tod osier
Well-known member
We are back in the land of internet after our final encampment, but more on that one later.
Back in early October I met up with a bunch of duckboat luminaries for the Valley Quail and Chukar opener… We dropped the trailer at Fred Slyfield’s sweet compound in central Washington (thanks Fred!) and I met up with Steve Sutton and Gregg Kurz while Jen went on to Seattle to visit with an old buddy of hers.
We set up camp at on a local water body several miles from the launch. Fred brought his wall tent and a couple buddies in his boat and Steve and I came in Gregg’s ride. I had to take this photo on a cloudy day because Gregg’s Thunder Jet is so shiny - pictures of the boat with any sun out were impossible due to the glare...
Of course we feasted, the first night we had part of a 31# King that Gregg caught. The second night we had piles of elk steaks from Fred’s well-stocked freezer. The third night we feasted on doves that Steve brought and Chukar legs that he cooked. I don’t have any pics of the camp, but we did have plenty of stuff for about 10-12 guys. Fred and crew even packed everyone lunches on Saturday!
Who says tough guys don’t need love???
The idea was to find the Valley Quail, but with the number of Chukar around camp, that plan faded. We ran across some great flocks of Chukar and managed to bag a nice number. The landscape was spectacular and the terrain was less rugged than the normal Chukar areas, but I won’t complain - I’ve walked plenty on this trip.
Gregg and Drake huntin’ them up…
Me with the boys with Gregg’s, Steve’s and my birds from the second morning…
On Sunday we broke camp and Steve and I met up with Don Shearer (who is not an old guy as I found out - that is Don, not Steve) and we hit some of their quail spots in the afternoon.
Steve and Mike and Don and Aspen huntin’ them up…
Don and Steve were nice enough to let Pete and I work over the first covey we located (actually I hogged them to myself as Steve and Don went through the easy cover and sent me through a head high morass of sage, then again I didn’t tell them that Pete was birdy as they chatted and we worked them up). Either way, I’ll never forget that - thanks guys. Pete and I put the covey up one or two at a time and I was able to shoot 4 for 5 - all little cockbirds…
What a spectacular little bird…
A hunt wouldn’t be complete without some road hunting…
After a hard day in the field, hard working dogs love a trip to the spa…
A well-deserved nap was in order for the boys…
After the hunt Steve and I picked up the trailer at Fred’s and headed to Seattle to meet up with Jen and Gus. We got to tour the Renton duckboat and decoy museum and its collection has improved dramatically in the 10 years since I was there last. We were there during the day so the hostess wasn’t there - one of the big downsides to the trip. The museum is taking donations to fund construction of a new mailbox…
What is a visit to Seattle without some Latte???
End of the Silver run at the fish ladder…
We headed to the North Cascades to try to get a good Blue Grouse shoot, but our trip was cut short by some trailer troubles and I had a cold which really slowed me down. You know it is cold where there is ice in the dog bowl INSIDE the trailer in the morning…
We did find some serious eye-candy there. We drove up to Hart’s Pass, which Steve suggested and found new snow and some mountains…
After bailing there we headed to the mountains of MT, only to hear that 3-5’ of snow was predicted the day before we were to arrive....
So be it, on to SD for Prairie Chickens and Pheasants…
Back in early October I met up with a bunch of duckboat luminaries for the Valley Quail and Chukar opener… We dropped the trailer at Fred Slyfield’s sweet compound in central Washington (thanks Fred!) and I met up with Steve Sutton and Gregg Kurz while Jen went on to Seattle to visit with an old buddy of hers.
We set up camp at on a local water body several miles from the launch. Fred brought his wall tent and a couple buddies in his boat and Steve and I came in Gregg’s ride. I had to take this photo on a cloudy day because Gregg’s Thunder Jet is so shiny - pictures of the boat with any sun out were impossible due to the glare...
Of course we feasted, the first night we had part of a 31# King that Gregg caught. The second night we had piles of elk steaks from Fred’s well-stocked freezer. The third night we feasted on doves that Steve brought and Chukar legs that he cooked. I don’t have any pics of the camp, but we did have plenty of stuff for about 10-12 guys. Fred and crew even packed everyone lunches on Saturday!
Who says tough guys don’t need love???
The idea was to find the Valley Quail, but with the number of Chukar around camp, that plan faded. We ran across some great flocks of Chukar and managed to bag a nice number. The landscape was spectacular and the terrain was less rugged than the normal Chukar areas, but I won’t complain - I’ve walked plenty on this trip.
Gregg and Drake huntin’ them up…
Me with the boys with Gregg’s, Steve’s and my birds from the second morning…
On Sunday we broke camp and Steve and I met up with Don Shearer (who is not an old guy as I found out - that is Don, not Steve) and we hit some of their quail spots in the afternoon.
Steve and Mike and Don and Aspen huntin’ them up…
Don and Steve were nice enough to let Pete and I work over the first covey we located (actually I hogged them to myself as Steve and Don went through the easy cover and sent me through a head high morass of sage, then again I didn’t tell them that Pete was birdy as they chatted and we worked them up). Either way, I’ll never forget that - thanks guys. Pete and I put the covey up one or two at a time and I was able to shoot 4 for 5 - all little cockbirds…
What a spectacular little bird…
A hunt wouldn’t be complete without some road hunting…
After a hard day in the field, hard working dogs love a trip to the spa…
A well-deserved nap was in order for the boys…
After the hunt Steve and I picked up the trailer at Fred’s and headed to Seattle to meet up with Jen and Gus. We got to tour the Renton duckboat and decoy museum and its collection has improved dramatically in the 10 years since I was there last. We were there during the day so the hostess wasn’t there - one of the big downsides to the trip. The museum is taking donations to fund construction of a new mailbox…
What is a visit to Seattle without some Latte???
End of the Silver run at the fish ladder…
We headed to the North Cascades to try to get a good Blue Grouse shoot, but our trip was cut short by some trailer troubles and I had a cold which really slowed me down. You know it is cold where there is ice in the dog bowl INSIDE the trailer in the morning…
We did find some serious eye-candy there. We drove up to Hart’s Pass, which Steve suggested and found new snow and some mountains…
After bailing there we headed to the mountains of MT, only to hear that 3-5’ of snow was predicted the day before we were to arrive....
So be it, on to SD for Prairie Chickens and Pheasants…
