You'll miss every shot you don't take

You'll miss every shot you never take.  I heard that a few times from my father growing up.  Mostly as it
related to my basketball games....why didn't you shoot more?, or my dating life...what are you afraid she'll say no?.  I'll tell you one thing, you'll never make any if you don't shoot.  True.  In fact there are quiet a few instances in life when this advice could and should be followed.  Don't hold back, doesn't matter if you get knocked down...its if you got back up or not, they all kind of fall into that same hoorah type category right?  Later in my own adult life I would use a similiar pitch to my single buddies....You'll never catch fish without flies on the water.

Well this last Sunday I didn't take a shot and I feel great about it.

I went out elk hunting with my buddy B. Dubya.  We sat out the first hour of light on a windy ridge hoping for a few elk to come our way and discussing the happenings of the season, and looking forward for special drawings, goals etc. for the next season.  For me its Mountain goats and Moose.  Dubya still wants his elk tag for that region everyone wants...myself included.  After an hour or so of the warm south wind and not even a glance at an elk we headed to the truck, ready to hang up the packs for the year.  As hunters with filled deer tags we pulled over to take a look across the valley for Dubya's brother.  We'd seen were he was parked and were curious if he'd had any luck.
"holy $#&*" he says "elk, a huge herd headed toward the state"....translation a big herd 150-200 headed toward some public ground we could hunt.  After all, we both have elk tags, and it is thelast morning.  Off we went.  We pulled in jumped out of the truck, and got into position fifty yards or so off the fenceline.  Five or so minutes later, there were about a dozen vehicles pulling over, including the game warden and a sheriff.  After all, elk in Montana near a major roadway draw alot of attention during hunting season.  At this point, the elk are all bunched up to my surprise, about 75 yards or so from a group of four or five trucks.  Why aren't they shooting?? I wondered.  I came to find out later, nobody was real sure if it was public ground or not.   I knew it was.  Soon the herd broke from the huddle and came filing by us and our two new buddies,...guys who had taken a shooting position near us.  Sure enough, just how we planned it.  Through my scope I could see the elk plain as day, mouths open some of there tongues hanging out, they had been run that morning.  I've taken 300 plus yard  shots before so it wasn't the distance keeping my finger off the trigger, it was the scene, cars, tired elk, highway, etc.
I later told my mother the  story and her reply was "You must not have wanted an elk that bad then".
Its quite the opposite, I want an elk real bad, just as bad as many other hunters.  But I told her I like it to be as fair as possible, I want a true hunt, I don't ever want the animal to know I'm there.  I know I carry a rifle, I also hunt with my bow, I would rather get all my animals with a bow, but I guess thats not really realistic all the time.  I didn't take a shot that day.  It wasn't how I wanted it to go down and I dont regret it, not even a little.  The elk deserve much more respect than that.  Maybe us hunters would get more respect too.  Id rather eat my tag, than fill one like that.

Belly crawling, football, hunting, eat, repeat.......Thanksgiving

For me, usually the end of hunting season a.k.a Thankgiving weekend is a time to do many things.  One of which is to reflect a little.  If there is time that is between the tree hunting, christmas decorating, which I swear my wife and I agreed wouldn't happen until December....cleanup from the holiday etc.
First off, I am very thankful to have my beautiful family. Then im grateful to be employed and to live in such an amazing place.  My passion is elk, I could not find one this season but I sure had fun trying. However, this was probably the best year I've ever had with deer hunting.  I recently witnessed three beatiful whitetail bucks, one of which was my own.  Two of them on hunts with good friends.  For some reason every season we see eachother and discuss how we need to stay better connected.  At least we manage to call eachother for hunting season, sometimes to butcher, sometimes to hunt or drag, but mostly to share experiences and memories together.  I am very thankful for that.
Best of all I live in such a great place that three guys can find such quality whitetail bucks on public land.  Happy thanksgiving, and make some memories everyday.

Mass Media or slap of reality?

I took my daughter downtown this afternoon, shes only 1 and a half, but Mom had spent some serious time making the costume.  It was almost as if she had an alter ego the second she put it on.  We went from napping in the car-seat to lil batman/stevie wonder in no time.  It was incredible.  A few repairs from the local hardware on the spot, binder clips, pocket sewing kit etc were needed right away, but lil batman almost had to be held down to make them.  It was great watching her, she was cute and having a great time strolling up and down the streets of downtown, the light drizzle didnt even faze her.  It got me to thinking later that night as I watched droves of little kids  up and down the street, about half of them accompanied by a car parked and moving about every three houses or so.  Some fathers lighting the way, 35 lumens shining on the children as they walk house to house.  Is it mass-media or halloween reality?

I remember as a kid, pillow case in locker waiting for the bell. Game on.  House to house we went, usually running untill about dark.  After rounds were made, sometimes twice, especially for the folks dishing out the full size candy bars we went home.  Sure, are parents looked over the goods, making sure nobody hooked us up with sharp objects, beer, smokes, scrambled eggs etc.  But they never followed us around as we trick or treated our way around the burbs of Chicago.
But, nowadays you here everything online, on cable, at a lighting fast speed.  Dont hike, you might get eaten by a bear, or shocked by one.  Did you hear about that ladys monkey who turned on her?...Dont want to ever own one of those.  Dont eat this dont eat that, heaven forbid you swim in the ocean, you ever watch shark week?  Is it mass media or legit halloween fear.  Cant you atleast get out of your car and walk with your kids?  Enjoy it a little?  Or are you in the car to make a clean escape from all the things you have read on the internet?  Happy Halloween

Everything on the mountain gets eaten

Just a few days ago, I took my fly rod out for its last "serious" walk of the season(most likely).  Unless a few events fall right into place.  I fished a tributary of the Yellowstone.  I didn't see a single other person except for the friend I was with all day.  The cottonwoods and aspens that lined the river were golden and some were falling with the breeze.  I got the pleasure of throwing streamers all day, watching brown trout, some attacking with reckless abandon.  Others looking, I'm sure some not looking at all.  Not a spectacular day, but a good one, complete with some cow talk, a distant bugle and the smell of elk.

All the colors, the snow in the high country and that nice bite of fall in the wind.  It renewed my passion to get out and hunt, after all we are going to need some meat in the freezer. I look forward to getting back and connecting a little.  Not just shopping for the package of meat in the refrigerated section.  It always reminds me of my wife, In fact she told me that when she was younger she just sort of assumed that there was a "meat" compartment in an animal.  Like you just sorta opened up the drawer pull it out and send the critter back to pasture. Getting on the ground, doing the work, the right way with respect for the game, thats what I look forward to.

Thank you Barry

I spent my younger years growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, in fact, the first super bowl I remember is the 1985 Chicago Bears beating the New England Patriots.  The "fridge", Jim Mcmahon, sweetness.  We even stretched out in P.E. class to the super bowl shuffle.  Everything should have pointed me in the direction of being a bears fan.  But on one Thanksgiving day at my grandmothers house in Iowa, I watched this little guy in honalulu blue with the number 20.  He rushed all over the Broncos for 200+ yards and from that point forward the Lions have been my team.
There was a few good years, even an NFC championship appearance.  But lately its been awful, first team to go 0-16. Ouch.

At one point, I read an article calling them one of the worst franchises in all of sports.  Between my love for the Cubs and the Lions I sorta felt doomed. Now this year, the lions have come out hot, and are on Monday Night Football for the first time in 10 years, 10 years!  I love Thanksgiving partly because it was the one time of year I got to see my favorite team play.  Now this year people are talking about them, there is some excitement, its almost weird to me but I love it.  Just a reminder I guess, some things that you have to wait for are some of the best.  I'll be around for the ride.  Word is, Barry will be doing the intro to tonights game.  I cant wait.  Thank you Barry!

Dog Days of.....October??

Its early October right?  I went to a pals 30th bday party last night at around six thirty.  On the way I was looking at the thermometer in the car.  It was 75 degrees, really?  I love to elk hunt, especially in early and mid September.  I like a little bite in the air in the fall, warm afternoons are ok, but highs in the 80s and stuff? come on.  How is a guy supposed to get real excited about walking around with a bow in a t-shirt and cutoff shorts?

The last good bull I saw was on an afternoon hunt last week, he was tucked into a little shaded fold in some sagebrush looking for shade, panting and trying to catch a nap anytime his cow was sitting still for more than a few moments. I didn't even bother calling to him, I knew he was in no mood to move too far too fast. He looked hot, tired, and over it.  I sorta feel the same way,  the weathers got me down,  I know that cool bite in the air will be here soon enough, and I'm sure the fever will return with it, until then.

Cowboys and Wolves

I live in Montana, and wolves are always a hot button issue.  I'm one of those weird elk hunters that doesn't despise the critters.  For some reason I sorta think its neat to have an intact ecosystem, predators and all.  I do think they should be managed, just like all the other critters.  Sure,  I feel like the ones who get in to livestock on private land should be taught a lesson, those on Public land grazing leases, well, your rolling the dice....but thats a whole different topic for a different times.

So often do I hear elk hunters talking "well they seen a couple wolves up there, all the elk moved off, havent seen this few elk in 50 years" yada yada yada.  Sometimes I feel like the wolf is an easy way to place blame,

I didn't get an elk, in must of been the wolves, not...I didn't spend enough time in the field, or didn't scout enough, or didn't get far enough away from the heater in the truck, it aint like it used to be.
I love to fish for trout, maybe when I have a slow day on the river, I could blame the otters, osprey, eagles, pelicans, bears, or anything else that eats fish, or maybe go as far as to call for all their heads,it was probably there fault anyway.
Its like the cubs in 2003, when they were playing for the pennant, and that guy, Bartman messed with the ball down the left field line, who it just so happened like 4 other people were trying to grab.  The guy got death threats, beer tossed at him and run out of town.  He was the wolf, easy to blame.  Nevermind the fact that the cubbies had 8 more outs and another game to close the deal and go to the world series. Its all that dudes fault!,... the one with the headphones on.
I've seen guys at job sites do the same thing, Lets spend way too much time figuring out whos fault it was instead of just shutting up,dealing, fixing it and  moving on.
We've all got wolves in our lives, present company included.  Its always easier to blame something else for things that didnt go right.  Lets figure out the real problem, its not as easy, but much more rewarding. 

i love it when they are right

Just a quick float on the lower Madison today after I was nice enough to take my bow for a walk in the morning.  I was floating in my buddy's new clacka when his girlfriends reel falls off.   She is quickly in to her backing and hoping by continuing to pull line, then backing eventually the reel would come up right?  Eventually nothing came up, except a massive swirl of fly line and backing.....a bunch of it.  During the chaos, we were dragging anchor with a tail wind and for some reason we couldnt get the anchor up, maybe because we had a bunch of anchor line out too. We floated down through a hole that a spinner fisherman was working and offered a quick apology.  I explained "we are having a few technical difficulties"
 Apology excepted, with a quick nod., "thats usually when it gets good", he says.

 I continued throwing my bow river and crayfish and figured all would be good, after all this is a decent stretch. Before I know it the blade of the oar hit bottom and off goes the oar.  I quickly put down the rod and went halfway out of the boat to grab it, with oar secured I look over to see the old 5 weight bent over.   Assuming I was snagged I grabbed it, only to feel a pissed off brown on the other end. Holding both the oar and my rod, I figured out to give the oar to my buddy and land the fish.  Its so true and that spinner fisherman knew it.  When things are going wrong, Thats when it usually gets good.  We donated a reel today, and bluffed with giving up an oar. This is the heaviest fish I've touched in a couple years, I love it when they are right!