It's been 6 months since I bought "One with the Wilderness" from Mike Mitten at the Compton's rendezvous, but haven't had time until just recently to read it. All I can say is "Wow, what a book!"
The book was an enjoyable read all the way through, but I found myself particularily taken by the moose, elk, and muledeer solo stories. Mike did a great job of making you feel as if you were there with him on the hunts, and sharing the elation and sometimes dissappointments that he experienced.
There was one small piece in the "Trailheads" sectioned where Mike describes being caught in a T-storm on the mountain that brought back a memory so strong it gave me goose-bumps.
I was on my first solo backpack muledeer hunt in Steens Mtn Oregon when after a day of hiking to a remote "buck pasture" I got caught in a series of thunderstorms that had me a little worried. From 7:00pm until 3:00am storm after storm came rolling off of the Alvord desert and litterally pounded my camp. I laid there in my tent with the wind blowing so hard that the fabric of the tent would push down against me. Bomb-blast thunder claps struck so loud that you couldn't help but yell to maintain some semblence of equilibrium. I laid there with knife in one hand and my essentials pack at the ready, fearful that in the event the wind started to take the tent I might have to cut my way out and make a beeline for my truck 6 miles down the drainage I was in.
The storm passed and in the morning I crawled out of the tent to the bluest skies I've ever seen. White fluffy clouds floated in off the desert at, and below where I stood. My breakfast never tasted so good.
Anyway.... The book woke up some memories and gave me some inspiration for this coming year. Something that's been waning for a while.
I usaully sell a book after I read it except in the most compelling of circumstances. This book has eaned a place along side 1000 Campfires and Bows on the Little Delta.
Just a great read.
Watts
Topic: One with the Wilderness. (Read 693 times)
