Peter Schroeder and Risa Wyatt welcomed the new year in style with a “podium finish” at Whistler Ski Resort.

From Michelle Peters: Idaho Fish and Game Commission reopened steelhead fishing in the Clearwater River and lower Snake River downstream of Couse Creek Boat Ramp, beginning on Jan. 1. Daily bag limit in those sections is limited to one adipose-clipped steelhead per day, none over 28 inches in length.

Full news release: https://idfg.idaho.gov/press/update-fg-commission-expands-2020-spring-steelhead-fishing-season

Gary Lewis took advantage of the Clearwater opener with guide Toby Wyatt and they caught 12 steelhead!

From Arnold J. Theisen: I have been retired for many years now and I don’t get out much with my camera anymore, but I was recently reminded of a lesson that many new members may not yet fully appreciate: Try to assemble as many “evergreen” articles and photos as possible in your library of work. That is to say photos of scenes that will not be altered significantly by passage of time. Likewise, articles that will be timely whether they are read today or years from now. I offer this tip because I recently sold two 20+ year old photos from my old 35mm library to one of our members who needed them for her new book.

From GI Wilson: My plunking buddy Doug, a young guy, (only 50) also a logger, talked me into buying a second season spike bull elk tag. “You have a handicapped license; I have a key to where we have logged 10 years. You get a bull down, I’ll go get him. We will get you a bull.”

Opening morning we sit in heavy fog five hours drinking tea. Decide to give it up, come back tomorrow. He gets out of the truck to move a log, fog lifts and a herd has fed out of the timber at 225 yards across a canyon.

Two shots and I have a big spike. He bails off into the canyon, does all the work. We come back the next morning with another fishing buddy, trailer and ATV. They drive right to the bull, load it up–two trips–head home for a cold one. My toughest task was to very carefully use my walking cane to get 20 yards for a shooting rest.

Doug even took it to his cousins walk-in cooler for a few days.; can’t find friends any better than that!

I’m probably going to do an article for Oregon Hunter about the hunt.

From Dennis Dauble: NOWA members Bradley Trumbo, Gary Lewis and Dennis Dauble were recently asked to contribute a monthly article for the East Oregonian’s Saturday “Outdoor” page. This development suggests opportunity for NOWA members to contribute articles to their local and regional newspaper as full-time outdoor staff retire or are laid off.

From Dave Kilhefner: The latest edition of Fishing in Oregon just came out. Many of the photographs in this book were contributed by NOWA members.