Short and sweet recap. I really liked the way the hunter kept with it even after the aliens zapped up an entire herd of elk before zooming towards the Milky Way. A lesson there for all of us newbies.
p.s. saw 7 elk total in 10 days, 2 bulls, 0 moose, maybe 18 deer 2 grizzly.
the previous year, same spot, same time of month i saw 17 different bulls, probably 50 elk, 3 moose, 2 dozen deer.
the difference was the cattle, rancher, ranchers dog it really messed up hunt. the previous 3 trips here the cattle were gone when season opened, this year was different. Also, 3 days of snow and rain really slowed down rutting/bugling.
I really enjoyed your account. It seems like the hunts that go awry often produce the best stories.
I'm sorry for the loss of your father and your son. Time alone in the woods certainly gives time to rekindle memories and reflect, and sometimes, mourn.