This hunt started for me 10+ years ago when I first moved to Colorado, I began to look into what units I could hunt a trophy bull in and how long it would take to draw the tag. So, I started putting in for trophy tags as I continued to do the research. Luckily, I met and made friends with Dustin Cockroft within the first year of moving up here and little did I know at the time, it was the beginning of a lifelong friendship. 

Fast forward five years when Dustin drew the same tag, and I was lucky enough to tag along with him, and that is when I knew this was the unit and season I needed to hunt. Fast forward five more years when I finally drew my tag – I believe Dustin was more excited than I was when I found out I drew. I told my dad and uncle on our annual fishing trip in July that I drew the tag-of-a-lifetime that started October 30, 2021, and I would be ecstatic If they would come along and be a part of this hunt with me. They agreed immediately, they would not miss it. This was huge to Dustin and me, that my family was going to be here to help. I do not believe they understood how much help they were going to be on this hunt. As the year went on I found myself busier and busier and had no time to make it up the mountain to scout, luckily Dustin and his family had hunted this unit for years and knew the elk and their patterns in this area.