One More Step

This cow elk came in to about 15 yards and put on the breaks. At full drawn, she just needs to take one more step. 

It's early in the season and a lot of things are going through my head at this point. I've only been out a few times and haven't gotten into any elk bugling yet. It's still early--6 o'clock and there are obviously elk in the area. She's probably only a year and half old. Do I really want to shoot her? 

It's meat--good meat and my truck is only a quarter mile a way...downhill. I could pack her out by myself. My season would be done and I wouldn't have to fight with all these new archery hunters in Montana. 

It has literally gotten to that point with me where archery hunting in Montana has lost it's luster. I average hiking 4 to 5 miles every time I go out and every hike, with the exception of this one, has ended by running into signs of hunters already pushing all the elk out of an area or even running into multiple hunters in one drainage calling to each other. I understand everyone has the same right to the mountains and the woods but it's a lot of work to drive two hours to get up into an area and then hike 5 or 6 miles only to have your hunt ruined by other hunters. Is it even worth it? 

But there's something that makes me take the drive and put the boots on for the random chance that something like this happens again. Even though I haven't had a real significant encounter with a frustrated bull screaming at me for what seems to be years now. Even though most hunts end in that disappointment and frustration of running into other hunters. This unlikely chance brings me back. Just take one more step...

I read a book a long time ago called, "Neither Wolf nor Dog:  On Forgotten Roads with an Indian Elder," by Kent Nerburn. In the book, the author writes about his travels with a Native American through South Dakota and some other areas in the West and they come to a spot where the Elder looks out over a meadow and points out a bison. The author can't see it. The Elder suggests that it's because the bison doesn't want the author to see him yet because he's not ready to see the bison. 

I've been hunting elk for nearly two decade now. Sometimes they are the smartest animals on the planet and sometimes you wonder if there's even a brain in their head. Sometimes you think something is out there guiding them that keeps them from taken that last step until you are ready. 

This elk was on a full trot, right up until that last tree and then would have been in the open, 15 yards away. A chip shot, like kicking an extra point but something caused her to stop dead in her tracks--right behind that tree. She stopped for a couple seconds and bolted. Apparently, I wasn't ready for the shot yet. Something more impressive or more meaningful must need to happen before I get a shot so I'll be strapping on the boots and hitting the mountains again this afternoon. 

Keep 'em where they live...