50th B'day Bonanza....Elk hunting Benchmark

[AZStickman]

Well to say I'm the luckiest man in the world would be an understatement..... 8 years ago I finally met the woman I was meant to be with and life hasn't been the same since..... My feet haven't touched the ground since and the paths I've travelled have been the most rewarding of my life..... This May I turn 50 years old...... I was looking at it with a bit of dread a year ago until Debi told me she wanted to send me on my first guided Elk hunt..... See my first hunt ever was an Elk hunt in Montana at the age of 14 and I've been an Elkaholic ever since.....And though I've taken a fair share of cows over the years that dream Bull, or any Bull for that matter, has eluded me.......I've put a few friends on their Bulls over the years but none of them ever took the time to learn to call and reciprocate the favor....... Solo calling Elk, especially with trad gear, is a very tricky task and everytime I'd get a Bull in range the shot angle would be wrong or when the shot angle was right they would be out of my acceptable range...... But I've been blessed with more hours in the Elk woods than many will ever see in their lifetime and I've enjoyed each and every one of them to the fullest..... But I digress...... My wonderful wife knows how much taking my first Bull will mean to me and that's why she gifted me this opportunity that will probably be the best one I'll ever have to fulfill my quest......... I looked long and hard and talked to a bunch of Colorado outfitters and the hunters who hunted with them and booked with one that I'll be hunting with this September with an OTC Bull tag....... Knowing that hunt was a sure thing I put in for a November Elk hunt here in AZ with my first choice Cow and second Bull..... Well I found out yesterday my credit card just got hit for $114 which means I'll be heading to the AZ Elk woods as well in November....... Hitting 50 has got me reflecting back on where I've been in my life and I can only say my first 50 years have been totally rewarding and I'm looking forward to the next 50 and hope to be enjoying life with Debi and tromping the Elk woods when I hit my second 50th...... To steal a quote from Doug Campbell "Life is good in Arizona"....... Terry

[PaPaFrank]

Congratulations!!!Good Luck next season and Happy Birthday...in advance!!  I was just starting to get my "second wind" at 50,LOL...Age really is just a state of mind...Frank

[bohuntr]

Congrats Terry! We will all be waiting to hear the stories generated from your elk hunts. Shoot a big one!!!   Dan

[the Ferret]

Congrats Terry...really happy for ya. Wishing you well on your elk hunt. Tell Debi she done good, of course she can probaly tell that by the permanant grin plastered on your face eh? So, which bow ya taking?.

It does make me kinda envious feeling that you only got hit $114 to chase elk..heck Dianne, Brian and i just applied for Mulie tags in Montana and they were nearly $400 apiece.

I thought 50 was bad until this year. I turn 57 in May (mines the 18th..when's yours?).  Now only 3 years from 60 I'm starting to feel really old.

[Deer Slayer]

That's AWESOME! Congratulations on what I'm sure will be a magical hunt and the wonderful bride that got ya there!! Can't wait to hear the stories!!

Mark

[sticshooter]

Happy Birthday buddy. Have a grteat hunt. 50 is closeing in on me fast. 48 next month and still feel like 18! Well in my mind I feel 18. But my knees feel like 60.LOL<><

[AZStickman]

Thanks Guys.... Age really is a state of mind for sure.... That's my new mantra.... Heck I'm still 18 in mind years......

Mickey .... You can see that grin all the way from there???.....    ....  I'll be taking my Dryad Bushwacker as my first hitter.... That bow fits me like none I've ever shot and I've shot a few... A special lil # named Beetlejuice will be my backup.... My Birthday is the 16th..... we're pretty close..... almost twin sons from different mothers 7 years apart......  :D  Terry

[4runr]

That's cool Terry. I'll be lookin forward to pics and stories.

It's awesome to have a bride who stands behind us in our quest to stay back in time, when the whole world seems to be in such a mad dash to jump blindly ahead in time.

I hope you can take a little bit of tradgang along with you when you go.

[the Ferret]

Wow that IS a bit of a jump..what, 60%? all at one time?... GADS    

Beetlejuice gets to ride along? COOL      

[Shaun]

Terry, mine is the 16th as well and I'll still be a year older than you. Met my dream girl just a few years ago too - life is good in Iowa too! I did not take my first elk till after 50 - the one in my avatar. This year it will be my first serious try for bear... hunting with Ted Fry in Idaho. Gotta love it when life keeps getting better. Many happy returns

[Roger Moerke]

Yeh I used to think 50 was really old but I think its 70 something now!! Have great season sounds like it sure enough will be.

[vermonster13]

That is great Terry! Hey, I'll call for you anytime you like and even take some pics.

[Guru]

That's awesome Terry..you have a lot to look forward to..best of luck my friend      

[AZStickman]

Too funny Frank...You made your post while I was typing mine.... Looks like there's a few of us that feel like 18 until we see we can't chase Elk uphill at a trot anymore..... Kenny..... I always have some tradgang with me on my hunts both the bows I'll be using this year were from friends..... The Bushwacker was made for me By Mike and Jason ..... My backup self bow Beetle juice was made for me by Mickey.. just to name a couple......Shaun... I knew there was a reason I liked you....     :D    Roger.... I hear ya..... 50 is middle age......and David.... be careful I just might take you up on that......        Terry

[Mark U]

Terry, you're just entering the best age to be elk hunting.  It's a proven fact the people over fifty use their brains a lot more than their legs.  No need to try to outrun some bull when you can out think him.  After having figured this out (I'm 56 now) I even put in for a Montana tag so I might get to hunt elk six weeks instead of four, and have two tags.

Good luck on both hunts this fall.

[kennym]

Good luck on both hunts Terry,and Mark U makes a very valid point on huntin with brains instead of legs,sadly both of mine are gettin weak!

[AZStickman]

Thanks Curt..... Are you heading out West this year again?.... Mark as many years as I've been attending Elk University you'd think I'd have my Phd by now...... 6 weeks of Elk hunting up in Gods country... Man you've got it made.... Good Luck to you as well.... Kenny now that's funny...   :D   Terry

[Mark Baker]

Terry, congrats ahead on turning 50 and still going hard for that goal!  Its good to have a goal and good to have a wife that is part of the team.   I think your in pretty good company with a lot of us, in that quest for a really nice bull.   It keeps eluding me, although I've taken several elk, a few bulls, and helped many others...I've not yet satisfied my urge for a good one yet.   My experiences have been similar to yours in that the "gaggers" have hung up or not presented the best opportunities for my shot, and I've elected to pass.  Still, being in the presence of them has rewarded me plenty....the good ones are hard to find, and killing one even tougher.  Good luck to you.

[Chad Sivertsen]

I turn 60 this year so to me you are a youngster Terry.

Mark said  

"I think your in pretty good company with a lot of us, in that quest for a really nice bull."  

I am part of that select group. Like Mark I've shot a few elk bulls and cows but no big bulls. I have had some great hunts in beautiful places and if a big bull never comes my way it will all still be good memories. But every time I step in to the elk woods that is my goal and I might just get a couple of big bulls yet.

Some of you are aware of my good fortune with winning a Screaming Eagle stand, Whispering Wind arrows and a Sheepeater static recurve recently. Well my streak of good luck is not over yet it seems. Yesterday I drew an Arizona elk tag, it cost about 5 times as much as Terry's did though.

I think all you young guys in your 50's should come with me    to carry my pack and pack the meat out. I hope I can carry the antlers they might be heavy.  :D   Mark U has a good point, and I think I hunt smarter, but you still need those legs to get up the mountain.

[AZStickman]

Thanks Mark..... I hope I'm one of those old codgers I remember growing up with in Montana.... I swear they looked 80 and could almost keep up with me and my then young legs.... Hey Chad that's awesome..... you're really riding a lucky streak ........What Unit did ya draw...... Terry