With the amount of huckleberry hunters and pickers, etiquette guidelines may be in order!
Loving this article published on the NorthWest Public Broadcasting website:
Tip 1 – If you ask, “Where’s your spot?” don’t expect anyone to tell you. There are few secrets more closely kept and shared only with the closest of
friends. … It takes a long time to find a good patch, so expect it may take a long time for someone to tell you! You can always go searching for your own, too.
Tip 2 – Get Noisy. Assuming you will soon find your own patch, or if you’re going out with friends, make LOTS of noise while picking. … Singing and whistling are pleasant ways to let other people know that you are NOT a bear, and it lets other bears know you’re there. The last thing anyone wants on a huckleberry expedition is a surprised bear. Or a surprised human — sometimes equally dangerous.
Tip 3 – Take protection against bears. A dog to bark away a bear, a firearm (if that’s your preferred choice of protection), or bear pepper spray. Especially in remote areas, you can’t be too careful about the wildlife.
Tip 4 – Wear boots and long pants like a proper Northwesterner. …Unless you want scratched up legs and sore feet from brushing against branches and stepping on a thousand sticks. … Also, boots are good to guard against potential snake bites.
Tip 5 – Sharing huckleberries. If someone shares their huckleberries with you, they deserve a lot of reciprocity. It takes a long time to pick enough huckleberries to share. … If you are a person who shares your huckleberries, you are a kind and generous person and you deserve, at minimum, your favorite cake. Although, you’re probably so nice that you wouldn’t be sharing them expecting cake. But you still dessert it – I mean, deserve it.
Tip 6 – Have fun with them! Huckleberry pancakes, huckleberry ice cream, huckleberry milkshakes, huckleberry bread, etc. Get creative with your huckleberry creations! … They are good for just about anything. Just be sure to rinse them thoroughly and dry them off. You can always freeze them, if you can’t use them all at once. To make them freeze better, coat them in a little sugar before you put them in the freezer.
Good tips! Happy huckleberry hunting and picking!
