SPORTS
MyEagleNews.com
quick look at the periodicals on
display shows that the popular-
ity of hunting is both alive and
well. Inside the many magazines are
articles upon more articles of hunting
exotic game in exotic places. Most of
these hunts are a pipe dream that most
working Joe’s and Jane’s can only afford
to live vicariously
through the ink and
photos of those ones
lucky enough to get to
travel the world enjoy-
ing the chase. But to
be a traveling hunter or
huntress doesn’t have
Dale Valade
to be only a dream.
There is hope, and
luckily for you, you won’t have to travel
as far you thought to do it!
The Pacific Northwest is home to a
vast array of mix big game animals. Sure
the licenses and tags are more money for
out-of-state hunters than for in-state, but
it’s a much more economical endeavor
than an Alaskan sheep or an African
kudu hunt. Right here in Grant County
we can hunt cougar, pronghorn ante-
lope, bighorn sheep, mule deer, whitetail
deer, black bear, Rocky Mountain elk
and Rocky Mountain goat. Elsewhere in
the state we add blacktail deer and Roo-
sevelt elk. There are a plethora of upland
game birds, migratory and waterfowl
and, of course, turkeys! Just across the
Snake River in Idaho you can hunt all of
the above plus Shiras moose and wolves.
While it may take a year or two or
three to save up enough coin to pay for
all of the proper state paperwork, there
are other considerations one must take
into account. For example, do you have
the proper clothing and gear for the cli-
mate? Are you in good enough shape
for the required physical activity? Do
you need to stock up on medications or
for special dietary restrictions? Have
you practiced shooting at the proper dis-
tances for the particular type of game
and terrain with your weapon of choice?
Are there ammunition or weapon restric-
tions? Can you get the time off from
work? Where will you be staying? Will
you want a guide? Do you plan to tip for
food, lodging and guide services? How
will you store and transport the meat
and trophy (antlers, horns or hide) back
home if successful? Do you need it pro-
fessionally butchered or will you do so
at home? Is there room in the freezer?
Are there any travel or state line trans-
port restrictions?
There are other questions one may
consider not listed above, but as you’ve
likely gathered by now, a hunting trip
can involve a lot of planning. However,
the better you plan, the more enjoyable
your trips will be. Make sure you don’t
forget your skinning knife or your cam-
era. You may need both at a moment’s
notice.
Have you hunted outside of Grant
County? Do you visit Grant County to
hunt away from home? Write to us at
shootingthebreezebme@gmail.com!
Dale Valade is a local country gent
with a love for the outdoors, handload-
ing, hunting and shooting.
A
McCracken takes first in state in cow cutting
By Steven Mitchell
Blue Mountain Eagle
A Grant Union High School stu-
dent brought home the state title
in cow cutting at the Oregon State
High School Rodeo State Finals,
held in Prineville June 18-20.
Sam McCracken, a junior, took
first place in boys cutting, an eques-
trian competition where a horse and
a rider demonstrate before a panel
of judges both the horse and rider’s
ability to handle cattle. He scored a
258 in the final two go-rounds.
McCracken, who has competed
in the rodeo event for two years
and is student director for boys cut-
ting in Oregon, took second in the
state last year and is headed to the
National High School Finals Rodeo
July 17-23 in Guthrie, Oklahoma.
He said winning the boys cham-
pionship was really satisfying.
“I almost felt it last year, and it
made the satisfaction of this year
even better,” he said.
McCracken said the difference
in taking the top spot this year was
that he and his horse, “Shorty’s
Buttercup,” stayed connected
throughout the whole ride.
“I kind of had to stay out of her
way and let her do her job, and I
kind of had to help her along every
once in a while throughout the
run,” he said.
McCracken said he and the
17-year-old horse have been work-
ing together for the last year.
Shorty’s
Buttercup,
said
McCracken, is a year older than he
is.
The two of them have been
practicing a lot together with
nationals right around the corner,
McCracken said. He said his coach,
David Glasier, despite being confi-
dent that he took first in the state,
said there were areas he needed to
improve on.
McCracken said working on the
points that Glasier mentioned kept
him busy this past weekend.
“I’m just working with my
horse and getting ready to go to
nationals,” he said.
Contributed photo/LindseyWyllie.com
Sam McCracken chases down a cow
during the Oregon High School Ro-
deo Finals last month in Prineville.
McCracken took the top spot in cow
cutting and is headed to the Na-
tional High School Finals Rodeo in
Guthrie, Oklahoma, July 17-23.
ODFW seeks input on potential Eastern
Oregon archery, Cascade elk season changes
Blue Mountain Eagle
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is
in the third year of a review of its big game regula-
tions meant to improve regulations and align them
with current biological objectives for wildlife and
preferences among hunters.
The department is looking for feedback on
the latest concepts for changes, which would take
effect in the 2021 hunting seasons, according to a
press release. Those concepts are to change gen-
eral season deer and elk archery seasons in Eastern
Oregon to controlled seasons, move general Cas-
cade elk season to early November or allow deer
hunting to continue during general Cascade elk
season.
The general season archery structure for deer
and elk in Eastern Oregon began in 1979 (when
archery hunting was less popular, technology
was limited and success rates were lower), and
the current 30-day general season beginning in
late August or early September has been in place
since 1983. The season was originally intended to
draw some hunters away from crowded rifle sea-
sons. Over the last 40 years, archery hunting has
certainly become increasingly popular, with par-
ticipation and harvest now exceeding limited entry
rifle bull hunts in some units — even while ODFW
surveys show the majority of hunters would pre-
fer to rifle hunt. Biologists believe the structure of
the season is also contributing to complaints about
over-crowding among archery hunters and elk dis-
tribution problems, with more elk on private land
and fewer on public land during hunting seasons.
If this change were to happen, total archery tag
numbers available for Eastern Oregon would be
5% less than 2019 current participation numbers,
with moderate reductions in some of the highest
use units but increases in surrounding less popular
units. Opportunities would be managed similar to
rifle hunting, with unit-level hunts in the Blue and
Wallowa mountains and multi-unit hunts in the
High Desert, East Cascade and Columbia Basin.
As with rifle hunts, Eastern Oregon archery hunt
tags would not be valid for general archery sea-
sons in western Oregon. Western Oregon archery
for both deer and elk will remain a general season.
For mule deer, population numbers have
declined in Oregon and throughout the West since
their peak in the 1980s, due to many factors includ-
ing nutrition, vehicle collisions, poaching and pre-
dation. Many units are below management objec-
tives. Biologists believe a general season is no
longer an appropriate tool for managing mule deer.
Contributed photo
Jolynn Radinovich shows the mule deer she
brought home Oct. 4.
As with elk, if this change takes effect, tag num-
bers offered would mostly reflect recent numbers
on archery participation in the units (derived from
mandatory harvest survey data), except in those
units with significant population declines where
controlled tags have been decreased. Archery deer
tags for Eastern Oregon units would no longer be
valid for western Oregon.
The final major concept being discussed would
move the general West Cascade rifle elk season
from early October to early November, or end the
weeklong closure of deer season during Cascade
elk season. In recent decades, due to public land
habitat changes and other factors, Cascade elk sea-
son has become a poor-quality hunt with success
rates in the low single digits. Moving the season to
November would improve hunt quality, while the
other option would allow general season hunters
in western Oregon to pursue deer and elk simulta-
neously for the seven days of Cascade elk season.
For more details on these proposals and to
comment through an online form, see ODFW’s
Big Game Review page, myodfw.com/articles/
big-game-review. Hunt tables including initial
proposals for tag numbers are also available on
the page.
“Our challenges with archery season stem from
managing archery hunting and rifle hunting differ-
ently — 40 years ago there was a reason to do so,
but those reasons no longer exist,” said Nick Myatt,
ODFW project lead for the review of big game
regulations. “Our goal in this big game review is
to improve hunting regulations, allocate hunting
opportunity fairly and consistently with hunter pref-
erences and, of course, ensure that our hunting sea-
sons are structured in a way that meet our biological
objectives for wildlife species.”
To accurately assess hunter preferences, ODFW
has been working with Responsive Management, a
professional survey and research firm that special-
izes in natural resource issues. The firm has ran-
domly surveyed 4,000 resident hunters about deer
and elk hunting and also hosted an open online pub-
lic form that brought nearly 1,400 comments from
almost 10,000 unique visitors to the site. The sur-
veys are available on the Big Game Review page.
While individual hunters have varying opinions,
these random surveys found that, as a whole, a great
number of Oregon’s hunters support rather than
oppose these concepts.
“We thank all the hunters who have provided
input, and now we’re asking for your opinions again
on these latest concepts,” said Myatt. Hunters who
are interested should use the form on the Big Game
Review page to comment. Feedback will be col-
lected by department staff through early August.
Using the survey research and other feedback
from hunters, ODFW will develop formal proposals
for 2021 Big Game Regulations to take to the com-
mission; these proposals will be available online the
last two weeks of August. Hunters and others will
again have a chance to comment on these propos-
als through the normal commission public process
before the commission meets virtually online on
Sept. 11, when adoption of final 2021 Big Game
Regulations is expected.
OUTPATIENT EAR
AND FOOT CLINIC
Open
Mon. - Thurs.
8AM - 4PM
422 West Main
John Day OR, 97845
Regular and High
Risk Foot Care done
by specially trained
RN or CNA.
Ears are examined
and cleaned by
Registered Nurses.
S164450-1
Northwest safari
A9
Call to make an
appointment today!
541-575-1648
Eastern Oregon University Small Business Develop-
ment Center is seeking a limited duration part-time
business adviser responsible for covering all of
Grant County. The individual will work 20 hours per week
and the position will end March 31, 2021. The successful
applicant must have a strong business background with a mini-
mum of fi ve years experience to assist entrepreneurs and existing
business owners. The position will pay $30 per hour with no
benefi ts. There are reporting requirements to be completed in a
timely manner and utmost confi dentiality is a must.
If you are interested in applying, email a
cover letter, resume and three professional
references to eousbdc@gmail.com. Applicants must
have reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license as
travel within the county is required. If you would like further
information or have questions, please call 541-962-1532.
Oregon Small Business Development Centers are funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the
U.S. Small Business Administration and by the Oregon Business Development Department.
S195887-1
S196930-1
SHOOTING
THE BREEZE
Wednesday, July 8, 2020