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Guzzlers; Construction - Trail Camera- Wildlife
Guzzlers are artificial structures built in suitable wildlife habitats to provide an additional source of water for wildlife of all types and sizes. They provide adequate drinking water during critical periods of the year and are used almost exclusively in arid portions of eastern Washington. The Richland Rod & Gun Club constructed its first guzzler in the 1950's and has continued to build, repair, and maintain guzzlers for the past 50 years.
New installation of guzzler #314 using recycled tank. Left to right Mark Kerns, Jack Pickard, Larry Martin, Greg Herrin, Melissa Huston, not pictured Alan Hamilton & Danielle Frum.
Guzzler #27 before repair and after repair. Left to right Larry Martin, Dave Myers, Jack Pickard & Mark Kerns.
Melissa Huston won the Greg Herrin painted and signed fishing lure given away after guzzler #314 installation.
Guzzler #313 installation crew decided to give the Greg Herrin painted and signed fishing lure to land owners Alan and Danielle.
Thanks Greg for donating these beautiful lures.
We are finding places to re-install guzzlers that are remove due to crop change. This one is on Alan Hamilton's property southeast of Benton City. Left to right lower Jack Pickard, Todd Hennick, Danielle Frum, Alan Hamilton, standing Larry Martin, Greg Herrin.
1-22-21 Jack Pickard, Greg Herrin, Todd Hennick, Alan Hamilton, Danielle Frum and Larry Martin installed the Rain catchment for guzzler #313. It was pretty cold and there was snow on the ground but we got it done and had fun. Alan sent me a note later saying he was very happy to have the guzzler on his property.
Left to right Larry Martin, Jack Pickard, Greg Herrin, Dale Schielke.
1-11-21 Greg Herrin, Jack Pickard, Dale Schielke & Larry Martin took out guzzler 126 from Anderson's property and used parts of it to refurbish fire damaged guzzler 307 also on their property. Anderson's wanted 126 removed due to crop change. We were all kind of surprised the job went so fast considering all we had to do. To drain the water out of guzzler 126 we used a garden hose siphon, a pump driven by a battery operated drill and buckets. Guzzler 307 is south of Kennewick near Owen's road.
Last few screws going into rain catchment apron guzzler #313
Jack Pickard won the Greg Herrin painted and signed perch pattern lure.
1-9-21 Alan Hamilton and his son Paul picked a good location on their property and installed the tank for guzzler #313. That's a lot of work digging a hole that size.
1-7-2021 Gene Van Liew and Larry Martin assembled rain catchment frames and prepped metal legs for upcoming guzzler #313 installation.
12-29-2020 Jack Pickard and Larry Martin picked up guzzler tank from WDFW Windmill Ranch and delivered to Alan Hamilton's property for upcoming installation.
12-1-20 Dale Schielke, Greg Herrin and Larry Martin refurbished fire damaged guzzler #85 located near Benton and Yakima county boarder off McKinley Springs and Farnum roads. A leg and some frame boards were burned off, other legs were scorched but salvageable. The guzzler was 4/10 of a mile from the dirt road so we used Larry’s one wheel deer cart to haul materials and equipment to the job site. It was a good day not to hot not too cold and we had fun. Greg Herrin paints some very beautiful signed fishing lures and has started a lure give away drawing (longest stick) for participants. Dale Schielke got the longest stick this time and choose the middle lure pictured.
Before and after pictures of guzzler #25 repair. South of Benton City, County Wells & Beightol road area. Left to right Mike Estees, Larry Martin, Gene Van Liew, Jack Pickard, Greg Herrin & Dale Schielke. We all brought chairs, sat down and ate lunch afterwards.
6-3-20 Larry Martin checked for potential guzzler damage from yesterday's wildfire in the Horse Heaven hills west of Benton City, Yakitat, Gibbon road area. Spokane BLM Wildfire department was still there. Larry talked with them about walking up to guzzler #2 which was the only one hit. They were reluctant to let him walk up until they left the scene but they volunteered to take the quadrants of the guzzler and go themselves for practice in finding things by GPS. They took pictures and sent them to Larry. This guzzler had metal legs installed several years ago and made it through only slightly scorched. The fence is partially down because some wood posts burned but there are no cattle in the area now so there isn't a rush to get it fixed. This guzzler was installed in the 50s or 60s although it has had repairs done over the years.
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Greg Herrin captured these pictures with his trail camera.
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Guzzler 183 boyscouts found broken during inspect & clean
Blaine Schwartz pictured after he and Larry Martin repaired #183.
Guzzler work 3-5-20 Gene Van Liew, Jim Cartmell and Larry Martin repaired guzzler #308, one of the two rain catchment aprons had blown off and was laying nearby. Installed one new post and reused other three posts. Mounted frames to all eight posts with lag bolts to add strength. Also inspected and cleaned guzzlers 200, 202, 203, 204 & 282. These guzzlers are located southeast of Prosser, Highway 221 and Sellards road area. Jason Fidorra found this guzzler damaged and sent the picture.
12-12-19 Corrie Thorne-Hadley (WDFW) and Larry Martin repaired guzzlers 100 & 101 resetting loose posts on both to realign catchment aprons, replaced side board on one and reinforced frames & tin on both. North of Walla Walla along Sudbury road.
12-8-19 Todd Hennick, Melissa Huston, Greg Herrin & Larry Martin dug up and removed guzzlers 85 & 88 on Garrett Moon’s property due to crop change. Garrett said he didn’t want to remove them but needed to. Garrett donated the tanks to be used for future repairs. Guzzler tanks are now slightly over $950 each + tax new. Todd & Melissa volunteered to keep the tanks at their property in Pasco. While using Ron Ruth’s trailer, as we traveled across the fields to the guzzlers somehow the lower gate on the tailgate came loose and broke the hinges holding it, luckily we backtracked and found the gate and broken hinge. Todd & Melissa know Josh Fain who owns a shop, they called him and he said to stop by on the way home. Josh spent an hour and welded the hinge back in place plus reinforced the other hinges on the upper gate. Josh donated his time to the cause.
12-5-19 Greg Herrin took his dogs for a walk carrying along a rake and inspected/cleaned guzzlers 90 & 94. Greg also set up his trail camera at the guzzler. South of Benton City.
11-24-19 Todd Hennick, Riley Zionce & Larry Martin repaired guzzlers 127 and 196. Damages included broken rain catchment aprons, replacing loose screws with correct size, tank ramp was installed sideways so most of rain missed tank. Todd’s commercial nylon trimmer worked great knocking down tall grass. South of Kennewick Bateman road area.
11-23-19 Todd Hennick organized and lead a team of Chris George, Jamison George (10 year old), Jeremiah Oldenburg and inspected/cleaned guzzlers 301,304, 305 & 307. The team repaired guzzler 305 which had one apron blown completely off. Guzzler 307 was hit by fire and needs major repairs including a new fiberglass tank top, 301 they removed four foot tall grass blocking the guzzler. South of Kennewick Owens road area
Saturday 11-16-19 Todd Hennick, Melissa Huston and Larry Martin inspected and cleaned guzzlers south of Kennewick, Owen's road area numbers 126, 127, 196, 288, 293, 300 & 306. Three of the guzzlers were damaged, two are scheduled for repair later but we repaired guzzler #300 on the same day. The pictures show Melissa with the wind damaged guzzler and the crew after repairs. Left to right Larry, Todd & Melissa.
6-8-19 Steve Antonissen, Jim Cartmell, Greg Herrin, Mark Kerns, Ron Ruth & Larry Martin repaired guzzler 178, replaced one damaged apron frame, one side of sheet metal and new metal legs. This guzzler was 3/10th of a mile from road, had to hand carry all equipment. Steve Antonissen saw a very big buck on the way to the guzzler. Guzzler located in Walla Walla county southeast of Burbank, Touchet N road area.
Picture of finish guzzler 178, Pictured left to right Ron Ruth, Jim Cartmell, Tom Klein, Mark Kerns, Greg Herrin, Steve Antonissen not pictured Larry Martin.
Inspect and clean guzzlers, left to right Larry Martin, Chris Dale, Todd Hennick and Melissa Huston.
Since the April newsletter 38 guzzlers were inspected and cleaned, some need repairs and will be scheduled later. This consisted of several days work, 3-24, 3-30, 4-10, 4-15 & 4-19. Volunteers were Kriston Brooks, Carter Colunga, Chris Dale, Bea Erickson, Paul Erickson, Walker Fabbri, Ben Haws, Peter Haws, Todd Hennick, Greg Herrin, Melissa Huston, Larry Martin, Justin Montgomery, Spencer Montgomery. These guzzlers were in Walla Walla east of Burbank, Benton County southwest of Kennewick and some southeast of Prosser. Most of the guzzlers are on feel free to hunt, or haunting by written permission. Man/hours 123.5
Guzzler 280 before refurbish.
5-6 19 Larry Martin repaired guzzler 231, rebuilt frame with new 10 foot apron side board, one cross board and new post. This guzzler is in Benton county south east of Prosser, also picked up two trail cameras set up earlier.
Wildlife watering guzzler work November.
11-3-18 Zackary Nelson, Bill Nelson, Lori Nelson, Duncan Gill, Sam Payne, Greg Payne and Larry Martin assembled rain catchment frames for upcoming guzzler number 6 repair 22 man/hrs.
11-10-18 John Prather, Zackary Nelson, Steve Antonissen, Tom Klein, Monte Kelsey, Bill Watson and Larry Martin refurbished guzzler 280 with complete new rain catchment aprons and some fiber glass repair on the tank. 40.5 man/hrs.
11-24-18 Zackary Nelson, Bill Nelson, Sairaghav Gubba, Daniel Nelson and Larry Martin delivered frames, leg posts, and corrugated sheet metal to guzzler 280 job site which is 3/10th mile (hand carried) off Weber Canyon road south east of Benton City. All this work Zackary has been doing is part of his Eagle Scout project.
Guzzler 280 refurbish 11-10-18 Franklin County east of Kahlotus off Gill road. Left to right, Steve Antonissen, Bill Watson, John Prather, Ton Klein, Monte Kelsey, Zackary Nelson and Larry Martin.
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9-27-18 Work party repaireed guzzler 195, located south of Kennewick off Boffer road. Pictured left to right Larry Noggles, Jim Drake, Gene Van Liew, Tom Klein, Larry Martin. We thought we would need to carry all equipment cross country but found a way to drive right up next to guzzler, yeah!
Installation of tank and cover with ramp
Installation of rain/snow collector
Construction of guzzler frame
Finished guzzler and final inspection
In 2011 the Club placed a Trail Camera at various guzzlers and found an abundance of wildlife using them .
Chukar Covey
Deer
Meadowlark
Crow
Packrat
Coyote
Dove
June 2018- Larry Martin and his band of volunteers have been extremely in May. Larry reported that during a check of Wood Duck Boxes on the Walla Walla River, merganzers were found to be using
several of the wood duck boxes. This has not been observed before.
Larry provided the following information as to maintenance and repairs of the guzzlers.
1. May 2nd, John Merk, Greg Herrin, Mark Kerns and Larry Martin refurbished guzzler 160 complete with new rain catchment aprons.
2. May 16th, Ron Ruth, Greg Herrin, Mark Kerns and Larry Martin refurbished guzzler 159 with new complete rain catchment aprons.
(Both guzzlers 159 and 160 are located on Northern Pacific Railroad property southeast of Burbank. Both guzzlers had age related damage.)
Larry has been putting out game cameras at some of the guzzler locations and the photos provided below are the results.
Larry provided the following narrative. Our trail cameras were set up at two guzzlers for a couple of weeks, we captured thousands of pictures of wildlife using the guzzlers returning again and again such as, dark-eyed junco, white-crowned sparrow, song sparrow, robin, dove, magpie, black-headed grosbeak, goldfinch, yellow-rumors warbler, starling, horned lark, great horned owl, pheasant, mice, badger, coyote, antelope and elk, also a coupe large frogs. We didn’t see deer at these two locations.
Larry Martin's grandson, Jordan
May 2018- Larry Martin and his band of volunteers have been extremely in late March and through the month of April. Larry’s work diary is as follows;
1. March 27, Dave Myers and Larry Martin inspected and cleaned guzzlers 158, 160, 161 and 184. 3 of the 4 need new rain catchment aprons.
2. March 28, Gene Van Liew and Larry Martin assembled 3 rain catchment aprons for future guzzler repairs.
3. April 2. Don Smith and Larry Martin inspected and cleaned guzzler 4, repaired the fence by installing three new fence posts.
4. April 21, Larry Martin set up a trail camera at guzzler 253, then inspected and cleand guzzlers 206, 207, and 254
5. April 23, Greg Herrin and Larry Martin replace the rain catchment aprons on guzzler 184, also repaired the surrounding fence for the guzzler and habitat area. The habitat plot with Shrubs and trees that were planted 25 to 30 years ago.
February 2018- Larry Martin reported that he and Dave Myers inspected and cleaned guzzlers 150, 153, 168, 169, and 186 on the 23rd of January. They took their dogs also. The guzzlers are located in Walla Walla County in the Britton Road and Gluck Road area.
Larry is always in need of volunteers to assist. Contact Larry at 509 545 9647 if you area able to donate a half day or so.
Additionally, Larry will be purchasing an additional game camera to record activities at a second guzzler. The funds for the second trail camera were provided by RRGC funds. Larry is posting photos to the RRGC Facebook page.
As previously reported, the $2400 ALEA Grant that was awarded through WDFW is being utilized for repair materials for the guzzlers.
Pictured below are volunteers are Dave Myers and Larry Martin.
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