David and I had many email contacts, he bought a Garmin GPS, came by and I marked maps. 

He made the trips to South Wagontire to scout all the hotspots and said he had a great time and lots of buck lopes.

David K. with his 2010 S. Wagontire Lope

Brian w/David's Lope-Glassing Partner

Frontal Shot!

Randy Riley with Beulah Lope 2010

Randy and Travis on a grusome hunt in the Beulah Unit.

Man this was a tough hunt, both physically and mentally.  My dad had thirteen points built up for Antelope-Pronghorn in Oregon.  He was ready to cash in guaranteeing a draw, but giving up on one of the other top Oregon Antelope Units. This hunt we went on was the Beulah Unit. Let me start by saying this unit is not at all your typical Antelope country.  It was steep, rocky, and brushy and did I mention STEEP!  After previously talking with the local biologist for the area and making notes of the areas he suggested, obviously that is where we started when we arrived two days before the season. We glassed and glassed until dark and were not seeing a thing, no Deer, Antelope, Elk, nothing.  He started to get that regretful feeling for choosing a lesser unit with that many points earned.  All we could do is put up with the long days of getting up at 4 and getting back to camp at 10 in search of a shooter. You’d think hunting in August would be great… It is but has just as many downfalls as hunting in November.  First off you really don’t prepare yourself for the LONG days. Light at 6, dark at 9, that makes for a long day.  Eventually we scrapped any info from the Biologist and went out on our own.  Ended up stumbling on the only flat Lopey looking area we could find within a 30 mile radius of our camp. That night before the opener we glassed a nice buck that had 15 does with him.  This was exciting, first to actually finally see some lopes, but also to find a shooter for the next morning. Seemed too easy! That opening morning we were up at 4 and up in our area by 5:30AM, 6 AM it was light enough to glass and I spotted the herd about a mile away.  Time for the big stalk!  Eventually after an hour of stalking cautiously, we ended at the last Juniper cover on the edge of the flats where they were. I ranged the buck at 450 yards.  My dad shoots a 270 Weatherby Magnum and has ethically killed game at those distances in the past.  Just after I ranged him, he decided it was a good time to bed down.  After building a makeshift bench rest out of rocks and a backpack, he got comfy and ready for him to stand, 45 minutes later he stood.  I told my dad whenever you are ready!  I watched through my Swaroski and thirty seconds later BOOM!  I watched as he shot literally two inches over the buck. End of that stalk!  They were gone like lightning.  Now since this is getting long, I am going to speed things up a bit.  Over the next two days, we only saw Lopes in that exclusive area. Sunday night we managed a perfect stalk from another mile plus away.  Three bucks but when finally we were fifty yards from them, my dad decided to hold off, they were not all that great.  Fun stalk none the less!  Monday morning we slept in until 5:30, got a late start, hunting hard the last three or four days in 100 degree weather was starting to take a toll on us.  We weren’t seeing the quality bucks we were hoping for and the one that got away was exactly that. So that morning we weren’t expecting much heading into our “area”.  Put up the spotters and within 5 minutes he spotted the buck he eventually ended up taking.  We made another great stalk from over a mile away up to a rocky outlook just behind them.  Once he found a good rest he set up for the shot.  BOOM!  I heard the “smack” and then there were smiles.  My dads killed bigger lopes and was hoping for that magical 17 Incher, but I don’t think we would have found him.  It made for a great end to a hunt with lots of ups and downs with my dad, but more importantly good memories.  By the way, my dad is 54 and could out hike any of my buddies!  We definitely came home with blisters and missing boot lugs.   By Travis

In this area on the West side of the Cascades we have inner mixing of Blacktails and Mule deer, thus we get Benchlegs as we call them.  One never know what they are going to see in this area.   One thing is for sure I seldom see a Mule deer past the line on Hwy 26. 

Close at 10 yards... Great place to ambush a buck!Winter time eating acorns

Group of 3 9AM

Leader of the Group of 3

McCloud Place 1

McCloud Place 2

I am leaving ya, you can keep the crap!

 

10 AM He finally noticed me!

Do you mind?

The Mousing Dog

I have attach a short Vid on a local Coyote and some pictures of Urban Coyotes in the Oregon City, Oregon area.

Coyote in Oregon City – Local Dog

257 Weatherby Lazermark Custom 120gr. Sierra Game Kings 

It was a few years back that a few of us made a big hunt in the Central part of the state to chase some Mulies. It was an unusual hunt as we would work a ranch that we had access to for exotics and this was the first time for chasing Mulies on this place. This rancher is now gone into the wild blue yonder. He was all about horse trading for hunting privileges as ranchers are. He would take in new truck parts to keep his trucks running, never a rifle as he would always be loyal to his old Savage 7mm Mag., with the cracked and screwed together stock.

The picture as attached to this story was a pretty good buck for the area and came with a goofy finish on this hunt.

We had been working the back country where no roads existed, working from an old Jeep just taking it easy. All of a sudden two of us spotted this buck about 150 yards out just as daylight were emerging. Out of the jeep and both us taking aim on this buck, both shoot, with the LT getting his shot off a millisecond faster than I. In the time frame I had taken better aim and hit the buck in the chest – lung area and LT grazing the buck in the lower front leg. Hmm! Battle being over with the kill shot taking the buck, I took off in a dead run to the buck!   The trusty 257 Weatherby once again proved to be the ultimate killing rifle, which it has done so many times…

I was so focus on the buck being on the ground and not moving that I did not bother to see in front of me or what my feet were doing. I ran head on into an old barbwire fence to my surprise and that fact I was now lying on my back. As I hit the fence with my quads I bounce backwards from the fence. Hey I could run the 100 in 10.5 at the time! Getting up, with everyone laughing at my antics, I quickly looked down to see my Levis ripped and blood running down my legs. Ok! I was ok and I got the buck and was very pleased with him, EXCEPT that he was sickly looking. Ticks had gotten to him and most were the size of a dime and had taken everything out of him. The meat was definitely no good to eat and a shame as to what the fate of this dandy buck would have been if I had not shot him.

The rest of the hunt was great and everyone tagged out on good bucks, which most hang in their homes to this day.

The other day an old hunting partner of mine, Ben Olson called me back on an issue that I had.  We do not get to hunt or golf together much these days, but we do get a call in every so often.

Ben was telling me that he was over near Antelope or that region on an old road that we would cruise in the days of the Exotic Sheep hunting for Corsicans and Mouflons in that area of Oregon.   Those that had the opportunity to get there first, before the state made changes or ranchers could make some heavy cash on the trespassing fees to hunt we had some great hunts with lots of sheep.  Little Trout Creek was a great area to work.  Ok! Getting back to the phone call from Ben, he told me that one of the local ranchers told him he could deer hunt over there.  I asked him the name of the rancher, but he couldn’t remember, no use giving up a good thing.   He did give way to the area of the loop road and that was enough information for me to figure out who the rancher might be and the canyons that once or still may hold Exotic Sheep.

It will be interesting when Ben reports after scouting the ranch as to what he encounters there.

 I have attached a couple of pictures from past hunts, with a medium size Hawaiian Black that was taken from one of the guys in the group of past.

These are my words on the history and impact of ENMCPO David H. Pflegl U.S.N. Retired, who was my Uncle Dave on my mother’s side to me.

I would have to say in the early years of knowing my Uncle Dave that he was a tough bird and one never won an argument with him.   One would never want to cross Uncle Dave or you would have an understanding of old school.

I remember when my Grandmother Elsie would watch us down in the Sellwood area of Portland and Uncle Dave would come home from a hunt.  Always was successful in hunting and even fishing.   He lived upstairs in those days of her house, before he got he got remarried and moved out to Oregon City with purchase of Aero Acres up on Leland Rd.   The whole upper area of the attic was full of hunting and fishing gear, a kid could be mesmerized by it all.  Uncle Dave and Great Uncle Dave would do a lot of fishing, such as up in the Bull Run when it was legal.  I remember on fishing trip to the Willamette River for Spring Chinook up by the falls with Uncle Dave and Bill Biggs (dad).   Mom had packed me a lunch for the day, which included a banana.  Uncle Dave said “bananas are bad luck in a boat, get rid of it.”   We saw a lot of big Salmon jumping by the spillway, but we did not catch any Salmon.  I never went in a boat with Uncle Dave again.

Yep! Uncle Dave at that time had a 1937 Taylor Craft plane and later a PT-19 Fairchild, which I did get to up once before I went into the Navy.  I still remember the plate on the dash, that said do not do wing rolls in excess of 183 mph.   I do believe that Uncle Dave even raced the PT in a couple of air shows in his 50’s.

PT 19 Fairchild Fixed Wing Trainer 

Uncle Dave gave a lot to everyone that he touches over the course of 85 years.   Uncle Dave would give you his shirt off is back, maybe even a transmission you need for your 1954 Ford that was in a car out on the airstrip.  He had 5 sons by two marriages.   There are 4 of them still around with David H. Pflegl (Butch) the oldest.

He taught all of his boys to be self sufficient and all them can twist a wrench and fix anything.  One thing for sure about Uncle Dave, that if you needed something fix, he could get it done no matter the size of it.

As for hunting and fishing he left that legacy also with most of his sons and a few nephews.  My first hunt that I went on with my dad was with Uncle Dave and his group of hunters, such as Uncle Harry, Uncle Monroe, Uncle Floyd, Jack Carroll, Danny Carroll and Bill Biggs (dad) to Egypt Wells, outside of Riley, Oregon.   With the old 55 Studebaker loaded to hilt and trailer loaded also.  Of course that group all tagged out on Mulie bucks up in the Silvies.

There is Boone & Crockett Blacktail that hangs in the log home in Oregon City up at Aero Acres to this day that was harvested in the Saddle Mountain area many years ago.   Uncle Dave love to hunt with bow and arrow on the Hwy 26 Summit to the coast in the swamp.  Just yesterday a customer came and we was talking about hunting the exact spot as Uncle Dave in the swamp with a rifle.   Both would camp in the rest area and hunt the area.

Uncle Dave and his group hunt a great deal of Oregon, such as the Snake River Canyon when you could get two deer, Madison Butte and Texas Butte outside of Heppner, Oregon, there was the summit of Hwy 26 at the coast for archery elk, there was Northside Oregon for deer.  I would even include the Steens Mtns., which he hunted later in life with the aid of his horse Brandy.   Many of my own hunting partners from the past would run into Uncle Dave in the field and make friends with him.  I could a report on Uncle Dave almost anytime from the field.

I remember in about 196- when Uncle Dave and Bill Biggs (dad) both bought Mannlicher Schoenauer Rifles with the Baush & Lomb 2.5 to 8 variable scopes on them in 30-06.
What great rifle to look and maybe get the chance to hunt with.  Double set triggers, with the wood out to the end of barrel and high comb cheek piece.  I have always thought I might get Dad’s someday…

As for Uncle Dave’s Navy experiences, I would say he was a WW II hero and was a Submariner during WW II and Korea. 

“FRANK I AM RESEARCHING MILITARY HISTORY.  DAD WAS ON THE USS CROAKER SS246 FROM COMMISSIONING TO DEC 1945. 
http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08246.htm
USS POMFRET SS391 1950 TO 1952. 
http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08391.htm
Google: WILLIAM ANDREW PFLEGL GO DOWN PAGE TO “ROSTER” SEE DAVID PFLEGL USS CROAKER SITE BY CLICKING ON ROSTER  NOTICE THE CROAKER AT GALVESTON SEPT 45.. READ THE REST THERE.  HE WAS ON THE USS POMFRET, WITH PRESIDENT (LTJG) JIMMY CARTER 1951 THRU 1952.  LOOKING FOR DENNIS A “SHIPWRECK” KELLY OF FOUNTAIN VIEW, CA WHO WAS ON THE POMFRET SAME TIME AS DAD IN KOREA.”  Butch

I remember seeing pictures of him coming off Boat to fight Japanese on the islands.  I still believe that Butch has a 6.5 Jap rifle that he brought back from a fight.  After the Korean War, Uncle Dave joined the Naval Reserves in Portland, OR.   The base on Swan Island had a Submarine there for him to teach on.
He spent over 40 years in the Navy and retired out as an E-9 and was well known in the Naval Community.  Funny I had old retired Submariners come into my work and they all knew him. It truly is a small world out there and one never knows who they run into from the past.
It was Uncle Dave that when I had 12 years in and having issues with work and Navy say “for no reason do you quit and give up on the Navy, work with just have to live with it.”  With that I got Burns Bros., Inc worked out with the help of my Commanding Officer and I stayed in for a total of 27 years.  The U.S. Navy nominated Jack H. Burns the CEO of Burns Bros., Inc. for Employer Recognition to the U.S. Naval Reserves and their duty.

Uncle Dave ashes will be spread out in the elk hunting country of Madison Butte outside of Heppner with Uncle Bobby (retired Colonel U.S. Air Force), plus one other person in their hunting group from the past who has yet to go.  Maybe he will live to be a 100, as he has made it to 90.  It seem the other or third person Uncle Floyd passed away also just recently within a month of Uncle Dave.   I talked with Floyd Jones Jr. or Spike as I have called him for almost 5 decades, he told me that Uncle Floyd had made comment after the passing of Dave, that “he has loss his hunting partner and what is the use to stay around”.   They hunted for more than 70 years together in the vast Oregon Territory from the Snake River Canyon to the Tillamook Head…

I do believe that one of the greatest Elk hunting trips was in 2001 when I was guiding Butch in the Grizzly Unit.  Uncle Dave, Aunt Lillian, Butch, and Uncle Dave’s two other sons Mike and Henry were there on top of Horse Heaven.   Uncle Dave had set up a huge camp with a squad tent the size of Grand Central Station.   I have my son along with us, I told Frankie; I want you to remember this time, as it will be a memory to last a long time.

God! Watch over Uncle Dave and may he stay in Elk Camp.  Frank

1937 Taylorcraft 80hp

PT 19 2010 Present Day Condition-Henry will have to finish it!

One of the friends of Dave coming to Aeroacres

The Blue Super Cub is Henry's new plane!

There was some 20 planes on the Deck!

One of the planes leaving!

Bill Biggs with Korean War Vet Hat!

Off and away!

August 8th, 2010 there was a fly in for Uncle Dave, or lets say a wake.   I found it very touching to see more than a 100 people, including family member.  Uncle Dave touch a great deal of people in his life.  There had to more than 20 planes there.  According to Aunt Lillian there were more planes on the hardeck than any other time.  I wish I had taken more picture, but I am sure that Dave’s son Butch will send me some to add.  I got to see family that I have not seen in many years…   Before long the team from the past will have all of their ashes up at Madison Butte.

May God watch over Uncle Dave…