In the photo above, Wade, left, and Doug Hartke at the sign they've posted at the entrance to their shooting preserve, which is located north and west of Newton. At left, training young dogs is one aspect of the operation that keeps Doug busy.

Doug Hartke and Wade Eaton have come up with a way for hunters to extend their hunting season by four months: They've opened Ambraw Valley Outdoors, a hunting preserve just northwest of Newton. And their operation has one facet that many do not. They offer guided fishing at Newton Lake and at East Fork Lake.

"We have two of the best bass lakes anywhere within just a few miles of us," Doug said, "and this is one of the few places where you can have a good hunt in the morning and a guided fishing trip in the afternoon."

The two decided to get into the business because of a shared interest in hunting, fishing, bird raising and training good dogs. Doug notes that he boards, raises, trains and sells dogs, and has just completed a new state-of-the-art kennel. "The state licensing people are pretty hard to please when it comes to boarding kennels," he said, "but they really liked these.

And they are nice." While he keeps busy with that side of the operation, Wade raises a lot of the birds on his family's farm, which used to be a turkey operation. They've had their preserve going for five years now.

"We have half a dozen courses," Wade said, "on some 400-plus acres. We have 'the draw', 'the jungle', 'the Ellis', 'the Games', and 'the west', and we can run quite a few people through the operation. We try to keep everything well organized, so the hunts run smoothly."

Doug adds that the course has a lot of food and cover for the quail, chukar and pheasant they use. "We have sorghum, grain sorghum, corn and Russian olives scattered around the courses," he said, "and there are some wooded areas, too. It's all good hunting country. We also offer a limited amount of deer and rabbit hunting. "We have rolling hilly country, brush, grasslands, small creek valleys, food plants and cultivated grain fields that provide great cover and habitat."

Wade adds, "We cater to both experienced and inexperienced sportsmen. If you're on your first bird hunt with your first brand-new shotgun, or a seasoned hunter looking for a good day of dog-work and plenty of birds, we can accommodate you. If you're a small group of hunting buddies or a large group of corporate executives looking for a place to hold a company outing or a place to entertain clients, you'll find what you need at our preserve.

"And our trained dogs are guaranteed to make your trip both successful and enjoyable. Of course, if you want to bring your own dog and hunt without a guide, we offer that option."

Anyone interested in contacting the men can write to Ambraw Valley Outdoors at 9313 N. 800 St., Newton, IL 62448, or call them at (618) 783-4549.

-Story and photos by Jack Halstead

NOVEMBER 1997 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 29