Warner Wet..er..Dry Lands

skein · 08-22-2003, 03:12 PM

Just got back from a couple days at the base of Hart Mountain, and for you guys who duck hunt over there - forget it. There is almost NO water north of Hart Lake.

Flagstaff is completely dry, even the channel that goes under the bridge. Campbell is all but dry with a few places for the seagulls to keep their feet wet by standing in the mud in the middle. All the little channels are bone dry.

South toward Adel there is a little more water and some waterfowl, but nothing like the breeding grounds that were there three years ago.

BTW, we went over to get a good clear look at Mars without being blinded by artificial lights. It was incredibly beautiful. The stars got so bright they hurt our eyes, then as if it were a staged event, Mars made his grand entrance over the Hart Mt rim. We sat and watched the show as the coyotes sang to us from the four points of the compass. Too beautiful!

Uh...did I mention the rabbits are back? Hehehe.

Skein

GutshotApe · 08-22-2003, 03:39 PM

Hart Mtn from westside (Warner valley) in May.

Its one of my favorite parts of eastern Oregon.

Looking north in Warner Valley towards Crump Lake. You're right Skein...a couple of the larger lakes still have water...but even they've receded and have bare alkali shorelines for quite a distance from the sagebrush line. The smaller ponds are all dry.

[ 08-22-2003, 04:49 PM: Message edited by: GutshotApe ]

Gun Rod Bow · 08-23-2003, 10:30 PM

Met up with my buddy last weekend in the woods NW of Burns Saturday night. Stars were incredible, great time of year for sleeping "out".

He'd been scouting the Sheepheads for bucks and said it was Dry dry dry. No deer, antelope, horses...

Thanks for the report Skein.

WildHawg · 08-26-2003, 06:29 AM

I too was lucky enough to partake in the celestial show this last week. My wife drew her first antelope tag this year (Juniper), so we spent 5 days ranging from Burns, to the Steens, to Three Forks of the Owyhee, and back to the Valley. WOW!! What a show!!!
Though the Perceid Meteor Showers had ended, we still saw a fair amount of "shooting stars" as well.
If you've never done it, look up a night sky map which shows light pollution online. You'll see that Southeastern Oregon is among the darkest places in the U.S., along with the Florida Swamps!
It is well worth the trip just for the light show--especially during the Perceid's (early August).
Glad you two enjoyed yourselves!
Let's go fishin' sometime GRB. UglyShad and I have been cleanin' up on the buggers.

Chum King · 09-02-2003, 10:26 PM

Skein,

Thanks for the report... only wish it was better news.

I just got back from an antelope hunt in the Whitehorse unit, and the blacktailed jacks are coming back strong down there as well. It was very dry down in the SE corner of the state, although not as bad as it sounds like Warner is. I guess you'd better pray for a lot of rain if you are going to float your Ed Wing duck boat at Warner.