WILDLIFE VIEWING - SOME GREAT WINTER OPPORTUNITIES!

TNT Wildlife Tours - Dec. 15th through Feb. 24th 2008 - Anthony Creek feeding area at the
Elkhorn Wildlife Management Area, 15 miles northwest of Baker City, near the towns of Haines
and North Powder.

Take a ride in a wagon pulled by Belgian draft horses Jeff & Rye around the wildlife feeding
area where you will get within a few feet of the wintering elk herd.  Tour guides Susan Triplett
and Alice Trindle share their extensive knowledge of the herd and the feeding program as they
give you a unique opportunity to get so close to mature 4,5 and 6-point bull elk.

Tours are done on Saturday and Sunday every half hour starting at 10:30 AM.  The last tour
leaves at 2PM.  The fee for adults is $7.00 and $5.00 for children 12 and younger.

Directions: Going east on I-84 from La Grande, take exit 285 and go west on North Powder
Lane.  Follow the brown wildlife viewing signs for eight miles to the viewing area.  For more
information, call (541) 856-3356, or go to www.tnthorsemanship.com.

Other Viewing Opportunities:

Bighorn sheep can be viewed in the Burnt River Canyon west of Durkee or along the Snake
River Road south of Richland.

Union County:
Bald Eagles have arrived in the Grande Ronde Valley.  You may also spot river otters, beaver,
mergansers and wood ducks along the Grande Ronde River.  A drive west along Highway 244
from La Grande will provide good access to river viewing.

Deer and elk are on winter range and can be seen along the edges of the valley.  Mule deer are
hanging around the foothills and living within the city limits in Union and are easily spotted,
even in the middle of the day.  Elk have been spotted along Highway 203 between La Grande
and Union in farmer's fields and in the Ladd Marsh area.  There is also a herd of Antelope living
in the Ladd Marsh area.




Wallowa County:
Bald Eagles are common to the Wallowa Valley in the winter months.  Eagles can be spotted
along Highway 82 along the Wallowa River.  The Wallowa River along the Minam canyon is
another good place to observe eagles.

Elk can be observed in the Wenaha Wildlife Area.  Eden Bench, southwest of Troy, is a good
area to view elk early in the morning and late in the afternoon.

Bighorn Sheep can be observed along the breaks of the Grande Ronde River when driving the
river road from Troy up-stream to Wildcat Creek.  Bighorns can be observed along the west side
of the river.  A few can also be observed from the river road downstream from Troy to the
Washington State line.  



Winter Hunting Opportunities
NOTE:  Don't forget to renew your license and tags as of Jan. 1st, 2008!

UNION & BAKER COUNTY

Chukar & Waterfowl - Chukar production was poor this year, but some larger coveys can be
found in Baker County.  There is some decent quail hunting in Union and Baker Counties, but
much of the best hunting has been located at lower elevations on private land where
permission is required to hunt.  Waterfowl hunting is fair, but many bodies of water are frozen,
so hunters are encouraged to focus on moving water and grain fields.

Wallowa County

Chukar hunting is slow due to below normal population and scattered birds.  Duck hunting has
improved with increased numbers of migratory birds showing up in the valley.  Hunters have
been successful jump shooting or hunting over decoys.

LADD MARSH WILDLIFE AREA

Most of the water on the marsh is frozen.  A sudden thaw could produce some good waterfowl
hunting.  If you are interested in hunting Ladd Marsh, watch for the weather report for La Grande.
 If the weather is going to be overcast and windy, it will be a good day.






COUGAR
Cougar populations are abundant in Union and Wallowa counties.  The cats are wary, but
winter snows have provided excellent tracking conditions for the dedicated hunter.  Looking for
fresh sign, tracking cougars to kill-sites and imitating fawn or calf in distress calls can
sometimes be effective techniques.

COYOTE
There are good numbers of coyotes in both Union and Wallowa counties.  If you have access to
private land, you can see the animals hunting fields at all times of the day.  If you are going to
hunt on private land, choose a spot that has a lot of sign and little human activity.  Hunters have
been successful with rabbit distress type calls.


FISHING REPORT
 Angling for bull trout is prohibited in the Northeast Zone except for the Wenaha
and Imnaha rivers.  Most northeast Oregon streams do not open until May 28.  
Check the angling regulations for details.

Morgan Lake:  will be open to angling April 28th and should have 8-12 inch trout.  Brook
trout, crappie and catfish are also in the lake.  ODFW will plant legal and trophy rainbow trout for
the opening day event on April 28th, put on by the Optimist Club.  Free Fishing day will be June
9th and will also include additional releases of legals and trophies.

Peach Road Pond (Ladd Marsh): will be stocked with legal trout several times
throughout the spring.  Approximately 50 surplus steelhead were stocked in March 2006.  
These fish are considered trout, and only one over 20 inches can be taken per day.

Wallowa Lake: will be stocked with legal trout the first week of May.  Good numbers of
holdover rainbows should be available as well. Kokanee fishing should pick up with warmer
weather in late April or early May.  Good fishing is expected.

Grande Ronde, Wallowa and Imnaha Rivers:  Steelhead angling in the lower
Imnaha and Grande Ronde Rivers has been fair to good. Steelhead anglers surveyed on the
lower Grande Ronde River averaged one Steelhead per day for every 9 to 10 hours fished.  
Counts of all adult steelhead moving upstream at lower Snake River dam are exceeding
previous years' counts and the ten year average.  Of course, ice can make angling a challenge
in colder weather.



VISITING EASTERN OREGON?

Get more information about local attractions and activities by going to www.visitlagrande.com.  
Find out about shopping, hotels and events.  This is a great website with all the latest tourist
information about the Grande Ronde Valley and beyond.
Outdoor Recreation - The reason we live here!
the Mule trader             union, oregon
Living, hunting and fishing in Eastern Oregon