Elk Hunting

Hunting season is upon us.

And hunting in Montana is going to be a whole new experience. The terrain is different, the weather is different and the animals are different. They have dove and ducks and some whitetail but they also have elk, moose, antelope and mule deer.

Paul's main focus this hunting season is going to be to kill an elk. And elk hunting is incredibly different than any hunting we've ever known. It involves lots of hiking, in the snow, to go find the elk. And then, after you kill your elk, you have to figure out how to haul the meat out of the woods, the miles and miles you hiked to get there. The conditions are rough and it's a whole day thing and sometimes go overnight. Many people have told me not to worry if Paul just doesn't come home because either the weather has snowed him in the mountains or they're still trying to get the elk back to the vehicle. Talk about a sleepless night for him and me both.

But, if Paul does kill an elk we should have meat for a VERY long time. I read that the average size of a female elk is between 500 and 530 pounds. And a male elk, 710 to 730 pounds. No wonder it takes them forever to get the meat back down the mountain.

Anyways, Paul has been preparing for elk season in several ways and I've been trying to be supportive. He's started running to get in shape for the intense hikes, and I've started running with him. I hate running so this is a true testament of my love for him. :)

We also went hiking last weekend into national forest that he can hunt. There was no trail so we just created our own and climbed 1,300 feet in elevation straight up the side of steep mountain. We saw lots of elk poop, I nearly hyperventilated, and then we got lost on our way back. We ventured down a steep ravine, I slipped and fell multiple times on sharp rocks (in shorts, no less), and then we walked miles and miles for hours in the woods before we made our way to the road. And when it was all over, I offered to try it again the next weekend. That's love.

We made it to the top!

Elk poop

Hopefully Paul kills one on his first trip so I won't have to worry about him all season long. Until then I guess we'll keep trying to get in shape and try not to get lost in the mountains.

Love and Happiness,
Bethany