Jay Dee's Elk Hunt

THIS YEARS ELK HUNT WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN ALL THE OTHERS I HAVE EVER HAD. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO DRAW A MONROE MTN BIG BULL ARCHERY TAG. AFTER WE DREW THE TAG WE STARTED TO REALIZE , THIS MIGHT BE A BAD YEAR FOR US, NEW BABY, NEW STORE ETC.. BUT WE KEPT THE TAG AND WENT HUNTING THINKING THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THE LAST YEARS THAT THE HUNT WILL STILL BE GOOD . WE HAD LOTS OF FUN ON THE MOUNTAIN AT THE CABIN, AND HUNTING. WE ENDED UP FINDING SOME ELK ON THE PRIVATE PART OF MONROE MTN.. ME AND DAD WENT ON A HIKE AND ENDED UP FINDING A GOOD BULL, TOOK A SHOT AT HIM JUST BEFORE DARK. I WENT BACK IN THE NEXT MORNING TO MAKE SURE I HAD NOT HIT HIM, AND SURE ENOUGH..... I HAD NOT. HE WAS STILL IN THE MEADOW THAT I HAD SHOT AT HIM AND STILL HAD THE SIX OR EIGHT COWS ALL AROUND HIM. I GOT WORKED AS CLOSE AS I COULD AND STARTED COW CALLING, HE STARTED WORKING MY WAY BUT THE RANGE FINDER TOLD ME HE WAS STILL WAY TO FAR(ABOUT 150 YARDS). AFTER ABOUT 20 MIN OF CALLING I CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF SOMETHING MOVING ABOUT 20 YARDS TO THE LEFT OF ME. I SAW THAT IT WAS A SIX POINT AND I DREW MY BOW, WHEN HE CLEARED THE EDGE OF THE TREES I LET HER RIP. IT WAS KINDA AMAZING WHEN THE ARROW WENT EXACTLY WHERE IT WAS AIMED. HE RAN ABOUT 20 YARDS STOPPED AND FELL OVER DEAD. (THE LAST PICTURE IS WHERE HE DIED) IT WAS A FUN HUNT. I LEARNED ALLOT ON THIS HUNT ABOUT WHAT I THINK HUNTING IS ABOUT. ITS NOT ABOUT THE SCORE, THE KILL, AND THE ANIMAL TO ME. I WOULD NOT TRADE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KILL A BEAUTIFUL BULL LIKE THIS AGAIN, FOR THE HUNT THAT I HAD LAST YEAR WHEN ME AND JERICK BOTH KILLED SPIKE ELK THE SAME NIGHT IN THE SAME FLAT, PACKING TWO SPIKE ELK OUT, AND THE COYOTES HOWLING SO CLOSE THAT IT MAKES THE HAIR ON THE BACK OF YOUR NECK STAND UP!!! BEING TOGETHER, ENJOYING THE TIME THAT I SPEND WITH MY FAMILY, IS WHAT MATTERS. LEARNING TO ENJOY THE SMALL THINGS, LIKE THE DAY BEFORE I KILLED WHEN ME AND MY DAD WERE IN THE FLAT WATCHING THE SQUIRREL THROW THE PINE CONES OUT OF THE TREE, THE SUNSET BLEEDING THROUGH THE SMOKE OF THE CLEAR CREEK FIRE, THE SOUND OF AN EAGLE SCREAM IN THE DISTANCE. THIS HUNT HAS MADE ME LOOK AT THE THINGS I DO A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. I AM VERY THANKFUL THAT I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO DRAW THIS TAG, THE MAGNIFICENT ANIMAL I WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HARVEST, AND THE HUNT THAT WILL CHANGE THE WAY I HUNT FOREVER!!

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