Hidden Valley Preserve offers good hunting

An hour and a half northeast of Las Vegas and a world away from the neon lights of the city is the Hidden Valley Preserve.

Tucked in the Virginia Mountains of Arizona and nestled along the Virgin River, it is a place to hunt, fish and shake off the dust of the city.

It is retreats like this that make living in Las Vegas so ideal. In under five hours by car, you can be at the seashore or a snow-capped mountain. In so doing, it is possible to visit a wide range of habitats and natural wonders.

When we arrived at Hidden Valley it was late afternoon and the temperature still was above 100 degrees. The desert shimmered with heat. Off the northern horizon, smoke from a brush fire in Utah bellowed high. The only activity was from the hounds, eager to start the hunt, and a lone cock pheasant chasing hens in the field.

We would not start hunting until the unusual hour of 6 p.m. With eager hounds, such as the ones at Hidden Valley, summertime hunts usually are scheduled for early morning or evenings.

The combination of heat and rugged terrain is physically draining. For man, it can mean dehydration and/or heatstroke. For active hunting dogs, the heat can lead to death.

As evening set in, we began to hunt.

Two members of our party went in one direction on an ATV, taking along three of the hounds. My guide, the host and the remainder of the dogs went the other way on an ATV.

The scenery was spectacular. The Tammarack trees were lush and thick along the river banks, providing great cover for the wild boar we would be hunting. On the ridge above us, we spotted grazing rams.

The entire eight-mile stretch along the river from the preserve to Mesquite was loaded with fresh boar tracks. Lone boars and sows with piglets seemed to be using the river bank like a super highway.

In the distance, we heard the hounds bellow. They had caught a boar. The lead hound was released and the chase was on.

We arrived to find five of the hounds playing an aggressive game of tag with the boar, complete with head butts, the snapping and biting of the hounds and the slashing tusks of the boar. As always with hound hunts, you must act fast to put an end to the hunt, so not to injure the hounds.

Running back and forth on the opposite side of the river, I strung an arrow. Keeping up with the fray, I tried to get a clear shot. Luckily, the boar broke from the pack, giving me just enough space to get my shot.

At 15 yards and five hounds away, I let the arrow loose. It found its mark.

Hunting with hounds is a great time and something all hunters should try at least once. The hunts are fast and full of excitement.

Hounds tend to stay on top of their prey, making shots difficult. It's a good idea to visit an archery shop, to be sure your bow is tuned and shooting accurately.

But if boar hunting isn't your favorite pastime, Hidden Valley also caters to bird and waterfowl hunters as well as exotics. It's a perfect setting for hunters to get together and spend a day in the field, or an ideal spot to take the family for a long weekend getaway.

The preserve also features trout and catfish ponds along with a swimming hole. Cabin lodging is available or you can spend the night in Mesquite.

Hidden Valley also guides mountain lion and mule deer when in season.

The staff works hard to provide a fair chase and quality hunt. The land is as open and wild as any I have hunted in the United States and Canada. It truly is a great place to get back into the hunt.

For more information regarding Hidden Valley, call (520) 347-5650.

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