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Back 40: Moms hunt too
Published
8 years agoon
Posted By
Outlaw PartnersBy Krista Larson EBS Contributor
I tell everyone I took up archery hunting for a challenge—so I could get close enough to elk to smell and touch them—but I also got into it to stay active and out in the woods while pregnant with my second child. I wanted a new sport to learn and enjoy with my husband Caleb and we wanted to acquaint our son, even at age 1, with hunting as a fun family sport.
Archery hunting is providing other benefits: it’s helped me experience a sense of freedom I hadn’t enjoyed, even briefly, for at least a year; and it’s allowed me to fill my family’s freezer with meat and participate in what I believe to be the most responsible practice for a carnivore.
Sept. 22 was a wet, foggy day with a constant wind that made Caleb and I work tirelessly to stay downwind at our favorite, quiet parcel of public land west of Missoula.
After hearing elk bugling and making our approach, we realized the bull we were bugling with was moving up the ridge. We climbed up after it. This meant sneaking slowly up another 600 feet of ridgeline through wet brush, mixed conifer stands and open meadows. The next two hours of pursuit led to encounters that leave you tired, weak in the knees and squinting through the mist to catch a glimpse of this incredible animal.
Three times I watched golden-colored antlers move toward me over the tops of new growth conifers and heard the thrashing of trees and brush between chuckles. Just as those antlers reached the edge of trees, I pulled my bow back to full draw and tried to remain calm and steady, thinking this is it, the moment I’ve been waiting for—only to hear another chuckle and watch the bull slowly vanish into the fog up what seemed like a never-ending ridge. Enter old friend: discouragement.
Despite exhaustion and feeling defeated, we decided to give it one more push after once again hearing a bugle not too much further ahead. We decided to change our tactic by moving forward more aggressively together, but the cover became thinner and it was harder to sneak around, despite the fog.
I crept up to stand between two fir trunks that were only about 8 inches wide and barely concealed my midline. As Caleb bugled behind me, a beautiful five-point bull came out of the mist and walked straight toward me. He walked slowly, pausing once to turn his head slightly, and I finally got a good look at the animal we’d been pursuing for over two hours.
Just 20 yards away and out in the open now, he looked right back at me and began moving forward, stopping at the tree trunk right in front of me. My only move was to put my bow between the trunk and myself, face my bow straight out, and pull back as quickly and steadily as possible during the split second his eyes were behind the trunk.
He stopped for a brief second because he caught my left arm movement out of the corner of his eye—they say elk have a 270-degree field of vision—but after hearing Caleb bugle again below me, he slowly stepped past the tree to my right. This was it! I slowly moved my sight on his vital zone. At 3 yards away, he was so close I could have touched him as he walked by. I held steady and then released.
That’s when everything switched from slow motion to fast forward.
He began running quickly, like a bucking bronco. After hearing Caleb cow call to him, he rounded the ridge and slowed to a trot before dropping down the edge, just out of sight. I caught a glimpse of my arrow sticking out of his vital area, and there was bright red blood already visible. This was encouraging, about as good of a scenario as an archery hunter can practice and hope for, and it appeared he wasn’t going to run too much further.
We didn’t want to celebrate too much yet, but an immediate wave of excitement brought us to an emotional embrace that summed up the months of preparation leading to this moment—the practice shooting sessions in our yard, the instructional and inspiring videos, the 10.5-mile training hikes with 30-70 pound packs while pregnant.
All of it led us to this moment of success that we will both remember for the rest of our lives.
Krista Larson is a fourth-generation Montana mama exploring nature and seeking new challenging ways to enjoy it and share it with the next generation.
The Outlaw Partners is a creative marketing, media and events company based in Big Sky, Montana.
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april, 2024
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We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a
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We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a limited palette to create different color combinations? Are you tired of carrying around 15-20 different tubes when you paint plein air? Have you ever wanted to create a certain “mood” in a painting but failed? Do you create a lot of mud? Do you struggle to achieve color harmony? All these problems are addressed in John’s workbook in clear and concise language!
Based on the bestselling “Limited Palatte, Unlimited Color” workbook written by John Pototschnik, the workshop is run by Maggie Shane and Annie McCoy, accomplished landscape (acrylic) and plein air (oil) artists,exhibitors at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery and members of the Big Sky Artists Collective.
Each student will receive a copy of “Limited Palette, Unlimited Color” to keep and take home to continue your limited palette journey. We will show you how to use the color wheel and mix your own clean mixtures to successfully create a mood for your paintings.
Each day, we will create a different limited palette color chart and paint a version of a simple landscape using John’s directives. You will then be able to go home and paint more schemes using the book for guidance.
Workshop is open to painters (oil or acrylic) of any level although students must have some basic knowledge of the medium he or she uses. Students will be provided the book ($92 value), color wheel, value scale and canvas papers to complete the daily exercises.
Sundays, April 14, 21 and 28, 2024
Noon until 6PM.
$170.
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14 (Sunday) 12:00 pm - 28 (Sunday) 6:00 pm
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Please join the Arts Council of Big Sky for free music from Jacob Rountree at the Wilson Hotel Lobby Bar from 5-7 p.m.
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Please join the Arts Council of Big Sky for free music from Jacob Rountree at the Wilson Hotel Lobby Bar from 5-7 p.m. on April 24.
Jacob Rountree is an alternative/indie songwriter living in the stunning alpine of Montana. Contemplative yet playful, his lyric forward style is reflective of his love for philosophy, poetry and quantum physics.
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(Wednesday) 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
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The Wilson Hotel
145 Town Center Ave
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Trivia from 7 to 9 p.m. at The Waypoint in Town Center. Participation is free, food and beverages available.
Event Details
Trivia from 7 to 9 p.m. at The Waypoint in Town Center. Participation is free, food and beverages available.
Time
(Wednesday) 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location
The Waypoint
50 Ousel Falls Rd