The Hunters Are Home Again

Last year, just after elk season ended, Dave already planned to travel west this Fall. He's never even traveled to Potter County ( a popular hunt 4 hours from home) but now he's fallen in love with Eastern Oregon and simply had to try his luck again. And it was bad again. Actually, Dave is skilled in many areas and i think it's more fair to say that his skills were bad. He admits that he had numerous chances. He missed some, and he hit some. He had lots of action and saw many elk. He also put on 140 miles on foot!
Let me give a brief account: Dave and Chad flew to OR on Sept 9 where Dave's truck that he'd bought in June was waiting for them. They hunted together until the 21st when Dave took Chad to Spokane airport to meet Phil and Richard who flew in that day. Those 3 guys had plans to hunt in the Bob Marshall in MT. Dave came back to OR until the 25th, then he drove over to MT to join his brothers and friend for their last few days. Dave walked 9 miles back to the guys who'd been taken back with horses by Marion Eash. ( Marion took himself and the horses home again, leaving these guys for the fun of their lives) Richy got his elk one of the first days and Phil got one the last day. They'd called off the horses saying they can walk out with the one elk and an extra guy ( Dave) to help. In the meantime Phil shoots one and they sure had their hands full!! Dave and Chad told Phil and Richard to load themselves with as much meat as they could carry and when they were finished D and C took as much as they themselves could carry. So in the end the meat was split 4 ways! I am grateful.

Dave and Chad then drove home arriving here on Thursday morning, October 1.

The kids got to say hi to Daddy, see the meat, the horns, and the hairy face, then it was time to meet the bus. The men did a fantasic job of keeping the meat cold in the Montana creek and then packed it into coolers for the road trip. We took it to a local Amish butcher shop where it weighed in at 275 lbs!
Phil and Richy's prizes.

We kept meat at home for our big party this evening. Because i know how much fun it is to have the skiers get together for a meal after their trips, i knew that we wives, the hunters,and families needed to have a debriefing. Seperate facts from fiction. Lies from truth.

Josiah watches with wonder. Was this really in the woods last week? Am i really gonna eat this tonight?

What a feast! Besides the 4 hunters, we included parents, a few sisters, and Wayne and Lydia, Richard's brother. It's an all-you-can-eat Elk Fest!

Let the man have the best!!

Looking at pictures was a highlight. Montana is breathtaking.

Most of the pictures were Richards, taken with Beth's pink camera, and he did a super job as narriator. Amazingly the meat was finished at 3pm, which worked out wonderfully. It was divided and taken care of this evening.

Counting and sorting.

Hats off! to these two mighty hunters. You're two of the best! We sure appreciate the meat in our freezer. Hopefully next time Dave will be able to give,too. But we do know that he called Phil's in to 10 yd's for the kill!!

See Shelly's blog for more pictures and stories.