Phillips: As summer winds down, hunting seasons are set to roll

The month of August is almost gone, and with it goes some of the hottest days of summer and some of the hottest fishing of the season. But with the relief of the cooler days of September comes many more opportunities in the outdoors, especially on the hunting side of things.

Many of the first hunting seasons arrive each year at the beginning of September.

Archery hunters will be in the field hunting deer starting this Thursday, with archery elk hunters getting their first hunting season of the year on Sept. 6.

Bear hunters have had some areas open to them since early to mid-August, but some game manage-ment units in Eastern Washington will open Thursday as well.

Bird hunters have some great opportunities as well with the arrival of September. The very popular dove season opens Thursday, as does forest grouse hunting.    

During the past several years, hunters have found plenty of doves in and around the wheat fields of the Yakima Valley and in other agricultural regions of Eastern Washington. But this year they may find fewer birds.

According to a recent survey by wildlife biologists for the Yakama Nation, dove counts were down somewhat from the past two years.

In 2009 biologists counted over five doves per mile on the reservation. Last year the count dropped to just over three doves per mile. This year the count dropped to a little over two doves per mile. But a look back over the survey numbers for the past 18 years, it looks like the two-dove-per-mile number is about average.

“Dove counts are back down to average after a few very high years,” said Yakama Nation biologist Tracy Hames. “This year’s count was unusual in that normally a good portion of the doves we count are in the Ahtanum area in July and August. This year there seemed to be good numbers of birds there early, but they flew the coop by late July.”

Hames said there will still be doves around, but he recommends hunters get out a day or two before the season and do a little scouting to find fields where the birds are feeding.

Unless the fields are marked “Feel Free To Hunt,” hunters will need to get permission to hunt in any other privately-owned areas. In addition to a state hunting license and state migratory bird stamp, hunters will also need a Yakama Nation hunting permit to hunt on the Yakama reservation.

There are other options for hunters wanting to chase doves in the lower Yakima Valley. The fast flying birds can be found in the grain fields near Zillah, Sunnyside, Grandview and Prosser.

One recent phenomenon dove hunters should be aware of is the rapid increase of Eurasian collared doves in the Valley. First noticed about four or five years ago, the population of these non-native birds has erupted in the region.

The collared doves are larger than our native mourning doves, look a little lighter gray in flight and have an obvious black collar around the back of their neck.

Both state and tribal biologists do not want the new birds around competing with the native mourning doves, so they have basically opened the season on them year-round and set no bag limits. So, in addition to the 10 mourning doves per day, a hunter can shoot as many of the collared doves as they want.

Hunters wanting to find a forest grouse may have to hunt fairly hard, at least in the mountains around Central Washington. There are some birds around, but numbers for both the ruffed and blue grouse have been down for several years in the area.

The smaller ruffed grouse are normally found in the thick brush and trees around the creek drainages flowing out of the Cascades, while the larger blue grouse can be found around berry patches and along the ridgelines of the higher elevations.

Even with the seemingly declining numbers of grouse, the state actually raised the limit on grouse to four per day a couple of years ago.

September is almost here, and with it comes some of the first hunting opportunities of the year. Dove and grouse hunters will find fewer birds when they hit the fields later this week, but there still should be enough birds around to make the effort worth while.

• Rob Phillips is a freelance outdoor writer and partner in the advertising firm of Smith, Phillips & DiPietro. He can be reached at rwphillips@spdadvertising.com.

Shooting ranges get ‘emphasis patrols’

Firearm shooters at some of the unofficial shooting ranges on Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife lands, such as those off Sheep Company and Buffalo roads in Selah and off Durr Road south of Ellensburg, can expect more frequent checks by uniformed officers and the use of non-uniformed, plainclothes law enforcement personnel.

The “emphasis patrols” are part of the WDFW’s effort to reverse the unfortunate trend of shooters who bring out trash, such as old computer monitors or furniture, to use for target practice, and then leave them behind along with piles of spent shells. None of that should be left behind.

A year or so ago, the WDFW began requiring visitors to have a department parking/access permit to go to the numerous “access points” in the Wenas and L.T. Murray wildlife areas — essentially, the parking areas used by people on their way to a shooting range. Now, though, simply being anywhere in those wildlife areas requires either the WDFW access permit or the Discover Pass.

Now, people at those sites can expect to be checked by an enforcement officer. For people who have the permits and observe the law, that may seem like a hassle. But, officer Alan Baird said, “It’s the 5 percent who cause 95 percent of the problem, but a lot of the time it’s that 5 percent that don’t have the permits.”

08/30/11 What’s Happening

Nile meeting to focus on tribal hunters

The issue of big-game hunting by tribal hunters from westside tribes will be the subject of a public meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Nile Library.

The meeting was arranged by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife enforcement division officers in response to an increase of hunting activity along the State Route 410 corridor, much of it by Muckleshoot tribal members.

Nile residents are “pretty involved with watching after things” in the area, WDFW enforcement officer Alan Baird said, adding that the meeting is designed to give locals a better understanding of treaty rights and off-reservation hunting.

Baird and regional enforcement Capt. Rich Mann will be at the meeting to discuss the issue and answer questions. Baird said he had seen “a lot of misinformation” about the situation being posted on some hunting-related online forums.

“There’s a lot of upset people on (those forums) and maybe running on some bad information, and that tends to feed on itself,” Baird said. “I want to get the most recent and best information out.”

Shooting ranges get ‘emphasis patrols’
Firearm shooters at some of the unofficial shooting ranges on Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife lands, such as those off Sheep Company and Buffalo roads in Selah and off Durr Road south of Ellensburg, can expect more frequent checks by uniformed officers and the use of non-uniformed, plainclothes law enforcement personnel.

The “emphasis patrols” are part of the WDFW’s effort to reverse the unfortunate trend of shooters who bring out trash, such as old computer monitors or furniture, to use for target practice, and then leave them behind along with piles of spent shells. None of that should be left behind.

A year or so ago, the WDFW began requiring visitors to have a department parking/access permit to go to the numerous “access points” in the Wenas and L.T. Murray wildlife areas — essentially, the parking areas used by people on their way to a shooting range. Now, though, simply being anywhere in those wildlife areas requires either the WDFW access permit or the Discover Pass.

Now, people at those sites can expect to be checked by an enforcement officer. For people who have the permits and observe the law, that may seem like a hassle. But, officer Alan Baird said, “It’s the 5 percent who cause 95 percent of the problem, but a lot of the time it’s that 5 percent that don’t have the permits.”

Big Yak trap shoot scheduled for Sept. 17-18
The 62nd annual “Blanket Shoot” known to trap shooters around the Pacific Northwest as the Big Yak will take place Sept. 17-18 at the Pomona range in Selah.

This will also mark the eighth year the shoot has carried the name of the Joe King Memorial Trap Shoot, in honor of  a renowned local shooter who died in 2003 and whose family still donates the prized blankets that go to winners. Some $5,000 in cash and prizes will go out to the top shooters.

The shooting weekend will also include a silent auction to raise money for breast cancer research, a potluck with barbecue salmon and chicken, and a Texas hold-em tournament.

BIRD ALERT
Nine birders climbed all over the north slope of Bear Creek Mountain in search of the elusive Yakima County white tailed ptarmigan.

While they failed to locate any ptarmigan they did rack up an impressive list of birds for late August with 32 species noted; highlights included a female-plumaged Williamson’s sapsucker, spotted around the 6,000-foot elevation that was boring into a mature, live mountain hemlock tree and well away from its usual dry forest haunts.

They also noted northern goshawk, olive-sided flycatcher, warbling vireo, gray jay, Steller’s jay, Clark’s nutcracker, mountain chickadee, pacific wren, golden-crowned kinglet, ruby-crowned kinglet, orange-crowned warbler, Nashville warbler, Townsend’s warbler, Wilson’s warbler, Cassin’s finch and red crossbill.

A greater scaup was spotted in the middle of Wenas Lake along with Canada goose, mallard, blue-winged teal, northern shoveler, and green-winged teal. There were also a few shorebirds appearing on the mud as the lake continues to recede. Shorebirds noted included: killdeer, spotted sandpiper, solitary sandpiper, western sandpiper and least sandpiper.

From Parker Heights a small selection of fall migrants were reported with common nighthawk, black-chinned hummingbird, rufous hummingbird, warbling vireo,  cedar waxwing, orange-crowned warbler, Nashville warbler, Wilson’s warbler, western tanager, black-headed grosbeak and Bullock’s oriole highlighting the list.

A very loose flock of 62 Vaux’s swifts were observed as they passed fairly high overhead at the Larson Building. A few swifts were also noted over the Yakima Herald-Republic building on 3rd Street.
Please call your bird sightings into the Yakima Valley Audubon phone line at 509-248-1963.
— Kerry L. Turley

ON THE CALENDAR
THIS MORNING: The Cascadians plan a hike of Spiral Butte, a 12-mile trek that will entail 2,500 feet of elevation gain. The group meets at 7:30 a.m. at the 40th Avenue Bi-Mart parking lot.

THIS MORNING: Mount Adams Cycling’s easy Greenway ride for beginners or prospective new club members will begin at 8:30 a.m. from the 40th Avenue Bi-Mart. For more on the club’s ride schedule, go to www.mountadamscycling.org.

TONIGHT: Riders on Mount Adams Cycling’s weekly Tuesday night 24- to 30-mile ride will head out from YAC Fitness in Terrace Heights at 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Participants in Mount Adams Cyling’s weekly 21-mile Naches loop ride will leave the SunTides Golf Course parking lot at 6 p.m.

THURSDAY: The Cascadians’ Pokies will head to the Mount Rainier East Side trail, hiking north from the Grove of the Patriarchs. For meeting time and place, call Jim Barnhill at 509-457-9624. LOOKING AHEAD: The Pokies have looked at Naches Peak and “gazed into the (snow-cover) future,” and have decided to juggle the schedule and hike it on Sept. 15. Details TBA, but just a note: Mount Rainier National Park regulations limit all hiking groups to 24.

THURSDAY: Two cycling clubs will have rides beginning at 6 p.m. Chinook Cycling will host a mountain bike ride, beginning from the Scenic Drive entrance to the canyon. (For more info, call Jeff at Revolution Cycles at 509-452-0063.) Mount Adams Cycling will hold a beginner-level ride on the Greenway, beginning from the 40th Avenue Bi-Mart lot.

MONDAY: Chinook Cycling will host its weekly “Mellow Monday” ride, a 15-miler beginning at 6 p.m. from Wide Hollow Elementary. For information on Chinook Cycling events and rides, go to www.chinookcycling.com.

It’s time for Pigskin Picks

YAKIMA, Wash. — Here’s your chance to show that you know more about football than the Yakima Herald-Republic Sports department.

The Pigskin Picks competition is again open for readers of the Herald-Republic and visitors to sportsyakima.com, the YH-R Sports department’s award-winning website.

But be ready for some stiff competition. Five of the Herald-Republic’s six staffers finished in the top 10 of more than 250 entries.

Longtime area basketball coach Bruce Siebol won the competition by picking 167 of 197 games correctly during the 10-week picking season. Besides bragging rights, Siebol also claimed the grand prize, a new Xbox 360.

CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED

Yakima drops one in Everett

EVERETT, Wash. — The fourth inning was the proverbial best of times and worst of times for the Yakima Bears on Sunday at Everett Memorial Stadium.

Justin Hilt’s three-run home run got the Bears on the board first, but Everett struck back in the home half of the inning with five runs on its way to a 5-3 victory.

The loss snaps Yakima’s seven game-winning streak and, combined with Tri-City’s 6-4 win over Vancouver, drops the Bears (17-16 second half, 30-41 overall) a game behind the first-place Dust Devils in the Northwest League’s second-half East Division standings.

If first-half champion Tri-City finishes with the best record in the second half, the team with the next best record for the entire season would advance to the playoffs. Yakima trails Boise and Spokane (both 32-39 overall) by two games in the overall standings.

The Bears’ fourth-inning Sunday began with Garrett Weber’s single and Henry Zabala’s fielder’s choice before Hilt’s team-leading 10th blast of the season.

Everett answered by loading the bases with one out against Bears starter John Pedrotty (2-4). Pedrotty induced a ground ball to shortstop, but an error on the throw to second allowed all three base runners to score. Marcus Littlewood followed with a two-run home run for the final margin.

Cody Geyer made his Northwest League debut for Yakima, throwing 1 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball. He was followed by Miles Reagan and Teo Gutierrez, who pitched a scoreless inning each.

Today is the final off-day of the Northwest League season. The Bears return to Yakima County Stadium on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. for the first game of the regular-season-ending, five-game homestand against Eugene.

8/29/11 Yakima Bears update

Next game

Opponent: Eugene Emeralds.

When, where: 7:05 p.m. Tuesday, Yakima County Stadium.

Radio/Internet: KUTI (1460)/yakimabears.com

Probable pitchers: Both teams TBA.

Click here for box score

Click here for standings

Warriors won’t be back in 2012

PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Michael Mink, the majority owner of the Yakima Valley Warriors indoor football team announced via news release Sunday that the team would not be returning for the 2012 season and the team is for sale.

In the release, Mink cited poor economic conditions and the fact that the Northwest League’s Bears baseball team will likely play in Yakima in 2012.

In 2010, the Warriors competed in the now-dormant American Indoor Football Association. Two of the six team’s in AIFA’s West division had serious financial troubles, and Mink struggled to find local investors despite a team that was above .500 on the field (7-6) in its only season.

In January of this year, Mink said the team would not return for 2011. A few months later, however, he said that the team was aiming at returning in 2012 in the Indoor Football League, which features teams in the Tri-Cities, Wenatchee and Kent.

2011 Hot Shots photo gallery

Photos from Sunday’s action at the Hot Shots 3-on-3 basketball tournament in Downtown Yakima, Wash.

Click here for information on purchasing any of these photos.

Sunday’s Hot Shots 3-on-3 results

Boys 1st/2nd

Lil Rainen3s 8, Bombers 7; Legacy 5, Lakers 10; Lil Devils 2, Hoops Dreams 15; Lil Rainen3s 9, Lakers 2; Volcanos 5, WV 2; Lil Rainen3s 10, Lil Devils 5; Championship: Hoop Dreams 15, Rainin Threes 4.

Boys 3rd

Lil Lakers 0, TNT 1; Lightning 5, Mustangs 1; Yakima Sports Supply 9, WV Red 6; Hytops 7, WV Blue 5; WV Hoops 0, SG 18; Friends of Kobe 8, Broncos 7; TNT 8, No Limits 5; Bruisers 7, Lightning 6; SG 8, WV Red 9; Friends of Kobe 10, WV Blue 5; Yakima Sports Supply 8, Hytops 7; WV Red 9, Friends of Kobe 3; TNT 2, Bruisers 6; WV Red 4, Hytops 7; Championship: Yakima Sports Supply 10, Hytops 8.

Boys 4th

Air Dude 11, War Hoop 5; Tar Hells 8, Rainin Threes 9; Goofy Goobers 4, Wapato Bulldogs 17; Roadrunners 10, Net Kings 11; Sweet Beez 17, The Boyz 9; Air Dude 4, Mabton 13; Net King 16, Goofy Goobers 4; East Valley 10, Heat 6; Sweet Beez 17, The Tar Heels 14; Rainen3s 17, Wapato Bulldogs 10; Net Kings 7, Sweet Beez 18; Mabton 8, East Valley 7; Sweet Beez 10, Wapato Bulldogs 17; Championship: Rainin3s 13, Wapato Bulldogs 3.

Boys 5th Lakers

Money 5, Lakers 18; B Boys 3, Kool Aid 9; All You Got 15, West Valley 5; Little Sparta 3, Selah 19; Nothing but Nets 0, B Boys 1; Naches 3, Swishers 9; West Valley 17, Lakers 8; Sparta 11, Kool Aid 9; Selah 13, All You Got 6; Swishers 8, B-Boys 7; West Valley 11, Sparta 13; Sparta 6, All You Got 14; Championship: Selah 10, All You Got 8.

Boys 5th Suns

Cheetahs 11, MVP’s 12; Silver Squad 7, Yakima Valley CC 15; Little Ballers 12, Triple Threat 14; Cayuse Young Cheifs 5, Eastsidas 16; Cougars 6, Black 5; Freedom 4 3, Silver Squad 13; Little Ballers 14, MVP’s 13; Cayuse Young Cheifs 5, Yakima Valley CC 20; Eastsidas 15, Triple Threat 7; Cougars 14, Silver Squad 7; Little Ballers 3, Yakima Valley CC 20; Yakima Valley Credit Union 20, Triple Threat 15; Championship: Eastsidas 18, Yakima Valley Credit Union 15.

Boys 6th

Neff 15, Frontera De Norte 6; West Valley Bulls 14, Can’t Touch This 11; Marvelous Mavericks 6, Stangs 7; Refuse to lose 18, Lightning Boys 10; A&T Thunder 7, Bad Little Ballers 4; Valley Boys 13, Zillah 8; DC Refuse to Lose 15, Mustangs 20; Neff 19, West Valley Bulls 15; Marvlous Mavricks 16, Team Baller 5; Neff 11, Zillah 16; Mustangs 11, A & T Thunder 12; Valley Boys 18, Bad Little Ballers 15; Zillah 20, A & T Thunder 10; Marvelous Mavericks 13, Yakima Kings 7; Bad Little Ballers 20, Zillah 11; Championship: Bad Little Ballers 14, Valley Boys 20.

Boys 7th Jazz

Selah 20, Beatly Ballers 11; Zillah 14, Rez Ballers 11; Future 20, Wild Things 12; Eagles 8, 3 West one guest 9; Gators 15, Spartans 6; Selah 17, East Valley 12; Future 11, Eagles 8; X 8, Rez Skins 16; Rez Ballers 9, Gators 13; Zillah 12, 3 West one guest 18; Gators 15, Future 8; Selah 11, Rez Skins 19; Gators 15, Zillah 17; West and One Guest 11, Zillah 18; Championship: Zillah 12, 3 West one guest 13.

Boys 7th Sonics

In It 2 Win It 1, EV All Stars 0; P-Town Pursuit 14, Leopards 16; Zillah Leopards 18, In it 2 Winit 12; Grey Wolves 9, Xplosion 6; Lightning 18, White Swan Bobcats 10; D-Block 14, Young Ballerz 7; Little Ballers 15, In it 2 Winit 18; WS Bob Cats 9, Lepards 19; Ballers 14, Grey Wolves 9; Leopards 20, Lightning 8; Oregon City 17, L Side Ballers 8; Championship: D-Block 20, Leopards 7.

Boys 8th Knicks

Playground Legends 12, Final Four 10; Fab Four 21, Rim Wreckers 6; Team Jimmer 20, x 0; Delicious Dimes 8, G Town 13; x 0, Rim Wreckers 1; Slammer Bammers 12, Toppenish Wildcats 17; Rocking the Nation 14, Fab Four 16; G Town Pride 18, Team Jimmer 12; Playground Legends 18, Delicious Dimes 16; Toppenish Wildcats 11, Rim Wreckers 12; Slammer Bammers 12, Toppenish Wildcats 17; Playground Warriors 11, Fab Four 16; Jimmers 17, Fab Four 12.

Boys 8th Thunder

Hot Shots 12, Hoop It Up 20; Toon Squad 2, Big Four 20; Hustlerz 11, The Sponge Ballers 17; Big Four 11, Hoop It Up 8; Hot Shots 11, Dru Crew 13; Big Four 16, Hustlerz 10; The Sponge Ballers 19, Big Four 20; Dru Crew 20, Toon Squad 17; Championship: Big Four 14, Sponge Ballers 20.

Boys 9th

All Stars 10, Got Game 13; The A-Team 1, ? 0; Quick Handles 14, Sesame Street Ballerz 7; Graview 1 10, High Flyers 9; Ballers 17, Dominators 14; Wap Town Kids 13, Da Other Guys 12; x 0, The A-Team 1; Got Game 1, x 0; Waptown Kids 13, Sesame Street Ballerz 12; Quick Handles 21, Grandview 4; Ballers 13, High Flyers 20; Ilumini 5, High Flyers 20; Dominators 20, Illumini 12; Waptown Kids 10, High Flyers 17; Got Game 17, The A-Team 19; High Flyers 11, Grandview 8; Championship: Quick Handles 11, High Flyers 10.

Boys 10th Blazers

Rez Hoops 0, Granger 1; Clovers White 12, Toppenish 8; Blue Swing 12, USWYZ 18; Untouchables 12, DTP 13; 4SWUNZ 18, Untouchables 20; Fab 4 20, Granger 6; USWUNZ 10, Clovers 11; Championship: DTP 13, Untouchables 5.

Boys 10th Pistons

Insanity 7, The Scrubs 18; Sunnyside Swish 14, Valley Basketball Elite 18; Valley B-Elite 14, Sctubs 21; MWP Timberwolves 17, Lower Valley Finest 13; Soggy Bottom Boys 20, Purple Cobras 18; Lower Valley Finest 13, Scrubs 11; MWP Timberwolves 16, Lower Valley Finest 19; Championship: WP Timberwolves 15, Lower Valley Finest 20.

Boys 11th

Toat Magoaters 3, YVFWC Ballers 20; Young Guns 16, Regulators 18; Filipino Thunder 0, Los Primos 1; Trust 14, The Good Guys 10; WV Red 13, Dawgz 14; Chiefs 15, Just Do It 11; Just Do It 15, YVFWC Ballers 20; WV Red 10, Regulators 15; Dawgs 20, Chiefs 6; YVFWC Ballers 20, Regulators 7; Los Primas 11, Trust 15; YVFWC Ballers 20, Chiefs 13; Championship: Dawgz 20, YVFWC Ballers 19.

Boys 12th

Panther Pack 13, Wreckless 20; Studd Muffins 12, Toppenish 2 & Outs 20; Zillah 0, Boys N Red 1; Firedog 14, Swagg 20; Trevor’s YaYa’s 10, Clovers Green 20; Moxee Boys 19, Studd Muffin 16; Fire Dogs 9, Wreckless 20; Zillah 20, Toppenish 19; Boys N Red 17, Swagg 18; Clovers Green 15, Moxee Boys 14; Wreckless 20, Zillah 15; Wreckless 20, Boys N Red 15; Championship: Swag 20, Wreckless 19.

Girls 1st/2nd

Championship: Stingrays 13, EV Lil Devils 2.

Girls 3rd

Dunkin Divas 7, Wolvettes 5; Slammin Girlz 1, Candy Girlz 0; Lady Prodigy 0, Yakima Lightning 6; Dunkin Divas 8, Slammin Grillz 1; Basketball=Love 1, Dyno-Mites 4; Dunkin Divas 9, Lady Prodigy 3; Championship: Yakima Lightning 11, Dunkin Divas 2.

Girls 4th

Naches Hoop Dreams 1, Yakima Sports Supply 14; Hoop Dreams 8, LAMK 4; Little Stars 6, Naches 7; LAMK 2, WV Xtreme 14; Samll Town Heat 8, ABK All Stars 4; Hoop Dreams 6, Yakima Sports Supply 11; Xtreme 17, Naches Hoopdreams 2; Yakima Sports Supply 6, Xtreme 8; Xtreme 10, Hoop Dreams 9; Championship: Yakima Sports Supply W, WV Extreme L.

Girls 5th Liberty

NV Rangers 1, She Devils 0; PPG 16, Mini Terminators 2; Bear Cats 5, The Smurfs 6; Team Sonic 15, Stampeding B-Ballers 4; Hooopster Hippiez 8, Purple People Eaters 3; Team Sonic 13, The Smurfs 4; Team Sonic 10, Purple People Eaters 2; PPG 12, NV Rangers 6; Championship: Hoopster Hippiez 10, Team Sonic 6.

Girls 5th Storm

Hoop in Yo Face 7, Cats 6; WV Stars 9, Fab 4 3; Sunnyside 3, Girls Got Game 6; To Legit To Quit 5, Granger 3; To Legit To Quit 12, Girls Got Game 11; WV Stars 6, Yo Face 4; Swarm 5, 2 Quik 4 You 9; ALO 9, Swarm 5.

Girls 6th Mystic

Power Puff Girls 16, Thunder Bird 4; Cheetahs 8, Thunderbirds 9; Baked 10, Cheetah’s 4; Crazy Ballers 5, Smokin Ace’s 6; Power Puff Girls 9, Chehalis 10; Yakama 9, Hot Rod 10; Baked Hoops 8, Ba Crazy Balls 3; GG 9, Cheetah’s 5; Smoked Aces 9, Chehalis 8; Hot Rod 6, Girzz Girls 7; Power Puff Girls 12, Bak’d Hoops 4; Power Puff Girls 13, Chehalis 11; Smokin’ Aces 12, Power Puff 17; Championship: Power Puff Girls 15, Smokin Ace’s 8.

Girls 6th Sparks

Kool Aide Ballers 4, Regulators 5; Fantastic Four 3, All 2’s 12; Super Swish 10, Mini Vikes 8; WV Ballers 8, Hannah’s 7; Team Elevate 2, Foursome 21; Mini Vikes 10, All 2’s 12; Wapato Heat 14, Fantastic Four 13; Hannah’s Crew 6, Regulators 5; Super Swish 17, WV Ballers 13; Foursome 4 3, Wapato Heat 11; Hannah’s Crew 7, All 2’s 11; All 2’s 19, WV Ballers 5; Championship: Super Swish 18, All 2’s 13.

Girls 7th Fever

Granger Danger 7, Yakima Sports Supply 6; Lucky Charms 16, Grandview 6; Final Four 11, NBA 3; Orange Crush 19, Super Baller 9; Grandview Greyhouse 14, Selah Storm 12; Knight Strikes 6, Chehalis #2 12; Granger Danger 9, Selah Ballers 15; NBA Stars 15, Lucky Charms 8; Final Four 15, Orange Crush 7; Grandview Greyhouse 6, Chehalis #2 10; Selah Superballers 9, NBA 17; NBA Stars 12, Orange Crush 14; Championship: Orange Crush 11, Final Four 20.

Girls 7th Mercury

Koolaid Shooters 11, Vipers 8; EV Ballerz 2, Chehalis #1 4; Brass Nuckels 5, Smac Ballers 14; Wabbits 13, Tsr Sports 4; Roadrunners 13, All 4 One 0; Koolaid Shooters 11, EV Ballers 6; HL Wabbits 11, Smac Ballers 12; SMAC Ballerz 8, All 4 One 9; Championship: Roadrunners 16, All 4 One 5.

Girls 8th Lynx

Ballerellas 5, All Star 8; Wapato Ballerz 13, Flamin Cheetahs 8; Wapato Knockouts 10, Triple Threat 6; Mighty Mosos 9, Hippie Chicks 12; White River 14, 4 Monkeys 9; Wapato Knockouts 9, Hippie Chicks 12; All STars 9, Wapato Ballerz 6; Hippie Chicks 12, 4 Monkeys 14; Championship: White River 12, 4 Monkeys 11.

Girls 8th Sky

Everyday JDI 3, Girls Bballin 7; Tasmanian Devils 2, Hammer of Thor 10; All That 9, Taz Two 8; Pasco Heat 13, WV Ballers 5; Suntown Ballers 4, Crazily Amazily 8; All That 16, Pasco Heat 11; Girls B Ballin 8, Hammer of Thor 13; All That 10, Suntown Ballers 7; Crazily Amazily 14, All That 9.

Girls 9th/10th

Fugley Four 18, WP Ballers 19; WV Elite 11, Medelez Auto 10; x 0, Flamin B’s 1; Chehalis 16, “””C”” Squad” 6; La Salle 9, Main Event 14; Yakama 6, Supersonics 20; La Salle 14, WV Elite 6; Yakama 12, WP Ballers 20; Super Sonics 13, Main Event 15; WP Ballers 7, Legendary 19; Flaming B’s 14, Chehalis 10; Legendary 13, Super Sonics 15; Championship: Main Event! 11, Super Sonics 9.

Girls 11th/12th

EV BP 1, Ball & Family 0; Thee Xtreme 0, Pirates 1; Kickin It Old School 8, Shot Callers 10; Lethal Ladies 10, Charles Angels 14; Hick Chicks 15, Just Cuz 10; EV BP 4, Geeks & Sneeks 20; Shizz 17, Triple Double 12; Big Bad Ballers 15, Shot Callers 6; Hick Chicks 18, Thee Extreme 13; Shizz 17, Lethal Ladies 16; Pirates 8, Charlies Angels 9; Hick Chicks 19, Shizz 13; Geeks & Sneeks 9, Big Bad Ballers 16; Hick Chicks 16, Pirates 12; Championship: Charlies Angels 20, Hick Chicks 9.

HS Coed

Dirty Trays 0, J’s Life 1; The Clowns 12, ABC Ballers 11; Rez Ballers 8, Monsters 13; Team IDK 16, Rain Makers 12; Pimpin Easy 14, Big Bad & Bold 19; Monstars 12, Team IDK 22; The Clowns 15, T’s Life 9; Pimpin 11, Monsters 15; Championship: Monstars 16, Big Bad & Bold 21.

6ft Under Bulls

History For Sale 1, Colstor 2.0 0; Safelite 20, Fab 4 10; The Glass Hook 8, Game Time 2 Easy 16; 4 Brothers 20, Nothing But Air 3; All Eyes on Me 20, Fast and Furious 8; T-Town Squad 20, Disturbed 8; History For Sale 1, Thawbes 0; 4 Brothers 16, Fab 4 17; All Eyes on Me 15, The Glass Hook 16; Fab 4 4, The Glass Hook 11; History For Sale 15, T-Town Ballers 17; Game Time 2 Easy 13, Safelite 16; Fab 4 17, Game Time 2 Easy 20; Championship: Safelite 20, Game Time 2 Easy 11.

6ft Under Cavs

Supersonics 1, Those NDNZ 0; Team Flight 20, Pipes 16; Team Victorias 15, Wasted Talent 14; Big Little Guys 11, Team Impressive 20; Get Wet 16, Hot Shots 13; Supersonics 20, Deadtly Cyborgs 13; Astros 20, 1 Man Wolf Pack 10; Team Impressive 20, Wasted Talent 9; Got Wet 20, Pipes 17; Team Flight 16, Team Victorious 20; Team Impressive 20, Get Wet 15; Impresive 20, Team Flight 14; Championship: Victorious 14, Impressive 10.

6ft Under Magic

Recognized Ballers 0, Yadada Splash 1; Lawn Dogs 1, Outlaws 0; Rec Ballerz 20, Yakima Sports Supply 14; Betaholics 17, Peaches and the Guys 20; Old Dogs 18, The Four Skis 12; Peaches & The Guys 13, Yakima Sports Supply #2 20; Underwaterbasketweavers 15, Tribal Counsel 20; Old Dogs 14, Outlaws 20; Yadada Splash 11, Wapos 17; H Town Dogs 17, Rec Ballers 16; Yakima Sports Supply #2 15, Outlaws 20; Wapos 16, Tribal Counsil 19; Outlaws 19, Rec Ballerz 20; Championship: H Town Dogs 16, Rec Ballerz 15;

6 ft Under Nets

Slackers 1, Eyekill 0; Seattle Shirts and Skins 14, Fab Four #2 20; Cares Though 20, Sunset All Stars 10; T-Town Squad 11, B-Avengers 17; Kat Ballerz 14, ANDO 12; Trail Hazen 0, Jump Men 0; Slackers 17, Victorious 13; Kat Ballerz 9, Seattle Shirts & Skins 20; Avengers 13, Sunset All Stars 14; Fab Four #2 20, Cares Though 12; Slackers 1, x 0; Sunset All Stars 20, Seattle Shirts & Skins 10; Sunset All Stars 19, Cares Though 20; Championship: Fab Four 20, Cares Though 8.

6ft Under Rockets

Zav-ages 1, Young Money 0; Wap-Town 20, Da Stor @ Lillies 18; Game Time 17, Ramirez Ballers 20; Sonic Ballers 14, New & Old 13; Yakima Sporst Supply #1 Eaton 12, Cuevas and Villa 15; Norfolk in Chance 1, 3C 0; Sonic Ballers 11, Game Time 20; Cueves & Villa 14, Da Stor @ Lillies 15; Wap-Town 17, Ramirez Ballers 20; Norfolk in Chance 1, Zav-ages 0; Gametime 20, Da Stor @ Lillies 5; Gametime 20, Wap-town 14; Championship: Ramirez Ballers 17, Game Time 20; Ramirez Ballers 20, Game Time 14.

Adult Coed Celtics

Retired 10, Not Gonna Win 11; Monsters & Starbucks 12, Team Shamwow 16; Boom 11, Not Ghanna Win 16; White Rice & Beans 14, Team Shamwow 17; War Hoopin 15, Lepnai 20; EBK 0, Monster and Starbucks 1; Not Ghanna Win 12, Shamwow 20; Warhoopin 20, Whits Rice & Beans 17; Boom 7, Lepwai 20; X 0, EBK 1; Cheena 10, Monster and Starbucks 20; Shamwow 19, War Hoopin 17; Championship: Lepwai 20, Shamwow 13.

Adult Coed Sixers

Old School 20, The Nix Tribe 12; G-Town Ballerz 20, Who’s Next 5; G-Town 20, Who Next 17; Kimmel 21, Unknown 10; Old School 11, Kimmel 18; Fugley Four 0, Multiple Scores 1; Kimmel 19, Who’s Next 20; Med Valley 0, Fab 4 1.

Mens Open Heat

Los Juan Meats 20, Baby Bulls 5; Odd Present 13, Medicine 17; Coutenters 20, Hooperz 16; Majors 1, Heavy Hitters 0; Los Juanes Meats 16, Medicine 15; Contenders 16, Majors 20; Old School 215 16, Columbia River 17; You Feel Me 14, Chocolate Monkey 13; Substitutes 1, Hyphy Thugs 0; Brick Squad 20, Fitness 8; Los Juan Meats 13, Chocolate Monkey 20; You Feel Me 20, Columbia River 17; Majors 14, Old School 20; Chocolate Monkey 20, Old School 215 17; Substitutes 20, Brick Squads 12; Chocolate Monkey 20, Columbia River 13; You Feel Me 20, Chocolate Monkey 18.

Mens Open Pacers

Potato Prince 20, Hoops I Did It Again 13; US Marines 16, 3 Tall & Another Guy 12; Playground Junkies 11, Playground Legends 21; US Marines 12, Potato Prince 21; Playground Junkies 21, Potato Prince 12; Fugley Four 20, Code Blue 4; Championship: Playground Legends 20, Playground Junkies 14.

Mens Open Spurs

Ashes 1, NUTC 0; Fit 10, Back 15; Odd Present 1, JETS 0; Fab 4 20, Ram Rod 0; Love 6, Yak N The 19; Bob Hall Auto 15, Passing Over Rat 20; Ashes 20, Back 3; Odd Present 20, Fab 4 19; Doakes 20, Jets 16; Game Time 20, Dutch 0; Ashes 8, Bob Hall Auto 20; Odd Present 12, Brother 12; Yak 20, Passing Over Rat 19; Bob Hall Auto 20, Brother Love 12; Game Breakers 20, Doakes 17; Bob Hall Auto 9, Passing Under 20; Yak 17, Passing 20; Championship: Yak & Tac 12, Passing Overated 20.

Womens Open

TMHTJ 11, Still Ballin 4; Team A 3, Washington Wind 20; The Has Beens 11, TGOD 12; Swish 16, Just Sayin 12; Kool Kidz 8, Red N Black 20; TMHTJ 10, Washington Wind 16; Cabella Ballers 11, The Fresh Crew 9; TGOD 9, Swish 17; Chaos 12, Has Beens 11; The Bosses 9, Still Ballin 14; Washington Wind 20, The Fresh Crew 13; Swish 18, Kool Kidz 16; Red N Black 14, Cabella Ballers 17; Swish 8, Washington Wind 20; Chaos 17, Still Ballin 11; Washington Wind 14, Red N Black 17; Cabella Ballers 12, Red N Black 20; Championship: Red N Black 16, Cabella Ballers 12

Rodeo: Taking the ride

Proctor goes from Grand Coulee to top of the pro rodeo bullriding world ||

YAKIMA, Wash. — Shane Proctor’s parents never wanted him to become a roughstock cowboy, even though that pursuit led him to what he is at the moment: the rodeo world’s hottest bull rider.

The irony: Those bull-riding, bronc-busting cowboys who inspired him were usually at his family’s Grand Coulee ranch being tutored by Shane’s father in calf-roping … which is precisely what Gordon Proctor had in mind for young Shane.

“My parents were always nervous about me riding bulls,” calls Shane, the runaway leader in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association bullriding standings as the rodeo world’s top performers descend on the Kittitas County Fairgrounds next weekend for the 89th annual Ellensburg Rodeo.

Shane’s parents allowed him to do the riding he wanted — he was “mutton-busting” sheep by the time he was 3 and riding calves as an elementary schooler — but they took precautions to keep their son from busting his noggin.

“When he started riding calves, his mother made him put a helmet on,” Gordon Proctor says. “And nobody wore a helmet. Nobody.”

Shane didn’t want to be the only kid with a helmet, either. When he left it behind on a trip to a junior rodeo, though, his plan didn’t work; his parents canceled their son’s ride.

The helmet rule, recalls Gordon, “wasn’t a problem after that.”

• • • •

His parents had both grown up around rodeo arenas and were skilled ropers, and they hoped Shane would follow in their footsteps. But Shane says he “always ended up hanging around behind the bucking chutes. It always appealed to me. I liked the adrenaline of the sport.”

His father told him he couldn’t ride bulls until he turned 18 or moved out of the house. But when Shane was 15 and competing in high school rodeo, Gordon brought up the inevitable.

“He said, ‘Are you gonna ride bulls?’” recalled Shane. “I said, ‘Yeah, I’m thinking about it,’ and he said, ‘Well, we’ll send you to a school and make sure you do it right.’”

Even that, Gordon said, was simply a precaution. He and Shane’s mother, Kathy, still expected their son to return to roping.

“We thought he’d get bucked on his head pretty quick,” Gordon recalled, “and that would be the end of it.”

Instead, Shane rode his first bull for the full eight seconds. Then his second. And his third. And the next five after that. Eight bulls, eight seconds each. “Consequently,” Gordon says, “he was kind of hooked.”

And the success continued. Shane reached the high school national finals in bullriding three straight years, earned a rodeo scholarship and reached the college finals twice.

• • • •

It was while starring at Wyoming’s Northwest College in 2005 that Proctor drew an unnamed bull — simply noted as K24 — during a college rodeo in Montana. The bull, which had never been ridden, slammed Proctor forward onto the top of its head, bending his helmet’s titanium facemask and knocking him unconscious.

An observer shouted, “Somebody get a doctor for Proctor!” The bull’s co-owner, a Selah rancher named Rod Chumley, heard that shout, had a good idea and gave the bull its name: Doctor Proctor.

The bull went on to buck off the first 30 professional riders to try him and retiring in 2008 as one of the best-known bulls on the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit. A week before the bull’s farewell performance, Shane Proctor evened the score with the bull that took his name, staying on for the full eight seconds.

“He was a great bull, a great bucker,” Shane says, adding that he wasn’t too worried that his name would forever be linked with the bull that knocked him out. “I knew eventually I would overcome that and do something people would, I hope, remember my name for.”

That same year, 2008, Proctor became famous for something else — as “the World’s Toughest Cowboy,” a title he earned by virtue of a 10-week competition televised by Fox Sports Network in which riders did all three of the roughstock events.

“It was a lot of luck, but that was one of the funnest things I ever did, because it only lasted two months but we got to travel around to a lot of places and meet a lot of people,” Proctor said. “I think it really helped build my confidence, to know I can compete on any level in any situation.”

• • • •

On the final day of the “Toughest Cowboy” event, Proctor had to get on six animals — two each in bareback, saddle bronc and bulls — in less than two hours, all on national television.

Over the next four years, performing well in front of the cameras has continued to pay off for Proctor. He has blossomed into a top PBR performer, going well over the $100,000 mark in earnings in each of the 2009 and 2010 seasons, and currently ranks seventh in the PBR’s showcase circuit, the Built Ford Tough Series.

On the other hand, the PBR’s national TV exposure is a mixed blessing for Proctor, for whom rodeo “is just more relaxing to me.”

“When I go to a rodeo, when you get bucked off forty people aren’t going to call you and tell you what you did wrong,” he says. “That’s one thing about PBR, when you get bucked off there, there’s millions of people who’ve seen it. There’s no hiding your head.

“There’s nobody who sees it when you get bucked off (at a rodeo) in Glasgow (Mont.) or Lynden. Not too many people see you there.”

This year, though, a lot more rodeo fans have been seeing Proctor, because he started off the 2011 season hot and never slowed down. He won all three rounds at Denver in January, and his $17,350 in winnings there put him on top of the PRCA standings.

Wins at big rodeos like Cheyenne and Reno expanded his lead, and he comes into Ellensburg with a $34,000 lead over his closest competitor in more than $127,000 in earnings. That doesn’t even include the biggest paycheck of his rodeo career, the $100,000 he earned for winning at the Calgary Stampede. (Calgary is not a PRCA stop.)

• • • •

When he competes this December in his first National Finals Rodeo, Proctor will have to face that being-on-TV pressure.

“That’s one thing I’m not looking forward to with the NFR — I’m not looking forward to the 2 a.m. calls,” he said. “I’m probably going to shut my phone off.”

He’ll be able to do that because his parents and his wife, Jessi, will no doubt be in Las Vegas for the NFR and see his performances firsthand. Otherwise, he’d do what he tries to do every time he rides: He calls his folks to tell them how he did.

“We want to know that all the body parts are still working,” Gordon Proctor says. “He doesn’t always call, but we’ll find out some way, checking on the Internet or seeing the (rodeo’s local) newspaper online.”

One of the rare times he didn’t call was last year in Denver. Gordon and Kathy Proctor went online to a Denver newspaper site to see how he did and found a big photograph of their son, on the arena dirt, with the back hoof of a bull called Geronimo landing on his head.

It knocked him out, but nothing more than that, because — as Shane has done ever since his days riding calves as a boy — he was wearing his helmet.

The helmet broke, but Shane’s noggin was just fine. And still is.

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