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11-08-2018, 12:11 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Lethbridge
Posts: 10
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Mentor and he didn't even know it
I'm 52 and I've been tied to a desk for the last 2 years so the physical exercise is lacking along with the cardio. Plus I handed in my rifle for a shotgun over 30 years ago but this year I picked up a Parker Hale 30-06 and a general elk tag and headed out to the porkies after elk with my old apprentice and friend Dan.
Dan is an avid hunter with Africa and several sheep hunts under his young belt. So for him to want to drag me around the hills was exceptional in my mind to say the least. And to my surprise one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. Now on to the story.
Last Saturday we left Lethbridge at 6 and headed out. 5 previous trips had not even yielded a view of an elk so I suppose we were not really expecting much this time. However fate was on our side. With a little local knowledge and some permission from some of the great ranchers out ther we set out and it wasn't long before we came across a herd of elk high up on a ridge. We dropped the truck off and set out on foot.
After a 6 mile hike to higher elevations we spotted the elk again on a high pasture across a good sized draw with very little cover. Several, several occasions I motioned to Dan to go ahead and I would try to catch up but every single time I had to stop for a breath he would wait with me and never once got frustrated. he explained our next moves and how we would proceed. He told stories and was always of great humor, just happy to be out. He would run ahead 50 yards then wait for me to catch up and he always kept my spirits up.
In the end we did a belly crawl to some cover without our packs and even then he did a 1,2,3 count so I could be in on the shot.
We got our elk and I got a whole lot more than he will ever know. No words other than thanks but what a thanks I offer him.
Hats off to Dan and to every other mentor, intentional or not that make a new guy feel good and glad for the experience.
__________________
The outdoors keep me young while continually beating me up.
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11-08-2018, 12:15 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 11,363
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__________________
“One of the sad signs of our times is that we have demonized those who produce, subsidized those who refuse to produce, and canonized those who complain.”
Thomas Sowell
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11-08-2018, 12:15 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: A bit North o' Center...
Posts: 11,150
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Great story, and congrats on your elk!
It's sure nice to have a good hunting partner like that.
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11-08-2018, 12:28 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Ft. McMurray
Posts: 38,583
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What a fantastic story!
Congrats on getting back into and to your friend, Dan!
Cat
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Anytime I figure I've got this long range thing figured out, I just strap into the sling and irons and remind myself that I don't! 
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11-08-2018, 12:30 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Spruce Grove
Posts: 2,978
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Great story, thank you for sharing. Indeed it is wonderful to have somebody to share/help in the experience. Enjoy the fruits of your efforts fellows.
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11-08-2018, 01:09 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 326
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Nice guy Dan
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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11-08-2018, 01:19 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central AB
Posts: 1,705
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Great story congrats on the elk! 
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11-08-2018, 01:35 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: My House
Posts: 13,463
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It doesn't get any better. Congrats and thank you for posting!
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11-08-2018, 01:41 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Camrose
Posts: 45,136
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Good on both of you he probably enjoyed taking you, as much as you enjoyed going.
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Only accurate guns are interesting.
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11-08-2018, 02:03 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: onoway, Ab
Posts: 6,993
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Well done
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11-08-2018, 02:35 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,873
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Congrats on your hunt and all the best to your friend Dan.
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11-08-2018, 03:37 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,666
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Fantastic story.
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11-08-2018, 03:45 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Alberta
Posts: 3,650
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Very nice to read you adventure, I think some have lost the meaning of our passion somewhere along the line. You and Dan nailed it, literally, thanks for sharing.
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11-08-2018, 03:55 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 1,392
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Great post indeed! Thanks for sharing!
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11-08-2018, 04:52 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Out of Town
Posts: 861
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Well done to you both,you can’t make old friends. Bet you won’t be sitting at that desk for two more years without going with Dan.  thanks for sharing.
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11-08-2018, 05:40 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 2,965
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Good show you guys. Sounds like a great hunt
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11-08-2018, 06:51 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 8,319
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Cool story. Congrats and thanks for sharing!
BW
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11-08-2018, 08:35 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 346
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Great story and nice bull. Seen the pics. He is a hell of a guy " butters" is lol
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11-08-2018, 08:45 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Strathmore
Posts: 5,623
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigwoodsman
Cool story. Congrats and thanks for sharing!
BW
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x2
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If you're not a Liberal when you're young, you have no heart. If you're not a Conservative when you're old, you have no brain. Winston Churchill
You can, you should, & if you're brave enough to start, you will. Stephen King
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11-08-2018, 09:36 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: YEG
Posts: 9,981
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11-08-2018, 09:47 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Canmore
Posts: 4,754
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Very cool. Great story!
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The world is changed by your action, not by your opinion.
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11-09-2018, 06:55 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: At the end of the Thirsty Beaver Trail, Pinsky lake, Alberta.
Posts: 24,603
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That's just awesome....riding a desk sucks.....heart pounding in chest is awesome!
__________________
Be careful when you follow the masses, sometimes the "M" is silent... 
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