Elk Hunting With My Husband for the First Time

I’m walking through the dense pines thinking to myself. The pine needles are crunching underneath my feet. This momentarily takes me away from my wandering thoughts and back to my present situation. It’s October and it’s second rifle season. It’s dry and it’s loud walking. A little frustration builds up in my gut. I look up to see my husband several feet ahead of me. He’s sneaking through the trees as quietly as he can. His large 6 foot frame is tip toeing around dead leaves and over fallen logs. It’s kind of a funny sight and I giggle quietly, but then respectfully smile at his efforts.

This is Gary’s (my husbands) first elk hunt. He’s hunted with our family before, but never has he been the one to carry the rifle. After moving back to Colorado last year, he’s now a resident and doesn’t have to get out a loan to get a license. I’m excited and nervous for this hunt. I was so giddy the night before that I didn’t sleep a wink. I never sleep before the opening day of elk hunting, but this was different. It’s always different when you are taking someone hunting for the first time. I have to admit that I love doing it. I love taking someone on their first hunt and seeing the excitement in their face as they get their first animal. There’s nothing else like it in the world. It’s very rewarding.

I again look at my husband and smile. If it were by his effort alone, he’d already have an elk. But a lot of what hunting is all about is being in the right place at the right time. My thoughts are interrupted by a loud crack. My teeth grit together and I look up to my husband who is looking back at me. “Sorry,” I mouth. I’ve just stepped on a stick and broken it, making a loud noise that seems to echo through the woods. My husband just smiles at me, turns and continues down the ridge. He doesn’t care. He’s just loving being out in the woods with me. And I should be a little more relaxed about it like he is, but being a bowhunter as well, I pride myself in being sneaky. And these conditions today are anything but sneaky.

It’s late season elk hunting and it’s hot. Which means the elk are held up from the weather and from being pushed around for 2 and a half seasons already. They’ve been pushed into that deep dark timber, where it’s likely that no one will find them. Which is what we are attempting to do… find them. We are on a hillside where if you are just standing up straight facing the hill, you can reach out and touch it. It’s steep.

Normally during gun season, we let people push the elk to us, but it’s been a slow season. There have been very few shots, and people seem to be sticking to the roads. Which is why we are covering ground. The elk are out there, we just have to find them. We move along a ridge, crest the top, and drop down into another thick set of pines. There’s elk bed and sign everywhere, but no elk. We move along, keeping the wind in our face, sneaking as best we can. The day moves along and the sun with it. We have covered so many miles today that our feet are dragging. My husband has dutifully carried his dad’s very heavy 7mm all day in his arms, not putting it on his shoulder once, waiting for that one opportunity.

We did manage to see a huge bear walking across an avalanche chute. It’s big frame meandered across the rocks, searching for any bit of food to fatten it up for the winter hibernation. The sun starts to set and we drag ourselves back to the car. I kick the tire knowing that the end of season is ticking down.

My husband has to work tomorrow, which makes the season even shorter. I think there should be some law against making someone work during elk season. With all the national holidays and religious holidays out there, there should definitely be one for hunting season. Am I not right in saying that for most hunters, hunting season is a religion?

Two days later the storm that I was begging for hit the high country. Snow was dumping out of the sky. I almost licked my lips in anticipation. This would get the elk moving and there was one thing I loved about hunting in a storm, and that was fresh tracks! There was no hiding from us this time.

We wound our way up in the mountains and onto the back roads. Our pickup truck struggled to stay on the wet muck that had become the road. It was sloppy mud, but the snow was collecting everywhere else. Everything was white. I was hoping my husband would get an early Christmas present today.

We stepped out of the car, bundled up, grabbed our gear and headed out into the woods. We walked up and over a few ridges and saw some promising sign, but nothing too fresh. This time our steps were muffled by the new fallen snow. It was quiet everywhere. Almost that eerie quiet you get when the snow is falling so softly it’s like putting a sleeping baby to bed. You are aware of every small sound, a breaking branch over 200 yards away that carries over the frozen ground.

We crest the top of a ridge, drop down through some thick trees and come out into a small clearing. This clearing has rewarded us with a view of the opposing hillside. There’s snow everywhere on the trees and makes everything white, well, almost everything. My husband is glassing the hillside and sees some movement in the trees. After a closer look a small 5×5 moves out into the open. The shot looks to be about 350 yards. My husband is a great shot so I see no problem with him taking such a long one. He steadies his rifle on a branch, settles the cross hairs on the shoulders and squeezes off the shot.

There’s almost a delay from when the bullet leaves the barrel until the sound of a solid hit, but we watch as the elk buckles and falls to the ground. I’m ecstatic! I throw my arms up and start doing the Rocky victory dance. I’m pumping my arms in the air, moving around like a complete idiot as I celebrate.

Meanwhile I look over at my husband who is just standing there smiling. Is that it? I think. No, surge of adrenaline? No, fist pumping? No throwing your shirt over your head and running in circles? Where’s that excitement you see from hunters on TV that make them almost fall out of their tree stand they are shaking so bad? Nope, he’s a calm one. He just smiled and gave me a huge hug and a high five. We then made our way over to his very first elk. A huge grin spread across his face. Carrying his dad’s rifle that helped him get his first elk. His dad would for sure have been proud!

The excitement of the successful hunt was building. We called my mom and dad and told them the news. My dad immediately decided to come up to the mountains to join us and hear the story. My mom was on the fence. She had an important appointment early the next morning and was debating on whether to go because of what would be such a late return from the mountains. My dad then said, in a very animated voice, “you have to come… this is what we do!” He was referring to hunting.

For as long as I can remember hunting has been a family event, something we all participate in, even in our own ways. That was all it took, my mom quickly changed her clothes and they were headed to the mountains. My mom and dad then met us on the side of the road up the canyon from where our truck was. They were our ride back as we had done a long loop and packing out was easier if we just cut down to the road. They stepped out of the car into the cold air and handshakes were exchanged and pats on the back. It never matters how many times a hunting story is told, it gets better every time. The smile on my husbands face was priceless. That to me was worth every bit of work it took to get that elk.

The next day it became even more of a family event when my aunt and uncle from Florida came along for the pack out. It was a true family affair. It was great for them to be able to see what went into getting those really tasty elk steaks that they love so much. It was a great experience for everyone. Lanny, my dad, Gary, and I all had on packs to get out the remaining meat. Gary’s bull didn’t have a huge rack by any means, but it was a good sized animal and had a ton of meat for the coming year.

We made the trek up to the meadow. As we got closer I spotted the camp robbers. Those birds don’t miss a thing and are always the first on the scene when an elk goes down. We crested a hill and I hear my aunt, “Oh my word… Oh my word!” “What is that?” she questions. “Is that the elk?” I look over to see the huge gut pile sitting out in the field. “Not exactly,” I say. “That’s the gut pile. The elk is over there.” I say and point to a thick patch of trees where the quarters are hung. She’d never imagined something so huge coming out of an animal like that. It was neat for her to be able to see the elk.

To this day I am still fascinated by elk, and get excited to cut one up. My mom was a high school biology teacher, so her love for science rubbed off on me. There is nothing more exciting than an anatomy lesson when cutting on an elk. It’s absolutely fascinating. It certainly gives you an appreciation for what your body does.

We then finish cutting all the meat off the bones, fill the packs and start heading back down the hill. This was probably the most exciting part of the trip, but not in a good way. With all the recent snow and mud, it made for one crazy rodeo. Almost everyone spent some time sliding down on their behind. It was comical watching everyone weave trying to find some sort of traction. Everyone made it down the hill safe and sound. Then covered in mud and blood, we headed to the local pizza place where the atmosphere is as colorful as our grimy clothes. We celebrated Gary’s successful hunt with 3 large pizzas, a few games of pool and a beer.

It was so great to see everyone’s excitement for Gary. I know that this will be a hunt he will never forget. It didn’t take long for him, but he’s now got the bug. He’s already talking about which seasons he wants to hunt next year and of course, the size of the bull he’s going to shoot.

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WOMA Members Attend Babes With Bullets Camp

Being a part of the WOMA is such a fantastic thing.  We are offered, and we share, so many opportunities through this organization.  Last fall I attended the annual WOMA retreat in Gunnison, Colorado.  It was a pleasure to meet some of my outstanding colleagues that make the WOMA happen.   I was invited to sign up for a shooting camp while I was at that retreat.  The camp is called Babes with Bullets and the director is the WOMA’s very own Deb Ferns. I enjoy shooting very much and had been wanting to work on my pistol shooting so I was interested right away.  I signed up for the pistol camp which was to be held in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.  I anxiously awaited spring time and camp.  It would be my chance to practice with my pistol as well as meet up with more WOMA members and also make new friends who may share the vision of the WOMA.

We received our camp updates from Kay Miculek.  She is head instructor at Babes with Bullets, as well as multi-time National and  World Champion.  Our latest update informed us that May is spring time in many parts of the country, but in Steamboat Springs,Colorado, the snow was still coming.    She was in touch with us with last minute reminders, preparations and housing information.  We were unable to get to Bear Mountain Ranch, where we were supposed to be staying, so Kay sent info with a new location to be called home for three days.   We made our trek to camp and I joined up with fellow WOMA members, Marsha Petrie Sue, Chris Quam, Lanny Barnes, Tracy Barnes, Anne Draper and Deb Ferns.

Due to the weather, the Babes with Bullets crew had to do a lot of improvising and they didn’t miss a step.  They made camp happen without a glitch and teh 20 ladies, including our WOMA members, were able to relax, have fun, and most importantly, learn a lot in just a few days.  We did quite a few dry fire drills with our pistols, learning to safely quick draw, raise, steady and shoot our pistols and then finally learning to shoot and reload while on the move.  It was so amazing to see ladies who had never touched a pistol quickly maneuver and shoot the various stages at the camp.

Despite the snow, rain, sleet and hail, the camp was outstanding and I would recommend it to any lady whether they are long time shooters or have never touched a firearm.  The instructors are athletes who hold multiple National and World titles and, despite their grandiose achievements, are very professional as well as extremely friendly.  The ladies at Babes with Bullets were fabulous.  We learned a lot and met and made new friends.  Thank you to the WOMA for giving us the opportunity to meet such outstanding women.

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Who let the girls out?

“I have a real woman with me. We don’t need any help packing out our elk,” Gary Singer, Heide Kaser’s guide, commented to the other guides.

Heide Kaser with her cow elk, taken with a 220-yard uphill shot

Heide, a member of The WOMA, was on an elk hunt with Board Member Marsha Petrie Sue with the NRA Women’s Leadership Forum group at John and Anne Draper’s Bear Mountain Ranch in Colorado. (Anne is also a WOMA member.)

The snow and cold did not prevent Heide from walking the ridges of the Continental Divide or from finding a small herd of cow elk. At 220 yards, shooting uphill through the aspens, she bagged a beauty.

Heide and Marsha’s adventure included sitting in a blind for a few hours. They decided to name the blind the “The lemonade stand,” but sales were slow because of the low-traffic area. Boredom set in, so they started writing songs.

Marsha Petrie Sue (left) and Heide Kaser composed songs while waiting in "the lemonade stand" for game to appear.

That evening, the new rap group Girls from the Wood, featuring Heide and Marsha, provided entertainment for the six other women on the hunt, and the guides. Their medley’s refrain was “Who let the girls out? Who? Who? Who? Who?”

So the Girls in the Wood had a wonderful time hunting, singing and enjoying the joys of friendship and the outdoors.

Not to be outdone, The WOMA’s Bonita Trefney Fraim scored on a trophy Bear Mountain Ranch bull elk sporting a rack of truly impressive antlers.

Marsha doesn’t have her bull this year, yet—but the hunt is not over.

Bonita Trefney Fraim poses with her trophy bull elk.

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Grouse Hunting in Colorado

Katherine Browne, of Gunnison, Colo., guided Olympic biathlete Tracy Barnes on a recent grouse hunting trip. The women were part of the first annual WOMA retreat, hosted by Prois Hunting Apparel. The retreat featured three days of outdoor activities, including fly fishing, skeet shooting, grouse hunting and falconry. Read more

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The WOMA retreat? One word … WOW!

First, I want to express my appreciation to the women and their partners who helped put together this fantastic retreat and the hospitality of those who welcomed us into their homes for socializing while there!  All of you are just over the top! Read more

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Babes with Bullets comes to Colorado next spring

It’s official—Kay Miculek and the Babes with Bullets (BWB) Ladies Action Shooting Camp are coming to Steamboat! This is a shooting camp for women only, taught by champion lady shooters. BWB is a wonderful introduction to shooting, or a great way to improve your skills if you’re already a shooter. The all-ladies environment really adds to the learning experience and enjoyment of the camp. Read more

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Heartbeat of The WOMA: Twin Biathletes, WOMA retreat & more

A few weeks ago several members of the Women’s Outdoor Media Association attended the annual NRA Meetings and Exhibits in Charlotte, N.C. It was an AWESOME experience, between outstanding speakers, a record-breaking number of exhibitors and attendees, plus a wonderful response to The WOMA’s hospitality suite hosted throughout the Saturday of the convention.

In a few weeks, my video editing guru, Marilyn Vogel of ProVideos 4 U, will have finished a webisode filmed at the NRA event. We’ll post the video at the website so you’ll have the opportunity to meet a variety of interesting new WOMA members, including Olympic Biathlon twin sisters, Tracy and Lanny Barnes.

The Barnes sisters, along with several other men and women of all ages and media backgrounds, are exactly the “breaths of fresh air” that our outdoor industry needs, especially if we hope to continue to encourage mainstream media to cover our industry in a pro-gun way—and we do!

As the camp director of Babes with Bullets ™, I know that at almost every BWB camp across the US we enjoy pro-gun mainstream media coverage (check out the newest pieces from NBC and ABC at the Babes With Bullets website. Whether at Babes with Bullets ™ or other arenas of The WOMA based on hunting, fishing, the shooting sports and archery, the goal of The WOMA is to build a unique human interest story about and around women, not a story about political parties or turf wars.

The saga of Tracy and Lanny, from their World Cup wins, to their experiences at the 2010 Winter Olympics, and now their goal of the 2014 Winter Olympics, is just one of many intriguing storylines. Visit Tracy and Lanny’s website at www.TwinBiathletes.com.

The gals are actively building their sponsorship and fan base, and I believe The WOMA is the perfect vehicle to help them with that task! WOMA President Barb Baird and I are already talking about traveling to Russia for the 2014 Olympics so we can cheer on our fellow WOMA members in their quest for an Olympic medal, so stay tuned for more information as time goes on.

Katherine Browne, fly fishing guide in Colorado and WOMA member, has offered to guide fly fishers this October at the first WOMA retreat.

We’re also hoping that Tracy and Lanny can make it to the first WOMA retreat to be held at Gunnison, Colo., from Friday, October 8 to Tuesday, October 12. This retreat, with housing provided at Three Rivers Resort, is being arranged through another outstanding member, Katherine Browne,  of the Prois Pro Hunting Staff. Katherine has put together for us a wonderful (and significantly discounted) package including grouse hunting, fly fishing and something I’ve wanted to do for years: working and hunting with falcons. How cool is that!

We have a large lodge reserved and can accommodate a total of 12 people for this event, though several spots were already spoken for as soon as we announced the retreat. So far we have three couples and two other members. If you’re interested, please contact me by e-mail (Deb@theWOMA.com) ASAP, as it takes a deposit of $100 per person to hold your spot. We estimate the cost for lodging, chipping in for food, a one-day grouse hunting license, a full day of fly fishing, etc. will run roughly $450 per person for the whole event. This is a great program offered at a discount for The WOMA, though due to lack of slots we are limiting this event to adults only.

Katherine Browne and Kay.

I hope to meet more of you at the October retreat and in the meantime please submit your articles, photos, short blogs (whatever) to The WOMA so we can see what you are doing in your outdoor life!

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Kudos to Pike for Human Events article and for daughter’s success in elk world

Kudos to The WOMA veep, Kirstie Pike, CEO of Prois Hunting Apparel on her article in Human Events about teaching our children to hunt and carry on the tradition. Her 17-year-old daughter, Hanna, shot her first elk, a 7×6 bull, recently — guided by her dad, Steve, and her grandfather, Jim Dog. See http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=34318&page=1&viewID=1189518

Hanna Pike with her grandfather on left and dad on right.Don't they look proud of her!

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The Stone Agency’s Michael Drake awarded Tamarisk Bio-control Project Management Contract

Michael Drake of The Stone Agency has been awarded a contract to manage a tamarisk bio-control project for Painted Sky Resource Conservation and Development Council in Delta, CO.

Tamarisk, an invasive Eurasian shrub, is destroying wildlife habitat, sucking up ground and surface water, adding salt to soil surfaces and drying up wetlands along western rivers. Public land managers in Utah and Colorado have had success in controlling tamarisk with another exotic species, the tamarisk leaf beetle. The State of Colorado has approved the beetle as a safe and effective bio-control.

This summer, Painted Sky, together with Delta County, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the City of Delta and the Palisade Insectary is launching a tamarisk control project using the beetles. The public-private partnership headed by Painted Sky, a non-profit 501 (c) 3 conservation company based in Delta, will start a $62,688 three-year tamarisk bio-control project in Delta County. For the first time, the insects will be eating tamarisk leaves on private lands instead of public. Colorado Division of Wildlife and NRCS will help fund habitat restoration after the tamarisk has been destroyed. Landowners can contact Painted Sky to be considered to receive beetle introductions. Four private land sites in the North Fork Valley and lower Gunnison Basin will be chosen.

Painted Sky also wants help from hikers, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts who are vested in winning the war against tamarisk. Starting in July, “tamarisk spotters” can enter data on locations where they find tamarisk on a new website. Prior to July, spotters can call Painted Sky with GPS coordinates or location description.

Current cost estimates to eradicate tamarisk infestations through traditional mechanical and herbicidal means average $700 per acre and $4 million dollars for just the Gunnison and Uncompahgre River corridors. One of the project’s goals is to determine the cost per acre of using beetles with only limited mechanical control with chain saws and herbicides. A fact sheet based on what researchers learn from the study will then be available for landowners, federal agencies, municipalities and other organizations in Painted Sky’s coverage area.

As is common in predator-prey relationships, the tamarisk beetle, which only eats tamarisk, won’t completely destroy its food supply. Mechanical removal of the tamarisk by heavy equipment or chain saws and herbicide must be used to finish the job, but at only a fraction of the cost of removing an entire infestation.

No one knows for certain how tamarisk was originally introduced to the West, but it has spread from Mexico to Montana and California to Kansas. Land managers have been
battling the deceptively attractive shrub since the 1960′s-and losing the war. Tamarisk has infested over 1 million acres.

For more information, contact Michael Drake, project manager at 970-527-4535 (office) or cell 801-710-8372.

The Stone Agency provides project management services for conservation work, as well as editorial and photography support for conservation, energy development, hunting and the shooting sports. Michael Drake has had a 35-year career as an engineer leading projects to solve system problems in such diverse fields as automotive and aerospace. I am now putting those skills to work for conservation projects as a Stone Agency consultant for Painted Sky Resource Conservation and Development Council. For more information, log on to www.marilynstone.com.

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