Back in my Washington Alpine Lakes hiking days, my biggest concern was the potential of being stalked by a cougar. The odds were low, but the risk was high. The common wisdom was that you would never know what hit you until it was too late. Even so, I was in the habit of hiking with a Glock 45, which I figured was better than no protection. It was also protection against two-legged danger. Of course, hiking with a firearm in Washington led to some interesting encounters. One beautiful summer day, I was hiking up to Snow Lake, and when I arrived, there was a group of four younger hikers. I was wearing my outdoor shirt, which I had sewn the old Washington Lakes logo onto. One of the hikers looked at me, looked at my gun, fishing gear, and logo, and asked me, “Are you surveying the lake?” He obviously thought I was some type of official person. I replied, “No, just up here for some fishing.” The group had puzzled and worried looks on their faces as I went on my way. Guns were and are not a common sight on the hiking trails in Washington.
Fast forward twenty years and a move to Montana, where it is normal to be hiking with a holstered gun. And bear spray, and a knife. Because, in case you hadn’t heard, the last few years have seen a dramatic growth in black and grizzly bear populations in Montana, and the exodus of bears from the high mountain country to the plains of central Montana, where they once roamed freely (you can read about Merriweather Lewis’s famous encounter with a grizzly at the Great Falls of the Missouri).
Washington and Idaho are experiencing similar increases, not to mention growing wolf populations. The North Cascade Mountain range has grizzly bears again. Unfortunately, many casual hikers are sadly ignorant of the danger of wildlife encounters.
I don’t want to discourage anglers from exploring these beautiful, remote locations where it is possible to spend a day fishing and not see another angler or person. The desire to fish in secluded places means accepting the risks and being prepared. Going alone increases that risk. At the very least, you need to hike with the “ten essentials”, which you can find by doing a simple internet search. In addition, I now always bring bear spray and my gun. I tell my wife the general area I’ll be in, and if my plans change, I will text her the updated location I’m going to.
Time of year plays an important role in bear encounters, including the potential for lethal attacks. Bears coming out of hibernation are hungry, and female bears have their cubs with them, which puts them in protection mode. Spring is an extremely dangerous time of the year to be out and about, and extra caution is required. It’s not the best time for solo trips.
That said, I’m at the stage of life where I am semi-retired, and spring fishing is just a given. This year I’ve been exploring segments of the Missouri River in my jet boat, and often it’s just me and my dog, Duke. Obviously, being in a boat affords a higher level of safety, but there are times when we’ll pull up on shore to stretch our legs. Looking for spots that are open rather than brush-filled is the first thing to do. Having a dog that comes when called and doesn’t wander is darn important, too!
OK, you’re saying, spring is dangerous with bears; I’ll wait until summer comes. Not so fast, buddy. With the warm temperatures comes Indiana Jones’ worst fear: snakes. Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana all have their fair share of snakes. The kind that rattle are particularly worrisome for me, not to mention my dog.
On a recent outing to “Widow’s Coulee” on the Missouri, Duke and I were wrapping up a productive day of fishing for walleye and smallmouth bass. It was a day in the low eighties, and by 2 PM, it was time to get Duke into some shade and call it a day. Securing my boat onto the trailer, I noticed some movement on my left. Coming out of the grass was a big old snake, easily 3-4 feet long. My first reaction was to break the Second Commandment, something I haven’t done in some time (I need to get to confession for that…). My second reaction was to walk around the far side of the boat, get in the truck, and run the snake over. I went back to investigate and never found the snake, so he’s probably waiting for the next angler to come along and scare the heck out of.
By the way, snakes can swim. Last year, on a different stretch of the Mo, I was anchored up and watched as a snake swam by our boat and onto shore. I’m still not sure what to do in the case of a snake on the boat situation, and I hope to never have to figure it out! Duke has received the rattlesnake vaccine, although I need to get him to a snake aversion training class as well.
Snakes, wolves, lions, bears – have I dissuaded you from backcountry adventures? I hope not. Our wild areas offer a unique and special experience to anglers. And sadly, more are disappearing every year. Personally, I’ve weighed up the risks and decided the experience is worth it. The quiet, peace, and solitude are something that feeds my soul, bringing me closer to my Creator.
I hope you’ll do the math and decide to venture on the roads less travelled. May your fishing adventures bring you the peace we all yearn for.
