You know, I've started to feel bad for ole Jeff...how this thread has gone. I think it may just be a presentation issue, and he just needs someone to help him with branding. So I'm going to do it. Completely without his permission, or input, I'm going to rewrite his story in a way that I think is more conducive to positive interaction on Hunt Talk. You'll have to forgive my poetic license as I don't actually know the guy...
Hey guys! Jeff in Vegas here, just wanted to give you all a recap of my incredible Idaho experience. I had the incredible luck to draw one of only 5 Owyhee rifle rut tags! I couldn't believe it! Normally I have crap for luck...like to the point where I have trouble ever having a positive outlook, but for once lady luck actually shined on me! Well, at least I thought she did. Right before the hunt, I found out that not only had there been a rule change concerning access to private lands that I was unaware of, and unprepared for, but there was also a big old prescribed burn planned for the unit right in the middle of my hunt! I was really bummed... I told my buddy Fred: "I knew it Fred. I knew it was too good to be true. I knew my luck hadn't really changed." Fred said: "DBAFP, you drew the danged tag, go do some work and make your own luck, and maybe it'll work out..." To tell the truth at first that made me mad, but then I got to thinking about it, and I thought Fred's right! I have to try and make the most of this opportunity!
So I make the trip, and it's rough. The fire is burning, almost out of control, there are emergency people and vehicles all over everywhere. Helicopters and tankers in the air. It's smokey as all get out, just an all around tough situation. On top of all that, I can't get any of the private land owners to respond to my messages. I guess they are screening my calls, and not listening to my messages...with my out of state number, they probably think I'm some sort of telemarketer or something, but either way, there's no help coming from them, and any guidance I might have gotten from Fish and Game is out the window as they are all busy with the management of the fire. Frustrating to say the least.
But I'm here, and I have the tag, so I keep at it, and I keep at it hard, wearing rubber off my tires, and burning through gallons of fuel. The bulls are completely silent. I don't know if it's the weather, or the moon, or all the activity associated with the fire, but I can't get one to make a peep, it was really discouraging. Then, just as I was thinking it was all over, that this once in a lifetime tag was going to go unfilled, I find this guy:
Picture of beautiful 310+ bull as he lay in a pristine setting
Man I couldn't believe it! Lady Luck had shown up after all! I'll admit, when I drew the tag, I had hoped to find something bigger, but I am really jacked! He's a wonderful bull, and I'm so grateful to have had the chance at him. It was a brutally hard hunt, with so many factors going against me seemingly at every turn, but it just goes to show, if you just keep trying, just don't give up...good things can still come of difficult situations!