Elk Hunters Catch More Than They Hoped For

Tom Akren of Post Falls speaks of a hunting partner, who will remain unnamed, who told him of a weird experience three weeks ago near Avery. The bow hunter was bugling in an elk when a bull bugled on his left. Then, he heard another bull bugling and crashing through the brush on his right. At that point, he thought he had a ringside seat to a battle for wilderness supremacy. Instead, he discovered he’d bugled in two more elk hunters. They looked at each other for an awkward moment and then doubled over laughing. Fortunately, no one was shot. Or gutted.

Fireless bug

Seems the Post Falls Fire Department is better at putting out fires than starting them. At an open house Oct. 5, Romona Mobbs was demonstrating fire extinguishers. Or at least she was trying to demonstrate fire extinguishers. Her bucket of diesel wouldn’t light - until she added more gas. That’ll teach her to use the low-octane brand. .. I won’t tell you who wore Coeur d’Alene High’s Homecoming King crown this year. But his mother and I wish he’d clean up his room. … At the CHS Homecoming Dance, a male chaperone commented to Principal Steve Casey: “These kids make me feel like an old (geezer).” Replied Casey: “You are.” OK, OK, I was the chaperone. And thank you so much, Mr. Casey, for reminding me that I’m youthfully challenged.

Fan mail

Last week, I didn’t answer the question I raised: “When did Idaho’s drinking age jump from 19 to 21?” So, several readers offered educated guesses. John Fellman e-mailed from Moscow that you must know two things to answer: the year “when 40 percent of the beer bars in Moscow closed” and “when the Spruce Tavern became a church!” … Dave Rauch of Hayden was close with a guess of April 10, 1987. He was one of the underaged drinkers protected by a grandfather clause when the new law took effect. … Then, there were guesses of “1985” from a woman whose son was 20 at the time; “1986;” “May 19, 1987,” and “July 1, 1972.” … So, when did it happen? March 31, 1987. Would someone mind informing the state liquor guys?

Out, out damn Bayliner

The bozo - I’m using the term in the general rather than presidential sense - who hogged two precious NIC parking places with his boat trailer is lucky to escape campus alive. Writes an NIC Sentinel columnist: “This is the College by the Lake not on the lake. Leave your boats in the water!” … During candidate interviews, state Sen. Clyde Boatright was asked how he had represented his female constituents. He said he’d introduced a couple of anti-sex offender bills, adding: “The ladies really like that.” Hmmm.

Huckleberries

A sign on the Moscow Superwash car wash: “Time to Commit the Grime.” … Clever vanity plate on a VW bug parked along Seventh Street Monday: “E’s Bunny.” … The “Politics Now” web site last week provided two great bumpersnickers: “The presidential race is a dead heat: Dole is dead and Clinton is in heat,” and “If progress means to move forward, what does Congress mean?” … Mary Rutkowski of Post Falls, chairman of the U.S. Taxpayers Party of Idaho, got too excited in a fund-raising letter while introducing her party’s presidential candidate Howard Phillips. She spelled his last name with three P’s, one L and two exclamation points. … Bumpersnicker on the back of a filthy Isuzu Trooper: “Of course, it’s dirty as hell: I drive the Joe.”

Parting shot

Do you suppose anyone really wants to replace Kootenai County Commissioner Bob Macdonald? Republican Ron Rankin plans to spend this winter in Boise making sure the Legislature doesn’t goof up his One Percent Initiative. Democrat Chuck Sheroke is campaigning on school issues, which marginally concern the county commission. Macdonald, a write-in candidate, may be the only one focused on the job.

, DataTimes MEMO: Gotta Huck? Call the Huckleberry Hound, (800) 344-6718 or (208) 765-7125; e-mail: daveo@spokesman.com.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = D.F. Oliveria The Spokesman-Review