FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2016
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 7
Outdoor Rec / Local
Two bull elk shot, left to waste Man convicted
The Oregon State Police
(OSP) Fish & Wildlife
Division is asking for the
public’s help to identify the
person(s) responsible for
the unlawful killing of two
bull elk in Union County.
On November 16,
2016, OSP was notifi ed
of two dead bull elk ap-
proximately 60 yards off of
Yarrington Road, which is
located northeast of Elgin
in Union County.
An OSP Fish and Wild-
life Trooper responded and
found both bull elk had
been shot and left to waste.
Investigation revealed the
elk were most likely shot
in the late evening hours
of November 15 or early
morning hours of Novem-
ber 16, 2016. Evidence
was collected at the scene.
A reward of up to $500
is offered for information
leading to an arrest and
conviction in this case. The
reward is offered by the
Oregon Hunters Associa-
in hunting
violation
Submitted Photo.
A $500 reward is offered for information leading the arrest of whomever shot
and left two bull elk to waste.
tion Turn-In-Poacher (TIP)
program.
Anyone with information
regarding this case is asked
to contact OSP Senior
Trooper Marcus McDowell
through the TIP hotline at
1-800-452-7888 or email at
marcus.mcdowell@state.
or.us. Information may be
kept anonymous.
—ODFW Weekly Recreation Report—
NE OREGON HUNTING
BAKER COUNTY
Chukar, Hun, and California
Quail - The season ends Jan. 31.
Hunters should expect a good
season similar to last years. Chu-
kar numbers were up for a second
year in a row.
Grouse season continues. 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.
Cougars can be found throughout
Baker County but hunters should
target areas with high concentra-
tions 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.
Bear season ends November
30. Successful hunters, remember
check-in of bear skull is manda-
tory; see the regulations for details.
Biologists recommend propping
the bear’s mouth open with a stick
after harvest; it makes for easier
tooth collection and measuring.
Coyote numbers are good
throughout the district. Try calling in
early morning and late afternoon.
Remember to ask for permission
before hunting on private proper-
ties.
GRANT COUNTY
Elk and Deer –The Rail Creek
Fire west of Unity is contained but
area closure do to the fi re may
limit access for hunts in portions
the West Beulah unit. Hunters
are encouraged to check inciweb.
nwcg.gov for updated fi re informa-
tion. The USFS is conducting some
controlled burns throughout the
forest so hunter should pay atten-
tion to signed areas where burns
are planned and avoid those areas.
Elk are scattered because of mild
and wet conditions and good feed
throughout the county.
Cougar hunting remains open.
Successful hunters should remem-
ber that check-in of the hide with
skull and proof of sex attached is
mandatory; see the regulations for
details.
Coyote numbers are good in
most of the district. Coyotes may
respond to distress calls. Try call-
ing in the early morning and late
evening.
Bear population are doing well.
Season closes Nov. 30.
Upland Game Bird number a
good this year as brood routes
indicate a good production year.
Chukars can be found is steep
areas along the South Fork John
Day River. Turkeys are doing well
but are scattered because of mild
and wet condition with good green
up throughout the county. The birds
have not concentrated on private
land like most years.
MORROW, GILLIAM AND
WHEELER COUNTIES
Cougar hunting is open. Cougar
are well distributed in our forested
areas. Calling with distress calls
or cougar vocalizations can be ef-
fective. However, locating a fresh,
naturally made kill has the best
chance of success.
The Coyote population is healthy
with good numbers of coyotes
available for those who wish to
pursue them. Watch wind direction
to help prevent giving away your
location. Calling with game distress
calls can be very successful.
UMATILLA COUNTY
Cougar are well distributed in
forested areas of the Walla Walla,
Mt. Emily, and Ukiah units. Hunters
will have best success by fi nding a
fresh naturally made kill and sitting
on it, or by using predator calls.
Some success has come from
following tracks until the cougar is
located.
Coyote are numerous throughout
the County and hunters should
have good success calling. Re-
member to ask permission before
hunting on private lands.
early morning and late afternoon.
Remember to ask for permission
before hunting on private proper-
ties.
UNION COUNTY
WALLOWA COUNTY
Rifl e Elk hunters can expect to
fi nd good numbers of animals in all
Union County units. Spike hunters
will fi nd yearling bulls with cows in
herds. Bull hunters should focus
efforts on areas of steep terrain
and heavy cover adjacent to water
and feed. Older bulls often seek
solitude to recover from the rut. All
general seasons have ended.
Forest Grouse should be plentiful
this season. Look for ruffs in moist
canyon bottoms choked with Alder
and Hawthorn trees. Blues can be
found above 5000 feet elevation on
ridge tops.
Fall turkey season continues for
those hunters who already have
a tag; tags for 2 Eastern Oregon
hunts have sold out. Birds are
plentiful everywhere in Union
County. Hunt around water sources
and in areas with wild fruit trees.
Black bears will be focused on
fruit and berries in the early fall.
Look for bears in riparian areas
with Hawthorn trees or on slopes
with Huckle or elder berries. Hunt-
ers should concentrate hunting
during the early morning and
evening hours. All bears taken
must be checked in within 10 days
of harvest; call for an appointment
before check in. Season closes
Nov. 30.
Cougars are common in Union
County. Focus on game rich areas
with long ridgelines or saddles that
cats typically travel. Setting up
downwind of a deer or elk killed
by a cougar can be productive.
Nonresident hunters can include
a cougar tag with others tags for
only $14.50. All cougars taken
must be checked in within 10 days
of harvest; call for an appointment
before check in.
Coyote numbers are high
throughout the district. Try calling in
Elk: Elk numbers are generally
above management objectives with
a good number of nice bulls taken
during second bull elk season
especially in units with any bull bag
limit like Snake River and Chesn-
imnus. Units with spike only bag
limits like Sled Springs and Imnaha
had lower success rates. A few
antlerless elk season are running
now or will start on Wednesday
Nov. 16.
Forest Grouse: Forest grouse in
Wallowa County did not fare as
well as grouse in other parts of the
state this year because cold, wet
weather in June when the eggs
were hatching caused high chick
mortality early on. Some ruffed
grouse can still be found in draw
bottoms with dense brush. Blue
grouse are found higher on the
slopes and on ridgetops near the
edge of timber stands, but will soon
be moving up high into conifer
trees to fi nd buds to eat for the
winter and so will be harder to fi nd.
Black Bear: Bear hunting has
been good, but most bears will be
going into their dens in the next
few weeks as the weather cools
and we start getting some snow.
Season closes Nov. 30.
Cougar: Populations are moder-
ate throughout Wallowa County.
Most lions are taken incidental to
other hunting; however, calling with
fawn bleat, or locating a cougar kill
and waiting for a cat to return are
often successful techniques.
Coyote: Good numbers of
coyotes can be found throughout
Wallowa County. Calling coyotes
with rabbit distress type calls has
been effective for hunters. It is
important to choose areas with
abundant coyote sign and little
human activity.
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On November 8, 2016 in Baker County Circuit Court,
Todd Longgood (dob 11-16-1975) of 101 S.E. 3rd St.
Pendleton, Oregon, pled guilty to one count of unlawful
taking of a game mammal-a mule deer. Longgood was
sentenced to three years bench probation.
His hunting and fi shing privileges were suspended for
three years. He was order to pay $7,500 in restitution to
the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and a $1,000
fi ne.
A 180-day jail sentence was suspended upon successful
completion of probation. He was also required to forfeit
the antlers from the illegal kill.
Longgood harvested a trophy mule deer buck in 2014
during archery season on private property near Daly
Creek in Baker County.
He then harvested another mule deer which was a tro-
phy mule deer that was non- typical and reportedly scored
212 inches for the Pope and Young record book.
Longgood was alleged to have held the antlers over to
the 2015 archery season and applied his 2015 archery
season tag to the illegally killed deer.
The Oregon State Police served search warrants on
August 9, 2016 in Baker, Morrow and Umatilla Counties.
As a result of the search warrants, game offi cers came
into possession of photographs that indicated the deer was
killed in 2014. Longgood is a hunting guide and owner
of Sheep Mountain Outfi tters. He is on the national board
of the Mule Deer Foundation.
Dain Gardner of the Oregon State Police game division
was the lead investigator on the case. “Dain did an excel-
lent job investigating the case and following all leads.”
“This is an important case as these cases can be dif-
fi cult to prove when the game crime is committed on
private property,” said District Attorney Matt Shirtcliff.
“Concerned citizens are always important in bringing
incidents like this to light and were benefi cial to this case
as well.”
PRSC schedule
announced
The Powder River Sportsmen’s Club has announced its
revised, upcoming schedule:
The 2017 schedule for 1000-Yard will be last-Satur-
days, March - August.
The 2017 schedule for Cowboy Action shoots will be
2nd Saturdays, April - October.
Check for the new Club Calendar online after Dec 31.
Reminder:
The Annual Club Turkey Shoot is scheduled for 10
a.m. -4 p.m. on November 20th. This will be the last
match for 2016, and it's a fun match for the whole family.
$20 will get you seven tickets. Each event costs one
ticket and consists of six shooters. Each event winner
receives a $10 prize.
Approximate schedule for the day: 10:00 - 11:30 a.m..
50 Yard Chicken Silhouettes, any centerfi re pistol, any
position. Also Lucky .22 Event. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.;
200 Yard Turkey Head Silhouettes, prone with sling, no
other rest, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.; and Running Deer Event,
any legal deer rifl e, two shots offhand at a life-size deer
target that travels down a cable, 80 yards for iron sights,
200 yards for scope.