1/13/05

S.F. Boise Downstream of Neal Bridge

Area Hunted

The third talus rim as you approach from downstream. This is the largest of the 3 prominent rims.

Directions

From Boise head east on I-84 and take the Blacks Creek exit. Follow this road to a left hand turn to the village of Prairie. Follow this road back quite a ways until you drop into the river valley. The road is not maintained in the winter so may not be passable all year.

Hiking Rating

The hike is moderate to strenuous. The amount of loose talus on the slopes make footing difficult. Once up top the walking is relatively easy.

Birds

Chukar

Tip

In some situations you can revisit areas once you’ve pushed birds around a bit. This is a perfect example of being able to revisit an area you walked an hour ago; often with better success as you may be pushing singles and doubles that tend to hold better than coveys. The chukar on these slopes are limited in their cover and escape routes. I was able to push straight to the top, pushing birds to the flats on top, hunt that area flushing them back to the slopes and then swing around on the slopes pushing birds back to the top and some to the bottom. Although, even this area has limits and once pushed hard enough birds learn to move further away when flushed.

Right to the Bottom

Oh nooooo! No! No! No! Catch it Z! ^&*(&%*! Die Die Die you Cucking Fhukar! But the chukar kept flapping with its good wing and jumping and went all the way down to the bottom of the slope before Z could catch up to it. I was just below the rim, 4 hours of hunting under my belt, starting to stumble a bit on the talus slopes, and the main thing running through my head was if I walk to the bottom I might as well make my way out for the day. This prospect was not the end of the world as I had 4 birds weighing down my hunting vest and I wanted to hit another area for Hungarian Partridge on the loop out.

I stood there for a couple minutes watching Z toss the bird. I’m sure she was hoping it would continue to provide a chase; but the bird had reached both the bottom and the end at about the same time. Just last week my 2-year-old pooch had made two fabulous 5-10 foot retrieves (got to start some where), but this, 200 yards uphill, this was well beyond the next step I could see in my minds eye. Just like any hopeful hunting dog owner though I started to yell my retrieve command “Bring It!” while presenting my hand down with the palm out towards her. After a couple yells and much to my delight she picks up the bird…but starts to move in the other direction! With a quick, negative aaaahhhh command she drops the bird again and looks up at me.

Ok, just start walking down Karl! Don’t train her to ignore your commands by repeating them over and over when you have no control. But then she picks up the bird again and just stands there looking up at me with it in her mouth. This is simply one of “those” moments. Will she do it or not? With another few hopeful “Bring It” commands she starts up the slope with the bird! My heart jumped. Now to be honest one of the first thoughts that ran through my head was, “Yahoo, even if she just brings it up half-way!!” About a third of the way up she stops, drops the bird, and stands there panting. I’m happy. I let her catch her wind and then with another yell of the retrieve command she picks up the bird and starts up the slope again. Another third of the climb she drops the bird to pant some more, I’m really really happy. And then as she rounds a boulder to deliver the bird to hand I’m generously praising my pup while letting out a few boisterous yells to the rest of the world.