Fishers Can Catch Wild Sights

Observant anglers along the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River see lots of wildlife and, once in a while, are treated to an interesting little drama.

This is the time of year when hundreds, all eager to hook the big chinook salmon now in the Reach, run their boats up and down the river. Many drift lures; some backtroll, and a few anchor and fish salmon eggs and other bait. Some even take home 25- to 35-pound salmon.

While Don Ostlund and Lowell Mills of Spokane were drifting Blue Fox spinners near one of the islands, they witnessed something wildlife observers rarely see.

They spotted eight deer running ahead of a couple of coyotes. The deer were in a state of panic. Coyotes, like dogs, chase deer, though their chances of killing one are remote. An exception is in winter when deer can’t move fast through deep snow.

As the men watched, a doe suddenly turned and ran toward the coyotes. She reared up on her hind feet and began pawing the air while at the same time jumping toward one of the coyotes. Intimidated, the coyote, apparently expecting a submissive, frightened animal, turned tail and ran. Its companion already had departed.

The two coyotes decided they didn’t want to have anything to do with a deer ready to fight.

“How many times have you seen a deer take on a coyote?” Ostlund asked.

Ostlund, one of scores of anglers who have been fishing for chinook salmon along the Hanford Reach the last few weeks, said he and others have seen hundreds of deer, lots of coyotes and a variety of birds, including large numbers of white pelicans.

Although there are numerous elk on the Hanford Reservation, he said he hasn’t yet seen one. However, they got to see a coyote up close and personal a few days ago.

Ostlund said he and Mills were drifting down the Columbia when they spotted a coyote swimming across a mile-wide section of the river. Seeing deer and coyotes swimming in the river isn’t unusual. Both frequently swim the big, fast-running river to get to islands or the other side of the river.

The salmon weren’t biting at the time, so he cranked up the motor and approached the swimming coyote. As he pulled alongside, Mills’ springer spaniel began barking.

The coyote, its legs pumping fast to keep up with the 5-knot current, turned a little toward the boat and snapped its teeth, possibly hoping its show of hostility would make the boat turn away.

Ostlund kept alongside and in front of the coyote for a minute or so while Mills took pictures and then finally turned away, allowing the coyote to continue its swim toward the far shore.

Ostlund told other fishers about his encounter with the coyote.

Most had one question: “Did you kill the coyote?”

“When I told them that I let the coyote go about his business, most said I should have killed it. They said coyotes kill a lot of game..

“I don’t want to kill an animal that won’t harm anyone, especially one on the Hanford Reach. There’s no point to it.”

Ostlund is not squeamish about killing game birds and animals. He’s an efficient duck and goose hunter and kills a buck deer every year. But he draws a line when it comes to killing without a good reason. Venison, ducks, geese and upland birds are wonderful table fare.

Ostlund is aware that many cattlemen carry rifles in their pickups and kill every coyote they see. Coyotes can be deadly on newborn cattle. Aside from killing calves and sick animals, they have little impact on strong adults.

There are no cattle and sheep on the Hanford side of the Reach. Always opportunists, they subsist primarily on ground squirrels, mice, ducks, geese and game birds. They also walk the Columbia’s shoreline looking for dead fish. Lately, they’ve been finding dead chinook salmon along the shoreline.

Most folks who fish for the chinook salmon never become aware of the animals and birds along the mighty river. They’re too intent on the tips of their rods to look for wildlife as their boats drift downstream. It’s hard not to see the huge white pelicans. The birds are often seen on the islands between their fishing trips.

Thousands of acres on the Hanford reservation were burned during the summer months. The wildfire burned everything from grass to sagebrush, creating problems for wildlife. However, the burned area is not visible to salmon fishers.

Incidentally, some of the fishers along the Reach are not interested in catching salmon. Ostlund said he and his sons, Eric and Curt, last weekend talked with an out-of-work man at the public access area near the Vernita bridge who checked 207 pikeminnows (formerly known as squawfish) with officials. He fished two days and nights to catch the fish.

“We figured, based on how many fish he already had caught, those fish were worth $1,047,” he said.