4th Prize
Vanguard Deluxe or SUB-MOA Rifles (7 awarded)
Tim Smith, California
“The flight to Montana is filled with excitement and anticipation. Finally after all of these years I was able to talk my son, Kris, into joining me on an elk hunt in Montana. He is flying up from San Diego, where he is stationed with the Navy on Coronado Island. We arrive minutes apart and meet our guide Ed. After checking our equipment we load everything into Ed’s suburban for the three-hour drive. Upon arriving at camp, we are greeted by about a dozen other hunters and guides, the wall tents are circling a large campsite with a firepit in the center. A quick bite to eat and we are off to bed. The Coleman lantern blazes while we get ready for bed, I can’t believe we are here. These are the mountains that my grandfather and his son hunted in, now I am hunting with my son on these very same paths.
A good night’s sleep is interrupted by a great breakfast, the camp cooks go out of their way to make sure we are well fed. Ed, Kris and I take off and hike about two hours. Even though I have been working out for six months to get ready for this hunt, Kris is unaffected by the ‘short’ hike. I forget that he is trained everyday by the best, although this pack is probably lighter than the one he is used to. We stop and glass the ridges and openings. Most of the day is spent setting up the rest of the week…where we will hike, where we will stop, what are the best locations?
That night we grab our food and sit next to the roaring fire. The evening is filled with stories, bragging, lies… I watch Kris as he shares life experiences and am amazed at this young man. It seems like only yesterday we were shooting .22s at Boy Scout camp and clay pigeons at the gun club. I’m glad I took the time off from work and he made the time to join me. Life is too short and it goes by so fast. That evening we go to bed with full stomachs and a feeling of satisfaction. Even if we don’t get the trophy, this trip is a trophy in itself.
The next few days are more of the same…hiking, sitting, scoping out the big animals! The fifth day we get up and its cooler than the previous day. We throw on another jacket after breakfast and head out. After about two hours the sun is just starting to peak over the mountains. We hike to the edge of a high mountain clearing where we have seen some good signs. The mist is rising off of the grass. The trees are hidden in the grayness. Some movement catches our eyes. About 500 yards away something big is coming through the trees. We sit down behind a large fallen tree. Looking through our binoculars we see one of the largest elk that we have seen all week. He’s slowly moving out of the trees, each step is calculated as if he suspects someone or something is there. In and out of the bushes he weaves, trying to slowly make his way around the clearing without being seen. We are watching his every move. At about 300 yards Kris whispers, ‘Is anyone going to take this shot?’ I hold up three fingers and give him a questioning look. ‘Piece of cake’ he says. ‘Who’s going to take the shot?’ asked Ed. I look at Kris and see the excitement in his eyes and give him a nod. He slowly gets set up, checks the wind, checks his scope, loads a round and releases the safety. The elk steps behind a bush, steam is rising off of his back, his nostrils are straining to sense something, his eyes look across the field. Then slowly takes a step out into the clearing_his last step. The sound of the shot echoes off of the mountains, 180 grains hit its mark. Stumbling backwards he falls to the ground, a perfect shot.
That night there is another story to tell around the campfire. Hopefully he will be retelling the story to his son while sitting around a campfire in Western Montana, cleaning guns and drinking coffee!”