Outing the Lurker

XXL · 03-12-2003, 04:12 PM

This is a short and belated Howdy to all of you Ifishers. I have been lurking for several months, have contributed a couple of times but was unaware of the etiquette expected for responses until recently. So here is a little bit about me and my friends. I am a 50 something unreconstructed eastern Oregonian. A webfoot by birth and inclination, I can't think of another place I'd like to live. I'll take a Chessie over a Lab but I have both. I'd sooner fish for trout than bass, hunt deer than elk, drive the two lane than the freeway, show up early for the duck hunt and late for work. I'm a socially liberal, fiscally conservative, politically irritated child of the '60's. I didn't go to Viet Nam, am proud and respectful of the guys that did and still have not reconciled the reasons for being there or in the dozen or so other third rate dictatorships we've propped up over the years.
I've got a beautiful and loving wife of 28 years, four kids and 2 2/3 grand kids. I sit on 105 acres of bottom land and sagebrush hillside that's home to 4 horses, 3 dogs, too d*** many cats, a bunch of pea*****, 3 llamas and the occasional coyote, cougar, muley and once in a while a turkey or two.
I stop by Ifish once in awhile to catch up on what's doing and enjoy the comraderie that takes place here. I'ts obvious some of you know each other way too well, some are a little opinionated :grin: but there is good fellowship in this group.
So, there is a brief introduction and a story will follow soon.
XXL

GutshotApe · 03-12-2003, 07:53 PM

Welcome XXL.

duck-boy · 03-12-2003, 08:00 PM

good post and welcome to ifish

duck-boy

skein · 03-12-2003, 08:10 PM

That post works really well for me. Welcome aboard.

Hope to see you doing some posting from time to time so we can get to know you. Sounds like you'll fit right in.

Skein

bri24 · 03-12-2003, 08:23 PM

Your a newbie and so am I, Welcome to the board.

Small Fry · 03-12-2003, 08:52 PM

Welcome aboard.

I hope to be a neighbor in your parts someday.

I was born in La grande and my wife is from there inlaws still live there. Our plans are to retire over there before were to old to enjoy life.

Do you know any of the DeMastus clan?

Fish4Fun · 03-13-2003, 06:13 AM

Welcome to the board XXL, I have spent many days in Union as a kid. My Aunt and Uncle moved there back in the 40's if I remember right. You are right in the heart of some great hunting places.

Bri24, nice to see another person here from Renton. Welcome to the site.

XXL · 03-13-2003, 09:08 PM

Small Fry, I know the DeMastus's by name and maybe Bill? by sight but other wise no.

Thanks for the welcome, and the least I can do is repay your kindness with a little tale.

We loaded the horses into the trailer just before dawn on a mid-December morning. There were three of us and seven of them. The night before we had packed, weighed, repacked and re-weighed our pack boxes, duffels and saddle bags until the loads were as balanced as we could get them. It all went into the front of the trailer in readiness for the next day. It was cold, I thought, but I would redefine my concept of the word as the week unfolded. I mean it was cold alright but if you dressed right it was tolerable and on those clear sunny days it was enjoyable to be out on your horse. As we cruised through Enterprise the mercury sat at about 10 but down past Imnaha at Cow Creek it was probably about 25 or so. We spent the night under a hay shed at the end of the road snug in our bags until almost daylight. After a cold breakfast we saddled and loaded the horses and headed in toward Deep Creek. Early in the afternoon we set up camp at a place known locally as "The Palace". It was about the sorriest place for a campsite you could think of, perched just below the ridge on a side hill facing North where the sun didn't shine. (You've all heard of that place, I'm sure)

There was pasture for the horses though and a spring for water. Close by was the palace, a structue about the size of a big dog house. It had corrugated tin on the roof, except where the one piece was missing. The door was gone, probably burnt for heat one year. One guy might have fit in it if he wasn't too big and two guys would have had to be pretty good friends to want to hole up there. There was about 10 inches of snow and the ground was frozen solid. It was all we could do to find a ridge pole, pitch the wall tent and get it secured. We found a few rocks to weigh the sod cloth down, set up the stove, our beds and organized the food. About 8pm we settled in for the night. It had started to snow pretty good and the temperature was dropping quite a bit. About 2 in the morning the wind started blowing so hard it picked up the sod cloth and blew open the sides of the tent. The stove pipe came out of the back of the stove and was gyrating crazily around the corner of the tent while the snow blew in sideways at 50 miles per hour. The wind was howling through the tent and you have never seen three people get out of bed so fast. We were running around in our skivvies with flashlights trying desperately to find anything heavy to lay down on the sod cloth to get the walls back under control. Finally we got the job done and settled back into our now soaking wet sleeping bags to finish out the night. It was a fun night and we still laugh about it today. We hunted pretty hard around there for a couple of days before we found a big herd of elk sunning themselves up on a south facing ridge. We couldn't get much closer than about 300 yds so we set up and took a shot. It was not a hit but it sure got those elk moving. There must have been about 50 or 60 we could see and they all got up and started our way. About half way to us another group of about 30 came from behind a little rise and joined in the stampede. They just kept getting closer and closer and closer until elk were everywhere around us. There were bulls and cows and calves every place you looked. It was almost scary how may big bodies there were on a collision course with little old us. At about 25 yds or so we took three cows and the rest of the herd kept right on going. We gutted, skinned and quartered them before gathering up the horses and heading back the five miles to camp. Next morning it was clear and real, real cold. We headed back with the pack string to retreive the quarters which we had stacked right along the trail. From about two miles away you could look over at the hillside where we had taken the elk and could make out the dark swath of torn up ground where the elk had come off the hill to us the day before. That was quite a sight. When we got there and checked the elk quarters, they were frozen solid. I mean solid as in rock hard. You could have clubbed someone unconcious with one of the backstraps. We got the quarters loaded up and packed back to camp and tied up on the meat pole. We had to bring them into the tent and put them by the stove to thaw out enough to bone out the meat. You can imagine how cold your fingers would be boning out pretty much still frozen meat and packing it into bags. Youch!! I don't want to do it that way too many times. The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful, we had a great time. When we fueled up in Enterprise on the way out they said the temp had been down to -28. Cold enough for me, for sure. I have to say though, that was the best tasting elk we've had in a long time and I can't help but think it was the quick freeze that did it.
So, there's my story for you all to enjoy and maybe next time I can tell you about the time my brother in law spent the night in the rain under a plane wing at an air strip in the middle of the Frank Church wilderness. He still hasn't forgiven me.....but he still hunts with me.
XXL

nerta · 03-14-2003, 07:20 AM

:smile: Welcome. From a Wallowa County native.

WildHawg · 03-18-2003, 05:12 AM

XXL,
How'd you get my biography and post it

?
I've got 4 horses, 2 labs, am a native Oregonian, prefer deer hunting, haven't lived in an incorporated town in 25 years, fiscally conservative (if not really a liberal)...sheesh--did ya just copy and paste it in, and add a little of your own stuff?
Welcome to Ifish!!!

Small Fry · 03-20-2003, 08:40 PM

XXL

Bill is my Father in-law. One heck of a hunter but not of a fisherman yet, I'm working on him though. I kinda figured you might have run across him at some point. The wife and I will be over in your neck of the woods on the 26th of next month. Where the best place to fish and whats running?

Crashin' Bait · 03-20-2003, 09:46 PM

Howdy and welcome aboard!

XXL · 03-21-2003, 06:37 PM

WildHawg, I just went to the archives, found a guy that sounded cool and copied his bio! Was that you?

Small Fry, If you're coming over next month you'll need your crappie rod and a small boat. Or your .17cal and spotting scope. The Steelies are running real good about now on the Grande Ronde, the Wallowa and the Imnaha. But not on the 26th of April. Cruised up to Enterprise today to look at a tractor and the Wallowa was packed (read 30 rigs) from the Minam store to the hatchery and beyond. It seems like its been a good year for fish. Even I caught a couple this year down past Troy.
XXL

Grantspastor · 03-22-2003, 12:16 PM

Welcome from a Wallowa County naitve...born in Joseph

Small Fry · 03-22-2003, 11:55 PM

XXL
Thanks for the reminder. I will bring my Varmit rifel with me. I love shooting them little crittes.

elkaholic · 03-24-2003, 08:26 PM

Welcome, I was raised in and graduated from Onion. Am going there tomorrow in fact. Good talk and great guys here. :smile: