This all started last June with one phone call from my dad I will never forget.. He told me I had drawn for a big bull elk tag!!! I started to cry I was so excited.... I have been dreaming of this tag since I was little. I have hunted with my dad since I remember so this was HUGE! My dad was so excited... it has been so cute watching how excited he has gotten all over this hunt. So my tag was on a CWMU tag on the Fish Lake unit called the BAR J. It is an awesome place! One of the most beautiful places ever. ( no lie)So my hunt was September 27th-October 1st. During the rut... perfect time! My dad and Nate and gone up every morning they could for weeks to scout. It drove them nuts being on the out side of the fence and not hunting, but patience men!!! So trying to fit this hunt in with nursing school was crazy... but it all just fell into place. I was supposed to have a Pharmacy test the second day of the hunt, but turned out it got moved to the next week, then the rest of the week was really slow so it was perfect.
The opening morning of the hunt Nate woke up countless times asking if it was time yet... it was pretty funny! But see I had Pass Off's that day... go in pass off a skill and chart and all this. So I didn't hunt opening morning. But I finished early and we headed up at about noon. I got home to change and Nate had me packed , my back pack ready, camelback filled, camo out, he was like a little boy! So we got up there and hiked down into the ranch, as soon as we stepped into the ranch elk were all around us non- stop. I thought we were going to get trampled, they were seriously running all around us, bugling non-stop, fighting, all sorts of action going on. We saw about 30 bulls that night, but nothing we loved! It was so awesome... Nate now LOVES elk hunting! He can't believe how awesome it is...
The second day.... We got up on the hill about 3 due to school and got ready to hunt that night. Once again the elk were going crazy.. we didn't know which bugle to follow there were so many. We finally just started walking. We got into a bunch of elk and trying to catch up with a group we heard. We had seen a quick glimpse of a big one, but couldn't ever keep up with them... Those things can move!! It was all up hill.... Then we were walking and I saw a bull feeding and I told my dad, we got down on the shooting sticks, My dad and Nate looked down in the bino's and said it's not the big one, but he's a good one so shoot if you can. Well I shot.. he just stood there... so my dad said shoot again, so I did, and he dropped!! I remember seeing it in the scope and it was so awesome! I fell to the ground shaking!! I can not believe the adrenaline rush, and of course again started crying! It was such an awesome moment. My dad and Nate were so excited, my dad gave me the biggest hug. He was so happy! I loved it.
It is something I will never forget... I will never get over the adrenaline rush it was. I loved every minute of it. I love hunting because of all the memories I have. My dad has told me so many stories while we have been hunting. I have been my dad's hunting buddy since I can remember. When Nate asked to marry me, my dad made him promise to keep me hunting and to come back and hunt with him. Awwww.... Cute! So sharing this moment with my two favorite men was priceless. Thanks DAD!! I love you!! I am so sad me and my dad didn't get a picture up on the hill... we were in such a hurry to get it out we totally spaced it! Something I regret! We got one at the truck, but just not the same.
PS... getting a full sized bull elk out of the back country... not recommended! longest night of my life!!!
