Unfortunate find at Heller Bar.

[Badhabit]

I spent this last weekend at Heller Bar steelhead fishing. At the launch someone either forgot their birds and drove off or just tossed them. I found 4 fully feathered Chukar on the beach that showed no signs of being gutted or even breasted out. I let the Game Warden know where I found them. He was going to stop by and see what he could dig up. There is a warning sign the area is under surveillance cameras in the parking lot so hopefully he can get some intel.
For what its worth I caught 4 steelhead on Sat. released 3.

[WSU]

I can’t imagine working hard enough to get 4 chukars and then leave them at the boat launch.

[boneaddict]

Someone was probably running late and all they could think about was the %$# chewing they were going to get and drove off without them. 

[Badhabit]

That's what I was thinking. Still unfortunate to find them.

[Boss .300 winmag]

If they were body temp warm I’d have eaten them.😎

[Jpmiller]

Someone was probably running late and all they could think about was the %$# chewing they were going to get and drove off without them.

That's my guess too. What a terrible feeling that must have been at the realization. Would have been hard for me not to throw them in the truck though were I to find them.

[Badhabit]

They were already stinking. I found them by following the stink. It wasn't a fish carcass stink

[Boss .300 winmag]

They were already stinking. I found them by following the stink. It wasn't a fish carcass stink

So they were aged.😋

[branches]

Thank you for reporting it. Did you fish just one day?

[T-Bone]

Unfortunately, a percentage of people hunt only to kill something and have ZERO interest in cleaning and eating what they shoot. If they can't give it directly away; they dump it. I worked with a guy (at a major outdoor retailer, no less) that hunted everything from elk to Ca. quail and that was his mentality. He was a superb wingshot (with many pictures to prove it) and did have mounted heads of some nice bucks, but I have to wonder about what happened to the meat on some of his hunts.

His mentality is hardly singular. Some years ago,a regular of the Potholes reported finding boxes full of unprocessed ducks dumped in the Dunes Area. With ducks, too many way over cook them and that liver-like smell turns them off for life.

[pianoman9701]

IDK, you have to really work for Chukar and they're tasty birds, besides. I'm far more inclined to agree that whoever left them did so by accident. By the time they realized what'd happened, they were two hours away. 

[RockChuck]

Chuckar are so  much work  to get and they are probably my favorite tasting bird! why would they carry them down the hill just to leave them on the beach? id guess forgotten as well.

[Jpmiller]

Unfortunately, a percentage of people hunt only to kill something and have ZERO interest in cleaning and eating what they shoot. If they can't give it directly away; they dump it. I worked with a guy (at a major outdoor retailer, no less) that hunted everything from elk to Ca. quail and that was his mentality. He was a superb wingshot (with many pictures to prove it) and did have mounted heads of some nice bucks, but I have to wonder about what happened to the meat on some of his hunts.

His mentality is hardly singular. Some years ago,a regular of the Potholes reported finding boxes full of unprocessed ducks dumped in the Dunes Area. With ducks, too many way over cook them and that liver-like smell turns them off for life.

I hate that this is true.

[JeffRaines]

Unfortunately, a percentage of people hunt only to kill something and have ZERO interest in cleaning and eating what they shoot. If they can't give it directly away; they dump it. I worked with a guy (at a major outdoor retailer, no less) that hunted everything from elk to Ca. quail and that was his mentality. He was a superb wingshot (with many pictures to prove it) and did have mounted heads of some nice bucks, but I have to wonder about what happened to the meat on some of his hunts.

His mentality is hardly singular. Some years ago,a regular of the Potholes reported finding boxes full of unprocessed ducks dumped in the Dunes Area. With ducks, too many way over cook them and that liver-like smell turns them off for life.

I hate that this is true.

I guess its a difference of mentality, but really, whats the point of hunting then? I couldn't fathom leaving the meat that I've worked my tail off to get... or worse, not intending to consume what I killed. Its one thing to give some to friends, family, or sharing it with the hunting party... its another thing entirely to take a life with no intent to use it for myself. If I didn't like game that much, I just wouldn't hunt! My bank account would be much better off I'm sure!

[singleshot12]

I've been around a while. And I would have to admit in my guesstamation that about 10% of hunters(maybe more?) are only into killing and numbers and have no interest in the meat. Sad but true,and they make responsible hunters look bad. It's possible I suppose that someone forgot them but I highly doubt it.

[Jonathan_S]

I doubt somebody hiked a bag of birds out with the intent of leaving them 

[T-Bone]

To add more comment to my earlier post, in this era of social media and forums, some find it more satisfying to post "Meat Shots...Tailgate Shots...Whatever" than to quietly go home, clean their kill and enjoy the finest meat that money can't buy...at the store.

In other words, I could definitely see some character(s) hiking the hills; shooting some chukars; hiking back down to the car; taking a few photos for later posting and then giving the birds a short toss.

Sorry, but from personal experience and observation as well as over 20 years of experience as a law enforcement officer and process server...I have minimal faith in a large percentage of my fellow humanity.

[singleshot12]

  Exactly! and it's no wonder we have so many anti-hunters because of it

[huntnphool]

 How about pics and info from the fishing?

[Badhabit]

No pictures. Our group fished with Steel Dreams Guide Service on Friday and Saturday. I only fished on Sat.  There were enough of us that we needed two boats. 5 fishermen to a boat. On Friday I recall they hooked and landed about 18 steelhead, not that many keepers and 1 adult keeper salmon and a few jacks. On Sat. our boat was 13 for 15. I had 4 to the net one went in the cooler. The others each had a keeper steelhead. Early morning was an egg bite and later it was small orange corkies, no yarn. Corky about 3-4" above the hook on about a 3' leader. Bites were strong. The bar was pretty slow but the North bank where the bank fishermen are was red hot. Bank fishermen were fishing too far out. Fish were holding about 10 to 15' from the bank. They didn't like the guide boats coming in close to cast to the bank. On the other hand they were catching fish.

[Jonathan_S]

Exactly! and it's no wonder we have so many anti-hunters because of it

So... anti hunters are justified then because T-Bone has witnessed game wastage?

Whatever anyway, glad you into some fish @Badhabit. Sucks about the birds, nobody knows what happened.

[Jonathan_S]

One time I left a pork loin in the cart when I left Costco. I must be a trophy hunter social media type 

[pianoman9701]

Exactly! and it's no wonder we have so many anti-hunters because of it

All due respects, SS, but this is tantamount to using a murder to justify the attitudes of all the anti-gun people. This is not representative of hunters as a whole and is, in fact, an illegal waste of game. Not to mention, it was probably just a mistake that someone regretted later on when they got home. My  Carry on! 

[Curly]

When did chukar season open? Seems like they may have been shot before the season opened if they were that stinky... 

[Badhabit]

I don't know when Chukar opened for the Lower Hells Canyon area. They could have been taken in Idaho.

[Henrydog]

All upland except Pheasant Opened Saturday 10/6.  Idaho opens 10/13

[thinkingman]

IDK, you have to really work for Chukar and they're tasty birds, besides. I'm far more inclined to agree that whoever left them did so by accident. By the time they realized what'd happened, they were two hours away. 

I have to believe this, too.

[Curly]

My theory is the hunter screwed up on the day that the season opened. They probably hunted October 1st thinking that was opening day and then realized after the fact while wondering why they had the place to themselves.