Short Versions:
1st elk, archery, 8 steps
1st mountain lion, rifle, about the same
I have practiced out to 1000 yards, so I would feel comfortable taking a 700 yard shot. But haven't for anything.
Long Versions:
I was 17 and it had been a long unsuccessful hunting season, but my father wanted to go one last time. I went just for him. 3am was very hard to get up that morning and I was the first to be in the clearing that we were suppose to meet in. After waiting for a long, long time. I heard a bugle up the hill. Thinking that is was him, I headed up. After climbing the last rise, I stopped in my tracks. This image is burned in my memory: a 340ish bull and 5 cows staring at me with water vapor bellowing out from their nostrils with every breath. I won the staring contest, they took off running. I thought I could round the top of the hill and catch up to them, but ran into two other bulls. They were walking back and forth on the side hill bugling back and forth. I saw the one walking away, so I hurried down to see if I could get a shot. Watching every step, I looked up. Twenty yards in between two large dead pines, here he came. I crouched with no cover waiting for the shot. I don't recall when the arrow was knocked. If he would have kept walking straight, I could have straightened my arm and touched his hoof. But he didn't. He suddenly stopped, looked down at me and his eyes widened. First time I looked directly into an elks eyes with him looking right back into mine. As he turned to run, I pulled my bow back. He stopped. Another moment burned into my memory. His head turned in slow motion. I put the pins on his vitals and let go. Crash, Crash, silence. I was filled with so much adrenaline, my vision blurred. When I showed my dad, he was pointing out the splatters of blood and I couldn't see them.
After a long, long hike trying to find an elk. I was almost back to the truck. I thought I heard something take off, but was to tired to pursue. My thoughts were, cow and calf. After getting to my truck, a bark from an elk echoed through the canyon. And another, followed my a growl type of bugle. I grabbed my rifle and went to investigate. Getting close even for rifle range, I still couldn't see anything. Small pine trees blocked my view. So I started very slowly through them. First, I saw the cow freaking out. Then with a few more well placed steps, I saw it. The mountain lion eating the calf. After fighting the adrenaline the first time I pulled up, I took the shot.
I have had elk smell my pack that was at my feet. I have had moose so close I could stick out my had and pet them. Little scary during the rutting season. I have had them charge me. Had a bear bluff charge me at 20 yards. He is hanging up on my wall. It's a surprise when little birdies try to land on me or zoom by my ears. But the very worse is the grouse at dusk. I did freak out at a porcupine at dusk once.
________________________________________
A law against nature would be impossible to enforce. For instance, what good would a vote against the law of gravity do?
