Hell's Canyon Spring Bear Hunt

[ADMIN]

Grueling. This hunt is grueling. "Hardcore" would be a good word except it can actually have positive undertones in my mind. Grueling is a better word to describe this hunt. The entire hunt is grueling. What were we even thinking? With snow packs unrivalled in recent years, the only option to enter "The Canyon" is from the river. The Snake River Canyon. Even the insects and worms are black. What did we expect to find but a grueling hunt? And what made us think we could make it across the Snake River at flood stage in a 12 foot row boat? Oh, yeah, the guy in Lewiston that manages the river. He's the one that said we could make it across the river in a 12 foot row boat. What was he thinking? He must have thought we were going in October. But, I get ahead of myself. Read More...

This is a thread for discussion of the article, Hell's Canyon Spring Bear Hunt , By Tim Titus. Here you can ask questions or make comments about the article.

 

[HARPERC]

It reminds me of a story actor Glen Ford told. The scene was for him and William Holden to swim horses across a river at flood. Unaware all the stunt men refused to participate, the director approached Ford and told him how much better it would look if he swam his own horse, when he balked, the director replied well Bill's gonna do it. With agreement in hand the director went to Holden and told him Glen was gonna do it. I forgot the movie title but it was a good scene. We'll have to film it for you next time! LOL. Carl

 

[winmag]

I hunt Hells Canyon every year in August for Bear, so if anyone can appreciate your use of the propper adjectives, I can. And I must say, you are quite accurate with them.

As some of us know, the local populace are a different breed. This is Ranch country. Towns allog the Snake mould tough, & hearty souls. Lewiston, Asotin, Halfway, Cambridge etc. Some of the best cowboys come from places like these. So, when the man said you could make it in a 12' rowboat, he wasn't kidding. He was right. You "could" make it. He probably just figured that you already knew what would happen if you "didn't make it", & that being common knowledge, he didn't bother wasting any words on the subject. Besides, incentive like being 3/4 of the way accross before things go from bad to worse, can be quite powerfull, & you did make it afterall....
I lived in Halfway, & Richland for a time, & some of my buddies were from Cambridge, & I rode at a college rodeo in Lewiston, & we all grew up with the same frame of mind. Hard country mould hard folks.

Even with all that, I still 100% completely agree that crossing the river was just the start of a "what was I thinking moment". Brutal, grueling, unrelenting... There's a reason its called Hells Canyon, but once you've been bitten by it, you just gotta go back for more.

Anymore, I trade rattlesnake & heatstroke for flash floods, & rockslides. I don't like watching my tent tumbling down the raging river anymore. Hells canyon is a double edged sword of irony. I think seeing the river down below while your suffering from heatstroke at 118* is about as ironic as freezing to death from being poured on & watching your tent & gear float away. I truly think that the hysteria of it all adds to the allure. There's no place in the world like Hells Canyon.

I loved your story. I was laughing all the way through. I can see myself in your shoes, & I can relate completely.
Thank you for taking the time to write about it. It was an entertaining, & pleasurable read. Congrats on your success. Both on the Bears, & on living to tell about it..... & dreaming of conquering it again someday......
Best of luck to you, & if you ever want to compare notes, fling me a P.M. Id be honored to have another hearty soul in my camp.

Oh ya, in my signature below is a pic of a hill in Hells Canyon.

 

[blkdog]

I live in Caldwell, Id and have hunted the canyon on several occasions. Every time you go in there you ask yourself if you are crazy! It is truly a grueling place to hunt, but there is nothing like it in the lower 48. Congrats on your hunt and your article.

 

[Flybuster]

Thanks for the great story Tim. Congratulations to the Titus clan for a successful hunt and well earned trophies. I always enjoy hearing about your family's stories and get a sense of vicariousness by reading them, amazing adventure and hunt.

Tanner

 

[tt35]

Hey, thanks you guys! We actually just got back at 7:30 yesterday evening from the sequel. Relatively boring-- a jetboat to get across, not nearly as many bear and no meat/hide/skull to weigh us down on the way out. It actually made it quite a bit more manageable. We did get to make the entire climb to camp in the rain but at least it wasn't 118*. lightbulb

My 17 year old, six foot three son made me feel somewhat better by having some cramps in his quads on the way in also. Didn't wish anything bad on him but it made this old guy feel a little less wimpy. We saw a couple of bear, one black sow with a cub and one cinnamon boar (presumably). We hunted the boar but somehow he gave us the slip. I think we were a little early but it was the only week I had enough days in a row between hunters to make the hunt.

Winmag: I'd love to compare notes with you. Sounds like some, let's say, "memorable" experiences for you also! That photo in your avatar looks like the same ridge we backpacked up last year! OK, not quite that steep but I can vouch for the fact that it's not trick photography if it was taken in Hell's Canyon.

Flybuster: What's up? You just fell off the face of the earth or something. Good to hear from you!

HARPERC: Way too dang funny! Great story!

 

[winmag]

Hey, thanks you guys! We actually just got back at 7:30 yesterday evening from the sequel. Relatively boring-- a jetboat to get across, not nearly as many bear and no meat/hide/skull to weigh us down on the way out. It actually made it quite a bit more manageable. We did get to make the entire climb to camp in the rain but at least it wasn't 118*. lightbulb

My 17 year old, six foot three son made me feel somewhat better by having some cramps in his quads on the way in also. Didn't wish anything bad on him but it made this old guy feel a little less wimpy. We saw a couple of bear, one black sow with a cub and one cinnamon boar (presumably). We hunted the boar but somehow he gave us the slip. I think we were a little early but it was the only week I had enough days in a row between hunters to make the hunt.

Winmag: I'd love to compare notes with you. Sounds like some, let's say, "memorable" experiences for you also! That photo in your avatar looks like the same ridge we backpacked up last year! OK, not quite that steep but I can vouch for the fact that it's not trick photography if it was taken in Hell's Canyon.

Flybuster: What's up? You just fell off the face of the earth or something. Good to hear from you!

HARPERC: Way too dang funny! Great story!

So when can we expect to be able to read the sequal? The first one was a great read!

 

[Flybuster]

My 17 year old, six foot three son made me feel somewhat better by having some cramps in his quads on the way in also. Didn't wish anything bad on him but it made this old guy feel a little less wimpy. We saw a couple of bear, one black sow with a cub and one cinnamon boar (presumably). We hunted the boar but somehow he gave us the slip. I think we were a little early but it was the only week I had enough days in a row between hunters to make the hunt.



Flybuster: What's up? You just fell off the face of the earth or something. Good to hear from you!

Keep up this type of hunting and your legs will be as tough as a mountain goats. I'd imagine you would have to do some pretty intensive training make this type of hunting somewhat bearable.

You're absolutely right, I have been a complete recluse. I'm finally out of school and looking for work, looking for an adventure, etc., etc. hopefully I can get back out and enjoy doing what I love, like I used to.

Can't wait to hear some more reports for you and Ben!

 

[WildRose]

Great story. As one who has hunted both Hell's Canyon and Brownlee quite a bit all I can say is that "grueling" is an understatement.

No one who has never hunted that region can appreciate the difficulty of the terrain.

On my first trip up there I stayed a month. I had a buddy in Washington who had invited me to come on up his way and hunt "The Quilomene, the toughest Hunting in North America".

After two days with him I just looked him dead in the eye and said, "After Hell's Canyon, The Quilomene is for ****ies".

Great story, and great to see the hunt was successful.

Everyone take heed about what he said about crossing the river. If you are not an expert on rivers don't even try it.

 

[ski0617]

Sounds like a great hunt! I did a camping trip with my father on the snake river when i was a kid, had lots of fun catching small mouths! I should go back and do some hiking because those pics are breathtaking.

 

[tt35]

Thanks, ski0617. The Canyon is both breathtaking and unforgiving, beautiful and brutal. It's worth the effort to get there, though. I hope you make it back.

 

[ORAaronB]

Have hunted it for deer and elk before, but never specifically for a bear hunt.

Unforgiving was always the way I have described it. Could walk for a half an hour and turn around and spit where you just stood.

That said, I wish more folks (I am guilty of this myself) would go in there and let the air out of more bears and cats. The elk numbers have dwindled dramatically.

 

[WildRose]

Thanks, ski0617. The Canyon is both breathtaking and unforgiving, beautiful and brutal. It's worth the effort to get there, though. I hope you make it back.

Yep and that country will kill you quick if you make the mistake of getting too close to an edge or side hill across the wrong slide.

I would advise anyone going in there for the first time to never do it alone. If you don't have friends to hunt with in the area, hire a guide.

 

[WildRose]

Have hunted it for deer and elk before, but never specifically for a bear hunt.

Unforgiving was always the way I have described it. Could walk for a half an hour and turn around and spit where you just stood.

That said, I wish more folks (I am guilty of this myself) would go in there and let the air out of more bears and cats. The elk numbers have dwindled dramatically.

I remember how I felt the first few days in there. Kill a chukar stone dead at thirty yards with one shot and watch the dogs make a five hundred yard retrieve, most of it straight up and down.