Hardy Irony...

Just betting that when this reel was made in the 1960s, that it a bass wasn't the intended quarry it was made for

Just sayin...

Hands of a Hunter...

His hands told the story. Over his 62 years of big game hunting, these hands have been awash in blood more than most. Wrinkles and cracks of experience, the heart that drives him daily for more experience. Go grab life by the balls like OMR does. We've only got one.

The 5 Year Old Deer Hunter...

"Dad, I think I hear the deer!"

No son, that's just wind hitting the grass.

"Who made this poop?"

That'd be a cow son....just a cow.

"Hey Dad, do you think we can have a snack break?"

Sure buddy, no problem

10 minutes later...."Dad I'm starving"

20 minutes later...."Dad, I need another snack"

"Is that hawk?"  "Is that lake cold?"  "Can I throw some rocks into the lake?"

Yes, Yes, and Yes

There's a deer, a doe

"where?"  Right there.  "where?"  To your left "I still dont see it Dad"

No problem buddy, there will be more

The best part of our 2 hour hunt?  Turning around to see him in full out prayer, asking god to get us a deer.   I had to chuckle at that one, not sure if the Lord Almighty is in the business of delivering venison.

In Respect of Private Ground...

Sometimes, I feel like the land is mine I know it so well.

We park in the same spot, direct the dogs the same way each time and patrol the draws for deer in about the same pattern

I can tell you stories like the first deer we got on the property, celebrated with a bear hug with my dad and a long drag out across the channeled scablands

I can tell you which way the birds are going to flush, or what brush will stop a running pheasant.

I can just about point out most of my embarassing misses, and can recall the birds found by our labs Willow, Dakota and Murphy after we thought they were long lost in the sea of reeds and grass

I can tell you a lot about the family that graces us with permission to hunt on their land.  Every one has a great story...... Who's retiring this year, who's getting married and who likes bottle of Canadian Whiskey on their doorstep as a thank you for the privilege of hunting on family land.

It's wide open country where a few families control or own most of the access.  There are a few pieces of public ground in this area and private land is where success happens for the most part.

Starting over 30 years ago with a polite knock of a door here and a bar door there, OMR started the process of getting access on different pieces of ground in this ocean of private land.

Some years we loose some, some years we gain some..  There are stalwarts who greet us with a smile and a handshake and always say yes.  Others it's a 50/50 proposition.   Dancing back to the truck with an approval to hunt on a choice piece of ground is great, just make sure the landowner is at least back in the house before you do.

I cannot be a bigger advocate for public land preservation.  On the other side of the coin, there are a great number of private landowners will give us as hunters and fishermen and women a wonderful privilege.  I often ask myself would I have the grace to let someone else, often times a complete stranger, traipse about my property if I had it.

It's a hard question to answer, but I thank god that many nice families give us that permission.

And with that, a tip of a hat to all the people who stared back at me from the age of 12 years old to now that give us a great gift, to hunt on their land.  If you get the yes,  please do everything in your power to keep that relationship going and do all you can to not tarnish their opinion of others who also seek that access

All in all, dont be afraid to knock on a door or two.  Smile and say thank you....the answer of yes comes a lot more than you'd think.

Free Showing of PROVIDENCE

North 40 Fly Shop is hosting a FREE showing of the newest Confluence Films flick "Providence" this Saturday the 15th at the Post Falls Red Lion.

In hosting 2 showings of previous films from Confluence, you're in for some of the best cinematography in all of fly fishing.

The Providence Atoll where most of the filming takes place is one of the most remote destinations you can find when tossing a fly around.   Filled with big nasty predacious fish, along with Bonefish and more, this looks like a hell of a way to spend a Saturday night



Confluence Films PROVIDENCE Trailer from CONFLUENCE FILMS on Vimeo.

Pick up your free tickets at the Coeur d'Alene North 40 Fly Shop

The Backwards Fly in North 40 Fly Shop E-Mag

North 40 Fly Shop continues to kick out the great content with this month's e-mag

This is the steelhead edition for October.  Check out the article on page 8, a little explanation of a completely backwards fly that crushes

ENJOY!

Land Transfer Forum In East Wenatchee

If you're in Central Washington on October 12th and you value the outdoor opportunities that exist because of public land, you need to be at this meeting listed above.

First and foremost, Utah Congressman Rob Bishop is no friend to public land and public access issues.

Congressman Dan Newhouse from Washington's voting record clearly indicates he falls in the same camp as Bishop

Their position that federal land should be moved to state control because states know how to manage the land better than the federal government is a complete farce.



Dont let this opportunity to voice your opposition directly to the policymakers themselves.

RSVP your attendance to Jamie.Daniels@mail.house.gov or call 509-452-3243

Cant be there?  Let your public officials know that you wont stand for this land transfer nonsense by signing the Sportsman's Access Coalition petition.

$15 for 15...

2016 mark's the 15th anniversary of the Wild Steelhead Coalition, and today we're kicking off a fundraising campaign to mark the occasion

We’ve come a long way since a diverse group of conservation-minded anglers decided to join forces in 2001 following the closure of North Puget Sound steelhead rivers. Now, led by a dedicated board and backed by thousands of passionate members, we are a formidable force for the protection of wild steelhead throughout the waters of the West Coast.

Take a peek at some of what we consider our top 15 accomplishments that our ragtag bunch of volunteers and advocates have accomplished.  Despite that, our work is far from over.

In the coming months alone, wild steelhead face a number of critical management decisions that will have a monumental impact – most notable is the decision on whether the Skagit Watershed will become a Wild Steelhead Gene bank. Please help us continue our fight to protect wild steelhead and ensure the Skagit becomes a WSGB by donating 15 dollars today

Just like how the WSC started small, donations on the smaller side can continue to build the groundswell that is happening in anadromous fish recovery

Of course, there's a little carrot to dangle out there make it fun

Make a donation of  $15 or more and 3 lucky winners will be randomly drawn to win these prizes from our amazing sponsors

Echo Classic 11ft 8 weight switch rod

Korkers Devil’s Canyon Boots

Fisherman’s Priest by The Confluence Rod Company

Thank you in advance, click HERE to donate.

Public Hearings on Lower 4 Snake River Dam Remova

Oh how the tide has turned in the conversation of dam removal.

The Bonneville Power Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced hearings seeking public input to develop a new plan to save endangered wild salmon and steelhead in the Columbia and Snake Rivers in the Pacific Northwest. The new process comes as the result of a U.S. District Court ruling last May siding with fishing businesses, conservation groups, clean energy advocates, the State of Oregon, and the Nez Perce Tribe that found the last federal plan for protecting endangered fish fatally flawed

Federal agencies have been kicking the can down the road for decades when the question comes up regarding the feasibility of removing the lower 4 Snake River Dams.  Court ruling after court ruling have pushed plan after plan back to the drawing board and last May's ruling finally chided the feds for the continued repackaging of a nonworking plan.

For the first time in 16 years, public comment is now being requested on what should be done with these structures that have to most, outlived their working purpose.

If you fish, hunt, live and or value healthy working riverine ecosystems, it's time to show up to as many of these public meetings and voice your opinion...LOUDLY

It's our chance to right the ship and make meaningful strides to salmon and steelhead recovery

Lets stop spending hundreds of millions of dollars on mitigation efforts that are not really working

Let's let some of the best anadromous fish habitat do it's job by giving the fish an easier path to get there.

Let's reap the economic benefits of a health river system.

Let's show up in droves and voice our opinions

Hearings begin on Oct. 24th in Wenatchee and roll all the way through December, ending in Astoria, Oregon on the 8th.  Find the nearest one to you, go to as many as you can and invite all you can.

This is a monumental opportunity, dont let it pass you by

Click HERE for a list of all scheduled hearings.