6th Prize
Hunting Journal with Weatherby Logo (100 awarded)
Keith Swope, California
“My Dream hunt would be trophy bull elk in Colorado with my best friend Darrin McCully. Darrin and myself are both employed by the California Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL-FIRE). Darrin is a Fire Apparatus Engineer and I am a Captain. We have tried for years to get together to do an elk hunt and have not been succesful at making our plans work due to busy fire season after busy fire season. The both of us have talked and tried to make plans for the last seven years and it never works out. We would love to have an opportunity like this, it would truly mean the world to us to try for such a magnificent animal.
Darrin and I have hunted for many years together. We hunt turkey, pigs, upland game birds and deer, but we have always imagined what it would be like to hear those majestic bulls bugling and the thought of getting close to harvesting one would send us over the top. I have never been a trophy hunter nor has Darrin. We are always happy with a great day afield. Just being together enjoying everything that God has made and given us in this world has been more than enough to satisfy our love for the outdoors. Although the idea of a 6X6 or 7X7 hanging over the fireplace has been a dream of ours since we were kids.
We are both involved in conservation efforts in our area. We belong to just about every conservation group out there. As a matter of fact, I am a chapter president for the NWTF and Darrin serves as my right-hand man in all the events we do. Our tries to go after elk have resulted in let down after let down and to have an opportunity like this would make us speechless. We have always dreamed of taking that long horseback ride deep into the wilds of Colorado. Setting up elk camp so far out of the realm of civilization that you can't even see city lights from the highest peaks. Waking up early in the morning, having our breakfast and heading out early enough to hear that first bull bugling at the slightest bit of daylight. Spotting and glassing from mountain tops and finding that huge heard bull. Then pulling off a stalk to get us within calling range and bringing him on a string only to be able to squeeze the trigger and put him down with a well-placed ethical shot. The thought of holding up his head with those enormous antlers to take pictures is inconceivable. We would love to have such an opportunity. I ask only that if you can give a couple of firefighters a chance of a lifetime we would be humbly grateful.”