"To him who has once tasted the reckless independence, the haughty self-reliance, the sense of irresponsible freedom, which the forest life engenders, civilization thenceforth seems flat and stale.......The wilderness, rough, harsh, and inexorable, has charms more potent in their seductive influence than all the lures of luxury and sloth. And often he on whom it has cast its magic finds no heart to dissolve the spell, and remains a wanderer to the hour of his death."
Francis Parkman
Hiked 10 miles round trip up Fish Creek this morning with my friend Dustin looking for Bears and getting some exercise. On the way out Dustin was a couple hundred yards ahead of me, and as I rounded a corner I saw what at first I thought was some ones dog, about 15 yards away, but it lifted its head and I could see it was a lion. The lion was walking away from me, and could not hear me over the sound of the creek. It rounded a corner, so I unsnapped my holster just in case, and ran up around the corner to get some more photos. When I rounded the corner, it was still in the trail walking in Dustin's direction, like it was stalking him. I shouted "hey" to get it to look at me for a photo, and took a couple pics as it stared back. The lion then started to walk towards me. I then decided to draw my pistol and at the same time the cougar turned and ran up the bank, so I shot a couple times into the dirt just to put some fear of humans into it, since it didn't seem to be very afraid, and may have even been stalking my buddy. It was a medium sized cat, a little bigger than my Lab. Not too often you get to be that close to a cougar in the wild.
Deer Creek is a great place to go for a relaxing day of fishing with the kids and wildlife viewing.
You can only access one end of the Reservoir by road, so it is nice to bring a boat if you have one. Deer Creek is a No Wake reservoir, but you can use gas motors.
A moose was feeding along the bank of the reservoir in the early morning.
This Eagle was battling Ospreys for fish all day long over our heads. He swooped down and grabbed a stunned trout that we had thrown back right off the bow of our boat.
Between catching fish and watching the Raptors and Waterfowl our day on the water went by way too quickly.
Bryce with Elk sheds we mounted on synthetic skull.
Turned out nice.
Lots of Birds to entertain you at
Fenn Pond. Fishing wasn't any good, must not have stocked it yet. I was Hoping to get my 2 year old his first fish, his older brother caught his here last spring.
My Nephew and Brother In-Law with Spring Turkey.
Back country Whitetail Buck with velvet nubs showing.
We seen several groups of elk.
Early Morning hike up to get a good perch for glassing.
Dustin inspecting one of the many waterfalls along the trail, which made for good drinking water when filtered.
Lots of snow still in the high country.
Glassing for bears and sheds.
Another elk who seemed
surprised to see people.
Waterfall in a burned out cedar grove, victim to the wildfires of years past.
The country looked like it should hold allot of bears.
Stopping for a lunch of dehydrated food.
The only black bear we saw, this photo was 1000 yards away. He was in a very bad spot to get to, across a large canyon full of steep cliffs, and didn't appear to be very big.
Found an Elk Shed a couple weeks ago (post below) and managed to finally make it back to look for the other side.
Luckily I found it about 1/4 mile away. Dumb luck and
persistence pays off
some days.
Evening Elk. Photos a little Noisy due to low light.
Tom Turkey.
The Boys talking to deer.
A little sun between the snow on this blustery spring day.
Playing at the snow line on Ohara Creek Road.
Elk And Deer enjoying the green grass brought on by the first warm days of spring.
The Snow Capped Gospel Hump Wilderness.
Scott with a nice 6 point elk shed I found, couldn't find the other side, but will look again.
Elk and Turkey's Looking for the green of spring. Photo is not the best because of low light, but way better than what my old camera would have done. My new camera is a Cannon Powershot S5 IS, we'll see how it holds up.
Geese Taking Flight.
Playing with the settings on the camera.
William checking out a waterfall created by the spring runoff up Ohara Creek.
Deer were running everywhere.
We took the boys to
Lolo Hot Springs for a mini Easter vacation. We stayed at
Lolo trail Center, it was very nice. This made for a fun family trip, lots of wildlife and scenery to see on the
Lochsa and
Selway, snow to play in at
Lolo Pass, nice dinner at
Lolo Hotsprings restaurant and bar, and ending the day with a soak in the spring water.
Tried to get a photo with the Montana sign, but the sun was to bright for the boys to cooperate.
Lots of snow at the visitors center at
Lolo Pass, nice place, they had free hot coco and coffee. Nice displays and info, great place to stop for a travel break.
Moose on the
Lochsa
Swollen creeks and lots of water falls this time of year, makes for some scenic vistas.
O'hara creek,
Selway river.
Mule deer in the Highway.
White tail looking for green spring grasses on the
Selway.
Geese making themselves at home at
Fenn Ranger station on the
Selway.
Turkeys on the
Selway.
Lots of waterfowl on the
Selway this time of year.
Quentin and William throwing rocks on the
Lochsa.
Big Horn.
Ice breaking Idaho Style.
Hunting the hard way, looking for fresh lion tracks.
The end to a long day in Idaho's back country.
Relaxing and fishing in style.
Trying to wrestle a tent in a spring wind storm.
My Uncle Larry with a Steelhead
Our Late winter Steelhead Camp on the Clearwater between Kamiah and Greer.
Beautiful Sunrise on the Clearwater.
Big Horn
Moose
Henry's Lake, Near Yellowstone in Feb.
Landon helping Grandpa and Dad spawn Henry's trout.
Lucky Dustin with a nice 4x4 set he found. Spring horn hunting is a great excuse to get out and tromp around. You see allot of game this time of year, and if the weather cooperates it can be absolutly beautiful in North Central Idaho in the spring time.
Above the South Fork of the Clearwater.
William, loaded and ready for Bear!! We took my 3 year old William and my 5 year old Nephew Landon Racoon hunting. First night time hound hunting trip for them, they had a ball.
A flashlight, glow stick around the neck so daddy can track him, snacks, and Juice, all you need for Coon Huntin'
Looking at the treed Coon.
William, Landon, Layton, and Hannah with their prize. They will have stories for a month now.
Jim Holding My nice Female Steelhead. I managed to lose one prior to this that would have been in the 20 pound range, had it to the boat several times, but it didn't want to be caught, I was impatient and broke my 18 pound line.
Jim with his rock fish.
Geese filling the air in the Kamiah valley.
Scenery Shots on a nice calm Feb. day at the "Rock" near Kamiah.
I don't know the age or meaning, but they are neat to view, Just don't disturb as they are fragile.
Tracks next to my size 13"
I have seen over 20 wolves in the wild now, but have yet to get one to hold still long enough for a photo. These prints are about 8 miles from Kamiah.
Mark with a nice Thick Male Steelie.
Not the biggest, but the smaller ones sometimes are better eating.
Nice overcast early spring day, a person has to watch for the random ice chunk floating down from upstream.
Not bad for the first 4 hour trip of the spring, Makes you remember why you live in the Upper Clearwater Valleys.
Willow Ridge
Obia Cabin (shack) 
Bridge over Fish creek past Obia's Cabin.
