I'd have to say beyond my biggest mule deer to date, and my first antelope, that a simple chukar hunt with three generations was the highlight of my Hunting Season. This is my 13 year old Daughter and my 72 year old father, and Gator the pointer.
lots of them but this was my first turkey after close calls for years with my wife and friends along while using the same shotgun I killed my first deer with 20+ years ago
The day before the opener I watched this wolf chase a group of cows and small bull into the timber. 15 minutes later and 800 yards up the drainage I watched 20 cows and the biggest bull I've ever seen public or private feed out. Looked photo shopped on his head. Called a buddy to come over and was just sure one of us would get a crack at him because we both new the area so well. Opening morning ,first light, not an elk to be found in the drainage. Can't help but think that this wolf or his buddies blew our chances at a once in a lifetime bull. Greenhorn had already punched his tag so I figured we were golden. I'll never forget that bull....burned in my mind.
I have a lot better pictures of the fish and animals, the scenery and friends and family from this year; but nothing quite sums up the summer before graduate school like this picture, taken 10 minutes before my roommate performed minor surgery on me.
Surely there can be no greater experience then taking your children into the outdoors. Later that day we sat beside a big buck we had shot, but it mattered little, just having my older boy there to experience the sights and sounds of a deer hunt was worth far more then any trophy i have shot.