Both father and son anxiously await our fall tradition through the football season. As the gridiron schedule draws to a close, we make final arrangement for our annual Oregon Cast & Blast weekend. This year football ended on a high with Parker’s team winning the championship after getting off to a slow 0-2 start. Parker had an outstanding season scoring 26 points at fullback but now it was time to turn our energy towards hunting and fishing as we so regularly do at this time of year.
Parker & I arrived in Portland around 10:00pm on Friday night to head over the pass and meet up with my friend Doug Barton and his father, Clair. After three hours of solid rain, we arrived in Camp Sherman, unloaded the gear and hit the sack.
After our customary greasy spoon breakfast we got our licenses and some last minute rain gear and headed to Madras to meet Jim and his pack of short hairs. Rain was constant with temps in the 40’s with little winds.
Just moments after getting into the field the chatter started about who will take the prize of the worst shot for the day. Normally that would be me. This year things would be different as Parker and I were in sound shooting form as we’d been practicing every Sunday for the past three months at the local trap shooting club. No perfect scores but lots of rounds in the twenties.
This year Parker grew several inches and bulked up considerably since last fall. Consequently he outgrew his 28 gauge Ruger Red Label so I suited him up with a new 20 gauge Benelli. Our last round at the trap club he turned in two consecutive scores over twenty marking 21 and 23. Not bad considering he was averaging 13 the year before.
Our hunting party hit the field and Parker had a much greater sense of confidence given his consistency at the trap club. On the first pass Parker and I each picked up three chukkar’s apiece. Parker was on his game and dropped birds from the sky in a reflex action. It was quite an amazing sight.
Parker & I arrived in Portland around 10:00pm on Friday night to head over the pass and meet up with my friend Doug Barton and his father, Clair. After three hours of solid rain, we arrived in Camp Sherman, unloaded the gear and hit the sack.
After our customary greasy spoon breakfast we got our licenses and some last minute rain gear and headed to Madras to meet Jim and his pack of short hairs. Rain was constant with temps in the 40’s with little winds.
Just moments after getting into the field the chatter started about who will take the prize of the worst shot for the day. Normally that would be me. This year things would be different as Parker and I were in sound shooting form as we’d been practicing every Sunday for the past three months at the local trap shooting club. No perfect scores but lots of rounds in the twenties.
This year Parker grew several inches and bulked up considerably since last fall. Consequently he outgrew his 28 gauge Ruger Red Label so I suited him up with a new 20 gauge Benelli. Our last round at the trap club he turned in two consecutive scores over twenty marking 21 and 23. Not bad considering he was averaging 13 the year before.
Our hunting party hit the field and Parker had a much greater sense of confidence given his consistency at the trap club. On the first pass Parker and I each picked up three chukkar’s apiece. Parker was on his game and dropped birds from the sky in a reflex action. It was quite an amazing sight.
It’s such a great feeling to see your son succeed at a sport you love so much. He shot more on this first pass than he did all of last year. Beyond handling a shotgun, he had much more awareness of the hunting situation and was very engaged in the day. I’m not sure how many birds, it didn't matter. This was a day I'll remember the rest of my life. The day it 'clicked' for Parker.
On Sunday we got an early start and headed off to the Deschutes to try our hand at the most challenging sport fish in central Oregon – Steelhead. It rained so hard this day that we had to bail the boat three times just to empty the rain water. Can you say wet and soggy? The weather didn’t deter us. Parker caught 11 fish and I 3. By 2.30 my Goretex gear gave up and I was starting to drenched so we headed for the boat ramp. Earlier in the day Todd caught a small Steelhead which we had for dinner Sunday night along with barbeque chukkar.
Doug and Clair left Monday morning and Parker, Todd & I headed for Corvallis to go duck hunting with a friend of Todd’s. Naturally the weather turned and it was clear and sunny – not exactly ideal for duck hunting. We saw hundreds and shot two. It was quite the experience and something we’ll need to pursue more often. Parker loved it as much as I did.
In reflecting on the past year, I still can’t get over all the changes in Parker. His hunting and ability to handle a shotgun with great consistency is but one of many wonderful changes. He’s growing up to be a great young man and already I’m looking forward to next year’s Cast & Blast.
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