September 29th.  I hiked out of the woods feeling a bit defeated. I had hunted 28 consecutive days leading up to that evening without punching my elk tag. I was scheduled back at work the next morning and it was time to hang up my bow and start preparing for rifle season. To say I was disappointed would be a huge understatement. I spent the entire year preparing for September, shooting every single day along with miles and miles of scouting throughout the summer, just to be left with an unfilled tag and an empty freezer. Harvesting an elk with my bow has been number one on my bucket list my entire life, and I knew that this season would be the best opportunity I’d ever get. 

As I made it back into reach of cell service that night I received a text from my boss asking if I had killed my elk yet. I sadly replied telling him the same story as the rest of the season. Bull within 50 yards, but no clean shot. His reply gave me a small glimmer of hope. “I’ll cover your fishing trip tomorrow, go kill a bull!” I immediately called my hunting partner and fellow fishing guide Austin, and made a plan for the morning. There was a group of elk I had been chasing the past week that had a few shooter bulls, we made a plan and hit the woods early that next morning.