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.