Hunting the Pacific NW

Scott O.

Scott O.

Well-known member
Good news! My son is graduating from college this spring and landed a job with Intel in Portland, OR. (As some of the older posters here may remember, he basically hung up his 870 when he discovered cars and girls at the ripe new age of 16)

Well anyway, he says, "Pop, theres gotta be some BA ocean ducks out there we can hunt, don't you think?"

Made my eyes water.



Can't wait to get back into a boat with him.
 
Good news! My son is graduating from college this spring and landed a job with Intel in Portland, OR. (As some of the older posters here may remember, he basically hung up his 870 when he discovered cars and girls at the ripe new age of 16)

Well anyway, he says, "Pop, theres gotta be some BA ocean ducks out there we can hunt, don't you think?"

Made my eyes water.



Can't wait to get back into a boat with him.
Click to expand...

That is absolutely too cool. Nothings holds as much memory as hunting & fishing with your kids. It's always been one of my biggest joys.

When you get around to it, it you need a guide service, we're affiliated with two of them out West.
later partner, almost Sapphire time.
Lou
 
in my boat anytime.....

Sea Ducks aren't a "Big Thing" in Oregon...there are Surf Scoters at the mouth of the Columbia, and for that matter just about anywhere on the Coast but they aren't there in the same numbers that you'll find them further North...its interesting even half way up the Caost of Washington, say the Olympia area, you don't find the concentrations of Sea Ducks that you find just a hundred miles to the north...

By the time you hit the Everett area, (North of Seattle), you start finding good numbers of Whitewings in company with the Surfs and you'll also start finding large concentration of Barrows Goldeneyes....and Harlequins, and Old Squaws.....

Like I said you can find them all further south but the real numbers, all in the same area, aren't present until you get up into the upper third of Wa....

the GOOD NEWS is that I'm just a coupoe of hours North of youur son and Mike and I would be happy to have you join us.....

Steve
 
Scott,

My brother lives in Portland and he's constantly sending me pics of the puddle ducks he shoots. Mainly thowing it in my face since he won't come back to the midwest to hunt anymore. There may not be many sea ducks but there's plenty to shot at. You just have to do the scouting.

Congrats and good luck to your son.

Ed L.
 
Hi Scott

Glad to hear that your boy is coming back to the fold. I used to take my nephew with me hunting and fishing when he was a little guy. During his mid teens he discovered girls and hung out with his firends quite a bit, and he wasn't interested in hunting or fishing. Last fall we started duck hunting together and at the tender age of 19 he's hooked. He just bought a new shotgun and a boat (no motor but we're working on that) and is also going salmon fishing with me this year on the Miramichi. What a change of heart in less than a year. I guess as you age different things take priority.

Bill Gass
Oromocto, NB
 
Sounds like he and I have some exploring to do once he gets it all together and I can fly out to check it out.

Thanks guys!
 
Scott,
Head down river from Portland and you'll find the Lewis and Clark NWR. About 30K acreas of islands and marsh on the Columbia. Closer to town is Sauvies Island. the shooting areas there are draw only. But if you hit it right I hear can be great shooting. Still, too many options on the river and toward Astoria. Either side of the river. Lower river has huge numbers of bluebills and other divers mixed with surf scoters. Marshes can be filled with widgeon, pintails, some mallards. The trophy bird? Chances at Eurasian widgeon. Oregon and Washington coastal areas are about the only place in N. A. for a chance at one.
Have fun scouting and think sturgeon, salmon ans steelhead while seaching.
 
I just saw a realestate ad for 50 acres and a house on Sauvie Island. They are asking just under 2 mil. How good is his job?
 
They do think quite highly of property on that island. only one bridge on or off. Drove around on it some. Lots of bike riders on weekends and summer days, quite the upity crowd from what i could see. Nice looking places though. But hey, it is on the river, if close to town.
 
I was working in Oregon, near all the Intel facillities back in November and December. There were lots of geese in that area, even saw a few guys hunting just minutes from Beaverton. Also saw a good number of puddle ducks in the area. I think the oppertunities are there. Good luck.
 
Steve,

Drew graduated from MSU (yup, another Spartan) last Saturday and I told him what you said about coming up there and joining you guys some time. I had to laugh when I saw his reaction...he was pumped!! I mean EXCITED at the prospect! I think I got my duck hunter back!! YeeHAH! He and I haven't hunted together for 6 years since he discovered cars and girls.

He left this morning to fly out to Portland for a few days checking on apartments and Lisa went along for the ride just for fun...I noticed that they both took their golf clubs.

Maybe once he gets his feet on the ground, he can look up some of the Pac NW guys here and say hello.
 
Don't let him meet Parks or he will end up living in a van down by the river the rest of his life. Man, I wish I had moved out there before I got married!
 
he's welcome anytime, and if he HAS TO I guess he can bring you along as well...

We'll have to work on him some to get him out of that golf habit you mention he has....I can understand the girls and the cars but I've never been able to figure out why someone would want to "waste a good walk", (with apologies to Samuel Clemens), by turning it into "golf"....maybe we can break him of that once he gets here....

Steve
 
My son is a bit south of yours. He is in Eureka CA. Visited him and saw about 2K "Aleutian' geese. Looked whole lot like "Lesser Canada's" to me but there were ducks in the air all over the place.

Any suggestions about hunting ducks in Northern CA will be appreciated. I plan to head to Eureka and environs for a couple hunts this year with Ethan.
 
I did not hunt when I lived there, but friends and roomates use to hunt the bay a lot. I know that's where I got a hankering for duck. Traded a steelhead for a duck dinner. Sure tasted good since it was not fish.

Tight Lines ... Fred
 
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