2011 Trip

This was a great season. The elk hunting wasn’t the best but the fun we had made up for it. For the first time ever I had a really good friend of mine up hunting with me. Josh came elk hunting for the first time and I don’t think we has disappointed. The two times we tracked fresh elk tracks we were very close but just unfortunately weren’t able to get a shot off. We laughed a lot and I think we got more than just memories out of this trip I think we made our friendship stronger. I know this is what hunting trips are for no matter the outcome. We go to have a good time and to kindle friendships .

My First Trip

I have been going hunting with my dad since I was 5 years old. I haven’t missed a year in my 18 years of living. The stories that my dad loves to tell about me in the tent are as followed. I can remember when you were so small you would be walking in the snow and it would be so deep and you had to crawl over all the logs we crossed you were covered from head to toe in snow. You used to sit on Al’s lap and I would asks whacha ya doin and with little plastic pistol in hand shot out the window and say I’m huntin deeeers dad. These are the memories I get to remember every year I go hunting.

Three Generation Trip

My most memorable hunting trip to date thus far in my life was the one in 2001. This was the year my grandpa, dad and I all went on the same hunting trip. The hunting is the worst I can remember. The ground was dry and the air was hot. We spent the majority of the time lying in the back of the truck shooting pop cans hung in a tree with a bee-bee gun. When we weren’t doing that we were up to shenanigans. We rolled a hug rock down this hill and it hit a tree and broke it about half way up its trunk. The hunting was the worst hunting I have ever had but the trip will be one I will remember the rest of my life.

A Boy Without a Coat

It was beautiful morning as we drove up the Pearl Beaver Road on our way to Bear Gulch. The snow was glistened as the sun rose above the frost covered ridge. The warmth of the sun was a treat from the brisk night air. We sat in the truck and glassed an opening we called Horse Shoe park. The morning was turning to afternoon; finally, my dad asked if I want to go for a hunt. We got out of the truck and the suns heat was past warm to the point of hot. My dad told me to bring my coat. I looked up at the sky and said, “Dad there isn’t a sky in the cloud.” We left the truck and walked down the road quite a ways and turned up into the trees. Only a few steps into the timber the dark shadow of a cloud followed us into the trees as well. I was without a coat and the snowflakes began to fly. I was the boy without a coat. This was my lesson and I will never be unprepared again.

My First Elk

It was chili opening morning in early November; but it wouldn’t stay cold for long. We woke up early and were out by sunrise. We sat and watched a new clear-cut for the majority of the morning and we knew that it would be a good day because there was elk sign everywhere we looked. There were remnants of snow along the tree line from the last snow storm, and tracks marked all over the snow. Sure the tracks were old and melted out, but I had faith this was the year I would get my first elk. We were unsuccessful, opening morning and walked back to camp for lunch. After a longer lunch than usual; we took off on our afternoon hunt. It was hot and it seemed like Green Mountain had never had an elk walk on it. The hunting was bad and we decided to just walk down an abandoned jeep trail, back to camp. On the trail my nose was filled with a long too familiar smell. There were elk around. I looked through the branches on my left and there she was; a cow elk standing broadside. I stood, shouldered my gun, put the cross hairs on the kill zone, and shot. She fell where she stood. It happened all so fast and I couldn’t believe I just got my first elk, and on opening day.