Jeff's July Updates
/FIRECRACKER JULY NEWSLETTER
COVID:
Have we heard enough about this yet? I have. We hunted turkeys with the right protocols set by our Governor and the CDC and the Oregon Marine Board. We did so successfully. As we enter the fall, yes hunting, social distancing is a component, already of hunting. So, as we approach the fall and you have questions about F N’ M outdoor adventures and our COVID protocols, please contact me. I had masks made in March anticipating, the ole face mask, that pulls up from around your neck. To this day they are better than anything I have seen or worn. We are ready to provide you a safe experience.
As far as the City of Portland, what a disgrace they have become, and disparaging law enforcement! By shells and guns, buy them often.
SUPPORT OUR LOCAL FIRST RESPONDERS AND ALL THE OTHER ONES TOO!!!
FIELD REPORTS AND MEANDERINGS:
Yes, it is true we had a great turkey season, but the birds were tough, just 3 weeks into the season, as they seemed to take on last season caution, not sure why. Not from pressure from us. We picked up another nice property outside of Sutherlin, it is an early season property. Thanks to everyone who hunted, including the WA folks who came back after the governor banished non-resident hunters, ala Gov. Inslee of WA. Both states closed caused a fire storm of push back. So far the pouts look good in terms of counts.
I believe that the season ahead will be a good one. We are looking at good conditions in both states. Including a great look in N. Central WA and Eastern WA as the wheat harvest begins. Late rain I don’t think affected the hatchlings, but increased out density of cover. 2- and 3-year age class deer were around in good numbers when I was in WA in late June. I believe this portends well for the fall. Also, all our guzzlers were full, lots of precap and we keep them full last summer.
Waterfowl, too soon to say how it looks, more reports later. I will be doing more guiding for ducks and geese in the Valley this year.
Summer heat has arrived. Will be good for the duck clubs and their crops.
WASHINGTON DEER SEASON
GENERAL SEASON E. WA RIFLE DATES IN 2020 ARE LATER THEN LAST YEAR, October 17-20 and October 24-27 FOR OUR TWO HUNT PERIODS
We have a few openings for guided hunts in WA, mainly in the north central zone where you have a great chance for a Mulie or a Whitetail. We might be adding more ground at Washtucna, as previously noted, won’t know about that till later in the summer.
Bird clubs’ openings: we have a few lefts for West Scablands and one in East Scablands. Nesting success, we haven’t seen much, but the CRP is awesome and should provide some good cover for the birds.
Low Ranch, Starbuck: CRP came back great, the other half from mowing in 2019, and looks great, better cover for the birds and the Whitetail. Spring level is good, so table is set there.
HITTING THE HIGH SPOTS IN WASHINGTON -WA AD
LAST ROOSTER STANDING SHOOTING PRESERVE-WA
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.
OUR AD IN THE OREGON GAMEBIRD BOOK
BEAR CREEK DUCK CLUB
We have a few openings in the duck club. Call me if interested. We lost Kyle in a commercial fishing accident on the bar at Florence, it remains a mystery why and how it happened. I am renaming the “Front Pond”, “Kyle’s Pond” as he loved to hunt that area, and many a duck was missed by him out of both blinds. We are planting corn as we speak, ground was late to dry out, will try to see what that does for us. We will be adding some off-property goose and duck ground for guided hunts this season.
DOG TRAINING
We will be doing some training this summer, are all ready doing some and will add dogs in September for “Tune ups.” Those dogs requested a “Tune up school” for their owners shooting skills, no comment.
WASHINGTON WINGS HUNT PACKAGE
At the behest of some shooters on the East Coast and Texas, out of the country wing shooters this special package in WA, if interested let me know. Yep it is very expensive. We have a few openings for Singles and doubles.
WASHINGTON WINGS – AN UPLAND SHOOTING PARADISE
Hosted by Field N’ Marsh Outfitters, Last Rooster Standing Shooting Club. In the Republic area we have access to some great timber, low land meadows, and upland habitat. When we head south on Day 3, we have thousands of acres of access, spread out from about 35 miles east to west, 15 miles north to south. Wheat country, high desert habitat, with native grasses, row crop ground, corn and legumes fields, sage brush, and juniper, to just name some of what we will see and experience.
Wild birds flushing over great pointing dogs is something to which almost any outdoor sportsman can relate. Places where you can go to do this sort of hunting seem to shrink each year.
What if…there was such a place - hidden in plain sight, here in the US, where you could hunt, eleven (11) bird species, all within two hours of one another? What if…your host could take you to places where three species of grouse exist, then move you an hour away to shoot pheasants, or pigeons and doves, Chukar partridge, and more? All while staying in a pristine lodge with great food, rooms, and views.
No “What if” needed, it already exists!
The birds we have available to us, the dogs, and the guest.
1. Sooty Grouse
2. Spruce Grouse
3. Ruffed Grouse
4. Mourning Doves
5. Eurasian Doves
6. Rock Pigeons
7. California Quail
8. Northern Bobwhite Quail
9. Chukar Partridge
10. Chinese Pheasant
11. Rio Grande Turkeys
And don’t forget to throw in some Native Redband Rainbow Trout catch and release fishing.
YOUR 4 DAY/ 4 NIGHT WINGSHOOTING ADVENTURE
Our headquarters for the first 2 nights is the K Diamond K Ranch and Lodge, www.kdiamondk.com nestled 7 miles south of Republic, WA, at about 2600 feet elevation, in the heart of the Colville National Forest, on the banks of the Sanpoil River. The term Sanpoil is from the Okanagan language meaning "people of the gray country” We will have dinner, Appetizers, Main Course, and Desert, with an outside fire, discuss the next 4 days and perhaps get in sport clay shooting and some evening trout fishing right on the ranch for Native Red Band Rainbow Trout. We will furnish your gear for that.
Our other hunting base is Odessa, Washington, elevation 1600 ft, in the NE Upper Columbia River Basin. Odessa, a vibrant community of 1,000 residents, is located within the geographically unique area known as the Channeled Scablands of Eastern Washington. 80% of immigrants settling in Odessa consisted of Germans from Russia. Many settlers heard of the new land through friends and relatives already living in areas south of Odessa, such as Ritzville and Colfax. These German families, living along the Black Sea and the Volga River in Russia as wheat farmers for the past 100 years, were discouraged by increasing taxes, the community was named after Odessa, in Ukraine.
DAY ONE: SATURDAY
Your trip begins with a flight to Spokane international Airport, in Eastern Washington. We will pick you up curbside and make our way to Republic, WA, approximate 2-hour drive. Republic was founded by gold prospectors in the late 19th century, it is still one of the most active Gold mining areas in the West, “There is gold in them their hills”. The town of Republic, Washington is located on the middle, western edge of Ferry County, Washington, Located near the source of the Sanpoil River in a long valley bordered by the Okanagan Highlands to the west and the Kettle mountain range to the east. Ferry County sits along the north-central edge of Washington State, and shares its northern border (and three border crossings) with British Columbia, Canada. Founded during the gold rush of the late 1800s and early 1900s, Republic sits at an elevation of 2500 ft (762 m) and is nestled on a hillside overlooking the San Poil River Valley. Along the way we will grab lunch and any personal needs you might need. We will cross the Columbia River, Kettle River, Spokane River, and upper Lake Roosevelt.
DAY TWO: SUNDAY
We will start the day with a mid-morning breakfast, gear up and head out the door for the AM hunt, pursuing Sooty, Ruffed and Spruce Grouse. If you are an early riser, we get you down to the river for AM try at those trout! We will be in Forested ground and doing some foot hunting behind English Setters and a few flushers. After lunch in the Field, we will in the afternoon enjoy some upland hunting for quail and pheasants, a great way to finish up the day. We will return to the lodge for sumptuous dinner featuring some of our bag from the day, Appetizers, Main Course, and Desert, with an outside fire. relax outside at the mountain retreat, and dream of more birds on the morrow.
DAY THREE: MONDAY
Lite Breakfast, fast out to do another AM Grouse hunt, (or if the odds are in our favor perhaps a quick Rio Grande Turkey hunt, as they are very numerous in this area,)and hope our shooting is better, the distraction of the beautiful scenery here is excuse enough for lack of concentration on your shooting!
We will return to the Lodge, check out and head due south, about 2-hour drive, crossing via a Washington State Ferry, Lake Roosevelt, the impoundment formed by the Grand Coulee Dam, passing through the Colville Reservation. We will rise up out of the canyon near Wilbur, heading across the breath-taking High Desert of NE Upper Columbia River Basin. We will stop at a local lake along the way for lunch before checking in to our Headquarter facility, the La Collage Inn, situated in Odessa WA.
After checking in and gearing up we will head out for an evening dove shoot and or pigeon shoot on one or more of the expansive properties that Field N Marsh and Last Rooster Standing has leased for our vast hunting operations in this part of the state.
Returning to our Odessa base of operations, we will enjoy an outdoor meal, and a great time to relax and get ready for Tuesday. Appetizers, Main Course, and Desert, with an outside fire.
DAY 3: TUESDAY
The day starts with a bang, in pursuit of either Mourning Doves, Pigeons, or Eurasian Doves. Finishing up with pursuing Chukars close by to our Dove hunting location. Lunch in the field to follow. We will have retrievers handy for our retrieving needs in the AM.
Afternoon, we will pursue, Quail, Chukars and Roosters, big time, lots of shooting behind Setters, Pointers, and flushers. We will return to Odessa for an outdoor meal, that will only be eclipsed by the great shooting of the day. Appetizers, Main Course, and Desert, with an outside fire pit.
DAY 4: WEDNESDAY
Farewells and packing up to travel back to Spokane International Airport for your trip home, this drive just over 1 hour. We made a complete circle since your arrival. Safe travels
WHAT WE WILL PROVIDE BESIDES GREAT HOSPITALITY AND A UNIQUE WING SHOOTING EXPERIENCE
· All your meals and lodging, double occupancy, with complimentary Beer and Wine with dinner.
· Non-alcoholic beverages, water, sport drinks, and snacks in the field.
· All ground transportation for our excursions and airport pickup and delivery
· 1 Flat of shotgun Shells with additional shells available, please specify gauge, (12 or 20) (Clay shooting shells available)
· All licenses, endorsements, and validation, including Turkey tag if necessary.
· Fishing gear on site for evening fly fishing where available
· Game handling and processing.
Mean Average temps and rainfall for our two destinations:
Republic, WA
September (mean hi/low temp.) 72/39
October 56/34
Rainfall SEP/OCT .83/.83
Odessa, WA
September (mean hi/low temp.) 78/43
October 64/35
Rainfall SEP/OCT .29/.51
These are links to Google Pic Albums of the country we are hunting
https://photos.app.goo.gl/6hm8WTxcDyjAYGVJ6 K Diamond K updated 6-6-20
https://photos.app.goo.gl/PXRQsHpRhhQnNtsY7 Rockn’ G Grouse and Upland Fields updated 6-6-20
https://photos.app.goo.gl/TmShAgWf2Ef5Dmo1A Traveling North to South from K Diamond K Ranch to Odessa these are correct order, N to S as you travel
If you are getting this and would prefer not too, let us know.