Fall 2017
57-pound trout is waiting to be caught again
Hunt of a Lifetime Grizzly bears could soon become big game in Idaho
Hunting forecast Harsh winter takes its toll on deer in S.E. Idaho
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ALL-DAY BASS
Fishing below the dam at the American Falls Reservoir.....
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Fall 2017
ster a monLu rks stiLL
57-pound trout is to be waiting ain caught ag
fa Hunt o e Lifetim
ars Grizzly be on could so big become ho Ida game in
g Huntinast forec nter Harsh wi toll takes its in on deer S.E. Idaho
Inside
Letter from the Editor ........................... 4 2017 Deer Hunting Forecast ............... 6 Grizzly Bear Hunts in Idaho............... 12 Bullet Choice is Vital ......................... 16 Q&A with the Extreme Huntress ......... 19 57-Pound Trout ................................ 24 Flyfishing in the Backcountry .............. 26
Big bulls
Over the past two years, a Pocatello man has successfully bagged two massive bull elk in East Idaho, a feat he attributes to lots of time, effective scouting and persistence...............
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GentleMen, start your engines
With hunting season just around the corner, it’s time for folks to start blowing the dust off of their four-wheelers and ATVs so they can romp through Idaho’s backcountry to bag a buck.....
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David Ashby Outdoors Editor
When you hear the growl H ave you ever heard “the growl?” It’s a soft yet deep rumble that usually appears out of nowhere when you are alone in the wilderness. It almost sounds like the evil purr that housecats make when they’ve had enough playtime, but the little kids won’t let the feline go. Yes, I’ve heard “the growl,” and the sound is enough to force you to count your blessings. In mid-July, I went on a little hike near Scout Mountain to help deal from the stresses of life. The plan was to explore the large number of trails behind the mountain, starting on Windago Trail. The scenery was absolutely beautiful. Though the wildflowers were pretty much dead by this point in the season, the views certainly made up for the lack of color. I was making great progress, too. I had battled past the brutal summer sun, a horde of vicious mosquitoes and a downed tree on the side of a steep hillside. Then, as I walked along a trail that led to Box Canyon, I spotted a large black mass through the trees approximately 25 feet off the trail. I’ve written my share of bear attack stories over the years to know what those beasts can do to human flesh. And, as many wildlife biologists have told me, the presence of a black bear hanging around Scout Mountain is definitely not out of the realm of possibility. So naturally, I stopped dead in my tracks and wished I had spent more time working on my running skills. Then suddenly, the black mass walked onto the trail.
It was a free-range cow. That bovine got an earful as I marched past him, but the cow just stared at me. I continued my hike. Thankfully, I soon entered a large grove of trees that provided shade from the sun. The inner peace I was feeling at that time didn’t last long. “GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.” There was nobody else around when I heard that growl. Because it was in the middle of the work week, I only saw one other person during my hike, and that was an hour earlier near the parking lot. I stopped dead in my tracks and listened for it again. Maybe it was just a figment of my overactive imagination. “GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.” Nope, not my imagination. I did a 360, looking north, south, east, west and everywhere in between. However, there was no bear and no mountain lion in sight. Just trees, rocks and dirt. “GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.” OK, that one sounded like it was right behind me. I did another 360, but there was nothing. I realized later that I should have looked up in the trees above my head. However, I never made it to that point. The three growls spooked me so badly that I just turned around and double-backed the way I came in. I wasn’t going to stick around and find out how well my health insurance covered catastrophic injuries. In retrospect, I feel like I should have stayed and confirmed it was a mountain lion. But when I got home later, I pulled up a 14-second YouTube video of a mountain lion growling. The sound of that cougar growling in the video was
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identical to the one I heard earlier in the day. I theorized that the suspected mountain lion might have been stalking the free-range cow I saw earlier on the trail, and I just happened to stumble between the cougar and its lunch. I recall an article written by the late, great Michael H. O’Donnell and published in the Spring 2016 Xtreme Idaho magazine. The story advised mountain bikers on what they should do if confronted by a dangerous wild animal in the backcountry. One section listed tips on how to protect yourself when a mountain lion gets too close for comfort. Here’s what the article said: • Do not run. It will likely trigger a chase response in the cat. • Do not turn your back on the lion, crouch down or try to hide. • Keep eye contact and back away slowly. Leave the animal an escape route. • Make yourself look as large and intimidating as possible. Stand on a rock or stump. Open your shirt or jacket and/or spread your arms apart to appear larger than you are. • Shout, wave your arms or throw objects if the lion does not leave the area. • If attacked, fight back. If you have pepper spray, use it. Stay on your feet and use your backpack, sticks, rocks or hands to defend yourself. I worked closely with Mike on this article. I read the article. I know these tips. And yet, when I was out there all alone, miles out of cell phone service and confronted by a terrifying, blood-curdling growl, all
Submitted Photo The sounds this animal makes will send chills down your spine when you are alone in the wilderness.
of this information went by the wayside. Instead, all I could think about was running away screaming like a little girl. How lame. Later, when I was talking with a friend about the incident, he yelled at me for hiking a trail called Windago. “Do you even know what a ‘Wendigo’ is?” he asked. Then he read the dictionary
definition of “Wendigo” to me. He found it on the internet, of course. “(in the folklore of some Algonquian peoples) a cannibalistic giant; a person who has been transformed into a monster by the consumption of human flesh.” “It’s not even the same word,” I said. “There’s probably different spellings,” he replied. “The Algonquians are from the
east,” I yelled, getting irritated. “This is Idaho!” My friend smirked and responded, “Makes you wonder if it really was a mountain lion after all.” “No, it doesn’t,” I said. “I wasn’t even on the Windago Trail when it all went down.” After that exchange, I didn’t get a good night’s sleep for at least three days after my suspected mountain lion encounter.
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Tough
WINTER Expect fewer deer on the hill this hunting season By Eric Freeman Idaho Fish and Game
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Getty Images/iStock photo
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Submitted Photo The winter of 2016-2017 was hard on mule deer in Southeast Idaho.
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cross the West, sportsmen and sportswomen spend countless hours, days and months each year in pursuit of mule deer. This iconic species has a devoted following among hunters, landowners and outdoor enthusiasts who are passionate about mule deer management and conservation. Consequently, when the temperature drops and snow starts to pile up, folks become very concerned. Many of them remember the past; others are concerned about the next year’s hunting season or what future opportunities await their children. Some are angry about the lack of winter feeding, while others wonder how they can help. Common to all of these groups is the phone calls they make and questions they have for wildlife managers. I’ve attempted to answer some of these common questions below.
However, deep snow doesn’t automatically spell doom for mule deer (and vice-versa, a lack of snow doesn’t mean that survival will automatically be high), and we need to consider many weather factors. How cold is it? Is the snow crusted? How early did winter set in? How long is it expected to last? We also need to evaluate other factors affecting mule deer: What are the habitat conditions on summer and winter ranges? How much fat did adults and fawns have coming into winter? What are disease prevalence rates? What is the compliment of predators and how robust are predator populations? Is the deer population near carrying capacity? The interaction of weather, habitat conditions, predation and condition of mule deer is what determines annual survival and how severely a winter will impact mule deer populations.
Q: What determines how bad a die-off will be? A: The simplest way for anybody to gauge the severity of a winter is by looking at the percent of average snowpack. Generally speaking, this past winter was well over 100 percent (and approaching 200 percent in some areas) across central and southern Idaho.
Q: Fawns vs. Adults? A: As we gauge the severity of winter on mule deer, we need to separate survival of adults and fawns (deer that are around 6 months old when winter begins). Survival of fawns can be upwards of 80 percent under the best conditions and nearly 0 percent in very severe conditions. Additionally, a severe
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winter can impact fawn survival and recruitment (fawns surviving their first year) for an additional year as fewer fawns are born to adults in poor condition, and those fawns that are born are lighter and put on less weight (the biggest factor on whether they will survive the next winter). In contrast, winter survival of adult does is much more stable, hovering just over 90 percent most years. Because adult survival is so stable, we generally focus on fawn survival as the driver of population growth or decline. Low winter survival of adults can certainly affect population growth/decline, but areas of extremely low adult survival are generally localized and relatively uncommon. Even when fawn survival drops far below normal, adult survival generally remains closer to the average. For example, fawn survival was very low this winter among fawns collared at both Tex Creek and Weiser/McCall (less than 15 percent), but adult doe survival didn’t decrease as dramatically (approximately 80 percent survival). While this will result in a reduction in population size, it shouldn’t be as extensive as in 2011 when survival of adult females was around 70 percent across much of Eastern Idaho. Low adult doe survival across a broad area can depress the population for several
years. Q: What is normal? A: Winter fawn survival has averaged approximately 57 percent since collaring efforts began in Idaho in 1998. Winter survival of adult does has averaged just over 90 percent. Q: What about adult bucks? A: Unfortunately, this is the segment of the population that we know the least about from an overwinter survival standpoint. Recent collar data suggests that many years there is not a difference between adult buck and doe survival, while in other years adult buck survival may be up to 10 percent lower. However, other data suggest that winter buck survival may be slightly higher…. The truth is that the jury is still out on this one. Q: Why doesn’t IDFG feed more? A: Feeding is often an extremely popular idea among mule deer enthusiasts and an understandable solution to many folks when they see mule deer trying to cope with difficult winter conditions. Unfortunately, the costs of feeding mule deer nearly always outweigh the benefits. Considerations include: • Feeding may change migratory behaviors, which can impact survival. • Animals concentrated at feed sites in the winter dramatically increase the potential for disease transmission such as respiratory ailments and Chronic wasting disease. Chronic wasting disease is fatal to mule deer, and while we have yet to detect it in Idaho, our risk is high based on prevalence in adjacent states. • There are likely negative impacts to habitat surrounding feed sites. • Adults exclude fawns from feeders, resulting in fawns getting less food than if they were not wintering at a feed site. • Mule deer have very specific dietary requirements in winter, and feeding them anything else can negatively impact survival.
• Unnatural deer and elk concentrations can result in unnatural predator concentrations. • Feeding a significant portion of a population is prohibitively expensive. IDFG coordinated a massive feeding effort this past winter in southeast Idaho — our largest feeding effort ever in this region with nearly 90 feed sites — and likely reached only 10 percent of the population. These considerations must be weighed against the benefits of feeding. It is possible to slightly increase (approximately 5 percent) doe survival if unlimited feed is provided and feeding is initiated prior to the onset of winter. Similarly, modest increases in fawn survival are also possible (although if the winter is severe, the loss of nearly the entire fawn age class is expected regardless). Winter feeding is uncommon, and in many areas non-existent, because the ineffectiveness of and problems associated with winter feeding outweigh the benefits. Q: How much did we lose and how fast will the population rebound? A: Mule deer populations remain very stable if winter survival of adults is about 90 percent and winter survival of fawns is around 55 percent. The following example might reflect the math of population growth/decline at its most simplistic: Assume we came into winter with 70 fawns per 100 does (70:100). Next assume that only 30 percent of those fawns survive between December and June, leaving 21 fawns per 100 does. If half of those fawns are female, then 10 females will become part of the “adult” population in June as yearlings. If annual adult doe survival was 100 percent, then we would have 110 adult does, and an annual growth rate of 10 percent. However, average annual survival of adult does is around 85 percent (this number includes bother winter survival and summer/fall survival). In the example above, if annual doe survival was 90 percent, the population would be stable, if it was higher, the population could grow slightly, and if it was lower, the population would shrink.
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This year, annual doe survival will likely be 70-90 percent (depending on what population you are interested in). Using this basic example, some mule deer populations will likely be quite stable this year because even though fawn survival was below average, adult survival remained high. Other populations will see modest declines. This is a very basic model and neglects several factors (e.g. harvest), but it does put you in the ballpark. On the bright side, mule deer often have twins and reproduce at young ages under good conditions, which results in rapid population growth. For example, population increases of 25 percent are possible in a given year under very good conditions. While this past winter was severe, we had several very mild winters preceding it, resulting in very robust populations going into winter. While winter mortality will result in a decreased population in many areas, we started from a very good place, and populations can rebound very quickly. The winter of 2016-2017 was hard on mule deer across Idaho, with some areas being impacted more than others (Southeast Idaho and the Weiser/McCall area being more severe, and the Smoky-Bennett and South Hills areas being less severe). There will be fewer deer on the hill this coming hunting season than there were last year in most areas. Keep in mind that mule deer observed on an individual mountain or drainage may have been impacted differently than the average of the population as a whole (which is what we are monitoring as managers). Also, there will be a notable lack of or decrease in the number of yearlings (which can make up 40 percent of the harvest). However, this decrease in overall population size will hopefully be short-term, and sportsmen will still have productive and enjoyable hunting seasons moving forward. Eric Freeman is a Regional Wildlife Biologist for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Southeast Region.
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BIG BULLS Photo courtesy of Logan Carr Logan Carr passed on 20 other elk to get this bull last year.
Pocatello man bags 2 massive elk in 2 years
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By David Ashby atience is a virtue. This phrase is especially true when it comes to hunting elk. Just ask Logan Carr. Over the past two hunting seasons, the Pocatello man has successfully bagged two 340-plus class bulls in East Idaho, a feat that he attributes to lots of time, effective scouting and persistence. The first massive bull elk, which measured 342 inches, was taken after two tough weeks of hunting and stalking last year in the Big Desert northwest of Pocatello. Carr had been putting in for this particular controlled elk hunt for years before his name was finally drawn.
Luckily, a few of his friends had also secured tags, and they planned a big trip together. Though one of these friends got a bull during the first week of the hunt, Carr was searching for something far greater. He soon found it in a 342-inch monster roaming the wilderness. However, elk with gigantic antlers know how to survive, and the one Carr had his eye on was not going to go down easily. The monster was often huddled with other elk, but when it was alone, the elk made sure to keep plenty of distance between itself and Carr’s rifle. “When they get a sense of danger, they group together in a herd and then you can’t get an ethical shot off,” Carr
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said. Carr scouted and stalked for two weeks straight, covering more than 150 miles of ground trying to get the elusive elk. In the process, he passed up on 20 other bulls that just didn’t make the cut. Finally, after weeks of persistence and patience, Carr found the opportunity he was looking for and dropped the elusive bull with his Browning X-Bolt 7mm rifle. The elk provided Carr with six months of elk meat in his freezer. Carr’s persistence and patience with this elk paid out dividends. But the bull he harvested in 2015 took even more time and even more tenacity. During this hunt west of Idaho
Falls, Carr noticed that every night, a large herd of elk would wonder onto a field for water. The problem Carr faced was that the elk would usually wander back into a separate game management unit under the cover of night, right before hunters could legally fire their rifles. However, Carr endured. Every morning for 23 days, he arose at 3 a.m. to head out to the field to scout the elk. Every morning presented different elk, but one in particular caught Carr’s attention — a monster that would later measure at 351 inches. He saw the elk once but couldn’t get the shot off because it was still dark. Then, a week later, the monster came back, but he stayed a lot longer this time. Soon the sun’s rays were brimming, and Carr was finally able to get the shot off — and it was successful. Once the 2016 elk comes back from the taxidermist, Carr plans to mount it in his house next to the one he stalked for 23 days in 2015.
Photo courtesy of Logan Carr It took 23 days of intense scouting in 2015 before this elk was harvested.
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HUNT OF A LIFETIME What to expect from a Yellowstone area grizzly bear hunt
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By Shelbie Harris unting and harvesting a grizzly bear in the areas surrounding Yellowstone National Park has been strictly prohibited since the animal was first protected under the Endangered Species Act in 1975. That changed this summer after the Interior Department stripped federal protections for grizzly bears living near the park, effectively granting hunters in the Lower 48 states with an opportunity many have waited a lifetime for. And that is landing a trophy grizzly bear. “There is potential to allow grizzly bear hunting as a conservation tool,” said Gregg Losinski, regional conservation educator for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. “And the irony is that this has always been the case.” The approximately 700 grizzly bears in the Yellowstone area will now be managed by state and tribal agencies in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. And while none of the states are able to immediately allow hunters to start adventuring for the iconic animals, Losinski said the fish and game commissions for each of the three states have begun the preliminary work necessary to coordinate tags and boundaries for the rare and coveted hunts. “Montana more so than Wyoming, and Idaho really tried to flesh this out so it would just give people an idea of what it could look like,” Losinski said. “We made some changes to our regulations in Idaho so that it could be possible and the
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Images courtesy of Idaho Fish and Game Since 1990, the grizzly bear range has greatly expanded past Yellowstone National Park’s boundaries. In recent years, grizzly bears have been spotted in areas where they haven’t been seen in decades.
one thing that is clear is that Wyoming will have the largest portion of tags.” However, the three states did clarify all of the bear regulations so that the commissions could then pursue grizzly bear hunts. “Idaho went into state code and clarified which bears affected certain regulations,” Losinski said. “That way, if the commission wanted to go forward with a hunt then they could so without worrying about any legal issues.” All three states have made similar arrangements, but at this time, there is no motion this year to go forward with a season or a hunt on grizzly bears, according to Losinski. “The bigger thing for us in terms of delisting is managing the bears,” he said. When hunting does begin in Idaho, Losinski estimates that a very small amount of tags would be available. “We’re going to be talking about a small number of bears,” he said. “When we were doing some premilinary work, it was about two bear tags a year in Idaho.”
This limited hunt has ruled out several factors that play a role in how the tags would be offered. “You won’t be buying a standard over-the-counter general grizzly bear tag,” Losinski said. “The legislatures control fee increases, but we have been told that if we were going to have a couple tags in Idaho that they could go for $100,000 each.” Regardless of when the states begin offering hunting seasons for grizzlies, hunting within Yellowstone National Park’s boundaries will still be off limits. Unlike any other species of big mammals, Losinski said that grizzly bears are used to assess the surrounding ecosystem. This means that by counting the number of grizzly bears in a specific area, conservationists and Fish and Game biologists can begin to formulate an idea of the overall health of that ecosystem. In terms of boundaries and managing the hunts, Losinski said that for the first five years, all three states have agreed to enter joint management. Rather than each of the three
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states counting the population of grizzly bears within their respective state lines, wildlife departments will monitor the bears in the entire Yellowstone ecosystem population. “There is a thing called the demographic monitoring area (DMA) and that is the area that bears will be counted in as far as being alive and what configuration they are in terms of male, female or cubs,” Losinski said. “Any deaths that are known in that area are part of this huge equation in figuring out the population estimate.” It is important to utilize a DMA to estimate the population of Yellowstone area grizzlies simply because maps don’t apply to animals. “They are moving around all the time,” Losinski said. “So, anything we do in relation to bears in one state potentially has an impact on the other states.” Another interesting facet of the boundary lines for grizzly bears aside from the DMA is what conservation experts call the distinct population segment, or DPS. The bears that are lo-
cated between the DPS and the DMA don’t fall under the same quota law compared to those in the DMA. “The problem is, they are the same bears, they just happen to be outside of a particular area,” Losinski said. “Even though we set a quota of two bears within the DMA, the states can also manage the bears outside the DMA while they are still in the DPS.” For example, Losinski said the DMA in Idaho is by Teton Basin near Driggs, but the DPS boundary ends near Interstate 15 by Pocatello. “So technically, the hunts that are part of the management system would be in the DMA,” Losinski said. “And anything the states want to do outside the DMA is up to the individual states, but they have to know those bears are always moving around.” If the number of bears counted in the DMA are too low, Losinski said the Yellowstone grizzly could get relisted, effectively ending all hunts on the animal.
“
For certain folks, having the ability to hunt grizzly bears in the lower 48 is a huge deal. The chance to harvest an Idaho grizzly bear is going to be something very special.
”
— Gregg Losinski, regional conservation educator for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game
drawing and all hunters should have equal opportunity to get the tag. Granted, we would have to have more tags before we get to the auction tag.” George Wuerthner, a board member of Foundation for Deep Ecology, has an opposite opinion and recently authored a column calling the delisting of the Yellowstone grizzlies premature. For Wuerthner, there are multiple things to consider, including the genetics of living grizzly bears and declining food sources. “The bears went through this thing called a genetic bottleneck,” Wuerthner said. “Even with 700 bears, you don’t have a lot of genetic males. With any population, you have a number of yearlings and this 700 number gives you the impression that there is a healthy population.” Wuerthner added,“But from an effective breeding population, 700 is still a low number.” Nonetheless, as commissions continue to hammer out the specifics of grizzly bear hunts, residents in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming prepare for landing an animal they’ve likely waited their entires lives for. “For certain folks, having the
ability to hunt grizzly bears in the Lower 48 is a huge deal,” Losinski said. “The chance to
harvest an Idaho grizzly bear is going to be something very special.”
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“The states must be really cautious about not just the hunts that are part of the tri-state agreement but also must be careful outside,” Losinski said. “Once they cross the DPS line, they are back to being a protected species again. There are many lines on the map and the thing that’s challenging about this is that these lines aren’t based necessarily on habitat that is suitable for bears.” Tony Hafla, the president of Safari Club International’s Idaho chapter, an Idaho Falls-based hunting organization that promotes the hunting of big game animals, said the delisting of Yellowstone grizzly bears is a tremendous opportunity. “Through hunting, grizzly bears will avoid confrontations with people,” Hafla said. “I think when hunting starts, the animals become warier of their predators. So, people’s safety in the woods will be increased.” However, Hafla said he would be opposed to seeing grizzly bear tags auctioned off at high prices. “I would be opposed to that because you are making an income-biased tag,” Hafla said. “I think it should be a general
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‘ONE SHOT’ Bullet choice is vital to a successful hunt
By Smokey Merkley
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Photos by Jordon Beesley When hunting big game, choose your bullets carefully because you might only get a quartering shot or you might have to take your shot from hundreds of yards away.
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e was on a parallel ridge to the one we were on, traveling straight up the mountain. It would have been close to a 500-yard shot. I knew that the two ridges converged about a half-mile farther up the mountain. Fortunately the breeze was blowing from the 4-point’s ridge to the one we were on. The buck was taking his time, totally unaware of our presence. This was my son’s first deer hunt and I wanted to give him the best opportunity possible to get his deer. “Come on, Mike,” I whispered. “I think we can beat him to where the ridges converge and you will have about a 70-yard shot if he continues the direction he is going.” As we approached the convergence of
the two ridges, the buck had gotten there first and was moving up the mountain slightly faster now. Mike got into prone position, shouldered his .264 Winchester Magnum, found the deer about 300 yards up the mountain in his six-power scope, quartering away to the left. Mike slowly let his breath out and fired. The deer jumped straight up in the air as high as the small Juniper tree next to him, landed on his back and rolled about 5 yards back down the mountain. He then hit another Juniper and stopped. We jumped up and down for a few seconds and I tried to make Mike feel like he was the man, as his generation likes to say. Now the hard work of getting the deer down to camp began. We hiked up to the deer as it laid against
the tree. It looked to be in good health and I estimated that it was probably a little over 200 pounds. Mike went over to it and started to drag it out where we could field dress it to make it lighter to carry down to camp. Once back at camp, we were able to determine that Mike’s 300-yard shot was point on. However, as the 140-grain bullet traveled from lower left to upper right through the deer’s body toward the vitals, the bullet struck bone and was deflected slightly. It had slowed due to expansion as it tried to bull it’s way through tissue, just barely reaching the vital area, hitting one lung and stopping. I have always had a problem understanding why American ammunition manufacturers spend so much time and
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millions of dollars pushing one type of expanding ammunition or another. My problem is rooted in physics, really. As a bullet expands, it create more resistance to penetration through the tissue of the game we are hunting. Those of us who have hunted a lot and the majority of professional hunting guides know that bullet penetration is the most important function of a rifle-cartridge combination. We also know the shooter’s ability to place the shot where it will do the most good and knowledge of game anatomy is also key. In my case, I rarely get beautiful broadside shots within 100 yards of my target where I can place the shot just behind the shoulder and into the vital zone of an animal, like you see in telescopic sight advertisements. I’m usually between 300 to 500 yards from the animal with a quartering shot. That means that if I take the shot, my bullet is going to have to pass through much of the animal’s body, possibly hitting bone, in order to reach the vitals and still have enough energy to destroy the lungs and heart. There are two ways I can assure that I have the power I need to reach the vitals at distance — one, I can use a very high power rifle cartridge with a 180- to 220-grain bullet, such as one of the .300 Magnums. Or two, I could use a rifle with less recoil and a little less power like a 30-06 with non-expanding or solid bullets. If one can get within 50 to 75 yards of a deer or elk with a decent shot angle, lowerpowered calibers with any of the variety of expanding bullets available in this country should do the job adequately. I originally hunted deer and elk with a .30-30 Winchester lever action rifle until I could buy my own .300 Weatherby. I still own that little .30-30. If you think I am trying to make a case for non-expanding or solid bullets, I will admit that it is something I think about a lot, and I do tend to prefer Hornady InterLock Spire Point bullets with boat tail construction because they resist expansion and drive a little deeper. The Hornady InterLock bullet is not a solid, nor is it a non-expanding bullet, but it does tend to expand less than most soft point bullets and drive through to the vitals when quartering shots must be taken. Some think that solid bullets just pass right though game without doing any real damage. Anyone who believes this has never seen solids at work. Not only
will properly constructed solids put a neat hole in any organ they are aimed at, but they will become twice as deadly if they touch bone. That’s because a solid will smash bone and then turn the shards of bone into the biological equivalent of grenade fragments. The downside of solids is that American manufacturers don’t make them in calibers smaller than .375 H&H Magnum. They can be ordered on the internet from Hornady, Barnes and Colorado Custom Bullets, though. Another option for those who load their own bullets is to load #15 Brindell Hard Cast bullets. Although they look like lead bullets, there is very little lead in them. They are made with a mixture of metals such as silver, tin, etc., and they are pretty hard. Lead, for example, is only #2 hardness. Some manufactures advertise that their bullets will have controlled expansion at 100 to 200 yards, but will still expand at long distances when the bullet has lost much of its velocity and will still retain most of its original weight. I can only guess that this expansion and weight retention is due to one or two notches between bullet and jacket. At close range, if fired from a reasonably powerful rifle, any of the current soft point bullets probably will get into the vitals assuming good placement and a good angle by the shooter. But as it slows, the expanding bullet is simply causing resistance to adequate penetration. During the last few years, American ammunition manufacturers have been experimenting with different types of tips to make bullets fly straighter and longer while increasing the ballistic coefficient. Most have settled on polymer tips that are very aerodynamic, causing less drag. They also have been manufacturing longer bullets with boat tails that stabilize the bullet in flight, while delivering controlled expansion as the tips are forced back into the cartridge on impact, thus initiating the expansion. However, physics once again has a problem with what most might see as a great idea. The problem is friction. Polymer tips melt and deform when exposed to heat. Coming out of the muzzle of one of the .300 Magnum calibers at close to 3,000 feet-per-second, the friction the polymer tip is exposed to creates tremendous heat and the tip can melt and deform past 400 yards, playing havoc with accuracy.
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After reloading several of these polymertipped bullets for my .300 Weatherby Magnum with 82 grains of Reloader 22 behind a 180-grain bullet at about 3,100 feet-per-second from the muzzle, I found that my groups were scattered all over the target, and in some cases were as much as 4 inches high at 300 yards. My normal load for a 180-grain bullet for my .300 Weatherby is 82 grains of Reloader 22 behind a 180-grain metal jacket Hornady Interlock Spire Point Boat Tail. Both the Hornady Interlock Spire Point Boat Tail bullet and the Swift Scirocco II, which has a polymer tip that I have been using for a couple of years, hit point of aim at 300 yards. All three bullets have practically the same ballistic coefficient. I need to do some more research before I can say that the scattered placement on the target was due to heat deformation of the polymer tip. But the tips seemed to have been deformed much more than the dirt berm would have deformed them. Interestingly, Hornady found the same problem with polymer tips a couple of years ago and developed a polymer tip for their ELD line of bullets, called the “Heat Shield Tip,” that they claim will resist heat, melting and deformation out to 1,000 yards. I currently have some ELDs loaded to the same specs I loaded the others. I just need to see if they do what Hornady says they will do. At any rate, a 180-grain Hornady InterLock Spire Point Boat Tail bullet or the Swift Scirocco II bullets seem to be very accurate out to the ranges I have shot them, and they retain enough energy to do a memorable job on elk at 500 and 600 yards. Hornady, which has a reputation for manufacturing quality bullets, has done some research on heat-stressed polymer tips and is also offering a long-range polymer-tipped bullet in the ELD. So, decide what you are going to hunt, how far you think you might have to take the shot, consider the possibility of having to take a quartering shot and choose your bullets and load carefully. You might only get one shot. Smokey Merkley was raised in Idaho and has been hunting since he was 10 years old. He was a member of the faculty of Texas A&M University for 25 years. There he taught orienteering, marksmanship, selfdefense, fencing, scuba diving and boxing. He was among the first DPS-certified Texas Concealed Handgun Instructors. He can be contacted at mokeydo41245@hotmail.com.
Photo courtesy of Lindsay Christensen Lindsay Christensen with a black bear she recently bagged with a bow in Canada.
Extreme huntress Southeast Idaho native wins hunting competition XTREME IDAHO ~ FALL EDITION 2017 ~ IDAHO STATE JOURNAL ~ 19
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Photo courtesy of Lindsay Christensen It is believed that Lindsay Christensen is the first woman to ever harvest a Gredos ibex with a bow.
indsay Christensen became the 2017 Extreme Huntress in January. The national Extreme Huntress competition aims to preserve an outdoor heritage and highlight positive role models for women who like to hunt, according to its website. Christensen, who lives in Weston, a city in Franklin County in Southeast Idaho, won the competition after she earned the most points based on judges’ scores, hunting skills and online votes. There were five other finalists from across the country. Xtreme Idaho recently contacted Christensen to find out what she’s been up to since she won the title. Here’s what she had to say: Q: You were named the 2017 Extreme Huntress in January. What has life been like for you since that time? A: Life has been a whirlwind since January. Because of the Extreme Huntress contest and my other hunting endeavors, I have met a lot of great people. As a result, I have been able to do a few things that I didn’t think I would ever get to do. I have been really busy with work, but I got the opportunity to travel to England and film an episode for Fieldsports UK. I was also able to complete one of my bucket list hunts in Spain this spring, a Gredos ibex with my bow. Recently, I returned from Canada, where I harvested a black bear with my bow. Besides doing as much hunting as I can, I have reached out to many hunting-related companies and acquired some new sponsorships. Hunting can be expensive, so it is nice to have support from companies that promote women in the industry. 2017 has also been a great year for me as far as tournaments go as well. I have been shooting better than I ever have, and I can’t ask for much more than that. Q: How does it feel to hold the title of Extreme Huntress? A: I am very humbled to have been chosen to hold such an incredible honor. To be able to represent female hunters from all over the world is something that I never dreamed of. Q: Tell us more about your responsibilities as the Extreme Huntress and what associated activities you’ve been involved in in recent months. A: My main responsibility has been to promote women in hunting. I have also been doing online mentoring of the contestants for this year’s competition. I have done my best to offer them any advice that I can to
help them be successful both in the competition, as well as outside of the competition. I have also had the opportunity to do some public question and answer sessions at events like the Western Hunting and Conservation Expo and the Ladies Night Out Mule Deer Foundation banquet. In addition, I have had the opportunity to be the guest on two different podcasts, as well as be featured in the local newspapers and on the Southeast Idaho news channel. Q: What have you enjoyed most about serving in this position? A: I have really enjoyed meeting new people and talking to them about the importance of the role of hunting in wildlife conservation. Q: What is the most important thing you want to achieve while holding this title? A: If I can change the opinion of even one anti-hunter, then I will feel that my reign as Extreme Huntress has been a success. Any-
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one who enjoys wildlife needs to understand that hunting is the most important part of wildlife management. Without it, many animal populations would be at risk for extinction. Q: I understand part of the Extreme Huntress Competition’s mission is to create positive role models for women who want to hunt. Why do you feel it’s important for women to have role models in the sport? A: Most outdoor marketing is geared towards men. Women realize this, and as a result, they don’t feel like hunting is something that they can participate in. Several women that I have met and talked to have shared stories in which their dad and brothers hunted, but the women of the household were not included. I want to be a visible role model so that women can see the opportunities for them in hunting and wildlife conservation. Q: How does it feel to be one of those role models?
Q: How did you get started in the sport? A: I am fortunate to have a father who shared his love for hunting and the outdoors with me at a very young age. I began hunting with him before I could even walk. He bought me my first bow when I was 4 years old, and I soon began competing at a local level. I shot in my first international tournament at the age of 8, placing 3rd. My archery career took off, and I made my first U.S. World Championship team at the age of 15. Although I enjoy tournament archery, my true love is bowhunting. Q: What weapons do you typically use? A: I typically use my bow if I can. I do enjoy pheasant hunting with my Weatherby shotgun though, and I have been successful with a rifle as well. Q: What types of animals have you hunted? A: I have hunted mule deer, elk, whitetail deer, moose, turkey, bear and antelope in Idaho. I have also hunted antelope in Wyoming and Utah, as well as been to North Dakota, Minnesota, Texas and Mexico white-tail deer hunting. My Texas adventures have also included hunting for hog and Texas Dall sheep. While I was in Mexico, I also hunted javelina and wild hog. This spring, I went to Europe hunting roe deer, fallow deer and muntjac in England and Gredos ibex in Spain. Recently, I returned from New Brunswick, Canada, where I harvested a beautiful black bear with my bow. Q: What do you do with your harvests? A: This is a great question, one that I get asked quite frequently. I do not feel like I fit in the mold of what people would consider a
“trophy hunter.” I view all of my harvests as trophies, no matter the size. I am a meat hunter. I hunt to feed myself, my family, my friends, coworkers, acquaintances, as well as strangers. I am 28 years old, and I have never purchased beef at the grocery store. If I am unable to eat the meat of a harvest, I make sure that the meat will get used. Here are a few examples: I donated the meat from my scimitar oryx to the Trinity Oaks foundation in Texas, a program for veterans. The meat from my harvests in England was sold to London restaurants. I gave the meat from my Gredos ibex to the Spanish spotters and their families. Q: What records do you currently hold? A: I have been lucky enough to harvest a pronghorn antelope and a mule deer that made the Pope and Young record book (the record book for bow harvests only). My roe buck and Gredos ibex have not been officially scored yet, as they are still in Europe, but should both be large enough to make the Safari Club International record book. Also, after research done by the outfitter I hunted with in Spain, it is believed that I am the first woman ever to harvest a Gredos ibex with a bow. Q: What do you enjoy most about hunting? A: I think my favorite part about hunting is that it teaches you a lot about yourself, as well as skills that can be applied in other aspects of life. Hunting teaches patience and responsibility. It teaches you to never give up, because you never know what will be over the next ridge. It teaches you how to deal with disappointment. It teaches endurance and self-discipline. It teaches you how to be prepared. Hunting also instills confidence. Q: What is the hardest part for you? A: To be successful, hunting requires a large time commitment:
from scouting in the spring and summer, to putting up trail cameras, to setting up ground blinds and treestands before the hunt, to the time spent on the mountain during the season and the time required to take care of an animal after it is harvested. With three jobs, it is hard for me to find this time. I am hoping that will change some day. Q: What would you say to encourage other women and girls to consider trying the sport? A: Hunting is an individual sport, and women can be just as good at it as men. Hunting is rewarding in so many ways. There has never been a day when I have come off the mountain thinking that I shouldn’t have gone. Q: What is the best way for a newcomer to get started? A: Taking a hunter education course is a great way to get started in hunting, and most states require a hunter education certificate before you can legally hunt. Hunter education courses teach things like
DR. BAKER, DDS
DR. JEPSEN, DMD
the history of hunting, hunting and survival skills, hunting ethics, basic shooting skills, firearm safety, wildlife identification, field care of game, and conservation principles. The legal hunting age in the state of Idaho is 10 years old. Q: Tell us more about yourself and what you do when you’re not hunting. A: Well, I currently work three jobs to support my hunting and archery lifestyles. I teach fulltime in the nursing program at Bridgerland Technical College in Logan, UT. I work part-time as a charge nurse at Franklin County Medical Center in Preston, and I am a nursing consultant at the new Maple Springs facility in North Logan. I travel all over the country to archery tournaments almost every weekend from December through July each year. In my spare time, you can find me practicing archery, hiking in the mountains, running down a dirt road, fishing or hanging out with family and friends.
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Gentlemen, start your engines
Prepping your ATV for hunting season By Josh Friesen
W
ith hunting season just around the corner, it’s time for folks to start blowing the dust off of their four-wheelers and ATVs so they can romp through Idaho’s backcountry once again to
bag another buck. But before you climb aboard your machine and ride out to your favorite hunting spots, it’s good to ensure it’s in tip-top working condition. Jeremy Jensen, service manager at Pocatello Power Sports, encourages riders and hunters to begin taking out their four-
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wheelers and ATVs sooner. “The biggest thing we notice is guys need to pull out their ATVs earlier,” Jensen said. “A lot of guys don’t use them in the summer; the main reason they have it is hunting season. It may run fine when they pull it out, but all these problems occur after it starts running a little bit. Pull it out early,
and make sure it’s ready for the 20- to 30mile backcountry trip.” So once you pull your machine out of the shed, what should you be looking for? Ken Hitesman, owner of Ken’s Rec World in Pocatello, says to check your tire pressure, your air filter, your oil and your brakes. Low tire pressure could harm the tires. If your air filter is dirty, it could foul the spark plug. Make sure there’s enough oil in the engine and that it isn’t black. And if you’re applying the brakes but the machine isn’t stopping like you think it should be, you may need to adjust your brakes and/or have them serviced. It’s also a good idea, says general manager Jake Nickerson of Switchback Motorsports
in Chubbuck, to check your battery. Just because your machine starts up the first time doesn’t necessarily mean your battery is in good condition. Another potential issue are CV boots getting worn out and cracking while the machine is being used. If you’d feel more comfortable taking your machine to get it checked out, Jensen, Hitesman and Nickerson say it can be taken to their respective shops. Many shops offer comprehensive, pre-trip services that will give you a rundown of what issues may need to be addressed. Once you’re confident your four-wheeler or ATV is ready to tackle Idaho’s great outdoors, it’s a good idea to have several items with you in case an issue crops up.
There are many kits available that can plug and reinflate flat tires. There are also small packs that can charge cellphones and jumpstart spent ATV batteries. Those two items, the pros say, are essential when heading out. Other items that are a good idea to pack on your hunt include an extra set of warm clothes, a tow rope, a fire starter and some spare food and water. It’s important, Hitesman says, to maintain annual maintenance on your machine. “Proper maintenance makes the machine and ride a lot more enjoyable for the entire year, not just once in a while,” he said. “You can catch little problems, and it saves a lot of money in the long run.”
ATV Maintenance Checklist Start the ATV early: Don’t wait until just before hunting season to pull the ATV out of the garage. Most mechanical problems emerge after it’s been running a bit. By getting the engine running during the summer months, you can identify problems early and have plenty of time to get them fixed.
Tire pressure: Low pressure will harm the tire, potentially leading to a flat that could derail your hunting trip.
Air filter: If the air filter is dirty, it could damage a spark plug.
Brakes: If you’re applying the brakes and your vehicle isn’t stopping the way it should, take the fourwheeler in for service.
Kits: Make sure to invest in a kit that can plug and reinflate flat tires, which could be a life-saving tool out in the backcountry. There are also small packs that can charge cellphones and jumpstart spent ATV batteries.
Annual Maintenance: Even if you only ride a four-wheeler during hunting season, performing basic annual maintenance will extend the life of your vehicle and help catch small problems before they become expensive repairs.
Battery: Just because your ATV starts up the first time, it doesn’t mean the battery is in good condition, especially if the vehicle has sat for a long period of time. Also, check the condition of your CV boots. If they are worn out or cracked, replace them.
Oil: Obviously, there should be enough oil in the engine. However, black oil means an oil change is needed. Depending on where you ride, oil can get dirty pretty quickly. XTREMEIDAHO IDAHO~~FALL FALLEDITION EDITION2017 2017~~IDAHO IDAHOSTATE STATEJOURNAL JOURNAL~~ 23 29 XTREME
Submitted Photo Sidney Cellan and the 57-pound lake trout that was in the record books for a short time this summer.
A MONSTER STILL LURKS 57-pound trout is waiting to be caught again By Shelbie Harris (Idaho State Journal) and Liesl Nielsen (KSL) f the story of Soda Springs resident Sidney Cellan’s massive catch proves anything, it’s that you should always make sure you have a valid license before going fishing. After landing a monster-sized 57-pound lake trout, Cellan had initially reeled his way into the Utah record books. Cellan said he brought the 48-inch fish up
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from about 80 feet of water in June during his annual fishing trip to the Flaming Gorge Reservoir near Manila, Utah. “Our guide estimated this fish was probably about 50 to 60 years old,” Cellan said about his record-setting catch. “It took me about 30 minutes to reel it in.” Fishing with a friend from Victor, his son and their Utah guide, Jim Williams, from Creative Fishing Adventures, Cellan’s lake trout was documented earlier this summer as a new Utah catch-and-release record,
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according to the state’s Division of Wildlife Resources. For at least the last 10 years, Cellan has fished the Flaming Gorge with his friend, but never have their previous excursions been as successful as the one this year. “This was one of our best trips ever. Normally, we catch about seven to 10 fish,” Cellan said. “We went out jigging and ended up catching a total of 27 fish in two days,” In addition to the 57-pounder, Cellan said they boated two other fish over 35 pounds.
“And the day before, we caught probably 14 other fish between 12 and 35 pounds,” Cellan added. As many fishermen would expect, Cellan declined to reveal exactly where at Flaming Gorge Reservoir he caught the fish and with what lure, as both are tight-kept secrets. After pulling the fish into the boat for some pictures and measurements, Cellan released the fish back into the water. “So somebody else can catch it,” Cellan said about releasing the fish. “You know, if I kill all the fish that I catch that means there’s going to be less fish for other people to catch.” Though it was his pole and hard work that landed the fish, Cellan preferred to credit their guide Williams for putting them in the right spot at the right time. “We get out there fishing and we had fished all day until about 1:30 in the afternoon,” Cellan said. “Jim (Williams) watched it hit my line, and immediately, he knew it was a big fish.” As soon as he hooked the fish, Cellan knew it was big because of how long it hung around the bottom of the reservoir. “I was shaking because all I had was the 12-pound line,” Cellan said. “As Jim (Williams) watched him on the fish finder I felt him start up then head back down until eventually he turned his head up and I just
“
It was an honest mistake — and an incredible catch — but the angler’s fishing license had expired a couple of days before he caught the 48-inch lake trout. The previous record of 46.5 inches set by Ray Johnson in 1998 still stands. — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
started reeling him in.” The lake trout set the Utah catch-andrelease record. However, it would only be on the record books for less than a few months — and not because some other angler caught a bigger one. In August, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources discovered that Cellan had caught the fish a couple days after his license expired and revoked the catch from its record books. “It was an honest mistake — and an incredible catch — but the angler’s fishing license had expired a couple of days before he caught the 48-inch lake trout,” the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said in a post on their Facebook. “The previous record of
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46.5 inches set by Ray Johnson in 1998 still stands.” Though Cellan kept his exact location and his lure a secret, the record-breaking fish is still out there, and fishermen eager to set the record now have another chance — as long as their fishing licenses haven’t expired. “This serves as a good reminder to make sure you have a valid license before you go fishing,” the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said. “We are reviewing our record fish application process and will make the necessary changes to ensure this type of error doesn’t happen again.”
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Packing In
A guide to flyfishing in the Idaho backcountry
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By Tom Claycomb love backcountry flyfishing. It’s the ultimate outdoor adventure. You’re in cool country just like when you’re elk hunting yet you’re going to be catching big fish. It’s the best of both worlds. The first backcountry trip that I took was decades ago. I hired a guide to pack me up on horses to a high mountain alpine lake right at timberline in Colorado. Since then, I’ve backpacked into the backcountry or packed in on horses numerous times. If you haven’t done it before, you have to try it once. I’m betting that after the first trip,
you’ll be hooked for life. But let’s answer an important question first: why would you want to go to the trouble of packing into the backcountry in the first place? Because you’ll more than likely have the world to yourself and you’ll be catching big fish. Next question, how do you do it? The cheapest option is to backpack. On your first trip, I’d suggest that you pack in with someone who knows what they’re doing so they can show you the tricks of the trade. Then you can branch off on your own. Everyone likes to add their own twist to make what they call a perfect trip.
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In a nutshell, no matter how you get there, here’s how it will work. You’ll set up a tent to live in. I like to put a tarp on the inside floor so it keeps my bedroll and clothes dry. You’ll also want one, if not two, sleeping pads. If you pack to a high mountain lake, you’ll probably want to take a float tube. The high mountain lakes will have a muddy bottom and you’ll sink to your knees. Waders are nice for streams and lakes, but due to the extra weight, I don’t pack them in anymore. On fast streams with slippery rocks, wading boots are nice, but 75 percent of the time I don’t take them due to the weight. I wear nylon zip-off pants. They dry
off fast when you wade out of the water. I always take two flyrods. You don’t want to snap off a rod and be stuck back there unable to fish, right? Take plenty of tippet material and leaders, too. I snap off a lot of big fish. Also, take a lot of flies. If you’ve never been there, ask locals what flies are effective but make sure to take your favorites. I used to always start packing in the middle of July. But over the last 5-10 years, I find myself going more and more in the middle of August on into September. The snow melt has subsided, so the rivers are lower and not flowing as hard, which makes it easier to fish. Much earlier and you’ll about get swept away. Plus, with the rivers lower, the fish are more congregated in the holes. You don’t have to cover as much water. Backcountry flyfishing is always cool, but sometimes it is flat out awesome. I’ve been run out by forest fires, I’ve had mudslides blow out my river and I’ve had to deal with all kinds of natural disasters. But when you hit it right, it’s magical. Even if you’re not fishing that many miles in, I’d encourage you to pack in. That way you can fish until dusk and be right back in camp within minutes. Otherwise, you’ll have to hike out the last few hours and miss the evening hatch. There’s nothing more relaxing than to stumble into camp, whip up dinner and fall asleep sitting by a roaring campfire, watching the bats swooping around eating mosquitos. Well, we’re out of room but hopefully this will be enough to get you started. I have an article in Fur-Fish and Game Magazine on backcountry flyfishing, which I believe will be in the September issue. Have fun and be safe, you’ll be on your own. Tom Claycomb lives in Idaho and has outdoors columns in newspapers in Alaska, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Colorado and Louisiana. He also writes for various outdoors magazines and teaches outdoors seminars at stores like Cabela’s, Sportsman’s Warehouse and Bass Pro Shop.
Big Gear for the Big Trip
I teach a few backcountry flyfishing seminars every summer and it seems like anymore that everyone wants to spend 25 percent of the time talking about the actual fishing and 75 percent on what gear they’ll need. Here’s a short list of some of the necessities you’ll want, but it is by no means all-inclusive. There’s even some blank spaces to include your favorite items: Cooking Gear qI use a military fold-up mess kit. qCup qMatches, Bic lighters and firestarters. qAquamira filtered straw so you can drink out of the river. qSmall coffee pot to boil water. qPlastic plate and fork. q_________________________ q_________________________ Sleeping Gear qTent (Check out PahaQue or Alps Mountaineering tents.) qSleeping bag (Alps)
qSleeping pad (Alps) q________________________ q________________________ q________________________
Additional Gear qFlashlight (I use Coast rechargeable flashlights) q44 Magnum qFishing gear qMy Topo maps. They’ll make maps for your area. qAdventure Medical Kits footcare items & duct tape to repair tents, boots, etc. q_________________________ q_________________________ Clothing q Hiking boots qLight Gore-Tex coat qNylon cargo pants (They dry out fast) qHiking socks (2 pairs of SPG socks) qRiver sandals to wade/fish q_________________________ q_________________________
Photo by Tom Claycomb This is why we hike into the backcountry in Idaho— big fish.
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all-day
BASS
Fishing below the dam at the American Falls Reservoir By David Ashby
Photo by Doug Lindley Two anglers fish from a boat on the Snake River below the American Falls Dam. XTREMEIDAHO IDAHO~~FALL FALLEDITION EDITION2017 2017~~IDAHO IDAHOSTATE STATEJOURNAL JOURNAL~~ 29 XTREME 29
Photo by Doug Lindley While the American Falls Reservoir has always been known as a top-notch fishing destination, anglers have caught plenty of trophy-quality fish in the waters below the dam.
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or a while now, I’ve heard that some of the best bass fishing in the region can be found in the waters below the dam of the American Falls Reservoir. Local fishing guides have told me that anglers from Sun Valley and Jackson, Wyoming, have traveled to Southeast Idaho and visited their shops for advice on hooking a big bass below the dam. Considering the phenomenal fishing holes that lie in central Idaho and western Wyoming, that’s saying something. In July, a few of us at the Idaho State Journal were sick and tired of missing out on the trophy fish we’ve been hearing about so much and decided to plan a little trip to see what all the fuss was about.
American Falls Reservoir Created by the American Falls Dam, the sprawling
55,000-acre reservoir is an angler’s paradise — that is, when there isn’t a drought or the water isn’t being drained for irrigation purposes. Since 1990, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game has documented numerous species of trout, both smallmouth and largemouth bass and yellow perch, just to name a few. Some of those trout are pretty massive, lurking in its waters just waiting to be caught. In fact, the world record cutbow trout was caught at the reservoir by Mark Adams on July 25, 2011. That monster weighed 34 pounds, 11 ounces, and ironically, it was reeled in during what a few of the local anglers told me was an “off-year” for fishing at the reservoir. The Snake River above the dam offers lots and lots of additional opportunities, as well. But heading below the dam has perked my interest in recent
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years. I’ve seen photo after photo of anglers posing with big trout and otherworldly-looking bass that had been pulled from this part of the Snake River. Looking at these images has filled me with curiosity. I wanted to toss my hook into the water, and I was going to take Scott Kraus, the Idaho State Journal’s copy editor, and Chase Olson, the Journal’s IT mastermind, along for the ride. West Side We planned on a trip below the dam on a toasty Sunday morning in July. After meeting at the Bingham Co-op in American Falls, we headed west to Chase’s favorite fishing spot below the dam. Essentially, it’s a long line of large boulders on the west side of the Snake River near the base of the dam. To get there, we drove left on Lamb Weston Road, then took an immediate left onto Fish
Hatchery Road, then finally another left that led to a parking lot near the bottom of the dam. It didn’t take too long to realize that fishing from the rocks on that day would be a suicide mission. “I’ve been fishing here for the past three years, and I’ve never seen the water this high,” Chase said as the three of us gazed out toward the roaring waters below us. Actually, roaring was an understatement. The water was gushing out of the dam so hard and so fast that it appeared to be just one loud, white blur. This was pretty much the story all summer long at multiple streams and rivers across East Idaho. Big winter equaled big water, which, unfortunately, equaled impossible fishing. “Maybe we should go swimming,” Scott cracked. As we tried not to give our hopes up, a despondent-looking
East side The minute we exited our cars at Oregon Trail River Access’ parking lot, we immediately noticed a foul stench in the air. At first I thought it was the bathrooms, but soon we realized it was the odor of freshly caught fish in the air. We were at our destination. The Oregon Trail River Access can be found by heading down Falls Avenue, a residential street in American Falls, then hooking a left down Valdez Street, which will end at the Snake River. It’s a great place to launch a boat or sit alongside the banks of the river trying to land a big catch. To the north lies a short trail that leads to a long fishing dock that extends a good distance
toward the center of the river. Chase desperately wanted to fish from this dock. Approximately 20 feet out lied a whirlpool in the water. “That’s where all the food that fish eat circulate,” he said. Unfortunately, it was 10:30 a.m. on a Sunday in July, so the dock was already occupied by other anglers — none of whom were casting their lines anywhere near the whirlpool. I could see Chase grinding his teeth in frustration. Instead, we walked around the area before we found a nice fishing spot that gave us almostunlimited access to a small inlet. There were no violent rapids or mini-maelstroms, but there were enough fish splashing in the water to give us hope. “I’ve caught fish near here that are bigger than my daughter,” Chase said. At first, it was quiet. Then about a half-hour later, Chase had a big tug on his line. He quickly reeled his line in, and before long, he was holding a smallmouth bass. “I can catch bass here all day long.” he said as he unhooked the fish and released him back into the water. He wasn’t exaggerating. Within the hour, he had hooked another little bass, as well as the scourge of Southeast Idaho fishermen — an invasive carp. None of these fish were big enough to take home to our families, so they all got released. Scott and I weren’t having any luck at all. Scott was fishing off to the left as he carefully kept an eye on his red and white bobber, which seems to be standard gear for most fishermen from the midwest. As a North Dakota native, Scott was no exception. I was in the middle, not even lucky enough to catch a boot. Then Chase had a bright idea — he put a bullet weight on my line. That way, I could cast farther and the lure would sink much lower, which would attract fish that weren’t utterly
embarrassing to take a photo with. The swap-out worked. Within an hour, I reeled in three bass and a carp. Each time, my line was situated in a small honey hole approximately 25 feet off the bank. None of the fish were spectacular, but being the degenerate fisherman that I am, I was just thrilled that for once I wouldn’t be the loser left out with no catches. Just as the fishing was getting really good, life interfered. Chase’s wife called him and ordered him home. It was family time, and since Chase had all the knowledge and the good equipment, the trip ended for Scott and I as well. But before we left, Chase went over to the bank to wash his hands. As his hands entered the water, a giant carp swam within inches of his fingertips. Chase wasn’t lying, either. Scott and I both saw it with our own eyes. That carp was ugly, too. He had a look on his face that said, “no-
body likes me, everybody hates me, I think I’ll go eat worms — or garbage along the river bank.” The location of this honey hole and the bait we were using are both going to remain a secret. But it really doesn’t matter, because it’s not hard to find a honey hole full of bass below the dam. In fact, I found two more honey holes during two subsequent trips. And when you’re catching and releasing fish after fish, the day goes by pretty quickly. All-day bass. If you have a boat, you’re in the money because you’ll be able to get to the deep waters where the big trout and the big bass are hiding. And thankfully, the water levels have dropped significantly since our trip in July, so when Chase, Scott and I go back in September, we’ll hopefully get one of those trophy-sized catches we’ve been hearing so much about.
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fisherman walked past us with his head down. “Any luck?” Chase asked. “Nope,” the angler said as he carried his empty net, rods and tackle box back to his truck. Chase then pointed to the spillway across the river, which seemed to be roaring even harder than the river itself, if that was even possible. “I’ve never seen the spillway like that,” Chase said. Then he pointed to a cave in the rocks across the river. “I’ve seen fishermen toss their lines in that cave and pull out some huge trout,” he said. “But the water line was a lot lower then.” An old brick building sat on the edge of the spillway. It was the dam’s original powerhouse, but by now it looked like the ruins of a building destroyed by Allied bombs in World War II. “Hey Scott, do you want to live there?” I asked. “It’s an upgrade from your apartment.” Chase was getting anxious and clearly annoyed by my banter with Scott, so he hustled us back to our cars and we headed to the Oregon Trail River Access on the other side of the river, where the water wouldn’t kill us.
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