Birding guides in the Basin

MOSES LAKE — As birding season continues in Eastern Washington; outdoor enthusiasts increasingly turn to local guides and outfitters to enhance their experience in the field. These businesses provide services that make hunting accessible while offering expert knowledge about local wildlife and landscapes. 

The Columbia Basin is home to several prominent guiding services that cater to both novice and experienced hunters alike. This piece highlights the experiences of three established outfitters in the Basin: Echternkamp’s Guide Service, Ross Outdoor Adventures and Wingbeat Outfitters.   

Echternkamp’s Guide Service 

Founded by Aaron Echternkamp, Echternkamp’s Guide Service has made a name for itself in the Columbia Basin, particularly around Moses Lake and Othello. He said he gets people from all over the United States booking his services.  

“I just like to show people we have probably the best waterfowl hunting I’ve traveled all over the United States hunting,” Echternkamp said. “Moses Lake has some pretty impressive waterfowl hunting compared to anywhere else I’ve been.” 

He said he firmly believes that the abundance of agricultural crops, such as corn and potatoes, provides essential food sources for birds, making this region especially attractive to waterfowl. 

Echternkamp began his journey in guiding at just 14 years old.  

“If you’re only going to hunt two or three times a year, it’s probably a lot cheaper to pay a guide that has done all the scouting and has everything figured out where to go and what to do,” he said. “Versus trying to do it on your own two or three times. I mean, your decoy expenses far outweigh the $1,000 you might spend in a year hunting with a guide.”  

His service offers clients access to private properties and the necessary equipment, allowing even novice hunters to enjoy an effective harvest without incurring the high costs of gear. 

Echternkamp said he grounds his guiding philosophy in communication, detailing what clients can expect when they book. He prepares clients ahead of time by discussing clothing necessities, meeting points and hunting expectations.  

Throughout the season, he scouts daily to ensure that clients are placed in productive fields. He said his attention to detail and dedication have contributed to a stellar success rate with the hunters he takes out.  

“From October 19 to November 7, my success rate was 100%,” he said.  

Echternkamp leads duck, snow geese, pigeon, and Canadian geese hunting trips. For ducks and both types of geese the hunt is $275 per person per day. Pigeons and doves are slightly cheaper at $175 per person per day. He also offers a waterfowl combo for both ducks and geese which is $450 per person per day.  

“If they’re staying and with us multiple days, a lot of times, we’ll clean their birds with them and package them up, and I might toss them in the freezer for them, just to get them frozen, or they’ll hold in the cooler, but I’ll usually help them get everything prepared and set up,” Echternkamp said.  

For those interested in booking a trip with Echternkamps Guide Service visit EasternWashingtonGuides.com or call 509-766-6791. 

Ross Outdoor Adventures 

With an emphasis on delivering enjoyable outdoor experiences, Ross Outdoor Adventures operates primarily in the Potholes Reservoir area. The hunts begin at MarDon resort. The guiding service, run by Shelby Ross, said he strives for quality over quantity; his goal is to ensure clients are placed in fields ripe with geese, rather than merely facilitating an abundance of hunts.  

“They should expect to have a good time coming out with me,” Ross said. “People are very happy with their experience.”  

Ross said he prides itself on its reputation, which has been built over years of dedication and success. He began as a guide in 1998 when he was just 19 years old after he grew up near the south shore of the Potholes Reservoir. After a couple of years, he started his own guiding business in 2002. 

“Well, we’re continuing to grow and people are coming back, so I would say we are pretty good,” Ross said.  

Ross said he takes both experienced and first-time hunters.  

“We guide lots of new hunters,” Ross said. “A lot of our business is repeated or referred.”  

His biggest piece of advice for new hunters is to pay attention to when calling is needed versus when it will be a poor time to do so.  

For duck or geese guided hunts it’s $325 per person per day. There is a three person minimum for duck hunting and a four person minimum for geese hunting.  

For those interested in booking with Ross Outdoor Adventures visit RossOutdoorAdventures.com or call 509-750-7763.  

Wingbeat Outfitters

Established in 2020, Wingbeat Outfitters is the newest outfit featured but has already garnered a devoted following. Josh Black and his wife, Allie, have worked tirelessly to build their business. With prior guiding experience under their belts, they emphasize a deep commitment to customer satisfaction.  

“We pride ourselves on putting people on birds every day,” Black noted. “A lot of people don’t do that anymore, and we try to get people on fields that have birds in them religiously.”  

Clients booking a hunting trip with Wingbeat Outfitters can expect a comprehensive experience, according to Josh.  

“We meet at the gas station at a predetermined time, get snacks and drinks, and then head to a field where we’ll have blinds already set out,” Josh said. “We set out all of the decoys, get ready, and wait for the geese to fly.”  

The company primarily focuses on geese but also accommodates dove hunters. According to Josh, dove hunting tends to be more relaxed and serves as an ideal introduction for novices. 

The team’s approach extends beyond mere hunting; Wingbeat Outfitters places a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction.  

“If there are no birds in a field, we will call you and try to reschedule,” Black stated. “We’re not about just taking people’s money if something isn’t going to work out.” This level of service is particularly noteworthy in an industry where some outfitters may prioritize revenue over customer satisfaction. 

Clients range from local residents to travelers from various states, including California and Kentucky.  

One aspect that sets Wingbeat Outfitters apart is its inclusivity towards new hunters. The business does at least one annual trip for women hunters and the groups are usually about 10 people big.  

“Last year we actually had two groups that came out, and these girls came out, it was negative 19 degrees outside with the wind chill,” Allie said. “They put the hurtin’ on them birds. We highly, highly recommend new hunters, women hunters. We’re empowering everyone to come out.” 

 “We were blown away with how advanced California is,” Arntzen said. “It’s not only the industry end of wine, but it’s the tourism end as well. If you go down the Napa Valley on a weekend, it’s crazy busy. What we saw down there was, you had to drive from your motel room out into the Napa Valley, and you’d have to drive to all these locations. And we got thinking, what would happen if we brought the wine industry (into) town, in Kennewick, where it’s closer?”

    Geese flying around during a warm day.
 COURTESY PHOTO/ ECHTERNKAMP'S GUIDE SERVICE   

    Aaron Echternkamp started his guide service after he began hunting at 14 years of age, worked for another outfitting company and then realized that helping people hunt was his life passion.
 COURTESY PHOTO/ ECHTERNKAMP'S GUIDE SERVICE