Why we shoot deer

[Editor’s Note: Mountain Mel is taking a break this month, and we had this hilarious account submitted from a reader, Ernie Gerald. Enjoy!]

Why we shoot deer in the wild. (A letter from someone who wants to remain anonymous, who farms, writes well and actually tried this)
I had this idea that I could rope a deer, put it in a stall, feed it up on corn for a couple of weeks, then kill it and eat it. The first step in this adventure was getting a deer. I figured that, since they congregate at my cattle feeder and do not seem to have much fear of me when we are there (a bold one will sometimes come right up and sniff at the bags of feed while I am in the back of the truck not 4 feet away), it should not be difficult to rope one, get up to it and toss a bag over its head (to calm it down) then hog tie it and transport it home.
I filled the cattle feeder then hid down at the end with my rope. The cattle, having seen the roping thing before, stayed well back. They were not having any of it. After about 20 minutes, my deer showed up – 3 of them. I picked out a likely looking one, stepped out from the end of the feeder, and threw my rope.
The deer just stood there and stared at me. I wrapped the rope around my waist and twisted the end so I would have a good hold. The deer still just stood and stared at me, but you could tell it was mildly concerned about the whole rope situation. I took a step towards it, it took a step away. I put a little tension on the rope, and then received an education.
The first thing that I learned is that, while a deer may just stand there looking at you funny while you rope it, they are spurred to action when you start pulling on that rope.
That deer EXPLODED.
The second thing I learned is that pound for pound, a deer is a LOT stronger than a cow or a colt. A cow or a colt in that weight range I could fight down with a rope and with some dignity. A deer– no Chance. That thing ran and bucked and twisted and pulled. There was no controlling it and certainly no getting close to it. As it jerked me off my feet and started dragging me across the ground, it occurred to me that having a deer on a rope was not nearly as good an idea as I had originally imagined. The only upside is that they do not have as much stamina as many other animals.
A brief 10 minutes later, it was tired and not nearly as quick to jerk me off my feet and drag me when I managed to get up. It took me a few minutes to realize this, since I was mostly blinded by the blood flowing out of the big gash in my head. At that point, I had lost my taste for corn-fed venison. I just wanted to get that devil creature off the end of that rope.
I figured if I just let it go with the rope hanging around its neck, it would likely die slow and painfully somewhere. At the time, there was no love at all between me and that deer. At that moment, I hated the thing, and I would venture a guess that the feeling was mutual.
Despite the gash in my head and the several large knots where I had cleverly arrested the deer’s momentum by bracing my head against various large rocks as it dragged me across the ground, I could still think clearly enough to recognize that there was a small chance that I shared some tiny amount of responsibility for the situation we were in. I didn’t want the deer to have to suffer a slow death, so I managed to get it lined back up in between my truck and the feeder – a little trap I had set before hand….kind of like a squeeze chute. I got it to back in there and I started moving up so I could get my rope back.
Did you know that deer bite?
They do! I never in a million years would have thought that a deer would bite somebody, so I was very surprised when …… I reached up there to grab that rope and the deer grabbed hold of my wrist. Now, when a deer bites you, it is not like being bit by a horse where they just bite you and slide off to then let go. A deer bites you and shakes its head–almost like a pit bull. They bite HARD and it hurts.
The proper thing to do when a deer bites you is probably to freeze and draw back slowly. I tried screaming and shaking instead. My method was ineffective.
It seems like the deer was biting and shaking for several minutes, but it was likely only several seconds. I, being smarter than a deer (though you may be questioning that claim by now), tricked it. While I kept it busy tearing the tendons out of my right arm, I reached up with my left hand and pulled that rope loose.
That was when I got my final lesson in deer behavior for the day.
Deer will strike at you with their front feet. They rear right up on their back feet and strike right about head and shoulder level, and their hooves are surprisingly sharp … I learned a long time ago that, when an animal – like a horse – strikes at you with their hooves and you can’t get away easily, the best thing to do is try to make a loud noise and make an aggressive move towards the animal. This will usually cause them to back down a bit so you can escape.
This was not a horse. This was a deer, so obviously, such trickery would not work. In the course of a millisecond, I devised a different strategy. I screamed like a woman and tried to turn and run. The reason I had always been told NOT to try to turn and run from a horse that paws at you is that there is a good chance that it will hit you in the back of the head.
Deer may not be so different from horses after all, besides being twice as strong and 3 times as evil, because the second I turned to run, it hit me right in the back of the head and knocked me down..
Now, when a deer paws at you and knocks you down, it does not immediately leave. I suspect it does not recognize that the danger has passed. What they do instead is paw your back and jump up and down on you while you are laying there crying like a little girl and covering your head.
I finally managed to crawl under the truck and the deer went away.So now I know why when people go deer hunting they bring a rifle with a scope……to sort of even the odds!!
All these events are true so help me God… An Educated Farmer.

Open Season

By Melvin Larsen
Was March wet and muddy enough for everyone?  I sure am happy to see April finally get here. April is when fishing really gets going around here. The next 8 weeks will bring us the bulk of this years’ Spring Chinook run. The local lakes also begin to warm up and produce a few more fish. Hopefully we will begin to experience more comfortable weather to be enjoying the great outdoors in.
April is also a good month to locate black bears, which will be found mainly on hillsides with southern exposure and in wetlands that have skunk cabbage. Bears of all kinds really seem to enjoy munching on skunk cabbage in the spring. They also enjoy the fresh growth of grasses and other low growing plants. If you locate an elk that did not survive the winter weather it is a good bet that a bear will soon locate it also. Bears will almost always approach a food source such as an elk carcass from the down-wind side.
I recently had the opportunity to review a book written by an author from the Northwest. Stephen B. Smart from Spokane is the author of  Whispers of The Greybull. Without giving the plot away I can tell you that this is an excellent book that will appeal to anyone who enjoys a book with a western theme. If you like Louis Lamour stories or any of the Lonesome Dove series, you will enjoy this book. It is set in Wyoming in the 1800’s and once started, you will not want to put it down. The book can be purchased on Amazon.com and would make an excellent gift for anyone who enjoys the out of doors or the western lifestyle. I highly recommend it.
Before you get your boat on the water this spring make sure that you go over the list of required items to have on board. The required items vary in accordance to boat size. When re-licensing my boat last month the lady at the licensing office was kind enough to remind my to check my exhaust fume warning sticker which is required to be on your boat in a visible location. She said that they (law enforcement) are no longer writing warnings to boaters that may have overlooked this detail and are now writing tickets. The stickers are available free of charge at C&L Licensing on 14th in Longview.
Please be safe and courteous when on the water, at the launch or wherever you choose to fish, camp, or picnic. Especially where youngsters are going to be around water. There have already been some tragic accidental drownings in Washington this spring. Nobody wants to be have any part in one of these tragic events. Be safe and be courteous, even when others are not. Always have a container to put your trash in so it does not add to the problem of litter in our outdoor recreation areas. Especially bad is discarded fishing line. It is important to pick up all discarded fishing line that you see. When cleaning your catch at the waters edge it is good to toss the entrails (guts & gills) back into the water where they will decompose and distribute necessary nutrients back into our lakes and streams. When fish matter is left on the bank it not only rots and stinks but it is harmful to dogs that may (will) find it.
Good Luck on all of your outdoor adventures this month and if you send a picture of your good luck to The Valley Bugler there is a very good chance that you will see it in an upcoming issue!
Mel Larsen, otherwise known as Mountain Mel, has hunted and fished as long as he can remember, and enjoys sharing his tips and tricks with others!

Fishing “Kwikfish” for Spring Chinook

I wanted to start out this month’s column by listing the dates that commercial nets would be in the Columbia River. However, the meeting that would determine those dates was canceled at the last minute. Usually when these meetings – known as Columbia River Compact meetings – are canceled at the last minute it is because there are not enough fish in the system yet to try and set seasons for gill netters. What I am going to do is re-share the method of fishing K-13 Kwikfish that has worked very well for me in past seasons on the Cowlitz River.
At the end of your line, tie a size 5 swivel. To this tie a piece of monofilament leader of 15-20 pound weight class that is 5-7 feet in length. To the end of this leader tie the Kwik-clip that comes on each Kwikfish. This method is known as “Flatlining” as it requires no additional weights or divers.
For rivers the size of Cowlitz or Lewis, use a K-13 size Kwikfish. They are designed to dive on their own and are large enough to be seen by fish in somewhat murky water. Another important factor is that they work at a depth of 6-12 feet which is the depth of most parts of the Cowlitz, and other similar sized rivers.
Remove the stock hooks and split rings that come on a Kwikfish. Although I have tried many different styles and sizes of hooks, what I currently like is a size 4/0 Matzao “Sickle” hook. The forward hook I hang from 2 size 1 Owner brand split rings. (Owner are the best split rings I have found).
It is important that the point of the hook be facing away from the Kwikfish and not rubbing against it. If the point is against the Kwikfish take the hook off, turn it over, and start it back onto the split ring from the other side of the hook eye.
On the rear hook, use one slit ring, then a size 7 swivel. Then attach the hook to the swivel using another size 1 split ring. This allows the hook to hang back a little bit and it helps to hook fish that  would otherwise be “hit and miss” strikes.
Spring Chinook are still feeding after they enter the rivers and for this reason I use a wrap of sardine on my Kwikfish. I prepare my sardine wraps beforehand by filleting them out and layering them on rock salt in a small Tupperware container. I fold up a paper towel and put on the bottom of my bait container to soak up the moisture that is drawn from the sardine fillets by the rock salt. A layer of rock salt, then a layer of sardine fillets, another layer of rock salt and more fillets.
This should be done 24 hours prior to fishing. They should be kept cool but do not require refrigeration. Fillets should be a little bit shorter than the Kwikfish is long. Because the K-13 is smaller, special care must be taken to taper the fillets on all sides in order for the plug to run true and produce that fish catching action.
I prefer using Spider Thread to wrap my fillets with, however Ghost Cocoon or any other type of elasticized wrapping thread works just as well. When “finishing off” your wrap, pull the Spider Thread through the first split ring of the forward hook to keep things neatly tied off.
I like to keep my fillets wrapped tightly to the plug. In order to get the best fit, I slice ½ way down the fillet so that it straddles the forward hook and therefore neatly covers the bottom side of the Kwikfish.
Always tune each plug so that it runs true before wrapping it with a fillet. If after wrapping, it runs a little to one side or the other you can “fudge” your wrap a little bit with your thumbs so that it will run true.
Happy fishing!
Melvin Larsen, also known as Mountain Mel, enjoys anything and everything to do with the great outdoors, and possesses a vast array of knowledge regarding all things hunting and fishing.
Comment online or to
editor@valleybugler.com
We love salmon…in all its forms!
(Photos by Melvin Larsen)

Nibbles & Bites

By Melvin Larsen
I have a collection of little tidbits to share with readers this month. Other than winter Steelhead or Sturgeon, February is a pretty uneventful month for the outdoors enthusiast in S.W. Washington.
Steelhead fishing in the Cowlitz has been moderate to fairly good at times, depending on where you are fishing. The best success seems to come from the upper river, between Toledo and the Barrier Dam. So far this winter water levels and clarity have both been pretty good, due mostly to the lack of rain during the early winter. I like to watch the weekly fish counts at the barrier dam on the Cowlitz. http://www.mytpu.org/tacomapower/parks-rec/fish-wildlife/cowlitz-fish-report.htm
The previous week’s results are posted every Monday. I have noticed that even as I write this in January, that there are a lot of Coho going through the separator at the barrier dam. The second week of January showed just over 350 winter Steelhead and 801 Coho for the previous week. I would like to know why we don’t seem to be able to catch these Coho. There are supposedly more than twice as many Coho as Steelhead. Why don’t people catch them?
Was anyone else as shocked as I was when you opened your first PUD bill of the 2012? I thought that there just had to be a mistake somewhere so I called PUD and shifted into high whine about my bill.
They kindly informed me that the amounts were correct blah blah blah but I also learned something that was new to me. I was told that 25% of my PUD bill was to fund Salmon recovery. Now I knew that we were paying for salmon recovery but I didn’t realize that it was that much. 25%.
That really seems like a lot to this poor ol’ ratepayer/fisherman. If I were to figure up the amount I pay to PUD over the course of one year and figure that ¼ of that goes to salmon recovery, that makes these Salmon pretty valuable fish!
I guess that another way of looking at it is that it’s pretty expensive seal/sea lion food. Just for kicks, do the math. How much do you pay for salmon recovery over the course of a year?
On a more positive note, the mild winter that we have experienced thus far is definitely good news for deer and elk in both Washington and Oregon. Hopefully fawn and calf survival rates will be high, leading to increased success in future seasons. Having written that, we will probably be in the midst of an epic winter storm when this issue comes out and you will be wondering what planet I live on…
WDFW is recommending that Sturgeon harvests be cut back by as much as 38% during 2012. There are just more and more people (and predators) fishing for less and less keeper-sized Sturgeon. I have a very bad feeling about the future of Sturgeon fishing in the Columbia River and its’ tributaries.
I encourage everyone to always take a camera with them whenever you venture out of doors. You never know what you might see or what photo might turn into a real keepsake some day.
If you are thinking of making changes or upgrades to your boat before Springer season, now is the time to address those issues. Don’t wait until March to do these things only to find that parts need to be back-ordered or that your boat mechanic is swamped with work. February is the time to go through those tackle boxes and replace hooks, swivels, etc. that need replacing. Tie up your mooching rigs for herring. Replace old line on reels, and make sure that your foul weather gear is in good condition.
Remember Valentines Day on February 14th. Do something nice for that special someone in your life to show them that you care about them all year. By this time next month the focus will be on the upcoming Spring Chinook season. I will include everything that I can find out about the commercial fishing seasons on the Columbia River in next months’ issue.
Melvin Larsen, also known as Mountain Mel, enjoys anything and everything to do with the great outdoors, and possesses a vast array of knowledge regarding all things hunting and fishing.
Comment online or to
editor@valleybugler.com

You shot it or caught it..now EAT it!

This month I would like to share some recipes with you readers out there. Now I realize that not everyone tagged an elk or deer this past season. I know I didn’t!
However, most of us are fortunate enough to know someone who was successful that would be happy to share some of their bounty. Most folks, myself included, are rather reluctant to share the choicest steaks or tenderloins. More likely than not, these prime cuts have already been eaten.
The most often shared meats are roasts, stew meat, and burger.  It is for this reason that I am going to share with you a couple of my favorite easy-to-fix recipes for Elk Roast and Chili, along with a very simple method of cooking up some of that salmon or steelhead that you might just have in the freezer.
If you are one of those fortunate few who manages to accumulate a freezer full of wild game, you might look at what you will actually consume before next season and consider sharing some of what will realistically be extra.
As a rule, fish and seafood should be consumed within 6 months of being harvested. (Sooner is better, where taste is concerned.) Red meat should be eaten within a year of the kill-date. Again, sooner is better where taste is concerned.
The goal is to consume or share what you have harvested and not need to clean out meat that has been freezer burned, and thereby spoiled (wasted).
The Golden Rule is Harvest What You Can Use, But Use What You Harvest.
So let’s get cookin’!

ELK ROAST
4 to 6 lb. elk roast
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1 c. mushroom soup
1 env. onion soup mix
1/4 c. water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pinch rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. parsley
2 tbsp. flour
Trim excess fat from roast. Salt and pepper. Place meat on sheet of foil. Spread mushroom soup over meat. Sprinkle on onion soup, garlic, and rosemary. Add bay leaves. Cover roast with foil, leaving an inch or so space on top. Seal ends tightly. Bake 30 minutes per pound for shoulder roast or similar cuts. Remove foil. Sprinkle parsley over roast. Thicken for gravy using 2 tablespoon flour in 1/4 cup water.

GUNSMOKE CHILI
2 lbs. coarsely-ground lean beef or venison
2 large green bell peppers, chopped
2 fresh jalapeño chiles, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/3 cup chili powder
1 tbsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin
1 (14-1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp. dried ground hot peppers of your choice: (cayenne, jalapeño, habanero, etc.)
2 bay leaves
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
6 cups water or beef broth
2 (15-1/2 oz.) cans kidney or pinto beans
Sauté meat, bell peppers, fresh Jalapeños, onions, celery, and garlic in a Dutch oven with a small amount of oil. Drain. Stir in all other ingredients except beans. Cover and simmer one hour, stirring occasionally. Add beans and simmer another 15 minutes. Makes about a gallon of the tastiest, most satisfying chili you ever ate.
For hotter chili, add more peppers.

BAKED SALMON
2 lbs. tail cut of salmon fillet, in pieces
1 c. potato chips (YES!)
1 c. sour cream
1 c. mayonnaise
Place salmon in a baking, serving dish. Mix sour cream and mayonnaise together. Cover top of salmon with mayonnaise and sour cream. Top with crushed potato chips. Bake in oven 350 degrees about 20 minutes.
You can do an entire fillet of Salmon/Steelhead using this recipe. Simply increase the amounts of ingredients and season to taste. I have grown quite fond of Lemon Pepper as well as Tony Cacheries Cajun Spice. Rub spices gently into the flesh side of the fish before application of other ingredients.
Melvin Larsen, also known as Mountain Mel, enjoys anything and everything to do with the great outdoors, and possesses a vast array of knowledge regarding all things hunting and fishing. Comment online or to: editor@valleybugler.com

Problem in the making

By Melvin Larsen
Friends, we have problems in the making and we will not even know about it until it’s too late and the damage has been done. The state of Washington (W.D.F.W.) is currently formulating a plan to allow wolves to re-establish populations in this state. There are already established packs of wolves from the Idaho border to the Cascade summit in the northern part of our state. These wolves came in from Canada to the north and Idaho to the east.
The state of Washington proposes to re-locate members of these already established wolf packs to other areas of the state, including Southwest Washington and the area around Mt. St Helens. All of the meetings where public input is allowed have been and will continue to be held in the Seattle, Spokane, and Walla Walla areas. There will be no meetings for public input in Southwest Washington.
In the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s Idaho was a premier “go to” state for hunters seeking trophy elk and mule deer. With the re-introduction of free-ranging wolves in the 80’s the deer and elk herds in central and northern Idaho were decimated within the decade. This was not only detrimental to the hunters but also to the people who for generations have depended on hunters’ dollars for their livelihood. Guides, storeowners, restaurants and hotels and others all benefit from hunters’ dollars.
While researching for this column I spoke to a number of people who work for the state of Washington and have regular access to the backcountry around Mt St. Helens. They firmly believe that they have already seen wolves in this area even without the supplemental relocations of up to 70 wolves into SW Washington.
While I lived in Alaska I witnessed firsthand a pack of wolves completely decimate a flock of wild Dall sheep. The wolves ran down and killed every animal in the flock. Some of the sheep were partially consumed and others were torn apart like rags in a macabre game of tug-of-war. The remainder was left to other scavengers.
I wish there were something I could say that we could do as a group (hunters) to stop this before it happens but the fact is that by holding these public input meetings in heavily populated areas most of the input will be from animal rights activists.  These are people who are pleading (successfully, I might add) for the re-introduction of wolves into our public wilderness areas. This will be tragic not only to the populations of big game but also to our ability to use these public lands with our children and pets as wolves do not differentiate between – say – small people or dogs and any other living thing which they consider to be food.
Only by attending these meetings or by contacting our local representatives can we make our voices heard. Unfortunately, all one has to do is look at the way the seal/sea lion problem has been handled or the continued archaic methods of fishing used by the commercial fishing industry, and it is hard to have much confidence in our Department of Fish & Wildlife to do the right thing as opposed to cowering to the wishes of special interest groups.
On a somewhat similar note, it seems that both deer and elk harvests were below average this year in SW Washington. The exception being those fortunate few that drew limited entry tags for elk in the Toutle, Coweeman, and Margaret areas.
I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in the upcoming 2012 seasons. Winter Steelhead numbers should be increasing as you read this so get out of the house, away from all the food & sweets, and wet a line!
Melvin Larsen, also known as Mountain Mel, enjoys anything and everything to do with the great outdoors, and possesses a vast array of knowledge regarding all things hunting and fishing. Comment online or to: editor@valleybugler.com

The one that got away

By Melvin Larsen
Since the beginning of time fishermen have been known for their outlandish tales about “The One That Got Away”. This month I would like to share with you a couple of stories about ones that didn’t get away but that – amazingly enough – were brought to net and logged on the catch record.
The largest salmon that I have ever caught in the Pacific Northwest was a gorgeous 40-pound chrome bright hen Chinook. I was not only fortunate enough to catch this fish but also to have witnesses to the event. A friend and I were back trolling plugs (Wiggle Worts) in a productive stretch of water below Castle Rock.
There was quite a bit of leaves and debris in the water and every few minutes a sharp jerk was needed on the rod to clear the line of leaves and grass. After a time it can be quite frustrating having to continuously clear your line so that the plugs would work properly. I was reaching that point of frustration when giving a sharp jerk the rod bent over double and it was fish-on!
The fish made a couple of powerful runs and then settled into the bottom of the deepest part of the river where it lay like a log, refusing to move. This is a sure sign of a large fall Chinook. We maneuvered the boat into slack water and the waiting game was on. If the fish remained hooked, sooner or later it would move one direction or the other and by expending its energy be worn out. It is at times like this that you are thankful that your knots are well tied and that you have been checking your leader continuously to be sure that there are no nicks in it!
After what seemed like hours but was only probably 20 minutes, the fish began to move out of the deep hole and struggle mightily against the gear onto which it was hooked. The first time it came close enough to the boat that we could see it I knew it was bigger than any I had caught around here previously. When it saw the boat it made another run back into deep water and the previously mentioned scenario was repeated. The second time we got it to the boat we missed with the netting attempt and the fish headed for the depths once again. The third time was the charm and the fish was netted and brought aboard. After an ample application of “Wood Shampoo”, along with high-fives and whoops & hollers we noticed something unusual about the way the fish was hooked.
Although originally hooked in the mouth, at sometime during the fight, the hook pulled free of the mouth but because the leader had become wrapped around the fish’s head the hook re-embedded itself in the gill plate of the fish. During the remainder of the fight the gill plate tore and the hook was nearly torn free when we finally got that fish into the net.
My next story is one that happened this fall to a friend of mine. (If the right person reads this, I hope they contact the Valley Bugler to verify this story as true!)
This guy and his son were fishing on the lower Cowlitz when they hooked a nice fish. The battle was long and arduous but the fish was finally brought to net and once aboard the boat the fishermen made an amazing discovery. Some one else had already caught this fish and put it on a stringer and it was that stringer that my friends’ hooks had become entangled in!!! I have no idea why the first person to catch this fish didn’t dispatch the fish first but for whatever reason they failed to do so and the fish was in perfect health. The stringer that was attached to this fish was a homemade unit consisting of blue nylon cord and an unusual method of attaching the cord to the fish. If someone knows of this “One That Got Away” they should contact The Valley Bugler and complete the story by describing how the fish was attached to the blue nylon cord.
Everyone please be careful during elk season and late buck season… dispose of your garbage properly and please pick up any discarded fish line that you see.
Good Luck Hunting & Fishing and above all, Be Safe.
Melvin Larsen, also known as Mountain Mel, enjoys anything and everything to do with the great outdoors, and possesses a vast array of knowledge regarding all things hunting and fishing. Comment online or to: editor@valleybugler.com

One for the wall

Here it is, deer and elk season, and a lucky few of us are going to bag a trophy that we will want to preserve forever by having it mounted and hanging it on the wall. For some it will be our son/daughter/or wifes’ first big game animal. For others it will be that “once-in-a-lifetime” 4×4 Blacktail deer or trophy bull elk.
Whichever the case, the quality of your mount begins with your actions as soon as that trophy is bagged. The #1 mistake that people make is cutting the throat of the animal!  If you have any intention of having your trophy mounted, do not cut its throat!
Instead, make a cut completely around the body ½ way between the front shoulders and the hind quarters. Then cut up the back of the spine to a point where you can sever the head from the neck at the base of the skull. On the front legs, cut a complete circle around what would be the front elbows and peel this part off the animal as you would a pair of socks.
At this point, if you are doing it right, the only cut you have made from the mid-section forward is the cut up the top of the back to the base of the skull. Unless you are extremely qualified to skin the head out, just sever the head at the base of the skull and let your taxidermist of choice skin out the head.
Believe me when I tell you, your taxidermist will appreciate the extra hide that you will have included by skinning out your trophy in this manner. A taxidermist can always trim some hide off  but if he/she doesn’t have it to work with in the first place, then it will show in the finished product. Always give your taxidermist plenty to work with….when in doubt, let them finish the skinning job!
As for the fishing in our local rivers, the Chinook run never did materialize as strong as the early season predictions, but anyone who follows these predictions knows that the runs of fish never seem to be as great as they are predicted. October is the best month to catch those “B-run” Silver salmon on the Cowlitz and fishermen (and fisherwomen) in the know will be after them all during October with their favorite wiggler, spinner, or bait.
As for myself, the motors on my boat have about given up after 10 years of hard use/abuse. I will be found fishing in front of my house as opposed to running up and down the Cowlitz this season.  However, this gives me a good, justifiable reason to attend this winter’s upcoming boat show in Portland to make my best deal on new motors for my boat!
So…Everyone….Please hunt safe and treat every gun as if it were loaded!
Bring all your garbage out of the woods and off of the stream. Please pick up any discarded fishing line that you see, and always have youngsters wear life jackets whenever they are around water.
Good Luck Hunting & Fishing and above all, Be Safe.
Melvin Larsen, also known as Mountain Mel, enjoys anything and everything to do with the great outdoors, and possesses a vast array of knowledge regarding all things hunting and fishing. Comment online or to: editor@valleybugler.com

Open Season: Enjoy this weather

By Melvin Larsen
I think that most people in the Pacific Northwest would agree with me when I say that this is our nicest time of the year. The weather has been fantastic for all of August and September should bring more of the same.
The fall Chinook are in the local tributaries, most notably the Cowlitz, and chrome bright Silver salmon are soon to begin showing. There continues to be a strong run of summer Steelhead as well and these hard fighting fish are in their best color right now. Harvest trout are out there, waiting for a lure, bait, or fly.
September also signals the start of archery season for both deer and elk. On recent scouting trips I have seen good populations of healthy Blacktail deer — none of which showed any signs of hair loss — so I am keeping my fingers crossed that this malady has run it’s course and is gone from our local deer populations.
This is also the time of year when yellow jackets are most active and aggressive. Dogs and people alike seem to be on the receiving end of the painful sting of yellow jackets. It seems that when these nasty little creatures sting you they leave a scent that attracts more yellow jackets which will gladly sting you again. I have found that if you remove the item of clothing where you have been stung and throw it down on the ground (by now you are already running) that the rest of the yellow jackets will be attracted to that item and leave you alone (but it is always a good idea to keep running, just in case!).
I realize that this is a pretty short column this month but I am going to get back out on the river. Be sure to send in some pics of you, your S/O, or your kids with fish and game to be published in upcoming editions of The Valley Bugler. Always have personal floatation devices on those you love when on or near water. Be careful, be courteous, and pick up any discarded fishing line that you might come across.
Melvin Larsen, also known as Mountain Mel, enjoys anything and everything to do with the great outdoors, and possesses a vast array of knowledge regarding all things hunting and fishing. Comments? Questions?
Contact us.

September Trophy Wall

Jordan Miller of Kelso, age 11, proudly displays his huge 30 pound Fall Chinook, caught on the Cowlitz River. Photograph by dad, Jeff Miller.  Send in your fishing and hunting “Trophy Wall” pictures to be displayed here!

Next Page »