Cushman meets a Creedmoor

[Addicting]

Back to Big Fins post. I didn’t answer the legal part. Come to find out our whole trip wasn’t all legal even though we tried. After shooting this antelope on a walk in area we took it back to the truck to skin and quarter it. After we opened it up, we quickly found out that she was quartering towards me more than I had thought. The bullet entered her ribs and exited her rear hip. The Accubond left a nasty exit after shattering her hip. Derek and I discuss what to do and we opted to leave the hind quarter in the field feeling it wasn’t salvageable and not waste. The next day we voluntarily checked the antelope in with the Warden we met. Upon inspection we learned that we had violated the law by leaving that in the field. The Warden took this as a learning tool and showed us the regulation on it and explained why they enforce it. He also issued me a warning ticket to record the event, Lesson learned.

 

[brownbear932008]

Guys congrats on the trip it sounds like you guys had a blast and brought home some terrific meat to fill the freezer this winter.
I'm glad that you guy's were able to spend some quality time together and talk about past experiences. It sounds like John reached deep and made it happen as usual. Good job guy's nothing like enjoying God's gift.

 

[jnagel32]

Sounds like a great experience! Glad you guys had the opportunity to hunt together and be successful.

 

[rtraverdavis]

So much cool in this thread. Congratulations guys.

 

[JohnCushman]

After seeing what Tony's creedmoor did to 2 elk, I will never make fun of his rifle again. Everyone else's creedmoors are fair game for being picked on, but not Tony's.

 

[Addicting]

Lol

 

[Steelsearchin]

Suh-wheat!! Nice work guys- glad it all came together for you. You guys did it all. Dead elk, Creedmore bashing, and best of all no millennial mullet pics.

Crazy stuff w/ the Wyoming antelope quarter. Nice to hear a "lesson learned" story rather than adding to the bill of a road trip.

-tom

 

[JohnCushman]

I really have to say that this trip was life changing. With some of my mental and emotional issues from Iraq, I wasn't sure if I could do this. When Tony first brought the trip up to me in my mind I was coming up with every possible excuse to not be able to do it. I finally decided to do it and figured if I could do the bear hunt I could handle this. We have several months of a group text where we joked and made plans and got to know each other a bit. But, when I pulled into the Walmart in Laramie on the 22nd and saw their truck in the parking lot I kinda paniced and thought this shit just got real. So, the initial in person meeting went well and we wandered around walmart making fun of people and joking on each other, so this was cool. The next step was to meet the rancher. Anyone who knows me knows I kinda lack social skills, so walking up to a total stranger with my hand out to shake it and introduce myself was brutal for me. We talked with him a bit and then got to meet the family. I kinda stayed in the back of the group and didn't talk much, feeling uncomfortable and out of place. We went and set up camp and I told the guys I wanted them to push me a bit physically. I explained my physical limitations, but still wanted to hunt and not be a burden, so give me a bit of a kick in the ass. Well, they both did that lol Derek dragged my uphill onto a ridge, and Tony marched me all over the side of a mountain. They pushed me, and I pushed myself through pain and breathing issues, but I did it. I didn't always keep up, but didn't stop. Quitting smoking in July still wasn't time to get my lungs breathing properly at altitude in September. Yes, I hurt bad, even to the point of being in tears in my sleeping bag at night, but I didn't let it stop me. I've spent 14 years telling myself what I couldn't do without ever pushing myself to see what I could do. I'm kinda proud of myself. The pain actually felt good in a way, like when you first start lifting weights and hurt, but you know you've accomplished something. We sat around the table in the evenings and talked and farted and laughed and I got teared up a few times. I allowed myself to open up a little more than normal and the vulnerability was refreshing to be accepted and not mocked. Tony said repeatedly that I should come with an instruction manual. The last morning we were there we went back down to the house and visited with Carson's mom and grandmom. His mother cornered me the night before and flat out told me I didn't talk enough and should participate in conversations. So, we all sat around the table looking through old picture books and listening to stories of the homestead days and history of the property and family and hard times. I pushed myself to participate, even hugging the grandmother when we left. So, all in all, I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and what limits I've inadvertently set for myself throughout the whole trip, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I feel that I'm a better person now because of it. Tony and Derek never let me quit or feel stupid or unwanted. We all worked well together, even butchering elk and vacuum sealing and getting it into the freezer in less than 3 hours each. I'll never be able to thank them, or the biologist, and the rancher and his family enough for the trip and all that went with it. It was truly life changing.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

What a cool story!

 

[noharleyyet]

Top notch epilogue John...thanks for sharing.

 

[HSi-ESi]

Great hunt. I'm glad it was such a great time for you guys. Hunttalk is awesome.

 

[jvanhoy]

That’s awesome proud of you. Congrats again to all!

 

[Festus]

Congrats to all involved! Well done, men.

 

[MThuntr]

This is a great story. I've only met great people on this forum! Looks like HuntTalk did not disappoint again. Congrats to the group on a successful hunt! Congrats to you John for quitting smoking. I know you've tried before and hope you can stick it out.

 

[Dave N]

Nice finish there, Cush! So glad to hear that you started to come out of your shell so to speak. No clue what you veterans have to deal with on a daily basis but it sounds like you got your requested push to get you going. Now that you have this under your belt you know you can achieve things you never thought you could in the past. The next step, when you are ready, is to push even beyond! Congrats on both the hunt and the life lesson!

 

[Crumb]

Congrats on a great hunt!

 

[rtraverdavis]

I really have to say that this trip was life changing. With some of my mental and emotional issues from Iraq, I wasn't sure if I could do this. When Tony first brought the trip up to me in my mind I was coming up with every possible excuse to not be able to do it. I finally decided to do it and figured if I could do the bear hunt I could handle this. We have several months of a group text where we joked and made plans and got to know each other a bit. But, when I pulled into the Walmart in Laramie on the 22nd and saw their truck in the parking lot I kinda paniced and thought this shit just got real. So, the initial in person meeting went well and we wandered around walmart making fun of people and joking on each other, so this was cool. The next step was to meet the rancher. Anyone who knows me knows I kinda lack social skills, so walking up to a total stranger with my hand out to shake it and introduce myself was brutal for me. We talked with him a bit and then got to meet the family. I kinda stayed in the back of the group and didn't talk much, feeling uncomfortable and out of place. We went and set up camp and I told the guys I wanted them to push me a bit physically. I explained my physical limitations, but still wanted to hunt and not be a burden, so give me a bit of a kick in the ass. Well, they both did that lol Derek dragged my uphill onto a ridge, and Tony marched me all over the side of a mountain. They pushed me, and I pushed myself through pain and breathing issues, but I did it. I didn't always keep up, but didn't stop. Quitting smoking in July still wasn't time to get my lungs breathing properly at altitude in September. Yes, I hurt bad, even to the point of being in tears in my sleeping bag at night, but I didn't let it stop me. I've spent 14 years telling myself what I couldn't do without ever pushing myself to see what I could do. I'm kinda proud of myself. The pain actually felt good in a way, like when you first start lifting weights and hurt, but you know you've accomplished something. We sat around the table in the evenings and talked and farted and laughed and I got teared up a few times. I allowed myself to open up a little more than normal and the vulnerability was refreshing to be accepted and not mocked. Tony said repeatedly that I should come with an instruction manual. The last morning we were there we went back down to the house and visited with Carson's mom and grandmom. His mother cornered me the night before and flat out told me I didn't talk enough and should participate in conversations. So, we all sat around the table looking through old picture books and listening to stories of the homestead days and history of the property and family and hard times. I pushed myself to participate, even hugging the grandmother when we left. So, all in all, I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and what limits I've inadvertently set for myself throughout the whole trip, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I feel that I'm a better person now because of it. Tony and Derek never let me quit or feel stupid or unwanted. We all worked well together, even butchering elk and vacuum sealing and getting it into the freezer in less than 3 hours each. I'll never be able to thank them, or the biologist, and the rancher and his family enough for the trip and all that went with it. It was truly life changing.

This is a hell of a post. Thank you for sharing that, being vulnerable, and an example to the rest of us who struggle.

 

[Ben Lamb]

This is awesome. Nice work to all involved, and I think everyone knew, deep down, that Cush is just a big old softy at heart.

 

[Sawtooth]

Sounds like this hunt was a great experience on several levels. Congratulations to you all and thanks for sharing it with us.

 

[vanish]

Dang Cush, nearly brought a tear to my eye and I don't know any of y'all!