Recap from the 2021 First Rifle Season
We were fortunate to have another fine 1st Rifle hunt up at Dark Timber Lodge. While I know I’ve mentioned it several times in the past, having a family atmosphere up there is such a cool thing. This season we had a father, son and lifelong friend of the son all up for their first ever elk hunt. They put two years of planning into this hunt and they arrived with meat cutting and processing supplies, a skull boil pot with propane burner, and even a damn high-pressure washer for cleaning out the skulls. Impressive.
As fate would have it, they all killed. The father tagged out first on a funky little bull followed up by his son a couple days later with a bull in a nasty, steep, brushy spot. Their friend killed the best bull of the hunt, a nice 5x6, on a truly beautiful, high country October morning just at daybreak on the last day of the season. With a thick patch of golden aspen leaves still hanging on, the sound of the creek flowing below, dark spruce trees contrasting against the white snow, a phenomenal sunrise and zero wind, watching that bull step out into the meadow is the stuff elk hunting dreams are made of. What was particularly special about all of it was how all three of them were so genuinely excited for the experience and being there for each other’s first elk. I’m not sure exactly how many hugs and positive affirmations took place over the 5 days of hunting, but it could be a Dark Timber record.
Needless to say, they got to employ all the stuff they brought and worked diligently breaking down the elk quarters and cleaning the skulls back at the lodge with great food, cold beer (and possibly some whiskey) around a cranking woodstove.
We also had our first baby stay with us for a full hunt. Our wonderful chef, Deanna, brought her mom, husband and 8-month-old boy Andrew up and I have to say having a baby in camp brought some pleasant distraction to a scene usually dominated strictly by the hunt. Andrew was a very chill baby and I think the only time he got upset was when I would try to hold him. Can’t really fault him for that.
Our guides Todd, Geordie and Rick did a fantastic job. With their naturally positive attitudes, work ethic and easy-going nature, we’re really grateful to have them.
Lastly, we’ve been exploring some ways to expand our hunt opportunities for both Timber to Table late season cow hunts as well as regular season hunts. One of our guides, Marshall, has been spearheading that effort and this first rifle season was our first hunt on some new leased private ground. The two hunters we had in there were covered up in elk with one notching his tag early and the other hunter missing clean on a bruiser of a bull. We’re excited about the future prospects of this new area, and we’ll be sure to let you know what openings we have available for 2022 once we solidify things with the landowners we’re working with.
The second rifle season is just a few days away and the temperatures are looking good, some snow would be great but sunny and in the 30s and 40s works just fine! Good luck to all of you as we enter into the busy stretch of the rifle season and deer hunts begin. Be safe, hunt smart and have fun. Talk to you soon!