All the cutting and wrapping of a few hundred pounds of elk steak, roast and burger is complete and with the slam of the chest freezer, i feel extremely blessed. There are a multitude of reasons for feeling this way but to start, this hunt almost didn't happen.
As the draw results posted in early June, with it revealed that I had been selected for one of the top muzzleloader hunts in my home state of Washington. I had drawn my one and only choice for my 19 quality points and was thrilled. Several gracious Hunt Washington forum members gave me some starting points through PM's and phone calls, google earth was flown over daily and the puzzle pieces started falling in place.
I had finally made it out for a three day scouting trip in August with my two year old son but the next week, lightening strikes across the state created a 55,000 acre wild fire in the Norse Peak wilderness. What area that wasn't on fire was soon closed down to public access and with that, my ability to access some of our states finest elk country. My dad and best bud, Cory had made the commitment prior to join me and be a part of the experience, help call and if things went to plan, help pack. Come late September, things weren't looking good. I was contemplating exchanging my tag for my points back or hunting the other (less desirable) half of the unit, leaving the hunt in jeopardy until a weather front blew in and dumped rain and snow across the northwest. With that change in weather, the fire growth stalled and kept from extending out of the wilderness. Literally days before the hunt was to open, the forest service opened up the national forest outside the wilderness and immediately, we all three scrambled to fall back to our original plan. This was easier said than done with my dad flying back from Vegas for work and Cory rearranging child care and vacation plans but a few days later, somehow, we were all three heading east.
As the draw results posted in early June, with it revealed that I had been selected for one of the top muzzleloader hunts in my home state of Washington. I had drawn my one and only choice for my 19 quality points and was thrilled. Several gracious Hunt Washington forum members gave me some starting points through PM's and phone calls, google earth was flown over daily and the puzzle pieces started falling in place.
I had finally made it out for a three day scouting trip in August with my two year old son but the next week, lightening strikes across the state created a 55,000 acre wild fire in the Norse Peak wilderness. What area that wasn't on fire was soon closed down to public access and with that, my ability to access some of our states finest elk country. My dad and best bud, Cory had made the commitment prior to join me and be a part of the experience, help call and if things went to plan, help pack. Come late September, things weren't looking good. I was contemplating exchanging my tag for my points back or hunting the other (less desirable) half of the unit, leaving the hunt in jeopardy until a weather front blew in and dumped rain and snow across the northwest. With that change in weather, the fire growth stalled and kept from extending out of the wilderness. Literally days before the hunt was to open, the forest service opened up the national forest outside the wilderness and immediately, we all three scrambled to fall back to our original plan. This was easier said than done with my dad flying back from Vegas for work and Cory rearranging child care and vacation plans but a few days later, somehow, we were all three heading east.
