Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Distractions

Invariably things come along that detract from fishing.  Luckily one of them is hunting.  Even more lucky is that one of those distractions is elk hunting.  I'll admit to being somewhat spoiled in that for the last 7 years in a row I have been fortunate enough to harvest a bull, and even more fortunate in that I have been able to harvest the aforementioned bulls in September, during the rut, which is the hunting equivalent of taking a steelhead on the dry (or so I can only imagine!)  Well this year was strange here in Montana in that the lingering effects of la nina made for a much colder and wetter spring, which (when this la nina cycle came to an end) turned into a warmer and drier than average September.  This, coupled with a banner year of fishing (due in part to la nina) made for very few days in September in which I felt comfortable hunting elk.  I do not hunt elk when the forecast calls for highs above 70, and even when the forecast is for highs in the 60's I will only hunt early morning and late evening.  The last thing I want is for an elk to spoil because I cannot retrieve it in time.  Well of the 4 days we hunted in September, one morning everything came together....... for my son that is.  We were able to call this bull in very close, and when I say very close I mean 3 yards of close, 9 feet of close, I'm talking NINE FEET!  Take into account the 24" barrel and Marshall took his 2011 elk at 7 FEET.  It was definitely the closest I've ever been to an elk, and one of if not THE most exciting hunt I've ever been on.  So Marshall  has a full freezer and a hell of a story to tell my grandchildren!

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