This year my son Remington and I drew a couple of coveted New Mexico elk tags. We had eight days to hunt!!!!! So with a ton of bow shooting practice and the hope for heavy packs we headed to the woods. But this year was a little different. This year we would be joined by my daughter who is 12. I had reservations about making sure she was prepared as much as possible. But if you have been on an elk hunt out west you can testify that only experience can prep you for 10 miles of bike riding and 5-10 miles of hiking each day. Since the unit we were in does not allow motorized vehicles biking and hiking was our only options. Each day carried its own set of challenges. Rain, mud, bike break downs, bears, blisters, and more. At the end of the day my daughter lasted through it all!!!!! As a father I have dreamed of a day that I could go on a trip with just the kids and “we make it happen” as a family. No outside help. This trip was just that. We had more elk encounters in eight days than I have had in a lifetime. We lived our days out of the pack and filtered water as needed. Through the grace of God we were able to harvest two elk. My son got his first elk with a bow!!!!! At the end of it all when I look on the wall and see these horns I will not think of the hundreds of bugles we herd or the elk encounters we had. I will think of my kids. Experiencing this trip together and enduring what was honestly a tuff but wonderful elk hunt. So after years of asking, my daughter finally went on a hunt with us and I believe and pray this will be the first of many!!! So don’t give up Dads. Keep asking and take them every chance you get!!!!!! God Bless and Tight Chains.
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