Shane Ullrich
When making our way to our outdoor destinations, we often take along our closest companion. Some may even have more than one Man’s Best Friend, AKA, the Dog.
They all can have a special place in our hearts and our lives. They go where you go.
My heart recently took a tug of war of emotions as I lost one of my dogs to lymphoma cancer.
Apollo was a Doberman pinshcer who was 7 1/2 years old and was diagnosed with the disease last October.
He fought a great fight, taking every day as it came, but on June 27 the fight was too much to bear for him.
I am fortunate enough to have his brother Zeus, who was Apollo’s littermate, but Apollo will always hold a special place in my family’s heart and he was a great friend to me.
When you have dogs, a lot of the time it’s like having four-legged kids. You have to watch and protect them from themselves and the unexpected.
This last holiday weekend, I noticed several campers walking with their dogs and taking them on boats, ATVs, in the backs of trucks, in RVs and, in one case, on the back of a bicycle, going where their owners go and sometimes where they don’t.
As you head out to your favorite outdoor destination, go prepared for both you and your dog(s). Before I let my dogs go down to where we are swimming, fishing, camping or hanging out, I do a visual lookover for dead fish, garbage or anything harmful to my dog.
A lot of canine campanions are lost when they get into something toxic. It’s our job to protect our dogs when we go outdoors.
I’m dedicating this column to my best friend, Apollo, March 20, 1999-June 27, 2006. Through good and bad, side by side. I’ll always miss you.
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Hunting season is suddenly not very far away, so here’s a question for you-all: How good are you at calling elk?
You can find out at the fourth annual Calling in the Cascades Elk Bugling Contest at the Sportsman’s Warehouse in Salem, Friday and Saturday July 14-15.
The contest, held by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in conjunction with the RMEF Great Elk Tour, which continues through Sunday, July 16th. Both events are free and open to the public. The Sportsman’s Warehouse is located at 1260 Lancaster Drive (off Hwy 22).
All ages including amateur and first-time callers are encouraged to enter. A special Youth Calling Clinic hosted by Wayne Carlton and Hunter Specialties will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Carlton will host a second elk calling clinic for all ages from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday. Carlton has been considered a pioneer in the calling industry since 1976. He has emerged as one of the industries’ leading experts and TV personalities.
The Elk Calling preliminaries in each of four divisions will be held throughout Saturday. (Call 503-589-0800 for times.) The final competition for all age groups begins at 5 p.m. on Saturday with the awards cere-mony to follow. Prizes will be awarded to the top callers in each group: Junior (ages 12-17); Youth (ages 8-11); and Peewee (ages 7 and under) and Adult (18 and up).
In addition to the bugling contests, Friday and Saturday events include free seminars and free trophy scoring, exhibition calling, raffle drawings, vendor exhibits and top hunting and calling experts conducting clinics, including four-time world champion Dieter Kaboth and national champion Jim Horn. Professionals will be on hand demonstrating the latest in rifle and archery techniques as well as the latest equipment in hunting, calling, caring for your mount and youth hunting.
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Great Elk Tour, a display of some of the largest trophy bull mounts ever recorded, will be open to the public, for free, Friday from 4 to 8 p.m .; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m .; and all day Sunday at Sportsman’s Warehouse in Salem.
For more details visit the Sportsman’s Warehouse or call customer service at (503) 589-0800 or go to http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com.
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Fishing has been spotty recently in most local bodies of water.
Foster Lake has been producing some fish for anglers off the banks, says Brad Porter at DanDee Sales. He suggests fishing Powerbait off the bottom or worms or eggs off bobbers.
“Green Peter has been spotty,” Porter said. “A lot of people have been going up there, but I haven’t heard about a lot of fish being caught.”
Word is the kokanee, when they are biting, are being caught in the 13- to 14-inch range at about 30 feet deep.
The river continues to be hit and miss as well, Porter said. Early morning seems to be the best bet – if you don’t mind human companionship.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife reports that passage at Willamette Falls has been steady with 200 to 300 chinook and steelhead being counted each day. Good numbers of both species are present throughout the Santiam system, with recycling of fish occurring on a regular basis.
Don’t forget the many mountain lakes available in the area for day use or overnight camping that require only a short hike in. The degree of difficulty of the hike will usually dictate the remoteness of the lake. The high lakes have been aerial stocked and provide an angling experience unlike the more crowded, close-in waters. Bank fishing or float-tubes are the way to fish on these small mountain lakes. Please be aware of current campfire rules, and always pack out what you pack in. Maps should be available at the local U.S. Forest Service office.
Shane Ullrich writes about the outdoors every other week. Contact him at the American Barbershop, 1121 Main St., or call 367-8086.