Before compound bows started changing things Vern was a bit of a legend in western Wyoming.
He and I hooked up in the 80's and had many great trips together after bear, elk, muleys and small game.
I haven't heard from him in years. I heard he had had a stroke which slowed him down quite a bit. He was a lefty and a fine shot and even better hunter.
To many stories to tell, but I remember the last time we were together. We were chasing cottontails
on the desert south of Pinedale. I had just pulled a shot right out of my kiester and nailed highballing bunny.
It was late in the afternoon and the mountains glowed red from the sun sinking slowly behind the Wyoming range to the west.
I was two days away from moving my family back east and we both knew this was a last hunt for us.
Putting a hand on my shoulder and raising his bow tip to point towards the peaks he looked me in the eyes and said, "you're going to miss that".
He was right.