My First Nephew, Cooper Bryant!!!

White Tail Deer Hunting South Alabama

8 Point I killed the past last weekend of hunting season in Alabama.

Merry Christmas to you Sister, and I wish to God I could have one myself before I die.

samuel clemens

Wapiti

My Uncle and his Elk

My two weeks in Montana hunting the elusive Wapiti was nothing less than an exciting unforgettable adventure.  Although, I returned home shorthanded without a physical trophy, my experiences and knowledge I gained while hunting them will never be forgotten.  My stalking of this obscure beautiful uninhabited creature has made me respect them and their lifestyle far greater than any other animal I have hunted.  I felt like I was living in a classic Theodore Roosevelt Elk hunting story.  Oh, to have lived during Teddy’s times! I’d give anything.  His hunting books are a must read.  Roosevelt said it best on the West, “It was here that the romance of my life began”.  

Here are a few quotes from Theodore Roosevelt on the West and his ranch in North Dakota. They really have nothing absolutely to do with Elk hunting, but I was reading a lot of his writings recently and thought I would share a few recent quotes I’ve read of his:  

“I heartily enjoy this life, with its perfect freedom, for I am very fond of hunting, and there are few sensations I prefer to that of galloping over these rolling prairies, with rifle in hand, or winding my way among the barren, fantastic and grimly picturesque deserts of the so-called Bad Lands…”

“There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness, that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy, and its charm.”

“Nowhere, not even at sea, does a man feel more lonely than when riding over the far-reaching, seemingly never-ending plains; and after a man has lived a little while on or near them, their very vastness and loneliness and their melancholy monotony have a strong fascination for him.”

“The farther one gets into the wilderness, the great is the attraction of its lonely freedom.”

“We are prone to speak of the resources of this country as inexhaustible; that is not so.”

“…wild flowers should be enjoyed unplucked where they grow.”

“The lack of power to take joy in outdoor nature is as real a misfortune as the lack of power to take joy in books.”

“There can be nothing in the world more beautiful than the Yosemite, the groves of the giant sequoias and redwoods, the Canyon of the Colorado, the Canyon of the Yellowstone, the Three Tetons; and our people should see to it that they are preserved for their children and their children’s children forever, with their majestic beauty all unmarred.”

T.R. after camping in the Yosemite National Park: “It was like lying in a great solemn cathedral, far vaster and more beautiful than any built by the hand of man.”

“Life is a great adventure….accept it in such a spirit.”

“It is also vandalism wantonly to destroy or to permit the destruction of what is beautiful in nature, whether it be a cliff, a forest, or species of mammal or bird. Here in the United States we turn our rivers and streams into sewers and dumping-grounds, we pollute the air, we destroy our forests, and exterminate fishes, birds and mammals – not to speak of the vulgarizing charming landscapes with hideous advertisements.”

I look forward to returning to Montana one day to once again challenge this magnificent valiant opponent.  My first attempt has only made me respect this animal so much more.  It’s not supposed to be easy, if it was easy, anyone could do it, as they say, and rightfully so.   I believe less than 10% of Bull Elk tags were harvested last year in Montana. 1 in 10. Not real good odds by any reasonable standard. But odds I like and odds I want to take on.  My Uncle and I had a wonderful trip together. My Uncle Wayne is 78 years old and this trip was more about getting to spend time with him out in the field than anything else.  I did get to experience one of the most majestic sites I have ever witnessed. We pulled up on a herd of 150+ Elk grazing on a private ranch right off of the highway.  It was absolutely breathtaking.  We saw only one Bull Elk out in the wild where we could get a shot off and we agreed to let my Uncle take the shot since we were very close to the truck and he was not able to hike very far into the wilderness due to problems with his leg. I will get my shot someday. This one would have been a very tough shot for me, 450 yards, uphill and windy cold conditions.  I spent every day from before days light to after dark either walking through the woods hoping to sneak up on one or sitting glassing hillsides and clearings. Our biggest problem was the lack of snow. The snow really drives the Elk down from their normal habitats in order to survive the tough winters. The snow also allows for the Elk to be tracked. And by no snow, I do not mean it wasn’t cold. It was cold; believe me, one morning I got out of the truck at 4 degrees with thick flurries blinding me as I headed off into the dark wilderness. Now that was fun morning.

Wapiti, I bid you adieu. Until we meet again.  

Friend's White Tail Hunt in Montana

Uncle and his Elk

WAPITI

I will be in ol’ Montana a week from tonight!  Excited, would be an underestimation. I’m going out with my Uncle, Wayne Tucker, for a couple weeks to hunt Elk and Mule Deer. Oh boy, oh boy, do I love the West. I can’t wait to get back out there in the wild open country that I love so much.

Here are a few Montana quotes that keep me healthy:

Oh, I'll never leave Montana, brother. –River Runs Through It

Dear Jesse, as the moon lingers a moment over the bitterroots, before its descent into the invisible, my mind is filled with song. I find I am humming softly; not to the music, but something else; some place else; a place remembered; a field of grass where no one seemed to have been; except a deer; and the memory is strengthened by the feeling of you, dancing in my awkward arms. –River Runs Through It

The world is full of bastards; the number increasing rapidly the further one gets from Missoula, Montana.  –River Runs Through It

But when I’m alone in the half-light of the canyon, all existence fades to a being with my soul and memories and the sounds of the Big Blackfoot River and a four-count rhythm and the hope that a fish will rise. Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's greatest flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of those rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.
I am haunted by waters. –River Runs Through It

There was something in the city that he said he couldn’t breathe
And there was something in the country that he said he couldn’t leave
Oh Montana, give this child a home
Give him the love of a good family and a woman of his own
Give him a fire in his heart, give him a light in his eyes
Give him the wild wind for a brother and the wild Montana skies

                -John Denver

God made Montana for the wild man, for the Piegan and the Sioux and Crow. –Ian Tyson

Ah' when I first saw Montana I knew I would love her. I'd ride her great ranges for the rest of my days. –Ian Tyson

My name is bob fudge, I died in Montana. –Ian Tyson

Summer of George

With all my beach trips this year, I feel like I got to have the Summer of George.  Year started off great; my buddies and I all flew down from different cities (D.C., Louisville, Chattanooga) and met down in Ft. Myers for a long weekend.  There’s nothing quite as great as having friends you know will always be there for you, and friends you might not see for years at a time, but can get together and laugh as though time never skipped a beat. 

Next up was an awesome trip to Key West for one of my Sigma Nu fraternity brother’s bachelor party. I love Key West. I’ve been twice now; the first time was back in High School and I have to admit I love it more each time I visit. In high school we drove down and spent an entire week camped out on the beach on a small island and snorkeled all day long. Great trip then and was not let down one bit this second time. I love that city. I love its rich history, the locals and all the culture it has to offer. It is just a wonderful place on earth. When you’re there it hardly feels like you are even in the U.S. but a town somewhere across the Globe. When we weren’t out celebrating like we were 21, I was able to sneak off and do some solo sightseeing. I rented a scooter and was able to explore the entire island. My favorite was the home of Ernest Hemingway. His home was not only a master of art with design and building construction, but just being in the same house where he wrote some of the most wonderful works of art is a marvelous feeling. He was a remarkable man.  It is rumored I took a midnight dip in his pool, but that has not been confirmed by the local authorities.

I also spent a week with my family at Amelia Island Plantation. The Tucker’s haven’t all been under the same roof in some time, so it was great to be all together once again. I also had a few trips down to Hilton Head Island with my Chattanooga buddies. We spent the whole week of July 4^th there as well as Labor Day weekend.  I love some Hilton Head Island. . I hope to one day live at the beach for half of each year. I’d also like to spend a couple years on my boat traveling across the globe to cities all around the world.   I was quoted this past trip down as saying, “leaving the beach is worse than getting hit in the head with a hammer” and “leaving the beach is just awful, you get that awful gut wrenching feeling in your stomach when it’s about time to leave, it’s just painful, it feels like your girlfriend just broke up with you.” I love the beach to say the least and I always hate to leave.  So goodbye Summer of George, I hope next year is just as lovely.

Key West 2011

July 4th on Hilton Head Island

Amelia Isand Plantation with my Family

Labor Day Weekend on Hilton Head Island

my twain of thought is loosely bound