M
moonlight
Guest
Hey guys,
This post is in honor of my father.
I often read stories on this forum, and in numerous magazines of first time hunter's going out and killing huge bulls. I also read stories of veteran hunters who are excited when they kill a cow, spike or raghorn. The excitement of the hunt is what we all do it for, not necessarily the kill. A trophy is different to each of us. I killed my first bull when I was 18, but when I tell the story, the kill itself gets lost in the description of the events of the stalk and the hunt as a whole. It was my 4th year of hunting with my dad's party, a great group of guys that my dad had hunted with for some 20 years. And everytime I tell the story, I wonder what it would have been like if the story didn't actually occur until my 30th year of hunting. The reason for me wondering that is because this marks the 30th season that my dad has taken to the elk woods and returned with nothing for his efforts except the memories of the hunt and of the missed opportunities that went with them. That all changed for him this morning.
After 30 years of dropping into canyons, pushing timber and chasing tracks, my dad scored on his first bull this morning in the Lookout Mt. Unit in Oregon. He was rewarded with a nice 6 point for all his years of patience and effort. He is the type of guy who always continued to go because of the experience rather than the kill. I think that he has felt like the only reason he was along was becasue he was a butcher and the rest of the party liked having him around to take care of their elk. That and the fact that he is a hell of a guy that is fun to have around.
I was unable to go with the group this year, the first time in 14 years. He called me tonight from the top of the mountain to let me know that he had finally done it. I would have loved to have been there to see it happen and share in it, just as he was there to share in the experience of my first bull. I am sure that the excitement of the events leading up to and after the kill were no less than if he would have done it when he was a kid like I was when it happened for me. I am proud and happy for him, and just wanted to share that with all of you. I will post pictures when he gets back for all to see. And for those of you that may not have killed your first bull yet, be patient. It may take years, but eventually, if you put in enough time, it will all come together. Use my dad, Calvin L. McNary as an example of this. Congrats Calhoon!
"success Is Reason Enough!"
This post is in honor of my father.
I often read stories on this forum, and in numerous magazines of first time hunter's going out and killing huge bulls. I also read stories of veteran hunters who are excited when they kill a cow, spike or raghorn. The excitement of the hunt is what we all do it for, not necessarily the kill. A trophy is different to each of us. I killed my first bull when I was 18, but when I tell the story, the kill itself gets lost in the description of the events of the stalk and the hunt as a whole. It was my 4th year of hunting with my dad's party, a great group of guys that my dad had hunted with for some 20 years. And everytime I tell the story, I wonder what it would have been like if the story didn't actually occur until my 30th year of hunting. The reason for me wondering that is because this marks the 30th season that my dad has taken to the elk woods and returned with nothing for his efforts except the memories of the hunt and of the missed opportunities that went with them. That all changed for him this morning.
After 30 years of dropping into canyons, pushing timber and chasing tracks, my dad scored on his first bull this morning in the Lookout Mt. Unit in Oregon. He was rewarded with a nice 6 point for all his years of patience and effort. He is the type of guy who always continued to go because of the experience rather than the kill. I think that he has felt like the only reason he was along was becasue he was a butcher and the rest of the party liked having him around to take care of their elk. That and the fact that he is a hell of a guy that is fun to have around.
I was unable to go with the group this year, the first time in 14 years. He called me tonight from the top of the mountain to let me know that he had finally done it. I would have loved to have been there to see it happen and share in it, just as he was there to share in the experience of my first bull. I am sure that the excitement of the events leading up to and after the kill were no less than if he would have done it when he was a kid like I was when it happened for me. I am proud and happy for him, and just wanted to share that with all of you. I will post pictures when he gets back for all to see. And for those of you that may not have killed your first bull yet, be patient. It may take years, but eventually, if you put in enough time, it will all come together. Use my dad, Calvin L. McNary as an example of this. Congrats Calhoon!
"success Is Reason Enough!"
