Hunting season close at hand, time to prepare
Dr. Thomas Steffens notches his turkey tag after a successful hunt near Colville a couple of years ago. He slipped through the fence in the background, shot and retrieved the bird just over the hill and notched his tag in a matter of five minutes. The fall turkey hunts seem to be easier then the spring hunts, because the birds in this area must be beardless and there are more of the beardless birds.
MOSES LAKE - Today and the next four days have a forecast high of 90 degrees or higher. This is followed by three days of highs in the 80s. The September forecast shows several days with highs of 80 degrees, but more in the high 70s, moving to the low 70s by the end of the month.
There are fond memories of many first weekends in September spent near Beehive Reservoir and what was the Beehive Lookout before I was old enough to hunt. The reservoir is located about eight miles southwest of Wenatchee. We would drive past Squilchuck and head toward the Mission Ridge ski area, and then take a right on a dirt road until reaching our destination.
My parents, Max and Enid Clay, with me tagging along, would meet up with Dad's twin sister, Maxine, and her husband Emery. We would meet near the lookout and an annual tour of the tower was mandatory.
Next Dad and Emery would hunt forest grouse, with blue grouse the main target, but ruffed and spruce grouse, also called fools hens, considered fair game. My first memories of those outings had me too young to hunt, but I was allowed to follow behind Dad.
After the first hunt of the day, a pass through the left side of the woods, a lunch was eaten, prepared my Mom and Maxine. After lunch and time for a post hunt visit, the hunters would hunt the other side of the woods. This wasn't a stressful hunt, with miles and miles of territory covered, but rather an easy hunt intended to combine the first hunt of the year with a family visit.
Combining a hunting and fishing trip
Later, as an adult, early-season grouse hunts were enjoyed in combination with a late-season fishing trip. A trip to Alta Lake State Park is an example. The fishing season ends on Sept. 30 and the grouse season opens on Sept. 1.
My strategy in this case would be to hunt grouse early in the morning and in the evening, while fishing the lake during the rest of the day. Some would consider fishing in the morning and evening, which is just fine, while taking a walk through the woods after grouse during the day.
These days, taking a nap after lunch and during the hottest part of the day is well spent time.
Besides fishing Alta Lake, consider the Columbia River in the Pateros, Brewster and Bridgeport area for steelhead, walleye and salmon, always checking the current regulations for the current fishing seasons.
Beehive Reservoir is another destination for a combined hunting and fishing trip, but from July 5 through Oct. 31 the rules call for catch-and-release fishing only and selective gear rules apply.
A combined trip I have considered, but never accomplished is staying at Fisherman's Cove Resort and fishing Curlew Lake and hunting the surrounding national forest land for grouse.
Perhaps this will be the year, but September isn't the only month to achieve this goal. Curlew Lake is open all year long and the grouse season continues through Dec. 31.
Dove season
The season for mourning doves is scheduled for Sept. 1 through 30. Bill Green has already suggested we head out opening day, a week from today, and I consider this to be a good idea.
The question is where would we hunt? A scouting trip later this week or during this weekend is a must.
Don't forget, the Eurasian collared dove is an invasive species and doesn't count in the daily limit of 10 mourning doves. For example, if a hunter shoots five mourning doves and then two Eurasian collared doves, the hunter is still allowed five more mourning doves. I haven't hunted dove in years, but the time is ripe.
Turkey in September
Along with hunting grouse in September and combining it with a fishing trip, consider also hunting turkey.
In Game Management Units 105 through 124 the season is Sept. 24 through Oct. 7, where two beardless turkeys are allowed.
In GMUs 101, 127 through 133, 145 through 154 and 162 through 186, the fall turkey season is also Sept. 24 through Oct. 7, but the limit is one turkey of either sex.
These two seasons in the different GMUs allows a hunter to hunt in the first set of GMUs and tag two turkeys and in the same day tag another one in the second hunt area, legally shooting three turkeys in one day.
Deer and elk season
Various deer and elk archery seasons open on or near the first part of September. Check the regulations to verify the open seasons.
Washington State outdoor recreation paradise
Those of us who have lived in Washington State for a number of years already know we live in a state where outdoor recreation abounds.
We can hunt ducks from a sand dune in Potholes Reservoir and be fishing for trout with a line in the water at the same time.
We are allowed to fish for trout and walleye in Lake Roosevelt on the same day we hunt and bag four grouse and a turkey, should we be so lucky.
Oh, and if were have a bit more luck, we could shoot 10 dove as well.