Quest for wild pheasants & poll

[jeff100]

...and Huns.  I'm tired of looking for ghost pheasants in Crab Creek area.  Heck I'm struggling to find quail this year, and I can NOT believe the garbage that's getting dumped in that area.  If I could just catch one of em.....

I always try to leave an area cleaner than I found it, but I'm just not setup to haul out old tires and big crap that these jerks are dumping.

There's got to be better hunting elsewhere without having to drive across the entire state just for the privilege of banging on doors in the hope of finding some kind soul who will grant permission to hunt private land. (Not that I wouldn't do that if I just knew someone).

Then again, this IS Washington state, maybe there isn't better upland game hunting.

...whew...I kinda got on my soapbox there....sorry...getting kind of frustrated I suppose.

No matter, I've got two outstanding Brittanys that deserve any opportunity to chase birds I can give them.  But they're not duck dogs, I gotta find some upland birds somewhere.... 

I'm planning to scout/hunt Lake Lenore area (Sun Lakes Columbia Basin WA) and Sagebrush Flat WA, for upland birds, hoping to get into a pheasant or two and hopefully put up some Huns.  I never turn my nose up on a Chukar either.  Never hunted these area's before, my question is - can you camp with a small (18') trailer in these areas?  I know there's a state park there, but I like to dry camp outside of campgrounds where it's legal and feasible....

Any comments....any....are greatly appreciated.

Jeff

[Shedseeker]

Try North or South Dakota.

[Sportfury]

Jeff,

Not sure about the pheasants, but I have seen huns up around Fish Lake in the Okanogon. My buddy Peanut always used to go start at Othello and head East and Southeast for Pheasant. They seemed like they would get into birds every year. My son wanted to make a trip over for quail and I was thinking of doing a day trip this weekend. Lets hope some of my hidey holes are doing good.

I have to agree with you on the trash. The last time I was over at Quincy it was trashed . All the people who don't want to pay for camping at teh gorge getting drunk and leaving their trash behind. It was terrible! I was afraid my GWP would get his pads all cut up from the broken glass.

Good shooting and good luck.

Chris   

[shorthair-on-point]

Yes you can camp in that area

[Rowdy]

Jeff,
The Yakima Canyon has quite a few "upland" choices.  Chukar, Quail, Huns (i've heard never seen), and the pheasant release site.  Go up Durr road and start hiking around.  Quail in the valleys, Huns on the grassy slopes, and Chukar on the steep rocky slopes.  There are a decent amount of birds in the Canyon just got to hike around and find em.  With two pups I would think you should do pretty good.

Jake

[DAROB]

I hunted Crab Creek all saturday last weekend. Not a pheasant to be seen. Easily put about 10 miles in criss crossing the place looking for a bird. Dog finally bumped a couple of quail. That was it for the whole day. The whole area looked liked cattle had been in there grazing. Not much cover for birds to be hiding in. I called the Region 2 office and they said they are releasing birds in the area. They wouldnt say how offen, but the lady on the phone told me the last release was for the youth hunt. Dont know where I will go this weekend. 

[fluentvoo]

If you guys are partial to the crab creek area, you can drive up towards wahatis peak and get into some chukar.

[Jerbear]

I hate to say this as I am unhappy with some of stuff the Native Americans have got away with, but the Yakama Nation has been working very hard to build up the pheasant population on the reservation.  All you need is the $30.00 rez permit.  No small game or anything else the WF&W clowns require.  The Yakama Nation took it to court recently.  They proved that the game dept had done nothing for the pheasant population since the 1960's.  The judge made the ruling in superior court in Yakima, that all was required was the rez permit.  A W WL enforcement officer had cited two biologists from the Oregon Game dept.  They had been working with the Yakamas to enhance the pheasant population.  The gameie had to eat the two citations.  I am going over in a couple of weeks.  People I have talked to say it is great hunting.  I have a problem with the Indian situation, but more of dislike for the WDF&W.

[T-Bone]

http://www.ynwildlife.org/huntmaps.php

[jeff100]

Jerbear, let us know what you find out.  I've been considering getting the YN hunting permit and hunting the rez.  A good buddy of mine has done so in the past, and told me that the hunting was too close in to where people lived, he felt like he was hunting in peoples back yards, having to deal with territorial dogs and such.  He said the place was pretty trashed up too, broken down cars and such.  Aside from some birds to shoot at, the 'outdoor' experience sucked.  But I'm keeping an open mind.  If the Yakima Nation is serious about providing a decent hunting opportunity to generate revenue for themselves, I would happily support their efforts.  Besides, I'm part Cherokee myself (a little, teeny part), I've got no more problem with native Americans than any other Americans, so long as they're Americans first by gawd.

Jeff

[270Shooter]

The YN is OK at the beggining of the season but it slows down real quick for pheasants. Most of the feel free to hunt land is old range land and provides little cover. While other spots are so thick with weeds you can hardly walk through it and it is nealy impossible to find a bird.

And you guys are right most spots are relativly close to houses. And they arn't always the friendliest people. I would get a map that shows feel free to hunt land and spend the day hitting up different spots. I hardly even hunt down there anymore though.

[dbur525]

Hi

does anybody know where to get the rez permit to hunt yakima rez?
thanks
Dave

[270Shooter]

I always just go to bi-mart

[T-Bone]

Hi

does anybody know where to get the rez permit to hunt yakima rez?
thanks
Dave

If you go to the link I posted earlier; it lists the locations.

[whitey]

Tri Cities is a great place for wild birds, Went over with my my lab and in 2 1/2 days shot 8 roosters. You kind of got to road it out look for the CRP fields that are not posted. Still lots of feel free to hunt land to be hunted.. We did notice not as many bird seen this last time as they where last season, some of the locals said the winter was hard and the spring wasnt much easier. Good luck!