My dad fished and didn't hunt.
I grew up listening to elk camp stories from school friends and was enthralled with the tales of huge creek/river canyons and dark forest encounters with big elk.... but I had no realistic chance of getting a chance of a real quality hunt, (because of no family tradition to draw on and no clue what I was supposed to do) unless I hit the draw in my local unit.
I got a hunting dog @ 14 and focused on birds mostly and an local farm field deer I would harvest into in my teens.
After HS, I applied for a bull tag in a great elk area (at the time).
I was drawn after several years,scouted, set up a spike camp and was successful on a 6x7, great elk.
I was hooked.....but not like some.
I just enjoy watching them all year and usually being in the right place each year to harvest an animal.
Slave
P.S. I've never taken as big of elk as I did on that first elk hunt, nor close.
I don't care, though.
I still don't really commit to a serious, elk country, whatever it takes, balls out, stay out for 2 weeks, elk hunt.
I take the first bull I see and love it.
That way I can still take my dog bird hunting, steelhead fishing and deer hunting.....
but elk hunting is a nice part of it.
You and I think a lot alike, and I am not just referring to the fatties.
I normally take the first legal bull I can, so that I can get back to my beloved bird hunting and fishing.
I still have not taken a really big bull though...probably because I take the first bull I legally can.
