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Sportsman

California Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource

Volume 10 • Issue 12 PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Brittany Boddington LEAD WRITER Tim E. Hovey CONTRIBUTORS Tim “Spike” Davis, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Todd Kline, Art Isberg, Nancy Rodriguez, Bill Schaefer, Mike Stevens SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Rick D’Alessandro, Mamie Grifﬁn, Mike Smith, Paul Yarnold PRODUCTION MANAGER Sonjia Kells DESIGNERS Kayla Mehring, Jake Weipert 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 Auburn-area-based hunter Nancy Rodriguez shares tips for makin’ bacon – pursuing the Golden State’s plentiful feral pig population. (NANCY RODRIGUEZ)

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CONTENTS

VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 12 (TIM E. HOVEY)

FEATURES 19

HEALING OF THE EEL Filmmaker-angler Shane Anderson hails from the Paciﬁc Northwest, but when he studied at Humboldt State he developed an admiration for the salmon and steelhead of the North Coast, especially those of the famed Eel River. In telling the Eel’s story in his A River’s Last Chance documentary, Anderson brings to life the people who have seen its good and bad days and how the wild ﬁsh that call it home have rebounded time and again to thrive in these magical redwood waters.

NORCAL SMALLMOUTH ARE BIG FUN Granted, California bassmasters long to catch massive largies that threaten the world record. But Bill Schaefer reminds us that while smallmouth don’t grow as big as their cousins, head north and you’ll ﬁnd some outstanding bronzeback ﬁsheries at lakes like Shasta, Trinity and more.

GET IN THE SWIM OF THINGS FOR FALL BROWNS Eastern Sierra trout are hungry in the fall and can’t resist the enticing movements of swimbaits. Our trouthead Mike Stevens goes deep detailing all the ways he ﬁshes these plastics in mountain streams to trick those wily browns.

111

WELCOME TO PIG-OPOLIS Fall marks the traditional opener for many deer and upland bird seasons. But with summer still sizzling throughout much of the state, take Nancy Rodriguez’s word for it: Pig hunting is a viable option for sportsmen looking for some of the best table fare from California’s big game species. She shares tips for takin’ bacon!

NO-FAIL QUAIL SCOUTING

By this time or year, diehard hunter – and our lead writer – Tim Hovey (right, with Tanner and John Mattila) begins to get impatient as he waits for his chance to bag some game. One of his favorite activities is scouting for the quail seasons that get cranking up in the fall. Hovey shares tips for putting more limits of topknots in your game bag.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

DEPARTMENTS

13 39 41 43 55 73 103 126

47 69 93 121

Wounded veterans participate in saltwater ﬁshing tournament Hunting California blacktail habitats Mokelumne River hosting 6th annual king salmon derby Friends face challenging deer hunt Training gun pups to retrieve big birds

The Editor’s Note Adventures of Todd Kline Photo contest winners Outdoor calendar From Field to Fire: Dove, pigeon preview Rig of the Month She Hunts: Prepping for archery elk The Last Laugh: A cartoon from Tim “Spike” Davis

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 shipping. Display Advertising. Call Media Index Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Index Publishing Group and will not be returned. Copyright © 2018 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.

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Chinook salmon like this one at the Van Arsdale Fisheries Station have faced an uphill climb on the Eel River over the decades, but today the watershed sustains a wild run of ﬁsh. (JASON HARTWICK/A RIVER’S LAST CHANCE)

y friend Meg and I share roots in Northern California, though I didn’t meet her until years later (and her husband Sean and I actually grew up about 25 miles from each other, unbeknownst to us after we all met). But while I lived in the suburban sprawl of the Bay Area, Meg’s ’hood had access to redwood trees; the closest landmark to our house was a 7-Eleven. (Not that I’m complaining; my friends and I had too much fun going to Oakland A’s baseball games, which we could drive to in 25 minutes or get to on BART in at most an hour. I just did that same trip to the Oakland Coliseum a few weeks ago!) When Meg and I talked about her wanting to see a screening of a documentary about the Eel River, A River’s Last Chance, I told her I was planning a story (page 19) on it, and she said she wanted to relive her childhood memories of camping trips down the mighty Eel, a short drive from Eureka. Meg said she shed tears watching the film, and as I saw it and then chatted with director Shane Anderson, I could understand why the locals would feel emotional heartache and hope about the Eel’s many setbacks and glorious recoveries from overfishing, timber industry stripdowns, floods, drought and now marijuana cultivation. We all are attracted to a hard-luck story, and it’s hard not to fall in love with the gritty Eel, given that despite all the adversity its salmon and steelhead runs are exclusively wild with no hatchery stocks, a rarity on the West Coast. “If I catch a hatchery fish it’s fun and all good, but I don’t get that same excitement of ‘Wow!’ In this river these things survived the gauntlet and these fish were the survival of the fittest,” Anderson told me. “These were the chosen ones that were able to make this odyssey and not only survive the river, but one of the hardest parts of their lives are those first two years. I just have a reverence for the animal and they sure as hell battle harder.” A River’s Last Chance might just be our last chance to experience something that extraordinary. -Chris Cocoles

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WILD CALIFORNIA

Fall-run Chinook race through the waters of the Eel River, which has endured its share of ups and downs over the decades. Now, after its ﬁsh were feared on the verge of extinction, wild salmon and steelhead are on the rebound here, as chronicled in the documentary A River’s Last Chance. (JASON HARTWICK/A RIVER’S LAST CHANCE)

REBIRTH OF A RIVER DOCUMENTARY CHRONICLES WILD SALMON TRIBULATIONS AND RECOVERY ON THE EEL By Chris Cocoles

he rivers around Shane Anderson’s boyhood and current home of Olympia, Washington, are well known for either their beauty or magnificent runs of salmon and steelhead, or both. But it was time studying at Humboldt State University and fishing the North Coast’s rivers that had a far more profound impact, none more than the Eel. “It’s a river that changed my life. I’m indebted to it,” he admits. So much so that Anderson, a fisheries biologist major turned filmmaker, paid homage to the Eel in his documentary, A River’s Last Chance, an historic biography of an important Northern California river and the people who depend on and/or adore it. The story plays out like a Greek tragedy but with a – presumably, conservationists hope – happy ending for the watershed that

once was the lifeblood of Native tribes, commercial and sport ﬁshers, loggers and pot growers. The river and its fauna have taken more punches than a tomato can boxer, whether the knockdowns were via man-made or natural causes. “It was always an extremely productive and abundant place prior to the arrival of the colonial world; just so productive on its own before we killed it,” says Anderson, who provides a lot of details about the ups and downs of the Eel’s salmonid populations, which seemed doomed to extinction. “And the fact that they’ve come back gives me hope, because if they come back from all that, we’ve turned the corner and they should be ﬁne.” But what a roller coaster ride it’s been on this iconic stretch of water. “I see the salmon as this symbol of how we need to do it. If we can keep the

salmon healthy and the habitat healthy, then we’re doing alright for ourselves.” –Eric Stockwell, Eel River Recovery Project and Loleta Eric’s Guide Service owner, in A River’s Last Chance Anderson’s fishing experiences on the Trinity River regularly in the early 2000s eventually drew him to go back to school at Humboldt State, where he majored in fisheries biology to fulfill his fascination with the science side of his love of steelhead and salmon fishing. He’d also spent time in Los Angeles in the film production industry. Combining these two passions seemed like a no-brainer. “I kind of had the epiphany while going back to school there that if I could combine my background with film production and science that maybe I could be more effective in educating and inspiring people about how to save these places, rather than just being a scientist,” says Anderson, once a competitive downhill skier. In 2012, he started his own production company, North Fork Studios

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In the 1800s, salmon were plentiful, but the rise of commercial ﬁshing and the canning industry in the late 1800s, as well as sport angling later, reduced their abundance. (A RIVER’S LAST CHANCE)

(northforkstudios.net). His first feature documentary, 2014’s Wild Reverence, focused on the struggles of steelhead runs around his Pacific Northwest home base. But it was fishing on the Eel that kickstarted something altogether different. He recalled the first time fishing the South Fork along the famed Avenue of the Giants for steelhead. His first wild Chinook gobbled a Blue Fox in an area known as the 12th Street Pool. “I had no idea the place existed,” Anderson says. “It was one of those special places, but at the same time for many 20 California Sportsman SEPTEMBER 2018 | calsportsmanmag.com

years my only experience on the Eel was either along the Avenue of the Giants or the lower river. I had no idea how vast that watershed really was until I started this project.” “I started exploring the Middle Fork and the North Fork and up to the dams. And then you’re like, ‘Whoa! This place is huge’.” “The Eel River is part of our life; it is our bloodline ... the heart that pumps into our land. It was home to us. Without that river we wouldn’t be who we are today.” –Ted Hernandez, chairman, Wiyot Tribe

calsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2018 California Sportsman

PROTECTING

WILD CALIFORNIA

California’s drought issues of the mid-2010s took a toll on spawning salmon. This aerial image from October 2016 shows about 450 Chinook pooled up in the lower Eel. (JASON HARTWICK/A RIVER’S LAST CHANCE)

As Anderson says in his A River’s Last Chance opening-scene narration, “Some places along the river are like going back in time 10,000 years.” The 196-mile-long mainstem of the Eel – it got its name when 1840s explorers exchanging Pacific lampreys for cookware with Wiyot fishermen misidentified the aquatic creatures as eels – empties into the Pacific about 20 miles south of Eureka in Humboldt County. And each and every mile, not to mention the South and Middle Forks, runs with history. Sixty-five Native American tribes once called this region home, with the Eel drainage serving as the lifeblood of their subsistence lifestyle. In the 1850s, the river’s annual salmon runs – estimated to be as many as a million fish – attracted commercial fishermen and canneries, turning what is now sparsely populated wilderness into a boomtown. It didn’t take long for sport anglers to also flock to the Eel – Anderson heard stories of the Van Duzen River, one of the Eel’s major tributaries, once

being a steelhead fishing destination for the rich and famous through remote fly-in lodges – and overfishing of both the commercial and recreational harvest made for a predictable decline. Two dam projects, Cape Horn Dam in 1908 and the Potter Valley Project’s Scott Dam in 1922, have been polarizing issues. Commercial fishing on the Eel was eventually banned, though the damage had been done, and by the turn of the 20th century, the tall trees that graced the region created another lucrative industry, timber. Still, old timers who appeared in the film remembered the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s as still being world-class for salmon fishing. “I remember thinking this deliberately: There are so many goddamn silver salmon in these coastal rivers of California, we can’t hurt them,” angler and artist Russell Chatham says in the film. “You could go down there with a fishing rod and kill every one that you caught. And it wouldn’t mean anything.” “I read accounts of people having

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30-fish days for steelhead in the middle of summer,” Anderson says. You can see how this trend was going to eventually fizzle out. “The Eel seems to be a river of ups and downs, or better yet of boom and bust. It is a river that was compromised by settlers taking advantage of its resources (salmon, timber, and water), pretty much the three most important things to a healthy river system,” says Jason Hartwick, the associate producer and cinematographer for A River’s Last Chance and owner of Arcata-based Steelhead on the Spey Guide Service (707-382-1655; steelheadonthespey.wordpress.com). “Salmon canneries damn near wiped out the salmon by the early 1900s, then logging went into full effect for the next 100 years, to where now all that we are left with is about 4 percent of oldgrowth redwood forests, water diversion through the PVP project, and now the ‘green rush’ (marijuana harvesting). We don’t seem to learn from our past mistakes and just continue going down

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PROTECTING

WILD CALIFORNIA the same road of destruction.” “One of the most giving species on Earth. They swim out to the ocean, get fat, come back and give all that marine nutrient to the inland environment, to people. Free, healthy, beautiful, self-sustaining source of protein and food. If that’s not a beautiful gift from nature, I don’t know what it is.” –Mike Wier, Cal Trout, filmmaker Four years after massive flooding in 1964, the Eel’s mainstem and South Fork salmon and steelhead runs came in at 9 percent of where they were in the plentiful 1940s. “Even when Chatham and Jim Adams from the movie started fishing in the early 1950s, they were still having amazing fishing days, and that was after it had already been depleted,” Anderson says. Then Governor Ronald Reagan’s late 1969 audible spared the river from being dammed again by the Dos Rios

Dam project, and there were moments of brilliant salmon runs in the 1980s. But the excess had taken its toll, the area’s timber industry went bust and the salmon were designated an endangered species. Then in 2010, a UC Davis study concluded the Eel’s coho, Chinook and steelhead were “on a trajectory towards extinction.” As if defiantly refusing to go down, the Eel’s 2012 run of Chinook was surprisingly and wonderfully massive. Anderson fished for steelhead that year and couldn’t believe what he was experiencing. “I was there fishing every day and I’m catching more fish down here than I ever have on the Olympic Peninsula. And I was fly fishing and gear fishing. On the fly I was averaging five fish a day, which is unheard of. And that lasted for like five years. And I was like, ‘Holy sh*t.’ And nobody was down there.” But soon, the water diversion used from cultivating marijuana – often illegally – became the new timber boom in Humboldt County and adjacent areas

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“The Eel River is one of the most unique rivers on the West Coast that still hosts good runs of all wild salmon and steelhead,” says local guide Jason Hartwick, an associate producer and director of cinematography for the ﬁlm. “For a river that has been through repeated cycles of boom and bust and water diversion, it’s amazing that the ﬁsh still return.” (A RIVER’S LAST CHANCE)

DESTINATION ALASKA

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PROTECTING

WILD CALIFORNIA where cannabis is plentiful. As if that wasn’t enough to all but finish off the Eel, one of the state’s most devastating droughts in recent memory wreaked havoc in the mid-2010s. But the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and other agencies accelerated the crusade to eliminate illegal marijuana harvesting, offering another lifeline of sorts for the Eel. “The marijuana thing is a little frightening, but that’s falling apart as fast as it booms. It’s completely changing up there as we speak,” Anderson says. “It won’t be long until most of the green rushers are gone. Fish and Game has really cracked down.”

Conservationists have marveled at how resilient the ﬁsh have been despite all variables that have affected salmon and steelhead habitat in the Eel watershed over the years. (JASON HARTWICK/A RIVER’S LAST CHANCE)

With its 3,684-square-mile watershed and 830 tributaries, the Eel is the third largest in the state. On Oct. 19, 1981, the river and its forks were added to the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers protected list. (JASON HARTWICK/A RIVER’S LAST CHANCE)

“Man has done a really good job of trying to hurt this river and hurt the ﬁsh, but these things are just so strong and persevered through everything.” –Kenny Priest, ﬁshing guide and outdoor writer

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PROTECTING

WILD CALIFORNIA The drought took its toll on the Eel just like other rivers throughout California. Yet in 2016 as wetter winters finally began to restore some order in the ecosystem, back came the fish. And in the Eel River, it’s wild salmon and steelhead only, as hatchery fish are no longer released in the watershed. The Eel has become one of the West Coast’s most successful wild salmon and steelhead fisheries. Anderson hopes his film will continue to share the message that the Eel’s future is bright and not bleak. “I think a lot of people still have lost hope. A lot of local fishermen don’t even understand that even the good years a few years ago, I don’t think they either remember a much more abundant time or they don’t really have a baseline on how things are on the rest of the West Coast,” he says. “Maybe it’s because it’s closed to harvest; I don’t know. We definitely met people along

“Another one of the incredible things you see on the Eel is a lot of places I fish in Washington (state) have some of the most intact habitat left in the Lower 48 with plenty of water,” director Shane Anderson says. “And to see the Eel have quite possibly stronger numbers of fish with such degraded habitat, it kind of makes you realize the resilience of the fish.” (JASON HARTWICK/A RIVER’S LAST CHANCE)

the way who think it’s still dead, and I can assure you that it’s coming back.” Hartwick agrees, but also oﬀered a warning. “The future of the Eel depends on the people who work, live and care about it. The river has great potential to recover salmonids, but everyone has

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to work together,” he says. “That being said, the only way we will see a healthier Eel River and increasing ﬁsh numbers is with more cold, clean water.” Hartwick sees the Potter Valley Project and diverting more water from its Scott Dam onto the Eel as a critical talking point to sustaining the water-

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DESTINATION ALASKA shed for the long term. But that issue is ongoing as a group of conservationists vie for an opportunity to purchase the project from PG&E and ensure that more of that valuable cold water is diverted to the river. Political issues aside, the Eel’s story of excess, decline and rebirth of its wild fish is told beautifully in A River’s Last Chance. Anderson, who despite his deep roots in the Pacific Northwest, has an emotional attachment to the Eel, is filled with a feeling many have lacked or been leery about embracing over the last half-century: hope. “I think we’ll get to over 100,000 Chinook. If you look at it there’s no harvest; there are no hatcheries; the timber practices have dramatically changed. There’s a really good chance that (Potter Valley Project’s dam is) coming out, especially now that PG&E has said they’re going to auction it off. And at the very minimum, even if the dam stays there will be better management of it,” he says. “And there all these habitat projects in the estuary being redone and dug out. CalTrout just pulled out a barrier in (Mendocino County’s Woodman Creek) and they’re doing it right now. It’s going to access another 14 miles (of spawning water). So we’re going to keep building with this restoration economy and we’re already seeing a lot of the spawning tributaries heal from a lot of the last wave of the timber boom in the mid-’90s. So I’m just seeing recovery all over the place … I don’t see another boom/bust in the future. I don’t even know what that would be. How can you not be optimistic? I think it’s the first time in the Eel’s history and the salmon’s history that they actually have people on their side.” CS Editor’s note: You can purchase a DVD of A River’s Last Chance and its companion book, Seasons Of The Eel, at northforkstudios.net/shop-1. The film will also be shown at select film festivals this fall, including two in Northern California. Check northforkstudios.net/screenings for more information.

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VETERANS PARTICIPATE IN FISHING TOURNEY OFF CATALINA I n mid-August, roughly a dozen boats hosted 27 veterans for a fishing tournament off Catalina Island. The first-ever War Heroes on Water Veteran’s Sportfishing Tournament not only provided a fantastic experience for the wounded warriors but also raised $80,000 during a silent auction. Anthony Hsieh, CEO of mortgage and real estate services company loanDepot, set up the event as he did in 2017 when he arranged a Cabo San Lucas fishing trip with seven veterans (California Sportsman, July 2017). “Our goal was to give these brave and selfless heroes the weekend of a lifetime, but as it turns out that’s also what they gave to us in return,” Hsieh said in a press release about the tournament that was coordinated in conjunction with Freedom Alliance (freedomalliance.org). “I am confident that every person who participated in this Tournament returned forever changed in a profound way.” “The event was at turns uplifting and joyful and yet deeply emotional, it was that special,” he said. Freedom Alliance director of military programs Josh Miles added that the veterans who participated were overwhelmed with not just the tournament and hospitality but the outpouring of support in the silent auction and money raised. “For many of the veterans, the event was more than they ever dreamed and all left deeply touched. Many new friendships were made this weekend and a unique bond

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MIXED BAG between veterans and complete strangers was forged. For Freedom Alliance, the support of all those involved was beyond impressive,” Miles said. “We thank Anthony Hsieh for his leadership, the entire team for their hard work, and the event donors for their immense generosity which supports not only the troops who were at the event but thousands of military families, in addition to providing scholarships for the children of service members killed or wounded in action. “Those who gave their time, money, and efforts to make this event happen stepped into the arena to truly change lives,” he said. Overall, the participants caught 208 qualifying species for a total of 1,287 pounds of fish. Among the fish landed were 92 calico, 88 rockfish, one yellowtail, one yellowfin, eight bluefin and 15 dorado. CS

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s e r u t n e v d A I ﬁshed with my longtime friend and three-time Lakers’ NBA champion Brian Shaw, who grew up in Oakland. We had a blast and, to top it off, we took the win in the tournament. (TODD KLINE)

We’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

Paul George donated $25,000 from his foundation to the City of Palmdale Sports and Recreation office. (TODD KLINE) I had a chance to surf the best wave pool in the world, located outside the Central Valley town of Lemoore. It was one of the most fun days I have had surfing. The wave is almost seven football fields in length and the ride takes about a full minute. (TODD KLINE)

I had the opportunity to ﬁsh the 2nd Annual Paul George Celebrity Fishing Tournament held at Lake Casitas with its namesake, Palmdale resident and Fresno State basketball alum Paul George, who plays for the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder. (TODD KLINE)

This summer was scary with all the ﬁres. The only positive was it made for some beautiful sunrises when heading onto the lakes. (TODD KLINE)

August was a busy month for my guide service on lakes like El Cap. We saw a lot of kids coming out to ﬁsh this summer. It’s super cool to see the youth movement in ﬁshing. (TODD KLINE)

This was a fun day ﬁlming Okuma’s new Helios spinning baitcaster. We landed a couple ﬁsh on light line while testing the drag of the SX30. (TODD KLINE)

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

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California Free Fishing Day; wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/ Fishing/Free-Fishing-Days Trinity River king salmon season opens Annett’s Mono Village Labor Day Fishing Derby, Upper Twin Lakes; (760) 932-7071, monovillage.com Fall dove season Start of Ambush at the Lake derby, Convict Lake; (800) 992-2260; convictlake.com Shaver Lake Team Kokanee Derby, kokaneepower.org Mountain quail season opener in Zone Q-1 Deer season opener in Zones C and D 6-7 Deer season opener in Zones X-9a, X-9b and X-12 Deer season opener in Zones D-3, D-4 and D-5 California Fly Fishing Open, Kern River; ssﬀclub.org NorCal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association Salmon Derby; Feather River, Corning; ncgasa.org Zone 2 quail season opener

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The Feather River will host the NorCal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association Salmon Derby on Oct. 22. (CHRIS COCOLES)

6-7 13 13 20 20 20 26-28

Big Bear Lake Troutfest Derby; bigbearﬁshingassociation.org Deer season opener in most D zones Norcal Trout Challenge, Pardee Lake; anglerspress.com Duck and goose seasons open in most California zones Quail season opens in Zones Q1 and Q3 Statewide chukar season opens Morrison’s Bonus Derby Weekend, Convict Lake; convictlake.com

Note: For a complete list of bass ﬁshing tournaments, go to dfg.ca.gov/FishingContests/default.aspx. For more details on hunting zones and regulations, check out wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting.

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calsportsmanmag.com

NORCAL

BETTER BUCK LUCK 3 STRATEGIES FOR HUNTING CALIFORNIA’S BLACKTAILS By Art Isberg

he West’s blacktail deer have one of the largest habitable ranges of any big game animal on this planet. Beginning in Southern California at the Mexican border, it runs north the length of the state inland to the border, continuing its same wide swath through Oregon, Washington into western British Columbia, and then all the way to Southeast Alaska. Throughout this 2,000-mile stretch, blacktail hunting can be broken down into three basic areas: coastal forests, inland brushﬁelds and tall timber. Tactics and timing for hunting these cover-loving deer change dramatically from one region to another. Successfully hunting them requires understanding these differences and capitalizing on them. I’ve often termed these deer “Western whitetails” because of their sneak-and-peek lifestyles. They’re a much different animal than their larger blood brothers, mule deer, and here’s where to ﬁnd and how to hunt them.

COASTAL FORESTS This land of ocean spray, crashing waves and salt fog means blacktail range begins quite literally right at the high tide line of the Paciﬁc Ocean. Its lush with thick forests and tall ferns, as well as endless forbs, grasses and willow that deer feed on and live out their lives in. The key to hunting here turns on one word: timing. Because oceanside land is blessed with cool temperatures and foggy mornings, the deer’s timetable is different from other ar-

Blacktail range literally begins at the high tide line of the Paciﬁc Ocean, but you can ﬁnd bucks in various terrain up and down the state. (ART ISBERG)

eas they inhabit. Bucks are still out early feeding and filling up on the endless provender. Often, they do so right out in big, open fields up against thick timber, where one quick jump puts them back in cover. The way to find them now is by slowly hunting on foot just inside the edge of timber while staying out of sight. You can experience short-range shooting at bucks out in the open, turning a deer’s love of cover against it. It’s a solid tactic to tag antlers. A second opportunity comes at midmorning, when the sun burns its way through the fog and timber tops

and lights the land. Bucks begin moving out of open areas to head back uphill into thick timber blowdowns where they rest until late afternoon, when they get up and start back to feeding ﬁelds. These steady habits offer one of the rare times in all blacktail country when they can be taken by setting up an ambush over well-used deer trails, letting a set of antlers deliver himself right into your lap, without taking another step. Because cover is so dense, any spot chosen should be well concealed and far enough off the trail not to attract a deer’s attention. Bucks can of-

calsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2018 California Sportsman

NORCAL ten be found traveling with a line of does, so your shooting must be accurate even at modest range. Matching camo clothing is also a wise choice in this land of short-range trail watching. Not only is it spine tingling, but also quite productive.

INLAND BRUSHFIELDS Blacktail seasons opened in early August, as summer temperatures eclipsed 100 degrees and usually stay there for days on end. This kind of blistering heat dictates the deer’s timetable and lifestyle inland in much different ways, including how you hunt them. Blacktails live and thrive in thick, house-high stands of manzanita, madron and creosote brush that can run unbroken for miles. One way to successfully hunt smothering cover like this is by forcing hidden bucks out into the open, using drives in the right places. The key is to not take on

Author Art Isberg glasses brushy country in interior valley habitat, where summer temperatures can top or reach 100 degrees, which changes how you must hunt. (ART ISBERG)

more ground than you and your fellow hunters can effectively cover. A small canyon, basin or rocky plateau top with escape openings around the edges is a perfect set-up. Two or three hunters go into cover and stay abreast of each other as they work their way slowly through the thick stuff. A third waits, on the

48 California Sportsman SEPTEMBER 2018 | calsportsmanmag.com

Isberg watches and waits while his three sons drive thick cover to force a buck within range. Drives work if you don’t take on more ground than you can effectively cover. (ART ISBERG)

sit, at the end of the drive, where a buck must show himself as he is driven out. Blacktails are smart but not two-dimensional thinkers. They’ll ﬂee from pressure, offering a clear shot to someone waiting at the other end to ambush them. A second tactic in this land of tough cover is locating any water –

PACIFIC NORTHWEST SPOTLIGHT

calsportsmanmag.com | MARCH 2018 California Sportsman

NORCAL regardless of size. A washtub-sized spring, natural seep or rocky pool in some canyon bottom are places blacktails know of and will come to for a drink. Fresh tracks in these secluded spots show recent use and deer numbers. Old tracks dry out quickly in this heat. Fresh ones look new, sharp and damp. Hunting around these hidden oases does not require as large a number of hunters as drives can. One or two carefully still-hunting cover where bucks are bedded down close to water works well. While hunting alone I’ve also jumped bucks from a small water source right in the middle of the hottest part of the day. Excessive heat drove the bucks to come in for a midday drink. One man moving quietly can occasionally catch them like this at such an unusual hour. The key is always hunting in a slow circle above water so you can see a buck run out.

Mark, Isberg’s son, with a talltimber buck he took sitting up over early-morning feeding areas, a solid tactic before deer move into to cover for the day. (ART ISBERG)

TALL TIMBER The towering spine of mountains running north between coastal forests and inland brushfields is true high country, with peaks in the 4,000- to 6,000-foot class that see heavy snows each winter, something coastal mountains and brushlands never do. This same land is home to many wilderness and primitive areas that harbor the largest blacktails in body size, weight and antler spread. Some amazing record-book bucks have come from these lofty heights. One productive way to hunt along the peaks is to set up at first light above lower basins and sidehills where blacktails have spent the night feeding on low plants and forbs. You’re catching them at the end of their feeding cycle, but they’ll stay out until the first glint of sunlight begins firing the peaks. Elevation is your edge now. Situate yourself where you have a good view downhill, both near and far. If a buck shows in easy rifle range, your hunt

In the mountains of the eastern portions of the state, blacktails are true highcountry animals. (ART ISBERG)

50 California Sportsman SEPTEMBER 2018 | calsportsmanmag.com

calsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2018 California Sportsman

NORCAL can end right there. If you glass antlers further down, move on them. Coming from the top down on any big game animal always gives a hunter a decided and important edge. A second tactic I’ve used successfully comes after sunup, when bucks are on the move down out of feeding areas heading into the tall timber where they’ll spend the day. They use well-traveled game trails that are easy to ﬁnd. High-country hunters should search for these thoroughfares and keep several in mind. Using either a light ground blind or choosing one in natural cover, set up 30 or 40 yards away to bushwhack an unsuspecting buck at short range. Camo clothing is always a wise choice, and even don a head net if you’re largely out in the open. If one trail doesn’t produce, you can move quickly to a second or even third. You have time to do so and a real chance to score when you have op-

Art Isberg took this highantlered buck as it exited morning feeding grounds in high mountains. You can bushwhack bucks if you learn their habits. (ART ISBERG)

tions to choose from. That’s blacktail hunting’s 1-2-3 for the most cautious and wary cover bucks that walk; and yes, I’m including whitetails as well. CS

Editor’s note: For speciﬁc deer seasons in California this month and next, go to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s deer hunting page (wildlife.ca.gov/ Hunting/Deer).

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NORCAL

FROM FIELD ...

Band-tailed pigeon numbers continue to rebuild, and though the daily bag limit is only two birds, the effort can be more than worth it. Mourning dove season is also popular for hunters and the ﬁrst half runs through Sept. 15. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

BIRDS’ THE WORD WILD DOVES, PIGEONS OFFER UPLAND HUNTERS GREAT OPPORTUNITIES By Scott Haugen

sk any avid upland hunter what the most challenging birds to knock out of the sky are, and most will rate doves and pigeons atop their list. While pass shooting these fast-flying mini-bombers is one of wingshooting’s ultimate challenges, they are also some of the best birds for beginners to hunt. And when properly cooked they taste delicious. Mourning doves exist in high numbers throughout much of California, meaning there are many places to hunt them. Pass shooting doves as they travel between roost trees, feeding sites and watering holes is a common approach. Setting up near any one of these locations can also be very productive. When hunting places where doves are congregating, using a half-dozen or more decoys can be very productive. The saying “Birds of a feather flock together” applies to doves, for once one member of the species finds something it likes, others follow.

FINDING BIRDS In the morning, doves are most

commonly hunted as they fly from roosting sites to feeding areas. Grain fields, grass seed fields and even meadows teaming with wild grass can all be good morning locations to hunt doves. As the day heats up, doves may go to water or roost in trees near feeding and watering spots. In the evening, doves will often fly to water after the final feeding of the day is done. Not only do doves drink at the waterhole, they’ll also gather sand and small pieces of gravel; this grit helps the birds grind their food in the gizzard. From the waterhole, doves usually fly directly to their roost. Often, watering holes are located very near nighttime roosting trees.

CHANCES TO HUNT California’s mourning dove season runs Sept. 1-15 and Nov. 10-Dec. 24 across the state. White-winged doves, spotted doves and ringed turtle doves can also be hunted at these times, while Eurasian-collared doves can be hunted yearround. Consult current California Department of Fish and Wildlife hunting regulations for bag and possession limits.

PIGEON HUNTS Band-tailed pigeon season runs Sept. 15-23 in the North Zone and Dec. 15-23 in the south zone. There is a two-bird-per-day limit on bandtails, with triple the daily bag making up the possession limit. As with doves, bandtail hunting centers around food sources, water and sometimes mineral seeps. Pigeons will congregate in the smallest of openings if there are natural minerals on the ground, or in places where small springs surface. They will also ﬂy great distances in the Coast Range in search of seasonal berries.

PERFECT YOUR SHOT In preparation for dove and pigeon season, get out and bust a case or two of clay pigeons. The fast-moving clay pigeons are a great warm-up for hitting speedy doves and bandtails. Be sure to practice those sideangle shots. If you can get to a range, overhead shots on fast-moving targets will help hone shooting skills. A 20-gauge is ample for dove and pigeon hunting, but the larger payloads offered in a 12-gauge are what some hunters opt for. Doves come down easy, so size 7½ or 8 shot are a

calsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2018 California Sportsman

NORCAL

... TO FIRE

BIRDS MAKE KEBABS GO KABOOM By Tiffany Haugen

t may take several small game birds to make a meal, but the table fare is worth the effort. Kebabs are a great way to cook up your doves and pigeons, as you can fill in with other meats and vegetables, if need be. The biggest challenge when cooking game birds is overcooking. They are very lean and even when the skin can be left intact there isn’t enough fat to protect the meat from drying out. Slow cooking or quickly grilling over high heat are two ways to help keep bird meat moist and delicious. Oil-based marinades help with the texture as well as add flavor to these versatile birds. 1 pound dove or pigeon breast meat ½ red bell pepper ½ green bell pepper Six mushrooms Six cherry tomatoes ¼ onion, chopped Six to eight wooden skewers

KEBAB MARINADE 2 tablespoons apple juice 2 tablespoons red wine 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ teaspoon granulated garlic ½ teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon smoked paprika In a small bowl, mix marinade ingredients until thoroughly combined, then divide marinade into two equal portions. Chop bird meat and other vegetables into bite-sized chunks. Place meat into a sealable plastic bag or marinade container and add half of the marinade. Place vegetables into another sealable plastic bag or marinade container and add the other half of the marinade. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Let meat sit in marinade 15 minutes at room temperature before assembling kebabs. Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 15 minutes.

56 California Sportsman SEPTEMBER 2018 | calsportsmanmag.com

If you can avoid the dreaded overcooking of your game birds, there are myriad possibilities for how to prepare them. Zesty kebabs loaded with veggies and meat offer a great presentation. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

Drain marinade from meat and discard meat marinade. Thread meat and vegetables onto soaked skewers. Save vegetable marinade for basting while grilling. Place skewers on a hot grill or griddle. Cook approximately two minutes per side; baste with leftover vegetable marinade if desired. Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiﬀany’s popular Cooking Game Birds book, send a check for $20 to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489 or visit tiffanyhaugen.com. Follow Tiﬀany on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and watch for her on the online series Cook With Cabela’s and The Sporting Chef TV show.

calsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2018 California Sportsman

good choice as they offer more pellets, which increases the chance of connecting on a shot. Since pigeons are often hunted near thick brush amid tall trees and on steep hillsides, shooting size 6 shot works well to quickly drop the birds.

FOUR-LEGGED PARTNERS

When hunting doves near places where they congregate, hanging decoys in a visible location can help to draw them within shooting range. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

HUNTING

It’s nice having a dog to retrieve your doves and pigeons, but make sure to clean the feathers from their mouth after every retrieve. The feathers of doves and pigeons come out easily and stick in a dog’s mouth, which dries them out. After each retrieve, pick the feathers from inside the lips and against the gums of your dog’s mouth, then give them a drink of water. Without a doubt doves and pigeons are challenging targets, but the time and effort spent pursuing them is fun and often leads to high success. These birds pluck and clean up very easily, and when cooked right they make great table fare. If you’re new to hunting, doves and pigeons are a wonderful place to start. If you’re a veteran wingshooter, you know what I’m talking about when I warn how addicting these birds can be to hunt. CS Editor’s note: Signed copies of Scott and Tiffany Haugen’s best-selling Cooking Game Birds book can be ordered at scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. No matter what your level of experience, dove hunting is fun, birds are plentiful and opportunities abound throughout the state. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

58 California Sportsman SEPTEMBER 2018 | calsportsmanmag.com

calsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2018 California Sportsman

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Gimme Six Extended Protection promo is applicable to new Suzuki Outboard Motors from 25 to 350 HP in inventory which are sold and delivered to buyer between 07/01/18 and 09/30/18 in accordance with the promotion by a Participating Authorized Suzuki Marine dealer in the continental US and Alaska to a purchasing customer who resides in the continental US or Alaska. Customer should expect to receive an acknowledgement letter and full copy of contract including terms, conditions and wallet card from Suzuki Extended Protection within 90 days of purchase. If an acknowledgement letter is not received in time period stated, contact Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. – Marine Marketing via email: marinepromo@suz.com. The Gimme Six Promotion is available for pleasure use only, and is not redeemable for cash. Instant Savings apply to qualifying purchases of select Suzuki Outboard Motors made between 07/01/18 and 09/30/18. For list of designated models, see participating Dealer or visit www.suzukimarine.com. Instant Savings must be applied against the agreed-upon selling price of the outboard motor and reflected in the bill of sale. (Suzuki will, in turn, credit Dealer’s parts account.) There are no model substitutions, benefit substitutions, rain checks, or extensions. Suzuki reserves the right to change or cancel these promotions at any time without notice or obligation. * Financing offers available through Synchrony Retail Finance. As low as 5.99% APR financing for 60 months on new and unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors. Subject to credit approval. Not all buyers will qualify. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. $19.99/month per $1,000 financed for 60 months is based on 5.99% APR. Hypothetical figures used in calculation; your actual monthly payment may differ based on financing terms, credit tier qualification, accessories or other factors such as down payment and fees. Offer effective on new, unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors purchased from a participating authorized Suzuki dealer between 07/01/18 and 09/30/18. “Gimme Six”, the Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2018 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.

60 California Sportsman SEPTEMBER 2018 | calsportsmanmag.com

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NORCAL

Northern California guide Randall Doyle shows off four of the Golden State's smallmouth bass. Among the reservoirs threatening to break the state smallie record is holder Lake Pardee and previous owner Trinity Lake. (BILL SCHAEFER)

HEAD NORTH FOR BIG SMALLIES PARDEE, TRINITY AMONG STATE’S BEST LAKES FOR THAT OTHER BASS SPECIES By Bill Schaefer

mallmouth are one of the most sought after bass species in the world, behind only

largemouth and spots. These feisty fish don’t grow as large as their cousins, but pound for pound smallmouth will fight like a freight train when hooked. Also known as bronzeback, golden bass, greenie, smallie, and other nicknames, adoring anglers love to chase this trophy fish. The world-record smallmouth came from Dale Hollow Reservoir

in Tennessee in 1955 and weighed in at a whopping 11 pounds, 15 ounces. Over the years, many 8- to 10-pounders have been weighed in all over the country, but no one has surpassed the record that now dates back more than six decades. The current California state-record smallmouth weighed in at 9.82 pounds, taken at Pardee Reservoir in Northern California. Trinity Lake,

calsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2018 California Sportsman

NORCAL Smallmouth can be a lot of fun for the kids too. Despite being smaller than their largemouth cousins, smallies are feisty ﬁghters and pull like heck no matter their size. (BILL SCHAEFER)

even further north and on the way to the Oregon border, once held the state record at 9.10 pounds and may regain that title some day. But it’s clear that there is some outstanding fishing for smallies in the Golden State.

SMALLMOUTH ARE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT to have originated in lakes of the U.S. Northeast. These hardy fish survive travel well and settlers brought them west, populating lakes and rivers along the way. They must have done something right since smallmouth occur in thousands of bodies of water across the country. There is debate as to whether the river smallmouth are harder ﬁghters than the lake smallmouth, due to their living in currents and building more muscle in such conditions. Still, I have caught both and they both pull hard for their size. So where do bigger smallies live? Well, it seems that for the better and larger ﬁsh you need to visit Northern California. Home to many lakes known for their larger smallmouth, it can be hard to pick a favorite as most of the record smallmouth have come from this area.

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the foothills of the Sierra Nevada east of Stockton, this lake boasts about 40 miles of shoreline that provides plenty of room to fish. Big bass hunters tell tales among themselves of catching larger fish all the time but don’t publicize it, as they only want to keep their favorite lakes to themselves. And Pardee holds so many species of fish that the smallmouth are only targeted by the most diehard of bronzeback anglers. Springtime is when the lake opens, right in prespawn time, which is usually in February. The prespawn will go through March and April, depending on water temperatures,

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making this is a great time for jigs. The smallmouth gobble them up in preparation for the spawn. Various split- or drop-shotted plastics will also entice smallmouth throughout the year. The spawn will bring very good fishing to the shallows, with almost everything working well. Swimbaits can produce well in summer, when a good topwater also bite occurs. In fall, bass group up into roaming wolf packs and follow bait around the lake.

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esque setting of rolling hills, mountains and redwoods near Redding. This lake is also a favorite of the big bass hunters, but they can be tightlipped about their success here as well. That Trinity is a former record holder should tell you something. This lake regularly puts out some giant smallmouth in the spring. And it is a beautiful area to houseboat on or camp along its shores come summer. The lake has tree stumps left from clearing of timber during the building of the dam, as well as rocky-togravel shoreline. Smallmouth here eat jigs, both classic pig-and-jigs and plastics. They love crawdads and anything that looks close will work, especially during prespawn, which is usually in April and May. Grubs also entice bass, as do crankbaits and jerkbaits. Drop- and split-shot plastics are also deadly throughout the spring and summer. Fall puts the ﬁsh on the roam and you will have to ﬁnd the bait here as well to score. Summer topwater action can be good with Pop-Rs and walking baits, such as a Zara Spook. There are giant smallmouth in this lake and many 4- to 6-pounders are taken each year, with a few even larger landed.

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state’s northern half worth trying that just the record holder and the reservoir it deposed. Lake Almanor, located about 4,500 feet up and surrounded by

national forest in Plumas County, is also a lake that holds a good population of smallmouth. These bass love plastics, and drop- or split-shotted shad-type baits will do really well here. Bass tend to hang out on main lake points, with many fish located near big boulders. Then in the summer, jerkbaits and topwater action start buzzing. Try Poppers, small walking baits – Zara Spooks are popular – or, as I mentioned, hard and soft jerkbaits.

LAKE SHASTA, ALSO a great fishery, is not too far from Trinity and a short drive from Redding. This might mean that just maybe you can squeeze them both in on a mission to fish Northern California. Many anglers just go fishing at Shasta and are happy with whatever they catch. I love all the smallmouth in this lake. Nestled among rolling hills of redwoods, Shasta can produce nonstop action. You have to weed through the small ones, but there are giants to be had. I have fished several spring bass tournaments on this lake and been amazed by the fish. Once the bass are in feeding mode nothing seems to turn them off. One great trick is to fish the stumpy shore, usually during a jig bite. Cranks can also do well in the spring. And the usual assortment of plastic creature or crawdad-type plastics will do well on a split shot or Carolina rig. Small French fry worms do very well on the drop shot rig. Summer can bring great topwater action.

THE FURTHER NORTH YOU travel in California, the cooler the waters and the better the fishing seems to get for smallmouth. It all makes for really great vacation getaways. Envision snow-capped mountains, redwoods, all types of wildlife roaming the shorelines and, of course, the chance at some amazing smallmouth fishing. CS

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66 California Sportsman SEPTEMBER 2018 | calsportsmanmag.com

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calsportsmanmag.com | APRIL 2018 California Sportsman

BEST OF LAKE ISABELLA KERN RIVER VALLEY

Fishing is so hot on Lake Isabella that even the kids catch the big ones! You name it and it’s being caught on Lake Isabella during the peak of summer’s fishing season – crappie, catfish, bass and even a few trout. The water is a perfect level for fishing and water temperatures are just right. But if fishing is not on your mind, the beaches are wide, the sand is warm and the Jet Skiing and wind surfing as well as camping on the water enjoying the warm nights under clear star-filled nights should satisfy just about everyone. Boat rentals, both fishing and pontoon boats, are available at two well-equipped marinas located at French Gulch and Red’s Marina at Launch 17. (Red’s has a great deli for sandwiches and drinks.) Just putt on over and get dockside service. For more info, contact the KRVCC. www.kernrivervalley.com • 760-379-5236

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CHINOOK CONTEST IS BACK GROWING MOKELUMNE RIVER SALMON DERBY SET FOR OCT. 6

ix years ago, Kevin Jaime belonged to a Central Valley fishing club that in his mind lacked fishing events, so he took it upon himself to create a Chinook salmon derby. “I love salmon fishing and have a passion for these big fish,” says Jaime, who lives in Sacramento. “I just started this derby on a whim.” While that first year only attracted 15 participants and even fewer the following year, Jaime has stuck with it and attendance has increased ever since, up to 68 entrants in 2017. “Once I hit year three, I reached out to sponsors and simply asked them to donate. Who doesn’t like winning cash and getting free stuff?” he says. The sixth annual River Rotter Salmon Derby on Oct. 6 in Walnut Grove, south of Sacramento on the Mokelumne River is expected to draw another good turnout. The event will be hosted by Wimpy’s Marina (209794-2774; wimpysmarina.com). Entrants need to sign up before Oct. 1 and registration for the derby begins at 5:30 a.m. with a $20 entry fee and a weigh-in at 3 p.m. sharp. “Each person that enters the derby will be allowed to enter one king salmon. The winner will be determined by heaviest salmon. We’ll have first-, second- and third-place cash winnings and a trophy.” Raffle prizes include a charter fishing trip on Capt. Jay Yokomizo’s New Huck Finn out of Emeryville. All the raffle ticket proceeds from the derby will be donated to the Coast-

Wimpy’s Marina south of Sacramento hosts the sixth annual River Rotter Salmon Derby on the Mokelumne River. The Oct. 6 event features cash prizes and a rafﬂe for donated items. (RIVER ROTTER SALMON DERBY)

side Fishing Foundation (coastsidefishingfoundation.org), a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) that focuses much of its fishing conservation on “net pen acclimation of hatchery Chinook salmon smolt in ocean water rather than releasing them in the Sacramento River,” not to mention its

tributaries like the Mokelumne. ”So as you see, it’s also ﬁtting to have the derby on the Mokelumne,” Jaime says. “Coastside Fishing Foundation helps these salmon acclimate and return to this very river.” For more information, contact Jaime at (916) 203-7202. CS

calsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2018 California Sportsman

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Buzz Ramsey’s Fall Salmon Bobber Fishing Set-up NOTES

The secret to bobber fishing for salmon is to rig your bobber free-sliding on your line while using a bobber stop to position your bait at any depth. Although bobbers capable of floating an ounce are the most popular, I like those that can float 3 ounces of weight because in current they will keep my bait from sweeping upward and away from the often bottom-hugging salmon. Chinook will often hold near bottom but can suspend at any depth. If you’re fishing deep water and unsure how far to suspend your bait below your bobber, start off by setting your bobber stopper 8 feet from your bait. –Buzz Ramsey

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This fat brownie succumbed to a Sierra Slammer Mini Swim. You can ﬁsh these swimbaits in a variety of ways. (MIKE STEVENS)

GET IN THE SWIM OF THINGS MINI SWIMBAITS VERSATILE FOR SCORING FALL GERMAN BROWNS IN THE SIERRA

By Mike Stevens

ierra Slammers’ Mini Swims arrived in 2013 and they immediately began connecting Eastern Sierra anglers to their quarry. In the years that followed, experimentation by the company’s top brass, pro staffers and anglers showed they can be effective in a wide range of presentations and rigging, and the Sierra Slammers brands (sierraslammers.com) are now well known as the most versatile trout lure on the California stage. The bulk of that versatility is best evidenced in a lake setting, where these 2-inch swimbaits can catch trout several ways: via straight retrieve on a leadhead; crawled along the bottom “like a plastic worm;” under a bobber; and more recent innovations such as multibait dropshot rigs or rigging them on an underspin. In a moving-water situation, Mini Swims have a whole other set of roles they can play for fall anglers looking for big German brown trout. Here are some quick hitters on how they can be used this fall in

Eastern Sierra creeks:

STRAIGHT RETRIEVE

effective in such a short window. It takes the bare minimum of current to put a Mini Swim’s tail in motion, which allows you to let keep your lure in the zone much longer than any reaction bait.

Simple enough: Draw out aggressive ﬁsh by dragging it (at different depths) across bigger pools or slower runs. Basically, ﬁsh it like you would a spinner.

VERTICAL JIGGING

PROBE THE BOTTOM

Find a hole with the diameter of a Marriott hot tub that’s 5-plus feet

Nonaggressive browns will hunker down in deep holes and wait for a meal to land in their lap. Attacking the spot from downstream (casting over the top of it) will allow the Mini Swim to naturally drift into the target area. Winding up slack and maybe a few “tick, tick, ticks” of the rod tip to give it a little action is all you need to do.

POST UP IN THE STRIKE ZONE The thing about most trout lures in a creek setting is that they have to be moving pretty well to get the desired action, whether that’s a blade spinning, a spoon kicking or a jerkbait kicking. If you’re targeting a spot the size of a manhole cover (or smaller), just about anything else will not be

In smaller Sierra waters like Rush Creek, where holes aren’t very big, hardly any current is needed to activate the lure’s tail action. (MIKE STEVENS)

calsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2018 California Sportsman

“In a moving-water situation, Mini Swims have a whole other set of roles they can play for fall anglers looking for big German brown trout,” author Mike Stevens writes. (STEVE BUTTS)

deep and you just know a trout is down there, right? Try any of the above tactics, and if they don’t work let the lure dive straight down on slack line (bail open until it hits bottom). Just up-and-down that sucker like you’re jigging for rockﬁsh. I’ve used bigger leadheads as needed in this situation to get ‘em down there.

YO-YO UNDERCUT BANKS Some undercut banks – on the bank you’re standing on – are best attacked from upstream. Land the bait just upstream from the spot you want to target, and let it drift past it on a slackline so it sinks to the bottom. Flip the bail and slowly swim it forward, and occasionally “kill” it by pausing the retrieve and pointing your rod at the lure, giving it a few feet of slack. Do this as many times as you possibly can in the strike zone; many times bites will come right when the “dead” swimbait is brought back to life. As for colors, I like to roll mainly with natural shades (especially in the fall) with one loud one just in case. You just never know. CS 78 California Sportsman SEPTEMBER 2018 | calsportsmanmag.com

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CANTRELL GUIDE SERVICE Two days of ﬁshing with Cantrell Guide Service, with master guide Cliff Fowler. Forty trout were caught and 34 were released. BIGBEARFISHING.NET

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Destination Honda

For destinations found on a map, or ones that are simply a state of mind, trust a reliable Honda outboard to get you there. And back. Find out more at marine.honda.com or visit your Authorized Honda Marine Dealer.

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82 California Sportsman SEPTEMBER 2018 | calsportsmanmag.com

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HUNTING California quail, the ofﬁcial state bird, offer hunters a generous bag limit and some of the best upland bird tablefare. Author Tim Hovey gets an early start on scouting in late summer. (CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE)

NO-FAIL QUAIL TIPS EXPERT HUNTER SHARES TACTICS FOR BAGGING LIMITS OF CALIFORNIA TOPKNOTS

By Tim E. Hovey

eginning in late August, I start seeing small family groups of quail running around the wild sections of my neighborhood just outside Los Angeles. As I hiked through a dry riverbed in mid-August, I spotted a pair of adult birds racing across the sandy wash, followed by a dozen smaller, ﬂufﬁer chicks. They disappeared into the brush, puttering their objections to my presence. Even the birds seem to know that the season is getting close. As the days get shorter and the weather starts to cool, I begin to make plans to start scouting for the upcoming quail hunting season. I believe if you’re going to be successful as a hunter, you have to set aside some time prior to the season, any season, to scout the areas you’ll be hunting.

From upland game to big game, if time permits I will always spend some time in the ﬁeld before any season starts.

LIFE HISTORY Understanding the life history of any game species is something serious hunters should take into consideration when prehunting an area. Knowing where they live, what they eat and what their habits are will give hunters an edge when they head to the ﬁeld. California quail, the state bird, will usually have one to two clutches of eggs each year. They are spring breeders, actively raising their young through late spring into summer. Eggs are small and cream-colored with brown or black specks covering the shell. Females will incubate the eggs for a little over 20 days before they hatch, with the young being able to ﬂy at just 10 days old. Primarily seed eaters, quail will

feed on flowers, grasses and invertebrates. Quail are ground birds and usually move through thick cover by running. In my experience, quail appear to use flight as a last resort to escape a threat. In good rain years, when vegetation is healthy and abundant, quail populations flourish with the increased forage.

FINDING GOOD HABITAT Whether I’m scouting my regular quail hunting areas or investigating new spots, I always start with the habitat. While quail will occupy a variety of different types, what they live in is pretty easy to ﬁnd. They prefer brushy areas where they can hide quickly and escape predators; the thicker the brush, the better. I look for areas occupied by sagebrush, chaparral and thick underbrush or woody debris. If I ﬁnd areas with really thick cover, I know the area may hold quail.

calsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2018 California Sportsman

HUNTING Quail prefer brushy areas where they can hide quickly and escape predators. Hovey seeks out sagebrush, chaparral and thick underbrush or woody debris. (TIM E. HOVEY)

In regards to water, I haven’t read anything in the quail life history literature to verify what I’ve noticed in the ﬁeld, but it appears to me that quail need to visit a water source twice a day. After leaving their roosts early in the morning, birds will head straight to a water source to drink. After that, they move off to feed. Early-morning hunts around any water source are a great way to add a few birds to your bag. As the day heats up, quail will circle back to water and drink in the late afternoon to hold them through the evening roosting period. When I ﬁnd thick, brushy cover near consistent water, I know quail will be close by and they won’t travel far from the area.

myself the best opportunity to see quail, I like to approach my scouting trips just like I do my hunting trips. I arrive early – just before sunrise – and listen for calling birds. Male sentinel quail will call with their characteristic chi-ca-go, chi-ca-go call from near their roosts in the morning. As birds start to move, the morning is your best time to see them if all the habitat requirements are present. If I spot birds in a given area while I’m scouting, all I’ll do is observe them. I’m careful not to disturb the covey or cause them to ﬂush. I don’t want to mess with their daily routine and I don’t want them to even know I’m there. Once I decide the area is good enough to hunt, I’ll back out and leave the area alone until the morning of the opener.

TRACKS IN THE DUST AND CALLING To combat parasites, most ground birds like quail will take dust baths. They’ll usually use areas with fine dirt or silt to dust themselves vigorously. These dirt patches will be visited by groups of quail daily and are an excellent way to see if birds are frequenting the area. Birds will also leave dozens of prints in the fine dirt, giving hunters an idea of quail abundance in that particular location. Finding tracks and good habit near water is an excellent start to scouting for quail, but nothing beats finding birds actually occupying the area during your scouting trips. To optimize my time in the field and to give

HUNTING QUAIL Once I locate birds in an area, I take some time to develop a hunt-

ing plan. Just because you’ve found quail doesn’t mean hunting them will be easy. I look for trails adjacent to the habitat that I can easily move through to flush birds. If the terrain isn’t flat, and it frequently isn’t, I like to start my hunts uphill. I do this so that later in the day when I’m tired or a bit worn out, the trip back to the truck is mostly downhill. As I move through the brushy terrain, I do just as much listening as I do looking. Quail are noisy birds and will loudly putter as they move in a group through the brush to escape a threat. They are ground birds and will do more running than flying. When they do flush, there is nothing delicate about their process of taking flight. Quail flushes are explosive and sudden. They’re chubby birds and they need to really beat their wings quickly to get off the ground. A couple of dozen birds exploding

CALIFORNIA QUAIL SEASON Here’s a look at California’s 2018 quail seasons: Zone Q1 (mountain quail only): Sept. 8-Oct. 19 Zone Q1 (all quail): Oct. 20-Jan. 27 Zone Q2 (all quail): Sept. 29-Jan. 27 Zone Q3 (all quail): Oct. 20-Jan. 27 Early season for hunters with junior hunting licenses in the Mojave National Preserve: Oct. 6-7 Archery only: Through Sept. 7 Falconry: Through Sept. 28 All daily quail bag limits are 10 birds with a possession limit triple the bag. You can access the zone locations on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website (nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=110413&inline). CS

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HUNTING from the brush can startle even the most experienced hunter. Once airborne they usually fly in a straight line, giving wingshooters a relatively easy shotgun opportunity. After flying for a short distance, they will angle back to the heavy brush to complete their escape. If you’re hunting without a dog, as I usually am, pay attention to where the flushed covey has landed. You can usually follow up and continue to flush smaller groups in the area they escaped to In areas that receive heavy hunting pressure, I’ve noticed that as the season wears on quail tend to change their behavior. Flushes may be more distant and out of range, if they flush at all. Quail may do more running than flying and they may move out of a pressured area and relocate to a less popular spot with hunters.

“Quail are noisy birds and will loudly putter as they move in a group through the brush to escape a threat,” Hovey writes. “They are ground birds and will do more running than flying. When they do flush, there is nothing delicate about their process of taking flight.” (TIM E. HOVEY)

STAYING SAFE With explosive flushes, uneven terrain and birds at your feet, it’s important to do everything you can to stay safe when quail hunting. Whether you’re hunting solo or hunting with friends, make sure you have solid footing under you before squeezing the trigger on flushing birds. When hunting in groups discuss a game plan prior to heading to the field and stick to it. I always make sure other hunters know my plan and know where I am at all times. In California, you’re not required

to wear blaze orange in the ﬁeld, but I would advise that you do. I always make sure I know where my hunting buddies are before I start shooting. Glancing over the terrain and looking for an orange cap or game vest makes it very easy to keep everyone safe during the hunt.

GETTING STARTED All you really need to begin quail hunting is a shotgun and good pair of hiking boots. In the southern portion of the state, the California quail opener lands on the third Saturday in October and hunters enjoy a generous 10-bird limit. Shot sizes in the

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a single transmitting controller to pairing with up to eight water-resistant devices. Powered by AA batteries, it has a dropper mode that is able to load up to three balls, dropping one at a time. The product’s launcher mode shoots balls approximately 3 feet high – based on tennis ball size – and can execute 20,000 launches with one battery life. The compact size of the Ball Trainer makes it suitable for a variety of professional training and detection training methods. Go to dogtra.com for more information. –CS

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HUNTING

Hovey says there’s a pretty low bar to cross to produce a tasty party appetizer: A shotgun, size 7 or 8 shotshells and a good pair of boots are all you need to bag a limit of quail. (TIM E. HOVEY)

7 to 8 range are perfect for putting birds in your bag and you won’t ﬁnd a better tasting bird in the ﬁeld. Going with an experienced hunter is a great way to get helpful information that will assist new hunters in getting started. I do understand the hesitancy in taking other hunters to treasured locations, but every season I try and take a new hunter or one who hasn’t had much success.

I believe we need to share what we know with those that are interested in learning how to hunt. I spent many years learning on my own and I really wish I had someone to help me through the difﬁcult learning periods back when I was getting started. Upland game bird hunting like dove and quail is where I suggest most new hunters start if they’re interested in trying the activity of

hunting. The gear is far from specialized and shot opportunities are usually abundant. For the price of a box of shells and a little hiking, you can usually bring home some wild game. If you’ve ever considered getting out and giving it a try, sign up for a hunter’s safety course, pick up your California hunting license and take a hike with your shotgun. You won’t be sorry! CS

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HUNTING

A lot of glassing and hiking in the high country of northwest Wyoming put mule deer hunters Tim Hovey (left) and friend Darrin Berger in stunning scenery that was unfortunately light on bucks but clearly the home of hungry roaming grizzly bears. (TIM E. HOVEY)

SHREDDED ON THE SHOSHONE GIANT BEARS, A FRIGID RIVER AND DAUNTING TERRAIN MAKE NORTHWEST WYOMING DEER HUNT A MAJOR CHALLENGE By Tim E. Hovey

ack in 2012 I made my ﬁrst trip to Wyoming to hunt deer with my good friend Darrin Bergen. I ﬂew into his hometown of Cody and he picked me up at the airport. On the way to his place, we stopped off at a sporting goods store to pick up some supplies. Darrin said we were pretty much set for gear, but he had forgotten one key item. I had

packed what I needed to hike the rugged mountains near the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park and thought I had everything. Inside the store, Darrin walked with a purpose to the safety aisle and grabbed a white pressurized bottle off the shelf without stopping. At the checkout, the cashier scanned the canister and placed it back down. The realistic sketch of a growling bear stared straight at me. The instruc-

tions on the bottle of pepper spray said it could accurately spray at a distance of 20 feet. I had to think if a grizzly bear got to within 20 feet of you, the bottle might as well contain Silly String. Back at Darrin’s we pulled out a map and started planning the hunt. Due to issues with scheduling, we had missed opening day by three weeks, but that didn’t matter to either of us. I hunt for the adventure and I knew Darrin did the same. With a couple of over-the-counter buck tags in our pockets and a 1997 two-door Ford coupe as our hunting rig, we were just looking forward to driving in as far as we could and hiking the hills.

WE PARKED AT THE trailhead early the next morning and loaded up our

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HUNTING gear. Darrin pulled out the bear spray and touched it to my arm. “Tag, you’re it!” We had decided to alternate the carrying duties of the bear repellant. In reality, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department required that bear spray be carried by hunters in this zone, so we both knew it was more a legal requirement than a safety item. With our red headlamps lighting the way in the predawn darkness, we hiked in over 2 miles before it was light enough to see. We took a break and grabbed some water. While we rested, I looked down in the path and saw my ﬁrst grizzly bear track. I was astounded at the size of the print. I am used to seeing black bear tracks in the areas I hunt in California, but this was massive. The thick pads were punctuated by long claw marks left in the dried mud. The track looked to be at least a week old, if not older. That’s what I

told myself anyway. As the morning wore on, we realized that our particular deer zone was a popular hunting spot. Twice we had to move aside to let through horses packing hunters and their gear deeper into the wilderness. As we glassed a distant canyon, we spotted two other hunters trekking through the lowlands looking for deer. We also ran into another pair of hunters walking the same path we were on. With all the human activity, Darrin and I knew we needed to get off the beaten path. At the end of that ﬁrst day we made it back to the trailhead after dark. We had seen several does on a distant mountainside, but no bucks. We grabbed dinner in town and headed back to Darrin’s place to regroup and formulate a different plan.

THE NEXT MORNING WAS a repeat of the ﬁrst. We hiked in on the main path in the early hours and waited for ﬁrst

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One of the does the guys spied during their three days of armed hikes through an area near Cody, Wyoming, just east of Yellowstone National Park. (TIM E. HOVEY)

calsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2018 California Sportsman

HUNTING The can of bear spray was never used, but not because there weren’t big bruins lurking around this rugged country. State game managers strongly advise hunters to carry the deterrent in grizzly areas. (TIM E. HOVEY)

light. Instead of staying on the trail, we hiked a steep canyon away from the crowds. About 2 miles from the trail, I spotted three deer grazing into a blind canyon. I only got a quick glimpse of them and didn’t know if a buck was in the group, but I knew they hadn’t seen us. We made our way to the canyon

and checked the wind. With a slight breeze hitting us in the face, we quietly began the stalk. About 45 minutes after we started, we spotted the deer bedded in the shade of a tree only 60 feet from us. They were on alert but stayed put. We glassed the trio and realized they were all does. Feeling more conﬁdent in our

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abilities to at least get close to deer, we pulled out the map to plan out the rest of the hunt. Darrin suggested that we make a huge loop that would put us back near our vehicle at the end of the day. “We’ll have to cross this creek here near the main road, but that shouldn’t be a problem.” The rest of the day was spent hiking ridges, glassing for deer and counting grizzly bear tracks. It didn’t matter where we went – the grizzly bear presence was everywhere. We even stumbled on fresh tracks near the gut pile of a deer killed by a hunter. That sighting convinced us to keep moving. About an hour before sundown we arrived at the creek. Both Darrin and I come from a place where most creeks are either dry or can be crossed with just a few steps. And in Darrin’s defense, the “creek” looked forgeable on the map. Unfortunately, this was no creek. The narrowest section of the upper Shoshone River was approximately 50 feet wide and looked to be waist-deep at its center. If that wasn’t bad enough, the river drains the snowmelt from the rugged mountains near the entrance of Yellowstone Park. At that elevation the water is only a few degrees above freezing. Forging the river, we’d be back at the trailhead and our car in 20 minutes. The alternative was retracing

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HUNTING It didn’t take much wading through the Shoshone for Tim and Darrin to realize that crossing the frigid river wasn’t a good idea. (TIM E. HOVEY)

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our tracks back the way we’d come. That would take two hours, mostly in the dark in grizzly bear country, so that wasn’t ideal. Determined to push forward, we removed our boots and socks, grabbed walking sticks and began wading across the mighty Shoshone. Three steps in, I knew I was done. The ice-cold water sent a shooting pain to my head and gave me an instant headache. With less than ﬁve seconds of immersion, I couldn’t feel my feet. This California boy was not making it across that river. Darrin had spent half that time in the water and he was already shivering. We dried off, put our boots back on and started back the way we had come. Since it was Darrin’s turn with the bear spray, he led the way. We arrived back at the trailhead completely spent. My GPS stated we had traveled 12 miles on day two and none of that was ﬂat. We limped back to town and ordered the biggest steaks the diner served. We laughed about the “creek” crossing and our misguided and unrealistic dependency on a bottle of pepper spray to keep us safe. Deer or no deer, we were having a great time. Day three was our last opportunity to hunt and we hit the lowlands and glassed from ridges that were far smaller than the ones we tackled on day one. We had lunch at the edge of a ridge that gave us an amazing view. We glassed for fun more than anything else and spotted a mountain goat grazing on a hillside over 3 miles away. The surrounding country was amazing and that time on the ridge with a great friend like Darrin will be a lasting memory. After spotting another group of pack horses clopping along the main trail, we decided that maybe bagging a deer on this trip just wasn’t in the cards for us. Worn out from hunting hard, we slow hiked back to the trailhead and arrived at the car at last light.

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Hovey (left) and his late friend Darrin. “The memories of the two of us trying to wade the frigid Shoshone or hooﬁng it back to the car in the dark before the bears got us still make me smile,” Hovey writes. (TIM E. HOVEY)

DARRIN DROVE ME BACK to the airport and dropped me off. Before I got on the plane, he texted me an invite for next season. I thanked him for the hospitality and told him I’d be back. My friend Darrin isn’t with us anymore (California Sportsman, December 2016), but some of my more adventurous hunts occurred with him by my side. The conditions didn’t matter; I knew if I wanted to go anywhere outside with a riﬂe over my shoulder, Darrin would go with me. I miss his quick wit and his desire to discuss any topic under the sun. We shared the same, twisted sense of humor; when we weren’t hunting, we were usually making each other laugh until we cried. Most hunters would look at this hunt as unsuccessful. I don’t look at it that way. I don’t gauge success by what I load into a freezer at the end of a hunt. My enjoyment of the activity stems mostly from who’s at my side during the adventure. For me, that will never change. The memories of the two of us trying to wade the frigid Shoshone or hooﬁng it back to the car in the dark before the bears got us still make me smile. Whether it’s lunch at the edge of the wilderness or sharing a beer and a steak after the hunt, I’m beyond grateful that I got to share those good times with Darrin. CS

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HAVE BOW WILL TRAVEL BRITTANY PREPARES TO HUNT ELK WITH ARCHERY TACKLE By Brittany Boddington

was lucky this year! I drew a tag for an elk archery hunt along with my fiancé Brad in northern Arizona. I’ve been hunting with a bow for a few years but have yet to take an elk with mine, so this is going to be one of those life-changing opportunities if I can pull it off. I’ve been traveling a lot this year and haven’t been shooting as often as I would like. I decided a trip to the local bow shop was in order. Brad is a much more experienced bowhunter. He is trying to teach me the ropes, but I’ve got a lot of work to do. We go to a bow shop not too far from the house where Daniel gives us his time and expertise to help keep our equipment in good shape and up to date. This time we decided to go big and add the new Garmin bow sights to our bows.

Brittany Boddington has been traveling a lot this year, but she’s found some time to get in some bow practice – she set up a backyard range – as she prepares for an archery elk hunt in Arizona this season. (BRITTANY BODDINGTON) Good camo is a neccesity for bowhunting. In her Sitka gear Boddington was able to conceal herself from a doe at just 20 yards. (BRITTANY BODDINGTON)

FINDING THE RANGE One of the problems I’ve had in the past is not being able to move enough to get my rangeﬁnder out and range the animal before it spots me. My new Garmin sight has a built in rangeﬁnder. It is not legal in every state but fortunately is in Arizona, where I now live after moving from Los Angeles. Some people don’t like the new technology; some even call it cheating. I tend to think that if a piece of technology helps me shoot the animal well and I can make a clean kill with minimal impact on the hunt, then it is worth a try. I suppose I can give a better judgement on it once I have tried it for myself. I also decided to switch to a Dropcalsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2018 California Sportsman

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Don’t hesitate to get some advice from your neighborhood outdoors store. Daniel’s Phoenix-area bow shop (left) provided set-up and helped get the bows perfectly dialed in for the author. Boddington (right) calls overpacking “a skill of mine,” but is learning that a light pack is a must for bowhunting. (BRITTANY BODDINGTON)

away rest. I had a Whisker Biscuit on it before but my arrow got jammed down into the bristles while I was crawling after a javelina in December. When I got up and shot my arrow it

went straight into the ground. With a new sight and new rest I thought I should get some new arrows and broadheads. Daniel suggested that we check

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my draw length while I was there to make sure that my arrows were cut right. To my surprise we were able to give me another 1½ inches on my draw length. That makes my arrow

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go signiﬁcantly faster and makes shooting more comfortable.

GEAR CHECKLIST While I wait for my bow to come back with all my new accessories, I’m going through my gear to ﬁnd the best items for the terrain I will be hunting. I like wearing the Sitka Ascent Pant. Last year I got very close to taking a mule deer with my bow in their Optifade Subalpine pattern. I was able to test the pattern extremely close up. I was stalking in on a buck that I had spotted from the ridge above. As I hit the base of the hill I came upon some thick brush and heard something move. I froze as a doe walked out from the brush next to me. I stayed perfectly still. She knew something was not right but she couldn’t tell what I was. She stared at me for what seemed like forever. I had my back

Brittany and her ﬁancé Brad Jennenga have done their share of hunts in their new Arizona home base. They are ﬁred up to get back out with their bows this season. (BRITTANY BODDINGTON)

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“This is going to be one of those life-changing opportunities if I can pull it off,” says Boddington about her upcoming elk hunt. (BRITTANY BODDINGTON)

against a thick juniper bush and she couldn’t distinguish me from the bush. I would call that a major win for camouﬂage.

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I’ve learned that less is more when it comes to bowhunting. When I rifle hunt I fill my pack with goodies that might come in handy, but when I have been bowhunting I’ve found that the lighter I can pack, the better. There is a lot more crawling and climbing involved in getting into bow range than there is in rifle range. My first hunt with a bow I had my rangefinder around my neck, except it kept getting in the way when crawling and I struggled to keep it handy when I got cold and bundled up. This year I’m looking forward to trying out the new Garmin sight with the built-in rangefinder and having one less variable to worry about. CS Editor’s note: Los Angeles native Brittany Boddington is a Phoenix-based hunter, journalist and adventurer. For more, check out brittanyboddington.com and facebook.com/brittanyboddington.

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HUNTING Author Nancy Rodriguez with a boar. Nearly every county in the state has pigs, the descendants of animals brought to California by early European explorers and wild boars released by a landowner in the 1920s. (NANCY RODRIGUEZ)

DON’T IGNORE BOARS A YEAR-ROUND SEASON MEANS ANYTIME IS HOG HUNTING TIME By Nancy Rodriguez

s the shadows lengthen across the golden grass-covered hillsides of California, I am perched on my chosen spot and glassing the valley below. The endless oak trees dotting the landscape are a parched palette of brownish and mottled green colors, and the foliage seems to be clinging to the promise of moisture sure to arrive.

I sit with my binos glued to my eyes and scan every shadow on the hills looking for a dark spot moving along, like a hungry ant searching for leftover picnic crumbs. And soon I spot it – the horizontal line of a spotted feral pig’s back above the screen of brush below. I notice the straight tail and unmistakable pointy ears of the pig bouncing along as it tills the ground with reckless abandon. I scan the

area around it and pick up several others feeding and my adrenaline starts to surge. The hunt is on! I grab my crossbow and take a moment to plan my stalk. My greatest enemy at this moment is the wind, so I squeeze the bottle of wind check and send a wisp of powder spiraling into the air. I can see about a dozen pigs feeding alongside an oak tree and I begin my stalk. Ever so slowly I creep along “pulling” the group into my effective shooting range. They are grunting and snorting along their own way,

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HUNTING Scouting for pigs might mean ﬁnding a “hog highway” that leads to a bedding area at the base of a ﬁr tree. (NANCY RODRIGUEZ)

letting me know they are completely consumed with their dinner buffet. With my binos raised to my eyes I spot a medium-sized dry sow and

I adjust my course. As I creep closer my rangeﬁnder reads 62, 48 and ﬁnally 23 yards. The wind is perfect and I am moving like molasses so the

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group has no idea there is a predator lurking in their midst. The spotted sow I am after is quartering to me and I ﬂoat my crosshairs

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HUNTING Rodriguez checks out a freshly rooted up hillside, a good winter and spring sign that pigs are in the area. (NANCY RODRIGUEZ)

over the desired point of impact. My heart is pounding and with steady tension on the trigger the bolt is on its way. I hear a solid impact and watch as the sounder explodes in all directions. I have ﬁnally taken my ﬁrst public-land pig with a crossbow. What a rush!

NORTH AMERICA NEVER HAD native pigs and they did not exist in California until Russian and Spanish explorers introduced them. They were originally domesticated, but after free foraging they became feral. European wild boars were introduced to California by a Monterey County landowner in the 1920s. These two species bred and became a hybrid wild boar/feral domestic pig (as noted by California Department of Fish and Wildlife). Currently 56 of California’s 58 counties hold wild pigs; you just have to ﬁnd them. A great bonus is that wild pig

hunting is open year-round in California, so they are a great species to hunt during the lull between other seasons. In addition, their abundance makes them a good animal for a new hunter to start with.

When conditions are favorable, the wild pig population can explode and even triple every year and with limited eyesight and healthy populations, they create plenty of stalking and shot opportunities – especially for new bowhunters.

WILD PIGS CONSUME A wide variety of foods and are classified as omnivores. If you can find what pigs are eating, you will likely find them. Depending on the season they may eat grasses, fruits, roots, acorns and even animal carcasses. When we’re not employing spotand-stalk techniques, we’ve had good luck listening for them in the dense forest while still-hunting. Occasionally you will hear them rooting, grunting and squealing while they are feeding along. They are always moving and jockeying for position as they feed, which creates plenty of noise in dry conditions. They are fairly social and there tends to be groups of sows, yearlings and piglets running together. Once boars mature they tend to run solo. The boars that I have shot have all been running solo and the sows have been in groups. Depending on the time of year we are hunting, we will focus on a few things. We first have to find the areas 114 California Sportsman SEPTEMBER 2018 | calsportsmanmag.com

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HUNTING pigs are frequenting. We look for rooting (primarily in winter and spring), tracks, droppings, rubs and bedding areas. Game trails that run up and down hillsides are a good indication there are (or were) pigs in the area as well. Since pigs need water, water sources and wallows are a great area to focus on especially during warmer months. If you are lucky enough to ﬁnd a wallow, check for tracks in the mud and rubs on surrounding trees. If the water in the wallow is cloudy and the mud on the rub trees is wet, pigs have been there recently. This may be a good spot to take a stand and let a few hours pass, especially on a hot summer day. The last two boars I have shot have been taken while glassing/sitting near water holes in the evening. Pigs love to spend the majority of the day in bed. If you ﬁnd them, often they will be sound asleep or wrestling for a better spot amongst

The reward for scoring a Golden State pig, which can be hunted year-round, is some delicious table fare such as this marinated wild hog tenderloin ready to go on the grill. (NANCY RODRIGUEZ)

the group. Pigs usually have several bedding areas, so when we come across a bed we mark it on our GPS. On slow afternoons, we will sneak

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be a large rooted-out area of solid dirt the size of a house hot tub or Jacuzzi. They are usually tucked tight to the base of a large tree, fallen log or in dense brush. You will often notice a lone trail going into dense brush but not coming out the other side. If you ﬁnd this, sneak in quietly and get ready for some quick action.

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BETWEEN MY HUSBAND JOE and I, we have taken wild pigs with compound bows, crossbows, and centerfire rifles. Feral pigs are a bit tougher to take down than deer, so make sure you have adequate firepower. Big boars have a thick shoulder shield that can be very hard to penetrate. The last boar I shot had a shield that was well over an inch thick. Once down, we process wild pigs the same as any big game animal. Cooling it down as quickly as possible is key, especially in warmer conditions. We always take great care of the meat we take and wild pork is some of our favorite table fare. In my opinion, this represents very underrated wild game meat. We will usually have roasts, cured/ smoked ham, stew meat and sausage made from our harvest. Carnitas, tamales, pork chops, grilled tenderloin and amazing stews are some of our favorite pork meals. We’ve even served wild pig smoked ham for our family’s Christmas dinner. Like most wild game, wild pig hunting can be challenging and frustrating at times. They can live in extremely steep, hot and rugged terrain and can vanish at a moment’s notice. But since the season is open year-round, you have a lot of time to sharpen your skills and get one down. For more information on wild pig hunting laws and regulations visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting. CS Editor’s note: Nancy Rodriguez lives in Cool (El Dorado County) with her husband Joe. She is on the field staff for Prois Hunting Apparel and a brand rep for Rockstarlette Outdoors and enjoys inspiring women to get outdoors.

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HUNTING

RETRIEVING BIGGER BIRDS

For fall hunts, you want to make sure your pup is comfortable carrying large birds through tightly placed decoys, like this one making a retrieve through a cackler spread. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

By Scott Haugen

ith fall fast approaching, and multiple bird seasons open or about to, now is the time to make sure your pup is ready to handle big birds. Whether you’re out grouse hunting with a 3-month-old pup now, or planning a Christmas goose hunt with a new gun dog for the first time, you want them to have some familiarity with what they’ll be retrieving. When it comes to teaching your dog to fetch, typically smaller bumpers and birds are used. Training your pup to retrieve starlings, quail or domestic pigeons is great, but once they approach their first blue grouse, they may grow shy. The same goes for dogs that’ll be hunting geese for the first time.

Maybe your pup was old enough to hunt ducks last year, but a 12-pound honker is much different for a dog to handle than a wigeon or mallard. Here we’ll look at preparing a pup to retrieve both large upland birds and waterfowl.

FOR UPLAND HUNTERS looking to get a young pup on grouse or pheasant, start with a large bumper. Once the pup fetches a big bumper with conﬁdence and ease, keep using that bumper; don’t regress to a smaller one. As the pup grows stronger, I like drilling a hole in the top of the bumper, then inserting pencil lead sinkers into it. This adds weight and also noise, something they’ll encounter the ﬁrst time they clamp down on a grouse or pheasant. Over time, as the pup grows stron-

ger, add more weight to the bumper. Don’t get too heavy, too fast. You don’t want the pup to feel overburdened with the weight. As you increase the weight, add bird wings to the bumper, or better yet, an entire bird skin. Attaching dried bird skins to a bumper is a great way to replicate the ﬂopping wings and tail a pup will encounter when they retrieve a bigger bird. Attach the dried bird skin to a bumper with a couple zip ties. Make sure it’s secured so the wings and tail freely move. For upland birds, a 3-pound bumper with a bird skin is a good training tool.

IF GOING GOOSE hunting with your pup for the ﬁrst time this fall, invest in a goose dummy. Dokken makes a good Canada goose dum-

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HUNTING

Proper training at home allowed this young pup to make his ﬁrst blue grouse retrieve a success. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

my that’s sturdy, heavy and offers plenty of movement. Introduce the goose dummy to your pup in a fun manner, in a place the pup is comfortable being. Move it around, encourage the pup to mouth it and praise the pup when it engages. Don’t get in a tug-of-war match with the dummy; rather, get the pup to mouth and eventually hold it. Once the pup can comfortably hold the dummy, start walking and have it heel, so it gets used to carrying it. Periodically stop and have the pup sit while still holding the goose dummy. Once you know the pup can handle the dummy, toss it out for a short retrieve. It might take the pup a minute to gain a proper hold, so just keep encouraging it. When the pup brings the dummy back, praise it and quickly toss it a short distance for another retrieve. At this point, I like going to the water. Your pup will know where to grab the goose dummy, and pushing

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HUNTING it across the water is less cumbersome than running with it on land. But the familiarity your pup gained in grabbing the bumper on land will easily transition to water. A day or two after a good water training session, hit the land for longer retrieves. Start in your yard or an open ﬁeld, as you want the pup focusing on carrying the bulky goose, not having to worry about other elements. As you see the pup progressing with strength and conﬁdence, start having it carry the dummy in tall grass, through ditches, in muddy ponds and among cattails. Introduce it to as many habitats as possible that are similar to where you’ll potentially hunt geese. If you’re going to be hunting snow geese or cacklers, where large, tight decoy spreads are the norm, be sure With its size, weight and moving parts, Dokken’s Canada Goose DeadFowl Trainer is ideal when teaching pups to retrieve bigger waterfowl. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

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and practice this. Set out a couple dozen decoys and toss the dummy amongst them. You want the pup getting used to the goose it’s retrieving while bumping off the decoys, the decoys spinning and maybe even falling over, without getting spooked. When introducing your pup to larger, heavier dummies, keep it fun and gauge how hard you can push them based on their performance. Different breeds and even individual pups within a breed may progress at different rates, so let the pup be your guide. Above all else, stay positive and ease into longer retrieves, and you’ll likely be amazed at how fast your pup progresses, and how naturally they pick up those big birds while on the hunt. CS Editor’s note: Scott Haugen is full-time author, TV host and speaker. To watch some of his basic puppy training videos, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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the LAST LAUGH

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