DENNIS. L. CLAY
Herald Columnist
Recent Stories
Last minute gift ideas for outdoor-minded people
OK, we are right down to the nitty-gritty of last-minute Christmas gift purchases, with only today and tomorrow available. Here are some suggestions.
Still no local circle
A reminder: Continuing seasons
Using the right hook is indispensible to anglers
We have been discussing the amount of fishing items available to any angler in a sporting goods store. There are thousands of such items.
Fishing reels continued
There appears to be as many fishing reels as there are fishing rods. Of course, there is one reel per rod, but one reel could be used with one rod and then switched to another rod on another day.
Gifts for the beginning angler
Angling is a sport with thousands of gadgets. Some would say this is an understatement. These two sentences become completely believable and understandable when walking down the fishing aisle of any sporting goods store.
Cutting edge gifts
Knives are an essential tool for any person wanting to spend time in the outdoors. Knives can save lives, too.
Gifting a rifle
Picking the appropriate rifle for a first-time hunter is even more complicated than gifting a shotgun. A rifle will be used to hunt big game, such as deer and elk.
Firearms as a Christmas gift
Giving a firearm as a gift can be a tricky procedure. Usually this type of gift is from one family member to another, such as parents to daughter or son, uncle to nephew or grandpa to granddaughter.
Christmas gift ideas Part 1
This column is approaching 30 years of service to Columbia Basin readers. Every year at least one reader, but most often several, asks about what to give the outdoor-minded person who has everything.
Butchering big game
Butchering big game is simply making small pieces of meat out of one large piece of meat. Years ago, perhaps 30 or more, an older hunter provided instruction about butchering a deer he had taken. He instructed and my duty was the butchering.
Youth hunting weekend is here
Youth, hunters under 16 years of age and accompanied by an adult at least 18 years old, are in the spotlight this weekend. There are several hunts available to them, including: duck, goose, coot, Sept. 17 and 18; pheasant, quail and partridge: Sept. 17 and 18.
Nat Washington discusses homesteading
Grant County history E-mail from Cheryl
Limits suspended on Park and Blue lakes
Blue and Park lakes in the Sun Lakes State Park area will be going through a rehabilitation procedure using rotenone. Therefore, Fish and Wildlife is allowing the public to harvest as many fish as possible.
2016 Grant County hunting prospects
This is a multi-part series about the 2016 Washington hunting prospects.
Nat Washington's history continues
Grant County history
Hunting season is open for some
Hunters are celebrating with the opening of some hunting seasons. The booming of shotguns will be heard around the Columbia Basin with the opening of dove season. Also opening yesterday were the grouse and archery deer seasons. Read on for a recap of some of these seasons.
Hazing operation successful
A month-long effort to scare deer from a series of alfalfa fields has been deemed a success. The basics of this endeavor were covered a month ago in this column.
Free fishing while license sales are suspended
Fish and Wildlife is offering “free fishing” days through Tuesday while the agency’s license sales system is down.
Grouse, dove and archery deer seasons open Thursday
September marks the beginning of several hunting seasons. Yes, a few are already open, but September marks the beginning of even more seasons. The hunting dates and equipment allowed is a bit complicated. This is the reason reading the various regulation pamphlets is necessary. Actually, instead of just reading them, a hunter needs to study them. A recap on a few of the seasons is presented here. Read on.
More info from the 1980 Grant County Fair
Grant County Fair
OK folks, I’m not ready to let go of the fair, this year’s fair and past fairs. Read on.
Fair history barn to expand function
The Grant County Fair History Barn has been a hit-and-miss affair for some years now. Three of us have taken the barn under our wing for the past few years, but our efforts have not allowed our county’s history to shine.
Hunting seasons begin in less than two weeks
Mourning dove
Humor lightens the darker side of life
Dennis Clay
While an apple a day will keep the doctor away, a chuckle a day lightens the load of the burden of life. Humor has been a large part of my life and my writing.
Family stories full of interesting fun
So there I was, minding my own business, when…my mind began working overtime.
Feral pig removal effort begins
What, feral pigs in Grant County? Read on.
South Dam name changed to Dry Falls Dam
Bits and Pieces
Hazing deer a nighttime affair
This is the last of a two-part series about hazing deer in private alfalfa fields.
South Dam name changed to Dry Falls Dam
Bits and Pieces
Last week’s mystery photo Grant County history
Using master hunters to hazing deer saves money
This is a two-part series about hazing off of private alfalfa fields.
License fee increases possible
Fish and Wildlife has scheduled six public workshops in early August for the public to comment on the department’s proposals to expand conservation programs and provide more fishing and hunting opportunities through a combination of state funding and license fee increases.
Moses Lake stays connected to Fairchild Air Force Base
Workhorse: A dependable person who completes a lot of work. Also a dependable machine used to accomplish a lot of work.
Washington tells of early Columbia Basin history
Bits and Pieces
Grant County history
Deadlines loom for hunting opportunities
The deadline for the raffle permit hunts is today, July 15. The tickets must be purchased from a vendor, such as your favorite sporting goods store.
Priority of eating supper conflicts with fishing time
Dennis note: Ah…Time for a little humor. This “Rich and I” story was first published in the Columbia Basin Herald in the early 1990s. It is being proofed and polished for inclusion in the upcoming book, “The Adventures of Rich and I.” Enjoy.
Salmon limits raised, sockeye fishery opens
Salmon fishing is heating up on the upper Columbia River.
Time at Conconully fun, relaxing
Computers save the old activity of digging through maps to figure out a route, distance and time needed to travel from Point A to Point B. Such was the case when friend, Bill Witt, suggested a camping trip to Conconully State Park a few months ago.
Gambling to benefit big game with raffle hunts
Ground observers watch for enemy planes
Learn about survival and live
This is the last of a three-part series about survival skills.
After reading the past two parts to this series and columns about survival in past years, readers are sure to realize passing along information about survival skills are important to me. This is true, of course, as survival information may save a life.
Bits and Pieces: Polar Pantry offered 16 flavors of ice cream
Special hunt permit results available
Just in case you haven’t found out yet, the results of the 2016 hunt permit draw are available online. Well maybe. The fish and wildlife website has been down for a while and not all of the pages are available.
Proper equipment essential to survival
This is the second of a three-part series about survival skills.
Don't touch young wildlife
Seeing a young deer, elk or other species of wildlife along and just standing alone pulls on heartstrings. But, you must, repeat, you must, not touch the animal. Read on.
Years have passed, but the feeling was the same
My, my has it really been 41 years? No, it has been longer. My Army career began on Feb. 1, 1966. Fellow classmate, Richard Soden, and I joined together and headed off to Basic Training at Fort Ord, CA. We were sent to Fort Sill, OK for our advanced training.
Free Fishing Weekend is here
Here is a chance to take the family fishing. Plus Mom and Dad can fish, even if they don’t have a current fishing license. Read on.
Survival skills a matter of life and death for some
This is the first of a three-part series about survival skills.
Moose on the loose
Linnette Jones called me on Saturday. She wanted my e-mail address in order to send me a photo of a moose she saw earlier in the day.
Nat Washington remembers
Grant County history
Quest for comb becomes complicated
So there I was, minding my own business, when …