Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Snake River canyon hunting experiences?

"You know, it's one thing to sit here all nice and cozy, typing schit and acting manly"

Man isn't that the truth! All I have to do is crack open a photo album to get a reality check on what that country is like. That country is as intimidating as any I've ever been in and you are exactly right, a guy could die there.

We were in there once and a jet boat got upside-down in Wild Sheep Rapids, kinda near where Saddle Creek dumps into the Snake. If memory serves, five folks died in the boat wreck and four stayed in the upside-down boat. It was kinda weird how the boat was held down on the bottom with the water rushing over it.

They found the one body right aways and sent in a special crew to extract the dead folks.

Like I said, the Canyon can kill you. And it can do it in a bunch of different ways.

I've packed a bit in the Eagle Cap and, at least, the country I have experience with down Temperance Creek (and Rush Creek and Salt Creek) is rougher. You really cannot paint that with a broad brush. Let's put it this way; there are lots of places you would not dream of killing an elk .... mostly because there would be no chance of getting him out.

Mountain horses are needed. I cannot tell you how many times I've seen rigs come in with flatland horses and they got really stove up. The horses need to be used to rough mountain country; they ain't pretty, but they are the best kind of horses (in my opinion).

Steve

Friend Lonny,

It's double-true.

Steve

Definately have to agree that a prop motor is definately out of place here.

Awful terrible terrain here in this canyon. I believe this is probably the deepest chasm in N. America.

I've spent 30 yrs in Idaho and have only been in there once on a jet boat trip. Hunting there would be an unreal and grueling experiance.

Lonny, if you've ever seen PO Saddle, you'd remember it. According to legend, the cliff is a full-mile down. I don't know if it is, but the initiation is to stand on the abyss and piss over the edge. (I did it!!!) Guys who have vertigo and balance problems prolly should not do this.

Anyway, if you're on the ridge above Steamboat Creek, you look dead into the face of the cliff that is supposedly a mile high.

One afternoon, another guide and I were messing around killing elk and schit when we saw a hunter (he had a rifle) halfway up the absolutely vertical part of the cliff. It was getting dark fast and we were shoulder-deep in elk guys, but we really had to feel for the guy. It was cold, prolly zero, and the poor bugger was gonna spend the night ON THE CLIFF.

We were out there at first light, to haul pieces of dead elk, and he was gone. Dunno if he was going up or going down, but he apparently made it off of the cliff.

It's one of those things you remember.

He took a chance; I hope he did not pay the price.

Steve

Yes, it is considerably deeper than the Grand Canyon of the Colorado. Hell's Canyon has benches and it is more gradual, but it is something like 1,500 feet deeper.

Steve

Mine all have mountain experience, two have tons of it, one is young but he's doing well so far. The one that fell had the trail bust loose under one hind hoof and there really wasn't a chance for recovery no matter what kind of horse he was....except that one with wings, Pegasus. The fall was 300 feet on really steep scree and rock. I've had a few wrecks in 15 years but never even really lamed up a horse until that day.

OK, so if I'm understanding this right, the way to hunt that canyon is to show up clueless, with new boots, and just dive on in?

:-)

Sheesh... well, I can see why the hunting is so good there! Sounds like a very tough place. I'm even more interested in it now- not because I have illusions of my toughness- but because it sounds like a really special place on the planet, and the best way to get to know those places is by huntin' them. Other than growing up there. Plus, the reality is, if a place ISN'T hard to hunt then it's overrun, and the hunting probably sucks anyway.

Are ATV's a problems there these days?

-jeff

Everybody has horse wrecks and rodeos. That just comes with the territory.

Man, one night about midnight, we were going down the Temperance Creek Trail in the moonless dark. It was raining and the mud was running down the trail like the gray-goo out of the back of a cement truck.

The outfitter's horse either didn't see a ninety-degree left turn or just plain skidded through it on his butt .... and down over the frickin' hill and into a downed pole thicket. And I was right on his back mule's butt. By the time it was over, four of us riders and all of out pack horses and mules were messed up in the steep pole thicket.

It was wet, absolutely dark and we had horses/mules wrapped around trees and all kinda schit. And, of course, we could not use flashlights to untangle the mess because we would night-blind out horses.

Two of us were kinda dinged from falling off our horses and down into the creek (one of those would be ME). Eventually, we got all the stuff figgered out, the pack animals reassembled and re-tailed and we went on our merry way to Temperance Creek Camp.

If I remember properly, the four of us killed four elk the next morning. BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG. Four shots, four elk; the way it should be done.

Steve

There you go. And don't sight in your rifle.

Steve

Even hard to hunt places can get a bit over-run when publicly advertised before thousands of hunters looking for something better.......

Good point... how do you kill a thread on this forum again? Let's see... we need it to get SO out of hand that Rick pulls it... hmm... I got it!!

"Would you hunt Hell's Canyon with a round in the chamber?"

That should do 'er!

;-)

-jeff

Usually all it takes is me posting on it......

Just saw one of Cabela's hunting shows where the hunter had a hot tube with the safety on and was behind the PH and the tracker most of the time. It was a plains game hunt, not dangerous game.

jeff, take a ride in a jet boat up the river....it will answer all kinds of questions. one option you have is to charter a ride up and float down on something nice and cozy like my 16' AIRE lion cataraft...it takes that tough water like a champ.

bring your scattergun......lots of chukar

Thanks C&B!!! I didn't draw that unit last year even with pref points. Now that a few hundred other hunters are thinking about the area, I wonder if my odds went up or down......

It's a tough canyon to work, steep and long climbs. Remember, you've got to get back up on top, once you decend. I worked this area as a Forest Service smokejumper almost 50 years ago, and we found it tough to either climb out or decend to the bottom of the canyon with our 110 pound packs.

The knees just took a terible beating going down and the lungs worked hard while climbing.

I have fished up and down that area on the river and its pretty open an walking up on game is a no no IMO...I would rather camp on top and do my walking about 1/3 of the way down and along the river..I think you could get a pack horse about anywhere in there if your good with horses...I am pretty sure I could actually pick my way around there on a horse and not have to walk much unless I shot something..Its steep but it not what I call rough..

If you camp on the river I would be trying to shoot something when it comes to water and I have seen a lot of deer and elk on the river itself..

There are also some holes to hide it and ambush deer right on the river..These holes were dug and rocked up by the plains indians ions ago for that specific purpose and I see no reason why the wouldn't still work and I have seen game at that sight.

Jeff: Our party of 3 has hunted the Idaho side for 18 seasons so far doing deer and elk. I prefer not to divulge my specific spots. We miss about every third year because we also do other out of state ventures and run out of time or money. Here's a rather scattered list of critical thoughts.

We boat in and hunt up, usually doing the first half hour to 40 minutes in the dark to gain altitude by taking on a hog back. One has his best look at game by being at equivalent or higher elevations than the targets. One can elect to take an easier climb by following drainages up, but he will be looking up at all times and the game above have the real advantage. Most drainages are also brush choked and support good stands of poison oak.

Most of the time one is actually hunting an opposing ridge or side hill. That is you are on one ridge, and do most of your glassing into the valley below and at minor drainages, rims, outcrops, and brush pockets on the hillside of the next ridge over. When game beds, one drops to the valley, takes a parallel ascending drainage either side of the target, climbs to an equal or higher elevation than the target, then side hills to a vantage point within range.

Downed critters will often slide all the way to the bottom. If not, we typically drag or push them down before gutting (keeps ones carcass cleaner). Deer are halved and elk are quartered for back packing. Do not let anyone kid you, going down slope on those steep hills is a real bitch on the knees either loaded or unloaded. If possible, we take the shortest down hill route to river with game, cache it, then do the retrieve with a boat.

We have tried a little hunting from the tops, and find 4 major disadvantages. 1) If there is any road access, one will have competition. That competition though will seldom drop down very far, but a lot of them are rock rollers 2) As most ridges have convex surfaces, one can see the immediate ground in his vicinity, but can see very little of the area that lies below on your ridge or in the valley bottoms. 3) When one does spot game on the opposing ridge, he will have even further to decend and will still have to climb again to reach the target. 4) While packing down hill is a bitch on the knees, packing uphill is a bitch on the entire body. It makes for very looonnnngg days.

A few other things on my list... There is no way to cheat mother nature (gravity). Carts, sleds, or any type of drag for moving meat will go only one way = straight down. In much of that country, one can stand erect, stick his arm out to the side, and touch the ground. If dragging something down hill try to get a buddy to help with an up hill restraining rope. Being run over by a dead antlered critter is not fun. DO NOT wrap or loop any portion of a rope to your body.

Given those hills, a back pack is an absolute must. Always take the back pack on the hunt, as one can come in with the first half without doubling his travels just to retrieve a frame. Don't drop the pack to complete a stalk. If the animal moves, you might go another mile or more and have to come back to retrieve things (I've done that one).

Nothing is a casual jaunt (go equipped to spend the entire day and endure any possible weather). It's too strenuous to do an AM hunt, drop back to camp, and then do a PM hunt.

Have the toughest most dependable boots money can buy and live in those boots for months before the hunt. Ankle support is also a must. I live in my boots year round. Bad backs, weak ankles, and those with blown knees should not even think of applying. Be in the best shape possible.

Good binos are a must as one spends well over half a day glassing. If you don't want to pack a spotting scope, rig up with a 6-18 or 6-24x rifle scope.

Never leave without a flashlight (done that one too). Hunt only with time tested buddies (not one who wants to leave when he has tagged out), and have a plan should one or another not return in the evening (We will go looking the next morning). Don't even try weekend ventures as it's a day in and setting up camp and a day breaking camp and getting out. We typically schedule 9 day outings.

Boats, motors, props, fuel lines, shear pins, rifles, scopes, and tents can and will fail. In those 18 seasons I have needed 2 backup rifles (one bummed up scope, and one scope that leaked and fogged). Not all take backup rifles, but there is always 4 rifles availalbe for 3 hunters.

We also go with 2 boats. In 4 of those seasons, one boat or the other was towed back to a landing, and we have rescued 2 other parties with boat issues (fishermen). Leave some GPS coordinates for camp and an alternative site (someone will score your chosen site) with an outside party, and rest assured a cell phone WILL NOT work there.

I am not trying to discourage you, but it is tough. Over the years we have had 7 individuals plead to share our experiences. Each of those made one season and then said thanks but no thanks. Our original 3, however, are still hanging in there and that's fine. Three people is about the most one can disperse from a single point and give each their exclusive turf each day. Given our dependence on the boats, we don't like any needless travel once we're in place. It's an environment most will only read about, but it is worth the effort. Happy trails, but hope I don't see you there.

Very well said 1minute.

Another I might add, which you touched on, is having GOOD partners. This is no hunt to try out guys who may not be as serious as you. If you aren't willing to completely suspend your hunting to help a partner pack his elk and him do the same for you, you might want to look elsewhere also. I've seen several hunting realtionships go south when one in the party kills an elk waaaaaay far off the beaten track and the others are forced to stop hunting and pack meat for a couple days virtually ending their hunts. This is the case in the canyon because it can take a couple of days of hard packing to extract a bull.

And like 1minute said, everyone wears a pack capable of taking meat out the first trip.