HUNTING FISHING
The Long Rod & The Double Barrel Tenkara fishing for bass and hunting chukar in Southeast Oregon. By Rob Lyon
I
was traversing the shoulder of the canyon slope across from camp and heading down to the springs when I heard two shots and stopped in my tracks. That would be Steve working back down from the palisades. I hunkered in the sagebrush and scanned the horizon for birds. “Incoming!” squawked my radio a moment later. A long shot, of course, but you never knew when you might get lucky. They came at a snappy glide, a flock of eight to 10 chukar, and landed just over the brow of the flank ahead. I hustled forward, keeping low. Odds were good they would leg it back uphill. Sure enough, I spotted the lead bird at the same time he spotted me. He launched low and I got one shot off, nicking the top of the brush and hitting him square with a load of 6s, dropping him head over tail. “Got him,” I let Steve know, as I put in a fresh shell and walked up to find my kill. “Saw your birds land and flushed a single. That makes four, correct?” “Indeed, eating like kings again tonight. I’ll roast ’em in the Dutchie.” “Roger that my friend, see you at the springs!”
Way down in extreme Southeast Oregon is a series of small streams that form a big playground for Northwest sportsmen. The Owyhee River and its three forks are home to plentiful chukar hunting and smallmouth bass fishing opportunities. (STEVE THOMSEN)
nwsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2022
Northwest Sportsman 157