Day 5

Now I'm up to date.  We went to breakfast at eight, and then went hunting at the Sportsman's access.  We saw a couple of coveys of quail, but they flushed too far away.  It had obviously been hunted the day before and possibly that morning.  We got nothing except tired.  Both of us couldn't do anything more than walk the slight hills along the river.

The dogs surprised me.  They were both dragging in the morning.  However, as soon as we hit the access they started hunting hard.  They kept at it for two hours.

We got home at 11 to go out on the boat.  Dan had this dream that he'd put us off and we'd hunt from the river.  He had a great place picked out.  We could hear and see the chukar on the hill, maybe 50 feet up from the river.  The only problem was that neither of us had the ability or inclination to climb up above them and circle around.

So we fished instead.  Dan got several fish and Patsy got one.  Dan and Ellen got none.  I finished my magazine.  The dogs were passed out in the bottom of the boat for the whole time.  We had a great time.

When we got back, Dan took off for Portland.  He arrived while I was writing this.  We gave the dog a bath and took her home for dinner.  After that we went back over to Dan and Patsy's for a chili dinner and football.  Jeff showed up and we talked hunting and guiding.  He's got some clients from Texas.  Neither the clients or their dogs are cut out for Hell's canyon.

When it was time to go home Lucy could barely stand.  She couldn't walk.  So I carried her to the truck.  When we got home I made her pee and then let her inside.  She needed help getting up on the couch.  That's where she is now.  I'm sure that she'll be better in the morning.