Wayne's Reflections

Deer Hunting 2013 Every year around the middle of January, I buy a combination Hunting and Fishing License.  Not that I hunt that early in the year, I do fish.  I just like to have the license in my wallet next to my Concealed Weapons License.  I guess it makes me feel more legal as I usually have a gun of some kind in my vehicles, on my side or my .380 in my pocket. I don't go hunting as much as I used to as the game in Units 50 and 51 isn't as plentiful as it used to be. When I first began hunting, Unit 50 was an either sex, two deer tag area.  Now most of the deer I see are along the Big Lost River or in the city limits of Mackay.  There are more elk in the unit now and Shirley and I even saw a cow moose with her calf several weeks ago on Summit Creek.  Also, Shirley grew up eating wild game and isn't fond of it now; so I would have to eat what I brought home.  Since I do 80% of the cooking now that I am retired that wouldn't be a problem, but I am lazy and

Fly Fishing on the Big Lost River Today started out cold (34 degrees F) with a strong, cold wind and storm clouds covering the mountain surrounding the valley.  The weather was not so good for fly fishing as I had planned.  So I went about my daily routine. I have started to build a greenhouse for next season. You need a building permit to build anything in Mackay so I went to City Hall to get one.  After lunch I went back to work setting up the railroad ties I will use for the foundation for the greenhouse.  It is hard work to move the 9 foot, tar soaked ties and I had to take off my jacket as the temperature had warmed up.  It was then I noticed that the wind had quit blowing. Needless to say, I picked up my tools and headed for the garage to get my fishing gear.  There won't be many days left for fly fishing.  The stretch of water close to home, runs too high to fish from mid May until early October because of irrigation in the valley.  Last week the water at the access c