FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 7
Outdoor Rec / Local
Ducks Unlimited banquet Thanksgiving
shows increased attendance swim meet
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Returning again this year
for another successful an-
nual fundraising banquet
at the Community Connec-
tions Senior Center were
members of the Baker City
Chapter of Ducks Unlim-
ited (DU), with a notable
increase in attendance.
The group included Bob
Mason, Chairman of the
Southeast Oregon District/
Baker City Chapter, Noel
and Lara Livingston and
their daughter Lindsay,
Rocky and Karen Desi-
mini, and Jim Fuller, all
present for the event last
year.
John Stanfield, DU Se-
nior Regional Director, and
Terry Thomas, DU Oregon
State Chairman, among
other honored guests, also
attended.
Also making another
appearance this year were
the crew of Oregon Trail
Restaurant, who catered,
including Dave McGuire,
Sr., Dave McGuire, Mark
Linderman, Bill Monges,
and Cory Stevens. Din-
ner included duck, pork
tenderloin, potatoes, rice
pilaf, rolls, veggie and
meat trays, and dessert.
Luke Brown and Em-
ily Penland, of Barley
Brown’s Brew Pub, were
present to serve alcoholic
and other beverages. Bar-
ley’s has been represented
at the event for the last 11
years.
Mason noted there were
130 attendees this year,
up from 121 last year, and
95 the year before, for a
steady increase, and, fun-
draising efforts included
games, raffles, and a silent
and live auction, with
auctioneer Troy Hill.
Silent auction items
included: a ladies duffle
bag, donated by Triple C
Redi-Mix; a travel combo,
donated by North Powder
Café; a decanter set, donat-
ed by Gregg Hinrichsen,
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
Guests at the Baker Electric table enjoy dinner and conversation as the popular
auction begins behind them.
of State Farm Insurance; a
lantern candleholder, do-
nated by Farm Industrial;
a rustic lab sign, donated
by Bake Electric; a lesser
Canada goose decoy, a
wooden half trunk, and
a paracord handle knife,
donated by Black Distrib-
uting; and a game cleaning
kit, donated by S&S Auto
Center.
Live auction items
included: spring fling
wood ducks, donated
by Windshield Doctor;
a TriStar over/under 20
gauge shotgun, donated
by Baker Electric; a Knife
of the Year, donated by
S&S Auto Center; a camo
office chair, donated by
Bob Reedy; a canvasback
decoy, donated by Triple C
Redi-Mix; a mail box and
a wall shelf, donated by
Clarke and Clarke Insur-
ance; a mission bench,
donated by The Bow Shop;
a toaster, donated by Cover
Works; a barrel cooler/
apron, donated by Gentry
Auto Group; and a Henry
Golden Boy .22 caliber
rifle, donated by Randy
Guyer.
Mason, in material
he provided for guests,
said, “Since 1937, Ducks
Unlimited has raised over
$1.279 billion to restore
or enhance nearly 12.6
million acres of wetlands
throughout North Amer-
ica. Within the State of
Oregon, Ducks Unlimited
has spent an average of
$3.5 million per year over
the past five years and has
conserved a total of over
70,000 acres of wetlands.
“Ducks Unlimited is
presently cooperating on
several projects within
Baker and Union Counties.
The Ladd Marsh project,
which restored 1,500
acres of wetlands near La
Grande, is part of this local
northeast Oregon effort.
“The largest percentage
of Ducks Unlimited con-
servation funding comes
from local banquets, just
like ours. As a Ducks
Unlimited supporter, you
can be proud of your
involvement and of all of
our efforts contributing
towards the conservation
of wetlands. The commit-
tee hopes you will enjoy
the 2015 Banquet and
thanks you for your sup-
port to Ducks Unlimited.
The committee also hopes
you will join us for future
Ducks Unlimited activi-
ties. Ask any one of the
committee members here
tonight about becoming
a volunteer on our local
chapter. The banquet is
possible only through the
businesses and individu-
als who have contributed
merchandise, cash and
work toward this banquet.
Please continue to support
them and Ducks, Unlim-
ited, as well.”
The committee includes
the Desiminis, the Liv-
ingstons, Jim and Sue
Fuller, John Anderson,
Dick Haines, Ken O’Neal,
Danny O’Neal, Ethan Far-
nam, and Bill Tipton.
—ODFW Weekly Recreation Report—
BAKER COUNTY
VIEWING
Bighorn sheep can be
seen in the Burnt River
Canyon west of Durkee
or along the Snake River
Road south of Richland.
The best viewing is in the
early morning and late in
the evening.
Winter bird species are
starting to migrate through
the area.
Bald and golden eagles
can be seen along the
Snake River. Take the
Snake River Road between
Richland and Huntington.
BAKER COUNTY
HUNTING
Chukar, Hun, and Cali-
fornia Quail - The season
ends Jan. 31. Hunters
should expect another sea-
son similar to last years.
Chukar numbers were up
from last year however.
Grouse season starts
September 1. Blue grouse
can be found in the higher
elevations while ruffed
grouse are more common
in wetter areas. Hunters
should expect an average
year for grouse. Successful
hunters are asked to place
the tails and wings from
harvested birds in the col-
lection barrels.
Cougars can be found
throughout Baker County
but hunters should target
areas with high concen-
trations of deer and elk.
Setting up on a fresh kill or
using distress calls can all
be productive techniques.
Hunters are required to
check in the hide of any
cougar taken, with skull
and proof of sex attached.
Remember to pick up a
2015 tag.
Bear season closes Nov.
30. Successful hunters,
remember check-in of bear
skull is mandatory; see the
regulations for details. Bi-
ologists recommend prop-
ping the bear’s mouth open
with a stick after harvest; it
makes for easier tooth col-
lection and measuring.
Coyote numbers are good
throughout the district. Try
calling in early morning and
late afternoon. Remem-
ber to ask for permission
before hunting on private
properties.
NE OREGON FISHING
Steelhead fishing has
been good to very good on
the Imnaha and Grande
Ronde rivers.
The lower Umatilla was
good for steelhead fishing
this past week (Nov. 16-22)
with anglers averaging 3
hours fishing per steelhead
landed. Anglers should
expect to encounter low
water conditions and cold
temperatures. Angers are
having success with bob-
ber and jig/bait combos.
JOHN DAY RIVER:
steelhead. Flows are now
near 250 cfs and sum-
mer steelhead are moving
into the lower river. The
mouth of Rock Creek and
Cottonwood Canyon State
Park provide the best bank
access. Floating with drift
boats will be difficult until
flows increase to 450 cfs
or over. Fly, lure and bait
fishing are all producing
steelhead.
LUGER POND: hatchery
rainbow trout. Luger Pond
is closed to fishing until
Dec. 31 due to a recent
pesticide application to
remove unwanted goldfish.
However, the pond will not
be restocked until spring.
MAGONE LAKE: rainbow
and brook trout. Lake has
been stocked with both
legal and trophy-sized
rainbow trout. Fishing has
been fair.
McHALEY POND: rain-
bow trout. Pond has been
stocked with legal and
trophy-sized rainbow trout.
Fishing is fair.
McKAY RESERVOIR:
closed to fishing until
March 1, 2016.
MORGAN LAKE: rain-
bow trout. Closed to fishing
as of Nov. 1.
OLIVE LAKE: rainbow
trout, brook trout, and
kokanee. Fishing is fair and
lake has been stocked with
both legal and trophy-sized
rainbow trout.
PEACH POND (Ladd
Marsh): rainbow trout.
Peach Pond is closed to
fishing until Dec. 31 due to
a recent pesticide applica-
tion to remove unwanted
goldfish. However, the
pond will not be restocked
until spring.
TAYLOR GREEN POND:
hatchery rainbow trout.
Was stocked with 150
trophy-sized rainbow trout
the last week of Septem-
ber.
WALLOWA COUNTY
PONDS: rainbow trout.
Kinney Lake was treated
with a pesticide on Oct.
5 to remove unwanted
fishes. Public access has
been restricted to avoid
exposure to rotenone. Kin-
ney Lake is closed to entry
until all signage has been
removed and is closed to
angling until Dec. 31. No
fish will be in Kinney Lake
until restocking in spring of
2015.
Salt Creek, Honeymoon
and McGraw were stocked
this fall prior to rifle deer
season and should pro-
duce good catch rates.
WALLOWA LAKE: rain-
bow trout, kokanee, lake
trout. Trout fishing has
slowed at Wallowa Lake.
However, the pressure has
dropped off with the end
of the summer season.
During the fall stocked
trout have been in the lake
long enough they start to
learn to eat natural food.
Try fishing with flies and
other more natural baits.
The lake has received
additional rainbow trout
stocking due to other area
water bodies being too hot
to receive fish. This means
the lake has been heavily
stocked with both legal-
size and trophy trout.
Baker Swim Team and La Grande Swim Club both at-
tended the Boise Y Thanksgiving Invitational Swim Meet
on November 20-22. Baker had one athlete, Jozie Ramos
(10). Of the LaGrande swimmers, two were from Baker
City, Jared Miller (16) and Justin Miller (14). There were
over 500 swimmers competing. The following are their
results:
Jozie Ramos
200 IM - 3rd
200 Free - 3rd
100 Back - 3rd
100 Free - 4th
50 Breast - 1st
50 Back - 4th
100 Breast - 3rd
50 Free - 2nd
Jared Miller
500 Free - 1st
200 Back - 2nd
200 Free - 3rd
1000 Free - 2nd
100 Back - 1st
100 Free - 6th
200 IM - 4th
Justin Miller
200 Back - 4th
100 Breast - 6th
50 Free - 5th
100 Back - 7th
100 Free - 8th
200 IM - 10th
ODOT urges
safe travel
preparedness
Storm systems moving through the area can bring
freezing rain and/or several inches of snow to eastern
Oregon and the surrounding area. For the latest informa-
tion on any Advisories please visit:http://www.wrh.noaa.
gov/total_forecast/getprod.php?wfo=pdt.
ODOT crews are continuing their 24 hour coverage
plowing and sanding Oregon highways as they responded
to winter weather conditions. Travelers are advised to
be prepared for winter challenges and review road and
weather conditions before heading out by checking www.
TripCheck.com and local weather reports.
ODOT recommends motorists consider delaying travel
when conditions are severe. If you must drive in these
conditions:
• Be ready to use your chains. Be patient. Go slow.
• Expect a long commute that could last hours. You
never know when weather or traffic incidents will cause
the road to be closed for extended periods.
• Keep fuel tank full (in case you get stuck in road
closure).
• Carry emergency supplies (water, food, warm clothes,
flashlight, etc.)
• Increase the following distance between you and the
vehicle ahead of you.
• Don't abandon your vehicle, even in the shoulders. It
could be towed at your expense.
• Keep a watch on weather conditions throughout the
day in anticipation of the next snow storm which could
make current road conditions worse.
For additional resources on winter driving and pre-
paredness, please visit: http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/
COMM/Pages/winterdriving.aspx
Know Before You Go: Call 5-1-1 or visit www.Trip-
Check.com for the latest real-time traffic updates and
camera views of Oregon’s highways. Outside of Oregon,
travelers can call 503-588-2941.
Avalanche
training to be
held at EOU
Eastern Oregon University’s Outdoor Adventure Pro-
gram, in partnership with the Wallowa Avalanche Center,
is presenting a free clinic on the fundamentals of safely in
a winter environment where avalanche hazards exist.
Michael Hatch, Outdoor Adventure Program coordi-
nator, is leading the avalanche awareness training from
6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1 in the Zabel Hall Auditorium
on campus. Hatch will cover avalanche hazard aware-
ness, tour planning and familiarity with avalanche center
advisories, basic equipment considerations and the need
for skill in companion rescue.
Attendees will learn how to identify and plan for travel
in avalanche terrain, the basic requirements for an ava-
lanche, including warning signs that the snow is unstable,
and how to use information from an avalanche center.
“This presentation is packed with information aimed
at anyone who is serious about winter recreation,” Hatch
explained. “Snowmobile riders and backcountry skiers
are especially encouraged to attend, because it’s a great
opportunity to learn how to identify unstable conditions
and increase your margin of safety in the backcountry."
For more information contact Hatch at 541-962-3621.