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Sportsman Northwest
Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource
Volume 13 • Issue 1 PUBLISHER James R. Baker
Your Complete Hunting, Boating, Fishing and Repair Destination Since 1948.
ALUMAWELD STRYKER
EDITOR Andy Walgamott THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS Dave Anderson, Randall Bonner, Jason Brooks, Scott Haugen, Sara Ichtertz, Randy King, Rob Lyon, Buzz Ramsey, Troy Rodakowski, Dave Workman, Mark Yuasa EDITORIAL FIELD SUPPORT Jason Brooks GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak SALES MANAGER Paul Yarnold ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Griffin, Jim Klark, Mike Smith DESIGNER Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker OFFICE MANAGER Katie Aumann INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGER Lois Sanborn WEBMASTER/DIGITAL STRATEGIST Jon Hines
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ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@nwsportsmanmag.com CORRESPONDENCE Email letters, articles/queries, photos, etc., to awalgamott@media-inc.com, or to the mailing address below. ON THE COVER Chad Zoller bagged this beautiful North-central Oregon mule deer near Ione with a 60-yard shot on the opening weekend of the 2019 season. (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)
SUN CHASER WE OFFER A LARGE INVENTORY OF QUALITY BRANDS ALUMAWELD • SMOKERCRAFT • HEWES CRAFT SUN CHASER PONTOONS • YAMAHA • SUZUKI • MERCURY
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OCTOBER 2020 | nwsportsmanmag.com
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MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP 14240 Interurban Ave. S., Suite 190 Tukwila, WA 98168 (206) 382-9220 • (800) 332-1736 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com mediaindexpublishing.com
CONTENTS
VOLUME 13 • ISSUE 1
91
SAGE ADVICE
Hunting mule deer in open country is tough, and Jason Brooks isn’t too proud to admit that some big bucks there have gotten away from him. He shares lessons learned over several decades of chasing the big-eared bounders in the Northwest’s sage- and noisy buckbrush. (JASON BROOKS)
ALSO INSIDE 69
81
EVERGREEN STATE BUCK PROSPECTS Editor Andy Walgamott takes his annual look at how Washington buck hunters may fare during this fall’s general rifle seasons, finding blacktail and mule deer hunters have reasons to be optimistic, while whitetail chasers may be in for another tougher year. How is your unit shaping up? HOW TO HUNT MULEYS IN DEERLESS WASHINGTON Popular opinion has it that the state’s public lands are overrun with hunters and that there ain’t no muleys on ’em anyway. So how has one relatively new hunter and his partners managed to bag multiple bucks on that ground? Former Northern Rockies big game hunting guide Dave Anderson has some tips.
101 OUTSMART OREGON’S EARLYSEASON DEER On the eve of the 2020 season, “Where are you going and what are you going to do in order to increase your odds?” inquires successful Beaver State deer hunter Troy Rodakowski, who argues that switching up tactics could be the key to notching your tag. 133 EBIKE YOUR WAY TO MORE GROUSE, GAME With more and more forest roads gated, electric bikes make a lot of sense for accessing hunting country. Rob Lyon shares how he and a partner combined pedal with power to get into grouse earlier this season, as well as how these modern two-wheelers could be applicable for other game too.
140 OREGON FALL TURKEYS There’s a lot more turkey hunting opportunity in Oregon, where there’s no longer a quota on tags and the season now runs deep into winter. Randall Bonner has tips and tactics for bagging a holiday bird. 151 ‘SPECTACULAR YEAR’ IN STORE FOR RAZOR CLAMMERS Forgive the pun, but you truly are going to dig this news from the coast: Razor clam numbers are at a “historic high” on Washington’s beaches and are very strong on Oregon’s Clatsop County sands. Mark Yuasa previews what is shaping up to be a great season. 175 PRIME TIME FOR PERCH Lake Washington shines in fall as big schools fatten up for winter, making for fast fishing. Mark does double duty this issue, detailing how to catch a mess for a big fish fry!
SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Go to nwsportsmanmag.com for details. NORTHWEST SPORTSMAN is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Avenue South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Periodical Postage Paid at Seattle, WA and at additional mail offices. (USPS 025-251) POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Northwest Sportsman, 14240 Interurban Ave South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Annual subscriptions are $29.95 (12 issues), 2-year subscription are $49.95 (24 issues). Send check or money order to Media Index Publishing Group, or call (206) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Back issues may be ordered 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 © 2020 Media Index Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A.
14 Northwest Sportsman
OCTOBER 2020 | nwsportsmanmag.com
127
(JASON BROOKS)
NORTHWEST PURSUITS
October Is Actually For The Birds
Bucks, schmucks – the year’s 10th month is all about upland birds! Well, with all the quail and partridge openers in the Northwest, one could make that argument – which is exactly what Jason does in highlighting an overlooked Octo-tunity.
COLUMNS 107 ON TARGET Talking Big Game And Bullets Is your rifle zeroed? Knives sharpened? Hunting gear ready to go?! Deer and elk seasons are upon us and Dave has some handy checklists and thoughts in the buildup to the year’s biggest hunts. 117 CHEF IN THE WILD Putting Up, Part III: Freezing It’s harvest time in the Northwest and Chef Randy is highlighting ways to “put up,” or preserve, wild game meat. In the past two issues he focused on canning and smoking, and this issue he turns his attention to the overlooked basics of home processing for freezing. 145 GUN DOG Variety The Spice Of Life For Gun Dogs Too Fall brings a cornucopia of options for wingshooters, but when you’re trying to figure out what bird species to chase, “think first about what it will do for your dog, not you,” counsels Scott. Find out why! 159 FOR THE LOVE OF THE TUG Chasing Oregon’s Mystery Salmon The purple bars of Oncorhynchus keta are a rarity in Oregon waters, but Sara has been drawn to the salmonid species like no other in the state. Last fall she had a chance to fish for chums with two close friends and shares their adventure. 167 BUZZ RAMSEY Fall For Columbia’s Autumn ’Eyes Late winter and early spring tend to draw the focus of many Columbia River system walleye anglers, but fall is also productive. Buzz hits up Shane Magnuson for the guide’s tips on trolling plugs and worm harnesses, as well as jigging.
16 Northwest Sportsman
OCTOBER 2020 | nwsportsmanmag.com
35
(ANDY WALGAMOTT)
THE DISHONOR ROLL: COMMERCIAL CRABBERS PINCHED 2 Astoria fishermen charged with felony gear theft, crabbing in marine reserve
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THE EDITOR’S NOTE On conflagrations and fall’s arrival
26
THE BIG PIC Photographic welcome to October, the best month of all
29
PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD Chinook, sablefish, triploids and more!
31
PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS Coast, Fishing monthly prizes
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DERBY WATCH Derby series’ prize boat held until end of 2021 contests; Recent results
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OUTDOOR CALENDAR Upcoming openers, events, more
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THEEDITOR’SNOTE
A tuft of deer hair caught on a stick high above the editor and partners’ hunting camp. (ANDY WALGAMOTT)
T
he hook of the coho’s nose surprised me, even though it shouldn’t have. It told me fall was here. The seasons and world had become topsy-turvy there in mid-September as I was trolling in my kayak somewhere on central Puget Sound underneath a low, thick murk of lung-burning smoke from last month’s forest fires, as well as fog. A week later, when it all finally cleared out, I looked up from putting a herring strip on my hoochie and saw obvious signs that autumn had indeed arrived. The maples on the hillsides above the inland sea had taken on a tint. I don’t know how the season snuck up on me so fast, but then again, it feels like I’ve been living in a state of suspended animation while working at home since mid-March due to the pandemic. Midand late August’s mellowing air temperatures and finally being able to edit all day without becoming a sweaty mess by quitting time convinced me that summer was over. But then things heated back up and tinder-dry range and forests exploded under an extraordinary north then east wind into massive conflagrations.
AROUND THAT TIME, things heated up in the Northwest fish and wildlife management world too, with Oregon managers rebuffing Washington’s bid to open the Columbia estuary for sturgeon retention, all but returning the Evergreen State’s June disinterest in doing so when the Beaver State had wanted to hold a keeper fishery on the lower river. Then Governor Jay Inslee again intervened in predator management, bowing to out-of-state wolf interests who’d lobbied him to reverse a Fish and Wildlife Commission decision. It was a sharp slap in the face to the instate stakeholder process and ranchers and others in Northeast Washington impacted by wolf recovery. On the flip side, federal delisting of Canis lupus is said to be “imminent,” which would give full control over the species to the states. And in a close vote, Washington’s commission made major changes to hard-won Columbia salmon fishing and conservation reforms, including allowing gillnetting on spring and summer Chinook at the discretion of fishery managers, and moving from set sport-commercial allocations to abundance-based ones that, on average, reduce the recreational share. While a late amendment did make more springers available for Washington’s Snake River anglers, those fish would also come from the communal Lower Columbia pot, making for more concurrency migraines with Oregon. AHHHH, DEEP BREATH. Smell that? It’s fall. After giving those hooknoses a good go, I’m turning my attention to four-legged bucks. After all this year has brought and promises to bring, I look forward to escaping to deer camp now more than ever. See you there. –Andy Walgamott nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
Northwest Sportsman 23
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PICTURE
Welcome To October
Mule deer bucks run across a Southeast Washington farmscape before the start of last year’s rifle seasons. (CHAD ZOLLER)
nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
Northwest Sportsman 27
READER PHOTOS
Not long after notching her first two turkey tags this past spring, Samantha Gaudette put one on her first bruin. She bagged this black bear in early August with a 100-yard shot from her 7mm-08, then packed the meat out herself! (COAST HUNTING PHOTO CONTEST)
Buoy 10 provided some nice-sized Chinook this past season, including this one for Mike Bolt on the late opener. He was fishing with good buddy Nate Craig and reported his catch was just shy of 30 pounds. (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)
Shane Bailey and crew enjoyed a good day of fishing near Tacoma, catching these kings off famed Point Defiance. (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)
Frank Urabeck, Washington’s sockeye “godfather,” switched up species and waters this summer, hitting the mouth of the Columbia for Chinook. He reported tight-quarters fishing and strong fish, with his biggest king getting “within 10 feet or closer of a boat we waved off under threat of destruction. Had to put a thumb on the reel to stop a fish that had already made three runs.” (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)
The Columbia’s North Jetty in August might be all about salmon, but Adrionna McClellan will remember it for this big surfperch. She caught it on a whole anchovy on a mooching rig. (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)
We’re not supposed to tell, but what the heck, there are tasty sablefish to be caught off the Northwest’s coast! Ron Harrington hoists one of the deepwater specimens sometimes also known as black cod and butterfish. (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)
Scott Fletcher quickly found his fishing groove after a year and a half off the water, thanks to Rufus Woods Lake, where he landed these triploids, among others, in August. (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)
No boat, no problem for Maralee Moore! She knows she can bank on Banks Lake for bugeyes. (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)
For your shot at winning great fishing and hunting products from Northwest Sportsman and Coast, respectively, send your full-resolution, original images with all the pertinent details – who’s in the pic; when and where they were; what they caught their fish on/weapon they used to bag the game; and any other details you’d like to reveal (the more, the merrier!) – to awalgamott@media-inc.com or Northwest Sportsman, 14240 Interurban Ave S, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. By sending us photos, you affirm you have the right to distribute them for use in our print and Internet publications.
nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
Northwest Sportsman 29
PHOTO
CONTEST
WINNERS!
Paul Kearney is the winner of our monthly Fishing Photo Contest, thanks to this shot of wife Rosalie and her Strait of Juan de Fuca Chinook. It wins him gear from various tackle manufacturers!
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Chad White is our monthly Coast Hunting Photo Contest winner, thanks to this pic of cousin Luke and his Washington black bear, taken last season. It wins him a knife and light from Coast!
For your shot at winning a Coast knife and light, as well as fishing products from various manufacturers, send your photos and pertinent details (who, what, when, where) to awalgamott@media-inc.com or Northwest Sportsman, 14240 Interurban Ave. S., Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. By sending us photos, you affirm you have the right to distribute them for our print or Internet publications.
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Northwest Sportsman 31
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OCTOBER 2020 | nwsportsmanmag.com
2 Commercial Crabbers Charged A pair of Astoria-area-based commercial fishermen were charged criminally for allegedly using stolen pots to surreptitiously catch crabs well inside an off-limits zone on Oregon’s North Coast. A fascinating story from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife last month details how Scott Edward Giles, 39, skipper of The Baranof, and deckhand Travis Richard Westerlund, 34, were foiled by the sharp eyes of a lifelong Oregon fisherman, a state university researcher and an ardent fish and wildlife trooper.
IT BEGAN IN April 2019, according to ODFW, when Capt. Bob Browning of the F/V Lady Lee out of Garibaldi spotted a “strange object” about the size of a fist on the ocean’s surface and brought it to the attention of Dr. Sarah Henkel, who’d hired Browning and his boat for her research project on Dungeness feeding ecology in the Cape Falcon Marine Reserve. The object was a black bait bag with foam chunks inside of it for floatation. Clearly designed to avoid notice, it was also attached to a cord that Browning discovered led to something heavy below. Wrapping the cord onto his hydraulic lift, he initially yarded up two crab pots. Henkel and Browning called it in and were asked by OSP Fish and Wildlife Division Sgt. Todd Thompson to keep pulling pots and bring them to port. “The nearly invisible float marked a string of 19 pots, all with crabs in them,” ODFW reported. “Even in areas where
crabbing is legal, each pot must have a surface marker. But these were secretly placed in the center of the 12-square-mile marine reserve, where commercial fishing is strictly prohibited.” While the reserve program was controversial when it went into effect several years ago, the Cape Falcon unit is unique for its large expanse of sandy bottom habitat that is ideal for Dungies. At the dock, the Lady Lee unloaded “a rainbow of crab pots,” which suggested the gear once belonged to a number of crabbers. Per ODFW, commercial fishermen tend to paint their pots all the same color. Differences in bait setups also led Trooper Jim O’Connor to suspect that the gear came from many sources. Eventually it was determined that the 19 pots had belonged to seven different crabbers from Astoria to Newport, including eight from one fisherman who, according to The Daily Astorian, had once considered himself a friend of Giles.
THE INITIAL THEORY was that whomever had set the pots in the reserve wouldn’t dare do so again, but O’Connor began tracking boats transiting past. In May he got a break when Browning got a call from a friend who had just run over a line attached to two strings of pots there. After calling OSP’s Turn in Poachers hotline (800-452-7888), Browning headed out, followed by O’Connor, another trooper and a Coast Guardsman in an OSP boat. On the scene, the troopers pulled a few pots and O’Connor marked several
MIXED BAG
keeper crabs in each. Then the Dungies were put back in the pots, which were lowered back down to the seafloor. Next, O’Connor headed to the local fish processor for what he expected to be a long night as he awaited the arrival of his marked crab. A few hours later they came through, and that also gave O’Connor the info he needed to know which boat they’d come off of – one of several he’d been tracking, according to ODFW. Search warrants helped track the suspects, Giles and Westerlund in The Baranof, to the marine reserve, according to ODFW, and this past August the two men were indicted by a grand jury in Clatsop County on a total of 26 charges. Giles was charged with 14 criminal counts, to include unlawful take, fishing with prohibited methods and in an off-limits area, and criminal mischief, as well as felony theft, given the amount of stolen gear involved in the case, according to ODFW. Westerlund’s 12 charges are similar, the agency stated. Curt Melcher, ODFW director, said the case highlighted the role of residents in helping to protect public resources, and the detrimental impact of poaching on law-abiding user groups. O’Connor credited Browning and Henkel, saying the crab pots wouldn’t have been found had it not been for them. ODFW said that Browning in turn tipped his skipper’s cap to the trooper, saying, “I wouldn’t want to be the guy he’s after!” Editor’s note: Due to the length of this story, Jackass of the Month will return next month.
KUDOS
One of Oregon’s finest fish and wildlife troopers retired in midsummer after a 25-year career with the state police. Lt. Todd Hoodenpyl (center) was lauded for his deep passion for “the work done to protect our state’s natural resources, which is something he brought to work with him every day,” said OSP Fish and Wildlife Division Director Capt. Casey Thomas. Hoodenpyl began as a patrol recruit out of Fossil in 1995, then transferred to fish and wildlife in 1999 and was stationed in two Northwest Oregon locations. He was promoted and served as the Tillamook sergeant for 11 years before becoming regional lieutenant and put in charge of enforcement in a dozen counties and troopers out of nine offices. Thank you for your service, sir!
(OSP) (OSP)
nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
Northwest Sportsman 35
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Series’ Prize Boat Now To Be Held Till End Of ’21’s Fishing Derbies
By Andy Walgamott
T
he year 2020 is proving to be hell on every- and anything related to fishing derbies, including this page. About 10 days after the September issue hit the press with our story saying that the Northwest Fishing Derby Series was going on “hiatus” for at least a year but that the grand prize boat was still going to be raffled off last month, there was a new plan. Hold onto the boat, hopefully hold this year’s cancelled derbies next year, then give the boat away at the end of 2021’s series.
TO BACK UP a bit here, for years the boat has been raffled off at the culmination of the Everett Coho Derby. For a chance to win it, all you have to do is enter one of the annual, dozen-plus series-connected derbies held around the region. Names of all the entrants go into a hopper and a lucky winner is drawn on a Sunday afternoon in late September. Enter 2020. Around the same time that Covid-19 began to scuttle the series’ spring derbies, salmon season negotiations with tribal comanagers at North of Falcon effectively
scrubbed its blackmouth contests in the San Juan Islands and Strait of Juan de Fuca next winter. Then a number of summer derbies also bit the dust due to coronavirus, though organizers of two held out of Edmonds and Everett for coho decided to go ahead with theirs last month, albeit without awards ceremonies due to state social distance restrictions. The series is put together by the Northwest Marine Trade Association and with a massive hole in 2021’s early lineup due to those closed resident Chinook fisheries, its president George Harris gave me the bad news in mid-July that the series would go on pause for at least a year. He added that somehow, someway the boat – a Kingfisher 2025 Escape, motor, trailer, fishing equipment and electronics package worth $75,000 – would still be given away last month. Well, if 2020 has taught this Northwest sportsman anything, it’s that plans are going to change – several times.
IN AN EARLY September email to series sponsors, Karsten McIntosh, NMTA’s communications manager, said the
board and Grow Boating Committee had subsequently voted to hold onto the boat “for another year to allow the derbies that didn’t happen this year to (hopefully) have a chance at entering to win the boat next year.” He said that holding the series over two years would “balance out the entries” from events that were held in 2020 but wouldn’t be in 2021, and those that weren’t held this year but could still occur in 2021. “We are excited to have this second chance and think it will work especially well in that many of the derbies that did happen this year, namely our winter Chinook salmon derbies, will not be happening next year due to winter salmon fishing closures and the derbies that didn’t get to happen this year, we hope will be able to return next year,” said McIntosh. While seemingly a fair way to handle an extraordinary situation, not giving the boat away last month was still criticized by a few as essentially false advertising. The change will also help fulfill derby sponsorship obligations derailed by the pandemic.
RECENT RESULTS
Trout fishing should pick up as Washington’s annual derby hits the home stretch in October. As of mid-September, there were still 445 spaghetti-tagged fish swimming in over 100 lakes that could be redeemed for prizes valued up to $1,000. To see how many are in a participating lake near you, go to wdfwderby.com. (WDFW)
Edmonds Coho Derby, Marine Areas 9-10, Sept. 12: First place: Ryan Dotson, 9.10-pound coho, $2,500; second: Jon Millenaar, 9.02-pound coho, $1,500; third: Steffen Harald Torgersen, 8.64-pound coho, $1,000; first place youth: William Alseth, 7.41-pound coho, $100 Lower Umpqua River/Winchester Bay Salmon Derby, Sept. 5-7: Cancelled due to Covid-19
nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
Northwest Sportsman 37
OUTDOOR
CALENDAR* OCTOBER
1
Salmon, steelhead opener on numerous Oregon streams, and coho opener on select Oregon Coast lakes 3 Oregon Coast, Cascade and most controlled rifle buck openers; Washington muzzleloader elk opener; Eastern Washington youth waterfowl hunting day; Eastern Washington quail, partridge openers 10 Oregon quail, pheasant, partridge, wild turkey, Zone 2 snipe and early duck, and Klamath, Lake, Harney and Malheur Counties Canada and whitefronted goose openers; Deer, elk rifle openers in many Idaho units 11 Last day of extended Northern Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Fishery Program at 11 select stations 15 Last day of Oregon ocean crab season 17 Oregon Cascades rifle elk opener; Washington general rifle deer season opener; Last day of bottomfish retention off Washington Coast 17-18 Youth Pheasant Hunts, Ontario (free, registration) – info: myodfw.com/ workshops-and-events 17-25 Washington early general duck opener 17-27 Youth, disabled, senior antlerless deer hunt in select Eastern Washington units 17- Nov. 1 Oregon Zone 1 early duck opener 24 Oregon Cascade Buck second opener; Northwest Oregon Permit Goose Zone early opener; Eastern Washington pheasant season opener 28 Washington duck season resumes 31 Eastern Washington rifle elk opener; Last day to fish many Washington lowland lakes listed in regulations pamphlet
NOVEMBER 1 6 7
Last day to hunt blacktails in Western Washington’s general rifle season Last day to hunt blacktails in Oregon’s Coast, Cascade centerfire areas Oregon Rocky Mountain bull elk centerfire second season opener; Western Washington rifle elk opener; Late Northeast Washington rifle whitetail opener 7-8 Extended Western Oregon youth deer season 14 Southwest Oregon late bow deer opener in select units; Oregon first Coast bull elk opener 19 Western Washington late rifle blacktail opener in select units 21 Northwest Oregon late bow deer opener in select units; Oregon second Coast bull elk opener 25 Late bow, muzzleloader deer, elk opener in many Washington units 28-29 Oregon Free Fishing Weekend * Check ahead. Some events may not take place due to Covid-19 concerns.
A whitetail buck looks back over its shoulder on a hillside in Southeast Washington. (CHAD ZOLLER) nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
Northwest Sportsman 39
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The Diamondback HD line of spotting scopes from Vortex is taking the next step forward with two new configurations, the 16-48x65 and the 20-60x85, providing power and clarity in a redesigned package that’s high on performance and low on sticker shock. vortexoptics.com
SILVER HORDE
The KatchKooler Deluxe keeps your catch fresher and features a compact design for easy storage. Made from high-density closed-cell foam. Waterproof outer fabric. Add reusable ice packs and protect your catch from bacterial degradation. silverhorde.com
VERLE’S
Verle’s gift certificates are perfect for anyone who loves to go boating, fishing, hunting, hiking and more. You choose the value and they never expire. Stop by or give them a call to purchase the best gift, a Verle’s gift certificate. verles.com
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RAD POWER BIKES
The RadRover seamlessly blends rugged capabilities and exceptional comfort. With 4-inch fat tires and a reputation for stability, Rad Power Bikes’ flagship ebike is perfect for off-road adventures, weekend spins around the cul de sac, and everything in between. It’s no wonder it’s the best-selling electric fat bike in North America. radpowerbikes.com
HAKAI LODGE
Create family memories that will last a lifetime! Share your fishing adventures at Hakai Lodge with your sons, daughters and grandchildren during multi-generation vacations, making it a family event to remember. It’s nice to have a break from your devices and what better way to bond with your family than on a fishing trip in the scenic wilderness of British Columbia? (The lodge has wifi; whether or not you use it is up to you!) Hakai Lodge is family-friendly and offers special rates for young adults. Their fishing trips are all-inclusive, including round-trip airfare from Seattle, Washington, and range from six days to two days. Check their website for rates. hakaifishinglodge.com
PROLIX LUBRICANTS
BLACK HILLS AMMUNITION
Dual Performance is available in 5.56mm with a 62-grain projectile at 3,000 feet per second from a 20-inch barrel and a .308 152-grain version at 2,800 fps from a 24-inch barrel. The performance of these rounds will set new standards and the accuracy ensures terminal capability is delivered with precision. black-hills.com
Even Santa would love to see a bottle of PrOlix in his stocking this holiday season! There is no product on the market to date that works like PrOlix; just see their ad in this publication and learn more over at their website! Let PrOlix make it a joyful holiday! prolixlubricant.com
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SEA SPORT BOATS
The Sea Sport XL 2400 can easily be described as the best all-around boat in its class. Offering a spacious and thoughtfully laid out cabin with all the creature comforts, this superior craft is best known for its huge, 72-square-foot aft deck and built-in fish cleaner, hooking the most avid sport fisherman. seasportboats.com 44 Northwest Sportsman
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The Skinner Sights HTF bag allows your firepower to be “concealed in plain sight,” yet ready in case of an emergency. Holds up to a 40-inch long gun and two handguns. Room for three rifle and eight pistol magazines. Knife, flashlight and accessory pouches. Cordura construction with heavy-duty stitching. (Firearms and accessories in photo are not included. For illustrative purposes only.) skinnersights.com
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Northwest Sportsman 45
WEB STEEL BUILDINGS NORTHWEST
Web Steel Buildings Northwest is a Pacific Northwest manufacturer of preengineered steel-framed buildings. Their frame systems allow you to design just the right building for your needs. Folks are discovering the cost-competitive and environmental advantages of the pre-engineered steel buildings. Applications for residential, commercial and agricultural purposes are available. wsbnw.com
THE BEST OF THE WEST
The Best of the West Mountain Scout rifle is perfect for backcountry, ruggedterrain hunters. BOTW started with the strong but lightweight BOTW Mountain Hunter carbon fiber stock that has a slim, compact profile, then kept the weight super low by pairing that stock with a 22-inch carbon fiber barrel and titanium action. Chambered in 6.5 PRC, it tips the scale at only 6.8 pounds with a Huskemaw BD 4-16x42 scope! thebestofthewest.net
MONTANA’S MISSOURI RIVER COUNTRY
There’s more room to roam, explore and discover new territory in Northeast Montana’s Missouri River Country. Big-water recreation, wildlife sightings, prairie topography, paleontology, uncluttered views that go on forever and the history of the Old West. Dark night skies with bright stars and landscapes that give you room to breathe. Put Missouri River Country on the top of your bucket list! missouririvermt.com
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STOCKY’S LLC
Stocky’s new Accublock Long Range Composite Thumbhole stocks are just the upgrade you need when the action is fast and the ranges get long. A billet of 6160 aluminum is machined into a V block and permanently molded right into the stock to get all of the inherent accuracy available in your rifle. Fast-handling assault-style vertical thumbhole grip keeps you in control for fast follow-ups and a sure grip. Models for just about any Remington 700 rifle in stock as low as $219. stockysstocks.com
TODD’S CREEKSIDE CABIN
The best rest in the West. Soothe your soul with the babbling water of Tassel Creek in beautiful Forks, Washington. Great for a quick, stress-free getaway or your next fishing/hunting trip. Short stroll from the majestic Sol Duc River and abundant wildlife sightings. Luxury furnished three-bedroom (one California king bed, two queen beds, one twin bed) cabin with free wifi, laundry, barbecue, fire pit and gas fireplace. Come explore, then kick back and relax. toddscreeksidecabin.com
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With Nosler E-Tip ammunition, lead-free never means performance-free. Nosler applied their decades of bullet-making experience to creating a line of lead-free bullets and ammunition with the accuracy, reliability and terminal performance you demand. Try Nosler E-Tip ammunition, and experience lead-free with zero compromise. nosler.com
1911 Complete 70 Series slide with internals and sights. Marked “Model Of 1911.” Carbon steel with matte black finish. Regent MFG Slide is manufactured from CNC-machined bar stock with a low-cut ejection port. Accepts virtually all aftermarket parts made for M1911-style pistols. Includes the following parts installed: firing pin, firing pin stop, extractor, serrated ramp front sight and fixed notch rear sight. Bonus parts: blue steel barrel bushing, standard recoil spring, recoil spring plug, recoil spring guide. cdnnsports.com
U.S. MARINE SALES AND SERVICE
Welcome to US Marine Sales and Service, the Puget Sound’s leader in providing the friendliest service backed by years of expertise in saltwater and freshwater environments. Their goal is to work closely with their customers to save them time and money while creating excellent value in products and service. US Marine Sales and Service is pleased to offer the finest selection of new and used boats and pontoon boats for sale, from the best manufacturers: Yamaha Boats, WeldCraft Boats, G3 Boats and Suncatcher Pontoon Boats. US Marine Sales and Service also carries a wide selection of Yamaha Waverunners, EZ Loader Boat Trailers, Yamaha Outboards, MerCruiser and Volvo Penta Sterndrives. usmarinesales.com
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nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
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PACIFIC WINGS WATERFOWL ADVENTURES
Perfect gift for the waterfowl hunter in your life is a hunt with Pacific Wings. Gift certificates available. You can purchase a hunt as a unique gift that is sure to please. Premier waterfowl hunting in Eastern Washington. pacific-wings.net
PMA TOOL
Give the gift of accuracy this Christmas. The PMA Model A Neck Turner is the simplest, most comfortable neck turning tool available. PMA Tool is your first call in rifle accuracy. Go to their website to see all the tools and gear available to get the highest level of accuracy from your rifles. pmatool.com
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BOAT INSURANCE AGENCY
The Boat Insurance Agency is an independent agency representing the best marine insurance companies. They carefully compare a number of policies to find the lowest premiums and best values for your boat insurance needs. Boat Insurance Agency is owned and operated by Northwest boaters. They have the local knowledge needed to understand boating in the West, along with your special needs. Contact them for an insurance quote and to learn more about the value and service they can offer. boatinsurance.net
ATHLON OPTICS
New for 2020, an affordable hunting line designed by hunters for hunters. The Argos HMR from Athlon Optics is a compact and versatile hunting scope. Head to the field prepared, with traditional and long-range reticle options and advanced fully multi-coated optics. athlonoptics.com
DEAD FOOT ARMS
EXQUISITEKNIVES.COM
Exquisiteknives.com offers the finest in custom knives, from hunters to elaborate art knives, and is owned by retired master bladesmith Dave Ellis, who has an extensive collection, as well as contacts worldwide. With the advantage of being a maker, collector and purveyor, Dave can fulfill your every need. Ben Seward is one of Exquisiteknives.com’s picks. This checkered-handled beauty (above) is just one example of his work. exquisiteknives.com
The SCW 2.5 Tailhook is by far the most compact PDW-style pistol brace that the industry has ever seen, with a collapsed length of 2.5 inches. While compact, it is still very versatile, allowing for button-free brace deployment and five length-of-pull settings. deadfootarms.com
RUFFIANO INTERNATIONAL
LEELOCK MAGNUM SKEG
The LeeLock Magnum Skeg drastically improves performance and straight-line travel of bowmounted electric trolling motors. The use of bow-mounted electric trolling motors for salmon trolling is a game-changer. Not only does this skeg improve performance, it makes bow-mounted electric trolling motors much more efficient. Your batteries will run longer on a charge. The LeeLock Magnum Skeg can be a vital part of your trolling motor system! This oversized skeg is made of anodized 5052 aluminum. The size is 8.5 inches high by 10 inches wide and it’s .1875 inch thick. The skeg is anodized to keep the aluminum from corroding in fresh- and saltwater. The LeeLock Magnum Skeg is available to fit most 12-, 24- and 36-volt Minn Kota motors. The Magnum Skeg comes with clear PVC-coated hose clamps. The LeeLock Magnum Skeg is also available for MotorGuide motors. leelock.com 52 Northwest Sportsman
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Ruffiano International, an authorized distributor, is proud to offer you The Original Dirty Harry Shoulder Holster! From the original company and made for every gun in the world. “The most comfortable I have ever tried for heavy guns,” says Elmer Keith, father of the .44 Magnum cartridge. Now go shoot! ruffianointernational.com
YANKEE HILL MACHINE CO., INC.
Since 1951 YHM has been at the forefront of firearm manufacturing and in 2005 became a world-class competitor in the suppressor industry. YHM staffers are experts in the firearms industry, but capable of manufacturing any part you may need. It doesn’t matter if the part is big, small, simple or complex, or a single part or a complete assembly, YHM is the company you can turn to when you need to get the job done right. yhm.net
nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
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SEAL 1
Kit includes: one 4-ounce container of CLP Plus Paste; one 4-ounce container of CLP Plus Liquid; one four-pack of presaturated EZ-Cloth; one 12-inch-by-12-inch microfiber cloth; one doubleended nylon utility brush; and two 6-inch hardwood cotton swabs. seal1.net
EASY LAUNCH
Transom Wheels were designed for saltwater! Made of the best available corrosion-resistant aluminum, combined with strength, and then clear-anodized for maximum protection. All pins and mounting hardware are stainless steel, including the lanyard. The wheels are medium-high-density commercial polyethylene and are rotationally molded to .25 inch thickness. They are designed to operate without bearings, are airtight and float! Easy Launch’s wheel system is very durable and the heavy-duty construction and innovative design makes getting across rough terrain, soft sand or loose gravel a snap! ezlaunchwheels.com
ELK MOUNTAIN TENTS
Quality wall tents with the most features at the lowest cost. elkmountaintents.com
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WOODMAN’S PAL
A unique gift for any outdoorsman, your new Woodman’s Pal will become an instant family heirloom. Both the ash wood handle and the beautiful leather sheath are handmade and finished by Amish craftsmen. Each blade is individually hand-sharpened to ensure the machete cuts through everything. $175. Made in USA. woodmanspal.com
GALLERYOFGUNS.COM
Search GalleryofGuns.com, find your gun and buy it from your local dealer. It’s just that easy. GalleryofGuns.com allows consumers to buy from a huge selection of firearms from the firearms industry’s top manufacturers. Over-and-under shotguns, combination guns, varmint rifles, handguns – you name it, GalleryofGuns.com has it. galleryofguns.com
GIBSON’S BLIND COVERS
Ever wonder why ducks and geese flare off early? They can see you from above! With Gibson’s Blind Covers you can easily watch the ducks while staying hidden, and then simply gently nudge the covers open when it’s time to take the shot. Made from welded steel, powder coated, portable or permanent, adaptable to boats and stand-up blinds, sizes 2 through 6 feet, adjustable, sold in pairs. You see the ducks and they don’t see you. Drop more birds this season! Price $225-$425 per pair. Call (209) 712-9858 to order or visit Gibson’s Blind Covers’ website. gibsonduckblindcoversinc.com
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HUNTING
Evergreen State Buck Prospects Here’s a look at how Washington blacktail, mule deer and whitetail hunters may fare during this fall’s hunting seasons. By Andy Walgamott
I
’m going to go out on a limb and say that Washington blacktail and mule deer general season harvest this fall – the bulk of which occurs during this month and next’s rifle hunts – will likely continue to rebound
from 2017’s nadir, caused by drought, fires and a bad winter, while whitetail take will be flat. It’s a fairly sturdy Douglas fir branch I’m on, albeit one licked by flames and fangs, and is strengthened by harvest trends seen the past three seasons, 2019’s posthunt surveys, buck:doe
and doe:fawn ratios, district biologists’ takes on their herds, a mild winter, and no antlerless opportunities in the state’s northeast corner for any user groups. There’s also the relatively late modern firearms opener that could benefit mule deer hunters targeting migratory herds on the eastern slopes
A Washington hunter looks out over burned forest in hopes of spotting a legal mule deer or whitetail buck during last year’s rifle season. (CHASE GUNNELL) nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
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HUNTING of the North Cascades. But crawling out where this bough becomes more sprig- and twiglike, I wonder about hunter numbers and potential dynamic impacts of more of us afield. With Covid-19, unemployment is up and outdoor recreation has exploded, so will that result in oranger hillsides in October and November? Will more pumpkins push more deer into more hunters? With more time on our hands, will we stay afield longer, increasing our odds of success? Or will hangover from
recent years’ relatively low harvests, word-of-mouth deer observations, increasing predator concerns and other factors suppress hunter numbers? What about fire restrictions? Or will an early atmospheric river dampen that concern – and participation? Questions, questions, questions! First let’s look at some harder info from recent seasons before launching into the forecasts for this fall. Last year saw 27,588 deer taken during all of Washington’s general seasons – rifle, bow, muzzleloader Whitetail harvest has declined across most of the Eastside following drought, disease, winter survival issues and antlerless reductions since 2015. The exception is western Okanogan and eastern Chelan Counties, where it’s held steady since 2016, and was where this buck was taken last year. (CHASE GUNNELL)
– including 11,470 blacktails, 8,590 mule deer and 7,528 whitetails. That’s up from 27,529 in 2018 and 25,914 in 2017, but well below 2015’s whopping 37,573. It was also the second year in a row that the gray ghosts of Westside forests accounted for a plurality of the state’s harvest, and third out of the last four years. Whitetail kill has cratered due to a combination of bluetongue, epizootic hemorrhagic disease, harsh winters and increasing antlerless restrictions to protect does and rebuild herds. No doubt the Evergreen State’s growing predator guild is also having an impact at some level and researchers are looking into wolf/cougar/etc.-prey relationships in key areas. Breaking 2019’s take down further, the South Cascades zone was most productive for blacktails with 4,339 bagged, the Columbia Plateau for muleys with 3,330 tagged and Selkirk region for whitetails with 4,683 killed. Interestingly, the Okanogan Highlands and Blue Mountains compared favorably to the larger Palouse region in terms of whitetail harvest, 717 and 768 to 1,053, as did Puget Sound islands with the North Cascades, 928 to 1,412 blacktails.
NORTHEAST WASHINGTON General modern firearm buck harvest ticked back up last season in the state’s primary whitetail units north and northwest of Spokane after steep declines following 2015’s high mark. Riflemen took 3,278 bucks in 2019 compared to 3,067 the year before, and harvest was up or held steady in most units, though it did drop in Huckleberry, the most productive. The flip side is, antlerless deer were off limits for all, and are again this fall. In their annual hunting prospects, district biologists Annemarie Prince and Ben Turnock report stable buck:doe and fawn:doe ratios in recent years. Longer term, the former ratio has been on a very slow rise through the upper 20s during the 2000s, but the latter has also declined over the same period. Hunter numbers were down 70 Northwest Sportsman
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HUNTING Speaking of Mt. Spokane, it again stood head and shoulders over other units in the district, with a harvest of 1,204 bucks and does last year, while Harrington and Almota hunters needed nine and 11 days to tag out.
BLUE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS
Mule deer harvests have been picking up since bottoming out in 2017. Chad White got this one during 2018’s season. (COAST HUNTING PHOTO CONTEST)
uniformly last year and success rates were below the 20-year average, but Aladdin, Selkirk, 49 Degrees North saw increases in that metric. Riflemen in that trio also needed fewer days to notch a tag than in 2018. As usual the Huckleberry and 49 Degrees North units were most productive in terms of harvest, producing 1,121 and 725 bucks for riflemen, while days per harvest was lowest in Kellyhill and Douglas at around 15 per notched tag. As a heads up for down the road, antler-point minimums are again being mulled, this time not just in Huckle and 49 North. Last month comment was being sought on districtwide two, three or four-point restrictions for 72 Northwest Sportsman
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everyone except youth, senior and disabled sportsmen.
SPOKANE AND PALOUSE Whitetail are still struggling to recover in units around and south of Spokane to the Snake following disease as well as summer and winter weather issues since 2015, but mule deer herds are near long-term averages, report biologists Michael Atamian and Carrie Lowe. A milder winter and wet spring should have helped flagtails begin to bounce back this year, they say. Mt. Spokane and the rest of their district, plus some units on the south side of the Snake, host the only general antlerless ops for youth, disabled and seniors this season.
Late, heavy snows two winters ago that hit fawns hard will likely continue to depress harvest numbers this season, at least on the south and east sides of the Blues where conditions were most fearsome. “With an average to mild winter over 2019-2020 and the lag time for bucks to become legal three-points, we wouldn’t expect white-tailed deer harvest to significantly improve until the 2021 season, and mule deer harvest by 2022,” write biologists Paul Wik and Mark Vekasy in their synopsis. They also warn that a big EHD dieoff seen in Oregon south of Walla Walla last year could have had impacts in adjacent Washington units. Prescott accounted for nearly 29 percent of the district’s overall rifle harvest in 2019, led with a 34 percent success rate and only required a day more per kill than Mayview, nine versus eight. Typically those low figures mean overwhelming private ownership, but Prescott does have a good amount of land enrolled in various access programs, as do other units ringing the Blues and up in the Palouse.
OKANOGAN AND CHELAN COUNTIES Conditions aren’t fully aligned like they were in 2015, when mule deer hunters enjoyed a phenomenal season in Northcentral Washington, but two things are in their favor. General season starts and ends as late as it possibly can for the species in the state, Oct. 17-27, and there are some good signs, at least with the Okanogan herd. “Improving post-season fawn:doe ratios and higher than average estimated fawn recruitment over the last two years likely means a modest increase in 2.5-year-old buck availability in 2020,” report district
HUNTING
A lot of blacktail hunting is now focused in Western Washington’s lowlands, where firearms restrictions are also in play. Bryce Foytack took this three-by-two in the Stella Unit, near Longview, with a shotgun. (COAST HUNTING PHOTO CONTEST)
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biologists Scott Fitkin and Jeff Heinlen. “Similarly, the 2019 postseason buck:doe ratio rose to 22 bucks per 100 does, and with about a third of those being greater than or equal to three points, older age-class buck availability looks decent as well.” They forecast an uptick in harvest and success rates over last year, with a take close to the five-year average. Success and days-per-kill rates are nowhere as gaudy as units in aforementioned districts, but they’re not bad in those along either side of the Okanogan River itself. Okanogan East stood out with 29 percent of the district’s bucks last year and represents the best overlap of muley and whitetail range, but Pogue required the fewest days per deer, 14. There’s less info to gauge the situation in Chelan County, to the south, as biologists were unable to fly the winter range after last hunting season due to weather, but the trend has been in the right direction.
HUNTING Buck:doe numbers rebounded from 18:100 to 23:100 after 2018’s hunt and that may have helped plump 2019’s rifle season harvest up to 593 from the previous year’s 439. Entiat was most productive with 178 bucks taken, but hunter success and days per kill were better in Manson (19 percent and 20), Mission (18 percent and 22) and Swakane (17 percent and 20). Throw a nice blanket of snow over the heights in mid- to late October and that could be good for those of us hunting the top end of Chelan and Okanogan’s winter range units. Well, hope springs eternal anyway.
COLUMBIA BASIN Douglas County looked prime for a good October, thanks to a bestin-the-Columbia-Basin buck:doe ratio of 23:100, well above the goal of 15:100, but it remains to be seen what the 350-square-mile Pearl Hill Fire did to deer distribution. It burned
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20 percent of the county, including parts of state wildlife areas in a largely privately owned region. Before that happened, biologists Emily Jeffreys and Devon Comstock were forecasting “excellent hunting opportunity during general and antlerless permit seasons in these sagebrush and agricultural habitats.” Ratios elsewhere stood at 22:100 bucks:does in Ritzville and 17:100 in Beezley, where bios Sean Dougherty and Ella Rowan were expecting an average year, and 16:100 in Kahlotus. Fawn numbers ranged from 63: to 74:100 does, the latter figure for Kahlotus and a high mark back through at least 2010, potentially signifying something to watch for next year and the season after. Big Bend is a fraction of the size of Ritzville, Beezley and Kahlotus, but fared well last year, yielding 128 bucks to riflemen, compared to 264, 215 and 187, respectively. But
Ritzville had the best success rate, 38 percent, and days per kill, nine.
SOUTHCENTRAL WASHINGTON Bios Stefanie Bergh and Carly Wickhem took heart in a bit of an uptick in last year’s harvest in their district’s three mule deer units, saying it was “hopefully an indication of a recovery for these populations.” The “extreme winter” of 2016-17 took a meaty whack out of West and East Klickitat and Grayback, but December surveys showed a “slight increase in the population and recent spring surveys show that fawn survival is back to its historic average.” “Success rates in fall 2019 increased slightly over recent years, which is another encouraging sign,” Bergh and Wickhem note about all of their units, which line the Columbia Gorge from Vancouver east to Crow Butte. They expect 2,000 bucks to be tagged by general season hunters for
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a 20 to 25 percent success rate. East Klick and Battle Ground were neck and neck in terms of rifle success rates last year, 30 and 29 percent, and days per kill, 13 and 14, but Washougal topped all with a harvest of 353, mostly spike and forked horn blacktails. Yakima and Kittitas Counties also saw a rebound in buck harvest, but that was compared to 2018, when it “hit its lowest levels … since records have been maintained ... No major increase is expected for 2020,” reports biologist Jeff Bernatowicz.
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With such dense habitat, blacktail can’t be monitored like Eastside deer, but biologists Eric Holman and Nicholle Stephens feel numbers in Cowlitz, Lewis and Wahkiakum Counties are “stable to increasing.” With three mild winters in a row following a really bad one in 2016-17, “deer hunting opportunity should again be good in 2020,” they say. The Willapa Hills have rebounded from a poor 2017 season and if observable harvest trends since 2001 are any indication, it will continue to climb this season. Success percentages are best in Minot Peak, Copalis and Fall River at 37, 33 and 31 percent. In Pugetropolis, North Sound led all mainland units last year with 315 general-season modern firearms deer, thanks to “quite high local deer densities” (check gun restrictions as the unit represents the settled lowlands). But not far behind was Mason at 302 and Satsop at 300. In the islands, state hunting managers continue to try and increase access to plentiful though smaller blacktails. Success rates are stratospheric in places – 53 percent for Whidbey hunters who bagged 168 bucks and 34 antlerless deer, taking just eight days apiece during last year’s “rifle” season (the entire island is actually firearms restricted). But so too can be the cost of a ferry trip to and lodging on many of the islands this time of year. Wherever you go, good luck! NS
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HUNTING
Dave Anderson is a former big game hunting guide from the Northern Rockies who moved to Washington 15 years ago and has successfully bagged numerous mule deer despite the state’s reputation for few bucks and too many hunters. (DAVE ANDERSON)
How To Hunt Muleys In Deerless Washington* *There are actually plenty in the Evergreen State, despite popular opinion, and here’s how one relatively new hunter has bagged multiple mule deer bucks on public land. By Dave Anderson
H
ow many times have you heard someone complain about how awful public land deer hunting is in Washington state? Too many hunters, not enough deer – the list of complaints and excuses could go on and on. When I first started hunting in
Washington and became a resident in 2005, I too was like many of these people. I moved to the state after being a backcountry guide in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. It would be an understatement to say I was a bit surprised by the number of people and amount of pressure in Washington. However, instead of throwing in the towel and giving up, I started hunting
harder and discovered ways to get out of the crowds. Very seldom do I even bump into people unless I hunt a specific area because it’s part of my plan. I definitely do not consider myself an expert, but myself, my family and others within my hunting group have been fortunate enough to notch a lot of tags over the years here in Washington. I have hunted all over the state, nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
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HUNTING
The author considers binoculars to be his “number one tool” and whatever brand you head afield with – Anderson prefers Leupold – the key is looking for parts of a deer in or backed up against cover. And when you move, only go a short way before reassessing the country you’ve just glassed, he advises. (DAVE ANDERSON)
but primarily on the east side. I prefer to hunt mule deer because I love the terrain and habitat the species thrives in. However, I definitely have hunted in areas that hold lots of whitetail as well and would never turn down the opportunity to harvest one in this state. For me, I feel like there are certain tools that have helped me to be successful hunting deer in Washington state on public land.
THE NUMBER ONE tool to being successful in the field are my 82 Northwest Sportsman
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binoculars. Good glass is essential and can make or break any hunt, in my opinion. The binoculars that I currently run are Leupold Santiam 10x42 and my wife Kristina has a pair of Leupold BX-4 Pro Guides. Both are great binoculars and work excellent in the country we hunt. Most of my time in the field is spent glassing near and far, depending on how I am hunting that day. Keep in mind that the majority of the time, you will not just find deer out in the open with a ray of light shining down
upon them. When glassing, you are looking under trees, in brush, next to rocks – the list could go on and on. You may only see a small piece of hide with something in front of it, say, an antler, an eye, or get a glimpse of an ear or tail twitch. You really need to study the hills in front of you because I guarantee you will easily miss deer if you just take a quick glance. It is also important to only move in short distances when glassing an area. Each time you move, you will gain different vantage points. Even if you just move 10 yards up a hill, you will have a different perspective of the area you are looking at. Don’t just sit in one spot and then move on. And, depending on distance, if I spot a deer that I can’t visualize clearly or if I am in an area where I need to look at something further out, I will pull out my Leupold Santiam spotting scope. I use it to confirm if a deer is legal, as well as decide if it is something I want to pursue. Again, I cannot stress enough how important good quality glass is. There are a lot of good optic brands out there, depending on budget. Everyone is going to have an opinion on what brand is best, so do your own research and choose something that fits and feels good to you. I have used Leupold scopes and optics for years and have always been impressed with the quality and service. If I was asked to recommend an optics brand, I would 100-percent recommend Leupold.
THE NEXT ITEM in my list of tools for success is a wind indicator bottle. I am constantly checking wind direction when I’m in the field. If the wind is in your face, you are in the right place. If you can feel the wind on the back of your neck as you start to walk into the area you are hunting, turn around! Deer have a great sense of smell and you will bust them out of an area. You will have to change your approach or plan in order to be successful depending on wind direction.
HUNTING GOOD QUALITY FOOTWEAR and clothing are next on my list. We are so lucky to live and hunt in this day and age. The quality of footwear and clothing has evolved leaps and bounds from what they were 20 years ago. There are so many different brands and systems out there that we can choose from based on the weather or terrain we are hunting. There are comfortable lightweight options that are great for early season or warmer regions, as well as warmer, yet breathable options for late-season hunts. I don’t think you can go wrong with
any of the clothing options available, but make sure you are comfortable based on where you are hunting and time of year you are hunting. As far as boots go, I generally take a lighter-weight pair, as well as an insulated pair for colder weather. The only suggestion I have is to make sure the boots you choose fit correctly and are broken in before the start of the season to try and prevent blisters from forming. A good pair of insoles also helps with stabilization and comfort.
ANOTHER GREAT ITEM I started carrying with me are trekking poles. I really want my Along with quality clothing and footwear appropriate to that part of the season, a wind indicator and trekking pole, Anderson considers a backpack the last part of his success puzzle. “Ninety-five percent of the time we are quartering out an animal or boning it on the mountain and using our packs to haul it out,” he writes. (DAVE ANDERSON)
knees to last me another 40 years, so depending on the type of terrain you hunt, trekking poles can be a great addition to help support those more difficult hunts. With strenuous, steepterrain hunts, a good set of trekking poles can really save some wear and tear on your body.
MY LAST PIECE of advice is to make sure you have a good backpack. I run the Mystery Ranch packs. I have the Pintler and Metcalf bags, which work on the same frame. It’s awesome to be able to switch out bags depending on whether I’m doing a day trip versus multiple days with a sleeping bag, tent, etc. Another thing I like about these packs is that I can separate the bag from the frame to be able to pack deer or elk off the mountain. I honestly can’t tell you the last time I drove my truck up to a just-harvested animal for loading, or have had the luxury of dragging one out close to my vehicle. Ninety-five percent of the time we are quartering out an animal or boning it on the mountain and using our packs to haul it out. These are the main reasons why I chose the Mystery Ranch packs. I don’t like having to empty my backpack and potentially get blood onto the gear. I always make sure to have everything along with me during my hunts (i.e., knives, game bags, saws, etc.). I want to be as efficient as possible when I harvest an animal without having to make multiple trips back and forth to my truck. In addition, I want to be able to take care of the animal as quickly as possible so that nothing goes to waste – and also so other people in my hunting group who are helping me can get back to their hunt sooner.
BESIDES THESE TOOLS that can help you be successful in the field, one of the biggest mistakes that I see when I’m hunting public land is the number of people back at camps and hanging out at the campfire around 10 a.m. 84 Northwest Sportsman
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HUNTING Hunting all day isn’t in everyone’s game plan and I know there are a lot of hunters who enjoy the social aspect of getting out in the woods with their buddies as well. I’m only able to spend a fraction of the time I used to get when I go hunting, so I want to soak up every precious moment I have up in the hills. Pack a lunch and bring plenty of water. The deer are still out there, they just transition to different areas. My family, friends and I have taken a lot of deer between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Everyone has their own ideas on what they consider a successful hunt, but make sure you get out there and enjoy the mountains, family and friends. In the end, that’s really what it’s all about. We really do have some great opportunities in Washington. Hopefully you will get to notch a tag this year with a little hard work and miles under your feet. I definitely can’t wait! NS
Many Washington mule deer hunters return to camp for lunch, but the author prefers to keep hunting through midday. Another tip is to use all of the season; Anderson’s father-in-law Maury Kincannon (middle) bagged this buck on the second-to-last day of 2019’s hunt. This year’s mule deer hunt runs Oct. 17-27, making the back end of season particularly intriguing. (DAVE ANDERSON)
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HUNTING Mule deer are strongly associated with forested mountains throughout the Northwest, but plenty live in more open sagebrush country. It’s not easy to hunt them there, given the relative lack of cover, but it can be done. (JASON BROOKS)
Sage Advice Hunting mule deer in open country is tough, but here’s how one sportsman does so successfully. By Jason Brooks
A
pair of mule deer bucks were bedded in a draw below the rock outcropping that I was glassing from. My stalk began by crawling between stands of sagebrush while weaving around patches of dried and noisy ceanothus as I made towards a saddle above the two deer. Both were larger than any bucks I have ever seen during hunting season. As I tried to close the gap, I could already see myself wrapping my notched tag around one of those wide and tall antlers. But after rounding the last sage I came to another area
of “buck brush.” The ceanothus patch was large and after a hot and dry summer, the fall rains hadn’t reconstituted the leaves enough to keep them from crackling if I tried to push through. Knowing there wasn’t any way to get closer I laid my backpack down and used it as a rest to take the long-distance shot.
MULE DEER ARE tough animals to hunt whether you are pursuing them in the alpine backcountry, in the foothills covered with Douglas fir, aspens and ponderosa pines, or on wide open plains and sage-covered rolling hills. The species inhabits a
very large and diverse range from the southern portions of the Yukon all the way to Sonora, Mexico, and from the Cascades and Sierra Nevadas on the west to the far Great Plains on the east. Because of this you can hunt these large-bodied, wide-antlered deer in a variety of landscapes. Most mule deer hunters also know that high mountain bucks often sport thick and tall antlers, while those that have adapted to the open country have wide and thin antlers. Same with the varied habitats of the Northwest, where “mountain bucks” hang out along the Cascade Crest and the upper reaches of the Blues and nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
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HUNTING Selkirks, and “desert bucks” are in the Snake River breaks and rolling sage and wheat lands of the Palouse. How you hunt them can vary too. The plains to the east in the Palouse, Columbia Basin and Snake River breaks offer open-country hunting opportunities. But the high country draws most hunters, and the national forest and state lands prevalent there are home to some large bucks.
BECAUSE THESE DEER are mostly a migratory animal, some of the best hunts occur late in fall when bucks have moved out of the high country and down into the foothills. This year, for hunters in Washington the late start and 11-day season offer a rare opportunity to find migrating deer that are in the pre-rut, and maybe even the full rut if the weather turns cold early. The start of modern firearm deer season in the Evergreen State falls on the first Saturday after October 10, and most years that occurs on the second weekend of the month. But this fall, October 10 falls on that second
Saturday, kicking the beginning of the hunt back to October 17 and the third weekend of the month. That relatively late start also means the season runs well into the last week of the month, through Tuesday, October 27. Years ago the season used to run into the early part of November and it was always the last half of the season that was best. This season, keep an eye on the weather report, and not just snow but temperatures. Mule deer start their migration as temps drop below freezing, killing off their food sources. When their food loses calories, the deer need to find more nutrients to stay warm. But don’t expect them to come all the way down to the wintering grounds. Instead, mature bucks will stage as they migrate out, stopping to feed where they find forage with nutritional value. The old tales of big muley bucks not coming out of the backcountry until their bellies are dragging in snow probably came from an early heavy storm that dumped feet of snow in a day and the deer had to do a quick migration. In
A hunter on the boundary between stubble and sagebrush considers his next move. It’s best to use the landscape to your advantage. (JASON BROOKS) 94 Northwest Sportsman
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reality, they take their time until they get hungry and then head out, which also happens to coincide with the rut. When temperatures are cold, mule deer spend their time feeding on sagebrush, ceanothus and grasses, and browsing on aspen saplings and other plants. They need a lot of calories and that means they are out feeding most of the day. The rut also occurs in late fall. Bucks roam the hillsides looking for receptive does. For the hunter who draws one of the coveted late tags or has a general season hunt during this timeframe – such as the last half of Washington’s rifle season this year – it is beneficial to find a high vantage point and glass. A good pair of binoculars and a spotting scope are essential tools for any hunter, but for a mule deer hunter they are a must.
WHEN IT COMES to the open lowlands, Palouse and Snake and Columbia River breaks, using the terrain is about the only way a hunter can get close enough to mule deer. The two bucks mentioned at the beginning of this article had fed their way down
HUNTING to a bench. Now they were laying with their backs to each other, acting as a pair of sentries. The only way I could get closer was to sneak my way through some sage and avoid the large patches of noisy bitterbrush. On the far left side of the basin was a saddle and I could see the tops of some evergreen trees on the backside of the ridgeline. If I could make it to that saddle, then I could cut to the backside and close the distance to within shooting range, then use the sage again to set up a rest on my backpack and take one of the two mature bucks. But after I came around that last sage and saw the large island of ceanothus, I knew I was stuck. There simply was no way for me to make it to the saddle without crossing the noisy groundcover; I would be in Perhaps bumped out of a shaded draw, a group of does, yearlings and a spike mule deer head out of dodge. Many stalks will be unsuccessful, but author Jason Brooks counsels, “We learn more from our failures than we do our success.” (JASON BROOKS)
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the wide open while doing so. These bucks knew this and I fell right into their safeguard. Sitting on the ground, I placed the rifle over my backpack between my knees. The shot was in desperation and the bucks stood up, looking behind them – often a sign you’ve shot over their backs – and then proceeded towards their escape route to my right. As the largest buck crested the far ridgeline, his antlers were silhouetted on the skyline. I felt a sense of failure and awe at the same time. Years later I continue to play that failed stalk through my mind. Each time I see a mule deer buck in the wide open my mind wanders back to that day. We learn more from our failures than we do our success.
A FEW YEARS ago while hunting mule
deer along the breaks of Central Idaho’s Salmon River the chance to redeem myself was presented. Open hillsides of cheatgrass and sage rose out of the steep drainages. Mule deer had made their way out of the high country and into the open lowlands. Standing prominently over a group of does was a buck. Their home was a lava rock and shale hillside with a tall rock spire at the top. Chukars cackled from above and I could hear the deer as they fed across the open slope, stepping on loose rocks and shale as they went. The day before a band of bighorn sheep had been on the same hillside. The buck wasn’t especially large, but he was mature, thin horned and stained a darker color, leading me to believe he lived in the timber. I should have let that buck pass, but as
HUNTING With a lesson learned in a prior season front and center in his mind, Brooks stalked a herd of mule deer feeding across an open slope to take this Idaho buck. (JASON BROOKS)
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he stood against the light brown and golden hillside I couldn’t turn down another open-country stalk. Using a deep cut strewn with boulders and shale slides I made my way towards the deer. Coming out of the draw there was a large boulder to angle towards. The deer were feeding and each time one picked up their head, I stopped and tried to act like another large rock. Staying low and crouching, I continued slowly towards the deer when they put their heads back down. The rut was helping, as the deer were only concerned with feeding and rutting activities. Those two big bucks of years ago flashed through my mind, reminding me of my failure. Closing the gap to less than a hundred yards my primal hunting instinct took over. I was a predator sneaking close to my prey. All of a sudden the size of the buck’s antlers didn’t matter; it was about the stalk, the chase, the hunt and this time I had done it. NS
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HUNTING
Outsmart Oregon’s Early-season Deer Switching up tactics could be the key to notching your tag.
Terry Rodakowski, the author’s father, used trail cameras to stake out this buck prior to the early season in the Willamette Valley. (TROY RODAKOWSKI)
By Troy Rodakowski
G
et it done early and fill your freezer. That’s what we all hope for every season, isn’t it? Oregon’s early-season deer can be both easy and tough, depending on the deer, location and hunting pressure. These first couple weeks of October can be discouraging for many reasons. Smart deer become even smarter once campers, tents and ATVs show up and wood is cut. Campfires send smoke signals into the forest air and the unnatural noises alert animals that hunting season is near. What I have found over the years is that scouting is critical for early success. Most deer are transitioning out of summer patterns, rubbing velvet and preparing for the rut. The first two weeks in October bucks will be playfully sparring in their bachelor groups. By the third week of the month they will be splitting up and marking their own territories. Paying close attention to where early-season rubs are is crucial. I have found fresh velvet below rubs, indicating a buck was likely very close. Bucks will still be visiting viable food sources and water. Indian summers can delay the rut and keep bucks in feeding and loafing mode a bit longer than usual, but the first good hard frost of the season will usually snap them out of the lazy days of summer and encourage them to start getting down nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
Northwest Sportsman 101
HUNTING The author used other hunters to push this buck over a ridge and into range a few seasons back. (TROY RODAKOWSKI)
to business. Food sources are where does will stay and bucks will not travel far from those places. However, bucks will begin to make fewer and fewer appearances during daylight hours and usually bed not long after sunrise, only moving once or so prior to the hours closest to dusk. Glassing timber edges and sitting near intersecting trails during these hours can be very beneficial. Sugars in plants tend to drop off once grasses and broadleaf plants begin to die. Knowing animals prefer secluded places away from trails and roads, one may find the best access at trailheads, campgrounds or other forest road systems. Google Earth, onX and topo map applications can show you where deer will hold up. Oftentimes, you can find places deer prefer to cross trails, creeks or roads based on topographic information. Scissorlike drainages surrounded by roads can create bottlenecks for traveling animals. Keep a close eye on the barometer and plan your hunts accordingly. Deer will be feeding on grasses, fresh green broadleaf plants and lichens. Make sure to concentrate on these food sources, especially late in the season when deer are looking to bulk up after the rut and prior to the onset of winter.
ADAPTATION IS ESSENTIAL for us hunters to enjoy frequent success. For those of us who invest years trying to obtain specific hunts, we have to pay very special attention to detail. Modern inventions like GPS overlays, digital mapping and others are great tools and I recommend using them to help find your niche in the woods this fall. But it’s not all tech, tech, tech. A good friend once told me, “Don’t think like a deer.” “What do you mean?” I thought. We were hunting deer, so didn’t I want to get into their head and understand why they do what they do? I soon found out I was wrong, as oftentimes we hunters find ourselves 102 Northwest Sportsman
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stuck in the same routine – whatever it may be – as we trek about the woods. Change it up and do the opposite of what you think might work. It may change your luck for the better. The multitude of people, camps, traffic and noise near the area you plan to hunt are major causes of disappearing deer. All of these factors and more cause deer to move or to hunker down. Although it is difficult, try your best to avoid these situations. If you have no choice and are hunting in a large party in a popular area, get away from people once the season opens. If this means hiking a few miles into the forest by headlamp or setting up a small spike camp away from all the commotion, do so. This will increase your odds tenfold. Believe me, going above and beyond what the “average” hunter does works more often than you might think. It’s now time to break the cycle of doing the same thing season after season with lackluster results. Find secluded creeks, water holes or springs during dry years over in the desert and hunt them during the morning and until dark. Most hunters are not willing to sit until dark or travel before light to catch animals during peak watering hours. As the season progresses, deer feel increased security as the woods become quieter. Also, it is a week closer to the rut and you may even catch a buck or two following a few does. Seasoned deer know this and will move between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. I have caught bucks sneaking through wooded draws and creek bottoms during midday to avoid detection and escape hunter pressure. Big bucks know when season ramps up and they will do what has worked for them in the past. Using other hunters to your advantage works in highly pressured areas. Set up near vantage points downwind where you can watch deer filter out from cover. I’ve harvested several deer that were spooked or pushed toward me by other hunters. A few seasons back while hunting east of the Cascades, I found myself in a good vantage point where I knew hunters would be pushing through and, sure enough, here came two nice bucks over the ridge right toward me. Once in range, I was able to make a good shot on one and filled my tag.
THE QUESTION NOW is, where are you going and what are you going to do in order to increase your odds? Change it up, try different things, and instead of standing around the campfire at 10 a.m. go on a midday hunt. Hike to where you have not hunted in the past, sit longer, have more patience, adapt and glass the open sage a bit longer. You will see improved results if you are persistent and pay attention to detail. Here’s to all of us having the best season yet, Covid or no Covid. NS
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COLUMN
Is your rifle zeroed? Better get on the ball. Deer seasons are opening in the Northwest! (DAVE WORKMAN)
Let’s Talk Big Game And Bullets W
ashington’s modern firearm general buck deer season opens several days later than ON TARGET usual this month on By Dave Workman Saturday, Oct. 17, and that slightly later season could give hunters a distinct edge. In neighboring Oregon, the coast buck season runs Oct. 3-Nov. 6, and the split
Cascade buck seasons run Oct. 3-16 and Oct. 24-Nov. 5. Eastern units are managed with controlled seasons and you need to check the regulations for specifics. Later, Washington hunters will enjoy the traditional late blacktail season in several units, Nov. 19-22, while the late whitetail buck season in northeast units runs Nov. 7-19. Evergreen State hunters get a break from the moon, because it is dark on the 16th, the eve of the opener. Clear skies
will not provide easy nocturnal feeding for deer, and the hunter who gets into gear early and gets on his/her favorite stand could have a good opportunity to notch a tag. All the range time and the hours at the loading bench will pay off – hopefully – for the careful hunter. Here’s the checklist: √ Rifle zeroed with fresh ammunition you’ll use in the field
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COLUMN
There ought to be a law ... This guy and a few others have been hanging around the horse pasture a stone’s throw from author Dave Workman’s front door. (DAVE WORKMAN)
DID SOMEBODY SAY ELK SEASON?
M
odern rifle elk seasons are looming as well, and all the details in my main article on deer hunting can be applied to hunting the wapiti. In Eastern Washington, elk hunters go afield Oct. 31-Nov. 8 , and in Units 101, 105, 108, 111, 113, 117d, 121 and 204, any bull is fair game. It’s a spike-only game in 145, 149d, 154, 162-169, 172 (except Elk Area 1040), 175186, 249, and 336-368. You’re stuck with “true spike” bulls in 251, 328, 329, 334 and 335, but you can topple any elk in 124-142, 372, 382 and 388, though check the regulations pamphlet for the caveat on 372. It’s primarily private property and if you don’t have access, find somewhere else to hunt. The season runs Oct. 31-Nov. 15 in 203, 209-248, 250, 254-272, 278d, 284, 290, 373d, 379d and 381. (The “d” refers to an advisory to check about hunting on U.S. Fish & Wildlife
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Service refuge lands.) In Western Washington, the season runs Nov. 7-18, and you can check the regulations on Page 48 for all the details on which units allow any bull and which require a three-point minimum. Down in Oregon, the West Cascade elk season runs Oct. 17-23, the first Coast elk season is Nov. 14-17 and the second Coast elk hunt runs Nov. 21-27. In Eastern Oregon, the Rocky Mountain elk second season is Nov. 7-15. Most of the state, however, is managed for “controlled” hunts. Elk can be elusive, except when the season is closed. All summer long, I’ve had a small band of elk hanging around the horse pasture across the road. They’ve been doing this for more than 20 years. Come November, they vanish, and there are some big bulls in that bunch. The minimum caliber I’d suggest for elk hunting is a .308 Winchester, and only if you know where to shoot. For
practical purposes, go with a .30-06, .300 Win. Magnum, 7mm Remington Magnum or anything bigger. I’ve known folks who wouldn’t settle for anything less than the .35 Whelan or a .338 Win. Magnum. Whatever caliber you pick is fine with me, provided it’s fine with you. By the time elk seasons roll around, the woods will have been filled with hunters shooting deer, grouse and other small game, so elk are definitely going to be pretty wary. If there’s an early seasonal snow, that’s good because elk will be moving to find forage, and to stay away from hunters. You’ll want to get away from the roads – and definitely away from anywhere people are camped. Find elk trails that show traffic and stay on them. Patience and a good pair of binoculars are definite necessities. Have warm gloves and be quiet. The full moon is Oct. 31-Nov. 1, the halfmoon comes Nov. 8 and it’s a dark moon Nov. 14-16. –DW
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COLUMN √ Scope lenses cleaned √ Binocular lenses cleaned √ Knives sharpened (surely you carry more than one knife!) √ Hunting clothes washed and hung outside under a tree √ License and tag in the wallet √ Boots greased √ Daypack cleaned out and freshly supplied √ Sleeping bag cleaned √ Foam pad checked Oh, and make damn sure you vote! No excuses allowed. Your gun rights and perhaps even your hunting rights are on the line. Election Day is Nov. 3 and your ballots will arrive several days ahead of that, maybe even during opening week of the season. Do not leave for hunting camp without having filled in your ballot, and put it in the mail or in the ballot drop box in your community. Author Dave Workman has found polymer-tipped bullets don’t deform when being loaded into the chamber. (DAVE WORKMAN)
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THIS YEAR, I’LL be hunting with my Savage bolt-action in .308 Winchester. I’ve shot a
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Handloaders need one of these, a simple electronic scale. This one is from Lyman and it’s indispensable on a loading bench. (DAVE WORKMAN)
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couple of nice Eastern Washington bucks with that rifle, using handloads on both occasions. It’s a good rifle, with a 22-inch free-floating barrel cut with a 1:10-inch rifling twist. It’s got a three-position thumb safety, four-round detachable magazine (I’ve got two spares, one in each pocket), and Savage’s superb AccuTrigger. It’s not for sale. A couple of days prior to the opener, I will clean that rifle from muzzle to buttpad. The bore will be cleaned and given a final pass with a lightly oiled patch. And then, I’ll be back at the range to fire one round through a cold barrel. It’s my fouling shot. The bore will not be cleaned again until the season is over, notched tag or empty bag. I use handloads assembled at my bench in this rifle. My pet load consists of 39.0 grains of IMR 4895 behind either a 165-grain Nosler AccuBond or Ballistic Tip boattail bullet. This is not the maximum load but it is listed in the Nosler manual as the “most accurate” load. Each powder charge is individually weighed, almost down to the powder
granule, by using a powder trickler. My powder charges are weighed on a Lyman electronic scale. My dies are from RCBS and Hornady and each round is loaded in a single-stage RCBS press. Thousands of rounds have been loaded on that faithful old model, and some of them have put venison in my freezer. I prefer the 165-grain bullet because it has a very good ballistic coefficient – the ability to shoot straight and flat, in layman’s terms – and because it works better in a breeze than a 150-grainer, in my experience. Where I hunt, a pretty brisk wind can come up suddenly. These bullets have polymer tips. I like that because the point will not get deformed during insertion into the chamber. After sizing, my cases are polished in a Lyman Cyclone rotary tumbler with thousands of tiny steel pins in a formula of Turbo Clean solution mixed with warm water. They’re tumbled for three hours, then allowed to dry in a greenhouse for a couple of days before sitting overnight in the workshop to air dry.
COLUMN
Got an edge on your knife? Now’s the time to hone it up! (DAVE WORKMAN)
Each case is trimmed to original length (2.015 inches) and the primer pockets are carefully cleaned out. I check each case neck for tiny cracks and if I spot one, that case goes in the trash. I zero the rifle using a sandbag rest and fire no more than three rounds per string, so as not to make the barrel hot. No matter what else happens, I’ll be firing that shot from a cold barrel and I want to make sure it goes where it’s supposed to go. My rifles are all zeroed to hit 3 inches high at 100 yards, putting them in the bull’s-eye at about 250 yards. I’ve shot deer at longer ranges, but I like being as close as possible without risking being detected. Three years ago, my brother used one of my handloads to conk a three-point muley on the Snake River on an uphill 150-yard shot, so I’m confident the load is accurate. If you hunt with someone, try to have the same caliber rifle so you can use the same ammunition if necessary. A couple of years earlier, my Savage put down a four-by-five buck on the far side of the same ridge, one canyon over, using the same load. NS
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COLUMN
Community grind: The menfolk of the King family gather in the author’s kitchen to process and freeze an Idaho mule deer early last month. (RANDY KING)
Preserving Meat, Part 3: Freezing Game Editor’s note: It’s harvest time in the Northwest and Randy King is highlighting ways to “put up,” or preserve, wild game meat. In the past two issues he focused on canning and smoking, and this issue he turns his attention to the overlooked basics of home processing for freezing.
W CHEF IN THE WILD
By Randy King
hen I was a child, the ritual behind game meat processing seemed profound. It was a timeless dance of people in our kitchen and dining room.
AM radio crackling out of an ancient stereo in the kitchen. My father and an uncle working an elk leg off the bone – big wooden cutting boards lined up next to the stove. My brother trimming the silverskin and separating meat into two piles – one trash, one for the grinder. My sister grinding meat. My mother
and my aunt, sitting at the dining room table, wrapping and labeling the meat. Little cousins playing on the swing in the backyard, crisp fall air coming in through the screen door. As for me, my job was to get the meat to the freezer when Mom was done. I was the youngest, after all. Nostalgia aside, I have always been impressed that my family, a bunch of working-class folks from small-town Idaho, processed its own meat. All too often in my town, hunters just shoot a deer or elk,
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COLUMN skin it and drop it off at the butcher. While butchers have an admirable position, I do not envy the workload that they are given during the fall. Deer after deer are piled in. Some, gut-shot and smelly. Others, headshot and perfect. And it is the job of the butcher to keep them all separate and accounted for. In the past, a very common way of doing business at butcher shops was the “community grind.” The “steaks” and “roasts” off an animal were cut and wrapped. Then all the burger meat, for the whole day, was weighed and tossed into the grinder. You could have a rutty old buck ground right in with your yearling elk. It is a deplorable practice, but one that is certainly expedient. Most butcher shops have become
There are many quality butchers around the Northwest who can process your game quickly and efficiently, but knowing how to do it yourself is a point of pride and self-sufficiency, and you won’t have to worry that meat from somebody’s rutty old buck went into the burger from your tender forked horn. (RANDY KING)
aware that community grind is public knowledge. Some even go as far as to promote that they don’t do it. However, when the meat is wrapped, cut and frozen by someone else, you have no real idea if that is even your meat at all. Honestly, I don’t know of a single butcher shop that intentionally misleads a person. But mistakes do happen. People have ended up with the wrong packages of meat. Years ago I took a deer in and got some bonus beef with my venison. Don’t know why, but it was certainly not the little buck I wanted processed. The best way to know for sure that the meat is yours is by butchering and freezing your own. Over the years I have published several “how to cut” articles that detail fabrication on hind legs, front legs, fish, rabbits and all sorts of other things. In this article I will be addressing the “how to freeze” aspect.
GENERAL FREEZING RULES
Along with keeping your work area clean and sanitary, keep the game meat being worked on cool, either on ice in a cooler or in the fridge. (RANDY KING) 118 Northwest Sportsman
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Be sanitary. Like with any butchering job, cleanliness and sanitation are key. Make sure cutting boards and knives are clean. All things that touch meat need to be sanitized several times – not just when you start – when processing game. A good rule of thumb is to wash the cutting board and knife every quarter you process. Keep the meat safe. Keep it cool – on ice
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COLUMN Odds are there might still be some hair or other foreign substances on the meat, so take the time to wash it completely and dry it off before processing. (RANDY KING)
While not any colder, the forced circulation freezes the meat faster. That is good. Don’t cut steaks, cut “primals.” When butchering and freezing, the temptation is to cut backstraps and sirloins into steaks and then freeze them. I recommend not doing that because the more cuts you make, the more cells you disturb. The more cells you disturb, the more water purge and surface area for freezer burn you are likely to have. Freezing whole cuts of meat is better for the meat than steaks. A few extra seconds cutting the meat into medallions when thawed is worth it for higher quality.
CUT AND WRAP VS. FREEZER BAGS or in the fridge – unless it is being actively processed. Don’t get all the meat out at once and start processing. Finish one section, then move on to the next. Cold meat is happy meat. Wash it all, then dry it off. I wash all the meat in the sink before I get started. This helps get any stray hair, dirt, leaves, etc., off the meat. One day I hope my fieldprocessing prowess will provide me a hairless, dirtless and leafless buck – but I have not been successful yet. Label everything. If you think you are going to remember that the sirloins are all on the left and the backstraps on the right, well, you are a better man than I. Personally, I label the cut and sometimes even the use. My general black Sharpie ID tag is simple yet effective. I list the species, the year harvested, the initials of the person who It seems like a smart shortcut to cut steaks and freeze them ahead of time, but King recommends not doing so. Instead, he advises leaving them as “primals,” large muscle groups, and only turning them into steaks or medallions when thawed to cook. (RANDY KING)
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harvested it, the cut and then the use. It reads something like this: “Blacktail Deer, 2020, RDK, Sirloin (roast).” Don’t overstack. Strangely enough, stacking meat in a nice organized pile does not help it freeze. You want to give each cut as much room to be exposed to as much of the freezer’s cold air as possible. If you have 10 packs of ground meat all neatly stacked up, the center might take several days to freeze. That is bad. Don’t freeze in the chest freezer. The faster any meat freezes, the better. Freezing sends ice shards through cell walls, causing them to break down. This breakdown comes at the detriment of the meat. The slower the freeze, the worse the meat. A chest freezer is simply cold; there is no forced air circulation. I freeze all my meat in the home fridge, right under the fan.
I am a freezer bag guy. Why? Well, I think it was pride, not expediency. I wanted the look I saw on the cooking shows and the outdoor TV channels. You don’t see many commercials for cutting and wrapping, but you do for Weston vacuum sealers! Heck, I was even given a free one at some point for writing a review on it. Anyway, I am still wondering about the efficacy of each. Cut and wrap has a much lower barrier to entry than vacuum bags. Some plastic wrap and a little butcher paper and you are in business. If you are a game stacker, consider going to the restaurant supply store for your cutting and wrapping needs. They have film wrap there that will last the common household years. It is also a much better quality film than home versions. Another benefit of cut and wrap is preventing bag punctures. While not a huge issue, a broken bag can lead to
COLUMN
The seal is the deal. Whether you’re cutting and wrapping with butcher paper or using a vacuum sealer, it’s all about preventing freezer burn. (RANDY KING) freezer burn. Anything with bones needs extra attention. To protect the vacuum bag, cover the bones in a paper towel or in a layer of plastic wrap. The goal is to provide an extra layer of protection on the meat, preventing puncture. I use this a lot with small bone-in type critters. Duck legs, rabbits, squirrels – they all have little sharp bones that can puncture bags and ruin meat over time. Another tip for freezer bags is to use
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Final step before freezing is to label what kind of meat is in the bag. Yes, burger is a no-brainer, but remembering where you put some unmarked backstraps might not be so easy a couple months down the line. (RANDY KING)
the double-seal option, if it exists. Double sealing means that the weakest point is protected. The seal on the bag, most often, is what causes the problems. Either the seal is contaminated (meat juice or chunks in it), the bag is arranged incorrectly, or the machine is not powerful enough to get a good seal. No matter what, a double seal provides extra protection. My last tip for vacuum sealing meat is to use the predone bags when possible,
not the rolls. Bags have a higher overall strength as manufactured, versus the rolls that have weak seals on both sides of the meat. I find rolls tend to break open a lot more than bags. Freezing meat is not complicated, but an art to doing it well certainly exists. Have any other tips? Share them with me on Instagram, @chefrandyking. And for wild game recipes, see my website, chefrandyking.com. NS
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COLUMN October 3 and 10 mark the openers of valley quail hunting season in Eastern Washington and Oregon, respectively, a great opportunity to kick the brush or work behind a dog on public and open private lands throughout the Columbia and adjacent basins. (JASON BROOKS)
October Is Actually For The Birds T
he thrill you get slowly approaching sagebrush that a hunting dog is locked up solid on is NW PURSUITS something that draws By Jason Brooks hunters to the open fields each fall. When you kick the brush, the flush of quail will send an adrenaline dump through your body and you’ll need to be steady with the shotgun. Quail are notorious for holding tight and erupting
from the bush to fly in the opposite direction you are expecting. This is what makes it so much fun. Sure, October is often thought of as the big game month, with both deer and elk seasons. And it’s hard to not pick up the rifle and head for the mountains, but while the woods are filled with hunters, the fields are often void of them. Yes, diehard wingshooters will be out there, but most won’t start until after buck and bull seasons end. Even pheasant hunters have to wait until late in the month for
Washington birds, but those who choose to chase quail and partridge get an earlier start.
THE FIRST WEEK or two of season will find quail spread out and flushing easily – sometimes too easily, jumping before you are ready. But when the cold weather starts to arrive and the leaves fall, the birds tend to bunch up and sit longer on the hold. A good dog really helps, though most of us started without a dog and just jumped coveys and did our best to follow up by
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COLUMN
The sharp nose of a pointing dog makes topknot hunting easier. Quail cover is marked by thick brush along fence lines, draws and orchard boundaries. (JASON BROOKS) kicking brush. A pointer, such as my Hungarian vizsla, really helps when it comes to quail hunting. Initially the birds are in larger coveys and will break apart once flushed. A pointer searches for the busted covey and will point out singles and small groups of birds. Once locked on, a good dog won’t break point until the flush, and even then they should stay steady until you knock a bird down. If you miss, the search continues. For flushing breeds such as Labradors, you need to be ready at all times as they jump and run into brush piles and flush birds, but they are natural retrievers and often bring the downed birds to hand easily. Again, a good dog isn’t a must but it really helps and makes the day enjoyable. Finding quail isn’t that hard, as the birds are plentiful in Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon and throughout Idaho, as well as most Western states. But finding good quail hunting grounds can be difficult. The birds thrive on 128 Northwest Sportsman
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private agricultural lands that provide water, cover and feed. Washington has nearly 500,000 acres in different private-land access programs. One of the most popular is the “Feel Free to Hunt” program, no reservation needed. Oregon’s Access & Habitat Program offers tens of thousands of acres, while Access Yes! is Idaho’s answer.
THE COLUMBIA BASIN in the Evergreen State is home to some of the most robust quail populations, as well as hundreds of thousands of acres of Feel Free to Hunt lands. Grant County has nearly 37,000 acres enrolled in the access program, and the Wahluke Slope – where Grant, Benton, Franklin and Adams Counties come together, Crab Creek flows and wineries dot the hillsides – is “quail central.” If you can get permission to hunt the private fields, you will be shooting all day long. The public lands and private access lands get a lot of pressure, but there always seem to be birds here. Be aware of your
surroundings, as some places require nontoxic shot. Yakama Nation lands also hold a lot of quail and offer some great hunting. Be sure to contact the tribe (ynwildlife.org) to get their regulations and the proper licenses. Yakima County is a top producer when it comes to quail numbers, but further north, Kittitas and Chelan Counties offer better access. Kittitas has the most public access between them, but the apple orchards and vineyards of Chelan hold more birds. Bottom line, every Eastern Washington county has valley quail. When scouting out a new area, look for major food and cover sources such as Russian olive, sage and milo fields. Creek bottoms are also very productive, as the birds tend to congregate around water. Steep open slopes are more conducive to chukar, while cut wheatfields are home to Hungarian partridge. Quail like cover and this is the most important factor to seek out if you are hunting a new area. Again, a good dog really helps, especially one that
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COLUMN is willing to crawl through thick brush to get the birds to flush. Once you break up the covey, the birds hold tight in singles and small groups. If you lose sight of the birds after they flush, such as flying over a ridge, then hold up and listen. A sentry bird will call to locate the rest of the covey and regroup, letting you know where they are as well.
A LIGHTER SHOTGUN makes for a fun day of quail hunting. With a limit of 10 per day, that can mean a lot of shooting. A 20-gauge is about perfect for quail because shells are readily available and it feels better on the shoulder than a 12-gauge. If you have a 16-gauge and a way to get a lot of shells, then you have a great quail gun. It’s the same with the 28-gauge once you get used to shooting on the fast flush. The lighter .410 is good for those who spend time at the trap and skeet range, but can lead to a very frustrating day afield for others. Most hunters don’t realize that shot
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BEWARE SNAKES
O
ctober is often warm and that means rattlesnakes will still be out. Be sure to watch out for them and also keep an eye on your dog. Rattler bites are rarely fatal in humans but can lead to several ailments in dogs, even death. Snakes this time of year often crawl out onto rock outcropping and for some reason dogs like to climb up on them as well. The thick brush that protects snakes from eagles and other birds of prey also attracts quail, and a dog running through cover can get bit easily. Talk to your veterinarian about the rattlesnake anti-venom shot that can be given before season starts and will keep your dog safe if it gets bit. Otherwise, be sure to get your snake-bit four-legged hunting partner to the vet right away. –JB
pattern size is relative to the choke and is the same for each gauge. However, pattern density differs vastly with the amount of shot per shell. A .410 shell with 11/16 ounce of size 7½ shot has approximately 241 pellets, but a 20-gauge shell with 1¼ ounces of size 7½ shot will have 437 pellets. If both shotguns use an improved cylinder choke – which is recommended for quail hunting – then the pattern size is similar but the density of the pellets differs, and that can lead to misses and wounded birds.
Regardless of which shotgun you use, be sure to practice with it so you are ready for when the birds flush. And remember, quail flush with force and create an adrenaline rush, so be safe, know your shooting lanes and watch out for other hunters. October is for the birds, but more precisely it is for quail. Sure, I will be out chasing deer and elk, but around midday you will probably find me toting a shotgun in the fields and kicking up quail. Fun, fast and furious, the little birds are the best way to spend an October day afield. NS
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HUNTING
With more and more forest roads gated, electric bikes make a lot of sense for accessing hunting country, like Steve Thomsen did earlier this season in North-central Washington for these grouse. (STEVE THOMSEN)
Ebike Your Way To Grouse, Game
Pedal and power combine to help hunters, others make outings funner, more productive. By Rob Lyon
T
he squirrels were our wake-up call, dropping pine cones on our tents at 6 each morning from the ponderosa that towered overhead. Later they came down and dragged the cones away for busy work, removing the seeds and storing them for the coming winter. It was good timing on their part, as we were ready to get up,
down a quick nitro-brewed coffee and head out on the trails and spur logging roads on our ebikes and on the qui vive, the alert, for birds.
IF YOU’RE LIKE most hunters and jonesin’ to break the ice on a long offseason, grouse and dove are pretty much the first chance we get in the Northwest. It was one hot cookie in early September on the east side of
the Cascades and we would rather have been in the shady mountains looking for ruffies than hunting dove in the sun-seared flatlands. It was our first go at hunting ruffies on the east side, but we did our homework and were hoping to get into birds. For those of us in the Northwest, there are a lot of options for grouse. All manner of them inhabit the Cascade Mountains. We have a bird nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
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HUNTING
Accessorized with a gun scabbard designed for ATVs and a rear basket for holding gear, food and water, ebikes help extend the range of wingshooters and other hunters. (STEVE THOMSEN)
formerly known as a blue in the high elevations (if not so high early on), and we have ruffies on the flanks and foothills on either side. After perusing maps and gathering intel off the web, we decided to hunt the OkanoganWenatchee National Forest that fronts against the vast Pasayten Wilderness. This is dry and desiccated country in September and the first rule of thumb if you’re looking for grouse is to find water. A thirsty bird is a dead bird and the springs and seeps, lakes and creeks are the lifeblood for grouse in the dry months. Wet areas also contain an abundance of the berries and catkins, seeds and forbs that feed them. Later in the season, birds can find moisture in precipitation or even condensation on vegetation and won’t feel the constraint to stay as tight to a water source as they do in late summer/early fall. 134 Northwest Sportsman
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WE PACKED THE big Tundra with bikes and guns, food and camping supplies, picked up some delicious local corn from a roadside stand and started up Highway 20 into the North Cascades. Once across the mountains (with visitors crowding every trailhead and viewpoint), we reached the Westernthemed town of Winthrop, then followed our GPS north along the Chewuch River before branching off into the surrounding range. The area is laced with Forest Service roads, most of which are either unused at present or closed off from vehicular traffic and which make excellent vectors into the wild for an ebike. In addition, the cattle that range freely here have created game trails in the moist areas where we would hunt. Finding a water source was key and we found a number of lakes and creeks on the topo map and decided
to start out at a small lake at about 3,500 feet called Buck. A little worried that it too would be full of visitors, we arrived at a small, shady and empty campground in the middle of a very hot day. We set up camp and dipped in the refreshing water and had a bite of lunch, then clipped two-way radios to our hunting vests and set off to explore our new demesne. We found literally half a dozen small tracks ideal for bikes within a quarter mile of camp. In addition, the primary dirt roads were quiet with only the odd visitor to the lake to fish and the occasional truck with our orange-clad brethren or camouflaged early-season archery hunters. We flushed a few pair of birds that evening but got no shots off. Come morning, after a full night of cooling air, we got into birds right away, along the game trails bordering the lake and
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IF YOU’RE UNFAMILIAR with the new biking revolution and wondering what’s up with the bikes you see magically zipping up hills as if it were level ground, they are electric bikes. Ours were from Seattle-based Rad Power Bikes (radpowerbikes.com); powered with a maintenance-free hub motor and a powerful Samsung 35E lithium-ion cell, these babies can cruise for 45 miles on a single charge! Both our bikes are fat-tire-style for better offroad traction and I opted for the step-thru model. With the big basket on the rear, there was no way I was mounting this horse cowboystyle! Steve opted for the more conventional (read: manly) look, but I was good with the easy on and off. While hunting with an ebike is not that different from a regular mountain bike, there are some clear distinctions to be made. The
Your garden variety bicycle rack may not be strong enough to hold an ebike due to its greater weight, so a better option is slinging the front tire over the tailgate – protective sleeves are available to prevent paint chipping – which also leaves enough room for camping gear. Author Rob Lyon checks the load on a forest road. (STEVE THOMSEN)
least convenient aspect is transport. Bigger and heavier than your regular bikes, a regular bike rack is not enough. I haven’t researched this but imagine it would require essentially
a motorcycle rack. The trick we used was to hang a front wheel outside the truck’s tailgate, providing more room for other gear in the bed. As for maintenance, mostly this
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HUNTING amounts to tending your charge. Easily managed at home, of course, you’ll need another plan when in the field for more than a day or two. Frankly, I run mine like a motorcycle, using only the throttle and eschewing the pedal assist, while Steve is just the opposite and is constantly pedaling. I’ll say this: After two days of biking
as much as I wanted, I was still on my original charge! To recharge batteries in the field we carry a convenient solar recharging station made by Rockpals (rockpals .com). The 100-watt foldable solar charger can charge up a battery in four to five hours and together with a spare battery that we leave in camp
The question of how to recharge an ebike’s battery while afield is answered by Lyons and Thomsen with a portable solar unit. (STEVE THOMSEN)
to get refueled, we’re on the hunt indefinitely. The upside of the ebike should be obvious. The electric assist makes short work of steep hills and long hauls and preserves more of your own energy for when you get where you’re going. You’ll see a large black-covered carrier mounted on the rear rack of the white bike. This was indispensable, carrying all manner of things for Steve and I, such as jacket, water, shells, tools, hat, vest, birds, etc. Yet another issue with bike hunts is how to carry your gun. We found a scabbard designed originally for ATVs that adapted well to the ebike (scabbard.com), and with it mounted to the frame I could keep the rear basket in place. It has the advantages of both protecting the gun as well as being able to easily draw.
WE BOTH SHOT 28-gauge doubles with
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HUNTING
OREGON FALL TURKEY SEASON EXTENDED
I
t seems like we’re all looking for some good news these days. If you’re a hunter in Oregon, the coming of fall brings big game opportunities, but those are often short-term. Thanks to a season extension, you can now chase turkey from Oct. 10 through January 31, 2021, in all open Western and Eastern Oregon units, ample time to fill a pair of tags. For beginners, fall turkey hunting is a little different game than going after them in the spring. Calls and decoys are less of a priority than scouting, placement, patience and timing. Turkeys leave their roost in the mornings, and like boys and girls on opposite sides of the auditorium at a junior high school dance, they separate into groups of hens and gobblers, but stay within sight of each other as they forage. Being in the right place at the right time comes with putting in the work of knowing where to be. If you can find the roost, you’ll know where they’re coming from in the morning, and returning to in the evening after making their rounds. Sunrise and sunset is when you can expect birds to be vocal this time of year. If you can scout an area and locate where their calls are coming from, you’ll be able to pinpoint where the roost might be. Morning hunts near a roost require quite a bit of stealth. If turkeys don’t feel safe flying down, oftentimes they won’t. That stalemate can go on for hours, and your exit can give you away, making them wary of the next hunt on your schedule. Mid-day scouting, when the birds are comfortable in their routines, can pay off once you learn their patterns. They’ll hit the same series of food sources like a buffet each day, and you can figure out where to place yourself to be in their path. If you’re not successful, hang in there and watch them gather up at sunset. The separate groups will begin to make their rendezvous
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Fall turkey season is a different game than spring hunting, says author Randall Bonner, here with an autumnal tom. He recommends patterning birds on their daily rounds from the roost tree. (RANDALL BONNER) and form a single-file march back to the roost. Concealment under the trees near the roost will give you a closer shot than positioning yourself next to an opening. Keep track of legal shooting time. It’s almost like it’s ingrained in these birds’ DNA to return to their roosting area a few minutes before legal light, but they’ll hang up from a distance, checking things out just out of range before they fly up for the evening. Don’t be discouraged! Successful hunts will often come by simply being in the right place at the right time on the wrong day for an unlucky bird.
There is no longer a quota on fall turkey tags, which are available for general Eastern and general Western Oregon hunts. Bag limit is two, but only one can be from east of the Cascades, and hunting there is private lands only after Dec. 1. Also note that the White River Wildlife Management Unit – not just the state wildlife area – is now closed to fall turkey hunting to rebuild numbers in what is the most popular area to chase gobblers in spring. State hunting managers say that in 2018, around 1,000 turkeys were taken during the fall season. –Randall Bonner
HUNTING It may not satisfy traditionalists, but, writes Lyon, “The upside of the ebike should be obvious. The electric assist makes short work of steep hills and long hauls and preserves more of your own energy for when you get where you’re going.” (STEVE THOMSEN)
7.5-size shot in the open first chamber and 6s in a modified second. Birds are often found close at hand in thick brush and are often slow to flush, if they bother at all. A trick to help launch birds that might otherwise hold tight while a threat passes is to stagger your gait. Not a problem for the older hunter, stopping and starting can trigger a flight response in a nearby bird. Be sure to stop where you have a good view ahead and enough room to mount your gun. Listen for rustling on the forest floor; it could well be grouse at the dinner table. And keep your eyes peeled for signs of movement in your surroundings. In my experience hunting this forest bird, I consider myself fortunate to hear the telltale flutter of wings and gain visual acquisition. Grouse typically fly a straight path and it is easy to extrapolate their trajectory. Oftentimes they head for a tree but it might be the ground 50 yards out. If you have an idea where they are, you can follow along and hopefully take them on a second flush. Deer hunters can also make good use of the ebike. Just as with the upland hunter, the best use of one is simply to facilitate scouting and travel from a base camp to and from outlying hunting areas. NS
TOOLS OF THE TRADE
A
s with all machinery we use to increase our enjoyment in the field, the ebike can have all manner of potential problems to deal with. We carried a kit to handle the common issues and were fortunate never to have to touch it. This list is in order of most to least used. Bike pump; tire levers; spare tubes; zip ties (five or six); duct tape (a few feet rolled into a little wad); chain breaker; master link/ spare chain links (two); multi-tool; derailleur hanger; tube patch kit; and first aid kit (pain killers, band aids, allergy meds, etc.). –RL 142 Northwest Sportsman
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COLUMN
Author Scott Haugen and his dog, Echo, on her first wood duck hunt. She retrieved three limits of ducks for a trio of hunters, in a range of conditions she’d never before experienced. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
Variety The Spice Of Life For Gun Dogs Too W
e’re smack in the middle of bird hunting season, meaning there’s no shortage of things to do. Whether you’re a passionate upland GUN DOGGIN’ 101 hunter chasing chukar, By Scott Haugen pheasants or Huns this time of year, taking to the water in search
of ducks and geese, or heading into the hills for grouse and quail, there are many options to consider. And when considering the various hunting choices, think first about what it will do for your dog, not you. Because dogs get bored doing the same thing over and over, it’s good to introduce change to them. Be it food, training times, training places, even the hunt itself, I’m always trying to vary our schedule. Of course, my dogs would be
content sitting in our duck blind every day, or working the same mountains for sooty and ruffed grouse. But I try to take them on different hunts whenever I can, as it’s not only exciting for them, but a thrill for me.
TWO SEASONS AGO I took my dog, Echo, on her first wood duck hunt. I grew up hunting woodies near my home in the southern Willamette Valley, but never had a dog as a kid, and figured it’d be a fun change of nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
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COLUMN pace for Echo. Due to the tight confines of our setup, I wanted to only take one of my dogs for ease of control. A couple buddies invited me to hunt a small creek with them. We were in place well before daylight with a dozen woody decoys spaced out in the small creek in front of us. Fifteen minutes before shooting light, the woodies started bombing into the decoys. By the time shooting time came, Echo and I were wound up. Ducks continued pouring in and in less than 20 minutes it was
over, we had our three limits of wood ducks. It was the most fast-paced action Echo had ever had; once the shooting started she was never in the blind, rather picking up ducks as fast as she could. Echo was grabbing birds off the ground, amid a thick oak grove, off the water, and from beneath dense brush that lined the creek’s shore. Crippled birds that swam into the shoreline brush gave Echo fits, but her tenacity and diligence paid off. She slept heavily the rest of the day, for the A change of hunting action is healthy for your dog, breaking the rut of always doing the same thing in the same place. Here, Haugen and Echo enjoyed a ruffed grouse hunt in the spruce forests of southeast Alaska last fall. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
21 retrieves in such a short time, in some very challenging habitat, wore her out. But she did so well, we repeated the hunt a few weeks later.
LAST FALL, MY wife and I moved back to Alaska, where I enjoyed some great hunts for the Vancouver variety of Canada geese, and so did my dogs. Hunting here took place on a vast tide flat, and it was easy for both dogs to see miles in all directions. The calls of geese bounced off the surrounding snowcapped mountains, resonating throughout the valley. When bald eagles flew through, or when a tide shift occurred, hundreds of geese would take wing, their calls getting the dogs more and more excited. Flocks of these geese would pass overhead, and often I was able to connect on doubles, which was good for both dogs. Due to the vastness of the land we hunted, it was a great joy seeing and hearing geese moving most of the day, for me and my dogs. I also hunted ruffed grouse in the river bottom at our home in Hyder, Alaska. My dogs had never hunted river bottom grouse, only pursuing them in the Cascades, back in Oregon. In the river bottom, they loved working stands of cottonwoods and semiopen spruce forests, and they did very well. THESE ARE JUST some of the recent hunts that offered different experiences for my dogs and me. We’ve also been to Saskatchewan where we learned all about high-volume snow goose hunting, as well as spent time in the high desert. Echo has even hunted on a couple pheasant preserves, an experience that kicks any dog’s senses into overdrive. I’m a firm believer in change being a good thing, and such is the case when it comes to hunting with dogs. This fall, consider taking your dog on a new hunting adventure. Not only will the experience be enjoyable for both of you, but your dog will come out a better hunter because of it. NS Editor’s note: To watch Scott Haugen’s series of puppy training videos, visit scotthaugen .com. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.
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FISHING
‘Spectacular Year’ In Store For Razor Clammers
After an abrupt closure near the end of the 2019-20 season due to coronavirus concerns, razor clamming is back open on the Washington Coast. (SCOTT BUCHANAN VIA WDFW)
Clam numbers are at a ‘historic high’ on the Washington Coast, and diggers should enjoy plenty of opportunities this season. By Mark Yuasa
H
ope springs eternal and if all the stars align, the 2020-21 coastal razor clam season should be magnificent. State fishery managers already set a robust 39 days of digging through December. “When we conducted our summer assessments what we saw was quite amazing,” says Dan Ayres, the head
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife coastal shellfish manager. “It’s going to be a spectacular year of digging and the population is much greater than last year, which was already at a historic (25-year) high.” Seven days of digging have occurred since the first, Sept. 16, and success was good on the initial two. “We’re off to a good start, and in general diggers were very happy to be
back out on the beaches (during the opener on Sept. 16-17),” Ayres says. “The clams are beautiful, big and fat.” On Sept. 16, preliminary estimates showed that, coastwide, 1,345 diggers – 760 at Long Beach, 270 at Twin Harbors and 315 at Copalis – had 20,198 razor clams for 15.0 per person; and on Sept. 17, 1,735 – 755 at Long Beach, 740 at Twin Harbors and 920 at Mocrocks – had 23,830 for 13.7. nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
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FISHING
Coastwide, there are more than 10 million razor clams available for harvest this fall, winter and spring, with best numbers at Long Beach, where this limit was dug. (ZACH FORSTER VIA WDFW)
Next up are tentative digs during evening low tides on: Oct. 16, 18, 20 and 31 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks; Oct. 17, 19 and 21 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Copalis; Nov. 1, 3, 13, 15, 17 and 19 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks; Nov. 2, 14, 16 and 18 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Copalis; Dec. 1, 3, 13, 15, 17, 28 and 30 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Copalis; and Dec. 2, 4, 12, 14, 16, 18, 29 and 31 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks. Final approval on each series of digs depends on marine toxin testing and is usually announced one to two weeks prior to the opener. They’re also contingent upon guidance by public health officials monitoring Covid-19 in coastal communities. 152 Northwest Sportsman
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SUMMER ASSESSMENTS FROM June to August take into account the number of “recruit-size” clams measuring at or more than 3 inches long, which can be safely harvested in the upcoming year. “On one beach in particular (Long Beach), we’ve got so many clams, we don’t have enough low-tide days between now and spring to dig them all,” Ayres says. “Potentially we could offer 220 days of digging, but there aren’t 220 low tides in the season. It’s a good problem to have.” Long Beach has 24.8 million recruit-size razor clams and a total allowable catch, or TAC, of 9.9 million in 2020-21, up from 5.2 million in 2019-20. This summer, surveyors found clams of all sizes – from juveniles clear
up to adults measuring 5 inches long – in a small, 1.5-square-meter plot at Long Beach. “From a biological standpoint, it is very healthy and we’ve got clams for today, tomorrow and hopefully beyond,” Ayres says. “I was nervous before we got started at Long Beach. There have been previous years when we’ve seen lots of clams at the end of spring and came back in the summer and saw terrible survival rates.” Indeed, it has been a remarkable recovery at Long Beach, where the adult population level in 201718 dipped to the lowest in the last 25 years and there were very few prerecruit juvenile clams. This led to just four days of digging in 2018-19. At Twin Harbors, assessments found 5.2 million recruit-size clams, yielding a TAC of 2.1 million, up compared to 1.8 million last season. At Copalis, the recruit-size clam total is 11.8 million, with a TAC of 4.7 million (recreational harvesters are allowed a share of 2.37 million), up from 4.2 million in 2019-20. “This year shows me we can do 104 days of digging at Twin Harbors, compared to 63 days last season,” Ayres says. “We could offer 55 days at Copalis, and last year (the TAC) was a near record (with 31 days of digging), and the 4.7 million would be the highest in the past 25 years.” At Mocrocks there are 11.6 million recruit-size razor clams, with a TAC of 4.6 million (recreational harvesters are allowed a share of 2.37 million), up from 3.3 million last season. Under the shared catch, WDFW could offer up to 90 days of digging. Kalaloch was closed in 201920 due to low clam abundance, but recent assessments showed a slight uptick to 0.7 million, compared to 0.4 million last season. However, Ayres notes that almost no clams were over 3 inches long.
IN NORMAL TIMES, thousands of diggers converge on coastal beaches for clam openers, but the “new norm” from the Covid-19 outbreak has state and
FISHING OREGON CLAM NUMBERS GOOD
T
he Washington Coast isn’t the only place expected to host a solid razor clam season. Oregon shellfish managers reported “high” numbers and “large” clams on Clatsop County beaches for the Oct. 1 reopener. “Razor clams this year average just under 4 inches with a tremendous amount of clams over 4 inches,” the Department of Fish and Wildlife said. According to ODFW, last winter saw “good survival rates of juveniles, contributing to this year’s high abundance and mature larger-sized razor clams. Juvenile recruitment was also high this year, so clammers can expect good numbers of one and twoyear-old razor clams.” Ninety-five percent of the state harvest comes off the 18 miles of beach between the South Jetty of the Columbia and Tillamook Head. But clams can also be found near Newport, Cannon Beach and Yachats. Oregon’s beaches reopen to nonresident diggers Oct. 7. Clammers are asked to maintain 6 feet of distance from those not of the same household. Check on marine toxin levels via Oregon’s shellfish hotline, (800) 4482472, or the Department of Agriculture’s Recreational Shellfish Biotoxin Closures website. –NWS
WA RULES
W
ashington’s daily limit is 15 razor clams. Diggers must keep the first 15 dug regardless of size or condition. Diggers need to keep clams in their own bucket or clam net. Sharing is illegal. Diggers age 15 and older must have a license. Keep your license in your pocket while digging. Cover holes with sand after digging. Wastage kills millions of clams each season. Data shows 80 to 90 percent of wasted clams die because their shells are broken, necks are cut off or they’re improperly replanted into the sand. For more info, go to wdfw.wa.gov/ fishing/shellfish/razorclams/. –MY
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community health leaders keeping close tabs on the situation. “We’ve got a great dilemma on our hands and that is a lot of clams on the beaches to dig,” says Larry Phillips, WDFW’s coastal region director. “Hopefully we can find a way to access them while being responsible with the public health guidelines related to Covid-19.” For coronavirus info, go to wdfw .wa.gov/about/covid-19-updates. WDFW is also closely monitoring marine toxins such as domoic acid – a natural toxin produced by certain types of marine algae – which can be harmful or even fatal if consumed in large enough quantities. The latest test samples showed domoic levels remained well under the 20-parts-per-million cutoff. At Twin Harbors it was 5 ppm; Quinault Reservation, 2 ppm; Mocrocks, 2 ppm; Copalis, 4 ppm; and Long Beach, 5 ppm. Since 1991, when the toxin was first detected on the Pacific Coast, outbreaks of domoic acid have prompted the cancellation of three entire razor clam seasons in Washington, the last one in 2002-03. Twin Harbors Beach never opened in 2015-16 due to elevated marine toxin levels. The entire coast was also closed in late May 2015 when it spiked well above the cut-off threshold. But it was Covid-19 that led to an abrupt halt of this past season, when a county health officer advised closing South Coast beaches to prevent spreading the illness. Before that happened, more than 3,592,727 razor clams had been harvested on 253,927 digger trips during 66 open days from Sept. 27 through March 11. Left on the table were 23 days from March 20 to April 29, and that didn’t include additional dates in May. WDFW predicted about 630,000 digger trips and almost 8 million clams harvested if the early closure didn’t happen. “That was a significant economic loss and loss of opportunity that occurred in the spring of 2020,”
Ayres says. A breakdown of the 2019-20 season showed Long Beach generated 111,122 digger trips with 1,644,196 clams kept for an average of 13.9 clams per person (the first 15 clams dug regardless of size or condition is a daily limit); Twin Harbors had 56,464 with 755,166 for 12.8; Copalis had 51,380 with 725,451 for 13.6; and Mocrocks had 34,960 with 467,915 for 13.0. Razor clam digging is a huge economic boost for small coastal communities that rely on these opportunities during the lean tourist times in fall, winter and spring. It’s estimated to generate $25 million annually, although in strong years that tally climbs higher – $35 million in 2012-13 and 2014-15, and $40-plus million in 2013-14.
WHAT’S THE BEST way to dig razor clams? It boils down to several pretty easy steps. 1) To dig, you’ll need a clam shovel or razor clam gun (found at most tackle and outdoor stores) with a minimum outside diameter of 4 inches, or 4 inches by 3 inches if elliptical. A clam gun is the easiest to use, and doesn’t take a lot of practice. If you can’t figure it out, just take a look at what others are doing and, most of all, don’t be afraid to ask someone for help. 2) Be sure to bring a bucket or clam net to store your own clams (see regulations sidebar). 3) Rubber boots or waders are important while walking along sandy and wet beaches. Often, diggers venturing to the surf line will encounter big puddles of standing water and the rush of incoming waves. 4) Be sure to wear a waterproof jacket and rain pants, and a layer of warm clothes underneath, especially during the winter. 5) Fall and winter digs often occur in the dark, so it is vital to carry a flashlight and lantern. 6) The best digging occurs about one to two hours before low tide. Head to the water’s edge and look for “shows”
FISHING FISHING A young clammer shows off a razor. It’s relatively easy to dig a limit, but always be prepared for coastal weather conditions and keep one eye on the surf. (MARK YUASA)
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– indentations called dimples, keyholes or doughnut holes. The bigger the hole, the bigger the clam. Many try their luck right on the surf line, where the clam necks will be literally sticking out of the sand. The exposed siphon is the darkest colored part of the neck, and is used to gather food and nutrients from the seawater. Some diggers will stomp on the sand to see where the clams spew water. Be sure to dig quickly – clams will burrow down if disturbed. Most can be found 6 to 24 inches under the sand. 7) While pursuing razor clams is fun, diggers need to be aware of dangers. Avoid being close to the surf, where sneaker waves, rip tides or swift currents run. These can be dangerous spots, especially for children who can get swept off their feet and dragged out to sea. To stay safe never turn your back fully to the surf and watch carefully as the water runs up the beach line. NS
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COLUMN
Chasing Oregon’s Mystery Salmon
The purple bars of Oncorhynchus keta are a rarity in Oregon waters. Drawn to the salmonid like no other species in the state, author Sara Ichtertz had a chance to fish for them last fall. (SARA ICHTERTZ)
T
his little slice of heaven I call home has everything a fisherman could ever desire. The environment, the FOR THE LOVE forests and rivers OF THE TUG By Sara Ichtertz are truly captivating, and just to know this region like I do is beyond a blessing. With summers and winters that glimmer brighter than any diamond ever could, this region is home to some truly special fish. As I learned more and more about the possibilities of fish I could chase in my home state of Oregon, I pursued them all. However, there was one, a salmon, that I was instantly intrigued by the moment I laid eyes on it. Yet I couldn’t chase it because it doesn’t live near me, not even in my small coastal rivers, which this wild fish prefers. That baffled me. When did they leave? Or were they ever really here? Why wouldn’t these ruggedly handsome fish choose this region to call home? Truth is, I struggled finding the Southern Oregon lowdown
on these most prehistoric-looking salmon. Maybe because there isn’t one here. There is limited information referring to their historic distribution, which makes it difficult to determine much about them. What I did find is they do not live here now, nor has there been much data collected on them throughout the years to know if they ever really did. Although this species is prominent elsewhere on planet Earth, in the Pacific Northwest her range tapers off on the north coast of Oregon, and so I feel blessed to have had the chance to reach out and connect with this creature for my birthday gift last year. Which salmon am I speaking of? The one and only, ruggedly intriguing chum salmon. In their spawning colors they are by far the salmon most beautifully matched to the season in which they return home.
AS MANY OF my readers know by now, Oregon guide David Johnson has singlehandedly helped me embrace North Coast fisheries. His knowledge, skills and passion fit my heart and so I am thankful to all the
adventures I have been able to say yes to in the past four runs of life. This particular adventure was unlike the others, though. It was much more my style, given the stealth and silence that comes when fishing via drift boat. Being able to get out of the boat and bank fish was a treat. Seeing David actually use his own rod versus working to put a bunch of us in his sled on fish was something I will never forget either. He truly is a great fisherman. There also wasn’t that ton of commotion that comes with a sled boat. The three of us on this adventure were there to embrace nature and fish. I honestly loved that. Lisa Phillips and I are sisters of the zodiac, passionately driven through our shared water sign, and I loved that through that connection we were able to share our birthdays together. The river and water level that day reminded me of the last time I fished in fall from a drift boat on my birthday, though this time I was far from home. The aquarium-like clearness of the stream was so very similar, except the great display
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COLUMN I was able to peer down upon was not Chinook. They were mind-blowing, tigerstriped salmon and from my perspective, they were doing exactly what Mother Nature intended them to do. How lucky are we to witness such things firsthand! As we silently rowed through, we watched the salmon gathered in their habitat, crystal-clear pockets and pools, finning in the shallows and creating their spawning redds. Absolutely incredible!
These things are truly a gift. Knowing good still exists in this troubled world means more to me now than the possibility of getting my tug on. When they miraculously can go hand in hand, I trust in my journey of life that much more. If I can connect with these gifts on Earth, I can always reconnect with these moments which are tucked safely in my heart. These memories are priceless, and I am seeing that now more than ever. Chums after chums – Lisa Phillips (right), local guide David Johnson and Ichterz floated a North Coast river on the gals’ birthday. The salmon are now primarily limited to a few Tillamook Bay tribs, though historically they occurred in systems further south. (SARA ICHTERTZ)
BLOWN AWAY BY nature, we reached David’s honey hole before I knew it. The drift fisherman in me was far from my comfort zone; the water was low, slow and clear, so jigs and floats were the name of the girl’s game. I loved seeing Lisa lay the smack down, perfectly executing her draining float. Removing the slack from her line to give a firm and direct hookset, she swung away! Fish on! The scrap in these salmon is, pound for pound, as unique as their looks, proving them to be one of a kind. They possess their own rugged beauty, their own will. The first fish of the day and the first chum salmon I ever laid eyes on was stunning. Lisa embraced her fish in the cold autumn river, handling her with care. The three of us were in awe of her beauty. Gold and purple, she glimmered in a one-of-a-kind way. The beauty of a fish has always pulled at my heart far more than its size. This little fish was fitting of her habitat, as God’s work was all around us. Happy birthday to us! As we prepped our pretty jigs with a little somethin’, David twitched away, finding the second fish of the day. But it was neither a chum nor even a Chinook, rather the girthiest cutthroat trout I have ever seen. After we took a quick gander at his autumn beauty, that slippery sucker said see ya’ and was well on his way back from whence he came. The fish were biting with not another soul in sight. If you know me at all, you know this is my style.
FINDING MY WAY around braid and a float is always a bit humbling for me. I am not confident here, though I will not grow in life and in fishing if I refuse to step outside my comfort zone. And what could be more beautiful than having friends who are not judgmental in these moments, but instead are encouraging? Nothing. Lisa, out of all of the people who have reached out to me in my short yet passionate go at the rivers, is unique. Her approach to me was genuine; she has a desire to learn to fish. Never did she convey anything about social media, photos or industry desires, nor did she want to know where I was. She asked all 160 Northwest Sportsman
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COLUMN however, looking back on it now, I’m thankful I said sure! I’m thankful to know she can be proud of that. She can say she handed off a fish to me. Her mentor, a lady she has much love and respect for. It reminds me of Barbara and I, and I hope she never doubts how much she means to me, how honored I am to mentor her and share this passion.
A tried-and-true drift fisher, the author had a little adjusting to do while working the low, slow, clear waters with a jig underneath a float and using braided line. “I will not grow in life and in fishing if I refuse to step outside my comfort zone,” she writes. (SARA ICHTERTZ) the right questions to the selfish bank fisherman that I am. She asked about the method, the gear – things that showed me she wanted to learn to hunt the rivers. Bless her heart, our first message was quite hilarious and the fisher that she is today, well, let’s just say we can get a good laugh out of it. I could relate with her, though, in the cluelessness that I too once possessed. So I loved that instantly. I could tell she wanted to learn, just like I did the day I was drift fishing a jig and met Barbara, my 83-year-old drift 162 Northwest Sportsman
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fishing mentor, not so long ago. You can learn a lot if you apply yourself. I know that firsthand. In the two years I have known Lisa she has truly applied herself to the rivers and to her gear. She proudly calls me her lady mentor and so I love that she can share proud moments with me. That day she was on fire and had another fish on before I even had a flicker of the float. She spanked that draining float once more – fish on! She offered her rod to me right away. The old stubborn me would have never taken such an offer,
THAT CHUM PEELED braid off of the G.Loomis IMX side-drifting setup like a freak! It was amazing! With how very pissed off she was, I was shaking in my waders. Reluctant to submit, the power that that salmon possessed was incredible. A huge root wad in the river and sandbar in the middle of the hole with depth on the backside of it made that fight by far one of my favorite salmon scraps ever. Without Lisa, that moment wouldn’t have happened. Landing such a wild fish and handling her with care in that tiny October river was a most special gift, one that will forever be part of me. Growth occurred in that moment, growth on different levels for both of us. That is what’s good! The day was full of firsts for both of us birthday girls. Lisa embraced new water, new fish and new feelings of accomplishment. My float eventually drained and I hooked my own chum salmon. All great things. Those firsts meant a lot, but being able to see David as a bank fisherman was way up there too. Yes, he’s always fishing, often multiple people at a time, but never had we gotten the chance to embrace an environment or chase fish like this, and I loved it. In the comfort zone of home waters, he hooked those fish throughout the course of our birthday weekend. I got to watch a master twitch his heart out and find multiple fish in multiple holes. I am the type of girl who learns through observation and, lucky me, my path has allowed these eyes to observe some masters. I shine when they shine. I love that. And I loved seeing David get his tug on and share with us water he has fished most of his life. That tiniest of rivers houses something very special. Oregon may not have an abundance of opportunity to connect with
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COLUMN A chum for Lisa was followed by one she handed off to Sara, and then another hooked by Sara on her own. “In their spawning colors they are by far the salmon most beautifully matched to the season in which they return home.” (SARA ICHTERTZ)
chum salmon, but it is out there. Seeing that slice of the coast in an upriver kind of way was intriguing and fulfilling all in one. Landing four incredible species during our birthday adventure, I welcomed this new lap around the sun. Unaware of the dismay that would lay ahead in 2020, I lived in the moment with my friends, pursuing a shared passion and chasing the fish. There is something about upriver fishing, forest fishing, bank fishing, that feeds my soul unlike any other. The constant of the river. The silence in the sounds of nature. The true calm of it all. The beauty all around you and which has nothing to do with the fish yet you can still embrace it. That is my heart. That is what I pursue. It is not just the fish. Looking back on it now I have a better understanding as to why that is. And so, I hold on tight to the memories and remember. My heart is on the river and I couldn’t change it, even if I tried. NS Editor’s note: For more on Sara’s adventures, see For The Love Of The Tug on Facebook.
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COLUMN Late winter and early spring tend to draw the focus of many Columbia River system walleye anglers, but fall is also productive. Cathy Beach caught this estimated 13-pounder several Novembers ago. (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)
Fall For Columbia’s Autumn ’Eyes F
all is the time of year when Columbia River system walleye are pretty easy to catch, providing you time your trip when BUZZ they are biting. RAMSEY Remember those 6.2 million shad that passed upstream of Bonneville Dam last spring, with 1.6 million of those migrating over McNary Dam? Well, those millions of fish spawned and now their offspring are beginning their downstream journey to the Pacific. These 1- to 2-inch shad represent a bountiful treat that walleye – and bass, for
that matter – cannot resist. According to fishing guide Shane Magnuson (509-630-5433), mid-Columbia walleye really put the feed bag on early in the shad outmigration, in early October, which makes the catching really good – sometimes fantastic. That lasts until about midmonth, when the walleye are so stuffed with shad that the last thing they want is another. Although it varies somewhat from year to year, catching walleye usually becomes difficult by the third week of October and stays tough for about 30 days. However, this all changes again after the young shad have migrated out of the Columbia, usually by mid-November, a
time when the now-gluttonous walleye are willing to work at maintaining their bulging midsections.
ALL THE POPULAR walleye fishing methods will produce at one time or another during the fall/winter season, Magnuson says. However, it’s diving plugs that produce best when the young shad are migrating, especially in sizes and colors like silver or silver blue/black that mimic the juvenile fish traveling down the system. During the fall, you will find walleye lurking slightly deeper in the water column than in the spring. Try searching for walleye in depths ranging from 18 to 30 feet. Magnuson usually starts his day nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
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COLUMN While plugs are Shane Magnuson’s go-to in October during the outmigration of young shad, come Thanksgiving it’s time to pull spinner harnesses. The guide prefers Hammer Time Walleye Spinners with a size 4 instead of 5 blade, and below are some of his most productive trolling harnesses for fall/winter walleye. (UPPER COLUMBIA GUIDE SERVICE)
trolling over 20 feet of water, and if the bite slows at midday, which can happen if the sun is bright, he’ll move to deeper water where the fish might now be lurking. While long, minnow-shaped plugs can work this time of year, it’s often the shorter, deep-diving, shad-looking plugs like Mag Lip, Flicker Shad or FlatFish that produce best. Since FlatFish produces high action at the slowest of trolling speeds, it’s often fished 30 to 40 inches behind a bottom walker. If you try this, remember you might up your rate of success if you tip the belly hook of your FlatFish with a small- to medium-sized worm or half of a nightcrawler. Although other similar FlatFish sizes work, the U-20 is what most anglers use. Plugs can work fished in combination with bottom walkers, but what many anglers, including Magnuson, do instead is trail diving plugs like a Mag Lip or Flicker Shad, with no additional weight added, 80 to 120 feet behind the boat. The idea here is to let your diving plugs out far enough that they will dive near bottom but not dig into it. “For best results, you want your plugs running 4 to 6 feet from bottom this time of year,” Magnuson says. The guide adds, “When trolling plugs for walleye, you will have far better success if you troll upstream, as walleye just won’t chase down a fast-moving plug going downriver with the current.” Just like with FlatFish, tipping your 168 Northwest Sportsman
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plug with a worm can increase your rate of success. This is when a small- to mediumsize worm or half of one might work better than a large nightcrawler, as tipping with too big a worm can interrupt the action and diving ability of your plug. While trolling shad lookalike plugs produces best for trollers on both sides of the outmigration, what the walleye respond to best begins to change by late November. “By Thanksgiving, the best bite is often had by trolling spinner harnesses, as shadlooking crankbaits no longer match what the fish are feeding on,” says Magnuson. His favorite spinner harness for this is the Hammer Time Walleye Spinner, but he has found that downsizing to a size 4 blade usually produces best during
the fall/winter season. As he explained to me, switching from a size 5 to a size 4 blade better duplicates the size of the outmigrating shad the walleye were feeding on and they have no problem seeing this smaller offering, as the river is generally pretty clear this time of year.
MAGNUSON FILLS HIS trolling reels with 20-pound-test super braid, with Spiderwire Ultra Cast being his favorite. Depending on the water depth, he rigs a 2- to 3-ounce bottom walker in combination with a 40to 50-inch leader extending back to his Hammer Time spinner blade. He keeps his trolling speeds in the 1- to 1.4-mile-perhour range and usually trolls downstream but does so out of the main current that might push him along too fast. It’s the
COLUMN Jigging for walleye works year-round, but comes into its own around the end/ start of the year for Magnuson. Here is his selection of jigs. (UPPER COLUMBIA GUIDE SERVICE)
inside, nearshore seams and soft flowing side of current edges where you can better maintain the slow troll speed walleye respond to best. Bottom walkers are popular when trolling for walleye because they position your offering near the bottom, where the fish most often lurk, and they don’t get hung up often, providing you use the correct size. Experienced walleye anglers and guides like Magnuson understand that the correct bottom walker size is determined by water depth as it relates to keeping your main line at a 45-degree angle. For example, letting too light of a bottom walker out too far (in an attempt to find bottom) will likely result in no fish and your walker hanging up on bottom due to it not standing upright. Given the 45-degree line angle criteria and the goal of keeping the vertical wire upright and the end tapping bottom occasionally, a 1-ounce bottom walker is often the go-to size when wanting to reach depths of up to 10 feet, the 1½-ounce size up to 15 feet, the 2-ounce size 20 feet, and
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3-ounce best for getting down to depths of up to 30 feet. When fishing worm harness spinners, you will do far better if you tip yours with a large nightcrawler. When it comes to ’crawler harnesses and worms, bigger is better as far as the walleye are concerned. The above-mentioned walleye spinners come rigged with two hooks snelled in tandem for attaching your worm. You’ll have the best success by rigging your worm whole and trailing straight back – like a pencil.
JIGGING CAN WORK any time of year, but according to Magnuson it’s long after the shad have migrated out of the river – usually after January 1, when the water temperature has dropped – that it will outpace other methods. He doesn’t have a favorite walleye jig, as he uses many different ones, but his favorite sizes are in the 5/8- to ¾-ounce range. And while chartreuse is the preferred color for many anglers, Magnuson finds purple and black color combinations produce best for him during the winter walleye season. He says that the biggest mistake made when jigging walleye is lifting and lowering your rod too far, combined with not keeping your jig tight enough to the bottom. “You will be far more productive if you work your jig close to the bottom, always within 6 inches of the bottom,” he shares. In fact, Magnuson makes a habit of hitting the bottom with every downward movement of his rod tip, while only lifting his jig 3 to 6 inches from bottom before allowing it to fall downward again. Of course it’s important to keep your line as vertical as possible when jigging. An electric trolling motor is a great tool for keeping your boat straight and hovering over what may be a concentration of fish. Magnuson advises the use of thin diameter line when jigging. “Using light test line goes a long way in helping you feel the soft bite of a walleye swallowing your jig while it’s falling,” he shares. In addition, employing thin diameter line helps keep your line vertical, which is important for jigging success. For this reason, he has 14-pound test (equivalent to 6-pound mono diameter) Berkley Fireline spooled on his walleye jigging outfits. “When it comes to jigging, we find most walleye hanging in 25 to 35 feet of water during the winter months, with 30 feet being our most productive depth overall,” Magnuson advises.
YOU CAN CATCH walleye almost anywhere in the Columbia, but two of the most popular and productive areas are from John Day Dam downstream to Celilo Park, and in the Boardman area west of McNary Dam, where a lot of anglers from Tri-Cities and Walla Walla target these tasty fish. If you live in the Portland area, there are reasonable numbers of walleye in the Columbia west of Bonneville Dam, with the stretch from Horsetail Falls near Multnomah Falls downstream to Rooster Rock State Park a good place to try. NS Editor’s note: Buzz Ramsey is brand manager for Yakima Bait Company and a member of the management team. For more, go to yakimabait.com. Find Buzz on Facebook/Instagram.
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HUNTING FISHING
Prime For Perch Lake Washington shines in fall as big schools fatten up for winter, making for fast fishing. Mark Yuasa
Y
ellow perch are one of the most bountiful fish species in Lake Washington and this month is a peak time to pursue them in the backyard of the Emerald City. “The yellow perch fishery in Lake Washington is just as popular now as it ever has been,” says Danny Garrett, a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist. “Perch are doing very well and dominate all other warmwater fish species. They aren’t very hard to catch from the shore or in a boat, and you can find them just about anywhere in the lake.” Lake Washington – which is 20 miles long and covers more than 22,000 acres – may seem daunting, but some simple advice will raise the bar to success. First off, the best time begins in July, when the water heats up, and peaks from August through October. Fishing can be fair at times even when colder weather has settled in, from November to February. In spring and early summer, you’ll see fish move back to shallow water, although perch then tend to be smaller. “Many people get caught up in calendar months, but there is a strong correlation of their march into deeper
Yellow perch are the star of the show on the Emerald City’s Lake Washington, with October prime time for catching a mess of them. Brad Hole shows off a pair landed with the author last year. (MARK YUASA)
water as the water temperature decreases,” Garrett says. “It’s what I call a ‘game of depth’ and the tricky part is knowing when that happens. If there is a very stable thermocline, I’d still look for them in traditional summer spots.” Start in shallow water, 15 to 35 feet, and close to shore. Perch tend to hang out in shaded locations just outside the cover of weedbeds, milfoil, aquatic weeds and lily pads, or under docks, piers and overhanging trees and brush. Once cooler weather, arrives head out to 40 to 50 feet. This is where it becomes more of a boat show and
your fish-finder comes into play. “Look for a gentle gradient area with a good, hard rocky bottom and avoid places with a muddy bottom,” Garrett says. “I like places around I-90 because of the hard bottom. Usually perch in the 7- to 8-inch range are schooled up, and on the outside margins you’ll find the bigger ones.” By December and through March, perch can be hunkered down as deep as 70 to 80 feet. “People will say the perch fishing slows down, but if you catch them while ice fishing on other lakes, there’s no reason it’s not doable in nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
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FISHING Lake Washington,” Garrett says. “I’ve caught them in the dead of winter in deeper water and it’s just a matter of switching up your tactics.”
YELLOW PERCH ARE voracious feeders and their main diet is tiny snails, clams, crayfish and invertebrates. They tend to feed all day long, and only hunker down at night when predators come out. Garrett claims that even during broad daylight perch aren’t usually spooked by boaters or jet- or waterskiers zipping around the lake. He says anglers don’t have to fish first light, and he has seen perch caught right next to busy swimming areas. Most yellow perch run 5 to 12 inches, although you’ll likely encounter some “jumbos,” 14- or 15inchers, mixed into the schools. October is one of the top months because the fish are in a feeding frenzy, putting on fat to get them
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State fisheries biologist Danny Garrett holds up a full stringer caught off Bellevue while shooting a video on how to catch yellowbellies in the big metro lake. (WDFW)
through the winter. State fisheries experts have often said it’ll only be a matter of time before the official state record of 2.75 pounds, caught by Larry Benthien at Snelson’s Slough in Skagit County on June 22, 1969, is broken, and it likely may come
from Lake Washington. That is based on ample feed and lots of room for yellow perch to grow in the lake, which is the second largest natural lake in the state. Yellow perch – known for their colorful yellow, orange and brasscolored bodies with distinct olive-
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FISHING green, vertical triangular bars along each of their sides – spawn in April, well ahead of many other warmwater fish species in the lake. The females are the largest, tend to grow much faster (usually maturing in three to four years) and live long – up to 8 to 10 years. “Unless we get a high die-off due to some type of fungal infection, I don’t think we can keep up with the recruitment in Lake Washington,” Garrett says. “Fishing pressure won’t make a dent on the population.”
PERCH WON’T PEEL line off your reel or leap out of the water like other fish, but they make up for that by staying on the bite. To catch big perch later in the fall, a boat or some floatation device is essential to get you out over deeper water. If you’re catching more smaller fish, move around within the school to locate the larger ones. If you’re on top of the school, it’ll only
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take a few minutes to figure out. That’s not to say you can’t catch them from the shore right now. The key is to be able to cast out as far as possible. Schools of perch will move into different areas, so don’t be afraid to cast at various locations from shore until you find them. Popular locations are the west end of the I-90 Bridge; all around the Seward Park loop; the south side of the west end of the Evergreen Point Bridge; Kenmore area; Magnuson Park; Andrews Bay; Newport area; Webster Point in Union Bay; Yarrow Bay in Kirkland; Gene Coulon Park in Renton; Foster Island just outside the Montlake Cut; Mercer Island; Juanita Bay; and docks off Madison Park, Stan Sayres Pits, Leschi Park and Mount Baker Park. In October, the ledges off the Seahawks headquarters, by the old “log boom site,” in 30 to 50 feet of water have been a productive place
for jumbos. The gear for catching perch is relatively simple: a light- to mediumaction fishing rod with a spinning reel strung with 4- to 6-pound test. Keep it simple and use a worm on a 24-inch leader tied to a single size No. 4 or 6 hook (match it up to the bait used) with a drop-shot (eggstyle) weight, which is much easier than the three-way swivel technique. Others will use a Sniper Lures Sniper Snub – a colorful 3-inch plastic worm – but a ¼-ounce skirted crappie jig in yellow or white, a feathered jig, maggots or a small chunk of perch meat or perch eyeball all work well.
THERE IS NO daily catch or size limit on yellow perch in the majority of statewide lakes, but check the regulation pamphlet before heading out to fish. For details, go to wdfw .wa.gov. Also see the consumption advisory on larger perch. NS
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OLYMPIA Tom’s Outboard, Inc. (360) 754-3882 PASCO Northwest Marine and Sport (509) 545-5586 www.nwmarineandsport.com TACOMA King Salmon Marine, Inc. (253) 830-2962 www.kingsalmonmarine.com
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CULVER Culver Marine (541) 546-3354 www.culvermarine.com PORTLAND Sportcraft Marina, Inc. (503) 656-6484 www.sportcraftmarina.com
nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2020
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