Oregon Sage Rat Hunting Tips

 Sage Rat season is here!!! The Spring weather is finally showing us few nice days and we are being rewarded with a target rich environment this year.

As Kids most of us can remember heading out to the desert with our Families to try out our first pellet gun or .22.  We had finally graduated from pop cans and paper to actual moving targets.

Now that we are adults, helping our local farmers out with varmit control still brings the same joy that we found in our youth.

Today though, the days of leaning on a wheel line or fence post with open sights are behind us. The technology that is available to us today makes us much more effective at controlling the population out there.

Being an Outfitter I have had the opportunity to view many different styles of shooting in past 5 years. I've learned a lot about the sport and just wanted to share a few things that will make your next Sage Rat Shoot much more enjoyable.    

1. A .17 caliber  is the new .22 If you haven't tried one yet go get one!! :-)

2. Don't go cheap on optics for your guns!! A good scope makes all the difference when trying to shoot a target that is the size of a tennis ball.

3. Try to get elevated! If you don't have a platform in the back of a truck.  Or you just can't drive in a field because the land owner doesn't want you to.  The next best thing is a standing shooting stick.  The few feet you gain, opens up so many more targets.


 4.  Take a good lunch and lots of water!!
Staying well fed and hydrated will help looking through a scope all day long.

5. Find an area that doesn't poison there fields. Or an area that hasn't been plowed for a few years.

6. Going with an outfitter takes out all the leg work that is takes to find the ideal place, ideal gear, providing a great lunch and will try they will do their best to make sure that the limited time you have off from work will be as productive and fun as possible!! www.lakeinthedunes.com

 I hope you all have great shooting this season.  Remember, don't wait till the grass is to tall to see, the time is now!! Have Fun!!!

 

It's All About The Take

Guiding has taught me to enjoy the little moments in a day at the office. It's not always about when a client gets to take home a full limit of birds or is able to land multiple giant rainbows on dries. Although those days feel really damn good too!!!


 I came to the realization a long time ago that "It's All About The Take!"  As a guide, not being the one with gun or rod in hand, I get to enjoy "The Take" in many different forms.  There are so many of these moments that I can't list them all.  Here are three of my favorites...
  
 "The Take" that stands out in fly fishing is when I watch that giant fish almost eat a clients fly, and they have no idea. I find it the best when I get the look like I'm crazy after I jumped up and down like a little kid and said "Holy crap did you see that fish! He almost ate it!!"

"The Take" in upland hunting is when I get to see the look in the eyes of a pointer that is sure that a bird is there. If they could talk they would say "Shhh!!! It's right there!" or "Hurry up. I've done my part."  It could be one of my dogs or a client's dog, it doesn't matter. However, almost every trip, a dog and I get to share a brief moment both knowing that we have done our job. As we go in together to flush a bird knowing that the fate will be left up to someone else.  Sometimes the dog gets rewarded with a retrieve and I get rewarded with high fives but no matter what we both get rewarded because we got to do what we love.

Some day's it's about watching the joy of someone new to the sports, young or old, have that moment where everything clicks. The best is when they say to themselves, not thinking that anyone is paying attention, "That was Awesome!!" When this happens I feel really good inside to know that I was part of introducing them to a life time of great adventures.

I'm positive that if we all take the time to look in our daily lives we will find the little "Takes" all over!