Tag Archives: hunting

Leupold’s VX 3L Rifle Scope

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While everyone else around here is in fishing mode I’ve been quietly plotting a fall hunting trip to the Missouri breaks in Montana that will likely require some long range bombing. I just ordered a Savage .300 Win Mag (more on that later) that delivers a serious punch down range and I finally settled on a Leupold VX-3L 4.5-14 rifle scope with a 50 millimeter objective for light gathering and the CDS system. My goal was to set up a rifle that will shoot accurately out to 500 yards and this one will get the job done just fine.

I went with the larger objective for it’s light gathering characteristics because this gun will not only be used for longer range shots at mule deer, but also for blacktails and Roosevelt elk in the dark forests of Western Washington. Not only that but we all know how critically important the early morning and evening minutes are when you’re hunting big game. Light gathering is critical during these precious minutes when animal movement is highest.

While it’s appearance may seem awkward at first the low profile of the VX-3L allows the scope to sit low on the rifle and is very comparable to a scope with 30 millimeter objective.

I did a lot of research and ended up going with the CDS system because it seemed so darned easy. CDS stands for Custom Dial system. You simply fill out a card with your ballistics and send it along with your elevation cap to Leupold and they return a new custom dial that matches your ammo. The dial is set up to shoot out to 500 yards and to be honest I won’t be taking any shots longer than that. The CDS system it is then.

The only catch I see is that I better be darn sure of the load I’m going to use and have plenty of it on hand. In todays age of ammo-madness you need to have a bunch of ammo on hand for both hunting and sighting-in because it doesn’t last long on the shelf at the local shop before POOF…it’s gone!

I’m leaning towards a 165 grain Sierra boat tail for the long range stuff, but the verdict is still out on this and I can definitely be swayed. This seems to be a good all around bullet and weight for both deer and elk. Between now and the time the rifle shows up I’ll be doing some more research on this and will make a final determination on a load.

I’ve been needing a new deer and elk rifle for many years and I’m certain that this Savage/Leupold combo is going to work out great. I’ll be certain to post up my experiences with this combo as they come along and don’t forgot that the deadline for applying for special hunts in Montana is March 15.

Now…back to the regularly scheduled fishing program already in progress!

Rob Endsley
The Outdoor Line
710 ESPN Seattle
www.theoutdoorline.com

Northwest Outdoor Report

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Jerry Thomas Wins Oly Pen Salmon Derby

A record catch of 351 hatchery Chinook were weighed in at the Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby last weekend setting a new record for the 40 year old derby. 820 anglers fished in the event compared to 650 last year. Mount Vernon native Jerry Thomas took first place and $10,000 with a 15.90 pound blackmouth, Lauren Selvig from Port Orchard took second with a 14.80 pound blackmouth, and Don White of Hansville took 3rd place with a 14.35 pounder. Thomas hooked the winning fish first thing in the morning on Saturday near Protection Island on an orange label herring. It’s the first time he’s fished the Olympic Peninsula Derby and he says he’ll be back next year.

Lake Roosevelt Producing Limits of Rainbows

Don Talbot at Hooked on Toys in Wenatchee says the rainbow fishing is still good on Lake Roosevelt. He recommends trolling small Apex lures in either purple or bright red with anywhere from a half ounce to an ounce of lead. Talbot says the fish are cruising in the top 20 feet of the water column and anglers should set the gear as much as 200 feet back from the boat to get strikes. Talbot also recommends using a K-Fly tipped with a nightcrawler if the Apex’s aren’t working. Talbot says to launch at Spring Canyon boat launch and fish the lower six to eight of the lake just above Grand Coulee Dam.

Steelhead Showing in the Cowlitz

Derek Anderson from Screamin’ Reels Guide Service reports that a few of the “B” run steelhead are starting to show up in the Cowlitz. He said a friend of his caught three the other day and there were some fish being caught by the bank anglers at Blue Creek, as well. Anderson thinks that things will pick up the first week of March when the run typically starts to show up. The majority of the hatchery steelhead planted in the Cowlitz River now show up in the river as a late “B” run that starts in late February and goes all the way thru the end of April. These fish are big too…averaging around twelve pounds and steelhead into the upper teens aren’t uncommon.

Razor Clam Dig Scheduled for this Weekend

WDFW approved another razor clam dig for this weekend at Long Beach and Twin Harbors on the Washington coast. Today’s tide is at 5:12 p.m. and tomorrows tide is at 5:47 p.m.. Clam diggers are limited to 15 razor clams per day and are required to keep the first 15 clams they dig. Check out the WDFW website for more details.

Spring Chinook Seminar at Three Rivers Marine

Northwest salmon fishing expert Josh Hughes will be doing a spring Chinook seminar at Three Rivers Marine in Woodinville on March 9th. Hughes will cover in detail where to fish on the Columbia River for springers and exactly how to rig up to catch these prized fish. Three Rivers will also be conducting mini-clinics starting at 10:00 a.m. on everything from how to rig a cut plug herring to wrapping and tuning a Kwikfish. If you’re at all interested in fishing the Columbia and its tributaries for Chinook this spring this seminar is a must. There’s bbq’d hot dogs and soda at the event and please RSVP to let them know you’re coming.

100,000 Descend on Tulsa for the Bassmaster Classic

Approximately 100,000 people are expected at both Grand Lake and in the city of Tulsa this weekend for the 43rd annual Bassmaster Classic. It’s the first time the Bassmaster Classic has ever been held in Oklahoma and the farthest west the Classic has been in more than 30 years. The angler with the best three day bass total in the Classic wins an impressive $500,000 and much, much more in endorsements. The big story at the Classic this year is the weather. There was snow on the ground for practice during the week and temperatures are supposed to drop below freezing every night.  The cold weather didn’t slow down Mike Iaconelli and Cliff Price though, who are both tied for 1st place after day one with 21 pounds, 8 ounces apiece. 4 time Classic champion Kevin VanDam is in a very close 4th place with 19 pounds 12 ounces.

Wolf Population Doubles in Washington

According to a survey just released by WDFW the number of gray wolves in Washington has nearly doubled in the past year. The survey found at least 51 wolves in 9 packs in Washington state. In 2011 there was just 27 wolves in the state. Bioligists suspect that there are two additional wolf packs in the state and think there could be as many as 100 wolves in Washington state.

Russian’s Crowned Ice Fishing Champions

From the A.P. – The Russian’s just took the gold medal in the World Ice Fishing Championships in Central Wisconsin last weekend. Eleven teams from around the world competed Saturday and Sunday on Beg Eau Pleine Reservoir near Wausau. The Finland ice fishing team took 2nd place, Lithuania took 3rd, and the the U.S. team took fourth place despite having the “home ice” advantage. Last year the ice fishing championships were held in Khazahkstan where the U.S. team took 11th place.

Rob Endsley
The Outdoor Line
710 ESPN Seattle
www.theoutdoorline.com

Northwest Outdoor Report

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Hit Lake Washington for Winter Cutthroat
Tom Pollock from the fishing counter at Sportco (253-922-2222) says he’s been hearing really good reports about the cutthroat fishing on Lake Washington. Customers have been catching cutthroat to 17 inches and one customer landed a 4 and a half pound cutty on the lake last week. Pollocks go-to trolling rig is a pink mini-hoochie 10 to 12 inches behind a mini Sling Blade. He tips the hooks with as many as four Berkley Gulp Maggots and also adds Smelly Jelly Crawfish scent to the dodger. Pollock says to troll 15 to 20 feet down on the downrigger and get the gear at least 100 feet behind the boat before clipping it in. The best fishing on Lake Washington this time of year for cutthroat is the south side of Mercer Island in 100 to 120 feet of water.

Travis Brewer Banded Hunts
Travis Brewer from Banded Hunts Washington (360-333-2488) said the field hunting in Skagit County has been lights out this past week. They’ve been taking limits of greenheads and widgeon in the fields close to Samish Bay. Brewer says  there’s thousands of ducks wintering on Samish Bay and they are pouring into nearby fields to feed in the mornings. He expects this next week to provide some exceptional hunting as North winds push birds down from BC. Brewer says to hunt the fields closest the the bay fronts for the most consistent action.

Forks Area Rivers Fishable This Weekend
Bill Myer from Angler’s Guide Service (206-697-2055) in Forks, Washington thinks the Olympic Peninsula rivers will be in shape and fishable just in time for the weekend. Myer says theres already been a couple of 20 plus pound steelhead caught on the Sol Duc and Bogachiel and either one of those would be his choice this weekend. Bill says the tribal nets weren’t in all week because of high water and this weekend could be a telltale of how the run is shaping up.

Whitetail Buck Crashes into Ohio Classroom
From the Associated Press. Early Monday morning a 10 point whitetail buck jumped through a window at Kings Junior High School in Warren County, Ohio. When officials arrived at the school at around 7:00 a.m. they found the deer trapped in the classroom. Administrators had to have students wait in the auditorium while firefighters and the local game warden tranquilized the deer and removed it from the building. The buck was removed at approximately 8:45 and classes started on schedule at 9:00 a.m..

Spurned Woman Sells Ex-Boyfriends Secret Fishing Spots
This drama actually went down in January of 2012, but it’s just now getting play in the media.  New Zealand’s Stuff magazine reports that an un-named boyfriend had hightailed it to Australia without giving his girlfriend notice. The only problem is that he forgot to grab his GPS containing all of his secret fishing spots out of the garage. When she found it in the garage she immediately placed it up for auction  on the web and was surprised to get more than 90,000 hits on the secret fishing spots. The GPS coordinates went for $3,000, which she spent on herself.  Stuff magazine reports that she’s now dating a new fisherman, but she says she won’t share her ex’s fishing spots with him. She is more honorable than that.

Bluefin Tuna Sells for $1.7 million in Japan
A single bluefin tuna just set a record at Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji fish market, fetching over 1.7 million dollars. The 489 pound bluefin was caught in the North Atlantic and sold in Tokyo for a whopping  $3,476 a pound. The “New Year Tuna” was purchased by representatives from Tokyo Zanmai, which is a popular Japanese sushi restaurant chain. The tuna more than doubled last year’s record purchase of a 593 that fetched $736,000 dollars. Bluefin tuna have become increasingly rare as stocks worldwide have been overharvested to keep up with demand, which is one of the reasons why they fetch such a high price on the sushi market.

Pro 2nd Amendment March on January 19th
The group “Guns Across America” is holding a peaceful pro 2nd Amendment rally at the state capitol building in Olympia on January 19th at high noon. The group is asking anyone and everyone that’s interested wants to retain their right to bear arms to show up at the rally. Hunters, pistol shooters, gun collectors, and patriots are asked to show up at the rally and show their support of the 2nd Amendment. Rallies are taking place on the steps of every state capitol building across the country on January 19th.

Rob Endsley
The Outdoor Line
710 ESPN Seattle
www.theoutdoorline.com 

Northwest Outdoor Report

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First Razor Dig of 2013 Scheduled

WDFW just approved the first razor clam dig of 2013, starting Tuesday (Jan. 8) at Twin Harbors and expanding to include Long Beach, Mocrocks, and Copalis beaches later in the week. Twin Harbors will be open from January 8th thru January 14th and Long Beach, Mocrocks, and Copalis Beaches will be open Thursday January 10th thru Saturday January 12th.
Commission to Consider Removing Gillnets from Columbia Mainstem
The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet January 11th and 12th in Olympia to consider shifting gillnets off the mainstem of the lower Columbia River and into designated off-channel fishing areas. The plan would also shift allocation on many of the Columbia’s salmon runs over to the recreational sector. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 4-2 back on December 7th to adopt the plan and now it’s up to their counterparts in Washington to move the plan forward. The meeting will be held in the Columbia Room of the state Legislative Building starting at 8:30 a.m..

Brant Hunt Approved for Skagit County

A flight by wildlife biologists last week determined that brant numbers would support an 8 day hunt in Skagit County. At least 6,000 birds are needed to support a hunt and wildlife biologist Don Kraege counted 8,960 brant in Fidalgo, Padilla, and Samish Bays. The hunt is scheduled for January 12, 13, 16, 19, 20, 23, 26, and 27. Be sure to check out the WDFW website for more details on this special brant hunt, as there are special license requirements in place.

Wild Steelhead Showing Early in the Skagit

John Koenig of Johns Guide Service (360-708-3166) in Rockport reports catchable numbers of wild steelhead in the Skagit River right now. He’s been surprised by the number of wild fish this early in the season and thinks that the Skagit could be in store for some excellent fishing in late January and February when the wild steelhead show up in earnest. In stark contrast the hatchery steelhead return on the Skagit has been so poor that the Cascade River was recently closed down so that the Marblemount Hatchery could meet its egg take goals.

Sol Duc Fishing Well

Mike Zavadlov from Mike Z’s Guide Service (360-640-8109) in Forks has been seeing really good numbers of wild steelhead in the Sol Duc already. Mike’s caught steelhead into the low teens, as well as a few Snider Creek steelhead. One of Mike’s go-to jigs lately in the low and clear water has been a pink and purple Beau Mac 1/8th ounce jig. While the Snider Creek broodstock program was discontinued last year, anglers can still expect to catch those fish for at two more years on the Sol Duc River.

Potholes Spotty for Ducks, Good for Geese

Levi Meseberg from Mar Don Resort on Potholes Reservoir reports great goose hunting over the Christmas break with limits or near limits of geese for the last couple of weeks. He says the cold weather that’s made the goose hunting so good has pushed a lot of the ducks south though. While there’s been a few pockets of birds around he says the duck hunting hasn’t been all that great lately. With temperatures forecast into the mid-40’s for the Potholes region next week he thinks the duck hunting could be some of the best of the season. Waterfowl season will close on January 27th this year, so duck hunters have just a few more weeks to get their hunting in.

Kent Man Attacked by Coyotes

When Faron Scarberry moved to Kent two weeks ago he had no idea how dangerous going for a walk with his dogs might be. Last Friday night while he was walking his dogs three coyotes attacked him in back yard. They initially went for Scarberry’s face and he was able to block them, but one of the coyotes grabbed him by the leg. He was able to ward off the coyotes, but he still spent the night in the emergency room and got 24 rabies shots on his leg and hip. Coyotes rarely attack humans, but wildlife officials recommend keeping garbage contained and pets inside at night this time of year to reduce the chance of an encounter.

Gun Map Backfires on New York Publisher

When the Journal News in New York recently published a story called “The gun owner next door: What you don’t know about the weapons in your neighborhood” burglars and crooks immediately took notice. Along with the story was a map of every gun owner in Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam Counties. While the intent of the insanely stupid article was to “out” local gun owners the article did nothing but help crooks and enrage gun owners. Burglars who needed guns now knew which homes to hit and the information also let burglars know which homes were gun-free and easy to rob. One blogger reacted by posting a map showing where key editorial staffer live. Outraged groups have called for a boycott of Gannett Publishing’s advertisers and the newspaper now has armed guards stationed outside at least one of its offices.

Rob Endsley
The Outdoor Line
710 ESPN Seattle
www.theoutdoorline.com

Northwest Outdoor Report

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Kester and McCulloch Scoring Blackmouth in Area 10

Matt McCulloch from Tyee Charters (206-799-2530) on Bainbridge Island has been hitting blackmouth all the way up to 16 pounds at Jefferson Head, Kingston, and Skiff Point. He says the south side of Jeff Head has been really good on the outgoing tide, but the seals have been a real issue there lately. McCulloch’s also been finding quite a few fish feeding on spawning herring and anchovies in as shallow as 40 to 50 feet of water around Kingston. His go-to trolling setup lately has been a glow in the dark Hot Spot with a 4 inch Irish flag Kingfisher Lite spoon. He thinks the stellar blackmouth fishing should hold up all the way thru the month of January.

Nick Kester from All Star Charters (425-327-2421) says he’s been kicking back a lot of shakers in the 21 inch range in the south end of Area 10 this past week to find his keepers. Kester has been scoring his legal blackmouth at Tyee Shoal near Eagle Harbor and he says there’s plenty of blackmouth at Jefferson Head too, but the seals have been horrible there lately. He’s been scoring most of his fish trolling either Cookie’s and Cream or Irish Cream spoons 45 inches behind a Gibb’s glow in the dark flasher.

Humptulips Cranking out Hatchery Steelhead

Joe Superfisky from Superfly’s Guide Service (360-888-7772) says the bank anglers have been outfishing the driftboaters by a longshot on the Humptulips River this past week. Superfisky says the area around Stevens Creek Hatchery has been hot for hatchery steelhead as they bomb upstream in the recent high flows. He was on the river on Friday and says he saw at least a dozen steelhead laying on the beach when he floated by with his customers. He’s been picking off a few nice fish in the boat, but his advice is to hit the bank at Steven’s Creek for your best shot at a nice Humpulips hatchery steelhead.

New Years Razor Dig Underway

Razor clammers will have this weekend and Monday to dig clams on the Washington coast. Twin Harbors, Long Beach, and Mocrocks will be open tonight. Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Mocrocks, and Copalis Beaches will all be open tomorrow and Monday for digging. The razor clam limit is 15 per person and the best digging usually occurs one to two hours before low tide.

Steelhead Cruising the Green

Daniel Bravo from Auburn Sports and Marine (253-833-1440) says the Green River has been kicking out a few hatchery steelhead above Flaming Geyser Park. Bravo says the word on the street is that sand shrimp, sand shrimp, or sand shrimp hs been the go-to bait on the Green lately. He says he’s heard of a few reports of wild fish in the Green already, as well. The Green received a plant of 116,000 steelhead smolts in 2011 and should provide decent steelhead fishing into January.

Chad Belding at Holiday Sports

Chad Belding of the popular and entertaining hunting show The Fowl Life on the Sportsman’s Channel will be at Holiday Sports in Burlington on December 29th from 2 to 4 p.m. to sign autographs and talk waterfowl hunting with fans of the show.

Pennsylvania Deer Hunter $50 Million Richer

From the Levittown Patch. Roger Custer of Levittown, Pennsylvania bought a Powerball lottery ticket while picking up supplies for a week long hunting trip with some friends in early December. When he returned home from his hunting trip five days later he pulled the ticket from his pocket and handed it to his wife and said, “Check this and tell me how many millions we’ve won.” After checking the numbers his wife began crying with joy. While he was away hunting Custer had hit the Powerball jackpot, winning $50 million before taxes. The Custer’s after-tax winnings amounts to just over $33 million. Custer says he plans on doing a lot more hunting and fishing in the near future.

Rob Endsley
The Outdoor Line
710 ESPN Seattle
www.theoutdoorline.com

Northwest Outdoor Report

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Duck Dynasty Sets Ratings Record
A&E’s breakout hit Duck Dynasty just set a record for the network of 6.5 million viewers in the season finale last Wednesday. The reality show about a quirky Christian family that makes duck calls and decoys is A&E’s most-watched telecast ever and has topped ratings for even the major networks. Duck Dynasty is now A&E’s top rated series ever.

Commission Meeting Focused on Gillnet Removal
The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will be briefed on the plan to remove gillnets from the Lower Columbia today at the Comfort Inn Conference Center in Tumwater. There will be a public comment period after the briefing and hundreds of both sport and commercial fisherman are expected to turn out. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission already voted 4-2 last week to remove non-tribal gillnets from the mainstem of the Columbia River. The Commission will make its final decision on the harvest reform package at the January 11th and 12th Commission meeting.

Shinman and Norling take Resurrection Derby
75 angling teams descended on Friday Harbor last weekend for the 3rd annual Resurrection Blackmouth Derby. Fishing was quite good in the San Juan Island for those that attended, with over 200 fish weighed in compared to 120 last year. Bob Norling and Mark Shinman from Anacortes took first place and $10,000 in the derby with a 15.67 blackmouth. The duo took second place in the derby last year. Next up in the Northwest Salmon Derby Series is the Roche Harbor Derby held February 7th thru the 9th, followed by the Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby held in Port Townsend the weekend of February 16th thru the 18th.

Colville’s Open Hunting for Wolves
The Colville recently announced that it would open the hunting season for gray wolves on its 1.4 million acre reservation in Northeastern Washington. The tribe says that wolves have caused a crop in both the deer and elk populations on the reservation that remain a valuable food source for tribal members. They are allowing up to 3 wolves to be taken in along the southern portion of the reservation north of Spokane. No wolves have been killed yet and the season is set to close on February 28th.

Scant Hatchery Steelhead on the Skagit
John Koenig from John’s Guide Service (360-708-3166) in Rockport reports very slow fishing for hatchery steelhead on the upper Skagit River. Koenig says there’s more wild steelhead in the river than hatchery fish right now. Aside from the slow steelhead fishing he said the dolly varden fishing has been excellent. He’s been catching plenty of dollies on the upper Skagit sidedrifting eggs, with a few over 25 inches in length. Dolly Varden congregate in the upper Skagit this time of year to feed on eggs left behind by spawning chum and silver salmon.

Gale Force Winds Should Move Skagit Ducks
Travis Brewer from Banded Hunts Washington (360-333-2488) in Mount Vernon thinks the gale force winds forecast for this weekend will make for some great duck hunting in the Skagit Valley. Brewer says there’s been thousands of ducks rafted up on both the Samish and Skagit Bay’s and high winds should have those birds flying over the weekend. The high winds and rain could make for some of the best duck hunting of the entire season.

Big Trout Hitting Streamers on the Yakima
Erin Smith at Red’s Fly Shop (509-933-2300) on the Yakima River reports that some bigger trout are being caught swinging streamers on the river right now. The hot patterns have been either a Dolly Llama or Sculpzilla in a size 6 and she recommends fishing the deeper holes to find wintering trout this time of year. She says the most productive stretch of river has been between Umptanum and Red’s Fly Shop.

Rob Endsley
The Outdoor Line
710 ESPN Seattle
www.theoutdoorline.com

Northwest Outdoor Report

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WDFW Announces Razor Clam Dig
Clam diggers can look forward to some of the best tides of the year when Twin Harbors opens on December 11th for 6 days, followed by Mocrocks, Long Beach, and Copalis that will open up on Friday December 14th. All four beaches will remain open thru Sundays tide, which is set for 8:47 p.m..

Bogachiel Heating Up
Mike Zavadlov from Mike Z’s Guide Service (360-640-8109) in Forks reported decent fishing on the Bogachiel River on Thursday of this past week. The river had four feet of visibility and Mike said they had hooked a few fish but the river was still fairly high at the time. He felt like the Bogey should fish well over the weekend as it dropped into prime fishable shape. The Bogachiel River was the only river in the immediate Forks area to receive a steelhead plant in 2011 because of an outbreak of the IHN virus. For hatchery steelhead the Bogachiel will be the only game in town until the wild fish show up.

Cowlitz Hit and Miss for Steelhead
Todd Daniels from Tall Tails Guide Service  (206-437-8766) is reporting fairly tough fishing conditions on the Cowlitz River so far this winter. He says they’ve been catching one to three steelhead a day just below the Blue Creek HatcheryHit or miss, but overall it’s been very hit or miss. Daniels says the size of the fish has been great though with most of the fish weighing from ten pounds up to the mid teens. Daniels has been drifting yarnies on a four foot leader tipped with an EZ Egg and he says with the high flows you’ve got to get tight to the bank where the steelhead are holding. The Cowlitz has been flowing at 14,000 cfs and the Northwest River Forecast Center predicts that the Cowlitz will drop down to around 11,000 cfs by mid week.

Weather Needed to get Skagit Ducks Moving
Travis Brewer from Banded Hunts (360-333-2488) in Mount Vernon says there’s a ton of ducks on Skagit Bay, but they haven’t been flying much the last couple of days. He thinks if the snow level and the barometer drops this weekend like it’s supposed to the ducks will likely hit the flooded fields in the Skagit Valley to feed. Otherwise weekend hunters should concentrate their efforts on the bay for their best chance at a good shoot. Brewer also recommends doing as much scouting as possible before heading out.

San Juan Blackmouth Fishing Off to a Good Start
Blackmouth fishing in the San Juan Islands seems to be off to a good start. Winter blackmouth into the mid-teens have been reported from the Rosario Strait and also on the west side of Orcas Island. 75 angling teams descended on Friday Harbor this weekend for the 3rd Annual Resurrection Blackmouth Derby. A 15.5 pound blackmouth is on top of the derby board right now followed by a 14.5 pounder. With one more day to go it’s anybody’s derby at this point. The Outdoor Line is broadcasting live from Friday Harbor this weekend and don’t forget to check out TheOutdoorLine.com for a full derby report.

Minnesota Twins Target Free Agents with Venison Jerky
The Minnesota Twins have come up with a unique way to entice free agents to upgrade their ailing rotation: the gift of venison jerky. Says General Manager Tim Ryan, “We know we’re not going to compete with the Yankees and Red Sox of the world as far as the money we can put up, so we have to spend smarter and add value where we can. And if you want to convince a potential free agent or another club to strike a deal, who’s going to say no to some of Glen Perkins homemade venison jerky? Probably no one.” The Twins closer and outdoors enthusiast is thrilled that his venison jerky, or “Perkins Jerkins is an integral part of the team’s attempt to improve their chances to compete in the competitive AL Central.

Rob Endsley
The Outdoor Line
710 ESPN Seattle
www.theoutdoorline.com

Sunglasses You Can Hide Behind

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If you’re looking for a Chistmas gift for the sportsman in your life or just want some super cool shades look no further than Costa’s new lineup of polarized sunglasses in AP Realtree camo.

Costa’s camo series is available in their popular Fantail, Blackfin, Double Haul, and Zane frames and of course you can also get them with uber-schwanky 580P glass lenses for the ultimate in color enhancement and glare reduction.

Costa’s 580P glass allows maximum depth perception and light transmission in the early morning and late afternoon when animals and fish are most active and these lenses provide maximum glare reduction.

I know this firsthand because I wear them nearly every day on the ocean in Alaska and when I’m river fishing in Washington where it seems like we have “low light” conditions more often than not. Even on those rainy, drizzly days we’re famous for here in the Pacific Northwest it’s surprising how much glare is cast off the water.

Now I’m all fired up to try the new Costa Realtree camo shades in the duck blind and in the fern-choked blacktail woods of Washington. If they can give me even the slightest edge detecting an elusive blacktail buck in the early morning darkness I’m all over it.

If you haven’t done it already click on over to Costa AP Realtree Camo and snoop around. You can bet these sweet shades will be on my Christmas list!

Rob Endsley
The Outdoor Line
710 ESPN Seattle
www.theoutdoorline.com

 

Northwest Outdoor Report

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Clam Dig Next Weekend
WDFW just announced another razor clam dig next week. Twin Harbors beach will be open Tuesday thru Saturday, and on Thursday Long Beach will open up and over the weekend Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, and Mocrocks beaches will all be open for razor clamming. Clamming generally starts two hours before the low tide in the evening.

Black Friday Trout Fishing Special
If you’d rather go fishing than shopping the day after Thanksgiving then WDFW has the deal for you. They’ll be planting Battleground Lake and Klineline Pond in Clark County, Kress Lake in Cowlitz County, Fort Borst Park Pond and South Lewis County Park Pond in Lewis County, and Rowland Lake in Klickitat County with 2,000 rainbows apiece. Chris Donley from WDFW called the Black Friday fishery an experiment that could lead to similar events in other parts of the state.

Southwest Washington Elk Opener Toughest in Years
Mike Jenkins from Upfront Outfitters (360-560-7620) said that fog descended on his camps in Southwest Washington just in time for the elk opener. He said the fog spotting elk nearly impossible and that the success rate for the entire area hit an all time low. The upside is that the last part of the season could be very good for elk hunters, since there’s a bunch of bulls still out there and hunter numbers are generally low the latter part of the season. Jenkins thinks the drop in temperature this week could make hunting very good!

Silvers Piling into the Humptulips
Scott Sypher from Canyon Man’s Guide Service (206-518-4982) is reporting wide open coho fishing out on the Humptulips the last few days. He limited out his customers quickly Thursday morning throwing #4 and #5 hoochie spinners into the lumber. Sypher says that gold and copper spinners seemed to be the best color. The Humptulips has a 3 fish daily limit for silvers this fall, only one of which can be a wild coho.

Ranker Digging into Wolf Pack Removal
Senator Kevin Ranker from Friday Harbor, who chairs a committee that oversees WDFW, says he’s going to hold a hearing about the department’s decision to remove the Wedge wolf pack in Northeast Washington last month. The wedge wolf pack had killed two cattle and injured 15 others on the Diamond M ranch north of Colville before the department made the decision to remove the pack. He thinks officials and the rancher could have done more to deter the wolves from attacking cattle. While he won’t be asking for resignations or reprimands, he will be using the hearing to more clearly clarify the states position on wolf removal and make sure this doesn’t happen again.

Pikeminnow Angler earns 77,000
Portland angler Nikolay Zaremskiy earned $77, 238 last year catching pikeminnows from the Columbia River. The state has a bounty on the pikeminnow in the Columbia, which has a voracious appetite for salmon and steelhead smolts. It’s the second year in a row that Zaremskiy has earned over $70,000 dollars catching pikeminnows. Last year he earned over $71,000 dollars. Eric Winther, who manages the program, called him the Michael Jordan of pikeminnow fishing. The bounty program starts in early May and runs thru September and last year it dished out over one million in rewards.

Rob Endsley
The Outdoor Line
710 ESPN Seattle
www.theoutdoorline.com

6 Tips for Taking a Late Season Blacktail

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I’ve developed a real passion for blacktail hunting because I live in blacktail country and they are so darned difficult to hunt. Taking a mature blacktail buck is like catching a winter steelhead on the fly. It takes a lot of work and patience but when it all comes together and you get one…oh how sweet it is!

If you haven’t taken a deer yet don’t worry…be happy! The latter part of the general season and the late buck hunt are the two best times to tag out on a blacktail.

Here’s a few things that have helped me tag several very nice blacktails here in Washington:

Look for Sign

There’s a ton of great blacktail habitat in Western Washington, but unfortunately they don’t use all of it. The best thing you can do is to check multiple clear cuts early in the season and see which ones have the most sign. Look for fresh rubs on small trees, tracks in the mud, and tracks crossing the roads that surround the clear cuts. If you can’t find fresh rubs indicating that a buck is using the area it might not be the end of the world. You do need to find does, however, as bucks will find them as soon as they come into heat. If you’ve located good numbers of does in your favorite clear cut the chances are good that a buck will eventually show up. The does almost act as a live decoy. And if you’ve found both does and fresh buck rubs…I’d hang out there for a while until that mature blacktail shows up. He’ll be back and it’ll probably be soon.

Cover Ground

The nice thing about blacktails is that they usually won’t run for miles after they are spooked. Where you find them is where they live, much like whitetails in the Midwest. If I’m dead certain that a clear cut is going to produce a buck (i.e. sign, rubs, etc) I’ll sit tight and glass it for a few hours, but if I’m not entirely confident in the cut I’m usually on the move. I’ll cruise as many as four or five clear cuts in a day of hunting and I’ll usually check the timber around them for sign as well. By doing this you may jump a deer or two, but you’re doing some great scouting in the process. If you jump a good buck chances are he’s going to be right back in the same place within a day or two. If they’ve got food, cover, and does they aren’t going to journey too far. A great way to find clear cuts is with Google Earth. You can tell easily tell which clear cuts are grown up and which ones are fairly new.

Glassing

Now that you’ve found a great clear cut with lots of sign you need to park your fanny on a stump or landing with a great view and do some glassing. I generally use my naked eye to scan the areas closest to me and then I start slowly scanning the clear cut in a grid pattern until I’ve covered every square inch out to about 400 or 500 yards. After I’ve done this I’ll take a break for a few minutes and then do it again, and again, and again. Most good clear cuts will have quite a bit of brush to hide a blacktail, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t glass any deer right away. Blacktails will often bed down in the same clear cut they are feeding in and it could be an hour or two before they get out of their beds. When you’re glassing look for the flick of an ear, antler tips, legs, and the flicker of a tail. Any small movement can be a blacktail feeding thru the undergrowth. I glassed for over two hours before the mature blacktail I took three years ago presented himself. He was bedded down in a gulley in the clear cut and finally got up.

Scent Control

I just started using the Scent Away system a few years ago and I am totally sold on it. The local Hunter’s Specialties rep asked me if I’d ever wished I had a couple of extra seconds when I’ve seen a buck. Heck yes I would! Two of the last three years I’ve taken nice blacktails that should have winded me. Because I used scent control, however, I was able to get shots on two great bucks that I might not have otherwise gotten. Most shots you’ll get on blacktail are less than 100 yards in tight cover. It’s close-quarters hunting and every second counts. If you can get a buck to hold for an extra second or two you’re likely to get a shot off and tag a nice buck. My hunting experience using all of the Scent Away products has made a firm believer!!

Hunt the Rut

Most of the blacktails taken in Washington aren’t harvested on opening weekend, they are tagged either late in the general season or on the late hunt in November. Mature blacktails act a lot like whitetails in the midwest…they are nocturnal. At least until they go into the rut and then you’ll find them just about anywhere, including in your back yard or down at the neighborhood park. Don’t get me wrong, they are still hard to get but at least now you’ve got a very good chance and getting a really good buck. My advice is to pass up all the spikes and forkies early in the season and spend some quality time later when the rut is on. That’s when you want to be out there!

Know Your Ground

Clear cuts that are two to 8 years old are generally the best place to find a blacktail. If there are draws or ravines in a clear cut chances are blacktails will use those areas as travel lanes and bedding areas. Don’t be afraid to hike into these areas and do a bit of bird dogging. It’ll be tough going but often times you’ll find that all the blacktails are in the only part of the clear cut you can’t glass into. Another great place to find blacktails is in timbered areas that border a clear cut, especially if the timbered area is full of mature cedar and douglas fir trees.Western cedar and douglas fir are both a favorite food of blacktail deer.

One of my blacktail hunting partners has been texting me photos of rubs and buck tracks quite a bit this past week. He’s been out in the torrential rain crawling around the underbrush looking for sign and he’s found plenty of it. He tells me it’s gonna be on like Donkey Kong in a few days and I believe him. Now is the time folks!

If you get a nice blacktail this fall and don’t mind sharing a photo I’d love to see it. Shoot me an email and share your story. Maybe I’m just a glutton for punishment…but I love blacktail hunting!

Rob Endsley
The Outdoor Line
710 ESPN Seattle
www.theoutdoorline.com