THINGS TO DO: Hunting

Fall is a busy season for hunting the various wildlife.

Late in the summer, rifle and archery hunters in Wallowa County begin to suit up for trips to any of the seven wildlife management units. Chesnimnus and Sled Springs, with plenty of deer and elk, are popular for easy recreation. Snake River, Minam and Imnaha are suited for rugged excursions to Hells Canyon and Eagle Cap Wilderness. Their big game includes bear, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and cougar.

Also, August is about time bird hunting picks up. It continues through January. Upland birds include turkey, waterfowl, blue grouse, ruffed grouse, chukar partridge, rooster pheasant and California quail.

For more information and maps, hunters frequent a couple of offices in Enterprise. Contact the USFS Visitors Center at 541-426-5546, or try the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife at 541-426-3279.

Meanwhile, outfitters organize unique hunting trips.

Del Sol Wilderness Adventures is a horseback packing outfit, run by Barry Cox and Shay Mann based in Lostine. They hunt for bear in the spring as well as fall. Packages range from the basic hiker drop to the deluxe camp, complete with horses, a cook and other amenities. Call Cox at 541-398-2088, or Mann at 541-912-0340.

Besides horseback, the water is another travel option. Winding Waters River Expeditions, known for rafting the rapids around through the county, also guides bird hunters during October on trips through Hells Canyon via Snake River. The area is packed with Chukars. Call Paul Arentsen and Morgan Jenkins at 1-877-426-7238.

Wes Gorbett at the Eagle Cap Wilderness Pack Station also guides hunters and furnishes their camping trips. Call him at 541-432-4145.

For an even more secluded trip, try Ninebark Outfitters. About an hour out of downtown Joseph, it’s a working cattle ranch with a private trailhead and a cabin at the bottom of a canyon. Big game and bird hunting are among the options, along with fishing, biking and hiking. Call Dub and CJ Darneille at 541-426-4855.