Uncategorized
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.
Upcoming Events
july, 2024
Event Type :
All
All
Arts
Education
Music
Other
Sports
Event Details
CALL FOR ARTISTS: Paint anytime from June 1-28EXHIBITION & SALE: June 29 - July 31Calling all artists and nature enthusiasts! Get
more
Event Details
CALL FOR ARTISTS: Paint anytime from June 1-28
EXHIBITION & SALE: June 29 – July 31
Calling all artists and nature
enthusiasts! Get your paintbrushes ready for an unforgettable experience at
Paint Under the Big Sky, a thrilling plein air event set against the stunning
backdrop of Big Sky, MT, Chet Huntley’s “The Last Best Place”. Don’t
miss this chance to unleash your creativity and be part of a vibrant artistic community.
What is Paint Under the Big Sky? PUBS is a plein air event for all painters of any ability (over the age of 16). Sponsored by the Big Sky Artist’s Studio & Gallery and the Big Sky Artists Collective, a non-profit organization whose mission is to foster a strong community of artists in the Big Sky area, the paint-out hopes to introduce painters to our extraordinary landscape for an opportunity to create, meet and have fun. Plein air painters record our landscape for generations to come.
Artists are invited to travel to Big
Sky, MT to paint anytime between Jun 1 – 28, and participate in the exhibition
and sale of paintings from June 29 – July 31.
Come join us! We have a great
place to paint and are welcoming and fun!
Don’t miss out!
Time
June 1 (Saturday) 1:00 am - July 31 (Wednesday) 11:55 pm
Event Details
Embrace the freedom and serenity of movement in nature with our rejuvenating morning yoga class on the Mountain Lawn. Allow the fresh mountain air and gentle guided yoga practice
Event Details
Embrace the freedom and
serenity of movement in nature with our rejuvenating morning yoga class on the
Mountain Lawn. Allow the fresh mountain air and gentle guided yoga practice to
invigorate your day of adventure ahead. Complimentary. Weather
permitting.
Time
June 1 (Saturday) 7:00 am - August 31 (Saturday) 7:00 am
Location
Montage Big Sky
995 Settlement Trail
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by GAS for ride information.
Time
June 10 (Monday) 6:00 pm - August 19 (Monday) 6:00 pm
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by GAS for ride information.
Time
June 17 (Monday) 6:00 pm - August 26 (Monday) 6:00 pm