Too much work and not enough play time combined with not being able to head "Up North" to join family and friends that are getting some nice steelhead action had me seriously grousin'. My love convinced me that it would be mutually beneficial for me to go do something I really enjoyed for a few days....

Loaded up the trusty Toyota and headed over to the east side of the mountains to look over some new muley territory. Took along my sweet Sig 20 ga. O/U for fun. Over four days of hiking, I saw a fair number of thunder chickens. Most reminded me of chukars along the Columbia when a couple of wing flaps would put them over a cliff before I could get on them. Managed to put a few in the cooler in spite of pruning some of the pine boughs that got in the way. Saw a few youngster bucks too.

On the way home, I stopped by the old deer camp where my father and one of our dear friends used to tell lies around the campfire as the horses nickered in a nearby corral. They're both gone now. Cancer. Lots of memories were made there. Maybe time to make some new ones....