I had a really enjoyable time this fall with my dad and best bud, Cory. As hard as we worked to fill our freezers full of organic deliciousness- it didn't come from filling our elk tags.
Our bow hunt in eastern Oregon was incredible but frustrating. It seemed like every day we would close the gap 99% of the way but somehow, come away with a full quiver of arrows. We each had our moment at full draw but due to either an elk not taking that much needed step forward or a calf stepping in front of a cow at the most inconvenient time, we made the ethical decisions to let down. But Dad, who has been elk hunting for thirty plus years (mostly with a rifle) made the comment to me at the end of our ten day hunt, "this has been the best elk hunt I've ever been on." That statement, coupled with the fact that he has never harvested an elk with his bow, meant a lot to me and remains my biggest goal next fall- to help him tag his first archery elk. It's hard to put into text how special this archery hunt has become for my dad and I the last few years but I'm sure many of you can relate and know what I mean.
We also began Muzzleloading this year which was a learning process for us all but turned out to be a great compromise between Rifle and bow hunting. My best bud, Cory has only been hunting for three years now- all with a rifle. I helped him tag his first Bull on year two in SW WA and have been enjoying this new source of commraderie in our friendship. However, we were ready and willing to leave Rifle season behind us and try something that would put us hunting bugling bulls in early October this year. He had never heard a bull bugle, much less a bull screaming and raking within 20 yards! That was the highlight of my trip, to see his eyes light up when he thought that Bull was going to finally break and come stomp us into the ground. We had a couple other brief encounters that week but nothing that was legal and or presenting a good shot, the weather was more like coastal November weather but we all had laughed constantly, enjoyed our precious time together and made the best out of everything.
All in all, I'm thankful for the time spent with two of my favorite people in some of my favorite places, the ability to share in success and learn from failure every day out.
Our bow hunt in eastern Oregon was incredible but frustrating. It seemed like every day we would close the gap 99% of the way but somehow, come away with a full quiver of arrows. We each had our moment at full draw but due to either an elk not taking that much needed step forward or a calf stepping in front of a cow at the most inconvenient time, we made the ethical decisions to let down. But Dad, who has been elk hunting for thirty plus years (mostly with a rifle) made the comment to me at the end of our ten day hunt, "this has been the best elk hunt I've ever been on." That statement, coupled with the fact that he has never harvested an elk with his bow, meant a lot to me and remains my biggest goal next fall- to help him tag his first archery elk. It's hard to put into text how special this archery hunt has become for my dad and I the last few years but I'm sure many of you can relate and know what I mean.
We also began Muzzleloading this year which was a learning process for us all but turned out to be a great compromise between Rifle and bow hunting. My best bud, Cory has only been hunting for three years now- all with a rifle. I helped him tag his first Bull on year two in SW WA and have been enjoying this new source of commraderie in our friendship. However, we were ready and willing to leave Rifle season behind us and try something that would put us hunting bugling bulls in early October this year. He had never heard a bull bugle, much less a bull screaming and raking within 20 yards! That was the highlight of my trip, to see his eyes light up when he thought that Bull was going to finally break and come stomp us into the ground. We had a couple other brief encounters that week but nothing that was legal and or presenting a good shot, the weather was more like coastal November weather but we all had laughed constantly, enjoyed our precious time together and made the best out of everything.
All in all, I'm thankful for the time spent with two of my favorite people in some of my favorite places, the ability to share in success and learn from failure every day out.
