I was woken by sound of stiff winds against my tent. It was not the sound I wanted to hear. I was hoping for a quiet day, alone in the woods. 

If you know me well enough, you know I will talk to anyone willing to sit still long enough to listen. I can be a bit reclusive, also. It doesn’t bother me to be alone for days on end. I do not feel the need to leave the house to find something to do or to be around other people. I’d rather stay away from people, most of the time. It is mind boggling to some, that I can travel for two long days, sleep in a tent or truck, and wander the mountains in the name of elk, alone. I don’t have a lot of hunting buddies. Not really looking for any, either. I have friends but we don’t hang out often. I simply don’t feel the need to have others around so that we can do “things”. To sum this up, I’m good either way. 

The wind has blown excessively for two days already. It makes it hard to hear the elk and to be able to pinpoint them when you do. Too much wind is just plain out miserable and cold. I finally make way out of tent well after sunrise, with a slight feeling of discouragement. I know it’s way too early in the day for this but it is just one of those days. I get myself and my pack ready for the day, like I had some kind of super plan, and head out. As I drive slowly up the mountain road in the truck, I see another truck parked to the side. I stop to say hello, while thinking they had something spied across the drainage. Come to find out, they were way more discouraged than I felt. We talk a bit, mostly about their two unsuccessful 10 mile roundabouts they had been on in days prior, so I say, “follow me”. We park at the gate, introduce ourselves, and proceed down the trail. Talking a bit more as we descend. I knew from the “gitgo” these were my kind of people. They are from North Dakota, but as different as we sound, we speak the same. I know they were a little unsure of me, at first. But, they didn’t have a better option. (I later find out, Perry called his wife to inform her of his plans to go in with me. She was concerned I may be a serial killer or something.) I assured them we were about to be on elk and they were welcome to go their own way if they chose to. I know you are thinking this is unusual behavior but, to me, elk hunting is about so much more than killing an elk. Soon as the first bugle rang out, their confidence in me soared. They assured me that this was my elk and they just wanted to “play the game”. My assumptions were correct. True sportsmen looking for a hunt. 

“There are two things that interest me: the relation of people to each other, and the relation of people to land.”

-Aldo Leopold 

They followed me as we descend towards the bugle. At this point, I knew every old logging trail and game trail, in this drainage. Their bugles were a little sporadic and wouldn’t answer many of ours. The winds would keep us a little uncertain at times, but we slowly and patiently, worked our way in closer each time. 

As the morning passed, we would stop to rest, listen, snack, and converse. Each time we would get to know each other better. Most importantly, we would catch the sound of a bugle or two, giving up his location and path. We got in tight a few times but to only have them move on up the drainage. 

{Derek is a farmer and Perry works for his local internet/phone service provider. They both have wives and kids, lovers of the outdoors, and work hard to make a living like myself. Over the next few days a friendship was bond between a few guys from totally different regions of the country, in the midst of the greatest chase on earth.}

We continue our journey throughout the day, following the sound of bugles. We played the winds and would try to cut them off a few different times. We almost had them in our lap, once. It is now early afternoon. We would keep going the direction they were headed, in the west fork of the drainage. I knew of an old logging trail that would loop around. The trail would make for an easier and quicker route. 

Have you ever missed an opportunity? Or, at least felt you had? I have capitalized on many through the years and I have missed so many more. Some would arise with so much certainty but would never come together. My confidence would be there yet the deal would disappear in a flash. Many times, it would be a blessing. More often, I would learn from mistakes and simply accept the facts. I have missed business deals, tracts of timber, houses I could have bought, job opportunities, and so much more. There’s always something learned in those times, and typically, another opportunity is right around the corner. Even the small experiences during those times, that you need not overlook, could be life changing. Those could very well be the real opportunities. Do not disregard the small things. 

Another hunter was across the drainage working the elk with his bogus calling. Sounded as if he was blowing a dog whistle. We stayed quiet as we worked up and around the last known location of the elk. I felt certain we were close and needed to stop to look and listen. Shortly, the bull fired one off. He was not far below us. Our wind was perfect and we were seconds from diving in. Then, the whistler sounded off just beyond the elk. We holdup, and within minutes, Derek spotted elk moving. They were moving up the hill, towards us. At least, eight or ten cows, followed by two bulls. They stop 80 yards or so out. One bull loops around, still coming. Derek says, “45”. I come to full draw. I ease up. No shot. Too much grass. He comes slightly closer. I ease up, again. I catch a glimpse of much bigger bull coming, pushing his cows. I go back down and let off bow. 

It felt as though the world stopped turning for a bit. We didn’t move. The elk didn’t move. Opportunity and decision rushed through my head at the speed of light. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. I questioned if I was even breathing. I recall it as if it were a dream. My senses were super focused and this was the moment I have spent hours, days, months, preparing and training for. My legs and back are strong. My equipment is top notch and dialed in. My head is right, as I have played out this exact moment in my mind, time and time again. I am confident I will capitalize on this opportunity. It is within reach. 

I notice a pause. I see the big bull and few of his cows turn their heads, back down hill. I do not recall hearing the whistle but I know exactly what they had smelled. I raise up, going to full draw, again. I turn towards small bull, asking Derik for a range. He replied, “I can’t”. I immediately thought “35”, while cutting my eyes back towards big bull. He was taking another step in my direction. I let off and ease back down. Within seconds, the lead cow takes off down away from us, and what I assume spooked them, the whistler. I stand up to see where the smaller bull went. He had moved on out of range by now and the big one and his cows were well out of range. They were moving quickly in the wrong direction. Game over. 

The opportunity had come and gone. I missed a chance to capitalize on something I had spent so much time, money and effort on. All the while, I captured the chance to make new friends and experience something in the mountains with them, that can never be recreated. I could make excuses why I didn’t immediately drop down towards the bugle. I could blame myself for not taking a shot. I could blame the whistler for blowing them out. But, I think the day ended just as it was meant to be. I will never regret nor forget this day.

We spent the next day hunting together trying hard to make it happen. We had one fairly close encounter but the bulls weren’t talking. Thank you Perry and Derek. 

The world revels itself to those who travel on foot- Werner Herzog