Columnist's turkey hunting exploits recognized
Lynne Lynch/Columbia Basin Herald<br> Columbia Basin Herald columnist Dennis Clay interviews Christy Price, of the WSU Grant-Adams Area Extension Office, during his radio show in KBSN-AM 1470.
MOSES LAKE — Columbia Basin Herald columnist Dennis L. Clay’s love of the outdoors fueled his award-winning column series on turkey hunting.
The series features his wife and fellow hunter, Garnet Wilson.
His three-part series of columns recently won first place in the Northwest Outdoor Writers’ Association (NOWA) annual Excellence in Craft contest for “Hunting/Shooting article in a newspaper.”
Wilson was spotlighted in the series which ran in the Columbia Basin Herald last year. It’s also when she set the Washington state record for legally killing three turkeys in one day.
During the same round of awards, he received second place for his articles titled “Wildlife Viewing is a Lifetime Hobby” and “Crawfishing.”
Clay is a broadcaster for KBSN-AM 1470 and hosts a two-hour show called “Columbia Basin Lifestyle.” He received second place for his audio played KBSN on “Bird Feeders.”
“It is exciting, yet humbling to compete with fellow members of NOWA,” he stated. “It is even more exciting to place in a contest and winning one is an exceptional honor.”
He’s a retired member and board member of the NOWA.
Clay, 63, has written columns for the Columbia Basin Herald for 19 years. He’s covered a wide range of topics, including history, gardening and the outdoors.
He said he “feels so blessed” to have written four columns for the Columbia Basin Herald and to also have a radio show.
His career also includes writing for the Outdoor Press in Spokane, Wash.
Clay’s newest pursuit is playing the role of Capt. Hugh Thomas in this year’s Grant County Centennial Chautauqua, which presents entertainment, story telling and historic presentations in different communities throughout the county.
He never acted before, but decided it was something he wanted to try.
“It’s something brand new,” Clay said.
He even grew a long beard for the role, which allowed him to quit using a fake beard.
This year, he’s also penning a 10-part special section about Grant County’s history for the Columbia Basin Herald. The most recent edition covered the time period of 1939 to 1949.
Clay says his love of the outdoors came from his parents.
His parents and younger sister, Denise, lived in Moses Lake. The family went on hunting, fishing and site-seeing trips together. His dad had the habit of stopping the car every time he saw a deer.
Memories of day trips to Celilo Falls, Ore., and seeing his dad pull the last grape vine from Moses Lake’s Grape Drive, are among his childhood memories.
Clay said Basin Homes were being built at the time, now the location of Grape Drive.
“It was wonderful the way mom and dad brought us up,” he said.
Clay noted how Moses Lake was a great place in which to grow up, with activities like fishing and ice skating.
To this day, Clay continues to enjoy the outdoors.
“I say I’m a very religious person and I feel closest to God when I’m in the great outdoors,” he said. “Everyone should go out in the middle of a forest and sit down and watch things for an hour.”
Last year, he was using a blind (a tool designed to camouflage a hunter) while deer hunting. None of the deer knew he was there. A covey of quail came up beside him.
The deer and quail then played with each other.
His stories illustrating his enjoyment don’t stop there.
He spoke of taking a hike through the mountains and fooling a fish with a fly.
“Even if you don’t catch and release it, it’s a wonderful experience,” Clay said.