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	<title>Travel Oregon Blog &#187; Grant McOmie</title>
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	<link>http://blog.traveloregon.com</link>
	<description>Where to go and what to do from those who know Oregon best ... Oregonians.</description>
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		<title>Grant&#8217;s Getaways: All Oregon Boat</title>
		<link>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/11/20/grants-getaways-all-oregon-boat/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/11/20/grants-getaways-all-oregon-boat/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:08:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Grant McOmie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Only in Oregon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[All Oregon Boat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drift boats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant McOmie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant's Getaways]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[McKenzie River]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.traveloregon.com/?p=3836</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Oregon’s rivers and streams are home to some of the finest outdoor adventures in the country and there is unique history in a watercraft design that some call the “All Oregon Boat.” When you sit between  ...]]></description>
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<p>Oregon’s rivers and streams are home to some of the finest outdoor adventures in the country and there is unique history in a watercraft design that some call the “All Oregon Boat.” When you sit between the oars of an Oregon classic called the “Driftboat,” you slide across rapids, slip past boulders and leave all of your troubles behind.</p>
<p>For local boat builder Ray Heater, you also touch Oregon history.</p>
<p>“Oh, the drift boat is really a special type of boat the represents the state of Oregon.<br />
That has always attracted me – why don’t I build something else? Because I’m a fisherman and I love to float rivers and I’ve never seen a craft that can perform as well as this simple boat.”</p>
<p>Heater builds wooden drift boats in his Welches, Oregon shop; a business called <a href="http://www.raysriverdories.com/" target="_blank">Ray’s River Dories</a>. He’s the last to make a living by cutting, drilling and hammering doug fir and cedar into boats that take people down rivers. Heater’s career spans more than four decades and it has been built upon a boat design that’s all Oregon. Drift boats were spawned on the McKenzie and Rogue Rivers in the early 20th century and at first,  the boats hauled supplies. By the 1940’s anglers paid big money to fishing guides like Woodie Hindman who would take fishermen, called “Dudes,” down rivers to catch fish.</p>
<p>Heater noted, “It’s really a floating platform for your camping and fishing gear – that’s really what it’s all about.” Headded that the all Oregon boat was distinct because it safely rode atop the waves.</p>
<p>“Oh man, they can provide a piece of ballet – water ballet! Those guys between the oars would just dance across those waves with the oars – it’s a rush – a real rush…I mean I like to fish, but I like to run that whitewater.”</p>
<p>Ray Heater is not alone in his quest to protect and preserve the “All Oregon Boat.”</p>
<p>He explained: “People will say, &#8216;you should write something down about this.&#8217; And I say, &#8216;Oh boy, that&#8217;s going to be a tough one for me, I’d rather build a boat than write about one. Well, then along came Roger Fletcher, who walks into my shop one day and says, ‘I’m writing a book about the river boat. I thought, &#8216;You are the man.”</p>
<p><a href="http://www.riverstouch.com/" target="_blank">Roger Fletcher</a> never thought of himself as the man to save a chapter of Oregon history – he just likes the shape and feel and history of wooden drift boats. He builds them too – models  &#8211; that are scaled down versions.</p>
<p>“They basically require the same technique of a person building a traditional drift boat – just smaller. There isn’t anything fancy about it, but when you look at the lines of a Mckenzie River drift boat, there isn’t a prettier set of lines</p>
<p>Fletcher has had a love affair with drift boats since a boy. Today, he is the author of a new book called “Drift Boats and River Dories,” that tells the story of the earliest boats that were developed for Oregon rivers. He calls the drift boat design a “unique contribution to the boating world” and adds that few people know about them although they’ve likely seen them and perhaps been lucky enough to even fish in one.</p>
<p>“It’s the crescent shape and a fellows like Hindman, Veltie Pruitt and Prince Helfrich who designed and originally built them. They all fell in love with the design because it assumed the crescent shape of the waves. Plus, people fell in love with the ride.”</p>
<p>And who wouldn’t? Today, drift boating’s popularity has spread across the country. The “All Oregon Boat” can be seen on rivers across the country, wherever there are rivers waiting for adventure. Now, thanks to Roger Fletcher, more people will know of the boat’s important past.</p>
<p>“My hope,” he added, “is that more people will see more of these traditional and highly functional and beautiful boats out on the rivers. It’s tough not to fall in love with this boat. If a person hasn’t been in one – gets in one, has a day’s experience in one – he’ll be back.”</p>
<p>Each spring, there is an annual gathering of wooden drift boats and their builders on the banks of the <a href="http://www.traveloregon.com/Explore-Oregon/Willamette-Valley/Outdoor-Recreation/Water-Sports/Rivers-and-Streams/McKenzie-River.aspx" target="_blank">McKenzie River</a>. It is held at Eagle Rock Lodge and offers newcomers a chance to learn more about the boats and their lasting place in Oregon boating history.</p>
<p><strong><em>Editor&#8217;s Note:</em></strong><em> Grant&#8217;s Getaways is a production of Travel Oregon brought to you in association with </em><a href="http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/PARKS/index.shtml" target="new"><em>Oregon State Parks</em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://www.dfw.state.or.us/" target="new"><em>Oregon Dept. of Fish &amp; Wildlife</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://www.boatoregon.com/" target="new"><em>Oregon State Marine Board</em></a><em>. Episodes air Fridays and Saturdays on </em><a href="http://www.kgw.com/" target="new"><em>KGW Newschannel 8</em></a><em> and Saturdays on </em><a href="http://www.nwcn.com/" target="new"><em>Northwest Cable News Network</em></a><em>. </em></p>
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		<title>Grant&#8217;s Outdoor Tip of the Week: Sandy River Hatchery</title>
		<link>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/11/18/grants-outdoor-tip-of-the-week-sandy-river-hatchery/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/11/18/grants-outdoor-tip-of-the-week-sandy-river-hatchery/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:48:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Grant McOmie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Outdoors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant McOmie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant's Outdoor Tip of the Week]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sandy River Hatchery]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.traveloregon.com/?p=3831</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
I am always on the lookout for fish and wildlife viewing opportunities that are worth a stop along my travels from this place to that. Right now, there’s a spectacular show whose prime time is  ...]]></description>
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I am always on the lookout for fish and wildlife<em> <span style="font-style: normal;">viewing</span> </em>opportunities that are worth a stop along my travels from this place to that. Right now, there’s a spectacular show whose prime time is passing as Oregon’s fall salmon runs hit their peak from now thru November. Hatchery personnel across western Oregon are up to their elbows with thousands of Coho salmon that have returned to dozens of Oregon hatcheries.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/visitors/sandy_hatchery.asp">Sandy River Hatchery</a> Manager Ken Bourne hasn’t seen anything like it in 34 years with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.</p>
<p>“It definitely has the makings of being a huge run. We’ve handled almost 7,000 fish to date and we’re nowhere near the peak of the return. We’re going to be swamped with salmon.”</p>
<p>Biologists say abundant food in the ocean is the secret behind this year’s record-setting return of a million-plus Coho salmon to many Oregon rivers and streams. State hatcheries offer visitors some of the best viewing opportunities of the salmon in the creeks that flow through the hatchery grounds. ODFW’s Sandy River Hatchery, <a href="http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/visitors/trask_river_hatchery.asp">Trask Hatchery</a>, <a href="http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/visitors/big_creek_hatchery.asp">Big Creek Hatchery</a>, <a href="http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/visitors/nehalem_hatchery.asp">North Fork Nehalem Hatchery</a> and <a href="http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/visitors/bonneville_hatchery.asp">Bonneville Hatchery</a> are just a few of the state-run salmon facilities that enjoy having visitors stop in to watch the salmon show. Each hatchery is open daily.</p>
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		<title>Grant&#8217;s Getaways: Geocaching</title>
		<link>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/11/13/grants-getaways-geocaching/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/11/13/grants-getaways-geocaching/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:29:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Grant McOmie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Outdoors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[geocaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant McOmie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant's Getaways]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oregon State Parks]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.traveloregon.com/?p=3811</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Cathy Rice lets her fingers &#8220;do the finding&#8221; of her family&#8217;s next outdoor adventure! Cathy Rice and her family live in Wilsonville, but have explored much of Oregon as a part of a growing group of  ...]]></description>
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<p>Cathy Rice lets her fingers &#8220;do the finding&#8221; of her family&#8217;s next outdoor adventure! Cathy Rice and her family live in Wilsonville, but have explored much of Oregon as a part of a growing group of savvy internet users who&#8217;ve discovered that the great outdoors is but a finger tap and electronic link away through a new sport – (or is it recreation?) &#8211; called &#8220;geocaching.&#8221;</p>
<p>“It’s fun for people of all ages,” noted Rice. She and her family have been avid geocachers the past eight years. “For the kids it’s like a treasure hunt because they get to discover new places to see – it’s just a great activity to do while you’re enjoying the Oregon outdoors.”</p>
<p>Geocaching is a rewarding blend of high technology that uses computers and hand held GPS (Global Positioning System) receivers and take you on an old fashioned treasure hunt. Cathy says &#8220;fun&#8221; is the theme at <a href="http://www.Geocaching.com" target="_blank">Geocaching.com</a> At home, she simply enters her zip code and then the distance she would like to travel from her home, and soon a lengthy list of adventures appears on her screen.</p>
<p>She also notes many details about the cache on the website like available parking, whether it’s pet friendly plus the latitude and longitude coordinates that she will plug into her GPS so to guide her family to the cache. Cathy told me that when she began in 2001 there were hundreds of caches in the Portland area – today, there are tens of thousands in the city and surrounding metro region – plus, hundreds of thousands of the hidden treasures across the state.</p>
<p>In fact, “Rice’s Raiders,” as the family nickname implies, are real pros at finding caches. These days, they even create their own caches to hide for others to find. A watertight container like an ammo box or plastic container is preferred for caches because they need to be watertight. Because Cathy’s favorite rock group is “Styx,” she included a variety of related items inside her latest cache: “We’ve added chap sticks…glue sticks, something to sharpen your writing sticks,” she noted with a laugh.</p>
<p>She added:  “Now, not everyone will trade within the theme and that’s ok too – but if you can it’s kind of fun.”</p>
<p>So far, the Rice family has hidden over a dozen caches across Oregon and she said that they’ve discovered a lot of locations they’d never have known about were it not for geocaching.</p>
<p>In fact, more and more people are have discovered that <a href="http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/" target="_blank">Oregon State Park</a>s are popular geocaching sites because they’re convenient, safe and allow for a longer camping stay. But at <a href="http://www.traveloregon.com/Explore-Oregon/Portland-Metro/Outdoor-Recreation/State-Parks/State-Parks/Stub-Stewart-State-Park.aspx" target="_blank">Stub Stewart State Park</a>, park ranger Heather Currey said that if folks choose to hide caches in a state park, be sure to get permission from the park managers.</p>
<p>“We think it’s fantastic that people want to recreate on state park lands and Geocaching is a wonderful way to explore the parklands, but many of our parks have sensitive plants, habitats, cultural resources that we’re protecting for the future. So, it’s nice for us to know where these caches are intended so we can identify those areas and maybe find an area on the other side of the trail that would be a little better.”</p>
<p>On a recent adventure, the Rice family followed directions to a starting point in a nearby public area and then hunted the brush for more clues. In this case, latitude and longitude coordinates were the clues. They plugged the numbers into their GPS and then the unit guided them to the site of the hidden cache.</p>
<p>The caches vary &#8211; and usually consist of small souvenirs that you can choose from &#8211; perhaps even a camera and a log book to capture and relate your moment of discovery. But Cathy insists, (and etiquette demands,) that if you take something from the cache, you should leave something in exchange.</p>
<p>Aside from the fun of just looking for something that&#8217;s been secreted away in the woods, Ken and Cathy Rice agree that one of the bonuses of Geocaching has been the way the entire event brings the family together.</p>
<p><strong><em>Editor&#8217;s Note:</em></strong><em> Grant&#8217;s Getaways is a production of Travel Oregon brought to you in association with </em><a href="http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/PARKS/index.shtml" target="new"><em>Oregon State Parks</em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://www.dfw.state.or.us/" target="new"><em>Oregon Dept. of Fish &amp; Wildlife</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://www.boatoregon.com/" target="new"><em>Oregon State Marine Board</em></a><em>. Episodes air Fridays on </em><a href="http://www.kgw.com/" target="new"><em>KGW Newschannel 8</em></a><em> and Saturdays on </em><a href="http://www.nwcn.com/" target="new"><em>Northwest Cable News Network</em></a><em>. </em></p>
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		<title>Grant&#8217;s Outdoor Tip of the Week: Fort Stevens State Park</title>
		<link>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/11/11/grants-outdoor-tip-of-the-week-fort-stevens-state-park/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/11/11/grants-outdoor-tip-of-the-week-fort-stevens-state-park/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:00:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Grant McOmie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Outdoors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fort Stevens State Park]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant McOmie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oregon Coast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outdoor Tip of the Week]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yurts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.traveloregon.com/?p=3801</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
It is a lot of fun to catch Dungeness Crabs and all of Oregon’s estuaries offer wonderful opportunities for a day’s adventure.
If you wish to visit Astoria and try your luck in the Columbia River  ...]]></description>
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<p>It is a lot of fun to catch <a href="http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/11/06/grant%E2%80%99s-getaways-crabbing-in-the-columbia-river-estuary/" target="_blank">Dungeness Crabs and all of Oregon’s estuaries</a> offer wonderful opportunities for a day’s adventure.</p>
<p>If you wish to visit Astoria and try your luck in the <a href="http://www.traveloregon.com/Explore-Oregon/Oregon-Coast/Outdoor-Recreation/Water-Sports/Rivers-and-Streams/Columbia-River.aspx" target="_blank">Columbia River</a> estuary, consider the adventure just a part of a longer overnight coastal stay.</p>
<p>If you do, consider <a href="http://www.traveloregon.com/Explore-Oregon/Oregon-Coast/Outdoor-Recreation/State-Parks/State-Parks/Ft-Stevens-State-Park.aspx" target="_blank">Ft Steven’s State Park</a> your base camp for the weekend adventure. The trails and campgrounds at Ft Steven’s are quiet at this time of year. The summer crowds have disappeared and the beaches, Coffenbury Lake and the wetland areas are all yours to explore.</p>
<p>Ft Steven’s Park Manager, Mike Stein, explained:</p>
<p>“People are looking to get away from the larger crowds and we specialize in that at this time of year. We’ve got over 4,000 acres to spread across, plus miles of beachfront and 9 miles of paved trail, plus another 7 miles of nature trail.”</p>
<p>If you lack a trailer or an RV, no need to worry, Ft Steven’s boasts 15 <a href="http://blog.traveloregon.com/tag/yurts/" target="_blank">yurts</a> that make the camping easy.</p>
<p>“Yurts are wonderful camping opportunities, explained Stein. They offer a domed platform with canvas sides and top. They have furniture in them: a futon sofa and a bunk bed. They’ve proven to be very popular because they reach out to the visiting public that’s unable or lacks the time to invest in a tent or RV.”</p>
<p>It is time well spent at Ft Steven’s State Park. Stein noted that during the Fall season, it’s a parkland all yours to explore:</p>
<p>“That real sense of solitude is what draws people here and keeps them coming back regularly.”</p>
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		<title>Grant’s Getaways:  Crabbing in the Columbia River Estuary</title>
		<link>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/11/06/grant%e2%80%99s-getaways-crabbing-in-the-columbia-river-estuary/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/11/06/grant%e2%80%99s-getaways-crabbing-in-the-columbia-river-estuary/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:35:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Grant McOmie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Outdoors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Columbia River Estuary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dungeness crab]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant McOmie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant's Getaways]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.traveloregon.com/?p=3787</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Oregon’s “blue hole” days when the sun plays a peak-a-boo game with visitors, provides an excellent backdrop for the task of hauling crab pots full of fresh Dungeness crab from the Oregon Coast.
Recently, I joined  ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" height="225" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7479170&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=1&amp;color=9ee6c3&amp;fullscreen=1" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="225" src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7479170&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=1&amp;color=9ee6c3&amp;fullscreen=1" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>
<p>Oregon’s “blue hole” days when the sun plays a peak-a-boo game with visitors, provides an excellent backdrop for the task of hauling crab pots full of fresh <a href="http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/shellfish/crab/index.asp" target="_blank">Dungeness crab</a> from the <a href="http://www.traveloregon.com/Explore-Oregon/Oregon-Coast.aspx" target="_blank">Oregon Coast</a>.</p>
<p>Recently, I joined my good friend Steve Fick to learn the tactics and techniques for catching this Oregon seafood delicacy.  Steve first explored the Columbia River estuary as a kid and knows his way around the vast waterway where the river meets the sea.</p>
<p>For Fick, the first lesson is simple enough: always wear a PFD (Personal Flotation Device.) He insisted it’s a personal lesson in life and safety:  “You always wear it Grant, because if you fall overboard, particularly with heavy rain gear on, it’s very difficult to survive. The water is always cold and can sap your strength in a matter of minutes.”</p>
<p>We left the snug harbor at Hammond, Oregon and slowly motored the short distance downriver to an area just off Clatsop  Beach.  Fick had prepared five large crab traps with varied baits – a strategy he often used so to “see what the crabs prefer.”   Sometimes he’ll use turkey legs, chicken wings, shad or salmon carcasses – even a can of tuna for crab bait.</p>
<p>“Oh yes, a can of tuna fish is perfect bait, exclaimed Fick. “All you do is perforate the can so that the scent comes out – you can also buy canned sardines or mackerel too – both work well. As long as they have a high oil content, it seems to fish well  – the scent is what draws the crab into the pot.”</p>
<p>Each Oregon crabber must carry an <a href="http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/shellfish/regulations.asp" target="new&quot;">Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Shellfish License</a>. Each crabber is allowed to use up to three crab traps.</p>
<p>We timed our trip to fish our traps the last hour of the incoming tide and through the high slack period, (that’s often the best crabbing time.)</p>
<p>Steve said it’s the safest time to crab in the estuary:  “There is no reason to be out here on the ebb tide – that’s the out-going tide. It can be the most dangerous part of the tide cycle and this river can change so fast. You just don’t take chances out here.”<br />
Fick said that each trap should “soak” for 15-20 minutes – that allows enough time for the crabs to locate the bait and enter the trap.</p>
<p>Each crabber is allowed a dozen male crabs apiece, and in Oregon they must be five and three-quarters (5¾) inches across the back.</p>
<p>Females are protected to preserve the breeding population of crabs. A crab gauge or other measuring device is essential gear since some crabs miss the mark by only a hair’s length.</p>
<p>Within a half hour, we had landed and checked each of our traps and we were fortunate to retain 18 legal Dungeness crabs; plenty to go around our small but hearty crew.</p>
<p>As much fun as it was to catch these crabs, the best part was yet to come when Steve motored back to the dock in Astoria and we carried our crustaceans up to his shop to learn the proper way to cook our crabs.</p>
<p>Fick dropped a pound of salt into ten gallons of boiling water and then placed each crab into the pot. The crabs must cook approximately twenty minutes.</p>
<p>While we waited, I chatted with Oregon Fish and Wildlife Shellfish Manager, Matt Hunter.</p>
<p>He explained that the crabbing in the Columbia River estuary had been exceptional this year. “We’re seeing darn near a limit per person and when we don’t see a limit it’s because of weather or that people just don’t want their dozen crabs.”</p>
<p>The reason for this year’s remarkable catch rate?  “Well, the crabs molted in early summer so they’re coming off the molt and they’re hungry and looking for food. At this time of year there’s plenty of food: baitfish die offs, natural salmon spawning events so there is plenty of available to them.”</p>
<p>As we chilled our catch on ice, I asked Fick what he enjoyed most about the adventure that’s just off his front door step:</p>
<p>“Oh, it’s simple and everyone can be involved in it. It’s easy to catch a dozen crabs per person with lots of action for kids. And – you never really know until you pull the pot up what you got…you know and that is fun!”</p>
<p><strong>Editor&#8217;s Note:</strong> Grant&#8217;s Getaways is a production of Travel Oregon brought to you in association with <a href="http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/PARKS/index.shtml" target="new">Oregon State Parks</a>, <a href="http://www.dfw.state.or.us/" target="new">Oregon Dept. of Fish &amp; Wildlife</a> and <a href="http://www.boatoregon.com/" target="new">Oregon State Marine Board</a>. Episodes air Fridays on <a href="http://www.kgw.com/" target="new">KGW Newschannel 8</a> and Saturdays on <a href="http://www.nwcn.com/" target="new">Northwest Cable News Network</a>.  Before you embark on your own crabbing adventure, be sure to check check <span style="text-decoration: none;"><a style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; color: #530505; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial;" href="http://www.traveloregon.com/Explore-Oregon/Oregon-Coast/Trips-We-Love/Crabbing-on-the-Oregon-Coast.aspx" target="new">shellfish license/regulations and rental facilities</a>.</span></p>
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		<title>Grant&#8217;s Getaways: South Slough Estuary</title>
		<link>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/10/30/grants-getaways-south-slough-estuary/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/10/30/grants-getaways-south-slough-estuary/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:15:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Grant McOmie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Outdoors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cape Arago Highway]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cape Arago State Park]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant McOmie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant's Getaways]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oregon Coast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[oregon department of fish and wildlife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[South Slough Estuary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sunset Bay State Park]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.traveloregon.com/?p=3767</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Grant&#8217;s Getaways &#8211; South Slough Estuary from Travel Oregon on Vimeo.
Once you travel the Cape Arago Highway that skirts a lonesome and lovely section of the Southern  Oregon coast, it may become a road  ...]]></description>
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<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/7355313">Grant&#8217;s Getaways &#8211; South Slough Estuary</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1348465">Travel Oregon</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p>Once you travel the Cape Arago Highway that skirts a lonesome and lovely section of the Southern  Oregon coast, it may become a road once taken that you’ll never want to leave! It leads you past so many intriguing sights that you may well wonder, “Why have I never come this way before.”</p>
<p>Fourteen miles southwest of Coos Bay, drop in at <a href="http://www.traveloregon.com/Explore-Oregon/Oregon-Coast/Outdoor-Recreation/Camp-Oregon/Camping/Sunset-Bay-State-Park.aspx">Sunset Bay State Park</a> and meet Oregon State Park’s Manager, Preson Phillips, who told me: “It’s one of those trails that just keeps beckoning you on – it’s just a matter of how much you want to hike or do at the time.” Make time to wander Sunset  Bay State   Park, a jewel of a campground that offers 139 sites for tent, trailer or R.V. – plus eight yurts. People who come to camp enjoy a spectacular beachfront that seems framed for the movies – it has been a special destination park since 1942.</p>
<p>If you own a spirit of adventure, you’ll no doubt relish the hiking trail that leads little more than a mile to nearby <a href="http://www.traveloregon.com/Explore-Oregon/Oregon-Coast/Outdoor-Recreation/Hike-Oregon/Hiking-and-Walking/Cape-Arago-State-Park.aspx">Cape Arago State Park</a>. Many visitors are surprised to find a front row seat of sorts – a wooden balcony that overlooks Shell  Island. Marty Giles, who owns an eco-tourism business called, <a href="http://www.traveloregon.com/Explore-Oregon/Oregon-Coast/Attractions/Family-Fun/Wavecrest-Discoveries.aspx" target="_blank">Wavecrest Discoveries</a> is often on hand to explain the behavior of hundreds of seals and seal lions that just plain loaf across the rocky island and Simpson Reef.</p>
<p>You will want to make time to travel five miles further up the Seven Devils Road to visit a piece of Oregon coastal paradise that’s been preserved since 1974. The <a href="http://www.oregon.gov/DSL/SSNERR/maps.shtml">South Slough Estuarine Research Preserve</a> offers a visitor center that introduces you to the area with varied multi-media and hands on exhibits. There’s more than 5,000 acres in South Slough Preserve – approximately 1,000 of that is the slough itself, then the rest is protected upland forest or marshland. There is plenty of elbowroom to explore at South Slough Preserve and there are lots of trails that take you out and about.</p>
<p>One of my favorites is called the <em>Hidden Creek Trail</em> &#8211; a little over a mile in length that offers a wonderful wooden boardwalk that takes you out over a wetland area where the freshwater creek meets the sea. In addition, there are many stunning views along the trail, including those from atop a two level deck that looks across a marsh area to the Winchester Arm of the slough.</p>
<p>The preserve is open throughout the calendar year, but South Slough Preserve Education Director, Tom Gaskill, says some seasons offer unique surprises for the hearty traveler.</p>
<p>“I’m a birder, so for me this time of year in fall is the beginning of the most exciting part of the season. We have flocks of waterfowl that pass through here and a lot of the over wintering forest birds too – there are many species that we never see here during the summer, so it’s exciting in the winter months to see some of these migratory species that spend summers in Alaska and Canada but they’re here for the winter.”</p>
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		<title>Grant&#8217;s Getaways: Willamette Valley Birding Trail</title>
		<link>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/10/23/grants-getaways-willamette-valley-birding-trail/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/10/23/grants-getaways-willamette-valley-birding-trail/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:19:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Grant McOmie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Outdoors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant McOmie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant's Getaways]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Willamette Valley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Willamette Valley Birding Trail]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[William Finley National Wildlife Refuge]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.traveloregon.com/?p=3756</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Grant&#8217;s Getaways &#8211; Oregon Birding Trail from Travel Oregon on Vimeo.
There’s a new way to explore Oregon and this one is really for the birds! But it’s designed for people – especially folks who like to  ...]]></description>
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<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/7221868">Grant&#8217;s Getaways &#8211; Oregon Birding Trail</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1348465">Travel Oregon</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p>There’s a new way to explore Oregon and this one is really for the birds! But it’s designed for people – especially folks who like to explore new destinations where half the fun is in the getting there.</p>
<p>The first “Willamette Valley Birding Trail” is a new partnership between varied birding groups and Travel Oregon. It offers people a chance to explore 130 legitimate birding sites in a region that is home to 70 percent of the state’s population.</p>
<p>Joel Geier and I recently met at <a href="http://www.traveloregon.com/Explore-Oregon/Willamette-Valley/Attractions/Outdoors-and-Nature/William-L-Finley-National-Wildlife-Refuge.aspx" target="_blank">William Finley National Wildlife Refuge</a> where he told me that variety is the spice of his birding life along the new <a href="http://www.oregonbirdingtrails.org/willamettevalley.htm" target="_blank">Willamette Valley Birding Trail</a>. Geier knows his birding game well! After all, he’s a longtime member of the Oregon Field Ornithologists. His organization along with several others including Travel Oregon joined to identify 130 birding trails in the Willamette Valley.</p>
<p>It’s easy to locate a trail online. A click of your mouse takes you inside one of the dozen different loops where you’ll find directions to the sites plus photos of the species that you’ll see along the way.</p>
<p>Sallie Gentry and Molly Monroe agree that the new Homer Campbell Memorial Boardwalk at William Finley Wildlife Refuge near Corvallis is one of those special places where you can go birding. It’s an astonishing trail that is wheelchair accessible along 1700 feet of elevated boardwalk that leads to an observation blind that overlooks a small pond that attracts many different birds.</p>
<p>“It is a magnet for wildlife,” noted Monroe. “We’ll have thousands upon thousands of ducks and geese and swans here within the next few months.”</p>
<p>Gentry added, “We’re kind of a little known secret right now, but I think we’re going to become more well known because there are such excellent wildlife viewing opportunities here and you can get relatively close without disturbing the wildlife.”</p>
<p>Not only wintering waterfowl, but also raptor species like bald eagles make the Finley Refuge their winter homes.</p>
<p>“It’s one of the easiest birds for most people to identify so it’s fun for them.<br />
Often, you just look out on a tree line of snags and say, ‘Oh, there’s an eagle perched right there.’  Eagles are good because they’re well known by most people and they’re recovery from near extinction is such a success story.”</p>
<p>If you’re eager to learn more about birding, but you’re not sure how to get started, Gentry said that there is good news for the casual first time visitor this Fall season.</p>
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		<title>Grant&#8217;s Getaways: Fishing for Kings</title>
		<link>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/10/16/grants-getaways-fishing-for-kings/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/10/16/grants-getaways-fishing-for-kings/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:43:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Grant McOmie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Outdoors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Top Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fishing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant McOmie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant's Getaways]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[king salmon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oregon Coast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[salmon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[seafood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tillamook bay]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.traveloregon.com/?p=3745</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Grant&#8217;s Getaways &#8211; Fishing for Kings from Travel Oregon on Vimeo.
Despite the wild and wet weather of the past few weeks October is prime time for “King Fishing.” King Chinook Salmon, that is! There is a simple  ...]]></description>
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<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/7103857">Grant&#8217;s Getaways &#8211; Fishing for Kings</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1348465">Travel Oregon</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p>Despite the wild and wet weather of the past few weeks October is prime time for “King Fishing.” King Chinook Salmon, that is! There is a simple reason that they are called “Kings.” – after all, the big fish can tip the scales at fifty pounds or more.</p>
<p>Despite downpours and sea squalls, I recently joined a fishing party on <a href="http://www.traveloregon.com/Explore-Oregon/Oregon-Coast/Outdoor-Recreation/Water-Sports/Rivers-and-Streams/Tillamook-Bay.aspx" target="_blank">Tillamook Bay</a> where we tried our luck for the king of the salmon. If you’re eager to catch a “King,” you arrive at the Garibaldi docks an hour before sunrise.</p>
<p>A longtime Oregon fishing guide, <a href="http://www.traveloregon.com/Explore-Oregon/Oregon-Coast/Outdoor-Recreation/Guides-and-Packers/Guides-and-Packers/Fire-Fighters-Guide-Service.aspx" target="_blank">John Krauthoefer</a>, told our huddled group of anglers: “It’s the early bird who gets the worm, men! This has become such a popular fishery that if you wait and go late, you might miss the bite.”</p>
<p>Krauthoefer added that it had been a long salmon fishing season. I knew exactly what he meant because we had joined John on two earlier salmon fishing trips. Our first adventure was in July – on the ocean – where the <a href="http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/07/20/grants-getaways-ocean-coho-fishing/" target="_blank">summer Coho salmon bite was awesome</a>. We joined John again in September when the Coho and Chinook season slipped into high gear at <a href="http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/08/28/grants-getaways-buoy-10/" target="_blank">“Buoy 10” on the Columbia River</a>.</p>
<p>Now, in mid-October thousands of salmon are migrating through dozens of estuaries like Tillamook Bay and swimming into their home rivers.</p>
<p>As we motored out of the marina, Krauthoefer noted that it had been a wet and wild weather week and that several big storms had pumped up a huge ocean. As we approached the ocean, we watched huge swells rise and fall – sometimes fishing boats would briefly vanish as the swells passed by. The bar was closed – no one would be heading out onto the ocean today.</p>
<p>Birt Hansen, a longtime fishing partner, had joined John and me on Tillamook Bay where scores of other anglers had also gathered – we were excited, anxious and ready for action. After all, low tide was about to turn to flood and it might serve up the biggest of all the salmon species called “King.”</p>
<p>John&#8217;s a big believer that a plug-cut herring makes the best bait when fishing for Chinook. He makes a bevel cut with his razor sharp knife just behind the herring&#8217;s head to make the bait spin when it&#8217;s trolled in the water.</p>
<p>We dropped our lines over the side and John began a slow troll with the tide. As the tide turned to flood, signs of salmon life began to appear as nearby anglers hooked up. It happened to us too! Suddenly, I had my hands full with a hard charging king that had decided to head back to sea.</p>
<p>Krauthoefer put his motor in gear and followed the salmon. After a twenty-minute tug of war, the gleaming 20-pound salmon came to the net and it was scooped aboard.</p>
<p>It can be a he challenge to fish along the jetty – where the swells and the waves and the tide can combine to change conditions in a heartbeat. We wore our inflatable PFD’s (Personal Flotation Devices) at all times.</p>
<p>Sport-anglers catch more than 12,000 King salmon on the bar, the bay and the five rivers that flow into the bay on their way to the sea. So, special rules are in place to protect the Kings from over harvest. An angler can keep one King per day and five per season from Tillamook Bay or its rivers. In addition, anglers can also keep a hatchery Coho salmon.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.dfw.state.or.us/online_license_sales/index.asp"><em>Information on purchasing an Oregon Angling License</em></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/docs/2009_oregon_sport_fishing_regs.pdf"><em>Sport Fishing Regulations</em></a> <em>(pdf)</em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.traveloregon.com/Experiences/Outdoor-Recreation/Guides-and-Packers/Search.aspx"><em>Locate a fishing guide here</em></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.boatoregon.com/OSMB/safety/safety.shtml"><em>Information on Safe Boating Practices</em></a></p>
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		<title>Grant&#8217;s Getaways: Wildwood Recreation Area</title>
		<link>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/10/09/grants-getaways-wildwood-recreation-area/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/10/09/grants-getaways-wildwood-recreation-area/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:35:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Grant McOmie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Outdoors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trip Ideas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant McOmie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant's Getaways]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mt. Hood/Gorge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wildwood Recreation Area]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.traveloregon.com/?p=3734</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Grant&#8217;s Getaways &#8211; Wildwood Park from Travel Oregon on Vimeo.
This week’s Grant’s Getaway offers a unique adventure for folks searching for a place to enjoy the beauty and wonder of the fall season.
You’ll enjoy hiking  ...]]></description>
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<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/6982066">Grant&#8217;s Getaways &#8211; Wildwood Park</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1348465">Travel Oregon</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p>This week’s Grant’s Getaway offers a unique adventure for folks searching for a place to enjoy the beauty and wonder of the fall season.</p>
<p>You’ll enjoy hiking trails, crimson-colored fall leaves and spawning salmon in an educational backdrop at an overlooked recreation area not far from Portland. You’ll want to bring your camera to capture the steady stream of color along the Salmon River that flows through the <a href="http://www.traveloregon.com/Explore-Oregon/Mt-Hood-Columbia-River-Gorge/Attractions/Outdoors-and-Nature/Wildwood-Recreation-Site-and-Cascade-Streamwatch.aspx" target="_blank">Wildwood Recreation Area</a> near Welches, Oregon. Many parts of the Cascade Mountains demand a slower pace. You simply see more when you leave busy campgrounds behind and let quieter, wilder moments surround you.</p>
<p>Those moments are easy to come by down the many trails inside the Wildwood Recreation Site near Welches, Oregon. A site that may have you wondering, “How is it I’ve never heard of this place or visited it before?” After all, the Salmon River is born from glaciers atop Mt Hood and it is Oregon’s last undimmed river that flows unhindered from the mountains to the sea.</p>
<p>It cuts a beeline through more than five hundred acres of designated public recreation land at Wildwood. The trails that wind through Wildwood are marvelous opportunities to explore the parkland.</p>
<p>The Wildwood Wetlands Trail is a one-mile loop of gravel and paved foot- paths plus more than a thousand feet of elevated boardwalk that gives you access to the heart of a vast wetland area where many different wildlife species live.</p>
<p>Observation decks extend into the wetland at a number of locations and allow closer inspection. Don’t be surprised while hiking the boardwalk to see blue herons, mallards, teals, turtles, or any number of small songbirds.</p>
<p>Pay special attention to the many interpretive signs that describe the wetland habitat and the critters that live there.</p>
<p>There are more than 1,000 feet to the boardwalk on the Wildwood Wetlands Trail that was built four feet off the ground to keep hiker’s feet dry and limit access onto the sensitive wetlands. Beginning in mid-October, the boardwalk area explodes to life with a colorful show of brilliant reds, oranges and yellows from vine maple, big leaf maple trees and alder trees.</p>
<p>The Cascade Streamwatch Trail is a barrier-free and paved, three-quarter-mile trail adjacent to the Wild and Scenic Salmon River. Interpretive displays describe points of interest. The most remarkable highlight of this trail is a stream-profile viewing chamber where you gain an underwater “fish-eye” view of a small stream and salmon habitat.</p>
<p>The chamber&#8211;ten years in the making&#8211;drops twelve feet below the water surface and allows you to see through two large windows more than twelve feet across and seven feet high where ‘baby’ salmon live. I enjoy just watching the behavior of the three- to four-inch salmon fry and how they use logs, branches, and even rocks to hide. As a bug floats on the current, a fish jets out and picks it off, then retreats back to its shelter.</p>
<p>The park is open from 8:00 A.M. to sunset from mid-May to early November. However, during the off-season, you may park at the gate and access Wildwood and Cascade Streamwatch by foot, walking the entrance road to the trailhead or other facilities.</p>
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		<title>Grant&#8217;s Getaways: Becoming an Outdoors Woman</title>
		<link>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/10/02/grants-getaways-becoming-an-outdoors-woman/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.traveloregon.com/2009/10/02/grants-getaways-becoming-an-outdoors-woman/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:41:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Grant McOmie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Outdoors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[EE Wilson Wildlife Refuge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant McOmie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grant's Getaways]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ODFW]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[oregon department of fish and wildlife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Willamette Valley]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.traveloregon.com/?p=3695</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Grant&#8217;s Getaways &#8211; Becoming an Outdoors Woman from Travel Oregon on Vimeo.
Fall has arrived and for many people that signals the start of Oregon’s fall hunting seasons.
This week, I discovered that women who have always  ...]]></description>
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<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/6869694">Grant&#8217;s Getaways &#8211; Becoming an Outdoors Woman</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1348465">Travel Oregon</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p>Fall has arrived and for many people that signals the start of Oregon’s fall hunting seasons.</p>
<p>This week, I discovered that women who have always wanted to try their hands at hunting have a new way to learn about one of Oregon’s premier recreational pursuits.</p>
<p>When you go hunting for pheasant, be ready to put in your time and lots of energy – often you are pushing through thick, waist high grass. On the <a href="http://www.traveloregon.com/Explore-Oregon/Willamette-Valley/Attractions/Outdoors-and-Nature/EE-Wilson-Wildlife-Refuge.aspx" target="_blank">EE Wilson Wildlife Area</a> near Corvallis, newcomer Kelly Ruboin is on her toes because the pheasant can launch themselves skyward in a heartbeat.</p>
<p>Kelly joined accomplished hunter Mark Steele, and his hunting dog, “Neela,” for an afternoon in the field. Mark is a volunteer guide who gave his hunting services over for a special day designed for women only. In fact, two-dozen women gathered on the wildlife area to learn what upland bird hunting’s all about.</p>
<p>Ruboin, like many of the other women, has never done anything like this before. But that’s okay because she’s taking a class to learn how it’s done. The EE Wilson Wildlife Area Pheasant Hunt is part of a unique Outdoor Skills program sponsored by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and it is called “<a href="http://www.dfw.state.or.us/outdoor_skills/bow/index.asp" target="_blank">Becoming An Outdoors Woman</a>.”</p>
<p>The class was too good a deal for Kelly to pass up. For twenty-five dollars each woman learned hands on gun safety, hunting techniques, proper clothing, plus how to shoot and hit what they aim at.</p>
<p>Experienced instructors from ODFW offered lectures on firearms and led the students through a number of exercises in proper gun handling and safety. They helped to build confidence in the newcomers with an atmosphere of trust that paid off with relaxation and fun.</p>
<p>Tthe agency sells approximately 300,000 hunting licenses and tags each year and women make up just 16 percent of the total.</p>
<p>Rick Hargrave, ODFW spokesperson, said they hope to change that percentage with specific classes that encourage women to participate, “What our outdoor skills program does is plant that seed of interest – if it leads to hunting or fishing, that’s great – but if it leads to getting their families outdoors more often that’s even better too.”</p>
<p>EE Wilson offers nearly 1800 acres for hunters, fishers, hikers and cyclists to explore throughout the year. The area offers wetlands for wildlife, a stocked fishing pond to cast lures and a wildlife exhibit area where you can see many of Oregon’s upland birds on display.</p>
<p><strong>Resources:</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/hunting/docs/Howtohuntuplandbird.pdf" target="_blank">How to hunt Upland Bird</a> (pdf)</p>
<p><a href="http://www.dfw.state.or.us/outdoor_skills/index.asp" target="_blank">ODFW Outdoor Skills Program</a></p>
<p><em><strong>Editor&#8217;s Note:</strong> Grant&#8217;s Getaways is a production of Travel Oregon brought to you in association with <a href="http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/PARKS/index.shtml" target="new">Oregon State Parks</a>, <a href="http://www.dfw.state.or.us/" target="new">Oregon Dept. of Fish &amp; Wildlife</a> and <a href="http://www.boatoregon.com/" target="new">Oregon State Marine Board</a>.  Episodes air Fridays on <a href="http://www.kgw.com/" target="new">KGW Newschannel 8</a> and Saturdays on <a href="http://www.nwcn.com/" target="new">Northwest Cable News Network</a></em></p>
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