Gratitude

Teton · 02-07-2007, 01:41 PM

This past November marks a year since we sold our ranch in Idaho. Every time I visit my parents since, the pictures on the wall remind me again of the beautiful land I had a choice opportunity to work and grow up on, for which I will be forever grateful. I post this thread to reminisce, and as an after-season show of gratitude to the duck gods who were extremely good to me this year and in years past.

For some, this area is a cold, unforgiving place at 6,100 feet of elevation. A place you would only visit in the summer in a minivan headed to Yellowstone armed with cans of mosquito repellent.

For others, like yours truly, it was paradise...

Here is a picture of part of the ranch, and my favorite place on the land, a spring-fed pond my father built in the mid 70s at the head of a little canyon. Each fall, just about the time we finished grain harvest, mallards would come to the pond and surrounding grain fields in droves.

Here is a close up. The last time I hunted the pond for ducks, a group of about six or seven of us made the trek from Portland. As we were approaching the pond from below the dam to see if any birds were on it, a cyclone of hundreds of mallards began dumping in. We crouched motionless for minutes while the pond filled up...as we poked our noses up above the dam, the whole place erupted! One of our buddies just stood there with his mouth open, unable to shoulder his shotgun while taking in the sight. Hunting ducks on this pond required no camouflage or decoys. We would sit in a small aluminum rowboat out in the middle near dusk as the birds piled in.

When the cold set in in mid-late October, the pond would slowly ice up, leaving a smaller and smaller open-water area near the inlet. The ducks would compete for this declining resource as it was some of the only open water for miles, until one reached the Teton River. Those were the good days to say the least... A quick trip up the "hollow" to the pond before school produced many, many shooting opportunities for a young hunter.

There was also no shortage of upland birds, such as grey partridge, ruffed grouse and sharptail grouse. Moose inhabited the pond from time to time, including a family with a young calf once. Whitetail and mule deer tracks were everywhere. The occasional elk herd found its way across the property as well, much to our delight if it was during the elk season, and we had not filled our tags earlier. My father tells stories about a run-in he had with a Bison and our 1953 farm truck. I had a run-in with a black bear once too, right in the back yard. My mother remembers being scared to death as a moose looked in the living room window.

In any event, at this time of the year, when hunting season has passed, and our freezers and hearts are full, no matter where or what you hunt, I invite you to stop, "smell the roses" and remember how grateful we are to have the privilege of participating in such an enjoyable, fulfilling experience.

D3smartie · 02-07-2007, 02:02 PM

beautiful country. Thanks for sharing

AtItAgain · 02-07-2007, 02:10 PM

Great pictures and post. Those mountains look a lot like the area north of Idaho Falls I used to go hiking in quit a few years ago.

Good read. Thanks.

Teton · 02-07-2007, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtItAgain

Those mountains look a lot like the area north of Idaho Falls I used to go hiking in quite a few years ago

Yes, those are the Grand Tetons as viewed from Teton Valley, Idaho, near Driggs.

DukAddict · 02-07-2007, 02:39 PM

WOW! Absolutely amazing country. That is what it's all about my friend. Glad you shared that with us.

Brett Neffendorf

MossyOarReelCreek · 02-07-2007, 02:41 PM

Absolutely breathtaking! THANK YOU for the view.

Ron

johndeeregreen · 02-07-2007, 03:11 PM

Very nice Teton, very nice.

AtItAgain · 02-07-2007, 03:51 PM

Teton, yes that is beautiful country over there. I didn't live there very long so I didn't get to do any hunting or fishing. I did get in some hiking and camping.

Encounter lots of antelope up around the Mt. Borah area. I did a few hikes into the Teton's, specifically Death Canyon. Heard the name and had to go!

Again great pics.

Hunt'nFish · 02-07-2007, 03:52 PM

Yes, very cool pics. Dave, I know just how ya feel.

Reminds me of growing up in the Wallowa's. Although I have to that view of the Tetons has the Eagle Caps beat hands down. Nobody hunted ducks and we had the run of the all the ranches around us. There was this one pond that was just as you described, approach from the down side and they couldn't see ya coming! Man we had a sweet deal. We brined our duck jerky in 5gal buckets and never was without something to naw on.
Very cool pics.....now I'm home sick!
Hunt'nFish

007SPRIG · 02-07-2007, 04:49 PM

Pics were great.

I know your pain. My Dad sold our place in 1972. He bought it 1939. It was great having a 1500 acre backyard.

SteveMarandas · 02-07-2007, 04:52 PM

Awesome place. Hopefully it will stay a ranch where the grain still grows and the birds pile in.

water and sky · 02-07-2007, 05:01 PM

You, my friend, are truly blessed. It shows in your postings. The sentiment shared in this one shows that the blessing has not been wasted.

RODACTION · 02-07-2007, 05:12 PM

Very nice pictures and story.

I also like to think the same, just to live in the USA

tracker · 02-07-2007, 05:31 PM

Nice to see some pictures to go with the stories I was privledged to hear on our trips to the big Blue this summer and fall. My grandparents homestead was finally completely sold off this last year. Hard to let it go. A very large piece of myself is gone. Wyoming will always be home for me and I suspect for you. Funny how our dads live so close together now! I am sure glad I filled an open seat with you and look forward to having on the boat again this year!

scottishsetter · 02-07-2007, 07:05 PM

Beautiful!!!

bp97211 · 02-07-2007, 07:19 PM

Wow--thanks for sharing that Dave.

waterfowlin101 · 02-10-2007, 04:29 PM

Sweet pics Dave!!!!! Absolutely friggin cool hunting spot!

Gun Rod Bow · 02-10-2007, 07:31 PM

Wow,

Absolutely gorgeous.

I can appreciate your love for that land in the way you write about it.

Sad and happy at the same time.

Rainman · 02-10-2007, 07:36 PM

Sweet pics, I can see why you miss it so much, and are grateful to have lived there. I think that describing it as God's Country would be appropriate.

Wang · 02-10-2007, 07:39 PM

Gorgeous place!

I also notice the love in your writing's about this place.

HOGGEMIN · 02-10-2007, 08:16 PM

Those pictures are very nice and some awsome looking country. Must have been a great thing to grow up like that.