The pre-dawn chill was unanticipated, 30 degrees! We stood side-by-side on the dusty truck bed, zipping the last pockets on our packs. Beside me, excited to climb the mountain in hopes to finally find a bull, Landen geared up. This wasn’t his first hunt with his dad Josh, but his first archery season; it was his introduction to the discipline of archery hunting—a test of patience and stealth far beyond what he knew from hunting with his buddies.
“Ready, buddy?” His dad whispered, checking one last time that they had all their reeds etc. Headlamps on, they started up and over the mountain.
The hike was a masterclass in movement. His dad didn’t have to tell him to slow down or watch his footing; the primal silence of the wilderness demanded respect, and Landen followed using the skills he had learned from the past hunting adventures with his dad. Every crunch of a stick under his boot was followed by a cow call. As they crested the top they heard the sound of antlers raking a bush. This was the true reward of the hunt, the thrill of getting close and putting all your skills to the test.
The world became a theater. The bugle of a bull rang out. We discussed wind direction, where to set up, and the exact moment to draw on the bull.
They made their way down towards the bull, calling out like a small herd of elk. Several bulls responded and the moment came fast. Landen moved into position and nocked an arrow like his dad told him. He was ready, his gaze locked on the target moving towards him. His dad dropped back to the finger ridge behind, moving back and forth calling like a group of cows and then throwing out a bugle like a bull gathering them up. The bull took the bait like a fish on a string and came in on a mission. There in front of him at just over 12 yards the six point stopped. He held his breath, held his aim, and then let his arrow fly. The arrow landed, hitting its mark, the bull turned going about 40 yards and then it was down. Landen slowly let down his bow and stood quietly and shaking with adrenalin. He just took his first archery bull and here comes another bull. Are they going to get a double they thought?
Staying calm, they focused on the other bull but the bull knew something was up. It turned and made its way down towards the other elk. They tried for about 45 minutes to bring in another bull before one bull pulled a sneak on them and the game was over. It was time though, the day was going to get warm before the meat sweats began.
As they boned out Landen’s bull, the herd bull continued to bugle but would not come in for anything. A solo hunt for another day, which happened but ended with his dad running into a very large grizzly bore.
The true success of the day was the memory made. Landen learned that day that with hunting you better be ready for the meat sweats once you let that arrow fly.
