Ventured over for a hunt on what used to be one of my favorite spots in Hells Canyon.
We waited until the Hercules-Barrick “exploration” mining operation shut down for “winter weather.” The last two years, the one time each season we’d hunted over there was interrupted by run-ins with mining operations. All this on public land, land we pay taxes every year to maintain. Land that was given to Idaho specifically for wintering ground for deer and elk. Land that many people I know feed their families from the big and small game harvested from that public land. Land that ranchers I know used to run their cattle on in the summer. Land that is now torn up by new roads and heavy equipment.
Up high, where no motorized vehicles can go (or haven’t gone yet), we saw lots of birds and big game prints. Down low, where it’s pretty easy to get to, not so much.
Down lower, the signs. Of things to come, no doubt.
It’s worse than sad to see something you love destroyed, and then to be charged for it, and then to be told to stay off of it. Idaho needs to re-work its ancient mining laws: if mining operations close or inhibit access to public lands, taxes should be reduced accordingly, even if it’s only a few cents. Remember the Boston Tea Party? Judy Boyle is not my representative. And Chris Paul, CEO of Hercules, is a Canadian whose business Canada has banned from doing things in his own country for numerous environmental and human rights violations. If they get their way, Barrick, an even more vile non-U.S. offender, will buy the operation and staff it with Peruvians. The local community won’t see a penny. And all this waiting for the deportation shoe to drop with the incoming “administration.”
We hiked out on Camp Creek, a road that used to be an old two-track terminating at a locked gate on Highway 71, one of the few non-motorized access points to the north end of the Andrus WMA. Now it’s a freeway for heavy equipment, with numerous drill pads excavated along the road. I used to finish great hunts reflecting on life and hunting and connections while walking down this road, and occasionally get interrupted by pointing dogs or busting coveys, bonuses reserved for epic days in the field. Now, it’s just anger, sadness, and maybe a few less savory thoughts.
I hunted there a few weeks ago and had good luck with Huns. I saw mining folks but nobody bothered me. Are we not to go up there anymore? I am assuming we still can walk the road up?
I asked the folks at Andrus HQ last season about access, and they told me that currently (last November or December) there weren’t any plans to close existing access to any of the gates, including walk-ins at Camp Creek. There was no sign at the gate on 71, but the photo of the big orange sign is at the first gate up Camp Creek. Next year, when the drilling expands, I expect they will have to close several access points for liability, but that’s just a guess. Regardless, it’s not if but when. We always hunt in non-motorized areas, but — even though the operation is on winter break there, and Camp Creek road is supposed to be non-motorized — some pickup with a 2A plate came driving up the road; clearly he had a key for the gate down on 71. No signage on the truck. No idea who it was or why he was there. Could be someone Chris Paul hired to check on the area. You would think Andrus and/or Hercules would post some kind of signage about what’s going on up there, but there’s nothing aside from the stuff I included in this post.
Bastards. It’s like the movie Network, but about our lands. Mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore.