9-23-12 Went out Dove hunting yeterday. Took out all the goats and Shilo my German Shorthair to do some wing shooting. Walked the Walla Walla river near nine mile canyon looking for birds. I shot a limit in here on the opener. Not much to shoot at so I decided it would be a good day to introduce the boys to some water crossing.
We made a very succesful river criossing in above ankel deep water. Mocha- Man was the first one in and followed me and Shilo my shorthair across. Wapit, Sandy and Sasquatch follwed when they realized we were going to leave them. Ok that was awsome, first time to cross a real river. Great job guys. Hunted down stream about a 1/4 mile and shot a few birds.
walked back to the river near a small canyon. Wapiti my big Alpine fell through a plastic ground cloth used to help keep the soil in tact to hold the tree roots to prevent river wash out. The corp puts this in with habitat trees and brush for wildlife. He fell right into a big washout hole about ten feet deep. He is now stuck on a legde ten feet below me and no way to walk out. Deep running water below him and about twenty feet of sand cliff to stand on he is stranded. Ok I'm assessing the situation and he is stuck.
With no way out and no rope to throw around his head to pull him out, I decide to do a Goat Rescue. We walk upstream about two hundred Yards and find a place to cross. I cross with Shilo and the goats and walk back down stream to Wapiti still stranded on the cliff. He is watching me closely calling to me. He sounds distressed and knows he is in trouble.
I make a cell phone call to my wife and give my location and reference points from the hydro station pump house facility just upstream. I drop my pants, phone, keys, shotgun, glasses and boots. I told My wife if you dont hear from me in one hour I drowned trying to save my goat.
yep you guessed it, I then swam over to the cliff ledge and climb up onto the ledge. Wapiti very happy to be next to me comes right up to me. I calmed him by just talking to him. I grabbed his color and we went in together and swam back to the opposite shore with all my other goats cheering us on. He went right in with me and did not even fuss. We swam together and he walked right out.
On the other side He shook it off and kind of looked at me like thanks dad I needed that encouragement. Ok it was not that bad. The water was warm and turned out to be just above waist deep. Goat rescue comlpleted we hunted back to the truck with wet underwear and picked up a few more birds.
It turned out to be a good outing wet but fun. The boys proved themselves in the water and have a strong sense of trust in me. Hope we dont have to do that again. Had it been freezing temp I would have called my son in law for help, life jacket and rope. Dont try this at Home.
Curtis King Burbank WA
I know the area you speak of and am glad everything turned out as a good experience in the end. And and always, I am a phone call away from helping. Although my first water training wasnt nearly as eventful, it sure is amazing how well they take to the water 
