Page 9 - hunt tab 2013.indd

August 2013 HUNTING & FISHING 2013 9
I braced for long lines, a hoard of camo-
clad humanity stacked like cord wood, and
unhelpful and unfriendly people. I expected
regulations so daunting that a law degree
would be necessary to navigate the confus-
ing rules.
I feared the skybusters I had heard so
much about. I doubted I would fire a shot as
I waited for ethical shots close in over my de-
coys. …
I was wrong
With my apologies to my hunting brethren
still living in Northeast Oregon, Sauvie Is-
land is not the horrible place we had heard
so much about.
What follows here are some of the myths
that I had heard for years, followed by my
experiences during my first year on the is-
land.
MYTH: The rules governing hunting on
Sauvie Island are intimidating.
TRUE: The process of hunting Sauvie Is-
land has a steep learning curve. But after one
season hunting both the Westside (non-res-
ervation) and the Eastside (reservation and
standby), I feel strongly that I’ve conquered
that hardest aspect of Sauvie Island. I’m
ready to explore even further this year with-
out intimidation by the process.
MYTH: There are so many people hunting
Sauvie Island that it’s impossible to get a
good blind. You’ll be lucky to fire a shot.
FALSE: My first day on Sauvie Island
found me in a blind in the Seal Unit. I didn’t
fire a shot, but I saw lots of birds. And, being
a newbie and unfamiliar with the blinds, I
passed up a chance at selecting a blind
across that way that did very well. My sec-
ond day hunting the island was in the Mud
Lake Unit. The first bird into my decoys was
a banded mallard drake. That band now
hangs on my lanyard, joining those of band-
ed birds I’d taken in Eastern Oregon. (Inci-
dentally, that bird migrated to Oregon from
the Northwest Territories of northern Cana-
da.)
MYTH: You will only shoot ducks if you
have a reservation for an Eastside unit.
FALSE: I used two reservation days last
year on the Eastside. I shot a few birds, but
not more than I shot on the Westside.
On the Eastside, applying for and receiv-
ing a reservation is the easy part.
Unlike places like McCormack Slough in
Umatilla County, a reservation on Sauvie Is-
land does not determine the order in which
you select blinds. That’s too bad.
On Sauvie Island, the reservation only de-
termines the unit you’ll hunt in, and gives
you the opportunity to choose blinds ahead
of those who don’t have reservations.
Confusing? It won’t be after the first time
you show up two hours ahead of shooting
light only to find yourself at the end of the
reservation line.
The wacky die-hards show up a full 24
hours ahead of time just to be first in line to
select a reservation blind. They show up
with RVs, trailers and campers. They bring
barbecues and pop-up picnic shelters. They
sleep in their cars and pickups.
Last year, with my two reservation dates,
the best I was able to do was put myself in
13th place. I achieved that feat by arriving by
9 p.m. the evening before to spend a restless
night in the cab of my cramped Ford Ranger
pickup.
Will I do reservations this year? Yes.
Why? Because I like being closer to the
front of the line.
Will I like getting there at 9 p.m.? No.
The Westside process is more risky in
terms of where you’ll end up, but it’s also
more conducive to a better night’s sleep.
Just be in line 90 minutes ahead of shoot-
ing light, and take your chances in the
luck-of-the-draw. The drawing determines
the order in which blinds are selected. My
second morning on the Westside I pulled
chip No. 17 and was the eighth person to
choose a blind. Draw a low number, have a
better pick of blinds. Draw a high number,
and well, maybe you you should go get pan-
cakes.
My second day on the Westside I pulled
chip No. 56.
Remember that banded bird I was talking
about? I shot it that day on the Westside.
MYTH: Be prepared for skybusters.
FALSE: Yep. They’re there. But the truth
is they weren’t any worse than I’d experi-
enced on any other public-access wetland.
It’s a fact of life every where. You get used to
it, or you find a place to hunt on private prop-
erty.
MYTH: The hoard of hunters is unfriendly
and unhelpful.
FALSE: I had the occasion to meet several
of the Sauvie Island hunters while waiting in
line on the Eastside and Westside. Nice guys.
Generous with their knowledge of the island.
And the people staffing the ODFW check-
in stations go out of their way to provide
hunters with useful advice and information.
The upcoming season
Last year was about learning the ropes.
This coming season will be about exploration
into units I have yet to experience.
If I can help it, I won’t set foot in the Mud-
hed Unit (Eastside) or the Mud Lake (West-
side). Been there, done that.
I’m interested in what else is out there.
Bring on the 2013-14 waterfowl season.
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SAUVIE ISLAND
Jack retrieves a
greenhead mallard
on Mud Lake on
Sauvie Island.
PAMPLIN MEDIA GROUP:
STEVEN BROWN
“The process
of hunting
Sauvie Island
has a steep
learning curve.
But after one
season hunting
both the
Westside and
the Eastside,
... I’m ready to
explore even
further this
year without
intimidation by
the process.”
— Steven Brown