The Northwest’s woods and waters have been kind to us this season. As we share this day with friends and family, let’s also take a moment to remember the bounty of Mother Nature.
Here’s a selection of photos we’ve received since late summer:
SEATTLE’S FINN, AGE 10, AND HIS THREE-POINT MULE DEER EARNED AFTER A LOT OF TROMPING AROUND NORTH-CENTRAL OREGON DURING THE 2013 HUNT. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
HUNTING THE UPPER COLUMBIA SINCE THE WATERFOWL OPENER, RANDY BELLES OF CAMANO ISLAND REPORTS INCREASING NUMBERS OF NORTHERN BIRDS, INCLUDING CANADA GEESE. HE BAGGED THESE HONKERS THERE THE WEEKEND BEFORE THANKSGIVING. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
WAKING UP TO A SKIFF OF SNOW IN THE HIGH HILLS OF OKANOGAN COUNTY, BRANDON BECKER DROPPED THIS NICE 5X5 MULEY ON OPENING DAY OF THE 2013 GENERAL RIFLE SEASON. THE GRAHAM, WASH., HUNTER WAS SHOOTING A .30-06. NEXT TO HIM IS HIS PROUD DAD TRAVIS BECKER. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
ON HIS FIRST EVER DUCK HUNT, WENATCHEE’S SCOTT FLETCHER LIMITED ON THE UPPER COLUMBIA. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
HOLLIS FINNEY MADE A 285-YARD OFFHAND SHOT TO NOTCH HIS SPECIAL PERMIT TAG WITH THIS COWICHE UNIT MULE DEER. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
IT WAS A TOUGH HUNT, BUT LORI ROBELIA FILLED HER ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME WASHINGTON MOOSE PERMIT WITH THIS THREE FORKS BULL. SHE TOOK IT WITH A 70-YARD, DOWNHILL SHOT WITH A .308. THE BULL’S ANTLERS ARE 36 INCHES WIDE, AND GO UP INSTEAD OF OUT. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
AFTER SCOUTING OUT THIS BULL ALL SUMMERM KYLE SINCLAIR BAGGED IT ON THE OPENING WEEKEND OF WESTERN WASHINGTON’S ELK HUNT. TOTING A .300 WIN MAG, HE WAS HUNTING NEAR NASELLE WITH HIS FATHER. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
MATT AND DAVID PAXTON AND BRENA HUNTER ENJOYED A SUCCESSFUL ELK HUNT IN WASHINGTON’S LITTLE NACHES UNIT. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
HUNTING ON THE LAST DAY OF OREGON’S EXTENDED YOUTH DEER HUNT NEAR VERNONIA, KYLA HOWELL, 13, BUMPED INTO THIS BUCK WHILE WALKING AN OLD SKID ROAD WITH HER DAY. IT BUCK STOPPED 60 YARDS IN FRONT OF THEM AND SHE KILLED IT WITH A RUGER 7MM-08 YOUTH RIFLE.(BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
FRIENDS JACQUELINE AND BRENDA MADE A NICE HAUL OF DUNGIES ON WINCHESTER BAY. (WRIGHT & McGILL/EAGLE CLAW PHOTO CONTEST)
NOT AFRAID TO TAKE THE LONG SHOTS, WE GUESS! MISTY FOX SAYS SHE BAGGED THIS VERNONIA-AREA BLACKTAIL WITH A 410-YARDER. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
ONCE THE FUN ENDED ON THE HANFORD REACH, FISHING GUIDE AUSTIN MOSER TURNED HIS ATTENTION TO COLOCKUM SPIKES. HE AND HIS PARTY TOOK FOUR THIS SEASON. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
BRETT TREADWAY SAYS THIS IS THE BIGGEST BUCK HE’S KILLED IN OVER THREE AND A HALF DECADES OF HUNTING. HE BAGGED IT IN THE GRIZZLY UNIT WITH A 75-YARD NECK SHOT. “THIS ONE IS DEFINITELY GOING ON THE WALL,” HE SAYS. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
JOSH MILLER AND HIS OKANOGAN COUNTY BUCK. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
DAVID AFFELDT AND HIS NORTHEAST WASHINGTON BRUIN. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
SCOTT LYONS AND HIS BIG 2013 BUCK. FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES, NOTE THAT SCOTT DESCRIBES HIMSELF AS 6-FOOT-6, 350 POUNDS. (SCOTT LYONS)
ANOTHER NICE SKAGIT COHO FOR BRAD JOHNSON. (WRIGHT & McGILL/EAGLE CLAW PHOTO CONTEST)
TOBEY ANDERSON’S GUIDE MIKE Z SHOWS OFF THE FLY AND GEAR ENTHUSIAST’S BIG WEST END CHINOOK. (WRIGHT & McGILL/EAGLE CLAW PHOTO CONTEST)
TRAVIS GOTTSCH HAS HAD A GOOD YEAR FOR CHINOOK ON THE LEWIS SYSTEM. (WRIGHT & McGILL/EAGLE CLAW PHOTO CONTEST)
WHAT DOES ABBIE OSCARSON WANT FOR HER BIRTHDAY MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE? TO FISH THE HANFORD REACH. AND HER WISH WAS GRANTED WITH THIS KING, ONE OF THREE LANDED ON HER SPECIAL DAY WHILE FISHING WITH GUIDE DAN SULLIVAN. (WRIGHT & McGILL/EAGLE CLAW PHOTO CONTEST)
KEVIN McFALL OF VANCOUVER SHOWS OFF A NORTH FORK LEWIS TOAD, CAUGHT RECENTLY ON A GUIDED TRIP. (WRIGHT & McGILL/EAGLE CLAW PHOTO CONTEST)
BUZZ AND HIS 2013 NORTHWEST WYOMING 6-POINT BULL. (BUZZ RAMSEY)
HE MIGHT BE THE OLDEST ACTIVE HUNTER IN WASHINGTON — GORDON BLOSSOM, 97 YEARS YOUNG, BAGGED THIS WHITETAIL IN NORTHEAST WASHINGTON DURING THE 2013 SEASON. IT’S BELIEVED TO BE HIS 70TH DEER SINCE HE BEGAN HUNTING AT 14. (COURTESY BLOSSOM FAMILY)
SEVENTY-SIX-YEAR-YOUNG BOB McGRADY CAUGHT THIS UPRIVER BRIGHT IN THE HANFORD REACH IN EARLY OCTOBER 2013 WHILE FISHING WITH GRANDSON SCOTT LESSER. HE WAS RUNNING A SUPERBAIT IN HOT LAVA AND BAITED WITH TUNA AND ANISE SCENT. (WRIGHT & McGILL/EAGLE CLAW PHOTO CONTEST)
DAVE ANDERSON (RIGHT) AND A FELLOW TUNA HOUND FOUND ALBIES DEEP INTO FALL IN 2013. HERE THEY POSE WITH A LATE-OCTOBER FISH. (WRIGHT & McGILL/EAGLE CLAW PHOTO CONTEST)
WENATCHEE RIVER STEELHEAD HELD BY LOCAL ANGLER SCOTT FLETCHER. (WRIGHT & McGILL/EAGLE CLAW PHTO CONTEST)
DAVE WORKMAN’S OPENING WEEKEND BUCK, SHOT AT 209 YARDS WITH A “SAVAGE BOLT ACTION IN .308 WINCHESTER. HANDLOADS USING 165-GRAIN NOSLER BALLISTIC TIPS. 43 GRAINS OF H4895.” HE WAS HUNTING PRIVATE LAND ABOVE THE SNAKE RIVER. (COURTESY DAVE WORKMAN)
CHECKING OUT NEW HUNTING GROUNDS, DAVE ANDERSON CAME ACROSS THIS VERY NICE MULE DEER IN WESTERN OKANOGAN COUNTY DURING 2013′S SEASON. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
MARK COLEMAN SHOWS OFF AN OCTOBER ALBIE. (ALL RIVERS AND SALTWATER CHARTERS)
THIS YEAR’S EARLY COLUMBIA RIVER COHO RUN WAS LOW, BUT RYAN HUMMEL STILL HIT ONE OF ’EM WHILE TROLLING A BRAD’S WIGGLER ON THE WILLAMETTE. THE OREGON RIVER HAD A PRETTY GOOD RETURN. (WRIGHT & MCGILL/EAGLE CLAW PHOTO CONTEST)
CARL LEWALLEN AND HIS GRIZZLY UNIT BULL. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
RON GARDNER’S GRIZZLY UNIT COW. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
KURT SPIEGEL BAGGED THIS BIG OL’ BULL WELL NORTH OF THE ARCTIC CIRCLE DURING A 2013 FLOAT-HUNT. HE WAS OUT WITH HIS BROTHER, ERIC SPIEGEL OF SEABECK, WASH. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
HUNTING CENTRAL OREGON’S FOSSIL UNIT, PATRICK GOTTCSH KNOCKED DOWN THIS BIG 4X4 OVER OPENING WEEKEND. THE COLUMBIA RIVER KNIFE & TOOL EMPLOYEE WAS HUNTING WITH HIS NEPHEW, CODY, 17, AND WATCHED AS THIS BUCK AND EIGHT OTHERS GRAZED ON A NEARBY HILLSIDE. ANOTHER GROUP OF HUNTERS UNKNOWINGLY MOVED THE HERD, AND AFTER THEY’D MOVED PAST, PATRICK AND CODY STALKED THE DEER OVER THE NEXT HOUR. WHEN THE BUCKS JUMPED UP, GOTTSCH MADE THE 172-YARD SHOT WITH HIS BROWNING .300 MAG COUNT . (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
TINA CLOWERS ARROWED THIS GRIZZLY UNIT SPIKE EARLIER THIS SEASON. BIG BRO CARL LEWALLEN REPORTED IT WAS HER FIRST ELK. “TINA CLOWERS , GRIZZLIE UNIT SHOT HER FIRST ELK. SHE SAID SHE’S, NOT A TROPHY HUNTER AND WOULD HAVE SHOT A COW ELK BUT WAS VERY EXCITED TO TAKE A SMALL BULL. SHE HAS SAT IN A TREE STAND FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS AND HASN’T SEEN ANYTHING AND DECIDED TO HIT THE GROUND HARD AFTER 4 HOURS OF WALKING AND CALLING SHE CALLED IN THIS SPIKE BULL TO THIRTY YARDS WITH A PRIMOS HOOCHIE MAMA LAUNCHING HER PINK MUZZY 100 AND HER 27IN BEMAN ICS 500 ARROW FROM HER BOWTEC HEART BREAKER SEVERING MAJOR ORGANS WITH A TEXT BOOK SHOT WHILE SITTING ON THE GROUND BENEATH A TREE THE ELK WENT ONLY 50 YARDS BEFORE DYING.
(BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)
EVELYNNE SAMWELL SHOWS OFF ONE OF THE 29,300-PLUS ADULT FALL CHINOOK KEPT THIS SEASON ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER BELOW BONNEVILLE DAM. SHE WAS FISHING OFF WOODLAND WITH A RAINBOW WOBBLER. (WRIGHT & McGILL/EAGLE CLAW PHOTO CONTEST)
ANDREW TORRES SHOWS OFF A CHINOOK CAUGHT OFF THE MOUTH OF THE KLICKITAT OVER THE WEEKEND WHILE FISHING EGGS. (WRIGHT & McGILL/EAGLE CLAW PHOTO CONTEST)
IAN CHURCHILL AND CREW HAD THE SALMON DIALED IN AT POSSESSION POINT, BETWEEN EVERETT AND EDMONDS, DURING THE SUMMER SEASON. (WRIGHT & McGILL/EAGLE CLAW PHOTO CONTEST)
RON SCHNEIDER SHOWS OFF A KLICKITAT MOUTH CHINOOK, CAUGHT THIS SEASON. (ANDY SCHNEIDER)
ALISHA (LEFT) AND DANICA WERE AMONG THE ANGLERS SLAYIN’ ‘EM ON THE SKAGIT IN EARLY SEPTEMBER. THEY WERE USING DICK NITES; IT WAS ALISHA’S FIRST OUTING FOR HUMPIES. (WRIGHT & McGILL/EAGLE CLAW PHOTO CONTEST)
CAROL HOLMAN OF WASHINGTON’S SAN JUAN ISLANDS SHOWS OFF A NICE FALL CHINOOK CAUGHT IN THE BUOY 10 FISHERY THIS SEASON. VENTRAL-FIN CLIPPED, IT WAS HEADED TO A HATCHERY IN YOUNGS BAY. (VIA KEVIN KLEIN)
DEAN BURCHETT SHOWS OFF A CHINOOK CAUGHT AT LONGVIEW EARLIER THIS SEASON. HE WAS FISHING A CHARTREUSE ALVIN WOBBLER WITH A BLUE DOT. (WRIGHT & McGILL/EAGLE CLAW PHOTO CONTEST)