Officers and Trustees

 

Bill Suhr and Owen Matson have been appointed as Trustees to fill two vacancies on the Board of Directors until annual elections are held at the March 3, 2026 general membership meeting.  Thanks to Owen and Bill for stepping up to serve in these important positions.  It takes a sizable team to administer the finances, programs, and projects of our club.

 

We are still looking for someone to fill the position of Membership Chair.  Ron Moore is serving as Interim Membership Chair in addition to his duties as Treasurer.  It will be impossible for Ron to handle membership renewals and Quality Trip ticket sales simultaneously at the Wild Game Dinner on March 21 so time is of the essence in appointing a new Membership Chair and/or finding someone to help out at the registration desk at the WGD.  It is desirable that the Membership Chair is a Trustee, but it is not required, so any club member is eligible to serve.  Please contact President Evan Kirkpatrick (414- 534-2817) if you are, or might be, willing to become more involved with the administration of our club as an Officer, Trustee, or committee chair. 

 

Volunteers Needed for Tri-Cities Sportsmen Show

 

The 31st annual Tri-Cities Sportsman Show will be held on January 23, 24, and 25, 2026 at the HAPO Center in Pasco. RRGC has supplied volunteers to staff the youth fishing pond (Lunker Lake) and the youth pellet range every year for the last three decades.  Ron Ruth is coordinating volunteers to staff the pellet range.  Dale Shielke has the volunteer sign up list for set up and tear down of Lunker Lake and manning the pond to assist kids while fishing during the three days of the event.  Show hours are Friday from noon to 7:00pm., Saturday from 10:00am to 6:00pm, and Sunday from 10:00am to 4:00pm.  Volunteer shifts are 3 to 4 hours with a 30 minute overlap between arriving and departing volunteers so that fishing can be fully supported during shift changes.  Pond set up will be on Thursday morning, March 22, starting at 9:00am.  Shift hours on Friday are Noon to 3:30pm and 3:00pm to 7:00pm.  Saturday shifts are 9:30am to 12:30pm, Noon to 3:30pm, and 3:00pm to 6:00pm.  Sunday shifts are 9:30am to 1:00pm, 12:30pm to 4:00pm, and pond tear down from 4:00pm to 6:00pm.  Refreshments will be available for volunteers helping at the fishing pond and the pellet range.    If you haven’t already signed up to help, please call or text Dale Schielke at 509-420-0021 to volunteer or sign up at the January 6 meeting. 

 

Wild Game Dinner Planning Meeting and Donations

 

Marilyn Steele will host a planning meeting at her home at 6:00pm on Friday, January 16 for the 2026 Wild Game Dinner that will be held on March 21.  This meeting is for cooks, chefs, and all helpers and volunteers needed to conduct the dinner.  Experience is not required and everyone is welcome, so please attend.  Food is involved so do not eat dinner before the meeting.  Marilyn’s address is 41520 S. Morton Road, Kennewick.  Please call of text Marilyn to let her know you are coming so she plan accordingly.

 

Meat donations are coming in but we still need more!  What can you contribute for the dinner?  Please set aside a portion of your fish and game harvest to share.  If and when you can commit to a donation please text Marilyn Steele at 509-392-2128 or send an email to momhoops46@gmail.com.

 

Solicitation of raffle and door prizes for the dinner is underway.  If you have a prize to donate or would like to help with prize solicitation, please call or text John Prather at 509-521-1593.  A letter that can be given to prospective prize donors that includes RRGC’s tax identification number and the purposes of our club is available from John. 

 

WDFW Notice and Reporting Reminder

 

The state legislature has reenacted the Columbia River salmon and steelhead endorsement (CRSSE) to fish recreationally for salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River and many tributaries and lakes effective January 1, 2026.  Although 2025-2026 fishing licenses do not expire until March 31, 2026, a CRSSE is required if you plan to fish for steelhead or salmon between January 1 and March 31, 2026.  The CRSSE is not required to fish in the Columbia for species other than steelhead or salmon.  The cost of the CRSSE is $8.75 for anglers age 16 and older or $7.10 for anglers 15 years old or resident seniors age 70 or older.  You will need to purchase another CRSSE with your 2026-2027 fishing license if you plan to fish for steelhead or salmon after March 31, 2026.  Reinstating the CRSSE is intended to help offset funding cuts to Columbia River fisheries work during the state’s budget shortfall.

 

The deadline for submitting big game and turkey hunting reports is January 31, 2026, unless you have a special permit that extends beyond that date and then the deadline is within 10 days after the close of that season.  Failure to report will result in a $10 administrative fee when you purchase your 2026-2027 hunting license.  File on time and save the $10 for ammunition.  

 

Hunter Education

 

Ron Ruth presented a check for $1,000 from the Ringold Chapter of Pheasants Forever at the December Board meeting.  The donation is in support of the club’s No Hunter Left Behind project.  Ron leads the project to introduce new hunters to upland bird hunting through mentored hunts at Limits Game Farm near Eltopia.  We sincerely appreciate the donation and support from the PF Ringold Chapter.  Our next HE class will be held during the 2026 school spring break.  The first day of class will be April 6 and on line registration for the class will open of the WDFW web page about March 6.  The annual pheasant hunt for HE class graduates will be on Saturday, February 21, 2026 at Limits Game Farm.  Several instructors from the RRGC Hunter Education team will be attending WDFW In-Service Training (IST) in Wenatchee from March 26 to 29 to retain their instructor certifications.

 

Wood Duck Nest Box Maintenance

 

Dale Schielke reports that annual nest box clean outs will begin in early January, after local river levels recede.  The goal is to inspect, clean, and install new wood chips in all 600+ nest boxes by mid-March.  Mike Estes got an early start and serviced four nest boxes at Whitcomb Island on December 17.  All of the boxes on the island were used by wood ducks this year.  The largest use of a single box was Box 557 which hatched 18 eggs and also contained 5 unhatched eggs.  The unhatched eggs were either not fertile or were killed by high spring temperatures before they could hatch.  The most interesting find was Box 559 which contained 8 egg membranes (evidence of hatched ducklings), 1 unhatched egg, and 2 wild turkey breast feathers as shown in the photo below.  The third feather in the photo is a wood duck feather that the hen plucked from her breast to help line the nest.  Where did the turkey feathers come from and how did they get in the nest box?  Surprises are fun!  If you would like to volunteer to help check nest boxes, please call or text Dale at 509-420-0021.