Hunting partner Doug Koupal and I had 17 preference points for Black Hills elk going into this season. When SDGF&P told me we probably wouldn’t live long enough to draw “any elk” tags even with these points, we opted for “cow elk” tags in Unit H2B23 which included our campsite above Deerfield at an elevation of 6800 feet. I had written a letter to a land owner explaining our situation, and we were offered not only hunting permission, but also a cabin on the site. Opening day would be Thursday, October 15th. On Tuesday afternoon, the 13th, our hosts met us at the Rapid City Flying J and led us to the cabin.

The cabin was Spartan but adequate with bunk beds, a gas range, a wood-burning stove, and an outhouse behind the cabin. We brought our own supply of water. Once the stove fire was out, it got down to freezing in the cabin at night. At our ages, nighttime runs to relieve nature’s call were necessary, and I have since renewed my appreciation for indoor plumbing…..especially after slipping and falling in the snow while clad only in undershorts and slippers.

On Thursday’s opener Doug didn’t feel well enough to hunt because of a reaction to new medication, and I was alone on my stand above the cabin well before the first hints of dawn crossed the eastern horizon. The location, a rolling meadow above the convergence of a northeast draw and a southeast draw, was excellent. Two hours into my hunt, just as the sun peeked over eastern ridge, I spotted a lone elk as it emerged from the brushy draw beneath me. I first thought it was a cow, but when it walked into the sunlight, its ivory-tipped antlers lit up like a Christmas tree. The bull came within fifty yards of me but never spooked even though he was downwind of me – proof that morning thermals tend to rise. He was magnificent. It’s a scene I’ll never forget. I remained at my post until

I remained at my post until noon and headed back to the cabin as I mistakenly believed that all the elk would be bedded down at this time of day. Big mistake! As we were finishing up lunch, I saw a herd of 25-30 elk from our east window. They were at the base of the southeast draw. I knew where they were heading, and hurriedly grabbed my rifle and hustled up the north slope to my previous stand location. Two bulls brought up the rear of the herd, and I had the big guy in my scope’s crosshairs at 35 yards as I wondered where his cows had gone.

A glance to the west revealed the cow herd at a distance of a 100-150 yards. I put a big pine between us and moved toward the herd. When I attempted to steady my rifle against that same tree, I could not contain my tremor. In the excitement of the moment I foolishly took the shot. The herd bolted in a southwesterly direction as the cow elk I targeted fell behind. She eventually lay down in a wooded two acre plot behind and west of the cabin. At this very moment Dave and Rich showed up.

At this point I had already made one huge mistake. As a result of the deep brain stimulation surgery I had last February, I can control my left hand tremor up to a point. However, as my degree of tremor control increases, my speech becomes increasingly slurred. I had turned off my left hand tremor control when I returned to the cabin in order to better talk to Doug. When I hurried out the door in pursuit of the elk, I had failed to turn my tremor control back on. Hence the bad shot!

I should have insisted that we leave the wounded elk lie. Instead we pushed her from the plot leaving no one to cover the west side where she made her escape. We eventually lost her blood trail after a valiant search. Will she survive the wound? I doubt it, but I hope so. I feel terrible about it.

With the threat of a coming snow storm after I had spent Friday morning on stand, Doug and I headed home Friday afternoon as my pickup is a two-wheel drive. Upon reaching home Friday night, I found Betsy in a great deal of pain. She had suffered a bad fall Wednesday afternoon and foolishly thought she could suck it up. We went to the hospital Saturday morning and learned that she had two fractured ribs. She is now recovering nicely. Oh yes. We will return to the Hills in Doug’s 4WD for a second go at it.

See you next week.