Tonight on KSL Outdoors.
Oh pretty fish.
An organization that aims to help our wounded veterans by re-introducing them to the outdoors. Plus. First time ever hunting, and I got an elk.
Division of Wildlife Conservation officers do the same on a Utah elk hunt.
I’m Adam Eakle and this is KSL Outdoors.
KSL Outdoors, with Adam Eakle, is brought to you by your local Ford stores.
Welcome to KSL Outdoors and welcome to Idaho, I’m Adam Eakle. Today we are coming to you from the South Fork of the Snake River here at the South Fork Lodge and we are bringing you to a special retreat with the guys with the Warriors Afield Foundation.
How many years have you been running this river Bill? Twenty one. Twenty one wow, that’s a long time.
We are here on the South Fork of the Snake River up in Swan Valley Idaho. We are participating in the 4th annual ‘Skirmish on the South Fork fundraiser.” for Warriors Afield Legacy Foundation.
Founded in Utah, the Warriors Afield Foundation is a one hundred percent non-profit organization that gives back to our wounded combat veterans by taking them into the outdoors for outdoor recreation rehab. From shooting, to hunting and like today, where they’re fly fishing the South Fork of the Snake River.
We pair them up with senior mentors. Guys and gals who have been in the military themselves and who have gone through combat situations and then transitioned back into civilian life.
Those mentors donate their time, their resources, they come to these events on their own and are here and become buddies and lifelong friends with these uh, with these young vets.
We’ve walked the path that many of these, I call them kids, they are not. They are somewhere between 20 to 40, with OIF/OEF. But we’ve walked that same path. We know what some of the pitfalls, may or may not be or we know the challenges that they are facing and we can help them through that. So we match up in a mentor/protégé relationship, an older veteran with a younger veteran and for three days, we hunt, we fish, we tell war stories, we cry often times but we do it in a setting where everyone is understood. And, uh, we have some really I think, significant success.
The Warriors Afield Foundation was first set up and paid for by former veterans. Once the foundation took hold, they reached out to local companies to continue the work and Burt Brothers Tire and Service was just one of the many companies that stood tall and helped out with the finances.
Wendel Burt our owner sat down with Bill Hansen and I for lunch one day and we heard the story for about an hour and a half and it’s fascinating. You know, they’ve got a great thing going. A great foundation that, you know, just does a lot of good for these kids that you know can’t get out and do some of these things.
They provide them with a lot of gear, and lot of training. So when they go home and take that to their kids. Have things to do with their families now instead of you know sit home in front of a TV with nothing to do.
Think about letting the rod do more of the work. Load and unload. Mm hmm. Let the rod stab the water. Ok. Try to get a really big mend.
Some of them this is new. Obviously we are on the South Fork today, this is our home water. It’s something we are very passionate about, something that we enjoy. And, uh, anytime you can get people who are a little bit out of their comfort zone or maybe into something they haven’t experienced, that’s always fun to see that reaction for the first time.
There’s a fish! There we go.
The fishing today is tough.
There’s a fish! Little guy, but we’ll take it. Oh and he got off.
Ok, really tough.
There he is…OH! He took it down did you see that. I had him.
But the lack of catching didn’t dampen the spirits of these veterans or their fishing guides who donated their time to take these vets down the river.
Yeah we got a fish.
I mean it’s a great cause, great guys. And um, it’s, uh, late in the season and we are all, like, you know, pretty smoked but we are all more than willing to give up a couple of days for these guys that have given up so much for us. They sure appreciate it and we appreciate them and so it’s, you kmow, a no brainer.
Oh a pretty fish.
A lot of these guys have been through a lot. From injuries to, uh, you know, seeing their buddies go down, to having trauma in the head. So it’s a mixed bag but we are more than willing to help I mean, it’s great.
Well the bite has been pretty tough this morning the guys have hooked a few, haven’t quite landed it. We’ll have more on the Warriors Afield Legacy Foundation in a moment, we’re going to introduce you to some men from Utah who paid the ultimate price. That in a moment but first tonight’s Klymit quiz question.
The majestic South Fork of the Snake River flows 66 miles across southeastern Idaho, through high mountain valleys, rugged canyons, and broad flood plains to its confluence with the Henry’s Fork River.
The South Fork of the Snake River has been called Idaho’s most unique riparian ecosystem containing the largest continuous cottonwood ecosystem in the state. The river also supports the largest wild and native cutthroat fishery outside of Yellowstone National Park.
Our Klymit quiz question however tonight is. What two types of cutthroat can you catch on the South Fork of the Snake River?
Now if you know the answer, log onto our KSL Outdoors Facebook page, give us the correct answer and while you’re at it, give us a like. We’ll then randomly select and announce a winner on our Facebook page the following week. The winner, set to receive a Klymit Static V Sleeping Pad. Klymit, comfortable, rugged and lightweight. KSL Outdoors will be right back to Idaho.
KSL Outdoors is also brought to you by Fish Tech Outfitters, Utah State Parks, Burt Brothers, Sportsman’s Warehouse, Evanston Wyoming, Klymit, Intermountain wind and solar, Intermountain Wind and Solar, and Camp Chef.
Eat it. There he is! Nice
It’s been a tough day of fishing but we are finally getting a few.
There he comes, I probably won’t be able to bring him too much further than that. Boy pretty fish.
Welcome back to the Warriors Afield Legacy Foundation benefit for wounded veterans.
I was a Marine and I was with the Charlie Company 4th L.A.R. Battalion.
I was a combat engineer. I did route clearance.
Tonight we are going to introduce you to two disabled vets, both from Utah, both served our country honorably and both lost part of their leg in combat.
Deployed to Iraq in 2003. And then actually got the opportunity to go back and work with the Iraq police in 2007, 2008. I was a police transition training team. But uh, then we got the opportunity to go to Afghanistan and that’s, that’s where I got my injury from.
That was kind of a difficult position to be in because not only did you have to find the IED and you had to find them for yourself but if you missed one and you had someone behind you get hit, it still kind of fell on your shoulders as well, so.
Our vehicle was lucky when we got hit by the IED, that we got hit by. Because it, uh, the main brunt of the explosion went underneath my turret instead of further back on my vehicle which could have caused us a lot more damage, could have killed us even.
I don’t remember after I was injured. I was unconscious.
I took the brunt, the majority of the injuries. We had other marines that were injured on the vehicle as well that were medevac’d with me.
I fished before. I did some hunting before. I hiked before, that’s kind of what I did.
Still getting out and doing it as much as I can and just figuring it out. That’s why programs like this are so great, is thay, they allow us to get out and do it with other soldiers, other wounded military men and women and we get to have that comradery that is there.
My first event was actually down in the Castle Valley area, at Castle Valley Outdoors.
It’s everything that I want to do when I get older. To help those other veterans that are, that are having those issues and don’t think they can’t get out anymore or do things they used to do, because that’s the way I felt initially. I was pissed off and angry all the time because I was in so much pain. Now it’s like I’m able to do all of this stuff and able to come to these events with Warriors Legacy Foundation and be able to relate and talk and enjoy the outdoors together and I want to be able to pass those things on.
They help us to be able to find… be adaptive in the ways we think about, you can do this. You know, show us, look, you know, we are here helping you, but we are means to provide a way, and look you can do this on your own.
Through fly fishing, through hunting, through things like that, it ultimately opens the door to say to us, to realize, you know what, I can do this.
We’ve had kids say I’ve been hurt so bad I didn’t think I could teach my son to hunt or shoot, my daughter to hunt or shoot. We’ve shown them that they can do it and it’s been a dramatic change.
So I think we’ve not only helped the soldier, sailor, airman, marine, but their families as well.
For more information on how to get involved check out warriorsafieldlegacyfoundation.com. Hey, coming up next on KSL Outdoors…
Just all around great people.
We’ll have another story of another organization helping our vets. But first back to the guys at Fish Tech for tonight’s fishing report.
Have you ever walked into a dark room, flipped on the lights and you’ve seen something run across the floor? You don’t know what it was, it was a bug, there he is, it’s an attractor. Hi I’m Mickey Anderson from Fish Tech with this week’s attractor fly report. By this time of year, fish have been feeding on a variety of flies, attractor flies work really well. Attractors are flies tied in colors not normally found in nature. Fish are very curious and since they don’t have hands to hold a fly, they put it in their mouth and try and figure out what it is. But even with this. They sometimes get a little selective, so you need a variety of colors and sizes. Now if you are fishing a stream that has got a lot of terrestrials, a lot of hoppers and crickets, use a fly like this. It can be big, don’t be afraid to try something big. If you’ve got a lot of mayflies, use an upright wing like these. Or if it’s got a lot of caddis, try this down wing pattern. Attractors are also used as nymphs. If there is a lot of stone flies try these. Mayfly nymphs are here. Caddis nymphs and even midge nymphs are used as attractors. This time of year the water is low and clear, so you are going to need to sneak up on these fish. Get down on your knees when you are fishing these flies and don’t forget a streamer. Hey for these attractor flies and a whole lot more, come on down to Fish Tech and We’ll help you out. Now for tonight’s fishing line.
Welcome back to KSL Outdoors, I’m Tonya Kieffer. Adam just got done showing you some fun adventures up on the Snake River fishing was a little tough. Now we are going to switch gears a little bit, hit the mountains and try to fullfill a couple of cow tags for a couple of first time big game hunters.
Elk are going to come out, depending on light. We are going to let them feed as close as possible.
So we are down here on the Book Cliffs, with Sportsman Fish and Wildlife, KSL and a couple of conservation officers trying to get it done for two young men with cow elk tags. One wounded warrior out of Colorado, David and then Charlie Dejournet. A kid out of Lehi who got some autism and some physical capabilities.
Charlie what is your strategy for today. My strategy for this hunt and to do a good practice shot is just stay calm and focus on what I’m doing.
Yup, just like that.
We have the UCOA which is the Utah Conservation Officers Association. We’re uh, it’s just a group of game wardens, most of the game wardens in the state. We all put money towards this every month into the UCOA fund and that goes towards, various, various numbers of activities. A lot of them are for these youth hunts, or these special need hunts.
UCOA paid for the vouchers for this hunt.
The mule deer foundation, Sportsman’s Fish and Wildlife, and some local businesses like the Golden Corral gave us some meals for free. We got a discount on the Quality Inn.Sportsman’s Warehouse was able to give us some camouflage hats and vouchers that you’ll see Charlie wearing.
Last night they came in from right here. To right there. About a 100 yard stretch.
These things come together because sportsman want to see this happen, they know how special this can be.
Well we got set up in good cover and concealment.
We waited there for about, I want to say, an hour and a half, two hours maybe.
At first we saw four coming down these cliffs here and then all of a sudden it was just, one after the other, maybe 30-80 just all coming down.
And I took my first shot.
And we heard a loud thump but no one thought I had hit anything. The herd starting feeding again and I took another shot at 8:22 with thirty seconds to spare and she went down so.
Can’t wait to eat this thing. That one will taste good. Yeah.
They get a life changing experience. For one we like to think of all the trips as outdoor therapy. A lot of guys when they get out of the military, they’ll sit on the couch, they feel they don’t have a purpose. They are just not sure what to do now. Especially guys that were forced out due to medical reasons or anything like that. They can go to dark places. So we get them out, we show them a hobby like maybe they’ve never been on like this trip today. He is a first time hunter. Maybe they’ve done it before but they haven’t done it since they’ve been hurt. So we get them back out. We get them with a group of guys kind of the same. Have some fun, get them joking laughing and you build lifetime relationships and comradery.
Just follow that spine with your knife, get on the same angle as the spine.
He’s fought for our country in Afghanistan I think he said he did 6-7 tours
I don’t know anybody else personally that has given more to our country than him. For him to come out and have a chance at this cow elk. That was the biggest thing for him. That was huge.
How was that? Freaking awesome! First time ever hunting and I got an elk.
We had two great things happen today. One hunter made two great ethical shots and the other one made a great ethical decision and says; I can’t see out of my scope to take the shot. So, that taught me something right there I was very impressed. Great way to show respect for our veterans. We had Wishes for Warriors, we had Hunt for the Brave, great combined effort and we came away with a great first time harvest. Which I haven’t even done yet. We’ll get there some day. Time now to check out tonight’s Utah Field Guide.
With the start of the waterfowl season next Saturday, we thought it only appropriate to highlight one of the species hunters will be targeting. The Canada goose.
Native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, the Canada goose occasionally migrates to reaches in Northern Europe.
Some migratory populations of Canada geese are not going as far south in the winter as they used to. This northward range shift has been attributed to changes in farm practices, hunting pressure and changes in weather.
Canada geese are found throughout much of Northern and Central Utah and are particularly drawn to lawns for two reasons: they can digest grass, and when they are feeding with their young, manicured lawns give them a wide, unobstructed view of any approaching predators. So they are especially abundant in parks, golf courses, and other areas with expansive lawns and water. For more information about Canada geese or other critter found in Utah, check out our Utah Field Guide on the KSL Outdoors page at ksltv.com.
You know we woke up this morning. It had to be 45-50 degrees. Pretty cold, fall is definitely in the air. Let’s check that recreation forecast now by turning it over to Kevin back in the weather department.
Welcome back to KSL Outdoors, back here on along the South Fork of Snake River, I’m Adam Eakle. Don’t forget if you are looking for some ideas to get your family into the outdoors, you can always find some right there on our outdoors calendar page at ksltv.com.
Check out that beautiful fish, the Snake River small spot cutthroat. Just a neat, golden color, they are fantastic. I wish we had those in Utah. Hey don’t forget when you come to the snake river, catch a beautiful fish, take a picture, submit a snapshot to our contest, you might walk away with our big prize from Camp Chef. Now here it is, the best of the week, our snapshot of the week.
We kick it off in Nevada with Jordan, his four year old son Ryatt and their two Jack Russel Terriers Gus and Brandy. This was Ryatt’s first coyote calling hunt with dad, they battled wind, rain, but this sunset was the perfecting ending for Ryatt first hunt.
Don and LuDale Rose have enjoyed 50 years of memorable hunting and fishing trips together. In August they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a fishing trip to Southeast Alaska. Both the anniversary and trip proved to be golden when LuDale caught this 20 pound yellow eye. They are looking forward to their next 50 years of hunting and fishing together.
Who needs a tree stand when you have the kitchen window. Danny lives in Herriman and all summer these two bucks have been hanging out in his backyard. His two year old twins call them elk and love to come to the window when the are hanging around.
This is Ryan’s five month old pointer Trigg. Ryan had the pup up in the high Unitas this summer and says he and the dog are ready for the upcoming bird hunts. He hopes the next picture he submits is one with Trigger and a beautiful ringneck in his mouth.
and finally our winner tonight just started targeting tiger musky in Utah and has already caught the bug. This is JC’s eighth ever musky. Back in June, He was fishing up at Pineview when he noticed a lure laying on the beach. He grabbed the lure and used it to catch this 52 inch tiger musky. JC ended up finding the lures owner, who had caught the exact fish three years earlier when the fish was forty nine inch long and the angler had a picture to prove it. JC gave the guy his lure back and now takes home our big prize for having the snapshot of the week.
Remember submit your pictures or video, plus an explanation of your latest outdoor adventures online at KSLTV.com. The winner each week wins a commemorative, 100th anniversary National Parks cast iron dutch oven and skillet and the winner is also entered into our Ford Trucks quarterly Facebook giveaway for a Camp Chef Pellet Grill.
If you’re going to smoke, grill, or bake, the Camp Chef Smoke Pro has got you covered. Camp Chef, the way to cook outdoors.
Well the guys are tuckered out, they’re pounding some food, some drinks. Yeah good day. 12 Yeah if there is a company out there or maybe a donor that wants to help out with something like this. They want to get involved. Where do they find some information? Absolutely, they can find us on the web at www.warriorsafield.org.
We’ve also got the ability to donate directly online if they would like to remain anonymous. We can do that also. You’ll also find us at the ISE show, hanging out with the Burt Brother guys. You’ll see us at the Wasatch Fly Fishing Expo. And again, almost all of the money goes directly things like this. Yeah all of this money goes directly into the events for the veterans and their mentors.
We spend hundred and hundreds of hours just giving back, making these guys have a better life and get out into the outdoors really. Cool. Hey thanks, that was a lot of fun meeting some of these American Heros. That’s pretty sweet. Yeah our honor. Thanks.
So if you get a chance, come up to the South Fork of the Snake river, get up here and make some memories with your family and friends. I’m Adam Eakle, we’ll see you next weekend, goodnight.
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