MEET THE GUIDES

YOB: 1950
Nickname: the "Dog"

Darryl has been guiding for the Bernsen family since 1976. He is one of the most loyal guys you will ever meet. Hunt with him and you will be friends for life! "Switch Hitter" Hunts both ducks and geese with equal abilities, and is always one of our top duck producers.

Funny Story: Once got yellow carded for not picking up the decoys fast enough (in a boat) in 30 mph winds after it completely switched directions and he had to make it to the other side of the lake. They still got 56 ducks and 32 geese.

YOB: 1954
Nickname: "Rackin Rodney"

Rod has been a part time guide for Eagle Lakes for over 30 years. He is an extremely talented duck guide and thinks that geese are the scum of the earth.

Funny Story: Rod was on a goose hunt that was being filmed for a television program. The hunt took place on the edge of a field on top of a hill. Some geese came in and Rod proceeded to fall off his bucket tumbling all the way to the base of the hill. He still swears he threw a triple on honks on his way down.

YOB: 1957
Nickname: "The Lump" or Captain Lump

Tony has been guiding since he was 12 years old. One of the best duck or goose callers you will ever hunt with. Fabulous harvest numbers every year. Also known for his endless supply of jokes. He is now also called captain Lump because he just got his six pack license and turned himself into one hell of a salmon guide.

Funny Story: Got yellow carded for telling his customers that he's not getting paid by the hour after 8 shooters had went through over 4 boxes of shells each. They asked him if he could do better, he proceeded to triple on greenheads. (I got a letter in the mail)

YOB: 1974
Nickname: "Thirsty"

Brian grew up hunting on Eagle Lakes every weekend as his dad's assistant unless his grades were slipping. Brian is always one of the leaders in goose production every year but doesn't mind banging out a limit of mallards every now and again.

Funny Story: When the boss was on vacation in Mexico Brian allowed a man and his two kids (non ELR customers) who were already setting up in one of our fields to join his group. They shot 8 limits of honkers in about an hour. Brian was devastated to find out that he had just hunted with one of the biggest poachers/trespassers in all of Eastern Washington. When the boss returned, he, Brian, and Darryl paid a visit to the scallywags house which is right down the road from the lodge. Not surprising, Brian had a few choice words about the example he had just set for his young boys.

YOB: 1977
Nickname: "Bones"

Another one of the Markham boys that grew up on Eagle Lakes. Mike's assistant when he still guided. Tim is a spitting image of his pops. Unbelievably talented, great with customers, and one of the nicest young men you will ever meet. Goes both ways: Hunts ducks or geese and is one of the top producers of the part time guides.

Funny Story: Some customers left the lodge with a map in hand headed to the Tri-Cities for a goose hunt and got lost. Tim ran into them on the road and gave them directions (the wrong ones) toward the river instead of their field. By the time they met up with his brother they were not happy campers. Luckily we had the triangle in our back pocket which can heal all wounds.

YOB: 1986
Nickname: "Weasel"

The heir apparent to the Eagle Lakes throne. He started guiding when he was 12 years old and became a full time guide after he was done with baseball and graduated from college. Ryan is always one of the top producers in both ducks and geese and has an amazing following with his client base. Ryan started his own guide service in Grande Prairie Alberta where there is fabulous duck and goose hunting! Ryan's dates range from mid September to mid October. Please support his venture. Don't worry he'll be back for the opener at Eagle Lakes.

Funny Story: When he was 12 years old after guiding one of our best accounts he got a $100 tip. He was riding home with Darryl and started crying because he didn't want to go back to school. Like Darryl said "he can't make that kind of money studying geometry."

YOB: 1986 Nickname: "T-Man"

Tyler made his first guiding debut when he was 12 years old and became a full time guide after he graduated high school. He takes after his dad Tony and is a great duck and goose caller. Tyler grew hunting and fishing on the Ranch his whole life and loves the outdoors. In the off season Tyler enjoys fishing and working with his dog Switch.

Funny Story: A few years ago Tyler needed to borrow his dads dog. Tony was driving Sunny over and instead of getting Tyler on the radio and asking if it was clear to come in, Tony drove in and flared some birds. Tyler tried to warn Tony there were birds coming in but Tony's radio may have been off. Tyler proceeded to chew his dad out on the radio for scaring the birds off. This was in violation of the radio code of ethics and Mike chimed in and made Tyler apologize for yelling at his dad over the radio where all the other guides and customers could hear. When Tyler apologized, Tony once again had his radio off and was unable to hear the apology. When Mike didn't hear Tony acknowledge the apology, Mike and Tyler decided Tony deserved the chastising after all, since his radio was still off. (Anyone who hunts with Tony knows his radio gets turned off frequently).

YOB: 1998 Nickname: "Jackal"

Jake started guiding part time in 2015. The 2017-18 season was Jakes first full time year and he had a blast doing it. He hunts both ducks and geese and might have a slight preference for geese. Jake also grew up hunting and fishing on the Ranch and lived just a few minutes from it. Jake spent a few summers working on the ranch as well and now helps out with the habitat projects and getting the property ready for the next season.

Funny Story: When Jake was 9 years old he learned a valuable lesson. "Don't hit another guy in the private area". Darryl was teasing Jake one morning after a hunt and Jake thought it was a good idea to take the radio and whip Darryl with the antenna. He took aim and connected with Darryl's Nether Region. Mike saw what had happened and put Jake in the penalty box. He didn't let Jake go on a slammer honker hunt that afternoon with Tim.

YOB: 1987 Nickname: "BoShow"

Bo started guiding for Eagle Lakes Ranch Lodge in 2007. He loves hunting both ducks and geese and will have his dog with him on either hunt to make those long retrieves. Bo's attention to detail on decoys, blinds, weather, etc. is second to none on his hunts which makes him one of the most successful hunters. Bo also loves to hunt deer, elk, bear, and turkey in his free time.

Funny Story: Bo was the second person to attempt to drive his clients to the blind at the Triangle. He made it all the way down the dike to the pathway for guys to walk to the blind. When he tried to reverse the dike was so sloppy his truck slid off the side of the dike into the ditch. Luckily it was the Triangle, Bo proceeded to call in limits for his guys with Big Blue in the ditch behind the blind. Not only Bo's group limited but two more groups of hunters after Bo's shot their limits as well. You should have seen their faces when they walked by Big Blue in the ditch.