I’m not lucky when it comes to drawing special tags. Even when they are not so special. I got lucky this year. I have this new friend. We met through our shared love of hunting. I asked him about a comment he made about hunting in my old stompin grounds in Montana. 

Turns out he’s a strong conservative and has a regular pod cast about conservativism and also one about outdoors. So we became quick friends. Compared our notes and history and felt a connection. I invited him to share a Colorado deer hunt with me. It’s my man vacation. I have tried to maintain this vacation/hunt for about 30 years or so now. It’s my comfort security blanket kind of thing. 

I’m a bit of a trophy hunter these days and almost never pull the trigger while hunting. I do make exception for coyotes though. They are always on the immediate extermination on sight list. I’ve literally watched them do things I cannot forgive. 

So on to the hunt prep. First of all a guy has to let out a whoop and a holler to celebrate one success that is not always promised. I did draw something that could have possibly been unsuccessful at. That’s one place I do excel. During the license and tag drawing season, I’m certain my middle name is “UNSUCCESSFUL.”

This time I was part of a party application. So it would seem I drew some good luck from the others in the group. So there are three of us scheduled to hit this trip. It will be a late fall mountain style hunt with road access. I will sleep in my wall tent with a nice stack of firewood to keep us warm at night. 

I very much enjoy the solitude of a mountain camp in a wall tent with the snow falling outside and the coffee pot on the stove. Nothing more romantic and soothing than putting a cup of cocoa in your hand and looking out the tent flap watching the snowflakes fall. The company is the best part. I appreciate the quiet and seclusion. Time for reflection and storytelling of long past hunts and adventures. 

It seems the solitude is enhanced by a glass of scotch with the ice cubes tinkling with each sip. No, we are not drinkers, we are tasters. The elevation can be a challenge so we old guys learn to take it slow and easy.

Our hunt tactic, at lease for me is pretty much spot and shoot from the road. I use good spotting scopes and binoculars to find trophy bucks way up on the canyon walls and high mountain tops. If is see one that I want to go after. I do what it take to get close enough for a confident shot. Unfortunately its really tough rugged country and I’m and old fat guy. So I’m limited. However, first time camp mates are saying they have the legs and energy to take care of that problem for me should it arise. Honestly, I am an old fat guy but might be a touch ore capable than I portray at times. 

I do however have a pretty good shooting rig. I can stretch the shots our enough to help save me quite a bit of rock climbing to get within range. 

I’m excited and eager to hit the canyon again and spend time in the wild places doing wild things. Since they made me buy a fishing license just for the privilege to give them my money to come hunting, I might even take a fishing pole and see if we can come up with a little tidbit of shore lunch. 

I will be prepping for the trip from now till then. At this point I’m hoping I will draw a special tag in Wyoming for elk deer or antelope. I have another favorite event. My Wyoming Lope hunt. I hope I draw. My first choice is about 20% now so with my luck, I need to be hopeful for my second choice. 

So now… am I lucky? I feel lucky to be able to still go hunting. I feel lucky to have a tag to go on one of my favorite trips. For you soft hearts out there, I’m kinda with ya. I am not the killer I was when I was much younger. I’m old enough, the experience is the top goal. Survival as an old fat man is also high up the priority list. Killing a big buck is pretty high on the desire list but killing any deer probably not. Age has a way of softening men… or at least it has for me. Now I want to have deep conversations, share memories and even take some special pictures. We run into sheep on this hunt sometimes. The pictures can be epic. Even if it is on a cell phone through a spotting scope held by hand.

This sheep picture is every bit as big of a trophy to me as a good buck.