MARCH-APRIL NEWSLETTER

COVID-19 OR BUST!!!!!

SPRING IS HERE

And “The Sun Also Rises”

FIELD REPORTS AND MEANDERINGS

Shout out to the Cattlemen, Wheatmen, Farmers, Truck drivers, Delivery drivers, Loggers (who are still bringing logs out of the woods like no tomorrow, we know there is a tomorrow,) the whole supply chain. The producers can’t shelter in place they are out working their cattle, checking on calves & lambs, planting spring wheat and spraying, planting spuds, corn, etc., getting irrigation set so we can all eat in the coming year and the truckers can deliver it to your local merchant. There the staff will stock those shelves, get your stuff bagged, and you out the door. I am sure I have forgotten someone who is “essential” but we know they are out there.

Likewise, hat’s off to all the other folks who are going to work in “essential” industries and keeping the Economic Clock ticking, albeit not as fast, your efforts are appreciated. Hopefully you at home “SIP” working from home, we know you are out there.

In Oregon we can still fish and hunt. Washington, no fishing, and hunting getting necked down on Public land. USFS shutting down many National Forests, BLM shutting down places where people gather, i.e. trailheads, parking areas, campgrounds, NOT THE REAL ESTATE AT THIS TIME. Obviously, things will change on the lockdown, it will end, and perhaps some things we do and how we approach them could or will change forever. But the “DOOM AND GLOOM SQUAD”, that lines forms to the LEFT most days.

Personally, I have been sheltering in place since Mid-January when I had a total right knee replacement. Thanks Dr. Christopher Nanson, Orthopedics Northwest, in Tigard, OR. and am glad I scheduled it when I did, as not elective surgery is a long way off now with the current medical support situation. PT has gone well and I am pretty mobile, not running any sprints but getting there.

If it doesn’t change it is our hope to do something outdoors by April 15. The outdoors is by nature a “socially distant” activity. At least you wish it was if your hunting partner moves and spooks the game you are eyeballing, or spooks the birds coming into the dekes!

And gun stores being ruled “Essential businesses” by the Administration. Don’t want to be around if Governors reject that when this boils down, Supreme Court here we come.

At the end of the day this is America, and we are Americans, we will persevere, we will win and though the costs have been steep so far in regards to lives lost, we will get it right and cut off the head of the Chinese Virus. Lots of horsepower working on this problem.

WA Big Game controlled tag application period is April 22 – May 22 at this time
New flash, WA cancelled April 4-5 Youth Turkey hunt and opening of Bear Season in 6 Units.
OR Big Game controlled tag deadline is May 15 at this time.
Game and range conditions excellent from all corners, we do need some rain in some part of the two states. Snow is not bad, I won’t have the snow pack info for March, but at the end of February was In pretty good shape to the East of the State, Cascades not as good.
Big dump of snow next 3 days in the Cascades, as I write this snowing at 2000 at my place, and we got 2 inches tomorrow.
In case you were wondering, we have an extension on Studded Snow tire takeoff in Oregon and Washington, April 30th, new date.
Turkey numbers appear to be as good or better than last year.
Fawns and calves will be dropping soon if not already, let’s hope the wolves don’t eat them all.
REMEMBER PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING WHEN RECREATING ALSO

TURKEY HUNTING 2020

Yes, we will be hunting turkeys this spring! Somewhere, somehow

TURKEY HUNTING- we have lots of ground and plenty of shooter spaces

Currently we are looking at a full first week if we can get into the field. So, check with us on other dates for future opportunities.

Well it is that time of the year. In spite of all the winter we have experienced, there are days ahead that will be sunny as depicted in these pictures. Last year was great, our best terms of putting legal birds and toms in good range in front of our clients, and success rate was also the high again. Young people, ladies, or just a good ole boy can have fun in the pursuit of a Gobbler. I have special youth pricing.

Nesting season this year appears to be a better hatch then 2018. The beauty of having ranches and farms all over Douglas County we are lucky we can spread things out and go where it suits conditions and bird numbers.

Again, this year our primary area of hunting is in SW Oregon again this year. We hunt north, west, some east and south of Roseburg. All of your longtime favorite spots in the vicinity of Oncilla, Sutherlin, Melrose, Days Creek, Oakland, Myrtle Creek, Rice Hill, and Green Valley. And new spots in Oakland, Myrtle Creek and North Umpqua. We have added a big ranch on the North Umpqua and two more farms, one in the Yoncolla area, one in the Lookingglass area near Roseburg. We also have some good access in the Junction City area and building more up in the middle valley. We are fortunate to have that kind of access. We are still headquartered at Rice Hill, but we have now other options to the south of the bird population necessitates an additional headquarters top hunt out of.

We will be adding some guided hunts in North Central Washington near Republic, WA, some lodge based. This is part of the hunt club we are adding in that area, “Northern Lights Hunt Club.” Also working with the K Diamond K Ranch for rooms and lodging, check it out www.kdiamondk.com

We have plenty of good dates available, so still time to book a hunt. Give me a call or an email. Spring is almost here that means “TURKEY TIME!”

DOG TRAINING - Look at these knuckleheads from a few years back!

We start training usually in Middle May we usually can fit you in if the situation allows us. We will be training again at Wilsonville Farm of D and C, great location, dogs love it there. Good optics to watch your dog and the others we are working.

ANTLERLESS ELK HUNTS -OREGON 2020

The current situation, ODFW hasn’t moved to lay out the framework, still working through it. Have a list of hunters who want to take part in this hunt, we will let you know when the framework is established.

We have available to us some damage tags for the N. Powder ranches we have hunted in the past, waiting for final details from ODFW. It is a great “starter “hunt for elk, the price is right, 3 nights, 3 days, guiding, game handling, meals and lodging. We like to book 2 hunters to a group for getting good pricing, this is considered an additional tag should not interfere with your bull tag if you want to do both.

2020 SEASON OFFERINGS

Working on some more openings first season.

WASHINGTON PICS FROM THE PAST

SCABLANDS HUNT CLUB AND NORTHERN LIGHTS HUNT CLUB AND LAST ROOSTER STANDING SHOOTING PRESERVE

Last season I added 7K acres of top flight whitetail and Mule Deer ground, and great upland real estate near Ritzville, will give us more opportunity for deer hunts and upland hunters for sure. It is a combination of bottom land, ag ground, CRP, has some good quail and pheasant on it, and great Whitetail and Mulies. We will combine this with the Hutterite ground we have nearby, so it will be a nice habitat and hunting set up with all the game available.

We have bird hunting memberships and deer hunts available now. Get with me won’t last long, all weapons all seasons, spots available in the West and Northern Lights.

LAST ROOSTER STANDING SHOOTING PRESERVE I am assisting a friend in his pursuit of a new hunt club and shooting preserve near Ritzville, more info to follow. Still waiting on permitting.

Northern Lights Hunt Club -- We will have a variety of hunts available near Republic, WA on the Northern Lights Club ground, new for this year. We have some Modern Rifle, both DIY and Guided, Regular Season Muzzleloader and Bow. Late season Bow for some real quality Whitetail. The Website outlines hunts, seasons and prices. This is a departure from out wide-open spaces hunts, hunting on some quality private land, with timber, not much brush. Very beautiful. Our bow hunts will be on set up blinds and some spot and stalk, with the Whitetails very prevalent early on in the Bow Season. www.kdiamondk.com will host our overnight hunts with lodging and meals in this very fine operation. Also, some special rates for our youth hunters in this club for big game.

Scablands Hunt Club -WEST, we have some modern rifle available, this is a tough hunt, east of Moses Lake. This season we did not hunt it, should have, lots of deer around, so we concentrated our efforts in our other operations in WA. Because it is close by, we are adding last year’s addition of 7K acres to this club. As mentioned, it has some good bird hunting opportunities and the deer of course. This hunt will be priced below our EAST hunts, as a value to our hunters, also the East hunts for deer are sold out.

Scablands Hunt Club-EAST, almost all of our deer hunts are sold for the Washtucna/Starbuck/ Snake River Area, I expect some spots to open as sometimes people’s plans change. We will have a couple of spots left of bird hunter memberships, so get ahead of the curve and get yourself reupped. Not a lot of pressure this year, but everyone who hunted it more than twice bagged 2-3 roosters every day, but of course they won’t admit that LOL.