too. (BILL SCHAEFER)
SALTY BASS ARE JUST AS SWEET SWITCH FROM LAKES/LARGEMOUTH TO BAYS/CALICOS, ETC., TO KEEP THE BITE GOING IN WINTER By Capt. Bill Schaefer
B
ass fishermen, unite! Yes; that’s what I said. Right now, largemouth fishing can be a little slow with temperatures cooling lakes around Southern California. But if you’re a freshwater angler who hasn’t taken advantage of our bays, you should really consider it. I know, I know; it’s hard to envision putting your bass boat in saltwater. But wash it down thoroughly afterwards and you should be good to go. Tackle might be a different story, as some reels with magnesium components shouldn’t be used around saltwater. But fishing the different bass available to you in the bays will keep you in tune for the next freshwater fishing trip you take, as the salty bass
eat a lot of the same lures.
MAKING THE SWITCH Several freshwater bass fishermen already have taken on the salty bass and never looked back. They’ve discovered the fun and similar action they can have with the saltwater variety. The Southland’s bass include the spotted bay, a bass that is built like a river-run smallmouth and fights like one too. Spots grow to about 3 pounds but run 1 to 2 pounds on average, though when hooked you’ll think you have a much larger fish on your line. Barred sand bass can grow to 13 pounds but are rarely found over 5 or 6 pounds in the bays. A hard fighter as well, this bass is shaped more like a largemouth.
And then you have the calico. This bass – usually found more towards the deeper mouths of the bays, on docks and rocks – fight hard in its own right. The record fish is about 14 pounds, but they are rarely caught over 5 to 6 pounds, as well, in the bays. Also shaped like a largemouth, calicos are the big prize for bay anglers.
PICK A BAIT, ANY BAIT So what do bay bass eat? Just about anything in your freshwater tackle box. “Oh, I haven’t ever done this. How do I figure them out?” you might ask. Well, close your eyes to the shoreline and surroundings, pretend you’re on your favorite lake, and attack it as if you were fishing freshwater instead of saltwater. All the bays of Southern
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FISHING As author Bill Schaefer shows, spotted bay bass readily eat crankbaits, as do the other two bass species in Southern California’s bays and harbors. (BILL SCHAEFER)
California have structure similar to the region’s lakes – pier and dock pilings, shoreline riprap and shallow to deep weedbeds. All of these can be attacked just as you would on the lakes. And once you catch a few on the salt, your confidence will grow rapidly. Piers and docks can be flipped with jigs with living rubber and either a swimbait or creature bait trailer, or even whatever you usually use. Deep or shallow weeds can be fished in a lot of different ways you’re used to. Spinnerbaits over the weeds; flukes darting through the weeds; crankbaits or jerkbaits run over the weeds; and swimbaits slow rolled through the tops of them. There will be no doubt when you are bit, as all three saltwater bass attack baits with a vengeance. You have been here before, my freshwater friends, so just take a chance and try it if you haven’t. You will get hooked on it and catch fish
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FISHING without much adaptation. Again, just do it as if you’re on your home lake and leave the rest to the fish.
TALKING TACKLE
Calico bass are usually found closer to the mouths of the bays on rocks, docks and pilings. These fish can be a lot of fun to target. (BILL SCHAEFER) 24 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com
For your gear, as previously mentioned, leave the magnesium reels at home. They do not do well with saltwater and will go south in one day. Any other modern-day reel will only need a quick rinse with hot water. Hot water takes the salt residue away and quickly evaporates. The same principles should go for your boat; wash it well and you should be fine. You have the advantage of taking it to a lake since that is your normal fishing pattern. One day of running around the lake will flush your motor completely clean. I take my bay boat to the lakes all the time and my mechanic says I have no salt residue in my engine when he works on it. Overall, you can just throw all your freshwater gear into the boat and leave it rigged exactly as if you were going to your favorite lake. Tote along your crankbait rods, spinnerbait rods and swimbait rods – you get the picture. The Daiwa rods I use in the bay are of the freshwater Tatula series variety. They have sealed bearings to keep saltwater out and hold up to the bay bass well. Anywhere from 6- to 10-poundtest line on your spinning gear and 8- to 15-pound on your casting gear should do well. Braided lines do well also, but remember to wash it out well when done fishing. As you can see, you don’t have to change much to enjoy bay bass fishing, which is usually pretty good yearround, including in winter when the lakes can start to slow a bit. The cold doesn’t turn these fish off. They are tidal bass, and I know a lot of you freshwater guys fish tidal waters for largemouth, like up north in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Pick up a tide book and if the water is moving in or out, you should do well. Good luck out there when you shake the salt. CS
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FISHING
COVID-19 walk-in-only restrictions meant hardly any visitors at Shadow Cliffs Regional Park, in normal times a popular Bay Area fishing destination. The editor and his sister barely encountered a human presence on a sunny November Monday. (CHRIS COCOLES)
THAT LONELY FEELING NO WALK-IN COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS LEAVE BAY AREA FISHERY QUIET AS A GHOST TOWN By Chris Cocoles
P
LEASANTON—On a normal mid-November day like this, Shadow Cliffs Regional Park would likely be far more bustling. Hiking trails would be full of joggers, dog walkers and even horseback riders. Shady picnic tables would be a perfect spot for a local
employee’s lunch hour. Toddlers would be running around with their doting parents close behind. The lake’s sandy beach would be an ideal spot for a late-fall, early-winter suntanning session. And, of course, a fairly recent California Department of Fish and Wildlife trout plant and another pending by Shadow Cliff’s concessionaire, East Bay Regional
Park District, would make the lake a perfect location for an angler to wet a line, which is why I showed up here. Instead, COVID-19 restrictions led to an outing that felt more surreal than spectacular.
WALK-IN PARADE In the summer when I fished at Lake Chabot, another popular Bay Area
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FISHING urban fishery (California Sportsman, August 2020), the signs posted all over the park requiring face coverings and social distancing, plus the caution tape around picnic tables, signified that the pandemic that had turned our lives upside down was going to affect everything we did. Now months later, cases are even higher than the early days of the health crisis. So as I plotted a lake to check out during an early November visit to the Bay Area, Shadow Cliffs seemed like a logical destination. It’s only about a 30-minute drive from my sister Charlene’s San Mateo home, and with the weather forecast calling for brilliant sunshine and a high temperature pushing 70 degrees, it seemed like a no-brainer on a Monday morning. But while perusing Shadow Cliffs’ East Bay Regional Park District website (ebparks.org/parks/shadow_ cliffs), the content was littered with
The editor’s sister Charlene and their dogs Angel and Emma were a welcome site walking into a regional park that resembled a ghost town. (CHRIS COCOLES)
the expected COVID-19 changes to regulations. “Notice: Swim beach is closed. No swimming allowed.” “Boat ramp closed (no boating/ kayaking, no quagga inspection.)” But this one at the top of the page was the money shot:
“Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area is open for walk-in only.” I knew that would not only mean relative privacy – social distancing is the rage these days – but also we wondered where we’d park. On the map we noticed there was a BMX park down the street from the entrance to Shadow Cliffs, so when we got there and were greeted by a roadblock that headed downhill to the barren parking lots, Charlene dropped me off and I toted my fishing gear and our two chairs into the park. She parked at the BMX dirt parking lot – about a half-mile away – and walked our dogs down to meet me.
SHADOWS AND GHOSTS
The low water level meant the shoreline was a muddy mess, sending the editor to a nearby pier. (CHRIS COCOLES) 28 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com
I don’t know if I’ve ever felt more alone walking into a park. When we had arrived at the entrance, we ran into a park employee who mentioned possible parking areas down the road. But by the time I’d gotten out of the car and hiked in, he was gone and I felt like the last angler in an apocalyptic fishing zombie movie. I spotted one fishing dock on the south end of the lake but opted to start walking along what is in normal times the swimming beach. But I kept going past what I assumed was an area where fishing isn’t allowed and walked down the shoreline. I first set up on the bank, but clearly the lake was low and as my mud-covered
FISHING shoes attested, the area right against the water was a swampy mess. Plan B stood to my right: a dock that I assumed was the closed boat ramp, which normally means offlimits to fishing (the gate was locked entering the pier from the other side, and it indeed was a no-fishing area). But since this place was as deserted as an Old West ghost town, I moved our stuff to the pier. I felt a bit more comforted when I saw Charlene and the dogs heading down the shoreline to meet me, as I was no longer all by myself. And shortly after casting my line, we actually ran into other human beings – two park rangers who politely asked us to move to the next pier down. They said that might be better than fishing off the muddy shore between the two docks. At this point I was just looking for more normalcy than a successful fishing experience.
Despite the lack of bites and some chilly wind, it was a glorious Monday morning to get outside. (CHRIS COCOLES)
ONLY THE LONELY I casted my rig again – I was throwing a mix of Power Bait and some trout nuggets from Berkley Gulp! Our dogs were pretty mellow most of the morning, though my sister’s dog Indeed, there was only one other angler on the lake while the editor and his sis were there. He’d biked into the park, saving himself the hassle of having to find a place to park a vehicle. (CHRIS COCOLES)
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FISHING
There were far more birds enjoying the day than people, so there wasn’t much of a chance the pelicans, coots and ducks were going to find a free meal. (CHRIS COCOLES)
Hopefully, this pretty lake located in the heart of the East Bay will return to normal. For now, it’s eerily empty. (CHRIS COCOLES)
Angel freaked out when a family of ducks floated by. Fishing-wise the day turned out to be a bit of a bust. I did get what appeared to be one bonafide bite, but after reeling in, I saw the bait bandits had got the best of my Power Bait. But the walk-in restrictions meant we were essentially only sharing the lake with the myriad species of birds flying above us and taking a morning swim (I spotted just one other angler, on the far end of the lake; he’d bicycled into the park). Besides that, it was the kind of November day that reminded us why the Bay Area is such a great (albeit expensive) place to live. While presumably other areas of
the country are shoveling snow and using morning ice scrapers, it would have been T-shirt and shorts weather had the wind not picked up around 11 a.m. About an hour later Charlene and the dogs walked back to the car, I reeled in for the last time, packed up the chairs and met her at the still boarded-up entry kiosk. I actually
30 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com
crossed the path of a solo jogger as I walked back through the closed restrooms and boathouse on the way to the main road. For one of the few times on this day, there were indeed signs of others also enjoying a beautiful morning in a mostly abandoned recreation area. COVID-19 is still in command. CS
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FISHING
FROM FIELD...
Looking for a holiday gift for the angler in your life? The new Mag Lip 2.0 accounted for trout in lakes and rivers, along with hard-fighting coho last season. The diversity of this plug greatly impressed the author. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
GIFTS THAT KEEP ON GIVING PICK THESE GREAT PRESENTS FOR THE SPORTSMEN ON YOUR HOLIDAY LIST By Scott Haugen
L
ooking for a special Christmas gift for the hunter or angler in your life? Consider these items, which I’ve used in the field and recommend.
MAG LIP 2.0 One of the most versatile plugs I’ve used has continued to impress me all year. Created by Yakima Bait Company (yakimabait.com), the
Mag Lip is known as one of the best models of plugs ever created, as its skip-beat action entices a range of species to attack. Last spring, summer and fall I fished the tiny 2.0 version and it worked great on trout, Dolly Varden and coho salmon. Trolled from a boat in a lake or back-trolled in a river, the Mag Lip 2.0 is a fish-catcher when focusing on trout and Dollies. When bobberdogged in a river, it also produced a number of hard-fighting silvers.
As with their larger cousins, the Mag Lip 2.0 comes in a range of finishes, allowing you to match what fish are feeding on. These little plugs are active, tough and catch fish.
SOFT BEADS FOR COHO Last fall I fished multiple coho streams in Alaska and had phenomenal success with BnR Tackle’s Soft Beads (bnrtackle.com). I’d done great before with the 16mm and 20mm soft beads, but last season was eager to put the
calsportsmanmag.com | DECEMBER 2020 California Sportsman
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FISHING
... TO FIRE
When your fish patty begins to fall apart in the pan, don’t stress, as author Tiffany Haugen says it can make for a delicious, seafood-infused scramble for your weekend brunch menu. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)
A SCRAMBLED AND SPECTACULAR FISH/EGG DISH By Tiffany Haugen
W
hen it comes to cooking fish and game, I’m always experimenting. And believe me, I’ve had more than my share of recipe failures. But it’s a great day when an apparent failure turns into a tasty recipe worth repeating, like this one. Looking to make a low-carb trout patty, I knew my batter was lacking in consistency. Thinking the patties would come
together during the pan fry, I was frustrated when they all fell apart. They were, however, a lovely golden brown and once they were all flipped, started to resemble scrambled eggs. Taking a taste from the pan, I knew my family would love this, especially when topped with the avocado mint cream (see recipe below) I had already blended up. What resulted was this trout scramble. This recipe also works great with any smaller bits of salmon, steelhead, halibut or cod, either fresh or frozen. 1 cup raw fish 1 egg ¼ cup almond meal/flour 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons minced dill pickle 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard 1 tablespoon olive or coconut oil Remove any skin and bones from fish and chop into small chunks. In a medium bowl, mix egg, almond meal/flour, mayonnaise, pickle and mustard. Gently fold in fish and stir until thoroughly combined. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat. Drop spoonfuls of fish mix-
34 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com
ture into the hot skillet, leaving at least a quarter of inch between “cakes.” Once golden brown, flip cakes and don’t worry if they fall apart, but try to keep them bite-sized. Cook other side till golden brown and serve immediately with avocado mint cream.
AVOCADO MINT CREAM Two ripe avocados ¼ cup fresh mint 2 tablespoons lime juice 2 tablespoons olive oil ¼ to ½ cup cold water Salt and black pepper to taste Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Add water to reach desired consistency and immediately serve. Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s popular book, Cooking Seafood, and other best-selling titles, visit tiffanyhaugen.com.
FISHING there among the best I’ve used. I put their new El Matador polarized lenses to the test in many situations this year, and I loved their performance. The rubber pads on the nose and arms are comfortable and result in a good grip. The retractable side shield design is ingenious, making for easy and safe storage. These glasses work perfectly for blocking interfering sidelight and keeping out dust in the wind. They also breathe well, meaning no fogging. There’s no pinching or binding so the glasses can be worn in comfort all day long.
YETI DOG BOWLS
Designed to mimic a cluster of cured eggs, neutralbuoyant 32mm soft beads were a top producer of coho salmon for the author this year. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
25mm and 32mm versions to the test. In my first seven casts with a 32mm cerise-colored soft bead, I landed five coho. It got my attention. A buddy stood in one spot and landed over 20 coho in two hours on the same bead, and another friend caught 54 coho before having to replace his tattered 32mm bead. Cerise, clown and mottled pink were the hot colors. Soft beads are neutral buoyant so can be fished many ways. My favorite was drifted, often with no weight on the 32mm models. They also work well under a float and can be backbounced in ideal water.
water conditions, including saltwater.
HOBIE ACCESSORIES Hobie is world-renowned for their fishing kayaks, but their fishing glasses (hobieeyewear.com) rank right up New this year to the outdoor world, the line of processing equipment from Meat! is worth the investment, based on Haugen’s experiences. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
SHIMANO NASCI C3000HG SPINNING REEL Affordable, durable and a great allaround spinning reel – whether spooled with PowerPro or a copolymer – what sets the NASCI from Shimano (fish.shimano.com) apart are sealed gears and bearings at the handle and bottom of the spool shaft, which keep out sand and small debris that are notoriously hard on reels. I used this reel last year to catch trout, char, four salmon species and more. The NASCI is smooth and works in a range of fisheries and 36 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com
We have two gun dogs and travel a lot with them. Whether it’s on the road or at home, they always have their Yeti dog bowls (yeti.com). For years I searched for the ideal food bowl for my dogs, and Yeti’s is the best I’ve found. Dubbed Boomer, the Yeti dog bowl is incredibly durable, thanks to its double-wall, noninsulated stainless steel construction. My bowls have many dents and dings in them, but no rust spots or punctures, plus the
FISHING nonslip ring on the bottom is tough and dependable. It’s a perfect dish for kibble, raw food or even water. It’s simple to clean – wipe it down with a towel or place in the dishwasher.
BOG DEATHGRIP TRIPOD I’m a firm believer in tripod shooting sticks and use them for big game and varmints. This year, Bog (boghunt .com) reached new heights with its DeathGrip Tripod. It comes in both carbon fiber ($257.99) and aluminum ($164.99). Both models are engineered for precision and balance. The leg design of the DeathGrip decreases flex – thus optimizing stability – and the pan and tilt brakes are solid. The lever-lock leg adjustments are simple to use and quick to handle, as are the push-bottom leg adjustments, which allow you to achieve multiple shooting angles. The clamp holds your rifle firmly in
place and the yoke smoothly pivots, allowing for easy 360-degree rotation and 25 degrees of cant forward and back. They’re great for keeping steady for extended periods, shooting long range or simply making your shot placement more precise.
MEAT! APPLIANCES For decades Tiffany and I have worked with some of the top meat processing manufacturers in the outdoor industry. After this fall, I can say the new line of Meat! products are worth a close look (meatyourmaker.com). The 1.5-horsepower grinder is the most sturdy, smooth, simple-to-clean grinder I’ve used. The grinding plates yield clean meat and it handles fat and sinew extremely well. It works great on big game and game birds. Its 10-inch meat slicer is also simple to use. In addition to slicing steaks on it, we love cutting various thicknesses of venison for jerky on the slicer, then
cooking it in their dehydrator. Meat’s! 10-tray dehydrator has excellent temperature control and air circulation, resulting in the best jerky we’ve ever had out of a dehydrator. We also dried loads of apples, pears and plums with great results. The company’s chamber vacuum sealer is also a top-shelf accessory. We used it on fish, game, veggies and much more, and we’re very impressed with the machine as well as the quality of the company’s bags, which transported and froze without puncture. Whether searching for a gift, or maybe looking to treat yourself to some new gear, there are lots of options this season. Happy holidays. CS Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s popular DVD, Field Dressing, Skinning & Caping Big Game, send a check for $20 (free S&H), to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489, or order online at scotthaugen.com.
calsportsmanmag.com | DECEMBER 2020 California Sportsman
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DICKINSON ARMS
New Ranger Series single-shot shotguns from Dickinson Arms combine classic good looks, craftsmanship, excellent shooting performance and remarkable value. There is a full family of models for adults and youth, as well as a shortbarreled, folding Survival model – at retail prices ranging from $144-$164 MSRP. dickinsonarms.com
STARWELD
Starweld boats are as tough as the diehards who rely on them. Starweld is known for its all-welded, rugged reliability. The Fusion series is available from 16 to 20 feet in a variety of configurations based on your needs. Starwelds offer an unbeatable industry-leading lifetime plus-6 warranty for peace of mind. starcraftstarweld.com
SILVER HORDE
The KatchKooler Deluxe keeps your catch fresher and features a compact design for easy storage. Made from high-density closed-cell foam. Waterproof outer fabric. Add reusable ice packs and protect your catch from bacterial degradation. silverhorde.com
GIBSON’S BLIND COVERS
Ever wonder why ducks and geese flare off early? They can see you from above! With Gibson’s Blind Covers you can easily watch the ducks while staying hidden, and then simply gently nudge the covers open when it’s time to take the shot. Made from welded steel, powder coated, portable or permanent, adaptable to boats and stand-up blinds, sizes 2 through 6 feet, adjustable, sold in pairs. You see the ducks and they don’t see you. Drop more birds this season! Price $225-$425 per pair. Call (209) 712-9858 to order or visit Gibson’s Blind Covers’ website. gibsonduckblindcoversinc.com
BOAT INSURANCE AGENCY
The Boat Insurance Agency is an independent agency representing the best marine insurance companies. They carefully compare a number of policies to find the lowest premiums and best values for your boat insurance needs. Boat Insurance Agency is owned and operated by Northwest boaters. They have the local knowledge needed to understand boating in the West, along with your special needs. Contact them for an insurance quote and to learn more about the value and service they can offer. boatinsurance.net
PACIFIC WINGS WATERFOWL ADVENTURES
Perfect gift for the waterfowl hunter in your life is a hunt with Pacific Wings. Gift certificates available. You can purchase a hunt as a unique gift that is sure to please. Premier waterfowl hunting in eastern Washington. pacific-wings.net
calsportsmanmag.com | DECEMBER 2020 California Sportsman
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RAD POWER BIKES
The RadRover seamlessly blends rugged capabilities and exceptional comfort. With 4-inch fat tires and a reputation for stability, Rad Power Bikes’ flagship ebike is perfect for off-road adventures, weekend spins around the cul de sac, and everything in between. It’s no wonder it’s the best-selling electric fat bike in North America. radpowerbikes.com
U.S. MARINE SALES AND SERVICE
Welcome to US Marine Sales and Service, the Puget Sound’s leader in providing the friendliest service backed by years of expertise in saltwater and freshwater environments. Their goal is to work closely with their customers to save them time and money while creating excellent value in products and service. US Marine Sales and Service is pleased to offer the finest selection of new and used boats and pontoon boats for sale, from the best manufacturers: Yamaha Boats, WeldCraft Boats, G3 Boats and Suncatcher Pontoon Boats. US Marine Sales and Service also carries a wide selection of Yamaha Waverunners, EZ Loader Boat Trailers, Yamaha Outboards, MerCruiser and Volvo Penta Sterndrives. usmarinesales.com
SKINNER SIGHTS
BLACK HILLS AMMUNITION
The 6.5mm Creedmoor 120-grain Hornady GMX from Black Hills Ammunition offers up to 50 percent more penetration, plus higher weight retention. It generally retains nearly 100 percent of its weight, compared to 50 to 70 percent for lead-core bullets. It also opens immediately upon impact, causing large-diameter wound cavities and anchoring game quickly and humanely. black-hills.com
The Skinner Sights HTF bag allows your firepower to be “concealed in plain sight,” yet ready in case of an emergency. Holds up to a 40-inch long gun and two handguns. Room for three rifle and eight pistol magazines. Knife, flashlight and accessory pouches. Cordura construction with heavy-duty stitching. (Firearms and accessories in photo are not included. For illustrative purposes only.) skinnersights.com
PROLIX LUBRICANTS
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42 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com
HUNTING Christmas bulbs light up mule deer, blacktail and whitetail racks over the executive editor’s front doorway. (ANDY WALGAMOTT)
HOLIDAY CHEER SHOULD INCLUDE LOOK OVER HORIZON SHOT SHOW OFF, BUT NEW GUNS ON THE WAY By Dave Workman
F
or the first time in its history, there will not be a Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show in January, due to continuing concerns about the coronavirus, and that can be taken as either good or bad, depending upon one’s perspective. I’d likely be attending SHOT, but now that week of my life has been returned for some opportunities outdoors, provided the weather cooperates. The cancellation message from Joe
Bartozzi, president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, was bittersweet. “NSSF has remained in constant communication with Nevada officials throughout the year in our planning for the 2021 show,” he wrote. “While there has been a concerted effort to expand the allowable levels for large gatherings by the county and state, with positivity rates peaking during our key planning period we have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2021 show. Sadly, these spikes are currently transpiring worldwide.
“Given the sheer complexities, diminishing timeline and immense logistical planning required to conduct a trade show as large as SHOT,” he continued, “NSSF simply could not move forward at this point with so many unknowns and variables. We truly appreciate the guidance of Nevada and Las Vegas officials in allowing us to communicate this news to our exhibitors and attendees well in advance of the show. We would also like to thank the Sands directly for their help and efforts to navigate this unprecedented situation.”
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HUNTING
Among three new 320 Series shotguns from Stevens is the Turkey Thumbhole pump, chambered in 12- or 20-gauge for 3-inch shells. The other two are defense models. (STEVENS)
Does that mean you won’t be reading about new guns and gear for 2021 in these pages? Guess again, because California Sportsman and its sister publication, American Shooting Journal, will be keeping an eye on every new product announcement coming from the industry. New guns and gear is a tradition for American sportsmen and -women. We’ll try very hard to not let you down.
PROVING OUR POINT, the gang at Savage recently announced the new thumbhole Stevens 320 Turkey model pump shotgun, part of a trio of new 320 models, the other two designed as defensive pump guns. Let’s talk about that turkey model, because if you blink real hard, spring turkey season will be on before you realize it. The Stevens 320 Turkey Thumbhole model features dual-action slide bars. Chambered in either 12- or 20-gauge for 3-inch shells, the 320 Turkey gun has a 22-inch chrome alloy steel vent rib barrel with an extended extra full choke tube (Win. Choke) for hammering those spring longbeards. It is fitted with an adjustable fiber optic turkey sight. The gun is fitted with an OD green synthetic stock and forend, and the buttstock has an ambidextrous cheek riser and a textured surface on the grip to prevent slipping in damp weather. There’s a good recoil pad on the stock, and swivel studs on the stock and magazine cap for attaching a sling. It’s got an MSRP of $323. The defensive models are also offered in 12- or 20-gauge, with 18.5-inch barrels. Also chambered
for 3-inch magnums in either bore size, they have matte black synthetic stocks and forends, and sling swivel studs on the stock and magazine cap.
WITH CHRISTMAS COMING, if there’s a hunter on your list, get them something they can actually use in the field. Here are some thoughts from a guy who has gotten some real lemons from well-meaning people. For the camping hunter, nothing beats a Coleman camp stove and/or a good lantern. Be sure to add a couple of canisters of fuel. A new sleeping bag is a great gift for the hunter, especially the younger ones. For people like me with cold feet, good socks are a welcome Yule gift, at least two pairs. A folding table is invaluable in camp because it provides a platform for all the other things you might have, including cookware, a jug of water, and your dinner plate. You can find these at any big box store, usually for a good price. Nobody will say “No” to a new box of ammunition, especially rimfires or shotgun shells. Get the right caliber/ gauge, of course. And something else: A subscription to California Sportsman and/or American Shooting Journal. And remember the best gift of all: your company, redeemable on demand. That is especially important to a youngster. Having been born on Christmas Day well into the past century, I’ve had plenty of opportunity to think and talk about the holidays. This is the time of year you remember your
44 California Sportsman DECEMBER 2020 | calsportsmanmag.com
hunting buddies, maybe inviting them over for an evening or making sure you at least give them a call and relive a memory from fall. In my case, I’ll be chatting with my younger brother. I put him on a hefty three-point muley buck in October. He hasn’t had the opportunities I’ve enjoyed over the years as an outdoor/ gun writer, and I had plenty of time to punch this buck’s ticket, but there comes a moment when it is time to just say, “Your shot,” and take pride in the fact that the other guy, or gal, notches a tag. That’s as much about what we do as putting another deer in the freezer, and maybe more so. Over the years, I’ve killed (yeah, I “harvest” corn and beans and potatoes) some dandy bucks. There was that monster fourpoint out in a southeast Wyoming basin, and the equally impressive four-pointer hit on the move across a small canyon southeast of Terry, Montana. I’ve got a four-by-five rack in the workshop from a mule deer taken over on the Snake River in eastern Washington a few years back. But my brother’s buck has something over all of ’em. It was the one I passed up so he could have the shot and the bragging rights. I merely served as the spotter. Frank pressed the trigger, and he did the heavy work, field dressing and dragging it out. You can’t put a pricetag on that. It’s the camaraderie of the campfire, the libation to a job well done, and the smile you share at sunset. May you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I’ll be thinking good thoughts about you at the campfire. CS
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45
HUNTING
DECOYS AREN’T JUST FOR DUCKS HOW TO USE FAUX BUNNIES, BIRDS, FELLOW FURBEARERS TO HELP ATTRACT STEALTHY PREDATORS By Art Isberg
T
he remote, high sagebrush desert country of northern Nevada is about as far from any signs of civilization as a man can get these days. Roads, where you can find one, are little more than rutted four-wheeldrive tracks leading off for miles into who knows where. This is the same brutal land that pioneer-era wagon trains struggled through heading west
170 years ago. Nothing has changed. The wagon tracks are still there. I have spent many moons in this vast land camping, hunting predators and just enjoying the sundown solitude. And with every species you can target, decoys can play a role in your success.
COYOTE One would think hunting coyotes
here would have to be duck soup. I did until I seriously spent time going after them. But the fact is that the wily coyote (Canis latrans) was as wary and smart as his suburban relatives living at the edge of cities and urban sprawl. It was a lesson learned. I’d call in the little brush wolves, only to have most stop well out from my stand and refuse to come closer – no matter what calling change I
Hunters in search of wily and stealthy predators like bobcats, coyotes and foxes can follow the lead of waterfowl hunters and use decoys to help bring in critters. A double decoy set-up for fox hunts is one such tool to help hunters. (ART ISBERG) calsportsmanmag.com | DECEMBER 2020 California Sportsman
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HUNTING made. That puzzled me greatly. Then I had a brainstorm. Maybe I could use that same open country against them. How about trying a coyote decoy? It changed everything from that point forward, introducing me to a new kind of predator hunting – and more successful to boot. I began by looking over a large variety of decoys designed exclusively for coyotes. The list was impressive. I quickly found two perfectly suited for the occasion. The first one is made by Flambeau; the second is from Lucky Duck Yote 3-D. Each was a full-bodied decoy – with legs and all. The Flambeau stood on all four feet and is made of hard plastic. It also has a faux fur tail that waved even in a small breeze. The Lucky Duck Yote 3-D was a rubberized, fold-up model staked in the middle at its balancing point so the entire decoy could rotate in a
Set your coyote decoy out in the open where it’s easily seen by approaching animals – near or far. (ART ISBERG)
This fold-up fox decoy is light, easy to pack and also set up. It works on both red and grey fox. (ART ISBERG)
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wind. It also has the same faux fur tail. That kind of lifelike movement proved to be deadly on suspicious coyotes. It finally started luring them all the way in. Back in my old stomping grounds that spring, I set up my new decoy and began calling with my favorite longrange Circe, a jackrabbit call. A long 20 minutes later on stand produced nothing, but the key to success in this big land is to move if one spot doesn’t pan out. Even here, coyotes are not wall to wall. I four-wheeled another 4 miles and set up again at the edge of a flat-topped plateau above several breakaway canyons thick with sagebrush. This time I staked the decoy about 30 yards away from my stand in a pile of black volcanic rocks, and I began my siren song. I must have been close to the pair of coyotes that came in at a dead run only a few minutes later. They were in a line – one behind the other – weaving through sagebrush until hitting an opening where the lead
HUNTING animal could see the decoy about 40 yards away. He came to a sudden stop, eyeing it as his partner closed in. I would have loved to know what was going through his mind to find his tribe already here and stealing his rabbit breakfast. As all his attention was riveted on the decoy, I lifted my .243 Winchester bolt-action rifle and took a shot I knew I couldn’t miss. The coyote’s pal took off at a blistering run, flashing through sagebrush. I took one running shot as it dodged behind another brushy screen and missed, but I’d learned a most valuable lesson that morning out in the middle of no place. Decoys can work big time. For coyote hunting, your first priority is to place your decoy well away from your stand and at an angle not on the same line of sight. Lowering a call and lifting a rifle require hand movements that the sharp eyes of coyotes will pick up in an instant. The decoy covers you for this. A second point is elevation. Use it every time you have the opportunity. Coyotes have some of the finest hunting eyes in nature. A decoy placed up on a mound, rocky outcrop or along a ridgeline will be seen at long distances and hold their attention as they run closer. And third, you should choose a decoy that offers body movement, turning with a breeze or wagging tail. That can be absolutely deadly. These three things give you an edge like nothing else will.
FOX As with coyotes, there are a number of very effective decoys that can be used on fox (Vulpes vulpes). Such hunting can have startling results that have to be seen to be believed. I live in mountain country of mixed tall timber and brush interspersed with large, weedy flats. There are a lot of red foxes here and, like fox everywhere, they always prefer to live, move, hunt and travel in cover. That’s because coyotes, hawks and
Author Art Isberg’s number one bobcat decoy is this broken-winged woodpecker, clipped to low branches and limbs at a cat’s eye level. (ART ISBERG)
owls will kill them if they get the chance, and they know it. I’ve found two good decoy choices for these little predators. First is the Lucky Duck Foxxy decoy by Edge Expedite. It is a rubberized, fullbodied fox decoy, which offers the same staked, center body balancing point as the coyote. That allows it to move even in a slight breeze, and with its faux fur tail, the movement is simply irresistible to these little predators. Another decoy I’ve carried and used is made by Renzos. It is made of a flat, durable vinyl body with a picture of a red fox imprinted on both sides. This silhouette decoy folds in the middle for easy carrying afield and then staked on a steel rod in position. It’s also light and handy. The first time I used this decoy, I looked for a spot in tall timber and brush where it could be easily seen.
I found an old logging road, set it up right in the middle, then backed off into blow-down timber and began calling with my cottontail rabbit call, which has a somewhat lower-pitched tone than the bigger call. I stayed on the call for about 15 minutes. Like coyotes, a fox can pick up sound at unusual distances. Nothing showed up except two magpies that perched in a tree and wondered if there was an easy meal to be had. I made another series of calls and had just about made up my mind to pick up and move, but something stopped me. All this took place about a quarter-mile uphill from a large river in the valley below me. I knew both coyotes and foxes moved along that waterway, using it as a travel lane to hunt along and get an easy drink in hot summer months (it was early August now).
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HUNTING that. Both decoys mentioned here will work, but remember that body movement is a big plus in your favor.
BOBCAT
The author totes two quivering body decoys that can be used on both fox and bobcat. (ART ISBERG)
I got back on the call and the whole setup just looked too good to walk away from. Five more minutes into calling, the biggest-bodied red fox I’ve ever seen suddenly broke from cover onto the old road. He came to a sudden stop and was eyeing the decoy 20 yards away. His long, fluffy tail was the length of his body and his neck stretched high. He made a little jump forward and froze again; it was fascinating to watch his antics. He was starting to circle to get a scent when I finally took the shot. The long calling time on stand was because he’d made the climb all the way up from that waterway. The keys to using fox decoys
are finding the right spot to place them where they can be easily seen. Choose small openings around mixed cover where the animals must show themselves once they’re close. They like to approach in cover, unlike coyotes, which can come barreling in at a dead run right out in the open. Fox are generally too cautious for that and also have good noses, so watch the wind and pick your location with care. I stop calling when I see a fox approaching – even if well out. I don’t want to give away my location with hand movements. I shy away from staking a fox decoy on high points, as I would a coyote. Fox are too clever to fall for
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To me, hunting bobcats (Lynx rufus) has always been a much different game than targeting either coyotes or foxes. The reason for this is the cat’s secretive lifestyle. They are so much slower and more cautious when responding to calling, either mouthproduced or electronic sounds. For example, I’ve never had a cat come to my calling at a run, and I’ve called in more than a few in a lot of different places over the years. Cats want a sure thing, something they know they can overpower and kill without causing any harm to themselves. They are slow-motion stalkers and killers that can sometimes do amazing things when calls and decoys are involved. Once, when hunting with my boyhood pal Jim Cupp, I watched a bobcat stalk the biggest decoy imaginable – Jim himself! I was 8 feet up an oak tree calling as Jim sat at the base under me – his back to the tree – ready to take a shot if Mr. Whiskers showed up. We were situated in scattered oaks next to a very thick brush field while trying to call a cat out of cover into the open along the fringes. I hadn’t been on the call more than six or seven minutes when something told me to look behind us. To this day I don’t know why. I’d heard nothing, nor seen any movement. Twisting quietly into an odd and uncomfortable position, I nearly fell out of the tree with amazement. There, not 30 feet behind Jim, a big bobcat was slinking across the ground step by step and boldly stalking him. Somehow I managed to get the little .243 Winchester bolt gun up and the cat in the scope, as I fought to keep my balance. When I took the shot, Jim jumped up like he’d been stuck with a pin. He was so surprised I’d shot so suddenly. We both talked about that one for a
HUNTING long time afterwards. It showed how stealthy and unpredictable cats can be with or without a decoy. There are several good decoys to use on cats. The trick is where and which one to use, depending on what type of cover you’re hunting in. It’s important to remember that cats generally hunt close to the ground at eye level, and that level is pretty low. One type of decoy I’ve used is a small, 12-inch-high plastic rabbit called Quiver Rabbit, which is made by Edge Expedite. It sits atop a battery base that supplies power. This gives the decoy a shivering, shaking movement that mimics fear as a cat closes in. It’s easily carried in a daypack that includes extra batteries when needed. Another Edge Expedite rabbit decoy is one with the same type of battery-operated stand, but this time with a rabbit-shaped faux fur sock body, which comes in two different sleeve colors for use in different seasons. One is white for winter, the second a grey and black body for summer use. You slide them on and off their wire-shaped body. The erratic, twisting, dancing body is the key to their success. Another option – a small but ingenious one – is a bird decoy, made by Mojo Outdoors and called the Woodpecker. This hand-sized decoy has a battery in the body cavity that drives a single, fluttering wing like a crippled bird that cannot fly. Cats stalk, kill and eat a lot of birds, including game birds like quail, chukars and young pheasants. This bird decoy has a spring-loaded clip on its stomach so it can be attached to low branches and limbs right at the eye level of stalking bobcats. That fluttering wing rivets their attention on the decoy as they close in for the kill. It is a deadly choice to use in such a small package. The first time I used this bird decoy was in thick brushlands of steep, open canyons topped with rolling hills solid in manzanita, chemise and madron. I had no choice but to go into the thick
“Decoys aren’t just for ducks” is a mantra Isberg can’t stress enough to predator hunters, who can enjoy some outstanding hunting throughout California and the West. (ART ISBERG)
stuff if I wanted to call cats. I sat in solid cover where I couldn’t see much more than 8 or 10 feet in any direction, and it didn’t appeal to me for a lot of very good reasons. Instead I clipped the decoy onto a brush limb near the ground, found a rocky outcrop nearby, climbed it and began calling. I expected a long wait. But again the cats surprised me. I had called for only about 10 minutes when I noticed a flurry of little birds erupt up from cover near the decoy. I stopped calling and waited, concentrating on the spot where the decoy was. Suddenly, as quiet as a ghost, a big bobcat walked into view out of shadows. It sat down and stared at the decoy and its fluttering wing. I slow-motioned a .243 Savage lever gun to my shoulder while taking one careful shot. From that day on, the bird decoy became
my number one go-to decoy in really solid cover. It nearly seems to hypnotize cats. Both of the quivering rabbit decoys mentioned earlier can also be used in cover, but I prefer to set them in broken or more open spots of mixed cover rather than the really thick stuff. Places where heavy cover ends next to open ground is a good match. Also, any small opening surrounded by tall, thick brush or timber would be another. Your goal is to size up the area you’re in and then match the decoy that fits it best. Always remember that regardless of what species of predator you are hunting, buy into the mantra that decoys aren’t just for ducks. It will open up a whole new world of predator hunting for you and is one filled not only with excitement but many surprises. CS
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The question is... Do you want to hunt ducks or be a duck hunter?
Natural Wonderduck Water Motion Decoys
The paddle in the back give the illusion of decoy feet paddling! Comes with rear mounted motors that run on two D-cell batteries, for up to 25 hours or more. Optional timer available. Orange weedless paddling feet and foot attachments, easy access for battery holder, waterproof switch and floatation insert. (Not to be used with wings)
To order or for more information – wonderduck.com 1-800-876-1697
HUNTING
STOCKING STUFFERS FOR GUN DOGS By Scott Haugen
C
hristmas around the Haugen house has always been filled with excitement and chaos, especially since bringing a pair of gun dogs into the family. As puppies, Echo and Kona – both pudelpointers – loved opening everyone’s gifts, tearing into the wrapping paper and playing with bows. Nowadays our dogs like opening their own presents. Over the past year I’ve used and tested a lot of dog gear, and if you’re looking for some stocking stuffer ideas for your four-legged hunting partner this Christmas, consider these items, which I’ve used and recommend – and so would Echo and Kona.
HEALTHY TREATS While I don’t formally train my dogs by giving them treats, I will use treats to occasionally praise them in more casual settings. Usually the low-key praises are meant to commend my dog for carrying out basic obedience. I keep treats stashed around the house, in the shop, even in my truck, so they’re handy to give the dogs. Treats can be addicting, and I don’t want my dogs becoming conditioned to them. I give them sparingly, randomly, and what I give them optimizes their health. When I say healthy treats, I don’t mean ones that gas station attendants or coffee shops might hand out. I mean treats that are healthy, all the way around. My top three healthy dog treats used this year are Jerky Treats by NutriSource, OC Raw Dog’s freezedried food in bite-size pieces, and PureVita’s Nutritious Dog Treats. A lightweight, grease-free, proteinrich treat my dogs go crazy over is the
The soft, pliable material of the Zisc, made by West Paw, makes it fun and safe for even the most aggressive dogs ... (SCOTT HAUGEN)
NutriSource Jerky (nutrisourcepetfoods .com). These grain- and gluten-free treats are a great energy booster throughout the day. I like the variety of nutritious blends used in the making of the NutriSource Jerky Treats, but if your dog is picky consider PureVita Jerky, which is created from a single protein. NutriSource is also the maker of PureVita premium pet food, and their new line of Nutritious Treats are great. My older dog sometimes experiences
joint discomfort, and the PureVita Hip & Joint treats are ideal for her and deliver noticeable relief. PureVita also has a Skin & Coat nutritious dog treat. Both treats are made with real meat and enhanced with glucosamine, chondroitin and vitamin C, while the Skin & Coat treats also offer omega-3 oil and multiple fatty acids. I slightly vary the diet of my dogs from time to time, and routinely feed them raw meat of various types. When on the road, I often feed
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HUNTING … Plus it glows in the dark, making for fun fetches, no matter what time of day or night. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
them freeze-dried supplements and treats. I was pleased with OC Raw Dog’s (ocrawdog.com) freeze-dried formulation, and the bite-size pieces are perfect for treats. OC Raw Dog utilizes all natural, whole muscle and organ meat and farm-fresh produce. These, along with other pure ingredients, assure your dog of getting healthy, high-quality snacks, which will show in their performance. Be sure to offer plenty of water when using freeze-dried food or treats.
GLOW DISC Of course, no dog’s stocking is complete without a toy. This Christmas, Echo and Kona will get plenty of toys, along with a mix of training dummies. One toy my dogs loved this year – and will be getting more of – is the Zisc Flying Disc, from West Paw (westpaw.com). I love playing frisbee with my dogs, as it helps build valuable marking skills by forcing them to watch the sky, and teaches them obedience, all while having fun, and the Zisc is their favorite flying disc. My dogs love the texture of the Zisc, which is soft and pliable, yet still flies a long way. If your dog likes catching discs in the air or chasing them when rolled rapidly on the ground, the Zisc is great, as the flexible, latex-free
construction makes for easy grabbing that won’t hurt your dog’s mouth, no matter how aggressive it is. Available in a range of colors and two sizes, my favorite is the large 8.5-inch Glow model; yes, it’s white by day but glows by night, making for fun and easy marking, no matter when playtime happens.
YETI DOG BOWL We travel a lot with our dogs, and be it on the road or at home, they always have their Yeti Dog Bowls (yeti.com). For years I searched for the ideal food The perfect stocking stuffer for your gun dog – a variety of healthy treats! (SCOTT HAUGEN)
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bowl for my dogs, and Yeti’s is the best I’ve used, for many reasons. Dubbed Boomer, the bowl is incredibly durable thanks to its double-wall, noninsulated, stainless steel construction. These bowls have traveled with me throughout the West and into Alaska, and though they have some dents and dings in them, there are no rust spots or punctures. The nonslip ring on the bottom of the Boomer is tough and dependable. I’ve used it on pavement, in gravel, on snow and ice, and it’s proven flawless. If you’re tired of those dog dishes with a rubber ring around the bottom that comes off after little wear, the Boomer solves that problem. The Boomer is perfect for kibble, raw food, even water. If you like mixing kibble with water, the edges on the bowl make for easy access. Yeti’s Dog Bowl is simple to clean, whether wiping down with a towel or placing in the dishwasher. There you have it, a small list of important gifts that I think your gun dog will enjoy. No matter what gifts you get your dog, have fun with them, and enjoy a safe and joyous holiday season. CS Editor’s note: To watch Scott Haugen’s series of puppy training videos, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.
