The Elk Hunt

I was thinking about elk hunting.  One year comes to mind; it had snowed about six inches and I was going to be hunting on Black my horse.  I figured for sure I could get on some fresh tracks and follow them until I could get a shot.

Well I started out early that morning; I rode for several miles and had not seen anything.  I was starting to get discouraged and then I saw what looked like tracks crossing the trail.  As I rode up closer I could see it was a lone elk.  I started to get excited; one elk by itself, it must be a bull and the tracks looked pretty big.  I sure was hoping it would be a nice bull.  I started following the tracks they look fresh.

I felt like I was getting closer I even thought I could smell him.  I rode as fast as I could without making too much noise.  The trees were getting thicker I could not see very well but I knew the area quite well.  I was hoping he would head more toward the face of Taylor but he didn’t he headed right for the pole timber.  The young trees were so thick I thought for sure he could not get through them. Man was I ever wrong I don’t think it even slowed him down I think he knew he was being followed and was going where it would be hardest to be followed.

I know I don’t even know for sure if it’s even a bull and I am talking like he is trying to outsmart me.  Well this is what was going through my mind as I was tracking him.

The pole timber got to thick to ride anymore but I could not give up I knew we were coming to a clear cut timber sale.  I figured this is where I would get my chance.  I got off Black and I lead her.  It was tight for me to fit through the trees let alone dragging a horse behind me but Black was doing okay she was a good horse. 

I could see we were getting close to the timber sale I slowed down and kept my eyes and ears pealed.  I looked back at Black once in a while knowing she had much better ears and eyes than I had;  I had hunted on Black enough to know that if she heard something her ears would point in the direction of the noise.

Sure enough she looked toward the East end of the clearing with her ears pointed the same direction.  I did not even look I just went straight for my gun in my scabbard.  I reached back, panic set in.  My gun it was gone.  The bolt must have got caught on a branch and jerked out of the scabbard.

I did not even look to see if it was an elk that Black had seen and heard.  I tied Black up right there and started back tracking.  I figured I might see where it fell in the fresh snow.  I walked clear back where I first started tracking the elk.  I had no luck I was pretty upset I figured I lost my gun for good.

I started back to get Black feeling sick to my stomach.  I decided to give it one more try I swept my foot back and forth through the snow as I walked.  I was not having any luck I was getting close to Black I could see her through the trees.  I kept running my feet through the snow.  I was about thirty feet from Black When I felt something I got down on my hands and knees, brushed the snow away and there it was my trusty old 270 rifle.

I was so happy to find my gun I cleaned the snow out of the barrel.  I carried it out of the pole timber, as we got in the timber sale I put my gun in the scabbard climbed on Black and headed back to camp.  It had taken me several hours looking for my gun.  I figured that big old bull elk was long gone and I was exhausted.  I did learn a valuable lesson that day that I will never forget.  You guessed it when I get off my horse my gun comes out of the scabbard and into my hands.  I often wonder if I would have got my elk that day if I had only been a little bit smarter.