Success and Failure Elk Hunting with my Family of Four
Hunting Elk in the rugged country they live in is not an easy task for any individual, but hunting elk with a six year old and a 4 year old makes the challenge even more difficult and rewarding.
As the leader and parent it will push you to be the very best person you could possibly be. The challenges of getting your children ready to climb 1,500 vertical feet in pursuit of an idea is rather struggling. Teaching your children to challenge their own minds and take on the demons that deter them from the task is so difficult but so rewarding.
I watched my children tell themselves to quit but ultimately after coaching themselves they found an inner strength to not only keep going but to push harder and motivate themselves. My children understand the motive to harvest an elk. Game meat including Elk is all they have ever lived off. My family has not bought store bought meat in six years. As Steven Rinella says, “ We live to hunt and Hunt to Live.” Finding a goal will help young children to keep their mind on task and fight the physical and mental challenges.
There is one story in particular I would like to share. This story is a magical story and has so much hidden meaning. I still to this day, about a year later, find myself reflecting on this particular night. It was around the 10th of September and I had filled my elk tag a few days earlier, so it was my wife, Rachael’s, turn.
The kids were in school at the time so it made for a challenging logistical agenda. I had gone out early that morning to try and locate some elk to hunt that evening when we picked the kids up from school. I eventually located a heard about 1,500 feet above an access road and figured that would have to do. I rushed home, told Rach the plan, and started to prep the kids’ gear for that evening hunt. I knew there was going to be some much needed motivation, especially picking them up from school and driving an hour to the location. So, like all good fathers do, I picked up some motivation from the local convenient store. Candy and chocolate ought to get them up that mountain, it does for me. The kids were fantastic maybe a little to “energized” but that was fine by me.
We ended up side hilling from the truck to a thicket of Aspen trees that sprawled out like a hand on the mountain and intertwined with some pines. I had my daughter follow a game trail that slowly made its way up. I have found that when she leads she focuses on the path to take rather than what else we could be doing. Once she got to an open park just outside the Aspens we all stopped and I let out a location bugle. Instantly a response, and my daughter looked back wide eyed and elated.
The bull was not far and now it was go time. This is usually the point in the hunts that my military aggressiveness kicks in and I get my family to move like swinging apes through the forest. We are very aggressive archery elk hunters and it usually works for us. The bull was above us about 200 yds and it sounded like he was coming in fast. Rachael set up about sixty yard above the kids and I. I took the kids and sat behind a wide, bushy pine tree with a deep bottom root ball. It was good cover. We started to call this bull and it sounded like he was going to come on a string right to us. I was positive Rach was going to get a shot and the kids would witness there first archery bull harvest. But, like almost every elk experience they always switch it up on you. Instead of coming straight down the mountain right in front of Rachael he swung around to the north and made a half loop on us. I tried to tell Rach he was coming on the other side of a thin pine tree finger, unfortunately our communication didn’t get interpreted correctly. Within seconds the bull was coming, but not on the intended route. He was heading straight for the kids and I. I remember telling them to be quiet so I could hear if he was close, and all of a sudden Kinley gushes air and her eyes wide. The bull was ten yards from us just staring, with drool pouring out of his mouth. It was like a scene from National Geographic.
I can still remember the vivid details of his eyes, ears, nose and the color of his yellow dirty fur. My kids heads swiveled back and fourth from looking at me to looking at him. I swear I could hear their hearts pounding, but it may have just been mine. One ear on us and another ear pointing at movement behind the pines. Rach was trying to move in for a shot. The scene seemed to last forever and we thought Rach would get through the timber to get a shot. I kept him in the same spot by sending out cow calls. Each time I did he would look straight at us fixated on trying to figure out what was going on and each time my kids heads would move back and fourth. I couldn’t help myself but smile.
At the time I never realized the success of that experience was right then and there in that moment. Rachael never got a shot and we were pretty disappointed. As time has past I love to reflect on this story because the end goal wasn’t reached but a different goal was achieve. My kids accomplished many things most people will never experience. They climbed farther and harder terrain and got an experience that will be forever grained in our minds. The lessons we all learned will not be forgotten and the reward was watching a majestic beast with my children 10 yards away.
My kids got a taste of the burning passion and desire we chase every September. They understand what it takes to provide beautiful and nutritious food. But ultimately, the lessons that transfer into life as we know it derived from the Elk woods.