Todd Duncan Tennyson
Well-known member
A few years back, (about 8)
I took Alex and Ginger out along the Snake River for some upland bird hunting. Couldn't get anyone to tag along, and decided to do it alone. I did most stuff alone then.
I parked along a reservoir and hiked the only direction available (up).
I hiked up some bad terrain, and the area looked like there should be birds, I could hear them, but they were all above.
If the Alex and Ginger had been dragging, or without exhibition of bird, I'd have turned back,
but they were just on fire... Tails whipping to and fro, noses down, and moving along at just above a fast trot.
I knew there were a ton of birds up there, but up was way up, up past the clouds that morning, and probably up past the high blue Autumn sky beyond.
I was a few years younger, a lot thinner, and crazy enough to go on, so i did. I figured that even the highest hill has to end somewhere.
After much struggle, slipping and sliding on scree (so bad i even unloaded the gun) I was within 50 yards of the crest. I could hear a truck up there.
I remember thinking, "how in the heck can a truck be up here?"
(There are no roads up there)
As I crested the mountain range, I saw a beat up old ford. There were a couple of old "locals" driving the road.
I was so tired out, they saw me and waved. I sat there on the top of the ridge, and they stopped their truck.
I was thinking (these guys are going to tell me i am on some private ranch or that i have crossed some fence that i never saw or something).
Then the first old timer said, "haw-dee, boy you've got some tired lookin dawgs. They need a slug from the jug? we've got 250 gal of water in the back of the rig."
I retorted, "No sir, I've got water for them, but it is from the river, so i am leery of drinking it."
Then he looked over the area and asked. "Where the hell's your rig?"
I said, "down at the lake"
His response was "Where is the helicopter?"
I said "I didn't see a helicopter, are you guys supposed to be meeting one up here?"
He laughed, "No I meant the one you rode in on"
I said "I climbed the hill from there to here"
Then his buddy shut the truck off.
I was thinking that they were going to get out and read me the riot act.
Alex and ginger rallied and ran up to them... Wagging and they both ruffled the dogs heads, gave em a pat.
The the driver of the rig, said, " well, you got a canteen?"
"yes sir, can I talk you out of some of that 250"?
"Yep, straight out of our well, good for dogs and people too" He filled up a jug and called the dogs over, dumped a bunch on them, and gave em a good loop of it, then filled my jug.
The the first guy went to the truck and dug out 3 Budweiser from his cooler, came over and stuck em in my vest.
I said " jeesh, I don't want to steal your beer, and I sure cant drink and try to hunt"
He said, "I know, but the market will be closed at 5 tonight, and you might want to have a couple few later on... you earned em."
I said "THANK YOU" and we shook on it, and I said, "I hope i am not crossing your land up here, there were bunch of trampled fences down there."
The first guy said, "you hunt it"
So I said goodbye to my friends on the ridge, and i did "hunt it"
About 2 hours later I descended into the river valley and lake where the truck was parked.
With all that hiking, you'd think a guy could work off a few pounds, but I managed to leave the scene with 3 huns, 5 chuckars, 3 Budweiser and 2 more friends than I had when I climbed the mountain.
I enjoyed those hard earned beers later that night, gave the dogs their bird carcasses to relish, and watched the water lap the shore on the snake river under the starlight.
I felt like a well rewarded "Hard Charger".
guess I was.
I took Alex and Ginger out along the Snake River for some upland bird hunting. Couldn't get anyone to tag along, and decided to do it alone. I did most stuff alone then.
I parked along a reservoir and hiked the only direction available (up).
I hiked up some bad terrain, and the area looked like there should be birds, I could hear them, but they were all above.
If the Alex and Ginger had been dragging, or without exhibition of bird, I'd have turned back,
but they were just on fire... Tails whipping to and fro, noses down, and moving along at just above a fast trot.
I knew there were a ton of birds up there, but up was way up, up past the clouds that morning, and probably up past the high blue Autumn sky beyond.
I was a few years younger, a lot thinner, and crazy enough to go on, so i did. I figured that even the highest hill has to end somewhere.
After much struggle, slipping and sliding on scree (so bad i even unloaded the gun) I was within 50 yards of the crest. I could hear a truck up there.
I remember thinking, "how in the heck can a truck be up here?"
(There are no roads up there)
As I crested the mountain range, I saw a beat up old ford. There were a couple of old "locals" driving the road.
I was so tired out, they saw me and waved. I sat there on the top of the ridge, and they stopped their truck.
I was thinking (these guys are going to tell me i am on some private ranch or that i have crossed some fence that i never saw or something).
Then the first old timer said, "haw-dee, boy you've got some tired lookin dawgs. They need a slug from the jug? we've got 250 gal of water in the back of the rig."
I retorted, "No sir, I've got water for them, but it is from the river, so i am leery of drinking it."
Then he looked over the area and asked. "Where the hell's your rig?"
I said, "down at the lake"
His response was "Where is the helicopter?"
I said "I didn't see a helicopter, are you guys supposed to be meeting one up here?"
He laughed, "No I meant the one you rode in on"
I said "I climbed the hill from there to here"
Then his buddy shut the truck off.
I was thinking that they were going to get out and read me the riot act.
Alex and ginger rallied and ran up to them... Wagging and they both ruffled the dogs heads, gave em a pat.
The the driver of the rig, said, " well, you got a canteen?"
"yes sir, can I talk you out of some of that 250"?
"Yep, straight out of our well, good for dogs and people too" He filled up a jug and called the dogs over, dumped a bunch on them, and gave em a good loop of it, then filled my jug.
The the first guy went to the truck and dug out 3 Budweiser from his cooler, came over and stuck em in my vest.
I said " jeesh, I don't want to steal your beer, and I sure cant drink and try to hunt"
He said, "I know, but the market will be closed at 5 tonight, and you might want to have a couple few later on... you earned em."
I said "THANK YOU" and we shook on it, and I said, "I hope i am not crossing your land up here, there were bunch of trampled fences down there."
The first guy said, "you hunt it"
So I said goodbye to my friends on the ridge, and i did "hunt it"
About 2 hours later I descended into the river valley and lake where the truck was parked.
With all that hiking, you'd think a guy could work off a few pounds, but I managed to leave the scene with 3 huns, 5 chuckars, 3 Budweiser and 2 more friends than I had when I climbed the mountain.
I enjoyed those hard earned beers later that night, gave the dogs their bird carcasses to relish, and watched the water lap the shore on the snake river under the starlight.
I felt like a well rewarded "Hard Charger".
guess I was.
