Gray Lodge report

[Jay]

Took my two oldest son's to the Gray Lodge cleanup day.

They had a total blast. We went on wooduck patrol. Banded three hens, documented two previsouly banded hens, found two barn owls asleep in wooduck boxes, and got to set three baby owlettes.

Both of my boys won something in the CWA raffle even though Mike Riley had it rigged so his son won about 5 or 6 times.

### :) ###

[Woodduck]

Jay,

Nice to finally meet you yesterday. ###We also had a great time and even raised a few bucks for the ducks! ###Everyone really enjoyed themselves. ###I heard a lot of good reports from the woodduck crews. ###Lot's of birds on the nests and even got to band a few birds. ###Neat!

We had about 110 folks show up to this event and Mike Womack was very appreciative of all the help on the refuge. ###He had a number of things to try and get done and everyone pitched to help make Gray Lodge a better place! ###Thanks for all of you help. And thanks to the Gray Lodge Crew for organizing this event, especially Charlotte, Cheryl and Andy. ###Andy put on the wonderful BBQ lunch.

Thanks to our sponsor, Hogan's sporting goods, who largely sponsored our kids raffle. ###Please patronize their store in Pleasant Hill, and be on the look out for their Duck-a-thon this August with all kinds of cool new gear. ###But Jay, to set the record straight, Mike's son only won 5 times, and he put one of the items back in the hopper for someone else! ###I guess that's what he gets for being very generous and buying a lot of tickets. ###Our guns went to Ross Salo, one of the Regional Wooduck Cordinators, and Steve Ferario, a dyed in the wool refuge hunter. ###Congratulations!

I'll expect to see the rest of you guys out there next year. ###It's almost as good as being at Gray Lodge on the opener with a number one ressie.....sort of. ###Well for this time of year, it definitely is as good! ###

[Greenhead]

Had a great time on Saturday at the Lodge. Met Jay and Mike Riley but didn't have the pleasure of meeting Woodduck. Saw your white Ford and six-pack camper, but couldn't figure out which guy you were.

In any event, the group I was with hung 16 woodduck boxes and checked a few boxes as well. Evicted a starling, viewed a woodie nest full of eggs (sans hen) and got a very up close and personal view of a barn owl with her two chicks and her ample supply of dead mice for mid day snacking.

All and all, had a great time and it was cool to drive the backroads of Grey Lodge and do something productive. See you there next year.

[Woodduck]

Greenhead,

I was the guy calling the raffle numbers!

[Mike Riley]

Great job by everybody. ###Mike Womack is always amazed at the amount of work the volunteers get done. ###Just shows what hunters can accomplish when they have their "hearts" into it. ###Special thanks to Phil and Rob for all their work, Chef Andrew, and what a great showing by all the Gray Lodge DFG employees(the best refuge crew in the state). ### ###

[Jay]

Just taking a free shot at Mike there.

He's gonna get some grief when he's passing out the raffle items and his son keeps coming up with the winning ticket.

[Mike Riley]

Hell Jay, I figured you fixed it, since my son traded a BB gun to yours for a t-shirt. ###Then he came up with the theory that we should have bought twice the tickets and won twice as much. ###It is becoming increasingly obvious to me that they don't teach economics at his grammar school. ###No, ###the bad part was all the things I wish he would have won he didn't . ###Phil was picking the numbers and I was picking which prizes - man was I off. ###Notice, though dad didn't win diddle in the big raffle. ###It was not my day, but still had a great time. ###BTW - the kid got a 7 inch beard Sunday morning, so I guess he's still on a roll.

[Jay]

Mike,

My son really appreciated the BB gun trade. Looks like I'm gonna take him out after Mr. Longbeard on Saturday.