As I turn to drive down that mystical valley,
Shinning in, the evening sun makes time stand still.
Colors of lime green, warm yellow and pumpkin orange glow against the dark ridges of timber.
Blazing fire once set to these hills,
and now they shine bright with life, bringing hope to the future.
Pulling into camp brings a warm feeling inside me,
special places like this do that to you.
I remember my first solo adventures here,
I was a sad girl, lost, looking for my purpose in life.
With a turkey tag burning a hole in my pocket, I grab my camera and shotgun eager to head up the trail.
Stepping with caution, eyes up, I focus on the horizon as I crest the hill.
New life, curled up in a ball, stops me dead in my tracks.
A baby calf, just 10 yards away.
Fear and the instincts to survive show in it’s bulgy black eyes, just hours old.
Soaking it in the moment, I snap a few photos and back out.
The life of this little creature is crucial to the elk heard populations
and I want mamma to come running to the rescue.
Grabbing a beer, my binoculars and hollering for Remi we trek towards the ridge across the meadow that keeps calling my name.
and as I look out,
the abundance of life consumes my attention.
Bears of midnight black and sandy tan chase elk in attempts of catching dinner.
Twice I watched this, failing, the bears move on.
The windy river below twinkles as the setting sun gives opportunity to the fish that swim below
Just then in the distance below me I hear a turkey gobble, but I’m torn.
In this moment I can continue to watch the magic below me unfold
Or, I can go after this turkey.
Stuck like a magnet on your fridge, there I sit, legs up, elbows propped, binoculars resting in my hands as I soak into the reality of it all.
High above in the flat tops, snow holds on, not yet ready to let go,
Not ready for visitors.
Friends from afar, hike the hills with me in search of prime wild turkey meat.
Finally, I've been looking for so long. For my own hunting community.
And there, sitting around the fire, new friendships are made.
The snow up high may have pushed them away, bringing us to connect under the endless stars above. Late into the night we share stories of past lessons learned and successes in the field and it makes us daydream of elk season.
As I wake, I hold onto the warmth of my sleeping bag as frost covers everything around me, but the need for coffee and to pee manages to get me up. Unzipping my tent, looking out, once again I’m reminded by the colors and life glowing in front of me,
Bringing hope to the future.
Here's a few more photos from this adventure. Enjoy and Cheers!
WHAT'S YOUR WILD??
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