REGION
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
East Oregonian
A3
Youths test their outdoor skills with elk calls, archery and more
By PHIL WRIGHT
East Oregonian
No Eastern Oregon out-
door skills day would be
complete without hunting
stories.
Verlyn Savage, of Cove,
delivered his share Saturday
morning at the Pendleton
Convention Center during
his presentation on elk calls,
part of the Eastern Ore-
gon Youth Outdoor Skills
Day. Savage broke down the
kinds of calls elk make and
asked the eager young in
attendance to use plastic elk
callers to mimic bull bugles
and cow vocalizations.
Kazoo-like cacophony
ensued.
“That sounds like a herd
of elk if I ever heard a herd
of elk,” he quipped.
Savage recalled one hunt
when he hid behind a bush
while a big bull stomped
through the forest, uproot-
ing trees and bugling. The
bull was no more than 40
yards away and moving
toward him. Moments later,
the elk was right in front of
his bush and much too close
for a shot with his bow and
arrow. For sure, he said, this
elk would toss him about.
Elk, he said, urinate a
lot when they bugle. And
instead of ripping out the
bush and revealing him, the
bull sounded off.
“I’m getting sprayed on,”
he told the crowd. “I’m tak-
ing a shower.”
That drew a share of
chuckles, including from
Dean Curry, of Pendleton,
and his son, Ethan, 10, who
joined others in making
those elk calls. The lad said
his technique needed work.
“I’ll practice,” he said.
“I’ll irritate mom.”
This was the free event’s
second consecutive year.
The Rocky Mountain Elk
Foundation was the major
sponsor. Tim Campbell,
chairman of the organi-
zation’s Pendleton chap-
ter, said approximately 300
youths attended, and with
parents or guardians that
probably pushed the total
north of 500. Still, that was
down from last year when
around 1,500-plus showed.
Much of that, he and others
suspected, was due to the
winter weather.
Beyond elk calling, chil-
dren and teens could learn
how to use a tourniquet to
stop a wound from bleed-
ing, identify animals from
fur, tracks or scat, spot the
differences between wild
birds and animals. Mem-
bers of the Umatilla County
Sheriff’s Office taught about
search and rescue in the wil-
derness and gun safety. Ore-
gon State Police troopers
talked about hunter safety
and game violations. Staff
with the Umatilla National
Forest showed how to have
a proper and safe campsite.
Tina Hatanpaa and her
son Jackson, 8, enjoyed the
event. The family moved
to Pendleton five years ago
from Kodiak Island, Alaska.
Jackson said he came last
year and looked forward
to this year. The mom and
son finished up identifying
animals.
“I kind of messed up on
the birds,” Jackson said.
“I’m more on the land ani-
mals, not quite the birds.”
But he said that’s going
to change. He received
a 20-gauge shotgun for
Christmas and would be
bird hunting soon enough.
Tina said she thought the
show was good for the com-
munity and families.
Regina Nelson, 12, came
down with family from
Walla Walla. She said she
uses the bow and arrow, so
she tried her skill at the out-
door archery shoot.
“I hit them all in the tar-
get,” she said.
Justin Dow of Pendle-
ton brought his daughter,
Ava, 11, after her basketball
game. They also worked on
identifying animals. As a
father and hunter, he said,
he wanted his girl to learn
these skills.
“They got to know how
to transverse the land,” Jus-
tin said. “Everyone should
know how to go up to the
mountains and fend for
themselves, I believe.”
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Judah McBride, 8, of Baker City, and his dad, Matt McBride, practice calling cow elk during Eastern Oregon Outdoor Skills Day
on Saturday at the Pendleton Convention Center.
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Jacob Hoffman, 5, of Pendleton, practices on a bugle tube
Saturday during the elk calling session at the Eastern Oregon
Outdoor Skills Day at the Pendleton Convention Center.
Weston Marshall, 3, of Adams, gazes at antlers on a table Sat-
urday at the Eastern Oregon Outdoor Skills Day at the Pend-
leton Convention Center.
BRIEFLY
Tanker truck
crashes, spills fuel
in wintry weather
HOOD RIVER (AP) —
A tanker truck slid out of
control amid snowy con-
ditions on Interstate 84
between Cascade Locks
and Hood River and spilled
2,500 gallons of diesel fuel
onto the roadway.
Oregon State Police said
Monday that the driver was
going too fast for the snowy
conditions. The driver was
not injured.
Lieutenant Cari Boyd
says some diesel spilled into
a pond abutting the Colum-
bia River on the north side
of the freeway. A contractor
has been hired to do envi-
ronmental clean-up.
Bird club to
discuss climate
effects on bird
populations
PENDLETON — Jack
Simons of the Pendleton
Bird Club will present “The
Effects of Climate Change
on Bird Populations” at
Thursday’s monthly meet-
ing. The club meets at
7 p.m. at the First Christian
Church, 215 N. Main St.
Bird club meetings are
open to the public, and there
is no fee to attend. Refresh-
ments will be served.
For more information,
contact Simons at pendle-
tonbirdclub@gmail.com.
tact 541-969-2677 or round-
uprw@gmail.com.
The Arc moves
Valentine’s dance
HERMISTON — With
the recent winter conditions,
The Arc Umatilla County
postponed its valentine
event.
The Arc Valentine’s
Dance is scheduled for Sun-
day, Feb. 17 from 2-3:30 p.m.
at The Arc Building, 215 W.
Orchard Ave., Hermiston.
The cost is $5 per person.
A nonprofit organiza-
tion, The Arc advocates for
and supports people with
developmental disabilities.
They offer activities to help
in connecting the commu-
nity and expanding oppor-
tunities for people with
disabilities. For more infor-
mation, call 541-567-7615 or
visit www.facebook.com/
arcofumatillacounty.
Pig Out dinner
features Mardi
Gras theme
HERMISTON — Locals
looking for a great dinner
and a Mardi Gras vibe are
invited to join the Knights of
Columbus for their annual
Pig Out dinner and dance
Saturday, Feb. 23 beginning
at 6 p.m. at the Hermiston
Community Center, 415 S.
Highway 395.
The event includes a
Follow us on
Facebook!
New Name Sale!
10% Off all products
Expires 2/28/19
Enhancing the Art of Outdoor Living
Previously Known as:
Backyard By Design
Same Owners & Products,
Just a New Name!
541-720-0772
Free Estimates!
www.nwshadeco.com
OPEN TO ANYONE IN
UMATILLA OR MORROW COUNTIES
High school senior or
College students
pursuing a degree in healthcare.
Scholarships up to $1000 will be awarded.
Funded by the SAH Volunteers.
Download the application at
sahpendleton.org/scholarship
Patio Covers·Pergolas
Patio & Sun Shades
Retractable Awnings
Screen Rooms
Solar Screens & More!
License #188965
TICKETS
ON SALE
NOW!
CHI St Anthony Hospital
Scholarships
Republican women
cancel Thursday
meeting
PENDLETON — The
Feb. 14 meeting of the
Round Up Republican
Women has been canceled.
Organizers decided to
encourage people to stay
home due to the icy weather.
For more information, con-
pork loin dinner, silent auc-
tion, Mardi Gras beads and
masks, games, a cake dash,
and live music with Brass
Fire and vocalist Frank
Carlson.
Tickets are $30 per per-
son or $225 for a table of
eight, and are available at
the Hermiston Chamber of
Commerce office, Hermis-
ton Ace Hardware and Our
Previously
Lady of Angels
Catholic
Church.
For more information,
call Mark Gomolski at
773-580-3253.
Ticket Price
A Taste of
the Region’s
Craft Wine, Beer,
Chocolates and
Cheeses
$25.00
Sat., Feb. 16, 2019 • 5-7 P.M.
Blue Mountain Community College
Student Union • Pioneer Hall
2411 NW Carden Avenue
Pendleton
Tickets are $30 at the door and sales are limited to 150!
Includes wine or pint glass, hearty appetizers and all tastes.
Return your application
packet no later than March 1, 2019.
(Postmark does not count.)
Submit application to:
Emily Smith, Volunteer Services 2801
St. Anthony Way, Pendleton, OR 97801
EmilySmith@chiwest.com • Questions? Call 541-278-2627
Tickets available at BMCC Bookstore, Pendleton Art + Frame and by calling
the BMCC Foundation @ 541.278.5775 • Attire: Casual-Dressy | Mardi Gras
All proceeds benefi t student scholarships through the BMCC Foundation